Will iconic images recorded in the grooves of an ancient vase unite the Holy Land or rip it further apart?

THE VASE

A novel by Mark M. DeRobertis

Muhsin Muhabi is a Palestinian potter, descended from a long line of potters. His business is run from the same shop owned by his ancestors since the day his forebears moved to Nazareth. The region's conflict saw the death of his oldest son, and rogue terrorists are in the process of recruiting his youngest in their plot to assassinate the Pope and Israeli prime minister.

Professor Hiram Weiss is an art historian at Nazareth’s Bethel University. He is also a Shin Bet operative on special assignment. With the help of fellow agent, Captain Benny Mathias, he plans to destroy the gang responsible for the death of his wife and only child. He puts a bomb in the ancient vase he takes on loan from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.

Mary Levin, the charming assistant to the director of Shin Bet, has lost a husband and most of her extended family to recurring wars and never-ending terrorism. She dedicates her life to the preservation of Israel, but to whom will she dedicate her heart? The brilliant professor from Bethel University? Or the gallant captain who now leads Kidon?

Harvey Holmes, the Sherlock of Haunted Houses, is a Hollywood TV host whose reality show just flopped. When a Lebanese restaurant owner requests his ghost-hunting services, he believes the opportunity will resurrect his career. All he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that are haunting the restaurant. It happens to be located right across the street from Muhsin’s Pottery Shop.




Monday, November 2, 2015

Last Night's Walking Dead Sucked

Episode four of the current season of The Walking Dead was extra long, a 90 minute episode. So did we learn if Glenn is dead? Or did he survive? Was it in fact another body on top of his that was being torn apart? Or was Glenn shredded? Were any of those questions answered? No. Not a one.

An episode following the questionable demise of the beloved Glenn character is a special 90 minute episode and probably one of the worst episodes in the entire history of the series! Not a hint of Glenn, not a clue as to his fate, not a thing. We get only a back story on Morgan, which explained his newfound "all life is precious" attitude, even in the aftermath of murdering scumbags wiping out every innocent person they could find in the peaceful community of Alexandria.

Look, in the real world that we're living in now, I mean the real world that's not a TV show, it would be nice if everyone had that "Eastman" belief. Which is all life is precious, and you don't kill. But in the Walking Dead world, Rick and Carol have it right. Even after Morgan explains his story to the "wolf" he spared, the "wolf" still proclaims that if he lives, he'll kill Morgan and everyone else that he can. So, it's as if Morgan is truly being tested on his newfound belief.

But so what? Who cares? Morgan is a fool if he can't understand that he's now living in a kill or be killed world. Sooner or later, if he keeps that up, he'll be killed, and we'll be rid of him. Do I want that? No. I want Morgan to get smart, like Rick and Carol, and deal with the world as it is now. It's the f-ing Walking Dead, dude, and it is what it is. If boring shows like last night's are where the show is headed, this better be the last season. Cuz it's gonna get bad ratings and be canceled anyway. That's all.

No comments:

Post a Comment