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.




Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Saw Hunger Games

I didn't think I was going to go and see that movie, but over the break last week, I took my little son and wife to the neighborhood theater on their Terrific Tuesday discount night. I figured what the heck. (My older son didn't go. He chose instead to work out in the gym, because he's training for the upcoming football season.)

Anyway, I don't get what the hullaballoo is all about. I didn't think it was a very good story at all. I liked the costumes. For a futuristic society the fashions were pretty cool. But the premise, and the plot and the "game" itself? To use today's vernacular... it all sucked.

For me, the first 30 minutes dragged. Talk about BORING. It really was. I just told myself that when the game began it was sure to pick up. But no. All the game turned out to be was turning 24 kids loose into a countryside arena to kill each other until only one remained. That was it. (And the contestants were as young as 12.) And if the kids didn't kill each other fast enough, the controllers behind the scenes would conjure up forest fires and giant pit bulls to get it done.

And then they change the rule so that two partners can survive, but then they change their mind, and then they change their mind again. It was a horrible story-line, imo. But what do I know? I didn't like Harry Potter, either. Or Twilight.

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