Two archaeologists discover a bizarre map on a routine excavation in Israel. Deciphering the strange symbols leads on an expedition that changes their lives forever.
Excavations have become a part of every Israeli's life, but there is nothing routine about this excavation, at this particular time, in this fun-filled action / adventure story.Everyone, including the FBI and the authorities in Israel, want to control what these two intrepid friends uncover.
Excerpt
“Four sages entered Paradise: Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Elisha ben Abuyah, and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva said to them: “When you reach the stones of pure marble do not exclaim ‘Water, Water!’” Ben Azzai looked and died. Ben Zoma looked and lost his mind. Elisha ben Abuyah cut the shoots. Only Rabbi Akiva ascended in peace and descended in peace.”
The Talmud
PROLOGUE
In a village outside Jerusalem, Israel, 135 A.C.E.
I am a dead man.
Akiva scratched the words across a torn piece of parchment, which was stretched over a table made from two clay wine jars and a large piece of wood from an abandoned ox-cart. A faint smell of wine drifted through the cracks in the wood, reminding him his old stomach was as empty as the wine jars. While dismissing the tempting perfume, he dipped his stylus again into the black ink and waited for the bead on the tip to plop back into the pot, for every drop was worth a fortune and he was quickly running out of money and time.
Shaping the letters in short, deliberate movements, his hand crept from right to left, aligning each letter to the one before it. For a long moment he stopped to stare at the words as though they were a primal truth and, try as he may to understand them, he knew he never would. The world had gone mad with violence and he seemed to be at the whirling core of it.
He felt a sharp pain scrabble inside his chest until it found his heart, making it rattle like a dried up bean in a clay jar. Age had come upon him suddenly in these last few weeks, hurtling itself over him until his bones creaked with the weight of it, or was it, rather, the harrowing millstone of responsibility for all of those deaths at Masada crushing him? He touched the point of his stylus to the parchment and began writing again.
I can hear the soldiers marching several streets away as they search for me and the others involved in the rebellion. They most certainly will find me, unless I am able to escape in the next few moments, leaving little time to explain anything to you, but I shall try.
A tear slid down his nose and dropped, drowning the letter it fell upon until it was nothing more than a black spot. He wiped his face with his sleeve and continued writing.
Professional Reviews
Gripping Novel Religious Mystery by Peggy M
This is one of those books that is extremely difficult to put down. Imagine for a moment what archaeological discovery would prove the Bible to be accurate beyond refute. Add in a Priest, an archaeologist, and a young woman who may or may not be involved with a Russian Cartel who profits in stolen antiquities who are searching for the same answers and assurances we all crave, and you have an epic story that leaves you begging for more from the unusual trio. Toss in Interpol, the Ministerial Committee for Holy Places, the Vatican, and the Israeli Antiquities Authority and you have the ingredients for an epic that will survive the generations. The author has built a modern mystery based on an incredible base of research that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.
I would love to see this as a movie. The author brings the settings and characters alive (positive and negative character traits). "And the truth shall set you free."
Fans of Angels & Demons and Raiders of the Lost Ark will enjoy this!
Outstanding Book! It Kept Me On the Edge of My Seat! by Devin Quantz
Although I have read hundreds of books in my life, I have never written a book review. I felt that with this action-packed story, I would give it a try.
I really enjoyed the characters and how the author explained their personalities, like Liam the priest and how he was torn about his place in life. I could feel the emotions of the characters and I could visualize not only how they looked, but the areas where they visited. As I continued to read about the archaeological digs and the items found, I felt myself being pulled into the story. It felt so real. I could see the places the characters visited: South America, the Vatican, and the dig sites in the holy land. I felt that the author explained everything in just the right amount of detail and gave you all of the necessary information without overwhelming you with unnecessary long-winded micro details that some books fall victim to.
I think this book is outstanding! It is very well organized, researched, and interesting. It kept me on the edge of my seat, I hope the author writes another. I would also love to see this story on the big screen!
spirituality, Adventure and Love Story Rolled into One by April Sage
I got my copy in the mail, and read it in two short days. It was a real page turner. The whole story felt like an Indiana Jones film, only more spiritual. The characters seemed fully fleshed out, with lots of individual quirks to make them special. I loved the relationship between Liam (the priest) and Avi (the archeologist). Their camaraderie and repartee were great fun. Some of the minor characters were also humorous, which was a welcome relief from the tension. Even the villain was made more human by his own peculiar challenges, and his unrequited love for Alana.
Having a priest as a major character was an interesting choice. It certainly helped me to know that he would not be part of a romantic triangle, as part of me kept expecting. It also made the tension about his troubled faith seem urgent. I found it easy to sympathize with Liam's situation, and to care about his future. And, in the end, it is Liam's spirituality that makes the ending so satisfying.
The other major character, Alana, was also a very sympathetic character. Her story line involved a mysterious connection with the villain, Hrynevych. There was also some mystery about her involvement with the FBI Agent that kept me guessing. The author used great skill in allowing the hints to build up throughout the novel until the final pay-off. I believe it will make a satisfying read for a broad spectrum of readers.
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Jason Chase, a man filled with personal demons, only wanted to finish his manuscript. But all his carefully laid plans disappear when a stranger showed up at his front door claiming to be his long-lost father.
