The Last Testament - Book Review

The Last Testament
by Sam Bourne
Harper Collins 2009 (USA & Canada)
First published in UK - 2007

SPOILERS!!!!

SPOILERS!!!!!

This novel is also set in Israel but this one is MUCH more realistic. It involves both Israelis and Palestians working together and shooting each other to find the truth.

After the US illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Baghdad Museum of Antiqities was looted and a large number of important artifacts were stolen. This novel is about one small clay tablet that was stolen. This small clay tablet is probably imaginery just for this story.

Anyway the tablet is smuggled to UK and then smuggled back to Israel. Artifacts currently missing from Iraq are hot (stolen) and are not permitted to be sold. They must be sent back to Iraq.

Maggie Costello, a UN peace negotiator, is called in to try and calm the two sides as the killings increase. As Maggie is sucked into the search for this tablet, local archaeologists around her are killed - both palestinian and jewish. The tablet was hidden by a jewish archaelogist who is killed in the first chapter. Maggie and his son are left to follow his clues to find the tablet's hiding place before they are killed by the extremists who do not want the tablet to see the light of day.

What is the importance of this tablet? It was written in cuneiform writing - the language of the sumerians. It mentions three names - Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael.

It is effectively the last will and testament of Abraham - the founder of the 3 religions of the Book. He notes that his sons are fighting over their home and so he gifts Mount Moriah to the children of Isaac and Ishmael to be shared equally by all the descendents.

This is explosive news because Jerusalem is built on Mount Moriah. Isaac was the father of the Jews and Ishmael was the father of the Arabs. They must now find a way to share their home and stop fighting over it.

The last scene in this book is the leader of the PLO and the Prime Minister of Isarel in a room with one negotiator - Maggie Costello.

The Copper Scroll - Book Review

The Copper Scroll
by Joel C. Rosenberg
Tyndale Publishers
2006
Copper Scroll Project Website

How many of you have heard of the Copper Scroll? A scroll quite literally made of copper that was discovered in the Qumran caves in Israel in 1948 at the same time the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. On this scroll is a list of treasure items that so far, have never been found.


This novel is the fourth in a series of Books called the LAST JIHAD. Imagine. This is a christian author writing about the Last Jihad. The previous book (the 3rd book) The Ezekiel Option involved the end of the world. Apparently a number of middle eastern countries were destroyed.

Anyway in the Copper Scroll, a team of american experts are in Israel looking for the treasure of the Copper scroll. These experts are led by Erin McCoy Bennett (former CIA operative) and her new husband John Bennett. They were both involved in the previous story - The Ezekiel Option.

The beginning is rather slow. It takes 12 chapters to get all the main players either set in place, or killed so that their subsequent actions can affect the story.

Once the Bennets have been tracked down on their honeymoon, interrupted and sent to Israel, they begin the search for the treasure. They have to decode the list on the War scroll. Another scroll that was found some time after the Copper Scroll, but the war scroll seems to have clues on how to find the items listed on the Copper Scroll. This Copper scroll list consists of locations and items and amounts. Remember the Copper Scroll is real. This story is NOT.

The list has items such as...

Item 1: In the fortress which is in the Vale of Achor, forty cubits under the steps entering to the east: a money chest and its contents, of a weight of seventeen talents.

Item 2: In the sepulchral monument, in the third course of stones: 100 bars of gold

Item Three: In the Great Cistern which is in the Court of Peristyle, in the spout in its floor, concealed in a hole in front of the upper opening: nine hundred talents.

Item Seven: In the cavity of the Old House of Tribute, in the Chain Platform: sixty-five bars of gold.

Item 12: In the court of [unreadable], nine cubits under the southern corner: gold and silver vessels for tithe, sprinkling basins, cups, sacrificial bowls, libations vessels; in all, six hundred and nine.

Item 14: In the pit which is to the north of Esplanade tithe vessels and garments. Its entrance is under the western corner.

Item 32: In the cave that is next to [unreadable] belonging to the House of Hakkoz, dig six cubits. There are six bars of gold.

Item 37: In the stubble field of the Shaveh, facing southwest, in an underground passage looking north, buried at twenty-four cubits: 67 talents.

Item 64: In a pit adjoining on the north, in a hole opening northward, and buried at its mouth: a copy of this document, with an explanation and their measurements, and an inventory of each and every thing.

...and so on and so forth.

This list was translated and released by John Marcus Allegro in 1960

This novel did not feel realistic, although the story was fun. By that I mean that there were no Palestinians involved. Those Arabs who were involved were mostly Iraqis. Those Jews who were involved, drove on roads that were jewish only and really there was no interaction with any palestinians at all. Even the obligatory traitor was not an Arab but an Indian. It is almost as if the Palestinians did not exist.

One last thing - there was a lot of talk about the christians - which is why I think this book was written in the unrealistic way that it is. Mind you this book is set in the "last days" that christianity are desperately searching for.

Now if christians would understand that they are not supposed to be bringing about the end of the world. Only Jesus can do that, (as per the bible) and if jesus (god) chooses to not do that - well then thats his decision. The christians should not be trying to interpret what they think god wants them to do.

As we watch those Christians doing what they can to bring about the last days, do so because they desperately want to know that their faith in god is real and not a lie, not a delusion. The longer god stays away and does nothing, the more proof there is, that god either does not exist or chooses to not involve himself in the pettiness of humanity.

Flight of the Dragonfly - Book Review

Flight of the Dragonfly
By Melissa Hawach
Harper Collins 2008
Globe and Mail Interview

In the summer of 2006, I was watching and reading in horror as Israel invaded Lebanon in response to Lebanon kidnapping two Israeli soldiers who had strayed acros the Lebanon/Israeli border. Israel bombed Lebanon back to the 18th century in just 30 days.


The Israeli military destroyed roads, bridges, houses, buildings, communications, and most of the infrastructure that allows a country to run smoothly. The world saw this is a gross over-the-top reaction to the kidnapping. Israel denied that they had overreacted.

Anyway while this war was going on, there was another little war going on as well. An Australian born Lebanese man who was married to a Canadian woman, had taken their children to Lebanon, in the middle of a war zone. WHO in the right mind would do something like this? Joseph Hawach - thats who.

Melissa Engdahl married Joseph Hawach in Sydney Australia in 1999. Melissa was a Canadian who was on a working holiday in Australia and one of the places she worked was at a restarant called Positanos. The owner of this restaurant was the Hawach family originally from Lebanon.

The marriage was going great while the family lived in Sydney. Melissa gave birth to a daughter Hannah in 2001. Then they decide to move to Canada where there were more opportunites for Joe to import asian papers for his business. Melissa gave birth to her second daughter, Cedar, in Calgary, Alberta in 2004.

By 2005 the marriage was breaking down and in June 2006 after they had formally seperated, Joe asked to take the girls to Australia for a family vacation. He promised they would return to Canada in late July of 2006. They never arrived. Two weeks into the vacation Joe took the girls and left Australia.

Melissa immeidately went to the courts in Canada and was appointed the girls legal custodian parent. She gathered an expert legal team around her and then Melissa and her team went to Australia to speak to Joes family to try and find out where joe was.

In Canada parental kidnapping is a crime and is dealt with by the criminal courts. In Australia parental kidnapping is NOT a crime and is dealt with only by the family courts. Melissa's hand were tied and she could not do anything - although she did bring a lawsuit against the Hawach family to force them to divulge Joe's location. They all refused.

Joe and the girls has first stopped in Dubai where he continued to charge items to the family credit cards - for which Melissa was now forced to pay. They had then continued on to Syria. The Canadian diplomatic service eventually tracked Joe down to Lebanon.

Melissa and her father eventually flew to Lebanon to look for and find the girls. There were numerous offers of help. Some by mercenaries, and special unit soldiers who offered to help. But Melissa refused to kidnap her children back as that would just cause more legal problems.

In Lebanon the father has all legal custody rights to the child and the mother has NO rights to the child. Traditionally the mother is allowed to keep the child until they are 8 years old, but after that the child becomes part of the fathers household if the parents have separated.

Melissa had the papers proving her right to be the childrens custodial parent in Canada. Her Lebanon lawyers spent weeks in the Lebanese courts trying to get a lebanese judge to recognize Melissa's right to have her children. If Melissa had kidnapped them back, she would be liable for arrest and possible exection under Lebanese law, because in Lebanon the father has automatic custodial rights.

Eventually the Lebanese judge agreed to grant her custodial rights. This was done mostly because Joe made a number of mistakes which Melissa's lawyers made use of.

In December 2006 Melissa was able to travel to the hotel north of Beirut where Joe and the children were staying, The hotel belonged to a relative of Joe's. Melissa walked into the compund and called to her children. They ran to her yelling Mommy, Mommy. There was no abuction. Melissa and the girls were then spirited into away hiding. They were in hiding for 3 months. The first 2 months in Lebanon while they wanted for the courts to grant custody to Melissa, and then another month in syria where they were stuck without exit visas because Joe still had the girls passports.

The Canadian government issued new passports and these were sent to the General in Lebanon who had helped them to escape. He was able to get the entry permits to Syria so that they could all safely leave. In February 2007, they were driven across the border to Amman in Jordan and from there they were flown home to Canada.

Melissa and the girls are now safe in Calgary. Melissa has a new relationship and a new baby son. Joe is now back in Australia. He keeps in touch with the girls by telephone. He asks for the girls and Melissa to come visit him in Australia, but Melissa has so far refused to do this. Joe cannot come to Canada because he still has outstanding warrents against him - for parental abduction - which is a crime in Canada.

There are also some people who say that Melissa Hawach is a liar and she only wanted her 15 minuts of fame. Why would they want to do that? This person seems to be in Australia, so maybe they are friends or relatives of the Hawach family and did not like all the negative publicity.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For its details about family life and culture in lebanon and for how to deal with a parental kidnapping (if it should ever happen to someone you know). I read this book for the 2nd Canadian challenge - ABM genre.

This is just NOT RIGHT

I seldom say anything of a political nature on this blog, but this has gone on far enough. I am shocked and horrified with the INDISCRIMINATE bombing of Gaza by Israel. Today is the 4th day of the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza BY Israel.

When the World Trade Center was destroyed, Americans did everything they could to protect themselves.

When Spain's transit system was bombed, everyone throughout the world mourned.

When Britain's subways were attacked, the world stood back in shock and measures were taken.

Even Kosevo got protected.
Even Somalia got aid from world organizations.
Even Darfur was not begrudged the right to protect itself.

But after over 60 years of having endured attack after attack after attack after attack,by the Israelis, Palestinians are still being scolded for trying to attempt to defend themselves and they are still being told that they have no right to fight back.

Where's the justice in that?
Where's the international sympathy,
Where's the international help?

New York gets protected, Spain gets sympathy, Britain takes action.

But Palestine? 100 tons of bombs are dropped on the world's most densely-populated city (and region) and the world appears to be applauding these gristly, brutal and ghastly results of Gaza's 9-11.

And if the people of Gaza dare to protect themselves or to fight back, they will be carpet-bombed, they will be exterminated like fish in a barrel.

This is just NOT RIGHT.

The Secret Scroll - Book Review

The Secret Scroll
By Ronald Cutler
Beaufort Books 2008
Website


This is yet another novel about the "what if..." question. What if Jesus DID write something about himself, and what if this scroll was only discovered in the 21st century?


Well Joshua Cohan does exactly this. Josh is an American Archaeologist, and a Jew, living in Pennsylvania. When a discovery he makes in Mexico is credited to someone else, he finds out what it is like to be denied professional credit for his work. So Joshua takes a leave of absence and goes to Israel. In Israel he feel as though he is home.

Joshua has dreams, and these dreams lead him to a cave in a remote part of Israel not far from the Dead Sea, and there he discovers a jar (with a scroll inside) dating from the Second Temple period (between 50 BCE and 50 CE). The Scroll is written in Aramaic - the language that Jesus and his disciples would have spoken.

Under Israeli Law, all archaeological findings belonged to the state and are under the control of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The rest of the novel involves Joshua cooperating with the IAA to determine if the jar and scroll are genuine. The IAA team must also battle an unknown religious group that hates Jews and starts attacking and killing members of the IAA research team.

This religious group claim to be Marcionites.

As for the Scroll that Joshua found, it has some interesting information. But the part I love the best and that rings true for me in this current day and age is the following "translation" in chapter 76 near the end of the novel.

The existence of evil in the world can be attributed to mankind alone. As long as he wages war, man is a savage, for war is a savage act and is a blockade to enlightenment. The day will come when there is will be justice in this unjust world. When all people realise their potential, the impossible will happen.

Just remember that this is a novel. The above paragraph was made up by the author. But at least he recognizes the truth about humanity.

While I did enjoy this book and read it within 24 hours, I feel that I have to be honest. There is nothing unusual in this novel - except for that last paragraph I quoted. Lots of people dream about finding the one scroll that proves Jesus WAS alive and that he DID perform miracles and that he WAS the Son of God. Noone has ever found such a scroll for real in the last 2000 years, so I doubt that anyone ever will find such a scroll.

I actually prefer novels set in Israel that have a different angle on them. Novels like The Samson Effect. That was a totally different and unexpected angle, and those are the sort of books I prefer. Below is a trailer of this book - The Secret Scroll.



Marcion of Sinope (Sinope is on the Black Sea coast of Turkey)