Introduction

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Manhattan, New York City

“It’s your mother,” Nicole Berman’s father said over the phone.

She rose from her desk at the sound of his voice. “What happened?” “Broken hip. She’s at Sinai on Madison.”

“Hip? How, Dad?”

“You know what I know. How soon can you get there?”

“On my way,” she said, juggling her phone to pull on her trench coat.

“Use a foundation car, Nic.”

“Quicker to walk. It’s rush hour here. What time is it there?”

“Coming up on eleven,” he said, “and there’s nothing leaving here tonight. I’m on standby out of de Gaulle in the morning, but I’m way down the list. I’ll charter if I have to.”

“Oh, Dad! You sure?”

“Are you moving, hon?”

“At the elevator. Should be there in twenty minutes. Want me to call, tell her I’m on my way?”

“No, they tell me she’s already sedated for surgery. Text me as soon as you know anyth—”

“’Course, but don’t charter till I find out how serious this is. You’re probably looking at—”

“Six figures,” he said. “I know. But even picking up six hours, if I get out of here by eight in the morning, it’s gonna be noon before I get into the city.”

“Mom wouldn’t want you to spend—”

“Don’t bother her with that! We’re flush as we’ve ever been and—” But the call dropped when the elevator closed.

Nicole’s lengthy strides made up for having to wait to cross Lexington and then Park Avenue. The fall sun had already dipped behind the buildings on the west side of Park, leaving a nip in the air that only quickened her pace. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

Dead Sea Rising alternates between present day Manhattan, Mesopotamia in 2000 BC, and briefly 1970s Vietnam. How did the alternating time periods affect your reading of the book? Why do you think the author chose to structure the novel this way?


Credibility, likability, and the potential for heroism are a few qualities of a great lead character. What other talents and virtues must a great lead character possess? Based on the qualities you identify, who is the lead character in Dead Sea Rising and why?


Nicole is strong and independent. Belessunu also possesses strength in her own way. Compare and contrast these two characters, separated by 4,000 years. In what ways are their lives similar? How does their strength of character impact their relationships with the novel’s other characters?


Compare and contrast the characters who held positions of authority in the novel. How does authority manifest itself in contemporary times as opposed to 2000 BC?


How is Nicole’s relationship with her father different than her relationship with her mother? In what ways do their relationships contribute to the plot of the novel?


How are different religions represented by the various characters in the novel across the vast timelines? What spiritual themes and biblical parallels did you identify in Dead Sea Rising?


Terah is impulsive and scared for his wife and child. Contrast Terah’s response to the king’s decree about the fate of newborn males with that of his wife, Belessunu. What can we learn from Terah and Belessunu about relying on self rather than God? If you were Terah, how would you have protected your son’s life?


The Vietnam subplot reveals Ben’s past. What did you learn about him? How are other characters affected by these past events?


To which characters did you most relate? What characters could you not relate to? How did that impact how you felt about the novel as a whole?


What surprised you in the novel? What characters are you most curious about for book two and why?

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