Customer Reviews

The Bone Box: Confines of Life and Death

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In my opinion, the most fascinating and by far, the most significantly important biblical archeological discovery ever realized, made its sadly unacknowledged debut in an obscure burial cave in East Talpiot, Israel during 1980. Although this incredible event occurred more than 25 years ago, it is virtually unknown to almost the entire general public. Why it still remains almost totally unknown today is a great mystery, but part of the answer likely relates to the unprepared mentality of the academics who first analyzed the findings, and their seemingly lack of awareness of basic statistical analysis regarding the grouping of names.

I am aware of only three books which address the importance of this incredible discovery. The first is a very recent academic book about the Jesus Dynasty by the popular American scholar, Dr. James Tabor. The second is a novel by Kathy Reichs, and the third is this fast-paced, and well-researched novel by Itamar Bernstein about documented archeological research, as well as ancient Judaic and early Christian symbolism.

But the book is also about love, spiritual healing and renewal - an alchemical marriage of sorts, between the living present and the living past, out of which grows the everlasting quintessential essence, as revealed through the deepest, most hidden, symbolic, almost gnostic teachings of the original Christian story.

Treat yourself to the enjoyment of a most entertaining and moving book about archeology, symbolism and love, and at the same time be prepared for several incredibly shocking truths concerning some of the actual details and mysteries surrounding the most underrated but greatest biblical archeological discovery in all of history.

An obscured archeological find of a burial cave was made in Israel in 1980, its facade featured on this page. It contained ten bone boxes, six of them inscribed with names described as "luminous with meaning for anyone brought up in the Christian faith."

A man and woman Jerusalem police duo engage in an international treasure hunt for these priceless artifacts, with the whole of Christianity riding on the balance. Confounded by a high flying collector-businessman and by their own government,they uncover real evidence for a proposition that could plunge the world into bitter controversy. She is determined to find the truth, he is more interested in his love for her, which is pulling him out of a major depression. He is also more sensitive to the chaos that may well result from pursuing this matter to final conclusion.

The engine of the storyline is the exciting archeology; the theme is grief and recovery through love. I found the coupling original and thought provoking.

Writing in a refreshing personal style, tight and flowing, the author concentrates on what the reader expects from an excellent thriller. Credible though very imaginative an original narrative. Intensely engaging conflict between the main character (supported by an IAA official and impaired by his own government) and opponent. Dramatic action as hard choices between patriotism and truth-seeking are forced upon the main character. Sensational archeology - all set upon a forceful description of the agony and deliverance of a father grieving the loss of his first borne son.
Looking forward to the next book.

A thriller is meant to be read in one breath.It is supposed to capture your undivided attention and to occupy your thoughts until you finish reading it - and long after. This is what Mr Berenstein's "The Bone Box" did to me.The first thing that attracted me to the book was the fresh and unique use of the language.The author use of words is refreshing and unexpected,he has the ability to find the accurate yet the most picturesque way of expressing himself.His writing is very precise - on one hand yet very flowing on the other hand.He does not waste words-he prefers to be concise - which serves the genre of a detective story perfectly.
The majority of thriller readers are not considered specialists in either Christianity or Archeology.so this book opens a window of opportunities to the average reader to widen his/her horizons culturallywise.It is clear that Mr Bernstein's research has been very thorough and profound.
Being an Israeli I found it most exciting to wander in familiar scenes.I am sure this book does a lot of justice to the beauty of Jerusalem as well as to the vividness of Tel Aviv.Yet the most heartbreaking aspect for me,as an Israeli,was the unique and rather extraordinary collision between Guy - the dead son who committed a suicide and the Arab terrorist who chose to commit his own suicide in the centre of Tel Aviv,therby killing and injuring dozens of innocent civilians.
This unbelievable comparison brings the personal versus the political reality to an overemotional extreme.

This book, "The Bone Box" was published almost a year before the general public got wind about the Jesus Family Tomb found in Talpiot in 1980.

One does wonder how an archeological discovery "luminous with meaning for anyone brought up in the Christian faith" could possibly be obscured for 26 years. This book hints at the real reasons the sensational news remained buried since 1980, after a short exposure in 1996. I suspect it would now go underground again even after the media hype in March 2007, and for the same reasons.

This thriller describes a fictional 1996 attempt to commercially expose this find. It's the sort of book that you can't put down until you finish it. It details some substantial, real evidence of the magnitude of the Talpiot discovery, most of which wasn't discussed in the March 2007 Discovery channel TV program.

Here's a synopsis by Kirkus Discoveries :
"A biblical mystery sends a Jerusalem detective on an international chase.
Michael Inbar, an inspector in the police headquarters of the Russian district in Jerusalem, seems to have little
reason to get up in the morning. Separating from his wife, Leora, after their son, Guy, committed suicide, Michael
clearly blames himself for Guy's death, though he has little to do with the rest of his family, including his son, Avi,
and his young daughter, Daniela. Michael nearly blows off the case he is assigned--an ossuary (a box used for bones
in early ritual "second burials") stolen from the Rockefeller archeological museum--but he is called back to the
museum the next day. Eight more ossuaries have been stolen, and a guard is dead. Despite the mysterious lack of
cooperation from the museum official, Michael begins his investigation, discovering another murder. Working on that case is Rona Argov, a beautiful
and flirtatious detective from the homicide department. Rona and Michael immediately team up on the investigations and, of course, fall in love. They
quickly run into trouble when someone tampers with their car, causing an accident that sends Rona into a coma. As Michael waits patiently by Rona's
bed, he studies Kabbalah and begins to think about the names on the ossuaries and their potential relationship to historically significant figures. After
Rona emerges from the coma, the lovers travel to France and Switzerland, hoping to determine the importance of the ossuaries--all the while hotly pursued
by their mysterious adversaries."

To the best of my knowledge, "The Bone Box" is the first book fully dedicated to exploring the magnitude of the TaIpiot family tomb. Since the author isn't a privileged celebrity, and apparently used modest means for publicity, most people haven't heard about the Jesus family tomb until the airing of a Discovery channel documentary in March 2007, almost a year after "The Bone Box" was published.

One does wonder how such an amazing archeological discovery could possibly be obscured for 26 years. Maybe the reason can be found in the instinctive, frantic trashing of this find by many conformists around the globe, with sometimes misplaced zeal.

This book examins some evidence regarding the Talpiot find that wasn't discussed at all in the Discovery channel documentary, having to do mostly with Judaic and early Christian symbolism. But it's actually inconclusive, since the main character is somewhat skeptic and at the end just decides to drop the whole matter. So the author lets the reader decide whether or not the resting place of Jesus has been found. In any event, it's a great read!

I recently finished reading The Bone Box. I was absolutely stunned to learn that in 1980 there was a sensational archeological find in Jerusalem which could impact the course of history. I was greatly impressed with the book author's painstaking research of this incredicle find, using serious sources such as the Sunday London Times, "A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries in the Collections of the State of Israel," statistical findings and extrapolations of the population in Jerusalem in ancient times, as well as a plethora of clues and symbolisms found in ancient Jewish and Christian texts leading to the unravelling of this greatest of mysteries.

The author uses two central characters, a male and female Jerusalem-based police inspectors, to guide us through this "authentic" discovery --- against the background of a fictional hunt for the bone box in locales rainging from Jerusalem, Cyprus, Lebanon, Turin, Lichtenstein and numerous cities in Switzerland. The personal tragedy, drama and deliverance of the central character is woven into this seemingly "suppressed" history and finding of "the bone box."

A real eye opener.

This book was very interesting. I have always been fascinated by biblical history and this book got to the crux of it.

This was a pretty good read - exciting and suspenseful - even for someone who isn't a religious historian. Other than some formatting issues likely stemming from the publisher, this was a very refreshing read in an exciting style. The story had some unexpected branches at times but tied it together with an intriguing, mysterious storyline which, according to the author, is based on true events which adds to the intrigue. Fun to read albeit a bit heavy on the historical religious information - sometimes hard to follow for someone who isn't religious but, doesn't detract from the overall excitement.