Empty Luck - A Tale of Envy and Greed
What happens when a selfish man is envious of his naïve younger brother?
On a wild trip to Las Vegas, two brothers and their two friends are looking for easy sex and money. At first, they feel lucky to find both, but soon they are plunged into the seamy underbelly of the city. Hiding from a vicious man, they get out of town, leaving him behind.
But nothing stays in Vegas, and the man chases them back to their native Boston. Not only are they in danger from their relentless pursuer, but they are in danger from each other, as their collective greed, arrogance, and loyalty crash together. And through all this, they must contend with their own addictions, whether gambling, drugs, alcohol, or sex.
If they live, have they learned anything?
Empty Luck is an adventure, a suspenseful drama set in Las Vegas and Boston. But it is also a retelling of the Cain and Abel story, a tale of fraternal envy and greed. And it is a story filled with moral ambiguity. Is it ever right to steal from someone who shows no regard for your life, who is willing to have you die to benefit his own selfish interests? And is loving a prostitute a sin for a Catholic boy? And can addiction be blamed for hurting others?
You are welcome to read the opening chapter below.
- Paul Backalenick