To save the world and our future, Sigma Force must embark on a dangerous odyssey into an ancient past whose horrors are all too present in this page-turning thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins that combines cutting-edge science, historical mystery, mythology, and pulse-pounding action.
For eons, the city of Troy—whose legendary fall was detailed in Homer’s Iliad—was believed to be myth, until archaeologists in the nineteenth century uncovered its ancient walls buried beneath the sands. If Troy was real, how much of Homer’s twin tales of gods and monsters, curses and miracles—The Iliad and The Odyssey—could also be true and awaiting discovery?
In the frozen tundra of Greenland, a group of modern-day researchers stumble on a shocking find: a medieval ship buried a half-mile below the ice. The ship’s hold contains a collection of even older artifacts—tools of war—dating back to the Bronze Age. Inside the captain’s cabin is a magnificent treasure that is as priceless as it is miraculous: a clockwork gold map imbedded with an intricate silver astrolabe. The mechanism was crafted by a group of Muslim inventors—the Banū Mūsā brothers—considered by many to be the Da Vincis of the Arab world—brilliant scientists who inspired Leonardo’s own work.
Once activated, the moving map traces the path of Odysseus’s famous ship as it sailed away from Troy. But the route detours as the map opens to reveal a fiery river leading to a hidden realm underneath the Mediterranean Sea. It is the subterranean world of Tartarus, the Greek name for Hell. In mythology, Tartarus was where the wicked were punished and the monstrous Titans of old, imprisoned.
When word of Tartarus spreads—and of the cache of miraculous weapons said to be hidden there—tensions explode in this volatile region where Turks battle Kurds, terrorists wage war, and civilians suffer untold horrors. The phantasmagoric horrors found in Homer’s tales are all too real—and could be unleashed upon the world. Whoever possesses them can use their awesome power to control the future of humanity.
Now, Sigma Force must go where humans fear to tread. To prevent a tyrant from igniting a global war, they must cross the very gates of Hell.
Review
Rollins...marries nail-biting action with a highly imaginative premise...This is a thoughtful, nonstop thrill ride that's an exemplar of an escapist page-turner." -- Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*"Rollins takes his readers to hell...spins an entertaining thriller." -- Kirkus Reviews"Sigma Force roars back into action...Rollins is a master of the genre, able to sweep us up and carry us along until he brings the story to a riveting conclusion." -- David Pitt, BOOKLIST
From the Author
JAMES ROLLINS is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages. Known for unveiling unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets, Rollins' knack for breakneck pacing and stunning originality has been hailed by critics and embraced by scores of millions of readers around the world.The Critics RaveThe New York Times says that his "roguish charm comes from his efforts to persuade readers the story is credible [through] real-life sources for his novel's science, history and geography." Rollins' rare blend of action, suspense, and knowledge was also mentioned by the Huffington Post, which stated that "After Crichton passed away in 2008 he clearly passed the baton to James Rollins, who like Crichton, is a renaissance man."NPR calls his work "adventurous and enormously engrossing..." and the New York Journal of Books had this to say: "If you're a fan of smart, entertaining adventure fiction, this is your summer beach read writ large....All the science, all the history, and all the locations are masterfully intertwined. The characters are multi-dimensional. And the story is, well, a corker."The Story Teller's StoryAs a boy immersed in the scientific adventures of Doc Savage, the wonders of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, and pulps such as The Shadow, The Spider, and The Avenger, James Rollins decided he wanted to be a writer. He honed his storytelling skills early, spinning elaborate tales that were often at the heart of pranks played on his brothers and sisters.Before he would set heroes and villains on harrowing adventures, Rollins embarked on a career in veterinary medicine, graduating from the University of Missouri and establishing a successful veterinary practice. This hands-on knowledge of medicine and science helps shape the research and scientific speculation that set James Rollins books apart.Explosive Page-Turning AdventuresThe exotic locales of James Rollins novels have emerged as a hybrid between imagination, research, and his extensive travels throughout the United States and Europe, as well as New Zealand, the South Pacific, China, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America. Recent jaunts include book tours and stops across the country and several European nations to give talks, seminars, and media interviews.In recent years, much of James' travel has involved meeting readers in small and large groups, at writing and fan conferences, and even aboard seagoing "seminars." James' mentoring and coaching skills have made him a sought after writing instructor and guest speaker for workshops, symposia, conventions, and other forums throughout the country.James Rollins is the author of nine thrillers in the bestselling Sigma Force series (Sandstorm, Map of Bones, Black Order, The Judas Strain, The Last Oracle, The Doomsday Key, The Devil Colony, Bloodline, and The Eye of God); six individual adventure thrillers; and the Jake Ransom middle grade series (Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow, Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx.)
From the Inside Flap
To save the world and our future, Sigma Force must embark on a dangerous odyssey into an ancient past whose horrors are all too present in this page-turning thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins that combines cutting-edge science, historical mystery, mythology, and pulse-pounding action.For eons, the city of Troy--whose legendary fall was detailed in Homer's Iliad--was believed to be a myth, until archeologists in the nineteenth century uncovered its ancient walls buried beneath the sands. If Troy was real, how much of Homer's twin tales of gods and monsters, curses and miracles-the Iliad and the Odyssey--could also be true and awaiting discovery?In the frozen tundra of Greenland, a group of modern-day researchers stumble upon a shocking find: a medieval ship buried a half mile below the ice. The ship's hold contains a collection of even older artifacts--tools of war--dating back to the Bronze Age. Inside the captain's cabin is a magnificent treasure that is as priceless as it is miraculous: a clockwork gold map with an intricate silver astrolabe embedded in it. The mechanism was crafted by a group of Muslim inventors--the Banū Mūsā--considered by many to be the Da Vincis of the Arab world--brilliant scientists who inspired Leonardo's own work.Once activated, the moving map traces the path of Odysseus's famous ship as it sailed away from Troy. But the route detours as the map opens to reveal a fiery river leading to a hidden realm underneath the Mediterranean Sea. It is the subterranean world of Tartarus, the Greek name for Hell. In mythology, Tartarus was where the wicked were punished and the monstrous Titans of old imprisoned. When word of Tartarus spreads--and of the cache of miraculous weapons said to be hidden there--tensions explode in this volatile region where Turks battle Kurds, terrorists wage war, and civilians suffer untold horrors. The phantasmagoric horrors found in Homer's tales are all too real--and could be unleashed upon the world. Whoever possesses them can use their awesome power to control the future of humanity.Now Sigma Force must go where humans feat to tread. To prevent a tyrant from igniting a global war, they must cross the very gates of hell.James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma Force series has been lauded as one of the "top crowd pleasers" (New York Times) and one of the "hottest summer reads" (People magazine). In each novel, acclaimed for its originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds,scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets--and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight. He lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
From the Back Cover
TIMELESS PRAISE FOR THE SIGMA FORCE SERIES"Another guaranteed crowd-pleaser...Rollins has truly embraced his claim on being the heir to the best of Michael Crichton." -- BOOKLIST (starred review) on Crucible"Superb and scintillating...Rollins shades Crucible with equal measures of science and speculation, mixed in typically brilliant fashion and propelling him...to exclaim the mantle of the greatest action-adventure writer of this or any generation. -- PROVIDENCE JOURNAL on Crucible"Bone-Chilling." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) on The Demon Crown"Riveting...Plot Revelations keep coming and the pace never slows." -- WALL STREET JOURNAL on The Demon Crown
About the Author
James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages, with more than 20 million copies sold. The New York Times says, "Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together," and NPR calls his work "Adventurous and enormously engrossing." Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets--and does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning suspense. A practicing veterinarian, Rollins has pursued scuba, spelunking, and other adventures around the world, and currently lives and writes in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Views: 190
When former tagger Eric hears a cute fellow student named Joel protesting to a woman that he's gay, Eric comes to his rescue and gives him a big kiss and hug in City College's hallway.Even though sparks fly between them, Eric doesn't expect any reward for saving the guy from being hit on in public, so he's surprised when undercover cop Joel asks him to become his pseudo-boyfriend.How bad can it be for a former high school dropout, who's been to juvvie more times than class, to pretend he's a cop's lover? Views: 190
Dorina Basarab is a dhampir—the feared and hated cross between a vampire and a human—or so she has always believed. But now, an incident with a dangerous magical device has left her two natures separated into duplicate bodies, both fighting to survive while they search for the truth about their past, and the key to their future. Views: 190
Duped with a spa day, Billa finds out that she is the chosen offering to an ancient being from the stars. The massage wasn’t that good.
Billa has made her way with menial tasks to get her from world to world. She has learned to defend herself against other crewmen and switches ships when she needs to.
Her latest ship is unremarkable, but they have a two-day layover, and Billa wants to spend some of her transport money. She has made arrangements at the only hotel in town that would take reservations and had a spa. Spa days are what she lived for.
Billa runs into an ancient rite and finds herself with a starring role in the festivities. When a drake emerges from a hole in space and tries to take her as his tribute, the offering makes a run for it, with temporary success. Views: 190
I can read minds, but my "gift" has never helped me.All it does is let me know when someone is going to hurt me, and how they'll do it.I knew evil Dragon Shifters hunted me, but I couldn't outrun them.I could do nothing to stop them from enslaving me.The things they did to me... The things they made me do...They'll haunt me for the rest of my life.I saw an opportunity to escape, and I took it...only to run straight into another Dragon Shifter's arms.His is the only mind I cannot read. Strong, dark and quiet, he's not like the others.His commanding presence should terrify me, but it doesn't.A part of me trusts him -- a part of me knows that I belong to him.But when he looks into my eyes, he sees someone else.Something happened to him. Something horrific.I want to heal his broken heart, but how can I ask him to trust me when I'm also keeping secrets?I'll never hurt him. I only want to help.But if he knew my secret, he'd never believe me.He'd never trust me again.I have nowhere else to go.But even if I did, I've never felt more at home than in his arms.I'll do anything to stay here...even if it means lying to the man I love. Views: 190
A Frighteningly Plausible, Fast-Paced Thriller about a Russian Cyberattack on America and a Plot to Kill President Putin, Involving Fake News and Anonymous Hackers The CIA has learned that the Kremlin is about to launch a sophisticated propaganda operation aimed at discrediting and disrupting the United States and ultimately restoring Russia to great nation status.The operation revolves around a plot to implicate the United States in the attempted assassination of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The plan was conceived by a Russian billionaire and former FSB officer named Andrei Turov. For years Turov has been developing the infrastructure for a new kind of warfare that exploits weaknesses in western democracies and manipulates public opinion. His organization offers the Kremlin plausible deniability. But the United States has its own secret weapon: Christopher Niles, a former CIA intelligence officer, who understands Turov's ambitions and capabilities. It falls to... Views: 190
