Map of Bones: A Sigma Force Novel (Sigma Force Series Book 2)

Upon first looking at this book`s description on Amazon you might think that it is nothing more than another The Da Vinci Code rip-off however if you are a fan of sandstorm then you will understand that this is not the case. This taut thriller about a conspiracy of (yet another) secret religious sect of the Catholic Church delivers all the punch of a well-plotted novel. Grayson Pierce, an operative for the U.S. top secret Sigma Force, is called to command a group of two other agents, Monk and Kat, to investigate the mysterious massacre of church goers in Cologne, Germany and the theft of the cathedral's relics, the bones of the Magi. They are assigned to work with an intel group from the Vatican, Monsignor Vigor Verona and his niece Rachel, a lieutenant in the Carabinieri Corps. The five quickly discover that the deaths in Cologne were carried out by the Imperial Dragon Court, a secret society dating back to the Middle Ages, and that the theft of relics in that church was just the beginning. Through Vigor's vast knowledge of church symbolism, history, and architecture, and the others' combined education in chemistry, physics, and engineering, they begin to solve the mystery that could lead to Armageddon. Their lives are threatened at every turn as they race the ruthless members of the Dragon Court to uncover the next clue. Dan Brown popularized the literary premise of a complex religious conspiracy by a secret sect with The Da Vinci Code. James Rollins's book is just as great as The Da Vinci Code because of its smooth writing and plotting and better integrated historical details. Rollins's approach allows for a breathtakingly fast pace and incredible suspense. Sometimes the connections between the past and the riddle at hand are tenuous, although the information itself is usually fascinating. Rollins moves convincingly from one point of view to another, using all to satisfying effect, and he does great when trying to stir up the emotional connections between characters. The action easily keeps the reader drown into the story. The truly intriguing aspect of this novel is that every character believes that Biblical Armageddon will occur if the Dragon Court solves the final riddle. Although the clues are solved using science, they lead to what is ultimately a supernatural mystery. Map of Bones is "the first in the exciting new Sigma adventure series" so it should be interesting to see how Rollins follows up this series debut. Im sure he will deepen the characterization of his Sigma Force even more as his readers start to identify with them throughout the series, and his excellent storytelling ability will serve him well. This novel makes fantastic escapist reading and yet delivers some intellectual depth to distinguish it from many other thrillers. If you are a fan of Dan Brown then I Highly recommended this for readers looking for a good thriller.

There are a lot of books that seem to follow the pattern of something bad happens with the potential for something really, really bad happening => an eclectic band of good guys tries to figure it out => bad guys, usually with a sadistic bent, thwart their efforts while trying to get a leg up on the their efforts to control the world => a race across geography and history ensues => a mystery is pieced together bit-by-bit => suspense builds => big hairy ending involving gunfire and explosions => a narrow escape from death by the good guys => the trouncing of the bad guys => saving the world from imminent doom => a touching ending. Obviously, one might first think of Dan Brown when imagining books that follow this formula; however, Mr. Brown is not the only game in town. In fact, there are a slew of them--some bad, some ho-hum, some good, and some truly great. A great book entertains, educates, and provides an escape. MAP of BONES, by James Rollins is a GREAT read. He takes the above formula and works it like a puppet master. He also enhances it by adding dimension to his characters, romance, betrayal, and even redemption! A lot of writers try to make their characters "3D" by adding way more than I care about, often stifling the pace of a book. I think Rollins puts in just enough--not overdoing it and having it seem forced--to let you know where they are coming from and what drives them. Said otherwise, I think Pierce, Rachel, Monk (his personality makes up for a lot), Kat, Uncle Vigor, and--yes--even Raoul and Seichan give you the "opportunity to empathize" without piling too much of the character's baggage upon the reader. Remember: this is action/adventure, not literary fiction. Dr. Rollins seems to have an uncanny ability to not only allow the reader (or at least me) to suspend his/her disbelief, he provides so much detail that the plot not only becomes plausible, it's downright believable even when it shouldn't be. While others may get hung up on some issue(s) (e.g. Dante wrote in Italian), letting that ruin the entire book for them; I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure from start to finish. The care in which the author weaves his tale and the effort made to offer up the right amount of "character" in his characters, shows through in this adventure novel with its effortless readability. And the reader is the one who wins in the end.

I loved the Gnostic and missing books from the bible references. I had been researching them and spiritualism when this story found me so I really enjoyed it. Mystery. Intelligence. Secret Societies. Templars. The Vatican. Adventure. Dungeon crawls. This story has it all. Very impressed. Too early... Too late...

While some reviews I read compared, ‘Map Of Bones,’ by James Rollins, with ‘The DaVinci Code,’ the only similarity I found was that both books dealt with the history and mystery’s surrounding the Catholic Church and its origins. This novel was the second James Rollins book I had read, and it did not disappoint. He continues to amaze me with the depth of his character development, story lines, and blending of history, mythology, science, fantasy, and politics. Mr. Rollins has a rare ability to both hold the reader’s interest while perking their desire to research a bit more on their own. His stories are thrilling to read, and if you are listening to them as I was, you genuinely don’t want someone coming up to you in the middle when guns are blasting and the world is near destruction for you may jump out of your skin as I nearly did. ‘Map Of Bones,’ a Sigma Force, novel is truly a book that I can recommend to anyone who enjoys adventure, mystery, fantasy, science, or history.

Just discovered James Rollins , but once I start I cannot stop reading his books. Comparable ( or better? ) than Dan Brown!

Best of Adventure and Action. With intricate historical facts. A breathtaking run against time. Sigma Force rocks.

An excellent Novel, the mixture of vivid combat with an interesting take on "stretch" science make a unique combination that is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is another excellent addition to James Rollings Sigma Force novels, this is the fourth book I have read by this author and all have been excellent reads. I will be carrying on with the series. Highly recommended.

Rollins’ work has never been a disappointment for me…The narrative is always exciting but it’s the connecting threads to science in the real world that peaks my interest for research…Experiments in Cis-platinum and Carbono-platinum are already being used to treat testicular and ovarian cancers…Bristol-Meyers Squibb has reported success with monatomic ruthenium to correct cancer cells…and same with platinum and iridium…these atoms make the DNA strand correct itself..rebuilding without drugs or radiation…There you go !