The bestselling master of astonishing adventure James
Rollins delivers his most relentlessly exciting page-turner to date -- a
gripping and explosive novel of an ancient conspiracy to create a terrifying
new world order out of the ashes of modern civilization.
The crime is
inhumanly cruel with horrific consequences both unthinkable and inevitable.
During a service at a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, a band of armed
intruders dressed in monks' robes unleash a nightmare of blood and terror,
ruthlessly gunning down worshippers and clergy alike. The killers haven't
come for the church's gold and valuable artwork, but for a priceless
treasure secreted within: the preserved bones of the Three Magi who once
came to pay homage to a newborn savior. As they flee the carnage they have
wrought, they carry a prize that could reshape the world.
The Vatican is in turmoil, and Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's
carabinieri is assigned to lead the investigation. But no ordinary police
organization alone can deal with the bizarre theft and massacre, and SIGMA
Force -- an elite covert arm of the U.S. Defense Department -- is called in
under the command of Grayson Pierce. New to SIGMA, Pierce assembles a crack
team of scientific and Special Forces operatives to unravel the mystery of
the stolen bones, and together they set out on a twisting trail through a
labyrinth of clues and dark revelations that carry them to the sites of the
Seven Wonders of the World -- and to the doorstep of the mystical and
terrifying Dragon Court.
An ancient, secret fraternity of alchemists and assassins, the
master-adepts of the Dragon Court have plans for the sacred remains that
will alter the future of humankind in devastating ways that only the maddest
of zealots could desire -- and they will let nothing and no one stand in
their way. Suddenly Pierce, Verona, and the SIGMA team are the hunted as
well as the hunters, forced to use every skill they possess to survive as
they follow the bones to the ultimate confrontation between darkness and
light -- in a lost place of history where science and religion will unite to
unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time.
A masterful novel that combines the exhilarating mysticism of The Da
Vinci Code with the pulse-pounding action of a Tom Clancy thriller,
James Rollins's Map of Bones is destined to be a modern classic that
will stand among the very best adventure tales ever written.
It's difficult not to compare Map of Bones to The Da Vinci Code, because they both involve Catholic conspiracies and they are both reasonably cerebral thrillers, but in terms of writing style and action I found them quite different. I enjoyed Map of Bones as a rip-roaring action adventure but found the plot a little too incredible at times, which is a pity as the science is at the cutting edge of reality, but there were just a few too many narrow escapes against seemingly inescapable odds to hold my credibility over the long haul. (Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).
Publishers Weekly
Rollins has few peers in the research department, which makes the historical material fascinating, and he keeps the dialogue believably colloquial and the incidental elements motivated - and plausible for at least short stretches. Clumsy romance is mostly overcome by lots of action.
Booklist
Fans of The Da Vinci Code will obviously want to read Map of Bones, but even those who found Brown's opus unpalatable will thoroughly enjoy the taste of this one.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by Catie Pageturner This is an outstanding book! I could not put it down. James Rollins, "Maps of Bones", reminds me a lot of Dan Brown. so if you like Dan Brown, you will love this book. It's action packed and mysterious at the same time. Pick it up and be part of... Read More
Rated of 5
by The one and only Me absolutely sensational What a sensational novel! I've read some cracking books in my time, and this, for sure is right up there with the best of them.
An absolutely gripping read, Rollins puts some of Dan Browns best works - Angels and Demon/Da Vinci code, to shame.... Read More
Rated of 5
by Chick fan Action-Packed for Guys and Chicks! This is by far the best book I have read in a very long time. James Rollins captures the reader with his plot twists and turns. All of his characters are truly loved or hated. His plotline is amazing and his extent of research into scientific and... Read More
Rated of 5
by USAFAirman Awesome, and not even finished yet. The book has been the best book I have read in a long time, and i'm not even finished with it. I almost don't want it to end even though I know it has to. I may read it again after I finsih, its that good. I'm certainly going to tell everyone I... Read More
Rated of 5
by Surfer Dude great read! oh wow if you like Dan Brown and Tom Clancy books you will fall in love with this book! It is heart pounding - edge of your seat reading and will keep you till the end.
I got it 2 days ago and skipped school to stay home and read it..
Read it!
The Vatican maintains a sophisticated intelligence-gathering
operation, even employing full-time agents.
Catholic canon law requires every chapel or church altar to
enclose some form of relic within it. The Vatican maintains its
own 'relics library,' a storehouse of filing cabinets, shelves,
and drawers filled with bits of bone or spoonfuls of dust.
The science behind this story is not fiction, but based on
current research. The investigations center on a new form of
solid matter that was recently discovered -- or rather
re-discovered?
He came up with the storyline for Map of Bones before The Da Vinci Code was published and decided to tell the
story now because 'many thrillers, when collided with the
Catholic Church or the Vatican, paint the Church, faith, and
belief in a disparaging light....
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