The Bone Labyrinth

Sigma Force #11

by James Rollins

A war is coming, a battle that will stretch from the prehistoric forests of the ancient past to the cutting-edge research labs of today, all to reveal a true mystery buried deep within our DNA, a mystery that will leave readers changed forever . . .

In this groundbreaking masterpiece of ingenuity and intrigue that spans 50,000 years in human history, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins takes us to mankind’s next great leap.

But will it mark a new chapter in our development . . . or our extinction?

In the remote mountains of Croatia, an archaeologist makes a strange discovery:  a subterranean Catholic chapel, hidden for centuries, holds the bones of a Neanderthal woman. In the same cavern system, elaborate primitive paintings tell the story of an immense battle between tribes of Neanderthals and monstrous shadowy figures. Who is this mysterious enemy depicted in these ancient drawings and what do the paintings mean?

Before any answers could be made, the investigative team is attacked, while at the same time, a bloody assault is made upon a primate research center outside of Atlanta. How are these events connected? Who is behind these attacks?  The search for the truth will take Commander Gray Pierce of Sigma Force 50,000 years into the past. As he and Sigma trace the evolution of human intelligence to its true source, they will be plunged into a cataclysmic battle for the future of humanity that stretches across the globe . . . and beyond.

With the fate of our future at stake, Sigma embarks on its most harrowing odyssey ever—a breathtaking quest that will take them from ancient tunnels in Ecuador that span the breadth of South America to a millennia-old necropolis holding the bones of our ancestors. Along the way, revelations involving the lost continent of Atlantis will reveal true mysteries tied to mankind’s first steps on the moon. In the end, Gray Pierce and his team will face to their greatest threat: an ancient evil, resurrected by modern genetic science, strong enough to bring about the end of man’s dominance on this planet.

Only this time, Sigma will falter—and the world we know will change forever.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Action, Science Fiction, Suspense

688 pages, Unknown Binding

First published December 15, 2015

About the author

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. 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.” NPR calls his work, “Adventurous and enormously engrossing.” Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets matched with stunning suspense. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. Nowadays, Rollins shares his home up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with two furry companions, Echo and Charlie. He also enjoys scuba diving, spelunking, kayaking, and hiking. Of course, he loves to travel and experience new places around the world, which often inspire his next globe-trotting adventure.

Reviews

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BONE LABYRINTH is book 11 in James Rollins Sigma Force series. The books can be read separately, but it can be easier to understand the story and the characters past stories if you have read the previous books.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

*********

Oh, a new Sigma Force book out this summer winter!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

****Spoiler for every James Rollins Sigma Force Novel ever written******

Good guys find cave/underground cavern/secret room containing artifact that changes mankind/explains history/saves the future which is subsequently blown to smithereens by wacko religious cult/covert assassins/China.

Doesn't mean they aren't great fun though! I'll still keep reading them.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never understand how someone can think of these incredible plots, historical connections, and philosophical dilemmas. James Rollins must be a brilliant researcher or have a team of brilliant researchers working for him. The Bone Labyrinth is the 11th book in his Sigma Force series, a thriller / super agency collection of books that often deal with crazy people who want to take over the world, claiming religious or biological reasons that stem from people who knew the truth a long time ago. I cried in a few scenes with the gorillas, and I adore Seichan. Though my reviews are getting shorter these days, I'm still loving all the books in this series!

[Rizwan Khalil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, after more than three months since I started it, I've finished this book! It's not the book's fault, on the contrary, the latest of my favorite Sigma Force series is a very good read, in some cases even a great one, trying to reach the greatness of the earlier Sigma books, just not quite there. The long time for finishing the book solely bears on my laziness. Anyway, I realize I wrote a somewhat 'review' of the book's plot summary last year based on my instant first impressions after reading the summary (here), and while I'm happy to admit that I was wrong in many points from my earlier assumptions, sadly, there were some points that did indeed turned out to be the way I was afraid of. Lets get things cleared, shall we?

The Good

Plot
The biggest plus point of this newest installment of Sigma Force is the main story (curiously, this is also the biggest minus point for me at a certain part, which I'll delve into later on). The story based on the mysteries of the inception of human intelligence and the origin of modern intelligent man's genome is truly a fascinating read! It was awe-inducing, thrilling and interesting, made me wanted to learn much more about these mesmerizing topics. Then there's the legend of Atlantis and the hypothetical answer of this popular myth Rollins tried to give in the story. And of course the REALLY head-scratching mysteries involving the moon and the number 366, 36.6 or rounding it up to 37. I was literally gasping for breath when Rollins continued to bang my head with all those seemingly impossible odds found in nature and the universe, all around us and inside us! What's even more astonishing is when you read at the end of the book in Rollins's obligatory 'Truth or Fiction', you'll find that other than the basic plot of the book, almost nothing of these actual mysteries that the story is based on are makings of the author's wild imaginations. They are all true. Seriously, I don't think I can express it enough: MIND. BLOWN. Just some little tidbits to show the strangeness of the moon and those numbers: The coincidence that during a total solar eclipse the shadow of the moon perfectly covers the face of the sun. It occurs only because the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, while also sitting 1/400th distance between the earth and the sun. Isaac Asimov described this odd alignment as “the most unlikely coincidence imaginable.” And the number 36.6 or 37 showing up in various things in and around us (our genetic code, in human body's temperature, in the first line of Bible etc.) if at all possible, randomly, that random chance was calculated to be 1 out of 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (!). Yeah, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction is an understatement of the year in this case. Rollins blended these outstanding facts with an exciting fictional story containing many rousing adventures over and under the ground, exhilarating riddles to solve in achieving amazing treasures involving those said actual mysteries in such a deft and expert hand that while reading it the reader cannot but almost believe in this wild tale. He even threw in a hypothetical explanation of the mysteries involving the mythical 'Yeti' or The Abominable Snowman. I guess here lies a storyteller's success to present an outlandish action-adventure in a believable and realistic way, and as Rollins succeeded almost always in the past, he still remains a master of believable thrilling action-adventure stories while never shying away from throwing-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach in his tales. Believe me, balancing these two elements perfectly is a marvel itself!

Characters: The Good Guys
Just one word I have to say: Kowalski. No, in fact I have to say it three times (and in capital letters) just to drive the point home: KOWALSKI, KOWALSKI, JOE MOTHAFREKKING KOWALSKI! Finally, FINALLY one of my most favorite characters in the Sigma team gets his looong awaited due as a central figure in a Sigma book, and holy shit did he deliver! Since Joe Kowalski first appeared in the pages of Sigma Force way back in the 4th book of the series The Judas Strain, he remained a favorite character of mine, as he seemed to be the only 'normal' and 'down to earth Mango people' among all the ultra-geniuses of Sigma Force (all of them carried at least two Phd degrees and also a master in combats!). He didn't carry any extraordinary degrees in field of Science or master in any specific combat. Because of his huge bulk and hulking body, and also a fascination for 'blowing everything up', since then he remained mostly a bodyguard or helping hand in brawn-cum-explosive expert for director Painter Crowe, and in turn to Commander Gray Pierce. But Rollins always showed bits and pieces of a hidden twinkle of intelligence behind that apparent dumb facade which more than once saved Gray & Co. from certain defeat. And because of his common people demeanor, readers like me can very easily connect with him in those outrageous situations. Not to mention, he brings a much needed comic relief and funniness in an otherwise serious and dire on goings. Well, after seven straight up appearances in the series in unfairly side character roles, now he got his opportunity to at last shine under the sun. And boy did he! In the short but explosive fun short story just before this novel The Midnight Watch, he was front and center there, and in those handful of pages Rollins still managed to developed his character way more than Gray or Monk had a chance in the last couple of full length novels. Kowalski was given some really necessary depths and humane POV which made him a very endearing character to the readers more than ever. Here, in this full length novel, his character started just from that point of his life and developed much, much further in to being one of the truly best and greatest heroes of Sigma Force, containing heart, brain and brawn, all of these elements PERFECTLY. More than once I had to restrain myself from yelling out 'HELL YEAH!' at the blood-pumping fist-bumping heroics of Kowalski in seemingly impossible odds, while also had a lump in my throat and burning at the corner of my eye from the pure heartfelt emotions and humanity he showed so beautifully. I really loved all the developments his character got in this one, I can't express it enough! Also, one thing I can't but note in gleeful enjoyment was in the past it was stated several times how much he specifically hated all things monkeys or chimps, and in this book he went from there to becoming a full-fledged father figure to the central primate of the story. Loved loved loved the development of their relation!

Speaking of said primate, the second best character in the story is of course the newcomer young gorilla 'Baako'. He was a young kid, who was the center of this story, and because of his genetic upgrading, he's also a very intelligent gorilla, one of its kind. But he also showed a lot of heart, and Rollins developed his character in such depth, detailing and intricacy that from the very beginning of his appearance he became a fully real living breathing person to the reader, one who sounded just as much 3-dimensional as all the talking bipeds. Of course, the awesome POVs of Baako helped cemented the point flawlessly. The trio of relationship between Baako, Maria - one of the female leads of the story who took care of him since his birth and literally a 'mother' figure for him - and Kowalski was easily the key in touching the reader.

Series regular Gray, Seichan, Monk also got some much needed opportunity to shine in their respectable roles, more or less. I was absolutely disappointed in the outright wooden and robotic turn of Gray's character in the last one (The 6th Extinction), which made that book all the more unbearable than it already was. But here, at least for about 2-3rd of the book he was back in his soulful humane depths, specially with the development of his relationship with Seichan. Seichan was great as always and she remains my most favorite female character of this series. Her whole character-arc from way back at the beginning of the series Map of Bones where we first met her fighting to kill none other than Gray Pierce, to this point in her life where she's having some misgivings about the blissful romantic relation with him (she didn't believe she deserved it because of all the dark things she's done in her past), is simply put, outstanding. I don't think in any action-adventure series out there has a more thoroughly developed female lead with the progress of the series. Monk is also great as always in whatever little focus his character got at the 3rd act, and he was there to save the day like always when every one else in dire need. I have some serious disappointments in sidelining this wonderful character for the last several stories, but I'll come to that later to discuss in the 'Bad' section of this review. Other newcomers like Lena (another female lead) and preacher Roland fared appropriately.

Characters: The Bad Guys
The villains of this book are also a noticeable upgrade from the last couple of Sigma books. Although the characters of major general Jiaying Leu and lieutenant colonel Chang Sun could've easily turned into predictable by the numbers negative roles, their personal relationship and their competitiveness gave a new dynamic to the proceedings. As Rollins excelled in the past at giving his negative characters some great depths and humanity, though it didn't quite worked out that way, still the characters and their dynamics were more interesting than the central villains of The Eye of God or The 6th Extinction.

Though, the truly successful (and extremely scary) villain was none of these two, it was a massive mountainous silverback gorilla hybrid, who performed way better as a terrifying force of nature there to take out our heroes in almost every turn (sometimes literally!). The interactions and the connectivity between this gorilla and Kowalski was some of the biggest hairraising, heart-thumping, breathtakingly thrilling edge-of-seat suspense the book contained. Its also very poetic that a book that got a great primate in a positive character, there's a great primate in a negative character. Not to mention I also totally loved the unpredictable ending with this character!

The Locations
As with every Rollins thriller, the exotic locations that were used here to give out heroes various death defying glorious situations were wonderfully visualized, to the point that I could perfectly see those stunning fantastical places in my mind's eye. From the treacherous stormy mountains of Croatia (and its scary underground passages and river), to a beautiful lone well-worn church at the top of a mountain in Italy (which just screams like a classic place for showdown in a spaghetti western!) that hold many secrets under it, to the underground labyrinths of a Chinese secret genetic lab in China, to the titular legendary Bone Labyrinth under the Andes... all of these places were utterly incredible and great to read in details. In fact, the name of the book is very fitting, as most of the story's progress revolved underground, in one (man made or natural) labyrinth or the other.

The Bad

The Connection Between Historical Trail with the Scientific Trail
Now, I have to discuss some of the glaring inconsistencies and outright negativeness of the book. The biggest for me is of course the connection between the so called 'Historical Trail' with the 'Scientific Trail'. As such, there is almost NO connection between them! Previously in every Sigma novels (even in the worst The 6th Extinction), there was a distinctive connection between the twofold developments of the story, one following the historical trail by solving all the mysteries and puzzles scattered through out the vague legends of a particular history; while at the same time another trail following all the ultra-modern cutting edge scientific developments in the plot. And they connected with each other in such way that one's success or failure was directly influencing the other, and in turn, the final outcome. Unfortunately, no such thing in this one. Although both of the scientific trail and the historical trail were entirely fascinating to read, there was almost no direct involvement with each other! Both of the angles developed separately and for the most part, independently than the other. Because of that, there was an OBVIOUS lack of real urgency and need-to-get-the-prize at the climax for at least one part of the story, which made all the daring do's and death defying actions completely... pointless. Rollins kept throwing one made up obstacle after other to our gang, but by that time the reader would realize that there is not going to be a real or natural final outcome that would connect the dots with the other trail. I'm saying 'made up' because even though the whole story is fictitious, that part of the climax felt completely forced and unreal, not to mention totally predictable, unnecessary and meaningless to the main emergency that was happening on the other side of the world. And speaking of, the other trail happening alternately was way more interesting and entertaining that involved some precisely natural life-and-death situations with some of my favorite characters... which made the trail in question that much more boring and meaningless. To sum up, in the end if almost half of the happenings of that trail in question didn't happen, the story would still find a satisfying finishing.

Half a Climax
As I said in the previous point, half of the climax turned out to be with zero impact on the main immediate threat that the book started upon, the wondrous locations and descriptions were merely became window dressing for those not to be of any impact. And even while independent of the other trail, that part's final answer and resolution turned out to be awfully vague and, well, non-answery. Nothing of note really came out from there and that whole development became very, very predictable and because of that, BORING. So predictable that I was literally counting the pages when all these astonishing finds that Rollins spent many pages upon detailing, would inevitably, got destroyed in one kind of huge explosion or the other. Seriously, this keeps happening in most of the Sigma novels, and it really pisses me off! What's the point in finding all these treasures if by the end they would amount to almost nothing?! And another thing that set my teeth on edge is the pure frustration when at one point, Gray of all people made a very sloppy mistake that made many of the earlier doings undone. He was supposed to be a highly talented highly trained operator, and still (not only this book but in at least couple of previous ones) he keeps making laughably rookie mistakes! Which makes the development of a supposed capable hero very problematic.

Again a Glaring Lack of Monk in Most of the Book
To me, Monk Kokkalis is without a doubt, a much more charismatic and capable hero than the main lead of the series Gray Pierce. He is the best male character to me since the first time I got to know him in Map of Bones. And he ALWAYS showed his worth every time he appeared in the pages, made almost zero mistakes in the field (unlike Gray), and executed the missions that fell upon him with perfect efficiency. Even when he was without any backup, gear or help from the outside world, not to mention any memory of who he really was, he still saved the day as a rare central turn in grand style (Avid readers of Sigma will easily understand which book I'm talking about, that was hands down one of my most favorite parts of all of Sigma!). If all this overly perfectness had a chance in making him too flawless to be interesting, to counter that Monk is very peculiar to look at, highly countering the handsome All American hero-look of Gray. Since the first time he appeared he lost his one hand on field and had a ultramodern robotic hand as replacement which saved him in many tight corners. Even without that hand he looks very brutish and unhero-like, what's with all his scars and only 5 feet height with thick muscles. Combining that with his sharp as knife intelligent mind and a very keen sense of humor, Monk is always an awesome character to follow anywhere. But ever since his character-arc with his wife and family wraped up he became almost sidelined in the series (even before then in many occasions he was just 'sitting it out'), or when he appeared in the missions, he's either following someone else's lead (like Gray or Painter) or he comes to the game way too late to satisfy me. Same thing happened here too. As long as he was on the front and center of the action, pages were just flying by! But as I said, it was all too little too late to make Monk a focal character in the story, and I dearly wished that half of the actions of Sigma would done by him, and not for like the thousandth times, Gray.

Too Much Gray in the Series
Every other main characters in the greater Sigma-verse take turns alternately in the novels to have a chance in marveling as leads equally to the readers, only Gray gets to be the other lead of the missions EVERY. SINGLE. TIME! Don't get me wrong, I love Gray as a Sigma lead, but with his overexposure in the series in every book to some unforgivable sloppiness, I think its high time to give his character a rest (and also his character-arc seems to be complete in my opinion), and adjust the focus of the future of the series on Kowalski, Monk, Painter and some other new bloods (Jason Carter seems to be a good character, as well as Dancun Wren from The Eye of God).

Final Thoughts

With a book that started out to be a BRILLIANT edition to the Sigma Force series, by the end, unfortunately the story turned too predictable and too inconsistent to become anything more than merely GOOD. I still enjoyed the book very much, and it was blistering fast-paced at every turn, not to mention thoroughly engrossing topics of history and science, and truly a brain-teasing intelligent (pun intended :P ) read. It was miles better than most other action-adventure books out there, but unfortunately it is also miles behind in quality when comparing to Rollins's other great ones. Although it is disheartening in witnessing Rollins becoming more and more formulaic with The 6th Extinction and now this one, I still believe he can overcome the predictability and overused formula to give us many more great thrillers, if he want. Here's hoping the upcoming books will be steps into the right direction .

[Rizwan Khalil · Rating 4 out of 5]

[This is the first impression of myself from the first time I read the plot summary of the book, before the book got published, so read it from the point of view of someone who didn't yet read the book, only the summary. The ACTUAL REVIEW of the book is here.]

Just a year ago, I was one of the most devoted fan (more like a fanatic) of Sigma Force series. But after last year's atrociously formulaic, recycled, wooden and boring The 6th Extinction, I'm now turned in to what I never thought I could be: Wary instead of excited about a new Sigma Force novel. With the announcement of the name of the latest one, I was cautiously optimistic because it kinda sounded badass! But now, after reading the plot summary, I am again a bit skeptic about it, because frankly, the plot sounded just like another by-the-number predictable action-adventure from my favorite thriller writer, which I once never dreamed of. Let's see:

A historical mystery discovered in modern day? check.

That will have a connection with an ultra-modern science topic? check.

Something to do with our dna (and genetics)? check.

Which will lead to a threat of humankind's extinction, again? check.

Just when the discovery is made a shadowy organization starts attacking (presumably to cover up)? check.

Another evil use of genetic research? check.

Sigma has to solve the historical riddle (historical trail) connecting with the development of scientific research (scientific trail) to stop the genocide/extinction/epidemic? check.

Yes, I know, one can say "So what? Its all in the execution!", but the sad thing is, up until recently, Rollins' Sigma Force never was this much by-the-number. Even when most of today's other prolific adventure thriller authors succumbed to remain in their same old same old comfortable formula, Rollins was the one who always tried to outdo himself with more unique stories and inventiveness. From The Eye of God to Bloodline (one of my most favorite action-adventure novel ever!) to Devil Colony to Doomsday Key to Last Oracle and beyond, none of these stories could've been summed up so easily, there were layers of complexity and unforeseen turns abound. But with the last book and now this alarmingly obvious plot summary, it breaks my heart to say that I'm finding it hard to stay positive and hopeful for the future of one of my most favorite thriller series. Here's hoping the historical mystery turn out to be a mind-boggling one, with Rollins revealing some vintage knockout punches of twists and turns at the nick of time, so that I can eat my words and triumphantly acknowledge I was oh soo very wrong about this one, Pierce & Co. were never gone!

[Orient · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, how this thriller captured my heart. I cried a little bit at the end, it was so beautiful and sad in some moments. The story is interesting, thrilling, adventurous and heart capturing. As always, Mr. Rollins chooses two sides in this book, one historical and one scientific and presents them extremely interesting: experiments with animals, the ties between the guerilla and man and of course, a stunning view to the human brain.
The book has all my beloved sigma heroes (due to sad hint in the end I think that something sorrowful happened to Kowalski, I hope he's ok, PLEASE don't kill him!) and new ones - the wonderful twins with the cool priest, not forgetting Baako and the relationship, that unfolded. I just loved that little guy and how the author used sign language to reveal this stunning story.
Also the real condition of the Zoo in China (described in the book and mentioned in the notes at the end) was chocking. I'm glad that James Rollins revealed this situation in his book, so maybe the China government could change things to better, even a little bit.
The author does a really good job to show how Baako looks at the world, the little guy is very trusting, has sharp sense and a very emotional understanding of life. The best episodes are among Baako, Maria and Kowalski.
Rollins skilfully blends extreme action with gripping plot, combining interesting historical and scientific facts. A stunning book that is heart capturing and action packed.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Loved it until the whole 37 thing when it became too American Treasure for me. This worked 10 books ago, but really, James, time to write a great story vs old-timey conspiracy.

[Anya · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars. I'm a science fiction fan and a scientist so I went into this intrigued by the near future genetics aspect and the focus on the evolution of human intelligence. The first half was interesting though casting all Chinese scientists as evil was frustrating. However, things dive into the deep end of conspiracy theory in the second half and I nearly didn't finish. I'm so sick of patterns being found where they really aren't meaningful and a scientist buying into that is ridiculous. There were also enough details of the academic life that were blatantly wrong that I just couldn't take this book seriously. If you like thrillers, go for it. But if you like science and science fiction, save yourself the frustration.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening scene, set in 38,000 BC, involves a man fleeing pursuers to protect his "special" daughter, which portends the basic plotline. Twin sisters are involved in a human genome experiment to breed a "thinking" gorilla (Baako), when they are mysteriously attacked by the Chinese. Joe Kowalski, one sister and Baako are kidnapped, while the other sister narrowly escapes an assault in a Croatian cave system, where Gray Pierce and Seichan are able to rescue her. As always, Rollins spins a creative, scientific trail into the forests of South America, the Beijing zoo and the Himalayas, including ethical questions of breeding and animal experimentation. Good characters, with some heart-wrenching scenes. Another strong book in the Sigma Force series.

[Blaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sigma Force novels are a guilty pleasure for me. I don’t normally read military thrillers, where the bad guys are irredeemably eeeeeeevil and the good guys are effectively invincible. But the Sigma Force novels usually do a nice job of blending the action sequences with interesting history and science. They’re formulaic, but fun, which made The Bone Labyrinth a disappointment.

The Bone Labyrinth: Would you like to read an action thriller that uses the exploration of the evolution of human intelligence as the scientific backdrop
Me: Hell yes, that sounds great.
TBL: What if there’s also some ideas about Yeti?
Me: Weird, but I can see it.
TBL: What if there are still more thoughts about Atlantis?
Me: Ummm, that seems like at least one too many ideas for one novel.
TBL: What if, on top of all of that, there’s also some borderline conspiracy theory-level thoughts about ... the moon?
Me: Whaaaaaaaat? Nope.

Even if you can swallow the mishmash ideas swirling around this story, the structure is all wrong. Generally, in these books, there are multiple teams (each led by one or two of our heroes) pursuing a piece of the puzzle, and they combine their knowledge just in time to save the world. But here, one of the teams winds up in Ecuador (don’t ask) pursuing a lead that only plays into the stranger of the ‘science’ threads. They are completely out of communication with the other teams for the remainder of the book, and have nothing to do with resolving the action threads of the story. They could have gone bowling for all the impact they had on ‘saving the day’.

The Sigma Force novels are usually like a Snickers bar: chocolate, caramel and peanuts blended together into something that is not nutritious, but still a satisfying treat. The Bone Labyrinth was like putting chocolate, pizza sauce, and steak into a blender. The ingredients could have each anchored a snack or a meal, but do not work together in one dish. Hopefully this book will prove to be a fluke and not a trend for Mr. Rollins.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest Sigma Force novel featuring the usual gang at this point: Gray, Seichan, Monk, and Kowalski. The story delves into the evolution of man. How did we make the Great Leap 50,000 years ago where we began to use tools and such? I won't say anymore so as to not ruin the plot. At this point if you're reading a Sigma Force book, it's because you already enjoy the books of James Rollins.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending though. Way to leave us hanging, Jim. We waited extra time for this one... Does that mean the next will come sooner??? Or at least on normal time (aka mid summer???)

[Tufriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I became nauseated and almost did not finish this book when I got the the Chinese research lab. It's disgusting and unfortunately, probably a far too real depiction of the cruelties being done to animals in research labs all over the world. I made it through the entire book only because I wanted to see if Baako made it (although I couldn't understand the purpose of revealing Kowalski's future in the epilogue). The other half of the story was, I'm sorry to say, somewhat unexciting and couldn't keep my attention despite the relatively fast-paced action.

I still love the Sigma series and will definitely be looking forward to the next book.

[Mickey Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I found myself rolling my eyes at certain points, the book is suspenseful and a fun read. I am rather tired of the hidden mechanical device/old key discovery plot feature. The animal related sequences are very touching and sometimes heart-breaking.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read anything by James Rollins and was led to read this particular book, his latest and the eleventh in his Sigma Force series, because of joining the HarperCollins 50 book pledge for 2016. It is a rip-roaring adventure story set in Croatia, China and Ecuador and dealing with several scientific mysteries, including what factors led to the Great Leap Forward in human intelligence some 50,000 years ago. Rollins' engrossing writing style kept me furiously turning pages till I had finished a nearly 500 page book in just two days. I will definitely look for more of his books when I need to escape into another exciting adventure.

Jumping into a long-running series had a few disadvantages caused by not knowing the backstory of the people of Sigma Force, but nothing that spoiled the story for me. And if Rollins' storyline has fallen into an oft-repeated pattern, as some readers have mentioned in their reviews, it was all new and fresh to me.

Note: Readers who are squeamish about vivisection should be aware there are a few scenes of cruel lab experimentation.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always look forward to every Sigma novel and The Bone Labyrinth is one of the best of the series. Fabulous! Totally justified staying up until midnight to buy it at the instant it became available.

[Diane Spight · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of action, very weak story line. I couldn't wait for the book to end, it felt unnecessarily long. This is one of precious few books from him that I didn't enjoy :(

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Rollins, like his previous book "The 6th Extinction" has some augmented, enhanced, call it what you will-animals. It is a book that takes you into multiple mysteries. Some of the places they went to do the things that they said needed to be done-seems far fetched. BUT, then again, we are talking about a book with adventure and intrigue. There are a few good theories that got me hooked hoping for some elaboration on that-but alas, that was not to happen. Instead we end up solving problems that ...well, let's just say, "why"? If I am in China and in chains, please don't go to the other end of the world in an attempt to save me.
I'll not say any more on this book...just hope that his next book "Crash and Burn" or "The Seventh Plague" is not going into this domain where he is trying to scare people....if I wanted horror, I'd go elsewhere.

[Colleen Fauchelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was intresting and fast pased with a Dan Brown feel to it.

[Freda Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read about the mysteries of the universe in novels such as this, it is a wonder I don’t fall asleep with all the complexities surrounding even the most fictional books. James Rollin’s keenness for factual information so carefully constructed in his novels completely blow me away sometimes. I get a sense of the Indiana Jones adventures I loved so much when I was younger, to the distinct feeling that I might have been an archaeologist in a past life, but there is one thing I find disturbing in all the novels I read with protagonist characters of archaeology. About ninety nine percent of these novels are indeed action packed, but the ending is often destructive, actually burying the finds of these magnificent answers to whatever the question may be, whether it be the universe, the stars and it’s symphony, the moon and it’s dark side, intelligence and the balance our human bodies need in order to function properly on this planet. Specifically regarding how the nuclear force of atoms is held together and the mystery of the formulas contrived that keep the earth and our bodies intact. One slight ‘off’ and the earth would not not exist. One slight ‘off’ and we would not exist. Intriguing if you ask me. So the question remains - why set booby traps at all? Is a single mother of 3 children less worthy of a find as the true archaeologist or priest who discovers an answer to a 50,000 year old question about our existence? Why are the answers destroyed in these novels? Perhaps it is the race to the reveal itself and it’s historical secrets between countries, such as China, boasting their knowledge that in fact, the US gave them knowledge of these great finds in the first place. Educating foreigners who then take our historical knowledge back to their homeland to claim as their own. (I picked China because James Rollins did). This is exactly what I got out of this fantastic sequel in the Sigma series and no matter what the question, or how predictable the destructive ending, I absolutely love these adventures and savor them to ponder my own place on this earth and beyond.

I enjoyed this particular novel in the sequel because if you know me enough to know my love for animals, you’ll know I particularly loved Baako, the genetically enhance, male gorilla, portrayed in this adventure. He signs in sign language you know. *chuckling* and being deaf myself, anything related to communication in sign language always peaks my interest. I love the feeling of familiarity of all the characters and have invested a lot of time getting to know them, individually in some books. James Rollins is just a fantastic author and he will always be a favorite.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding thriller--the 11th of James Rollins' Sigma Force series. Rollins keeps up the high quality of this series and this one is one of my favorites. Once again, the Sigma Force faces a mystery that could have serious consequences for humanity. The mystery this time involves the bones of a Neanderthal woman found in a cavern in Croatia. It just may hold a clue to the origins of human intelligence. Not only does Rollins give you a fast-paced action-adventure, but he throws out some incredible thought-provoking ideas...

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading several books in a row in which the author had no idea how to grab and hold the reader's attention, it was a pleasure to read this book from an author who knows how to write thrillers. Mostly I've read his non-Sigma Force books, but it wasn't a problem that I was unfamiliar with the team, and I'm not very picky about character development in thrillers. This book has genetics, anthropology, lost cities, ancient remains, giants, head hunters and strangely intelligent primates. It also has some really relentless villains and jumps around from Croatia to the United States, Italy, Equador and China.

The story is told in alternating chapters involving two sets of protagonists. The first group is comprised of one of a pair of twin, American scientists studying the evolution of human intelligence, a Catholic priest and some Sigma Force members assigned to rescue them after things go bad in a cave in Croatia. The other group, who wind up in a vast, underground science facility, is comprised of the second twin scientist, some more Sigma Force members and Baako, the young gorilla who is the subject of the twins' research.

The whole book was thrilling, but I was more drawn to the Baako story. I really needed to know what happened to him. The protagonists in the alternate chapters were on more of an historical quest, and while it was exciting and interesting it wasn't clear to me how it was ever going to be very helpful for the other group. I really enjoyed this book, but I sometimes felt those "quest" chapters were a frustrating interruption. Surprisingly for a thriller, the last chapter actually made me cry, but in a good way. It was also interesting to read in the author's notes at the end of the book how much of the story was based on facts.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Vivone Os · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5
Uh! Inače jako volim Rollinsa i Sigmu. I nastavke odabirem kad želim uživati u brzoj akciji i zabavnoj „Indiana Jones“ temi. Ali ovaj put sam se nekako razočarala. Više je razloga pa da ih objasnim.
Mislim da sam se prvo zeznula jer sam uzela audio knjigu. Narator mi je bio preloš. Uopće nije uspio dočarati atmosferu knjige, napeti trenuci nisu bili napeti, skoro sve je nekako istim tonom čitao. Iako je upotrijebio različite naglaske za ljude iz različitih zemalja, i to mi je sve nekako loše zvučalo. A kad su se pojavili Hrvati u priči.... hahahaha jaaao. Kako je unakazio tih par rečenica hrvatskog koje su se pojavile u tekstu. Pa ni tipičan „ruski engleski“ koji Hrvati obično govore nije bio dobar.
Sad da se prebacimo na Rollinsove kiksove. Imena Hrvata, ahaha Roland Novak i Frederik Horvat. Dadaaadaaa, Roland i Frederik su tipična hrvatska imena. Za nekog tko toliko puno istražuje za svoje knjige, malo je promašio ovdje. Dalje, priča: dio u Hrvatskoj... pucačina u Ogulinu i u pećinama ispod Đulinog ponora ahahaha. Dobro, to nije problem ni Rollinsa ni knjige, već moj, ali ama baš nikako si nisam mogla zamisliti takve događaje u Hrvatskoj. Ali zanimljivo, mogu i u ne znam... turkmenistanskom planinskom selu i u samostanu u Kini i na ulicama Kuala Lumpura i naravno bilo gdje u Americi ili u nekom velikom europskom gradu... ali nikako u Hrvatskoj.
Ostatak priče... ajme što je Rollins sve natrpao ovaj put. Jetiji... Atlantis... mjesec kao umjetna tvorevina... Majko mila. Ako za nešto možemo reći da je pretjerivanje, onda je ovo to! Također su mi sekvence s istraživanjem svih tih čudesa bile predugačke i preznanstvene i s vremenom više nisam mogla pratiti i povezati ih. Mogu li se ta tri pojma uopće povezati??? Kužite što želim reći. Dio priče u kojem smo pratili Graya i Seichan nezanimljiv i prespor (iako njih inače baš volim). Također glavna negativka i njeni minioni slabi. Sveukupno puno lošija od prijašnjih nastavaka. I predugačka.
E sad, dio priče koji mi je bio donekle dobar. Otkad čitam Rollinsa, žalim se kako je lik Kowalskog podcijenjen. U ovom dijelu je dobio velik dio priče (konačno!!!), i ajme kakav dio priče. Uživala sam u tome kako mi je divan Kowalski bio, više od velikog grubog priglupog vojnika, puno puno više. Otkrili smo njegovu drugu stranu, obiteljsku priču i veliko veliko srce ispod te grube vanjštine. Istovremeno mi je taj dio priče bio toliko mučan da sam u isto vrijeme htjela odustati od čitanja. Što su okrutni Kinezi radili životinjama... I Baako, dragi dragi Baako. Jedino što me tjeralo dalje bila je želja da vidim je li preživio. Dušu sam isplakala.
A sam kraj... slomio mi je srce.

Bookopoly 2024. – Animal on the Cover
Globalni ciljevi: nastavak serijala

[Charles Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anyone like me who has ever read a James Rollins novel, and especially any of his previous 'Sigma' books, will know that he tends to work to a pretty standard formula.

Based on the popularity of his books it’s quite obviously a very commercially successful formula, but that shouldn't obscure the fact that it is also one that has become creatively well-worn and rather tired.

After discovering Rollins’ pre-Sigma novels on business trips to the US before he had a UK publisher, I used to look forward to each new adventure. Even when he dropped the varied casts and settings of his early novels for the recurring world of Sigma I stuck with them. However, over time the rinse-and-repeat nature of the plots, along with the increasingly stale characters and overly familiar stylistic tics has slowly worn away my affection for the author to the point that I skipped his last Sigma novel, The Sixth Extinction, entirely. I simply couldn’t see any appeal in going over the same narrative ground yet again.

When I was offered the opportunity by Amazon Vine to review The Bone Labyrinth however, I couldn’t resist the chance to find out whether Rollins had, by some miracle, managed to drag himself and his characters out of the creative rut they had become stuck in.

Unfortunately, and I have to say not surprisingly, the answer is that he and they haven’t. The Bone Labyrinth represents very much business as usual for both Rollins and Sigma. All the elements of the old formula are very much present, correct and tiresomely predictable.

So we have the usual cast of bland, all-American heroic-types. Even former-assassin Seichan has had her rougher edges smoothed off and gotten fully on-board with Sigma. There’s the standard archaeological discovery that kicks off a plot with world changing implications and leads to yet more scientific discoveries. There are the usual implausibly unpleasant bad-guys with aspirations to world domination. There’s much globe-trotting, taking in locations as diverse as Croatia, Ecuador and China. There are action sequences that defy the laws of logic, probability and physics. There are monsters and heavy chunks of pseudo-science to justify the former’s existence and the existence of all the discoveries made along the way. And it all ends in the collapse of not one but two hidden underground complexes as the heroes rush to escape and simultaneously save the day.

All of which could describe pretty much any of Rollins’ Sigma novels right back to the first, Sandstorm. Yes, there are some variations here and there. At least one new, minor character on the side of good who may possibly reoccur in future novels is introduced, but that’s been done by Rollins before with Tucker Wayne. The identity of the bad guys also marks a change, with the Chinese government taking on the role of protagonist rather than the standard fictional shadowy cabal or megalomaniacal industrialist.

Unfortunately Rollins decision to turn a very-real organisation into a bunch of sociopathic killers feels like a mistake from the get go. When the bad guys are entirely fictitious it’s easy enough to suspend disbelief and go along with the fact that they’d be willing to send teams of assassins to foreign countries and assassinate or kidnap scientists or soldiers to reach their goals. It’s less difficult believe that about the government of China, who whilst not morally unimpeachable aren’t generally in the business of destroying shrines in Italy, attacking archaeological expeditions or kidnapping American scientists just to get a small head start on a secret science project.

As result of Rollins unwise choice of enemy for Sigma to face I found myself struggling even more than usual to go along with any of the events occurring on the page. Rollin’s novels always have a pretty tenuous grip on plausibility, but they have generally managed to stay just the right side of the line of believability. In the early days they also benefitted from a combination of originality and sheer verve and pace of story-telling, all of which helped paper over the many cracks, such as lumpen dialogue and excessive use of lazy stylistic tricks like ending every chapter on an unnecessary cliff hanger.

With The Bone Labyrinth however, the stale, recycled plot and questionable narrative choices leaves all Rollin’s weaknesses as an author exposed, and the book with little to recommend it beyond nostalgia for earlier, more entertaining Sigma adventures.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bone Labyrinth by James Rollins is a very highly recommended action/adventure thriller. This latest novel represents Rollins at his best; the plot is complex and the action non-stop, but I flew through the almost 500 pages at a breakneck pace trying to find out what happened next in all the various plot threads. In some ways I don't want to give away too much of the story, except to encourage fans and anyone who enjoys a great techno-thriller to pick this novel up for a great holiday novel.

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and the Sigma force is back on the trail of a historical mystery that could give us answers to several questions about the evolution of human intelligence which geneticists and other scientists are seeking the answers to today. An archaeologist discovers in Croatia a subterranean cave that contains amazing paintings and treasures, but it also contains a Catholic chapel that holds the bones of a Neanderthal woman. Sigma members assist scientists as they try to uncover the mystery. Who were the people who created these works of art and why did a Catholic priest hide his discovery?

The problem is that the Chinese military wants the discoveries/treasures for an entirely different reason: to continue with a series of unethical experiments they are conducting in genetic engineering. They also want a few scientists taken as hostages, but the Sigma force dead. Additionally they want a young gorilla, which is being raised and studied in the USA for the rate of growth of his of intelligence, captured and brought in for their cruel experiments. And that is just a small part of this globe-trotting thriller.

The writing is impressive. Rollins keeps the various plots moving along quickly while proving information-packed storylines that are ripped-from-the-headlines fresh and topical. The key is the great job he does researching the ideas behind his plot. It all results in a great balance of action, science, and history. Rollins always includes a list of other books you can read if you want more information. He also makes it clear what is fact and fiction in his stories.

I think The Bone Labyrinth could be enjoyed by anyone who likes a good thriller. Now I'm pretty sure I have read all the Sigma Force novels so I know the characters, but I don't think that any exhaustive background knowledge matters that much in this outing. Rollins gives you enough information on the characters for you to enjoy the novel. The real treat is the science/history/non-stop action he presents with his complex plots. I've said it before, and I'm going to repeat myself here, but I appreciate the fact that Rollins treats his readers with respect and a nod to their intelligence and ability to comprehend a complex plot.

This is a stuck-over-night-at-the-airport book. Really. Get it if you are planning to fly anywhere for the holidays. It will keep you awake and entertained. Time will fly by even if you are delayed somewhere.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of HarperCollins for review purposes.

[Geoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the science (evolution of human intelligence) being investigated in this book, this book just didn't hit all the marks that I usually get from a SIGMA book. The villain's plan isn't anything unique and the supporting characters just aren't very interesting. Most of the SIGMA operatives don't have much to do nor do they have much character growth but Kowalski is undisputed star of the book. He's key to the plot and ends up showing some nice character growth that makes him more than just the big guy who likes to blow things up.

Series spoilers: I miss the Guild as the enemy. It seems the last few books without them as the villain haven't been of the same quality as the early and middle books of the series. I just feel that the Guild had a plan and were equals (nearly) to SIGMA. Lately, the villains have been fairly cookie cutter.

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Rollins is such a huge talent...I am in awe. You take a pinch of truth, a brush of history, a smidge of science and a big dose of imagination and you get a wonderful story of the beginning of man or maybe even the world itself. As usual JR has woven such a story that we are questioning whether we are reading fiction or fiction disguised as a possible truth. Now color me surprised at that EPI, what was that about Kowalski???? Don't make us Kowalski fans go sweat the monkey to find out what Maria told him. I love that big lug. Yes, yes, I still adore Painter and Grey, but Seichan scares me, so I try not to have too many thoughts about her man. :-) Great read and guess what, this easily stands alone and if you haven't read a Rollins, this is a good introduction to his writing.

[Paige Bookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not great enough to be a favorite but great enough for me to love this book.

This is my first James Rollins book and here are the things that I love about it.

► Way of writing - Is really good. It hooked me and it was enough.
► The characters- There are multiple characters in this book but it's not really an issue for me.
► The heavy issue- Anthropology, biology, genetics and all that stuff was really well-written and well explained.
►The characters- Rollins knows how to make you care about the fate of the characters. I love how he puts POV on the characters that really matters.


The only reason why this is not a five star is the epilogue. I love it, but it was bittersweet. My heart ache for a while though I will be reading more from this author in the future.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read books like this for one reason: to get sucked into a story and characters that make me not want to put the book down. The Sigma Force books do that for me. Interesting fiction stories built on top of non fiction history and science. A perfect combination. Yes, the stories creep into the ridiculous, but they're fiction, so, anything goes, right?

[Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what to say except to quote Brad Thor “Rollins’s best thriller ever!” “THE BONE LABYRINTH will remind you why you fell in love with reading. This book is that good!”