Bloodline: A Sigma Force Novel [Kindle Edition]

James Rollins (Author)

Book Description

In a thrilling masterwork that will make you rethink your perceptions of life and death, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins takes you to the edge of medicine, genetics, and technology, revealing the next evolutionary leap forward: immortality.

Galilee, 1025. Infiltrating an ancient citadel, a Templar knight uncovers a holy treasure long hidden within the fortress's labyrinth: the Bachal Isu -- the staff of Jesus Christ -- a priceless icon that holds a mysterious and terrifying power that promises to change humankind forever. 

A millennium later, Somali pirates hijack a yacht off the coast of the Horn of Africa, kidnapping a young pregnant American woman. Commander Gray Pierce is enlisted for a covert rescue mission into the African jungle. The woman is no rich tourist: she's Amanda Gant-Bennett, daughter of the U.S. president. 

Suspicious that the kidnapping masks a far more nefarious plot, Gray must confront a shadowy cabal which has been manipulating events throughout history...and now challenges the current presidency.  

For this unique mission, SIGMA is aided by a pair of special operatives with unique talents: former Army Ranger Captain Tucker Wayne and his military war dog, Kane. But what should be a straightforward rescue turns into a fiery ambush and a deadly act of betrayal, as Gray and his team discover that the hostage is a pawn in a shattering act of terrorism with dark repercussions. And the danger is only beginning... 

Halfway around the world, a firebombing at a fertility clinic in South Carolina exposes a conspiracy that goes back centuries...a scheme that lies within our genetic code. With time against them, SIGMA must race to save an innocent unborn baby whose very existence raises questions about the nature of humanity, asking: 

Could you live forever? 

Would you live forever?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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Amazon Exclusive: Q & A with James Rollins

Q: In Bloodline, you introduce two new characters, Tucker and Kane, a pair unlike any your readers have seen before. Tell us about them, and why you decided to write about them?

James Rollins: First of all, I wanted to honor these unique American heroes. Tucker Wayne is a former captain with the Army Rangers. After two tours of duty in Afghanistan, he leaves the service disillusioned after a bloody battle. Aided by members of his own unit, Tucker steals his war dog, Kane.

What I liked best about exploring this pair's unique relationship is a phrase commonly used by military war dog handlers--It runs down the lead--describing how the emotions of the pair became shared over time, binding them together as firmly as any leash. And it's that bond and ability for the two to operate as one that I wanted to explore in this novel.

Q: Can you tell us about your research into military dogs?

JR: About a year and half ago, I was lucky enough to participate in a USO tour of authors to military bases in Iraq and Kuwait. There, I saw several of these war dogs in action. I was also able to meet and talk to a veterinary school classmate of mine who works with the veterinary corps out in Iraq. After that encounter, it got me thinking about writing this book, of honoring these unique war heroes on the page.

Q: Women play a large role in Bloodline. How are you able to write from the point of view of women so well?

JR: I have three sisters who make sure I get those details correct, but also during my USO tour to Iraq and Kuwait, I got a chance to talk at length to women in the field--to hear what it's like to be a female in the armed services. And that'[s something I tried to capture accurately.

Q: Your novels always delve into the cutting edge of science. What is the scientific basis behind Bloodline?

JR: The root of this book came from a recent article in Time magazine. The cover declared: 2045, the Year Man Becomes Immortal. I read that and wondered how that could become true. Could immortality be achievable in our lifetime? It sent me into a yearlong and chilling investigation into the frontiers of life extension.

Q: What are some of these new discoveries involving immortality?

JR: I've learned that there are actually two competing schools of study when it comes to the search for immortality. On one side, scientists are looking at moving man into machines, moving our consciousness into a synthetic arena. Scientists in Switzerland right now are working with IBM to create the first virtual human brain and say they are about a decade off from achieving this goal.

On the other side of the scientific fence, researchers are also looking at moving machines into us: basically replacing our failing parts with artificial organs. We already have synthetic pancreases and mechanical hearts, and these scientific advancements continue to accelerate, especially with the explosive growth of nanotechnology, which involves engineering at the atomic level.

Q: Now to the last and most pressing question: How close are we to achieving immortality?

JR: That's a good question--and the answer is the most startling revelation I discovered while researching this story, something I share within the pages of this book. In Bloodline, readers will learn a shocking scientific truth about the nature of mankind: That immortal beings already walk among us today.

If you want to know who they are, if you want to learn how to live forever--read Bloodline.

Review

"James Rollins is a master of international action and intrigue." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch

The science in Bloodline reads like the best of Michael Crichton. The machinations of government read like the best of David Baldacci. And the action and thrills read like the best of Clive Cussler. Rollins takes the best of all of these and creates an amazing thriller unlike any other.

--Associated Press (Jeff Ayers)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 880 KB
• Print Length: 465 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1409113876
• Publisher: William Morrow; Reprint edition (June 26, 2012)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0070X87PA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,586 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #13 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Men's Adventure
  • #96 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 68 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sigma's going to the dogs June 22, 2012

By Susan Tunis TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

After a brief prologue, James Rollins' latest Sigma Force thriller picks up shortly after where last year's superlative The Devil Colony left off. Commander Gray Pierce is dealing with the fallout of his mother's murder, and the team is ready to exact vengeance against the Guild. (Now, those first two sentences should tell readers something. While I certainly think that there is enjoyment to be had reading Bloodline as a stand-alone, this installment of the series is very much built upon what's come before, both in terms of plot and character arcs. In a perfect world, I'd recommend reading this after reading the other books in the series, or at the very least The Devil Colony.) Early in the book, the enigmatic double-agent Seichan shows up unexpectedly:

"`There's been a kidnapping off the Seychelles by Somali pirates. A high-value American target. Painter wanted to know if you were up for a mission.' Gray frowned. Why was Sigma involved with a simple kidnapping? There were plenty of policing and maritime agencies that could attend to such a crime. Sigma Force--made up of Special Forces soldiers who had been retrained in various scientific disciplines--was a covert wing for DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Sigma teams were sent out into the world to protect against global threats, not to address the kidnapping of a single American."

Well, there's high-value, and then there's HIGH-VALUE. And this kidnapping victim is the latter. And wouldn't you know, this crime eventually leads back to the Guild. This is the book Mr. Rollins has been promising readers. It is the ultimate showdown between these two organizations. And, yes, Sigma is called upon to fulfill the mission stated above. The Guild's plot goes well beyond kidnapping, but I shall decline to elucidate further. What I will do, instead, is highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses of the book.

STRENGTHS:
* Seichan tells Gray, "We've been ordered to pick up another two teammates, local assets already in the region, with unique skills to help us on this mission." Those who read Rollins' recently published e-short, Tracker: A Short Story Exclusive, have already guessed that I'm referring to retired Army war dog, Kane, and his handler, Tucker. These two are the freshest thing to hit Sigma in quite some time! First, they're just great characters. Former-veterinarian Rollins does a bang-up job writing from a dogs-eye view. These war dogs are unbelievably skilled. What they can do, and how they work with their human, is flat-out fascinating. Are you a fan of Dean Koontz's Watchers? You are going to LOVE Kane!
* I think Rollins' greatest strength is the integration of really smart, completely fascinating, and scarily plausible science into his plots. I have never failed to learn something within his pages. This novel deals with genetics, robotics, and the quest for immortality. At one point, the mad scientist is giving an epic lecture on how men can live indefinitely, and I'm thinking of a huge scientific impediment to that idea. I'm about to proclaim it all BOGUS. Well, almost as if he had read my mind, Rollins addressed my objection. Is it plausible? I don't know. But it sure sounds legit. I proclaim it NOT BOGUS.
* Rollins lets some recently underutilized characters shine in this novel, none more so than Kat Bryant, Sigma's second in command. She's out in the field for the first time in a long time, and this lady knows how to kick some ass. I'll never look at her the same way again. Bloodline is very much an ensemble piece, with everyone getting some face time, and it is stronger for it.
* Which reminds me... Way to write those strong female protagonists, Mr. Rollins! This has always been a strength, and it continues to impress.
* Kowalski. Kowalski is so awesome in his Kowalskiness. Who else, after watching Kane's amazing, life-saving performance under fire, would sum everything up with, "I got to get me one of those dogs"? He's always good for comic relief, but Mr. Rollins shows great restraint in not making this character too over the top, or of over-utilizing him.
* As always, Rollins leaves readers with a fascinating author's note about fact versus fiction. This time around he even includes links to video.

Now, die-hard fan that I am, it makes sense that I see more strengths than weaknesses, but as always, I do have some quibbles.

WEAKNESSES:
* For the last few books, Rollins has been trying (successfully) to humanize Seichan, and to reveal more of her background. That is very much the case here, but for me, personally, things were getting a little too... sentimental. You may judge for yourself.
* Also, I don't need to hear any more about the "inexplicable bond between dog and handler, tying them together by something deeper than just hand signals and spoken commands." I LOVED seeing the two in action, and Rollins didn't belabor the point, but any time their "bond" was referenced, I just wanted to roll my eyes. Clearly, I am a horrible person.
* Maybe it's because I'm a Washingtonian, or because I was obsessed with The West Wing, but I found certain elements of the Presidential/White House subplot of the novel strained even my generous suspension of disbelief.

Okay, sorry to prattle on, but there's always so much to talk about with these books! Despite my penchant for criticism, when you get right down to it, James Rollins is at the top of my favorite authors list. As always, he leaves me anxiously awaiting his next installment.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An Inventive and Exciting Thriller June 26, 2012

By Ethan

Format:Hardcover

First time mothers are supposed to spend the nine months before birth in a blissful state of anticipatory preparation. With only a few weeks before the arrival of her newborn, Amanda is feeling anything but bliss. After discovering her husband's infertility, Amanda undergoes the grueling process of in vitro fertilization. A couple miscarriages later, she finally carries a healthy child. Despite all of this, she and her husband are fleeing for their lives. A few weeks ago, she received anonymous notification, indicating that the life of her child was threatened. Now, off the coast of Africa, the couple is aboard a yacht, fleeing for the safety of their child. Under the cover of darkness, a group of Somali pirates hijacks the ship, killing the crew, her husband, and kidnapping the pregnant Amanda. This story alone would be enough to capture American headlines, but there is one more detail that makes this an even bigger story. Amanda is the daughter of the President of the United States!

In "Bloodline", the latest installment in the popular Sigma Force series by author James Rollins, Sigma, a secretive US military group, is tasked with finding the kidnapped Amanda. Gray Pierce, field leader of the covert team, is dealing with problems of his own. His mother was caught in the crossfire of his previous mission, in which his pursuit of the elusive organization, The Guild, led to her murder, leaving his father, who is slowly declining into dementia, to live alone. By straddling his protagonist with the guilt of his mother's death, Rollins turns what could have been a mindless super-human warrior into an everyman with genuine emotions.

Sigma enlists the help of a highly trained, army dog, Kane, and trainer, Tucker, to assist with the search. The sequences featuring the dog allow Rollins to flex his creative muscles, as he narrates entire passages from the perspective of the dog. Through this inventive method, Rollins successfully portrays the authentic relationship of trust between man and animal where the lives of both completely rests in the hands of the other.

As the investigation continues, the team uncovers a shocking connection between the kidnapping and the elusive Guild. Coming closer to discovering the motivation behind the abduction, Gray is fueled by both a desire to return the missing woman and unborn child safely to their family and by an urge to seek revenge for the brutal killing of his mother.

Despite being the eighth novel in the series, "Bloodline" has enough back-story to stand on its own. Writing with an authoritative confidence, Rollins provides the perfect combination of thrills, emotion, and fact. With an abundance of characters and story lines, he keeps the story sailing in the right direction, never allowing the focus to shift from the impending conclusion. His accessible language allows for a quick pace and an easy read that packs action, science, and intrigue into a smart and entertaining novel.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent July 5, 2012

By M. Bentley

Format:Hardcover

In my opinion this is the best SIGMA Force book to date. The pace is breakneck and the plot is nail biting. It really moves some dangling plot threads forward and introduces new ones. James Rollins continues to be a master of the craft.