Helpful Score: 5
Once again, James Rollins has written a cliffhanger that will leave you guessing. As all his past books has done, this one takes the unimaginable and makes it very real. Imagine a virus that invades a body, taking the bacteria that is in all of us, and starts turning our body against us. An ancient virus that Marco Polo discovered as he was traveling home from China, that destroyed most of the crews of his ships, leaving only a handful of survivors. On his death bed, Marco left clues to a virus so deadly, so devastating that he refused to speak of where his travels had taken him. Fast forward to present day, and the on going fight between The Guild and Sigma Force. Add this deadly virus, and the race is on for who will gain the knowledge, and control, of the possible end, or salvation, of the world. A definite page turner!
Helpful Score: 3
This was another fast-paced action novel from Rollins. As usual, he threw in a lot of interesting premises including the Judas Strain itself and bioterrorism, the use of the "angelic script", and the historical mystery of Marco Polo and what happened to his fleet on his return trip to Venice. The novel also takes the reader to several interesting locations including Angkor in Cambodia, Christmas Island, and the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (I was unaware of the details about this massive structure). Along the way he also throws in cannibals and pirates, eletrified killer squids, and nasty land crabs -- what more could you ask for in an action novel!
Helpful Score: 2
Excellent fast pace read. I couldn't get enough of this one. A dormant ancient virus is awakened and spreading on an isolated island with the threat that is may spread across the world. The secrets of the source of this virus lay hidden by the vatican in an ancient story from Marco Polo's travels. If you liked the Dan Brown Books you'll love this one.
Helpful Score: 2
Wow! Marco Polo, red land crabs, glowing squids (and people), the Vatican, cannibals, Angkor Wat, angelic language, Christmas Island, and liver flukes. Mix all these (and more) up into an exciting story that holds logically together. It never lost momentum or my interest. Interesting, capable, resourceful people; hairbreadth escapes; constant surprises.
Jeanne G. (IlliniAlum83) -
Helpful Score: 1
Loved this book as a medical mystery. More believable than Ludlum's nanophage plaque in the Lazarus Vendetta. Kept me reading way past bedtime! I'll read more Rollins now.
Helpful Score: 1
Didn't get far--I could tell from the first few pages it just wasn't my kind of book. Over 500 pages and just flipping through it I could see it was full of pages of descriptions of nothing and words I couldn't pronounce, just not my kind of book
Helpful Score: 1
wow wonderful book that goes all over the world. Crazy scientists, cannibals, pirates, and ancient archeological sights. What else could one ask for.
Helpful Score: 1
I could not put this book down-it has all my favorites: microbes, exotic locales, committed & loving relationships, a race against time, children not getting hurt, mysterious codes, and a touch of fantasy. Gripping!
Once again the Sigma force saves the world!
When an ancient virus threatens to release a world-ending pandemic, Grey and the Sigma force embark on a mission to locate, understand and contain it. Naturally, the Guild is on a mission to obtain and weaponize it.
From Rome to Cambodia and Ankor Wat the rival teams race to stop the pandemic and fulfill their differing motives.
As with all Rollins novels, there is plenty of action and treachery. People aparently die and are brought back, futuristic weapons are revealed and used, new partnerships are forged, and secrets are revealed.
Rollins always manages to pull together scientific fact, historical legend, modern weaponry and exotic locales into an exciting and very readable adventure novel.
If you like Rollins, you'll love "The Judas Strain". And if you have never read Rollins this is an excellent place to start.
When an ancient virus threatens to release a world-ending pandemic, Grey and the Sigma force embark on a mission to locate, understand and contain it. Naturally, the Guild is on a mission to obtain and weaponize it.
From Rome to Cambodia and Ankor Wat the rival teams race to stop the pandemic and fulfill their differing motives.
As with all Rollins novels, there is plenty of action and treachery. People aparently die and are brought back, futuristic weapons are revealed and used, new partnerships are forged, and secrets are revealed.
Rollins always manages to pull together scientific fact, historical legend, modern weaponry and exotic locales into an exciting and very readable adventure novel.
If you like Rollins, you'll love "The Judas Strain". And if you have never read Rollins this is an excellent place to start.
This is an amazing book !! James Rollins knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with page that you turn. I really appreciate how he incorporates real world truths/science technology / etc. to make his story really come to life.
I sure hope that some movies will be made about the Sigma Force Teams that he has written about. His numerous books about this great tactical team that trys to save the world would be great, great movie for sure !
I sure hope that some movies will be made about the Sigma Force Teams that he has written about. His numerous books about this great tactical team that trys to save the world would be great, great movie for sure !
easy escape reading
Another great novel by James Rollins. Is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This would make a great movie. Action that makes you not want to put the book down. Plenty of plot with lots of twists.
Once again James Rollins writes a page turner..Great and fast read.
another great book by james rollins
Great book! One I would read again,
An edge-of-your-seat thriller with a biomedical AND historical theme. While the style of the book is pretty typical, the plot was something different.... I mean-- who gets Marco Polo, bio-weapons, Christianity, and global conspiracy all in one place! :-)
I really enjoyed this book. I have been reading all of the books in the Sigma Series and the do not disappoint. Great adventure, great characters, interesting story lines. The books take you to great places all over the World and encompass the history of the places.
YOU WON'T WANT TO PUT THIS ONE DOWN. There is a code to crack, a disease to cure, a villain to outsmart, an asassin to outrun, a map of Marco Polo's travels to follow, and the words of an angelto translate, and, just to make going to sleep out of the question, the fate of every man, woman, and child on Earth hangs in the balance.
From the depths of the Indian Ocean, a horrific plague has arisen to devastate humankind - unknown, unstoppable and merely a harbinger of the doom that is to follow!
Operatives of the shadowy covert organization Sigma Force, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis search for answers to the bizarre affliction aboard a cruise liner transformed into a makeshift hospital. But a sudden and savage attack by terrorist hijackers turns the mercy ship into a floating bio-weapons lab.
Time is an enemy. a worldwide pandemic grows rapidly out of control. As the seconds tick closer to doomsday, Signa's commander, Gray Pierce, must join forces with the beautiful assassin who tried to kill him-following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history into the terrifying heart of an astonishing mystery buried deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code.
From the depths of the Indian Ocean, a horrific plague has arisen to devastate humankind - unknown, unstoppable and merely a harbinger of the doom that is to follow!
Operatives of the shadowy covert organization Sigma Force, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis search for answers to the bizarre affliction aboard a cruise liner transformed into a makeshift hospital. But a sudden and savage attack by terrorist hijackers turns the mercy ship into a floating bio-weapons lab.
Time is an enemy. a worldwide pandemic grows rapidly out of control. As the seconds tick closer to doomsday, Signa's commander, Gray Pierce, must join forces with the beautiful assassin who tried to kill him-following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history into the terrifying heart of an astonishing mystery buried deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code.
Taken on an adventurous ride this thriller took me with it's first pages. Rollins' held a firm grasp on a plot so compelling that the book keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.
Ancient history reaching from the past into the future in the form of an ancient strain of viruses turning friend into foe: The Judas Strain.
There is no Dan Brown here. There is something with believeable substance That takes you into the past, present and future. Likeable characters, blended fact and fiction create a masterpiece in the thriller genre. One that stays with you for a long time.
Enjoy the ride ! You're going to travel from the Indian Ocean through Venetian tombs, Byzantine cathedrals and jungle-encrusted ruins - following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history: Marco Polo.
Ancient history reaching from the past into the future in the form of an ancient strain of viruses turning friend into foe: The Judas Strain.
There is no Dan Brown here. There is something with believeable substance That takes you into the past, present and future. Likeable characters, blended fact and fiction create a masterpiece in the thriller genre. One that stays with you for a long time.
Enjoy the ride ! You're going to travel from the Indian Ocean through Venetian tombs, Byzantine cathedrals and jungle-encrusted ruins - following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history: Marco Polo.
It kept my interest throughout the entire book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a medical thriller and/or a historical mystery.
Marion
Marion
Great book - I read it again right after I finished it the first time!
An elite scientifically inclined military organization, pirates, super bugs, cannibals, the vatican, Marco Polo, and more! Suspend your belief a bit and you'll have a lot of fun reading this one.
What can I say except outstanding.
Another excellent book by Mr. Rollins. The same m/o where three events take place in different parts of the country. Non-stop action and some of the characters we grew fond of in the past (Painter & Monk). By the end of the book, everything is pulled together well. This book was difficult to put down, but yet it was disappointing to finish it. It'll be awhile before his next one (THE LAST ORACLE) is in paperback... That's too long to wait!!!
enjoyed it greatly.
This is the third book in the Sigma Force series that I've read and absolutely loved. James Rollins writing is historically accurate and amazingly detailed. It's one of those books that draws you in from the first horrific chapter and keeps you turning pages as fast as your fingers (and eyes) allow. Of course there are multiple things going on: a historical trail and a scientific trail which ultimately converges with dire consequences. I particularly liked the inclusion of Kowalski, an ex-military man who is now doing security for Sigma Force. He is included on the mission to provide muscle not brains but his one-liners are spot on and hilarious. He provided a much needed dose of comic relief.
Sigma has one major enemy in the war against terrorism...The Guild, they are a badass outfit that is usually one step ahead of Sigma but Sigma always wins the race. Guild agent Seichan, shot in the gut, ends up crashing her motorcycle in Commander Gray Pierce's driveway. Seichan and Gray have a past and it's not a friendly one. The historical trail involves Gray, Seichan, a Catholic priest and Kowalski reversing Marco Polo's historic journey from China and discovering the cure for a nasty bacteria that is currently killing people off the coast of Australia but which could eventually decimate the entire human population. Bad guy on this leg: Amen Nasser (Guild operative) who immediately kidnaps Gray's parents to get the upper hand.
The scientific trail involves Sigma operatives Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis out on Christmas Island trying to find the cause of the recent plague-like outbreak. Bad guy here: Devesh Patanjali, Guild operative who has hijacked a cruise ship full of evacuees from Christmas Island to use as guinea pigs while looking for the cure so The Guild can use the disease for bio-terrorism. Fortunately both Lisa and Monk are on board and working against Devesh's evil.
Sigma has one major enemy in the war against terrorism...The Guild, they are a badass outfit that is usually one step ahead of Sigma but Sigma always wins the race. Guild agent Seichan, shot in the gut, ends up crashing her motorcycle in Commander Gray Pierce's driveway. Seichan and Gray have a past and it's not a friendly one. The historical trail involves Gray, Seichan, a Catholic priest and Kowalski reversing Marco Polo's historic journey from China and discovering the cure for a nasty bacteria that is currently killing people off the coast of Australia but which could eventually decimate the entire human population. Bad guy on this leg: Amen Nasser (Guild operative) who immediately kidnaps Gray's parents to get the upper hand.
The scientific trail involves Sigma operatives Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis out on Christmas Island trying to find the cause of the recent plague-like outbreak. Bad guy here: Devesh Patanjali, Guild operative who has hijacked a cruise ship full of evacuees from Christmas Island to use as guinea pigs while looking for the cure so The Guild can use the disease for bio-terrorism. Fortunately both Lisa and Monk are on board and working against Devesh's evil.
I'm getting into fiction a lot more lately. The latest is The Judas Strain, by James Rollin. It is like Da Vinci Code and Outbreak combined. The lead characters are agents of a covert organization and a secret organization, and then you have the man from Vatican City for a touch of faith. It's science meets religion but the world is at stake while a deadly virus spreads through the world. The good and the bad and the man in the robe must work together to solve a series of riddles following the path of Marco Polo. From the beginning to end, the story is action packed. I'm not so sure I'm satisfied with the ending, but when is anyone ever satisfied with an ending?
Rollins and his SIGMA Force have done it again. I couldn't have said it better than the following paragraph, a quote from the Knoxville News-Sentinel---
'You won't want to put this adverturous thrill ride down! Theres a code to crack, a disease to cure, a villain to outsmart, an assassin to outrun, a map of Marco Polo's travels to follow, and the words of an angel to translate. And, just to make going to sleep out of the question, the fate of every man, woman, and child on Earth hangs in the balance.'
From back cover:
From the depths of the Indian Ocean, a horrific plague has arisen to devastate humankind--unknown, unstoppable... and merely a harbinger of the doom that is to follow.
Operatives of the shadowy covert organization Sigma Force, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis search for answers to the bizarre affliction aboard a cruise liner transformed into a makeshift hospital. But a sudden and savage attack by terrorist hijackers turns the mercy ship into a floating bio-weapons lab.
Time is an enemy as a worldwide pandemic grows rapidly out of control. As the seconds tick closer to doomsday, Sigma's commander, Gray Pierce, must join forces with the beautiful assassin who tried to kill him -- following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history into the terrifying heart of an astonishing mystery buried deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code.
'You won't want to put this adverturous thrill ride down! Theres a code to crack, a disease to cure, a villain to outsmart, an assassin to outrun, a map of Marco Polo's travels to follow, and the words of an angel to translate. And, just to make going to sleep out of the question, the fate of every man, woman, and child on Earth hangs in the balance.'
From back cover:
From the depths of the Indian Ocean, a horrific plague has arisen to devastate humankind--unknown, unstoppable... and merely a harbinger of the doom that is to follow.
Operatives of the shadowy covert organization Sigma Force, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis search for answers to the bizarre affliction aboard a cruise liner transformed into a makeshift hospital. But a sudden and savage attack by terrorist hijackers turns the mercy ship into a floating bio-weapons lab.
Time is an enemy as a worldwide pandemic grows rapidly out of control. As the seconds tick closer to doomsday, Sigma's commander, Gray Pierce, must join forces with the beautiful assassin who tried to kill him -- following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history into the terrifying heart of an astonishing mystery buried deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code.
Another excellent read from Mr. Rollins. This man has talent from cover to cover and to spare. You will enjoy his work, be ye male or female.
This book had all the things I love in a book: History, action, travel, archaeology. It was a little more gory than I like, but over all I loved this book! It reminded me a lot of The Da Vinci Code, but since I liked the Da Vinci Code as well, I didn't mind.
This was a great read.
This is the 4th book of the Sigma Force and was a mixture of science and history of Marco Polo's trip to China. When a virus is threatening devastating results it is a race for the cure between the Guild and Sigma Force. The book takes us to Cambodia, Christmas Island and Istanbul with pirates, cannibals, crabs and squid which keep the book interesting and the plot moving forward with lots of action. The scientific explanations were hard to follow at times but flowed easier with the audio. The final cliffhanger makes you want to read the next book soon. I would recommend this series to those who love science, history and adventure.
Julie G. (renegadespiritcat) reviewed The Judas Strain (Sigma Force, Bk 4) on + 198 more book reviews
Action packed and historical mystery abounds in this well scripted works that continues to hold captive your attention. With every page turning new twist in the tale you will be drawn further into the story line and become self vested in finding the cure right along with the characters in the book. Terrific read!!!
Sigma Force at its best.
Fast paced action thriller reminiscent of Dan Brown & Michael Crichton.
Villains - Assassins - worldwide pandemic - hijackers - cannibals - secret codes.
Villains - Assassins - worldwide pandemic - hijackers - cannibals - secret codes.
Apparently nightmares can be repeated, especially for Vigor Verona. Renovations to the highest tower of the Vatican (holding an overflow of ancient manuscripts) had begun two years ago, after a fiery incident had taken out the majority of the library and, at the time, Verona's current assistant Jakob. The Monsignor thought he had put the past behind him with the elusive Dragon Court. As renovations are nearing a finish, the head of the restoration team has asked Verona to witness an alarming discovery. The only man that could possibly help him is none other than Grayson Pierce. However, Pierce is reliving his own nightmare back home. A wolf in sheep's clothing has reappeared also seeking Pierce's help. Following clues from a buried historical trail, the race is on in this death match of Sigma vs. the Guild. The Guild has stolen an already commandeered cruise ship, forcing W.H.O workers and certain Sigma workers to do the brunt of investigating. Things go awry for the Guilded pirates, when Sigma fights back with their own secret weapon of myth, a sea witch. From page 1 you are dragged down the rabbit hole, and are unable to put the book down. One underlying tone encompasses the whole book for me. . ." Hello. . . .I want to play a game. Maaaaaaarcoooooo. . . .
