In the race to save one of their own, Sigma Force must wrestle with the deepest spiritual mysteries of mankind in this mind-expanding adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, told with his trademark blend of cutting edge science, historical mystery, and pulse-pounding action.
Arriving home on Christmas Eve, Commander Gray Pierce discovers his house ransacked, his pregnant lover … his pregnant lover missing, and his best friend’s wife, Kat, unconscious on the kitchen floor. With no shred of evidence to follow, his one hope to find the woman he loves and his unborn child is Kat, the only witness to what happened. But the injured woman is in a semi-comatose state and cannot speak—until a brilliant neurologist offers a radical approach to “unlock” her mind long enough to ask a few questions.
What Pierce learns from Kat sets Sigma Force on a frantic quest for answers that are connected to mysteries reaching back to the Spanish Inquisition and to one of the most reviled and blood-soaked books in human history—a Medieval text known as the Malleus Maleficarum, the Hammer of Witches. What they uncover hidden deep in the past will reveal a frightening truth in the present and a future on the brink of annihilation, and force them to confront the ultimate question: What does it mean to have a soul?
more
Ancient mysteries with modern day action. James Rollins makes the implausible, plausible with this rousing story.
The Spanish Inquisition is the catalyst for a religious cult’s modern-day witch hunt. Fair warning: Should the events depicted in this novel come to pass and scientists soon develop an artificial intelligence capable of warp-speed learning capacity, fact will be much scarier than fiction. An heart-pounding page-turner with that will keep you on the edge of your seat—and maybe dreading the future.
You can catch my podcast conversation about CRUCIBLE with James Rollins here on Podbean: https://authorprovocateur.podbean.com/e/james-rollins-crucible/
Or read my print feature article about the book in The Big Thrill:
http://www.thebigthrill.org/2018/12/up-close-james-rollins/
Nothing like a Rollins novel and another Sigma Force adventure! I so appreciate that he writes clean (for more conservative readers, there is some language–hello, Kowalski (my favorite member of Sigma Force! 😀 ) and compelling stories that take their cue from history. I love a story that makes me research elements and *learn as I read!
Rollins hits it out of the park again. He’s my favorite living author, and he never disappoints!!!
Sigma Force #14, Another hair raising, death defying, action packed, FANTASTIC read from James Rollins. If you haven’t read the entire series yet I really recommend it, it’s history, science, religion, and action adventure all rolled into one. Another nice thing, IMO, is I don’t think you have to read the others to enjoy and follow this one. There are a few things references to a certain person in a past book but nothing to major, and the major characters are all established and there are quite a few characters to keep track of fortunately they are split into two groups, sometimes three, and with the third person POV you follow everyone, and in this books case you even follow the evolution of an AI.
Seichan and Monk’s two daughters are missing, Kat is in the hospital barely hanging on, and now Monk, Gray, and their team have to track down a young woman and her AI before an overzealous group that goes back to the time of the Spanish Inquisition get their hands on it and unleash a new kind of hell on the world. Gray and Monk are torn between finding Seichan, who is pregnant with Gray’s unborn baby,with Monk’s two daughters and once again saving the world but the person who took them wants the AI too so in order to get them back they need the AI. It also helps that they know Seichan and what she’s capable of, Monk’s daughters couldn’t be in better, safer hands even at eight months pregnant she’s deadly.
I’m an emotional reader, I will laugh out loud in public at funny parts and I WILL bawl my eyes out if the situation calls for it. The beginning of this book and the end of the book had me in tears, big fat ugly tears. The rest of the time I was at the edge of my seat and holding my breath it was intense. It stands for reason that Rollins is one of my top five favorite authors he delivers, with every single book you get an action packed, emotional, educational, entertaining read. Each new book is my favorite and this is no exception this book wrecked me in all the best ways.
Rollins again did a wonderful job with a plot that scared me half to death because of it’s plausibility. Rollins writing makes you feel everything his characters feel, all the tension, the impending doom and the loss of loved ones was visceral at times.
The team battle against a foe determined in their beliefs and who will stop at nothing to gain the upper hand and attain their goals. If you want to know how this ends you need to buy this book, I can assure you it is something you will not be able to put down once you start.
This is another good book by JamesRollins, who is one of my favorite authors. I spent an enjoyable week reading due to a shortage of time, usually I read his books straight through.
James Rollins delivers again. When you think he has pushed the team to the limit he comes up with an even more awe inspiring scenario. Could not put it down.
A nice outing for James Rollins with lots of twist and turns for those who love their suspense with a dose of something else – in this case, a short trip into AI and its possible consequences for the world.
Enjoyed it as I do all of his works. Rollins is one of my favorites.
As a retired American Studies teacher I loved this book. I so wish I still taught and could include it in a unit as a modern parallel to Arthur Miller’s Crucible with the 1950’s Red Scare and our current global politics. Impeccable research and brilliant writing style bring these characters to life and proves that if we do not learn from history, we will repeat it.
He is a fantastic writer. I love the mixture of fact and fiction. Awesome!!!
Another great book in the series.
One of the best Sigma Force books yet.
He keeps on writing the best.
The book is a good read but a little out there with the AI assumptions
This book is awesome. You will go racing through every emotion in this book only wishing you could read faster.
616 pages
5 stars
I’m going to go hide under the covers now…
Wow, this book is a lot to think about – and very scary. Usually, Mr. Rollins’ novels don’t affect me in quite the same way as this one did. I usually don’t care for this degree of technical information in my books. I like to read for adventure and to get away.
I won’t say much about the plot, for it might give too much away. I will only say that Eve got her wish.
I enjoyed this book, but have certain reservations about the material…and I can’t quit thinking about it. I cast a slightly jaundiced eye at my computer.
In between the bouts of technology, there was much action and tension. Some of my favorite people were badly hurt and I needed to find out what happened to them. I was so upset about Kat.
On to the next thriller!
Love the Sigma stories
Love all his books