Tracker: A Short Story Exclusive
Released On: Jun 05, 2012

From New York Times, bestselling author James Rollins comes a stirring story of a soldier and his military war dog who are drawn into a dark mystery tracing back to World War II and a lost treasure tied to the bones of the dead.

Off the streets in the medieval heart of Budapest, Captain Tucker Wayne, and his war dog, Kane, rescue a mysterious woman fleeing three armed men. The secret she holds will unlock a terrible treasure, one steeped in blood and treachery, tied to a crime going back to the fall of Nazi Germany and a heritage of suffering and pain that reaches out from the past to wreak havoc today. In a final showdown in the depths of a lost cemetery, truths will be unearthed, treasures exposed, and the fate of all will rest upon the shoulders of one man and a dog whose courage is beyond measure.

Included with this thrilling story is sneak peek at Bloodline, where the further exploits of Tucker and Kane will be revealed.

*The Short Story Tracker now available in the omnibus “Unrestricted Access: New and Classic Short Fiction and is also included in the paperback edition of Bloodline.

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Critical Acclaim

  • I love his relationship with the dog! Everybody loves a badass and I love this book. It moves along at a good pace; well written. I get bored easily with a lot of books and dump more partially read books than I actually finish. This one owned me to end.

    Christopher Mercon [I love his relationship with the dog] (Reader Review)
  • Epic story. Gets me excited to read Bloodline next. Tucker and Kain are easy to get attached to. Great characters.

    Shield2717 [Great short story] (Reader Review)
  • I enjoyed the dog and best friend development. It caught my attention and will, more than likely, keep it

    kbincostarica [Beginning of a new episode] (Reader Review)
  • I fell in love with Kane when he first appeared with my favorite team of Sigma heroes. Wish my Boxer were half as smart but I love him just the same

    Cecey [I fell in love with Kane when he first appeared with my favorite ...] (Reader Review)
  • It was a great intro to Bloodline (which I am reading now). This is the Rollins I really love to read. I hope there will be more Tucker Wayne & Kane stories. Thank you Mr. Rollins for the adventures!

    D. Drake [The Rollins I love!] (Reader Review)
  • Having read Sigma series before and recent release of full length novel "The Kill Switch", this short added some more of the back story to Tucker and Kane.

    Ralph Colavita [Having read Sigma series before and recent release of full ...] (Reader Review)
  • This short "snapshot" of Tucker & Kane is intense, expertly constructed and very much of the "Show Me Don't Tell Me" school of writing. It is an effective (but too short) introduction to Kane (an ex-military Belgian Malinois) and his handler and life-partner Tucker Wayne, a highly-skilled former Army Ranger specializing in extraction missions (as far as we know.) This team is (evidently) Retired Without Official Leave and traveling the world on the down-low. I don't want to write a spoiler here - if you try this, you'll like it. If you have had the misfortune of missing James Rollins on your reading list, I envy you - this is one hell of an introduction!

    Lily McD [Rollins Strikes Again!] (Reader Review)
  • Short story introducing Captain Wayne Tucker and his war dog Kane who get drawn into a WWII mystery when they help rescue a woman who is about to be kidnapped by three thugs in Budapest. What made this story stand out from James Rollins other fast paced thrillers was including the dog's point of view into the story. I found it very refreshing and I look forward to reading more stories with this dynamic duo.

    Purple Passion [An unexpected but delightful twist in this story....] (Reader Review)
  • Wow! Now I know what trained dogs can do! I loved how Rollins showed some of the situations from the dogs perspective. I love how Rollins tells us the fact from the fiction at the end of his books. The science is always illuminating in his books.

    Joyce A. Bell [Entertained while learning] (Reader Review)
  • James Rollins is my favorite go to author for non stop action and a great story. This short story just whets your appetite for more to come. I love how he is combining the dog team and how they work.

    Leslie S [Fast and furious!] (Reader Review)
  • I loved this. It's about time we got to see something about a working dog in these books. Those dogs are an essential part of many ops, and there's just no counting how many lives they've saved. Rollins gives a wonderful view of this particular situation from BOTH points of view, the dog's as well as the man's, and there aren't many authors who can do that without sounding...contrived at best, soap-boxy at worst. He avoids both those extremes to give a believable imagining into the working of a dog's mind. Brilliant!

    VoyagerJ [A vet and his dog] (Reader Review)
  • WOW, what a great team they make. I'm getting the next book. This was great but I wish it were longer. Just adore the Kane, he is the model for all the working military canines. Man and dog are so in sink they can anticipate the other. Keep it up James. I want a lot more of this team.

    C. S [HOT DOG what a read] (Reader Review)
  • Instead of wasting a lot of time in a new Sigma series novel introducing a new character, Mr. Rollins was able to give more depth to this character, and the dog, by using the short story approach. It is a nice break from the full length novels and makes you look forward to seeing how they are going to be used in future novels.

    Fly Fisher [This was a very good way of introducing a new character into the Sigma series.] (Reader Review)
  • This is a short story about Tucker Wayne and Kane, his service dog. It is a quick and interesting read. I learned a good deal about service dogs in this short story that made it even more interesting. I recommend it.

    Casey Wheeler [Kane - The Wonder Dog] (Reader Review)
  • Being a deep lover of animals, especially dogs, I truly enjoyed this short. As my review title states, I simply loved Kane and the unique voice the author gives him!

    This short is an introduction to Kane and his handler, Captain Tucker, and ex-military man which sets you up nicely for their emergence in the latest Sigma Force novel, Bloodline. I hope Mr. Rollins 'lets the dog out' in future books. Kane and Tucker are certainly welcome additions.

    Terry Kopinak [I love Kane!] (Reader Review)
  • I have read all of Rollins' books. Tucker and Kane are my new favorite team and I want more!!! If you enjoyed this short story, you have to buy Bloodline for more Tucker and Kane action. If you have never read James Rollins before, you have just found a GOLD MINE!! He is amazingly talented and researches 24/7 to entertain his vast fan base.

    J. Boyd [Deserves More Than 5 Stars!] (Reader Review)
  • This story was amazing! I was really not looking forward to it, but as a fan of the author still read it since it led into the next sigma novel. Plot aside this story is all about the relationship between Tucker Wayne and his military war dog Kane. The two have become an extension of each other and the love you see between is amazing. READ THIS STORY. It is worth it.

    Book girl Eva [Now I want a dog] (Reader Review)
  • James Rollins has does it again! Tracker is a short but sweet e-only short that introduces a new dream team--Tucker and Kane. They're more than partners--this human/canine combination has an unmistakable bond! Tucker needs to call upon every bit of Kane's training in order to help a damsel in distress and her father.

    I loved the introduction of Tucker, and seeing events unfold from Kane's POV was a great treat! Bring on Bloodline, Mr. Rollins! And thanks for this introduction to what will hopefully be the new members of Sigma!

    Breezy [5.0 out of 5 starsWhat a great appetizer!] (Reader Review)

FAQ

  • Q. And what are some of these new sciences behind immortality?
    A. I’ve discovered that there are actually two competing schools of study when it comes to the search ... Read More
  • Q. Can you tell us about your research into military dogs?
    A. Research has always been an important element in my novels and even more so in Bloodline. The first ... Read More
  • Q. In BLOODLINE, you also delve into the morality behind the quest to live forever. Should morality have a place in scientific discovery?
    A. How can it not? Scientific exploration regularly tests society’s moral compass. Is human cloning g ... Read More
  • Q. In BLOODLINE, you also raise the issue of children being used as soldiers, a hot-button topic also raised by the current manhunt for the African warlord Joseph Kony. Why bring such a sensitive issue up in a mainstream thriller?
    A. I believe a novel is made stronger if it touches upon the reality of our world. It’s a tragedy tha ... Read More
  • Q. In BLOODLINE, you also shine a light on a disturbing and secretive marketplace, one functioning right under our noses. Can you tell us about that?
    A. Everyone has heard about the black market, that world of clandestine negotiations and illegal transa ... Read More
  • Q. In BLOODLINE, you introduce two new characters, Tucker and Kane, a pair unlike any seen before. Tell us about them, and why you decided to write about them?
    A. First of all, I wanted to honor these unique American heroes. Tucker Wayne is a former captain with ... Read More
  • Q. Now to the last and most pressing question: How close are we to achieving immortality?
    A. That’s a good question—and the answer is the most startling revelation I discovered while resear ... Read More
  • Q. Other women also play a large role in BLOODLINE. How are you able to write from the point of view of women so well?
    A. I have three sisters who make sure I get those details correct, but also during my USO tour to Iraq ... Read More
  • Q. Your novels always delve into the cutting edge of science. What is the scientific basis behind BLOODLINE?
    A. The root of this book came from a recent article in Time magazine. The cover declared: 2045, the Ye ... Read More
  • Q. You’re also a veterinarian. How did your profession help you shape the relationship between man and dog?
    A. After three decades of working with dogs myself, I knew that I wanted to portray these stalwart war ... Read More

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