Kingdom of Bones: A Sigma Force Novel

They’re a team of former special forces soldiers who have been drummed out of the service for various reasons. But because of special aptitudes and abilities, they’ve been recruited in secret by DARPA—the Defense Department’s research-and-development agency—and retrained in various scientific disciplines to act as field agents for DARPA. Their mission is to protect the globe against various emerging threats. Basically, they’re scientists with guns.

Sure. My support for veterans first came about after I participated in a USO tour of authors to Iraq and Kuwait in the winter of 2010. Upon coming home, I knew I wanted to do more. First, I worked with USA Cares, which raises emergency funds for vets in need, then most recently I joined US 4 Warriors as an advisory board member. The new charity started as a grassroots effort in San Diego and has since expanded nationwide. Besides helping to promote the social welfare of vets in a wide spectrum of activities, the latest endeavor also involves helping veterans tell their stories…and get published! So as a writer, I’m especially excited as US 4 Warriors expands into this adventure.

Not at all. I tailor each story so a new reader could jump into the series at any point. In fact, only a small fraction of my readership has read my series in order. For anyone interested in this unique set of heroes and the troubles they face, Kingdom of Bonesis a perfect place to jump on in.

He was—and someone who deserves great credit for exposing the atrocities committed against the Congolese people throughout the colonial era. King Leopold II of Belgium oversaw a reign of terror in the Congo. Ten million people would be slaughtered in a little over a decade’s time. These atrocities went mostly unreported, until an American missionary, Reverend William Sheppard, a graduate Southern Presbyterian Theological Seminary for Colored Men in Tuscaloosa, arrived in the Congo, armed with a Kodak box camera. He risked his life and the success of his mission in exposing the depths of cruelty and savagery being committed against the people of the Congo. He’s a true hero of that era—and my book. What he does in the past is significant in saving the future.

That’s certainly a good question. According to stories throughout the Middle Ages, there was a Black Christian King—named Prester John—who ruled a vast African empire. According to the legends surrounding him, he was descended from Balthazar, one of the three magi who visited the Christ child in His manger. His kingdom was said to be one of astronomical wealth, with his legend tied to the Fountain of Youth, to the Ark of the Covenant, and to King Solomon’s mine. For centuries, European rulers—even popes—sent forth emissaries to seek him out, many of whom vanished into the jungle and never returned. Even Shakespeare mentions him in Much Ado About Nothing. Today, most historians dismiss this tale of a black Christian king who ruled over a vast swath of Africa as mere myth, but could there be some bias behind this judgement? For such a story to persist for centuries, there surely must be some kernel of truth behind these legends. And in Kingdom of Bones, you’ll learn that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

First, let me say that Kingdom of Bonesis not a pandemic novel per se, but I believe it is far more frightening. It delves into the weird biology of viruses. In the pages of the book, you’ll discover many shocking details that are all true, details that will shed new light on this pandemic and offer insight into who we are as a species. To accomplish this, I consulted with a slew of evolutionary biologists, virologists, and medical doctors—and I had to keep tweaking the novel as the pandemic unfolded to make sure it remained as topical as possible. But I actually pitched this story to my publishing house in 2019, well before Covid started. Later, my editor asked, “Did any of the virologists you talked to while researching your book warn you about what was coming?” No, they hadn’t. But what they did tell me was even more terrifying—and you’ll learn what that was in this book.

Even after all the research before and during this pandemic, much remains unknown about viruses. Still, what is known is that viruses are deeply entwined into our own evolutionary history. Their genetic code is buried deep in our DNA. Scientists estimate that between 40 to 80 percent of the human genome may have come from ancient viral invasions. And it’s not just us. Recently scientists have discovered how intimately viruses are woven throughout the natural world. They are the tie that binds all life together. In fact, researchers now believe that viruses could offer a clue to the origin of life; they could be the very engines of evolution; perhaps even the source of human consciousness.

According to many virologists, yes. There is a vital gene in our DNA—the Arc gene—that became a part of our genome from the invasion and incorporation of a viral snippet. This gene is essential to the function of our synapses in storing memory, in learning. Abnormalities with this gene tend to show up in people with neurological deficits, even in people with autism. Without the presence of that gene, it’s widely believed among virologists that human consciousness could not have come about. And it’s not just consciousness. Viral genes in our DNA also play a significant role in our embryonic development and in the build of our immune system. Even in our fight against cancer. For example, following a bout of flu, leukemia patients show a dramatic drop in cancer cells. And this all just scrapes the surface of what you’ll find in the pages of this novel.

Three reasons mostly. First, they’re the only mammal that flies.To accomplish this miraculous feat requires a metabolism that’s on hyperdrive. All that metabolic heat ramps up their tiny bodies to a feverish state that helps hold back infections. This allows them to harbor lots of viruses without getting sick. Second, such a hyperdrive of their immune system can be dangerous to them, so bats disabled ten key genes to further protect them from dying if they should get sick from a virus. Third, like us, bats have a lot of viral code incorporated into their DNA. Unlike us, they can split off and manipulate parts of that code to hold viruses in check. So basically, their bodies were evolutionary designed to be perfect hosts for countless viruses. It’s why many virus hunters take samples from bats to judge the varieties of viruses in any given environment. Such hunters are always on the lookout for what terrifies all virologists: Disease X.

When I was researching this novel at the start of the pandemic in early 2020, virologists were expressing their fear that Covid could be Disease X. It’s what terrified all health experts—and me. Disease X is the name for a disease pathogen that modern science has no preventative or cure against, one capable of spreading rapidly. Covid came frighteningly close to that especially from a genetic standpoint. According to those virologists, we escaped from what could have been far worse. We need to be better prepared next time. And trust me, there willbe a next time.

Tucker and Kane have appeared in past Sigma novels and in solo adventures of their own. I first encountered such a heroic pairing of soldier and war dog while on that USO tour to Iraq and Kuwait. Seeing these pairs’ capabilities and recognizing their unique bonds, I wanted to try to capture and honor those relationships. To accomplish that, I spoke to veterinarians in the U.S. Veterinary Corps, interviewed handlers, met their dogs, and saw how these duos grew together to become a single fighting unit. I also vetted their stories with former and current handlers to be as accurate as possible. I love Tucker and Kane—and it’s certainly not the last you’ll see of that dynamic duo.

This past winter, I launched The Starless Crown, the first book in a new fantasy series, and I just completed the second book in that series, Cradle of Ice. I’m also finishing up the next big, sprawling Sigma adventure which will take place in Australia and the U.K., tying together colonial history, aboriginal mythology, and a modern-day treasure hunt for a mysterious artifact that could prove we’re not alone in the universe.