The Bone Labyrinth: A Sigma Force Novel
Released On: Dec 15, 2015

In this groundbreaking masterpiece of ingenuity and intrigue that spans 50,000 years of human history, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins takes us to mankind’s next great leap.

But will it mark a new chapter in our development . . .
or our extinction?

A war is coming, a battle that will stretch from the prehistoric forests of the ancient past to the cutting-edge research labs of today, all to reveal a true mystery buried deep within our DNA, a revelation that will leave readers changed forever . . .

In the remote mountains of Croatia, an archaeologist makes a strange discovery: a subterranean Catholic chapel, hidden for centuries, holds the bones of a Neanderthal woman. In the same cavern system, elaborate primitive paintings tell the story of an immense battle between tribes of Neanderthals and monstrous shadowy figures. Who is this mysterious enemy depicted in these ancient drawings and what do the paintings mean?

Before any answers could be made, the investigative team is attacked, while at the same time, a bloody assault is made upon a primate research center outside of Atlanta. How are these events connected? Who is behind these attacks? The search for the truth will take Commander Gray Pierce of Sigma Force 50,000 years into the past. As he and Sigma trace the evolution of human intelligence to its true source, they will be plunged into a cataclysmic battle for the future of humanity that stretches across the globe . . . and beyond.

With the fate of our future at stake, Sigma embarks on its most harrowing odyssey ever—a breathtaking quest that will take them from ancient tunnels in Ecuador that span the breadth of South America to a millennia-old necropolis holding the bones of our ancestors. Along the way, revelations involving the lost continent of Atlantis will reveal true mysteries tied to mankind’s first steps on the moon. In the end, Gray Pierce and his team will face to their greatest threat: an ancient evil, resurrected by modern genetic science, strong enough to bring about the end of man’s dominance on this planet.

Only this time, Sigma will falter—and the world we know will change forever.

One of James Rollins’s most ambitious stories to date, The Bone Labyrinth combines science, adventure, historical mystery, archaeology, technology, and legend in a brilliantly inventive tale that connects early man and the fate of the Neanderthals, while exploring the evolution of human intelligence from its wellspring to where we, as a species, may be headed next. Full of ingenious twists, it is a rip-roaring epic from a master storyteller at the pinnacle of his creative powers.

James Rollins is the New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, which have been translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People).

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Critical Acclaim

  • “By the end of the novel, readers will be too busy buzzing with excitement about all they have digested to realize what a literary feat Rollins has accomplished by keeping all these balls in the air without dropping a single one.”

    Bookreporter.com
  • "Truly a Gordian knot of amazing proportions…[The Bone Labyrinth] is breathtakingly laid out, with Rollins combining true historical figures with mythological events, and an exciting fictional account of a battle for mankind."

    Judith Reveal, New York Journal of Books
  • "Infused with Rollins’s trademark blend of cutting-edge science and hidden history, THE BONE LABYRINTH weaves together a bevy of seemingly disparate elements into a thrilling and cohesive tapestry like few others can.”

    Jeremy Burns, The Strand Magazine
  • "James Rollins's best thriller ever! ...Packed with action, intrigue, and spine-chilling suspense. The Bone Labyrinth will remind you why you fell in love with reading. This book is that good!"

    Brad Thor for The Bone Labyrinth
  • “Rollins’ latest Sigma Force novel once again combines science straight from a Michael Crichton novel and action-adventure out of the works of Clive Cussler.... Rollins continues to write intense thrillers that also give readers a better understanding of current scientific theories and principles. Rollins has constructed one labyrinth that readers will not want to escape.”

    Booklist *starred review*
  • "Rollins’s thrilling 11th Sigma Force novel [Bone Labyrinth]...knows just how to balance the science and history with the ongoing action."

    Publishers Weekly
  • “...an altogether satisfying techno-thriller."

    Kirkus Reviews for The Bone Labyrinth

FAQ

  • Q. Can you tell us what this latest Sigma thriller is about?
    A. The story begins when twin sisters, both geneticists, are attacked on two different continents: one ... Read More
  • Q. Your novels are known for their scientific accuracy, for their ripped-from-the-headlines topics. Can you tell us more about this exploration into the roots of human intelligence?
    A. It starts with an anthropological mystery. For the past two hundred thousand years, human brains had ... Read More
  • Q. As I understand, a part of what you examine is how we share DNA with Neanderthals, how we once interbred with this other tribe.
    A. We do indeed carry Neanderthal genes. In fact, roughly 2-4% of our genome comes from this unusual an ... Read More
  • Q. You traveled to China for some background research. Can you tell us how that played a role in THE BONE LABYRINTH?
    A. I spent three weeks in China researching this story and learned how wonderful the people are there, ... Read More
  • Q. It seems every month we’re hearing about Chinese hackers committing acts of espionage here in the United States. Does this element appear in your novel?
    A. Definitely. The Chinese government’s pervasive system of hacking, espionage, and infiltration play ... Read More
  • Q. An element of this story does sound like it was ripped from the headlines, specifically about Chinese scientists genetically modifying human embryos.
    A. It’s a concern I tackle in this novel. Some believe that genetically modifying embryos could eradi ... Read More
  • Q. Speaking of scientific experimentation and research, THE BONE LABYRINTH introduces a character like no other, a young gorilla who had been genetically modified in a very unique way. Can you discuss how this character came about?
    A. As a veterinarian, I love to fold in animals in unique ways into my stories. The character of Baako ... Read More
  • Q. Moving past the science in the story, your books are also renowned for shining a light on historical mysteries and unusual historical figures. Can you share an example from THE BONE LABYRINTH?
    A. Sure. I was raised Roman Catholic, so feature a Catholic priest in this book who is fascinated (as a ... Read More
  • Q. There’s another true-life Catholic priest who plays a role in this book.
    A. Indeed. Father Carlos Crespi. He was a monk who ran a remote missionary in Ecuador for fifty years, ... Read More
  • Q. But the connection to the moon in this story goes beyond Neil Armstrong.
    A. It does. In this story, you will learn how truly strange the lunar satellite is. For example, have y ... Read More
  • Q. In THE BONE LABYRINTH, you also reveal that there is a code buried in our DNA, one that will shock readers.
    A. No, it will blow their minds—because it’s all true and verifiable. It’s a single prime number ... Read More

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