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jaxboiler's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun read. I have read a couple of the Sigma force series books and enjoyed them all.
eilconj's review against another edition
4.0
A fast paced thriller based around the bones of the magi. The historical references made me want to know more about the real events. The characters are interesting and engaging. A fun light read.
bekahb101's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
A very solid action-adventure story with a history/archaeology bent. I enjoyed it overall, though some portions of the plot stretched plausibility more egregiously than other books I’ve read by James Rollins.
leener33's review against another edition
3.0
If I could do 2.5, I would. This book was...fine. It seemed decently-researched but just cannot escape the now-rampant DaVinci Code cliches. Crisis at the Vatican hidden among its arcane secrets seems overdone at this point. The character development was lacking, and, as a result, I felt detached from them all even at the end of the book. Also, the same pattern repeated itself throughout the book: the heroes arrive at the next setting, they are clearly outsmarted and out-maneuvered by the bad guys, but then they find some miraculous way to escape. I could sense there was one big double-cross plot twist left for the end of the book, but by the time it was revealed, instead of thinking, "NO!," I just thought, "Who??" That said, it was a fun romp through various important sacred sites. I don't think I'll be hurrying to read any more of this type, though. If I want Dan Brown cliches, I'll read Dan Brown.
lizabethstucker's review against another edition
4.0
Sigma Force 2. The theft of ancient bones from a Roman Catholic cathedral and the unusual method of murdering all but one of the congregation attracts the attention of the Vatican as well as Sigma Force. Monsignor Vigor Verona and his niece, Rachel Verona, lieutenant of the Carabinieri Corps, join with Sigma agents Grayson Pierce, Monk Kokkalis, and Kat Bryant to find the bones as well as the reason behind the theft. They discover a trail leading back to the 13th Century and the early days of the Roman Catholic church and various other Christian groups.
Fans of history based adventure should be in seventh heaven. What I love about Rollins is that his stories are comprised of real historical and scientific facts, theories and beliefs. I've discovered that I spend a lot of time looking on the internet to read the story behind the stories. Yes, these are great adventures, but they are also learning experiences.
Something else that solidifies him as one of my top five favorite authors is how well James Rollins writes female characters. They are not caricatures, they are not token female characters, and they most definitely aren't there for the sex like the women in many adventure novels. The women in Rollins' books are capable, intelligent, realistic, three-dimensional and flat out wonderful. I'm particularly taken with Seichan, a woman who isn't just a baddie. She's a character painted in shades of gray (if you'll forgive the term). She seems to have her own peculiar code of honor and is endlessly fascinating. If you'll forgive this foray into fandom, this is the type of character that NCIS should've given us in Ziva David.
I also congratulate Rollins on his male characters. They are not superheroes. They have doubts and fears and worries like the rest of us. But, like true heroes, they work through that to get the job done. If you haven't figured it out as yet, I adore this series.
Fans of history based adventure should be in seventh heaven. What I love about Rollins is that his stories are comprised of real historical and scientific facts, theories and beliefs. I've discovered that I spend a lot of time looking on the internet to read the story behind the stories. Yes, these are great adventures, but they are also learning experiences.
Something else that solidifies him as one of my top five favorite authors is how well James Rollins writes female characters. They are not caricatures, they are not token female characters, and they most definitely aren't there for the sex like the women in many adventure novels. The women in Rollins' books are capable, intelligent, realistic, three-dimensional and flat out wonderful. I'm particularly taken with Seichan, a woman who isn't just a baddie. She's a character painted in shades of gray (if you'll forgive the term). She seems to have her own peculiar code of honor and is endlessly fascinating. If you'll forgive this foray into fandom, this is the type of character that NCIS should've given us in Ziva David.
I also congratulate Rollins on his male characters. They are not superheroes. They have doubts and fears and worries like the rest of us. But, like true heroes, they work through that to get the job done. If you haven't figured it out as yet, I adore this series.
barbi312's review against another edition
2.0
Map of Bones (published in 2005) is not nearly as thrilling and satisfying as The Judas Strain (published in 2007). Potentially written in an effort to compete with The Da Vinci Code (published in 2003), Map of Bones is a novel about an ancient conspiracy, pitting the Catholic Church again dark and mysterious forces. The author spent far too much time and effort weaving a tale of murky (and frankly incomprehensible) mysteries within mysteries, but not enough time and energy on the exploits and derring-dos of SIGMA team. I found Map of Bones to be bland, to say the least. That said, Rollins' The Judas Strain is a total winner.
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
3.0
Map of Bones has a lot of twists and turns, some of them unexpected. It has some great characters who I really liked. But the force of the story was reliant on a series of clues that I found entirely too vague and enigmatic to be believably solved. Even when Rollins spelled out exactly why, for example, an hourglass shape superimposed on a map surely led the searchers to the next city on their trail, I found myself saying, "Okay, whatever..." Still, I thought it was well-written, fast-paced, and fairly fun to read. 3.5 stars.
lah_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't find this one as exciting as the first, but it was a fun read. The Sigma Team was chasing religious artifacts this time. A fan of The Da Vinci Code would probably enjoy it. So far, I would suggest reading at least the first two books in order to get to know the characters, but I suspect this is one of those series that can easily be broken apart.
joyful808's review against another edition
4.0
A great summer read. Full of adventure, intellect and action. Highly recommended.
wondernikel's review against another edition
1.0
Tried, threw in the towel at about a quarter of the way...the plot lines and characters are great...so I picked back up again and OFFICIALLY gave up at the halfway point. Because the low point are so boring...