Mainstream Review and Excerpt: EYE OF GOD By James Rollins

A comet is set on a collision course with Earth,

An ancient prophecy about the end of time is hidden within a lost gospel,

The only thing that can save humanity from certain destruction is…

The Eye of God By James Rollins

Book 9 in the Sigma Force Series

OUT NOW in paperback from William Morrow

The crash of a U.S. military research satellite in the remote wilds of Mongolia triggers an explosive search for the valuable cargo it holds: a code-black physics project connected to the study of dark energy, the energy connected to the birth of our universe. But the last blurry image from the falling satellite captures a chilling sight: a frightening look into the future, a view of a smoldering eastern seaboard of the United States in utter ruin.

At the Vatican, a mysterious package arrives for the head of Pontifical ancient studies, sent by a colleague who had vanished a decade earlier. It contains two strange artifacts: a skull scrawled with ancient Aramaic and a tome bound in human skin. DNA testing reveals both are from Genghis Khan—the long-dead Mongol king whose undiscovered tomb is rumored to hold the vast treasures and knowledge of a lost ancient empire.

Commander Gray Pierce, and Sigma—joined by a pair of Vatican historians—race to uncover a truth tied to the fall of the Roman Empire, to a mystery bound in the roots of Christianity's origins, and to a weapon hidden for centuries that holds the fate of humanity.

JAMES ROLLINS is the New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, 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 Magazine). In each novel, acclaimed for its originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets--and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight.

~ Special Excerpt from Chapter One ~

He reached to the crate and removed the second object and placed it beside the skull on the table. It was an ancient book, as wide as his outstretched hand and twice as tall. It was bound in rough leather, the pages secured by crude stitches of thick cord.

“This is an example of anthropodermic bibliopegy,” he explained.

Rachel screwed up her face. “And that means…?”

“The book is bound in human skin and sewn with sinew of the same.”

Rachel took a step away again, only this time she didn’t return to the desk. “How can you know that?”

“I can’t. But I forwarded a sample of the leather to the same lab as the skull, both to test its age and its DNA.” Vigor picked up the macabre volume. “But I’m sure I’m correct. I examined this under a dissection microscope. Human pores are distinctly different in size and even shape from that found in pigskin or calfskin. And if you look closer, in the center of the cover—”

He drew a fingernail along what appeared to be a deep crease in the center of the cover. 

“Under proper magnification, you can still make out the follicles of eyelashes.”

Rachel paled. “Lashes?”

“On the cover is a human eye, sewn shut with finer threads of sinew.”

Visibly swallowing, his niece asked. “So what is this? Some text of the occult?”

“I thought as much, especially considering Josip’s interest in the witches of Hungary. But no, it’s not some demonic manuscript. Though in some circles, the text is considered blasphemous.” 

He carefully parted the cover, cautious not to overly stress the binding. He revealed pages written in Latin. “It’s actually a Gnostic book of the Bible.”

Rachel tilted her head, well-versed in Latin, and translated the opening words “ ‘These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke…’ She glanced over at him, recognizing those words. “It’s the Gospel of Thomas.”

He nodded. “The saint who doubted Christ’s resurrection.” 

“But why is it wrapped in human skin?” she said with disgust. “Why would your missing colleague send you such ghoulish items?”

“As a warning.”

“A warning against what?”

Vigor returned his attention to the skull. “The incantation written here is a plea to God to keep the world from ending.”

“While I certainly appreciate that plea, what does—?”

He cut his niece off. “The prophetic date for that coming apocalypse is also written atop the skull, in the center of the spiraling inscription. I converted that figure from the ancient Jewish calendar to today’s modern accounting.” He touched the center of the spiral. “This is why Father Josip came out of hiding and sent these items to me.”

Rachel waited for him to explain.

Vigor glanced out the window to the comet glowing in the night sky, bright enough to shame the moon. With that portent of doom hanging there, a shiver of certainty rang through him.

“The date for the end of the world…it’s in four days.”

~ MY REVIEW ~

Good Lord... this is a fantastic book. My indulgence in adult fiction--especially adult thrillers--is few and far between. Somewhere along the way, I got lost in memoir writing and a never ending stream of YA fiction. But every once in a while I like to stick my head up for air and get my hands on some Dan Brown, Dean Koontz or in this case JAMES fricken' ROLLINS. I have not had the pleasure of reading the entire Sigma Force series, however I do have a decent amount of knowledge on the back story and found it easy to enjoy his latest addition to the fullest. There is a reason Rollins is a bestselling author. His books take you on an intense ride, blending fact, science and fiction elements perfectly. The pace never slows down. Eye of God opened at full force and ended much the same. With an A1 cast of characters, you feel like you are right there with them through it all. You learn just as much as you gasp from the excitement and twists in the plot. This latest Sigma novel has rich historical aspects and creates the perfect back drop for Gray and his team. Since I have not read all of the books in this series I would be remiss in stating that this is one of his best, but I certainly felt that way when I was done. If you are already a die hard fan, then don't stop now. Eye of God is a must read. If you are just getting into thrillers like this, I highly suggest reading some Rollins. And this may be number nine in the series, but it contains brand new antagonists, so you get a feel for the style without dropping in right in the middle of an on-going fight. If you have no problem enjoying the grand scheme of things, this might be a good way to get your feet wet. I'm sure you'll go straight to book one when your through.