Sigma Force #14, Another hair raising, death defying, action packed, FANTASTIC read from James Rollins. If you haven't read the entire series yet I really recommend it, it's history, science, religion, and action adventure all rolled into one. Another nice thing, IMO, is I don't think you have to read the others to enjoy and follow this one. There are a few things references to a certain person in a past book but nothing to major, and the major characters are all established and there are quite a few characters to keep track of fortunately they are split into two groups, sometimes three, and with the third person POV you follow everyone, and in this books case you even follow the evolution of an AI.

Seichan and Monk's two daughters are missing, Kat is in the hospital barely hanging on, and now Monk, Gray, and their team have to track down a young woman and her AI before an overzealous group that goes back to the time of the Spanish Inquisition get their hands on it and unleash a new kind of hell on the world. Gray and Monk are torn between finding Seichan, who is pregnant with Gray's unborn baby,with Monk's two daughters and once again saving the world but the person who took them wants the AI too so in order to get them back they need the AI. It also helps that they know Seichan and what she's capable of, Monk's daughters couldn't be in better, safer hands even at eight months pregnant she's deadly.

I'm an emotional reader, I will laugh out loud in public at funny parts and I WILL bawl my eyes out if the situation calls for it. The beginning of this book and the end of the book had me in tears, big fat ugly tears. The rest of the time I was at the edge of my seat and holding my breath it was intense. It stands for reason that Rollins is one of my top five favorite authors he delivers, with every single book you get an action packed, emotional, educational, entertaining read. Each new book is my favorite and this is no exception this book wrecked me in all the best ways.   

New York Times bestselling author James Rollins comes a shocking short story, where a chance mishap leads to the discovery of a weapon like no other in . . . Crash and Burn.

On a transatlantic flight, the two black sheep of Sigma Force--Seichan and Kowalski--must set aside their mutual dislike as a mysterious fiery force knocks their aircraft out of the sky. This unlikely duo must use every skill, weapon, and bit of ingenuity to survive a night on a remote volcanic island, where their only refuge is the haunted, bat-plagued grounds of a seemingly deserted resort. But something horrific awaits the two, something born of the latest science but rooted in our basest human instincts. To survive they will need to learn to work together--but even then, it may be too late.

Right, I'm just going to do a short review of this novella since there is just not much to say about it. I thought I read it since I just got the latest James Rollins book (woohoo!) and I thought this story may be important to the book (or in some way connected). I do like that it featured two of my favorite characters, but to be honest it was way too short to be more than I appetizer. And, not even an intriguing appetizer. I felt that because the shortness of the story did nothing really happened, or rather everything had to happen in a matter of a few pages and then the end. I could see how this could be a prolog but as a short story? Nah, it didn't work for me.

Map of Bones wasn't bad.  I had been hoping for more of an early Tom Clancy type of read, but this was a little thin on most counts.  

There was a lot of exposition, feeling as if one character telling the others the whole history of the world at times.  It certainly shows off that the author did a lot of research. I found it all a bit complicated and more than once it felt like a bit of a slog to get through things and get down to the action.  

The characters were okay - generic techno-thriller types with an interesting quirk or two that I thought could have been explored a little more.  There was a bit of a romance as there often is in this type of book, but it never hooked me.  I actually wanted to know more about what was going on with a couple of the secondary characters more than the main couple. 

There were some interesting twists and turns and one HELLUVA twist that managed to catch me completely by surprise.  I wanted more about the motivations though.  

All in all, this was a pleasant read and should the others in the series (yes, this is apparently the first of the Sigma Force books), go on sale for a reasonable price, I'll pick them up.  I wonder if they'll deal with the same characters at all?  Hmm...

Slightly better than Ice Hunt (see above), but again just your average adventure read. I find some of his characters in the Sigma Force novels to be a bit bland.