The Bone Labyrinth

If you have read any Sigma Force novels before and liked them, then you will likely be ok with this one. If you are new to the series, I would read some other reviews to see if there is any real value to reading them in order. I can not respond to that, as I have only read a few and all out of order regarding date of release.

OK, I love the idea here. A group of people who are soldiers/adventurers and also well-educated get involved in political action dramas which then also involve some esoteric or supernatural or conspiracy situations. I love it. There are television shows and movies that all come to mind regarding this formula. Reading this gets you a little Davinci Code (sp?), a little Raiders of the Lost Ark, a hair of Tom Clancey etc…..

The one thing I like about this series in that the writing is mature. No clunky or repetitive or excessively short sentences. No lame or repeated word choice at a high school level of diction. The book is more than competently written.

Some cool science and some cool conspiracy theory in here with a nice little note at the end where the author somewhat clarifies the scientific ideas he covers and notes what is reasonable and what is not, though he is perhaps a little too generous toward the possible validity of the moon book. Lots of odd coincidences with the moon and its size and operations in the universe, but answers may be less conspiratorial than the moon conspiracy books suggest.

The book is an action adventure fantasy with some hard science in it. In other words, it is sort of a comic book with better developed characters and plots and details than your average comic. I do not mean this as necessarily a negative. I am just saying that this is not a classic, realistic novel with sensitive psychological development of character. So it may be unfair to judge it by those standards or get too wrapped up in whether the details are totally realistic. OK having said that, here is what I found reduced the pleasure of the read:

1. Characters are one-dimensional and don’t really grow in any way. For instance, the one guy does nothing but look at his girlfriend, who when she is not killing someone is looking at him with smokey or lusty eyes or handing her leg out of the tub. It gets old. Literally, the repetition of their sexy looks and references to how they can “entertain” themselves without going out is a bit repetitive and too much.

2. SPOILER ALERT The one character who does change a bit is the gorilla, who goes from signing and being very shy to actually speaking a little in a very sappy scene and also becoming king of the jungle. Early on he is described as a mama’s boy, a youthful and shy three year old who is sexually immature, and then rather suddenly he matures, physically and linguistically.

3. The chapters jump back and forth from story to story. Early on, as in normal in these books, there is historical background and supposed writings from historical figures. Then, mainly we get the modern action. So in most of the novel there are at least two distinct narratives. In some ways this creates tension, as the author leads the characters to a crisis and then stops and returns to the other narrative, leaving you thinking “Dang, did they make it!!” After half the novel, I started thumbing through the one narrative and only reading the gorilla related narrative. There was not enough real character development to keep me interested in the less action-oriented parts.

4. The action is unreasonable at the end. SPOILER ALERT. I am supposed to believe a small team of Americans flies into and operates in China and breaks into a research facility etc…. AND THEN MAKES IT OUT IN THE END!! No way. If this took place in an unpopulated region near the border with another country and a helicopter flew in low and scooped them up, maybe I could go for it. But the American presence in China at the end is ridiculous. I think this kind of novel is best when the action could possibly have happened or at least the author makes you think it is possible it might just have happened. The people can be super warriors or mega-seals or whatever, but if I can’t believe the team can fly into and operate in a large city in China on a moment’s notice then the whole thing pales for me. Parts of the book are very realistic and seem to focus on that realism, but other parts wildly abandon any sense of realism. I am ok if a guy is a great shot or can take-out three opponents, but magically having a gun toting team touch down in China and walk around and kidnap a guy and operate that way is just too much and reminds me how overly dramatic and comic-bookish the book is. I want to be able to sort of suspend my disbelief and go for the ride. The china thing really bogged me down at the end. And then they sort of drive off away from major mayhem in a major foreign communist city and just reappear back home??

he Bone Labyrinth by James Rollins is a very highly recommended action/adventure thriller. This latest novel represents Rollins at his best; the plot is complex and the action non-stop, but I flew through the almost 500 pages at a breakneck pace trying to find out what happened next in all the various plot threads. In some ways I don’t want to give away too much of the story, except to encourage fans and anyone who enjoys a great techno-thriller to pick this novel up for a great holiday novel.

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and the Sigma force is back on the trail of a historical mystery that could give us answers to several questions about the evolution of human intelligence which geneticists and other scientists are seeking the answers to today. An archaeologist discovers in Croatia a subterranean cave that contains amazing paintings and treasures, but it also contains a Catholic chapel that holds the bones of a Neanderthal woman. Sigma members assist scientists as they try to uncover the mystery. Who were the people who created these works of art and why did a Catholic priest hide his discovery?

The problem is that the Chinese military wants the discoveries/treasures for an entirely different reason: to continue with a series of unethical experiments they are conducting in genetic engineering. They also want a few scientists taken as hostages, but the Sigma force dead. Additionally they want a young gorilla, which is being raised and studied in the USA for the rate of growth of his of intelligence, captured and brought in for their cruel experiments. And that is just a small part of this globe-trotting thriller.

The writing is impressive. Rollins keeps the various plots moving along quickly while proving information-packed storylines that are ripped-from-the-headlines fresh and topical. The key is the great job he does researching the ideas behind his plot. It all results in a great balance of action, science, and history. Rollins always includes a list of other books you can read if you want more information. He also makes it clear what is fact and fiction in his stories.

I think The Bone Labyrinth could be enjoyed by anyone who likes a good thriller. Now I’m pretty sure I have read all the Sigma Force novels so I know the characters, but I don’t think that any exhaustive background knowledge matters that much in this outing. Rollins gives you enough information on the characters for you to enjoy the novel. The real treat is the science/history/non-stop action he presents with his complex plots. I’ve said it before, and I’m going to repeat myself here, but I appreciate the fact that Rollins treats his readers with respect and a nod to their intelligence and ability to comprehend a complex plot.

This is a stuck-over-night-at-the-airport book. Really. Get it if you are planning to fly anywhere for the holidays. It will keep you awake and entertained. Time will fly by even if you are delayed somewhere. Cant wait for the next book.

It does help to read Rollin’s Sigma Force novels in order and I missed this one so just read. Even though I knew some of the character’s outcomes in the Crucible, I loved this story line as well. To set up a novel that can stand on its own and yet stay part of an ongoing collection such as the Sigma Force series takes writing artistry. I liked the theme which as always, was thought provoking as are all of Rollins creative work. Again, I like how the author takes the time to conduct in-dept research about the topic/theme and provides the ‘facts and fiction’ for the reader. This makes the author’s work authentic as well as highly imaginative and creative. Another well done work. Thanks!

I am giving this book 5 stars for THIS category (action/ adventure/ creative sci-fi) for the reasons below.

Rollins books get better each year. The Bone Labyrinth continues the Sigma series with an original, well thought out theme and plot. I love the authors concept of basing the premise on real science and merging it into creative fiction. This book follows Rollins usual style of running three or more simultaneous and parallel storylines.
Rollins does his homework (i.e., research) and it shows in the believability of the settings and the ideas expounded.
Because it is a series, the characters become more developed with each iteration. By now (book 11), you have a good sense of who they are and what makes them tick.
I personally enjoy the Sigma series for the original, novel concepts and fast pace. I also commend Rollins and his editor(s) for a refreshing lack of grammatical errors. Unfortunately, so many authors these days feel that the story is all that counts and that grammar and spelling is irrelevant.

“Lena recalled the history of this region, hinting at a lost city…where ancient libraries stored books of metal and crystal. Could there truly be such a place?” You bet there is – and you can also bet that within 10-20 pages of discovering it, James Rollin’s Sigma Force will have blown it into little tiny bits…

We only make it to page 51 in this, the 10th book in the Sigma Force series, before James Rollins reverts to type and blows something up ! This time, an anthropologicaly priceless Neanderthal burial site in Croatia… Which is just one of the exotic and interesting places this book visits (and destroys)

As always, James Rollins mixes history, mysticism, religion and action with a sure and competent hand. And, as always, although it’s often hard to disentangle fact from fiction (which says a lot for Rollin’s skill as a writer) you can’t help but find yourself pulled in, wanting to know more, and spending ages looking things up and delving further and deeper into the many subjects touched on in the novel.

All the usual characters are here, and they are, as usual, true to form, while the cast of supporting characters are well realised, sympathetic and believable. However, I have to say that one of the best characters here is the young gorilla, Bakko, who may hold the key to the evolutionary mystery of human intelligence. Rollins often features highly sympathetic animal characters, and he has excelled himself this time. I actually cried when… Well, I won’t spoil the surprises, but be prepared to have your heart wrenched…

Although not his best (after 10 / 11 books and counting, the formula is getting a little thin), and definitely not his “best ever thriller” , “The Bone Labyrinth” is an enjoyable enough read, though sadly not a 4 or 5 star one…

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member