Kingdom Of Bones by James Rollins
What's It About?
Deep in the bowels of the jungle in Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an ancient virus, dormant for millennia, erupts and spreads at an alarming rate. In bestselling author James Rollins’ newest jaw-clenching thriller, Kingdom of Bones (William Morrow), Book 16 of his Sigma Force series, the “scientific warriors” of Sigma Force are dispatched to Africa to protect humanity against nature’s fatal defenses and a billionaire’s greed.Deep in the bowels of the jungle in Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an ancient virus, dormant for millennia, erupts and spreads at an alarming rate.
In bestselling author James Rollins’ newest jaw-clenching thriller, Kingdom of Bones (William Morrow), Book 16 of his Sigma Force series, the “scientific warriors” of Sigma Force are dispatched to Africa to protect humanity against nature’s fatal defenses and a billionaire’s greed.
The Plot:
In the depths of the DRC, Dr. Charlotte Girard works tirelessly at a UNICEF village camp for refugees of devastating floodwaters from the east. But cholera is the least of her worries when thousands of oversized, aggressive jungle ants swarm the village and a strange illness arrives, causing villagers, including an infant, to enter a catatonic state. Charlotte can’t attribute the new affliction to sleeping sickness or river blindness — she has no idea what this is.
In another part of the jungle, former army — and now wildlife — veterinarian Frank Whitaker is on a mission for The Smithsonian. Sent to study emerging viral threats in the Congo, he’s currently testing the viral pathology in bats. No sooner has Frank met a former Army comrade and his military war dog, when he’s unexpectedly extracted to investigate what might be a viral outbreak at a U.N. relief camp.
When militants violently storm Charlotte’s medical encampment, either killing or kidnapping those who couldn’t escape, The Smithsonian enlists help from Sigma Force. Commander Gray Pierce and his teammates, Monk Kokkalis and Joe Kowalski, along with the wife of Sigma’s director, Dr. Lisa Cummings, are dispatched to rescue the abducted doctors and patients, then stop the fatal viral outbreak.
What they find is scarier than science fiction. Although the virus causes humans to become catatonic, it has the opposite effect on insects and animals, which morph into altered species that attack with an unknown, lethal venom. Sigma must find the virus’ source, embarking on a perilous journey into the heart of the jungle where nature rules.
Sigma soon discovers that the virus is not the only threat: in an effort to take over the Congo, a billionaire madman has been manipulating the viral outbreak with military firepower. Can Sigma stop both the natural and man-made destruction that threatens life on Earth?
The Vibe and The Art of Storytelling:
At the heart of the story is the theory that Earth’s natural environment could rebel against humanity’s recklessness, causing the rise of pollution, climate change and other damaging consequences of man’s encroachment on the natural world. In Kingdom of Bones, Rollins poses questions about viral and evolutionary changes as a result of nature fighting back.
“This story delves into the bizarre biology of viruses — how those tiny infectious specks tie all life on Earth together in a vast invisible web.” Rollins pitched this story before he was aware of COVID-19, and wrote it “to look deeper into the source: the weird biology of viruses.” He discovered that viruses are deeply entwined in human DNA and throughout the natural world. Rollins blends history and science with fiction, creating a fast-paced tale that is scary-as-hell to consider.
Rollins also includes historical details about the Congo, the atrocities of colonialism against the Congolese people, the mythical historical figure of Prester John, The Kuba people, Pygmies, viral enigmas, and military working dogs.
The Author:
Rollins places great importance on paying respect to the knowledge and science of ancient civilizations. Not only does he include details of the natural world and the history of prior civilizations, but he also enjoys leaving readers with something to think about and further explore.
Besides his writing career, Rollins is a veterinarian, and expertly weaves scientific facts and detailed information about the animal world into the story. His depiction of Kane — a military war dog — gives readers an intricate glimpse into the intelligence of a highly-trained canine while pulling at our heartstrings.
What I Liked Best:
I loved being catapulted through Africa’s jungle by the fast-paced story. Not only are elements of history and science woven throughout the fictional tale, but Rollins includes notes from both scientific and historical records, letting readers know exactly what is fact and what is fictional license. The amount of informational data included in the book is amazing, and when reading Rollins, I’m always flabbergasted at how he keeps track of the thousands of details.
Opinion:
Kingdom of Bones is a turbo-charged and action-packed tale of survival — a thriller on steroids.
This story appears through BookTrib’s partnership with Romo’s Reading Room.
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