The Last Odyssey: A Sigma Force Novel (Sigma Force, 15)

“One of the world’s best storytellers.”—Huffington PostFor eons, the city of Troy—whose legendary fall was detailed in Homer’s Iliad—was believed to be myth, until archaeologists in the nineteenth century uncovered its ancient walls buried beneath the sands. If Troy was real, how much of Homer’s twin tales of gods and monsters, curses and miracles—The Iliad and The Odyssey—could also be true and awaiting discovery?In the frozen tundra of Greenland, a group of modern-day researchers stumble on a shocking find: a medieval ship buried a half-mile below the ice. The ship’s hold contains a collection of artifacts—tools of war—dating back to the Bronze Age. Inside the captain’s cabin is a clockwork gold map imbedded with an intricate silver astrolabe. Once activated, the moving map traces the path of Odysseus’s famous ship as it sailed away from Troy. But the route detours as the map opens to reveal a fiery river leading to a hidden realm underneath the Mediterranean Sea—the subterranean world of Tartarus, the Greek name for Hell. When word of Tartarus spreads, the phantasmagoric horrors found in Homer’s tales are all too real—and whoever possesses them can use their awesome power to control the future of humanity.Now, Sigma Force must prevent a tyrant from igniting a global war and cross the very gates of Hell.“[Rollins] is what you might end up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together.”—New York Times Book Review

From the Inside Flap

To save the world and our future, Sigma Force must embark on a dangerous odyssey into an ancient past whose horrors are all too present in this page-turning thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins that combines cutting-edge science, historical mystery, mythology, and pulse-pounding action.For eons, the city of Troy--whose legendary fall was detailed in Homer's Iliad--was believed to be a myth, until archeologists in the nineteenth century uncovered its ancient walls buried beneath the sands. If Troy was real, how much of Homer's twin tales of gods and monsters, curses and miracles-the Iliad and the Odyssey--could also be true and awaiting discovery?In the frozen tundra of Greenland, a group of modern-day researchers stumble upon a shocking find: a medieval ship buried a half mile below the ice. The ship's hold contains a collection of even older artifacts--tools of war--dating back to the Bronze Age. Inside the captain's cabin is a magnificent treasure that is as priceless as it is miraculous: a clockwork gold map with an intricate silver astrolabe embedded in it. The mechanism was crafted by a group of Muslim inventors--the Banū Mūsā--considered by many to be the Da Vincis of the Arab world--brilliant scientists who inspired Leonardo's own work.Once activated, the moving map traces the path of Odysseus's famous ship as it sailed away from Troy. But the route detours as the map opens to reveal a fiery river leading to a hidden realm underneath the Mediterranean Sea. It is the subterranean world of Tartarus, the Greek name for Hell. In mythology, Tartarus was where the wicked were punished and the monstrous Titans of old imprisoned. When word of Tartarus spreads--and of the cache of miraculous weapons said to be hidden there--tensions explode in this volatile region where Turks battle Kurds, terrorists wage war, and civilians suffer untold horrors. The phantasmagoric horrors found in Homer's tales are all too real--and could be unleashed upon the world. Whoever possesses them can use their awesome power to control the future of humanity.Now Sigma Force must go where humans feat to tread. To prevent a tyrant from igniting a global war, they must cross the very gates of hell.James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma Force 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. He lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

From the Back Cover

TIMELESS PRAISE FOR THE SIGMA FORCE SERIES"Another guaranteed crowd-pleaser...Rollins has truly embraced his claim on being the heir to the best of Michael Crichton." -- BOOKLIST (starred review) on Crucible"Superb and scintillating...Rollins shades Crucible with equal measures of science and speculation, mixed in typically brilliant fashion and propelling him...to exclaim the mantle of the greatest action-adventure writer of this or any generation. -- PROVIDENCE JOURNAL on Crucible"Bone-Chilling." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) on The Demon Crown"Riveting...Plot Revelations keep coming and the pace never slows." -- WALL STREET JOURNAL on The Demon Crown

About the Author

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. The New York Times says, "Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together." NPR calls his work, "Adventurous and enormously engrossing." Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs and historical secrets matched with stunning suspense. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. Nowadays, Rollins shares his home up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with his two golden retrievers, Echo and Duncan. He also enjoys scuba diving, spelunking, kayaking, and hiking. Of course, he loves to travel and experience new places around the world, which often inspire his next globe-trotting adventure.

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