The Devil Colony

Jul 20, 2011 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Consider this: 14 arrows in a bundle, nanotubes, Indians, Lewis & Clark, Sigma Force, Thomas Jefferson, 5 guys in a painting that aren’t supposed to be there, Ben Franklin, a buffalo hide, Jewish settlers and Mormons. What are you going to do with all? Hunh? I mean seriously! Well that is exactly what James Rollins has inside this novel plus a lot more.If you want to hear him talk about it as an added bonus , go to the archives of The G-ZONE, my blogtalk radio show, from Monday and listen in...more Consider this: 14 arrows in a bundle, nanotubes, Indians, Lewis & Clark, Sigma Force, Thomas Jefferson, 5 guys in a painting that aren’t supposed to be there, Ben Franklin, a buffalo hide, Jewish settlers and Mormons. What are you going to do with all? Hunh? I mean seriously! Well that is exactly what James Rollins has inside this novel plus a lot more.If you want to hear him talk about it as an added bonus , go to the archives of The G-ZONE, my blogtalk radio show, from Monday and listen in. Jeff Mudgett was my guest on the show also. He was discussing Jack the Ripper. Here is the link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Here is the synopsis of the novel:
“Deep in the Rocky Mountains, a gruesome discovery — hundreds of mummified bodies — stir international attention and fervent controversy. Despite doubts to the bodies’ origins, the local Native American Heritage Commission lays claim to the prehistoric remains, along with the strange artifacts found in the same cavern: gold plates inscribed with an unfathomable script.
During a riot at the dig site, an anthropologist dies horribly: burned to ash in a fiery explosion in plain view of television cameras. All evidence points to a radical group of Native Americans, including one agitator, a teenage firebrand who escapes with a vital clue to the murder and calls on the one person who might help: her uncle, Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force.
To protect his niece and uncover the truth, Painter will ignite a war across the nation’s most powerful intelligence agencies. Yet, an even greater threat looms as events in the Rocky Mountains have set in motion a frightening chain reaction, a geological meltdown that threatens the entire western half of the U.S.
From the volcanic peaks of Iceland to the blistering deserts of the American Southwest, from the gold vaults of Fort Knox to the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone, Painter Crowe joins forces with Commander Gray Pierce to penetrate the shadowy heart of a dark cabal, one that has been manipulating American history since the founding of the thirteen colonies.
But can he discover the truth — one that could topple governments — before it destroys all he holds dear? “
James Rollins expanded my brain and made hypothesis that I thought were unbelievable. But, and I need to add this, if you read past the end of the novel, he has some added bonus material and it does explain what is fact and what is not. My brain still hurts. Amazing stuff in this novel: a fiction/non –fiction novel that also gives a new history lesson/science lesson/kick-a@# action story. The pages were flying through my fingers, they wouldn’t stop turning themselves. If I read it on my Kindle it may have caught fire or I would have busted the next page button. I am a Sigma Force and I thoroughly enjoy the way that James Rollins weaves the science and history throughout the piece. This is a novel that needs to get into your hands. Please treat yourself to the interview also. Listening to Jeff Mudgett and James discuss their individual writing processes is well worth the time.
(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Jun 13, 2011 Nicole About Town rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, favourites, books-i-own, personal-copies, harpercollins

Let me just start off by saying that I love books by James Rollins. Specifically, I love the books in his Sigma Series. Having said that, I think that this book is one of the best in his Sigma Series. Over the course of the series, you are introduced to characters who have pretty much reappeared throughout every one of the seven books. What I especially love, is that no one character is the main focus of the novel where he/she single-handedly solves the worlds problems and holds off the evil foe...more Let me just start off by saying that I love books by James Rollins. Specifically, I love the books in his Sigma Series. Having said that, I think that this book is one of the best in his Sigma Series. Over the course of the series, you are introduced to characters who have pretty much reappeared throughout every one of the seven books. What I especially love, is that no one character is the main focus of the novel where he/she single-handedly solves the worlds problems and holds off the evil foe. Each of the main character’s in this series has their specialty and individual talents and they use them to form one hell of a team.

In the Devil Colony, James Rollins brings the Sigma team back to their home turf and as such the majority of the action takes place in the U.S. In this novel, we get more of a look into the shadowy organization that has been a thorn in the side of Sigma and the U.S. intelligence community. At the same time, Rollins provides a bit of history lesson on the founding of the U.S and ties a 200-year-old mystery to events happening in books modern setting.

There is plenty of action, and intrigue, and the suspense is enough to keep you flipping from page to page to see how it all plays out. Plus, I love all the various explanations and lessons that happen in the course of the story unravelling. As someone who works with engineers and physicists on a daily basis, I wish they would explain things as clearly to me as it’s done in the book. The concepts are fairly advanced, but the way they are explained makes them relatively easy to understand on a fundamental level.

One thing I was very pleased with is that the characters continue to develop and show hidden depths with each book in the series. The way that Rollins’ describes them and the situations that they are in, had me imagining that I was there as well watching everything unfold as it was happening. I have yet to come across another series or author that combines action, adventure, suspense, mystery, history, and various other scientific concepts and principles in such a way that they are not leaving the reader either out of their depth or feeling like the author has dumbed down the concepts for them to understand.

All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out book with plenty of suspense and intrigue.

*This is number 7 in the Sigma Series of books. While you can probably read them out-of-order, I wouldn’t recommend it as there is a natural progression in both character development and overall series plot.*(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Rob rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I LOVED "The Devil Colony" by James Rollins. It is the 2nd book by him that I've read and I've become addicted to the Sigma Force series.

This book held even more interest for me, because of who wrote it and what he wrote about.

The Author, James Rollins, is a Catholic who wrote a novel about a covert military team investigating spikes in neutrino emissions. Turns out they are emanating from gold plates buried by a lost civilization of Caucasoid Native Americans in Utah, Arizona and Wyoming. In t...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 29, 2011 Randy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

James Rollins is absolutely the best at taking disparate elements and crafting a thriller that keeps one turning the pages. I feel safe in saying that this might be his best novel yet.

The disparate elements here are America's Founding Fathers, early Native Americans, and Mormonism.

The cave in Utah was the subject of legend among tribes of the west. A forbidden cave, one that, if entered, could signal the end of the world. Those who entered could never leave if the world were to be saved.

No one k...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 16, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

James Rollins' novel "The Devil Colony" is my favorite Sigma Force novel to date. One of my favorite aspects of the novel is that most of the action takes place in the United States. Who would have thought that we would have a mystery/conspiracy like this?! Rollins has masterfully interwoven some little known American history to create an extremely interesting story. Well worth the read! And the ending....let's just say it is going to be a long wait till the next Sigma Force novel.

A couple of ad...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 03, 2013 Sandee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone interested in American History, Mormon Religiom and Spy stories

Shelves: spy-thriller-espionage, historical-fiction

FANTASTIC. Loved the history & mixture of the spy. Makes one actually queston the validity of the 14th founding colony/state. Actually made me question all my University leveled American History. I sure hope they can bring Monk back as he is one of my favourite characters.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: james-rollins, 2012, favorites

It's funny, when I finished the book I didn't have time to get to a computer to do a write up. As I went through the day yesterday I was thinking of everything I could write about it. Now that I am in front of a computer, I can't think of one thing I thought of yesterday. I may just need to go old school next time with pen and paper. *grumble*

Very good book. A great new adventure of the Sigma Fource. A great chess game between Sigma and the Guild.

**SPOILER ALERT**

I like the way he is developing...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Juliet Doubledee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, north-america, suspense, favorites

Thoroughly enjoyed this book because it had everything from Native American legends to high tech molecules capable of destroying the planet, heroic good guys and sinister villians, and a storyline of how our countries founding fathers were fighting the same group that our heroes are battling almost 250 years later.

In my opinion one of the best suspense novels of the year. A definite five star winner.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 02, 2011 Britt, Book Habitue added it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

Couldn't finish it. Not in the mood for the violence. And honestly felt like if you're going to base large parts of your story on a religion you're "fascinated by" you could at least be a little more respectful. (The tone just didn't feel right that way.)

Also, living in Utah all the little things about Utah that were so obviously written by someone not from here drove me nuts. It happens, it's not a big deal, but it bugs me.

Overall, I was intrigued by the storyline but just couldn't devote that...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 31, 2011 Daniel Audet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a huge fan of James Rollins Sigma Series books and was thrilled to get my hands on a hard cover of his latest release. I'm only 50 or so pages in but already the action is literally exploding as James sets his edge and hits the gas. History, Native American culture and politics all play a key role as the Sigma Team stikes out on another life and death mission deep in the mountains on the northwest U.S. to solve a mystery.
I will have more for you soon on this book as I read through it.
Stay t...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a pretty good read overall. If you like the other Sigma Force novels (or any James Rollins for that matter), that is, books with a National Treasure/Indiana Jones type spin on them then they'll be right up your alley.

Many have gone into the plot so I won't bother to summarize that here. Some have said it's the best Rollins novel yet, some didn't care too much for it. It is what it is. I found it to be a middle of the road type book.

I really enjoyed the mixing of science with the histori...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 Roxanne Barbour rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Blurb:Deep in the Rocky Mountains, a gruesome discovery--hundreds of mummified bodies--stirs international attention and fervent controversy. Despite doubts about the bodies' origins, the local Native American Heritage Commission lays claim to the prehistoric remains, along with the strange artifacts found in the same cavern: gold plates inscribed with an unfathomable script.
During a riot at the dig site, an anthropologist dies horribly, burned to ashes in a fiery explosion in plain view of tele...more Blurb:Deep in the Rocky Mountains, a gruesome discovery--hundreds of mummified bodies--stirs international attention and fervent controversy. Despite doubts about the bodies' origins, the local Native American Heritage Commission lays claim to the prehistoric remains, along with the strange artifacts found in the same cavern: gold plates inscribed with an unfathomable script.
During a riot at the dig site, an anthropologist dies horribly, burned to ashes in a fiery explosion in plain view of television cameras. All evidence points to a radical group of Native Americans, including one agitator, a teenage firebrand who escapes with a vital clue to the murder and calls on the one person who might help--her uncle, Painter Crowe, Director of Sigma Force.
To protect his niece and uncover the truth, Painter will ignite a war among the nations's most powerful intelligence agencies. Yet an even greater threat looms as events in the Rocky Mountains have set in motion a frightening chain reaction, a geological meltdown that threatens the entire western half of the U.S.
From the volcanic peaks of Iceland to the blistering deserts of the American Southwest, from the gold vaults of Fort Knox to the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone, Painter Crowe joins forces with Commander Gray Pierce to penetrate the shadowy heart of a dark cabal, one that has been manipulating American history since the founding the thirteen colonies.
But can Painter discover the truth--one that could topple governments--before it destroys all he holds dear?

I enjoyed this novel immensely. Even though I had not been introduced to any of these characters previously, Rollins does an excellent job of re/introducing them--even to new readers.

I thought the plot was a tad too complicated--but only a little.

The scientific concepts were well explained, with just enough detail.

The close timing (character predicaments) seemed a little too forced a couple of times.

I haven't read any other Sigma Force novels, but that will be remedied shortly!

I only found two editing errors (not that I was actually looking for them), a "\" popped in two places (page 135, and 213).

This was a wonderful novel, and I am looking forward to the next Sigma Force novel.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Bogdan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

да! потому что седьмая книга цикла «сигма» - это что-то особенное не только с точки зрения сюжета, но и многих позиций, присовокупленных к ней, без которых будет непонятно, почему эта несусветная ересь производит впечатление гениального произведения безо всяких на то оснований – как оно принято в книгах легкого жанра.

во-первых, в отличие от других книг серии практически не случается глобальных перемещений героев по всему миру: то ли автор устал, но ли все-таки (к чему я склоняюсь) приходит время...more да! потому что седьмая книга цикла «сигма» - это что-то особенное не только с точки зрения сюжета, но и многих позиций, присовокупленных к ней, без которых будет непонятно, почему эта несусветная ересь производит впечатление гениального произведения безо всяких на то оснований – как оно принято в книгах легкого жанра.

во-первых, в отличие от других книг серии практически не случается глобальных перемещений героев по всему миру: то ли автор устал, но ли все-таки (к чему я склоняюсь) приходит время разворачивать серию к постепенному ее разрешению – в смысле разгадки того, что есть таинственная «гильдия», раскинувшая сети по всему миру. в конце шестой книги была брошена подначка: дороги ведут в сша. вот именно здесь – с краткосрочным вылетом части бригады «сигма» в исландию – происходят все события, перемежаясь только несколькими вставками из японии. в каком-то смысле это и правильно: сша – одна страна, но вот если оценить площадь и сочетание культурно-исторических массивов, переплетение национальностей и цивилизационных процессов – это необъятный конгломерат.

во-вторых – и это особенно важно – речь идет, как всегда о спасении мира. но в большой степени именно тут, в романе, мировая катастрофа и вымирание человечества описаны и мотивированы настолько убедительно, что нет никакого повода сомневаться: вариант принимается сразу и на веру, что идет только на пользу автору и произведению. прочитав книгу, я рад, что мир спасли, хотя, конечно же, коварство писателя заходит достаточно далеко, чтобы в последних строках, уже даже не романа, а авторского комментария, бросить подначку-угрозу о том, что проблема – есть, она у нас под ногами, невидимая до тех пор, пока ее не замечают, хотя она и у всех на виду.

в-третьих: как никогда внимательно, вдумчиво и глубоко писатель проникает в вопросы веры, религии и взаимосвязи этой самой религии с жизнью общества. но только делается это не в привычном морализаторско-философском ключе медитативных размышлений, а путем выстраивания сюжета: книга – очень объемная, детально прописанная, автор не пожалел ни места, ни фантазии, не пожадничал на деталях, отчего получаешь не только удовольствие, «что оно тут есть», но и то, что это «оно» на диво качественное. центром становится вера мормонов, книга мормона, солт-лейк-сити и удивительные грани американского шовинизма и расизма (о которых ты и подозревать не можешь).

в-четвертых: избрана одна из наиболее увлекательных эпох истории америки: отцы-основатели страны, роль индианских племен, законодательство ирокезского союза, созданное за пару столетий до американской конституции и его влияние на нее, фигура томаса джефферсона (представленная в духе лучших романов переса-реверте, хотя и без нарушения обусловленных конвенций). единственной по-настоящему крупной условностью является фигура доверенного лица джефферсона – а.ф. – желающие расшифровать прочитают книгу, чтобы не разочаровываться еще до прочтения. как ни странно – это самое малое, но – и самое значительное, на чем выстраивается весь шедевр писательского зодчества в этом романе. именно допущение о существовании такого человека в окружении джефферсона позволяет роллинсу наворотить немыслимого – начинающегося с истории пропавшего колена израилевого, символами которого являются оливковая ветвь и пучок стрел; продолжающегося вроде бы давно прошедшим извержением вулкана лаки (хотя я подозреваю, что имелся ввиду «локи»), историей реального индианского вождя, отцами-основателями; развивающегося с помощью тайн исчезнувших индейцев-анасази, йеллоустонским национальным парком, форт-ноксом; и завершающимся полуоткрытием тайны этой самой «гильдии», оказывающейся не совсем тем, что о ней думали.

написав шикарный роман, наполненный миллионом деталей, свертев немыслимую махину древних катастроф, нанотехнологий, этнологических студий, геодезических исследований, удовлетворив всем вкусам и интересам, роллинс мастерски напустил туману и оставил читателя по окончании чтения в алчном ожидании следующей, теперь уже восьмой книги.
(less)

like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Sabrina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-mystery-semi-fiction

LOVED IT! I love what I like to call "History Fiction" but sometimes I find story lines boring. Most of the books I read have two or three story lines flowing and they all meet at the end, and usually one is a bore, but not in this case. Each story line was great, adventure was good, and history/relgion was mixed in well. We've already met most of these characters, I still love em, and I loved the knew ones. The biggest reveal comes with the last sentence in the book and I figured it out about h...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 VaultOfBooks rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

By James Rollins. #7 in The Sigma Series. Grade: A
New York named James Rollins’ Sigma Series as the “top crowd pleasers” and People Magazine called it the “hottest summer reads”. The author is also New York Times’ bestselling author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages.
Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets–and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight… The exotic locales of James Rollins no...more By James Rollins. #7 in The Sigma Series. Grade: A
New York named James Rollins’ Sigma Series as the “top crowd pleasers” and People Magazine called it the “hottest summer reads”. The author is also New York Times’ bestselling author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages.
Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets–and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight… The exotic locales of James Rollins novels have emerged as a hybrid between imagination, research, and Jims extensive travels throughout the United States and Europe, as well as New Zealand, the South Pacific, China, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America. Recent travel includes book tours and stops across the country and several European nations, meeting readers and giving talks, seminars, and media interviews.
Another addition to the Sigma Series, James Rollins’ The Devil Colony weaves American history with a thrilling story that leaves one curious about the next page itself. The reader cannot stop once he begins reading the book and that in itself is a great achievement of the writer. You can only guess what will happen and what actually happens in the story leaves you mesmerized and sometimes shocked!
Deep in the Rocky Mountains, a gruesome discovery — hundreds of mummified bodies — stir international attention and fervent controversy. Despite doubts to the bodies’ origins, the local Native American Heritage Commission lays claim to the prehistoric remains, along with the strange artifacts found in the same cavern: gold plates inscribed with an unfathomable script.
During a riot at the dig site, an anthropologist dies horribly: burned to ash in a fiery explosion in plain view of television cameras. All evidence points to a radical group of Native Americans, including one agitator, a teenage firebrand who escapes with a vital clue to the murder and calls on the one person who might help: her uncle, Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force.
To protect his niece and uncover the truth, Painter will ignite a war across the nation’s most powerful intelligence agencies. Yet, an even greater threat looms as events in the Rocky Mountains have set in motion a frightening chain reaction, a geological meltdown that threatens the entire western half of the U.S.
From the volcanic peaks of Iceland to the blistering deserts of the American Southwest, from the gold vaults of Fort Knox to the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone, Painter Crowe joins forces with Commander Gray Pierce to penetrate the shadowy heart of a dark cabal, one that has been manipulating American history since the founding of the thirteen colonies.
But can he discover the truth — one that could topple governments — before it destroys all he holds dear?
The book does full justice to the curiosity that this synopsis creates. There is mystery, thrill, and adventure and in the end what can earlier be seen as impossible or improbable is depicted in a way that will leave you questioning your earlier presumptions. The writer gives the reader explanations as the story unravels. It is a brilliant technique that makes it impossible for the reader to shun any event as an exaggeration of fiction. You tend to get gripped by the event and its mystery even more.
There are various interesting elements of the book apart from the above. Mormonism, Native American legends, to atoms and molecules that can threaten our existence on the planet: it is all there and takes you on a mind exploding roller coaster ride. For example, the cave in Utah is a forbidden cave that is the source of myths and legends in the West. If anyone enters the cave, it could be the end of the world and to save the world, those who entered the cave cannot leave it. The location of this cave is a mystery to the world. An elder of a village passed this information to his grandson who along with a friend attempts to find it with the help of a map. It makes the plot very interesting. Another good part is that no one character emerges as the hero who saves everything. All characters are real and interesting yet they have flaws and are guided by the relationships they hold dear. Director Painter Crowe and Commander Gray Pierce race to figure out the ancient technology discovered in the Rocky Mountains and the gold plates with strange writings on them. There is also a mix of emotional aspects as the young niece of Painter Crowe calls on him to rescue her and Gray on the hand struggles to help his parents one of whom suffers from dementia and the other is fighting to keep everything together.
To conclude, James Rollins emerges as a great writer who has the talent to deal with fact and fiction and to combine them in interesting ways. He can weave the traditional with the modern, science and emotion and present it in a fresh way. He can narrate his knowledge without making the reader feel out of track with the story. The Sigma series exemplifies all this. The characters are developed gradually and each book offers something new yet equally tempting. The Devil Colony is the seventh book of this series. He deals with religion too in his books. Some books deal with Biblical text and Catholic history (Rollins is a catholic himself) and The Devil Colony takes in the Book of the Mormon. Dealing with religion for fiction is a risky business as it can leave some readers fumed with any incorrect information in the book. How far James Rollins manages to stick to the truth of the Book of Mormon can be questioned. However he takes that risk and can be seen as quite successful at it substantiated by the recognition that he is getting in the market.
Simply put, if you like fiction, mystery, suspense and a book with a fact paced story line and willing to escape the world for a couple of hours, do go ahead and buy the book. It is definitely worth a read.

Originally reviewed at http://the-vault.co.cc (less)

like · see review

Jul 21, 2012 Lori L (She Treads Softly) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love James Rollins novels. If you crave reading some action/adventure escapism from time to time you can't beat any James Rollins novel. The Devil Colony by James Rollins is the seventh novel in his Sigma Force series, but can also be enjoyed as a stand alone novel. The great thing about Rollins' novels is that he creates complex plots based on scientific and historic facts. (He'll tell you what is based on fact and what isn't at the end of the novel.)

The book opens in 1779 when a Native Ameri...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 12, 2012 ConvincoDude rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventures, freaky-supernatural-adventures, read-this-if-it-kills-you, thrillers, science-fiction, why-isn-t-this-a-bloody-movie-yet

At the end of the last novel in this series, The Doomsday Key, Sigma Director Painter Crowe, upon observing the crescent-and-star-inscribed-within-the-Freemason-square-and-compass tattoo on a dead Big Bad, made this succinct statement: "A war is coming."

The war is coming, yes, but it's gotta take a bit of a backseat in this novel due to a far more pressing matter that could result in the end of the world if not taken care of as quickly as possible.

In Utah, a strange Native American burial ground...more At the end of the last novel in this series, The Doomsday Key, Sigma Director Painter Crowe, upon observing the crescent-and-star-inscribed-within-the-Freemason-square-and-compass tattoo on a dead Big Bad, made this succinct statement: "A war is coming."

The war is coming, yes, but it's gotta take a bit of a backseat in this novel due to a far more pressing matter that could result in the end of the world if not taken care of as quickly as possible.

In Utah, a strange Native American burial ground has been unveiled, one laden with most unusual artifacts. These artifacts are very dangerous. They are ancient, but they appear to have been made with some seriously advanced technology, including nanites. And the nanites are starting to denature the landscape around it, which if it is left unchecked will result in a seriously catastrophic geo-disaster as it approaches the volcanic hotbed that is Yellowstone.

As Sigma Force is sent to stop this, they also have to investigate a few other important things as well. For instance, the fact that this isn't the only such site, and that there are more nanite-laden artifacts in such places as Iceland and the Appalachians. And they discover an old design of the Great Seal of the United States, which had fourteen arrows, instead of 13 to represent the number of colonies. Mysteries, mysteries everywhere...

This novel was delayed a year, presumably so Rollins could work on his standalone thriller Altar of Eden. Despite how subpar that book was, The Devil Colony was still very much worth the wait, and it really lives up to the high standard set by The Doomsday Key. Now that Steve Berry has pulled a similar move with his horrifically lousy new book, The Columbus Affair, I can hope that Berry has a similarly awesome thriller waiting in the wings for next year. Incidentally, Berry's 2011 thriller, The Jefferson Key, had a very similar, if less sci-fi-oriented, focus on a conspiracy surrounding the founding of America. Coincidence? You be the judge.(less)

like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Amit Shetty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading this novel is nothing short of a roller coaster ride. A definite page turner. It has all the ingredients of a perfect thriller such as a HOT 18 year old Indian girl, native and post independent American history,shocking revelations, Free Masons, Knights Templar, Nano-tech, Apocalypse and a HOT Asian assassin. Though character development was not up to the mark (which can easily be forgiven, this being a thriller novel and all), some characters like Rafael and servant/bodyguard Ashanda we...more

like · see review

May 04, 2012 Robin Carter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-thriller

Like the majority of Rollins novels this one is an action packed thriller that is fun from start to finish, for me this went a little to far towards the conspiracy theory, but Rollins told it in such a way and with enough explanation so that the reader can choose to be a conspiracy nut or just enjoy all the cryptic coincidences.
As usual a great story well told, the characters as alive and real as ever, and the action scenes a lot more on the believable side than your average action thriller. And...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Sarah Jordan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the latest outing for the secret Sigma Force (a Black Ops government agency of soldier/spy/scientist men and women), Director Painter Crowe and Commander Gray Pierce have their hands full on multiple fronts, as each races to figure out the ancient technology unearthed in the Rocky Mountains. The discovery of what appears to be gold tablets with a strange writing on them has triggered a scientific and geologic chain of events that may cause near-global destruction. As if that was not enough, t...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2012 Frank rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers-mystery

I was kind of mixed on this one. I have enjoyed most of the previous Sigma novels from Rollins, however, this one just seemed too far-fetched to me. When I first heard about this new Sigma adventure, I was really looking forward to it mainly because of the aspects related to Mormonism (I grew up as a Mormon in Utah) but I don't think Rollins researched this very well - he actually got the name of the Mormon founder wrong a few times, citing John Smith when it should have been Joseph Smith. Then...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 18, 2011 Fox rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: general-fiction, espionage

I really love Rollins' writing. I'm used to it. I love Sigma Force. Who couldn't?? I love Seichan and the constant change she is undergoing. She is likely my favourite character of all of his books. However, having said that, I have to say that this book was one of his most predictable. Rollins is not predictable in general. He's very good at twisting the threads of the story in ways you don't expect. Perhaps it's my personal knowledge of the subjects he used (geological events, nanotechnology,...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 27, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads

Back in 2008, I sat stunned and angry as the end credits rolled at the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, having just spent two hours watching the systematic desecration of one of the idols of my childhood. In my disappointment with George Lucas’s story, all I could think was: James Rollins would have done it better. To this day I fantasize about what that fourth installment might have looked like had Lucas tapped Rollins to do the script rather than just the noveliz...more Back in 2008, I sat stunned and angry as the end credits rolled at the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, having just spent two hours watching the systematic desecration of one of the idols of my childhood. In my disappointment with George Lucas’s story, all I could think was: James Rollins would have done it better. To this day I fantasize about what that fourth installment might have looked like had Lucas tapped Rollins to do the script rather than just the novelization of the movie.

For fans of the genre, Rollins remains the go-to writer for adventure pulp in the style of Haggard, someone who can successfully rub three random facts together and ignite a narrative, relying on sometimes wacky semi-scientific or historical premises, exotic locales, and copious explosions to entertain. In The Devil Colony, the author - whose work might also be compared to Verne’s Voyages Extraordinaire - pairs a nanotech MacGuffin with a debated tenet of Mormon theology to create a plot that blazes right along and can easily be forgiven for playing fast and loose with things like fact and probability.

The story opens in the Rocky Mountains with the discovery of a cache of Native American mummies. When authorities attempt to remove for study a skull totem and some curiously engraved gold plates, an inexplicable explosion rocks the site and triggers a growing geological destabilization of the region. Cue the call to Sigma Force, a covert arm of DARPA and the stars of six previous novels by the author, who begin to investigate the mysterious origins of the tribe and its artifacts in the hopes of averting cataclysm.

Explaining a Rollins plot is somewhat like cataloguing the components of a tornado. You can maybe identify all the flying flotsam, but their individual weight doesn’t prepare you for the impact of having them all thrown at you at once. In the case of The Devil Colony what goes whizzing by is the Mormon belief that a lost tribe of Israel crossed an ocean and went Native American, Thomas Jefferson’s secret mission for the Lewis and Clark expedition, the mysterious disappearance of the Anasazi, and some sketchily explained references to ancient nanotechnology. With Rollins, one almost expects a cameo from the kitchen sink, and that’s half the fun.

It’s been two years since Sigma Force last made an appearance on the page, which is actually a good thing. In 2009 Rollins overextended himself, publishing three novels – a Sigma story , the stand-alone adventure Altar of Eden, and the first installment of his series of children’s books, Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow – the latter two of which felt rushed and not quite up to his usual standard. The Devil Colony’s scope of plot and breadth of research (which he cheerfully separates from fictional elements in an afterword) reflect the positive results of giving himself more time to work.

That doesn’t mean the novel is perfect: nanotechnology could easily have been biological warfare or any other scientific bogeyman for all the attention it’s given here, one of the main female characters seems to have been downgraded from assassin to Head-Girl-in-Jeopardy, and after the painfully deliberate cliffhanger regarding the resolution of a long-running love triangle at the end of the last book one would expect to at least hear how it all turned out.

Still, Rollins knows how to bring the fun better than almost any other writer today. All that’s left for the reader is to sit back and watch the plot burn toward another slam-bang finish - and maybe to wonder how some of his heroes might have looked in a fedora.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 18, 2011 Ben rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, mystery-thriller

Another fast paced thriller from Rollins, with all the twists, turns, ticking clocks and other thriller devices expected of an adept at the genre. And as usual those ancients have superior knowledge to us mere moderns, who luckily get it right just in time to save the world from catastrophe brought about from us blundering in to the ancients territory. The conflict between Sigma and the Guild escalates further, and we learn more about the history of the shadowy organization, tracing roots back t...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 05, 2011 Joanna (J.F.Penn) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Video Review here: http://mysterythriller.tv/devil-colon...

I love James Rollins and the Sigma Force novels. They are partly the inspiration for my own ARKANE novels. I’ve read all of them and one of my favorite characters is Painter Crowe, and this book features him in a starring role, so of course I was desperate to read it. Excitingly, I was on a business trip to Montreal so I got it ahead of the British market!

The book opens in the past with the finding of a gold-lined skull that is taken to...more Video Review here: http://mysterythriller.tv/devil-colon...

I love James Rollins and the Sigma Force novels. They are partly the inspiration for my own ARKANE novels. I’ve read all of them and one of my favorite characters is Painter Crowe, and this book features him in a starring role, so of course I was desperate to read it. Excitingly, I was on a business trip to Montreal so I got it ahead of the British market!

The book opens in the past with the finding of a gold-lined skull that is taken to Thomas Jefferson even as the team are attacked by what seem to be native Americans. The book then skips to the present day when two young men trespass an ancient site filled with mummified remains and this gold skull that had been hidden and protected for centuries. Murder and suicide start the adventure that soon escalates to a devastating explosion that rocks the native american community, sparking racial tensions and then an ecological disaster as the explosion site forms some kind of anti-matter that disintegrates everything in it’s path. It’s caused by a kind of ancient nanotechnology and the initial explosion starts to set other events in motion.

Sigma’s Painter Crowe goes to help his niece Kai who was implicated in the explosion, and is drawn into the hunt for the material that caused it as well as the lost Devil Colony, the 14th tribe that disappeared into history. Meanwhile the bad guys headed by Frenchman Rafael San Germaine are also trying to stop Painter and get to the locations of the artefacts themselves.

At the same time, the assassin Seichan has reappeared with a lead on Echelon, the leaders of the Guild, Sigma’s eternal bad guys, who Seichan once worked for. This search takes her and Gray Pierce into the National Archives to investigate the Great Seal. Their search begins to parallel Painter’s as the climax approaches.

So it’s quite a complicated plot with many strands, but as ever, I enjoyed learning something new. I know very little about native american history or the early colonial history so it was interesting to read about aspects of this. I personally focus more on European history so this was new for me - or at least expanded on the pretty shocking National Treasure movies and Dan Brown with aspects of the Great Seal, founding fathers and early american history. As usual, Rollins ties in snippets of truth with his fast-paced story which for me is what makes a great thriller.  
The book also ties into the bigger picture of of the Guild vs Sigma as well as the developing relationship of Seichan and Gray as well as snippets of other characters we have come to love like Monk and Kat. I also enjoyed the strange tie between the evil Rafe and silent, deadly Ashanda which rounded them out as characters.

So it’s another great book by Rollins - if you love action-adventure thrillers, you’ll be wanting this one! (less)

like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You know what I love about James Rollins? He’s not a slacker. I’ve seen other favorite authors rise to the top of best-seller lists, then get really lazy, or just start writing bizarre stuff that makes zero sense whatsoever. But not Mr. Rollins. He still takes the time to research and write a stellar adventure. While that isn’t usually one of my favorite genres, I got hooked on James Rollins back before Sigma ever existed, when he was writing someone cheesy archeological mysteries, like Amazonia...more You know what I love about James Rollins? He’s not a slacker. I’ve seen other favorite authors rise to the top of best-seller lists, then get really lazy, or just start writing bizarre stuff that makes zero sense whatsoever. But not Mr. Rollins. He still takes the time to research and write a stellar adventure. While that isn’t usually one of my favorite genres, I got hooked on James Rollins back before Sigma ever existed, when he was writing someone cheesy archeological mysteries, like Amazonia and Subterranean. I like adventure books that feature archeology or some sort of ancient mystery.

While most of the Sigma books have taken place in exotic locations, aside from a brief journey to Iceland and a few supporting scenes in Japan, The Devil Colony takes place almost entirely in the US, with secrets going back to our founding fathers and beyond. In this latest Sigma novel, the basically trying to stop the end of the world, which has been set in motion by a chain of events that start with a discovery of hundreds of mummified bodies in a cave in Utah. One of the things that I love about Rollins’ books is that he always bases his fantastic events on real science. Yes, he takes some liberties with those sciences, but there is always more than a kernel of truth to those events. This time, it’s neutrinos, volcanoes, and ancient Native American treasures that threaten to destroy the entire United States, and soon after, the world. Basically, the opening of the tomb in Utah unleashes a swarm of nanobots that set off a volcano that sets off another volcano and so on, and the team has to follow clues dating back to Thomas Jefferson to figure out how to stop it. I love how Rollins combines all the major “ologies”- geology, archeology, mythology, and anthropology- with a heavy dose of adventure, a very light side of romance, and just plain brilliant writing. I also really appreciate how, at the end of the book, he explains which parts of the story were based on fact and which were mostly fiction.

The Devil Colony splits the Sigma team up into two missions working towards the same goal, so there is a lot of switching back and forth, which keeps the story very action-driven. While it helps to have read all the other books before this one, it isn’t essential. You could theoretically jump right in and still follow along just fine, but you’ll miss some of the nuances between the characters. Seichen and Gray, for example, have a history going all the way back to the first Sigma book, and in The Devil Colony, things finally seem to start coming to a head. There are references to relationships that may be lot on newer readers too, but they’re few and far between enough that you wont feel like you’re missing some big inside joke. Still, I do recommend going back to Sandstorm and starting from there(less)

like · see review

Aug 28, 2011 Marna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

James Rollins hooked me from the get-go with his book Amazonia. Lo these many years later, with his latest, The Devil Colony, he is still keeping me enthralled.

The Devil Colony is the latest installation of the Sigma Force series, and I was first on the list when the local library got it. I've actually now read it through twice. I love Rollins' writing because the action is fantastic; very descriptive, pulls you right in. Yet the character development stays strong throughout the series--you keep...more

like · see review

Aug 18, 2011 Jeff Posey rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is fiction in the truest sense of the word: a tall tale, a yarn, a leg-puller. If you have any sort of a rational sensibility grounded in fact, then be prepared to suspend your disbelief -- time and time again.

That's my main issue with this book and every James Rollins book I've read (three to date, including Altar of Eden and Map of Bones). He reaches so far beyond the reasonable it begins to feel childish to me and my interest wanes in the story. It enters the realm of fantasy. It's too m...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2011 Jared rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At the outset of this review, I need to make a couple of things clear:

1. I was asked by the PR dept. at Harper Collins if I would accept a free copy of this book and review it. I imagine they asked me (along with other Mormon writers/bloggers) to do this due to the book's subject matter including Mormons and Mormon history. I accepted, without any strings attached.

2. There exists no agreement that I would necessarily review this book favorably. The review below is my honest appraisal of this boo...more

8 likes · like · see review

Heather I loved the book. I noticed the small inaccuracies about the Mormon faith since I happen to be LDS as well, but overall, Rollins did an excellent job.
31 lug. 22:26

Julie I thought your assessment of The Devil Colony was spot on! James Rollins has been my favorite author for years! I did have problems with all the same...more
07 ago. 21:38

Chris Lee Terrific review. Thanks Jared.
12 sett. 23:58

Jun 23, 2011 Cee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a new fan of James Rollins having discovered his books a few months ago here at goodreads and sped through the first six Sigma novels last May. In The Devil Colony, Rollins once again combines history (founding of America) with new-fangled technology (nanotechnology) to create a huge problem that if left unsolved would blow up the whole world. It is a daredevil of a ride to see if Pierce and Crowe will win this one and save the ones they love.

When Painter Crowe cut short his career in the f...more I am a new fan of James Rollins having discovered his books a few months ago here at goodreads and sped through the first six Sigma novels last May. In The Devil Colony, Rollins once again combines history (founding of America) with new-fangled technology (nanotechnology) to create a huge problem that if left unsolved would blow up the whole world. It is a daredevil of a ride to see if Pierce and Crowe will win this one and save the ones they love.

When Painter Crowe cut short his career in the field to become the director of Sigma Force at the end of Sandstorm, I was a little disappointed to not see him much in action again. Of course, I fell in love with Grayson Pierce but wanted to see Crowe in a mission again. In this book, his time in the field is the same as Pierce's if not more. And did he prove himself despite his misgivings that he might be too old now!

I immensely enjoyed the action and suspense in the story but somehow the groupings did not appeal to me. I felt that Crowe's team here did not match up well to Pierce's team in Map of Bones or The Doomsday Key. Not in terms of expertise, or clashing personalities but something was just lacking. Chemistry perhaps? But then, we all have our favorites in this series. As for Pierce and Seichan... They should just go ahead and do it and see where they end up. Like Pierce and Rachel. At least they tried. Or still trying?

Rollins referenced Biblical text and Catholic history in other books of the Sigma series but he now delves into the Book of Mormon. The Mormon beliefs here are all new to me and was quite a learning experience.

Rollins also challenged his fans to spot his favorite Kowalski line. This is hard. Kowalski has lots of funny lines. Monk used to be the one that cracked me up but Kowalski has long since overtaken him. I'll quote my favorite Kowalski line instead which is one he says at the underground physics research lab at BYU and Crowe asks him if he has a blasting cap for the C4."C'mon Boss, I can't think of everything." It sounds very plain but it spoke volumes to me considering it was only for muscle power that he got into Sigma. He may be afraid of monkeys and going into holes but he is tough and has proved his loyalty. And yeah, Rollins gives him the laugh-out-loud quips.

The inclusion of orca whales and a dog is a joy. The author was a veterinarian and he knows these little or not so little guys. I also appreciate how Rollins can write an engaging story with a sparse use of expletives. Five minutes into a movie like this and I would have counted more than ten. The whole book contains less than that.

Devil Colony presents the highest betrayal Sigma Force never imagined. There is a death to avenge, a resignation to contend with and sexual tension to release. With these new developments, I am excited to see where James Rollins will take us next.
(less)

2 likes · like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Thoughts, Questions and concerns for Gray and Monk..**Spoilers	5	44	30 mar. 10:08
What new summer release is going into YOUR summer beach bag?	2	20	24 lug. 18:44

title link	preview: The Devil Colony
avg rating	preview: The Devil Colony Goodreads rating: 4.15 (6927 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11194701-the-devil-colony?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337322737l/11194701.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11194701-the-devil-colony?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Devil Colony by James Rollins[/url]

The Devil Colony (Sigma Force #7)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (24)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About James Rollins

Books by James Rollins

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Devil Colony:...

Quotes from The Devil Colony: A Si...