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The Skeleton Key: A Short Story Exclusive (Sigma Force)
by
James Rollins (Goodreads Author)
From New York Times bestselling author James Rollins comes a thrilling short story that delves deep beneath the city of Paris to a dark necropolis, where the only means for escape is…The Skeleton Key.
Seichan is ripped out of the Sigma series for an adventure all her own—but can she survive? The beautiful and elusive assassin wakes in a hotel in Paris with a deadly electron...more
Seichan is ripped out of the Sigma series for an adventure all her own—but can she survive? The beautiful and elusive assassin wakes in a hotel in Paris with a deadly electron...more
ebook, 100 pages
Published
May 31st 2011
by William Morrow
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From New York Times bestselling author James Rollins comes a thrilling short story that delves deep beneath the city of Paris to a dark necropolis, where the only means for escape is…The Skeleton Key.
Seichan is ripped out of the Sigma series for an adventure all her own—but can she survive? The beautiful and elusive assassin wakes in a hotel in Paris with a deadly electronic collar fastened to her throat. Joined by a boy who is similarly threatened, she must rescue the son of a hated enemy, wh
Another short story from James Rollins this time with Seichan a former member of the Guild and a future member of Sigma. Again very, very short but I still really enjoyed it, though I'd prefer it a litter bit longer, so there'd be more space for each character and for details. For this I'll lower my rating by 1*.
As I said I liked the story. Not just the fight with the cult, but also the exchange between Seichan and the scientist and the run through the catacombs of Paris (I have to say on one ha...more
As I said I liked the story. Not just the fight with the cult, but also the exchange between Seichan and the scientist and the run through the catacombs of Paris (I have to say on one ha...more
I can't believe it has been so long since the last Sigma Force book. But as Writers and Publishers all know the reasons series books are so popular is that it is refreshing to start a new book with characters from past stories and it is almost like catching up with long lost friends.
James Rollins is a terrific writer! If I ever get half as successful as he is through my writing I will have been blessed beyond my belief.
This was an E-book teaser to lead up to the beginning of his newest novel whi...more
James Rollins is a terrific writer! If I ever get half as successful as he is through my writing I will have been blessed beyond my belief.
This was an E-book teaser to lead up to the beginning of his newest novel whi...more
This was a Sigma short story featuring the assassin Seichan in a singular adventure. I had a lot of fun reading this story. It's a little on the short side to do the plot justice as the cult and bad guy don't have much opportunity to be a real threat, but the detail of the French catacombs beneath Paris and the action were perfectly entertaining. It has to be noted that stories like this, and 'Tracker' are promotional tools for the related novels. Half of the book for these stories is the excerp...more
Seichan goes solo.
This is a well done precursor to The Devil Colony, one featuring no Sigma, no Gray, no Painter...Just Seichan and a small supporting cast. I have to admit that after the last several novels I found myself getting a bit burned out on the Sigma Force novels but this Seichan solo adventure is short and sweet and very entertaining.
As usual Rollins mixes geographical and historical facts in with his high octane fiction. It's always interesting to see his footnotes as to what's real...more
This is a well done precursor to The Devil Colony, one featuring no Sigma, no Gray, no Painter...Just Seichan and a small supporting cast. I have to admit that after the last several novels I found myself getting a bit burned out on the Sigma Force novels but this Seichan solo adventure is short and sweet and very entertaining.
As usual Rollins mixes geographical and historical facts in with his high octane fiction. It's always interesting to see his footnotes as to what's real...more
Picked this up as a kindle freebie on the premise that it's short story that immediatle precedes events in The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel (Which I have on my to read pile).
Not bad, but I was a bit disappointed that it was so short. The 46 pages of the kindle book are mostly taken up by the first 4 or 5 chapters of The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel, making the actual story here much shorter than I expected.
Not bad, but I was a bit disappointed that it was so short. The 46 pages of the kindle book are mostly taken up by the first 4 or 5 chapters of The Devil Colony: A Sigma Force Novel, making the actual story here much shorter than I expected.
Another cracking good adventure story (short, this time) from Rollins. I love these little snippets that give extra dimension to the (many!) characters in his Sigma Force novels. It makes that universe much more fleshed out and, well, real. And of course I love it because it's set in Paris in the catacombs. Rollins is really good about being accurate in his place/setting of the book (whereas some other authors rearrange cities according to their whim), so I appreciate the factualness (is that a...more
Jun 28, 2011
Alex Telander
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2011
Bestselling author James Rollins’ SIGMA series features a number of popular and powerful characters that readers have become quite attached to, and none is more interesting than the beautiful and mysterious Seichan. In this short story exclusive, “The Skeleton Key,” readers get to see Seichan working on a solo mission that she never intended to get involved in.
Seichan wakes up to find herself in hotel room in Paris; she’s been knocked out with something unknown and has no memory of how she got h...more
Seichan wakes up to find herself in hotel room in Paris; she’s been knocked out with something unknown and has no memory of how she got h...more
I enjoyed this a lot. It was nice to see Seichan on her own and even the teen she had to take along with her wasn't irritation or panicky. He turned out to be a good ally for her in this side adventure. I liked how she had her regret over the car. Very in character and a nice nod by Rollins, showing he hasn't forgotten anything about this complicated character who usually is anything but predictable - and proved again just how unpredictable and ruthless she can be.
This is a fun short story which ties in to the Devil Colony and features Seichan, the enigmatic assassin. The book is set entirely in the catacombs of Paris and has Seichan searching for something on someone's orders. This was a novel idea by Jim to release it as an e-short and for those who do not wish to read it electronically, next year it will be featured in the paperback version of the Devil Colony as an extra. More to come in the FBC review.
This is a fun little short story extra that serves as a prequel leading up to the The Devil Colony. I wasn't sure I would enjoy a Seichan stand alone but my only complaint really was that it was to short and resolved way too quickly. I understand it was a short, but the action was pretty truncated for my tastes. It makes me want to read The Devil Colony and it REALLY makes me want Bloodline to come out immediately!
A nice diversion and warmup for the new Sigma Force novel. Here Siechan tries to find out more about the ever elusive Guild she used to work for, (who now wants her dead.) For this information she must rescue a professors son from an occult group plotting to blow up Paris. We get to see more of Seichan's skills as she scours the tombs underneath Paris in order to stop the cult of the sun.
1 like · like · see review
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Jun 03, 2011
Kate
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adventure-thriller,
fiction,
kindle-ebook,
short-story-or-novella,
2011,
sigma-force,
own-it
Oh yum. I love Seichan. This was a short adventure, but the ending was perfectly in keeping with Seichan's outlook on the world. Not quite yours or mine, probably, but it works for her and makes her so totally unexpected. You just never quite know where she's going to go next. I really liked this story and, now, am salivating for the release of The Devil Colony. Hurry up June 21st!
Seichan stars in her own adventure. Marvelous.
Alas, it left me hanging. Most appetizers do. They're good, they whet your appetite; prepare you for the main course. In this case, that's the Devil Colony out on June 21st.
Yes, I've already pre-ordered it.
And no, there's no clue there whatsoever about who Commander Pierce was with the last night we saw him.
Alas, it left me hanging. Most appetizers do. They're good, they whet your appetite; prepare you for the main course. In this case, that's the Devil Colony out on June 21st.
Yes, I've already pre-ordered it.
And no, there's no clue there whatsoever about who Commander Pierce was with the last night we saw him.
Will read one novel of Rollins just to be fair....
This type of fiction can be entertaining but I'm too "old" for this sort. If Claude is smart and resourceful enough to capture Seichan and forces her to find his son, wouldn't he have been to do the job himself (not himself in literal sense)?
good script for a tv show episode but really, there's James Bond and Indidianna Jones for escapism.
imho or course.
This type of fiction can be entertaining but I'm too "old" for this sort. If Claude is smart and resourceful enough to capture Seichan and forces her to find his son, wouldn't he have been to do the job himself (not himself in literal sense)?
good script for a tv show episode but really, there's James Bond and Indidianna Jones for escapism.
imho or course.
This one was included in international edition of "The Devil Colony".
Very interesting story about Seichan getting involved in case of apocalyptic cult operating from the depths of catacombs below Paris.
Story is standalone although it explains some of the story at the beginning of "The Devil Colony".
Recommended.
Very interesting story about Seichan getting involved in case of apocalyptic cult operating from the depths of catacombs below Paris.
Story is standalone although it explains some of the story at the beginning of "The Devil Colony".
Recommended.
I liked this short-story but I was expecting to know more about Seichan and her past or something like that. There's nothing new in this short-story but I have to say that it got my attention. I read the excerpt of Devil Colony and I am very curious about this book. It's supposed to be the turning point of Sigma series. Let's see about that.
This short story was actually in the paperback copy of Rollins's "The Devil Colony". It tells a short adventure of Seichan who has left The Guild and is trying to find out more about The Guild by joining forces w/ The Sigma Force. It is in some ways a prequel to The Devil Colony.
I bought the ebook ages ago, but just read it last night (it's part of the Sigma Series and should be read before Devil Colony). This short story is about Seichan and gives us a bit more information about her and what she's like. I really enjoyed this one...it was like a little treat :-)
A very short story based on one of the characters from James Rollin's novels. There wasn't really enough of it to get your teeth into but it apparently carries on in the book The Devil Colony.
I know this was a short story, but I expected a little more from a Seichan story. I love her character in the Sigma books and I felt like this was just so on the surface of who she is. I would really enjoy a full novel with her as the main character.
In the world of short stories, this one is pretty short. Short doesn't mean bad though but it does leave you wanting more and I echo everybody's sentiments in the wait for The Devil Colony. Hurry, hurry!!
70% of this book is a blurb for a forthcoming novel - be warned!
The short story was entertaining, about 40 mins read. I had planned to stop reading as it was late, I would've been annoyed to go back to it for 2%.
The short story was entertaining, about 40 mins read. I had planned to stop reading as it was late, I would've been annoyed to go back to it for 2%.
Great short story, I really enjoyed reading it. I have always wondered what sort of adventures Seichan took part in while she tries to uncover "The Guild" The Skeleton Key allows us a glimpse into her dealings.
Great short story that brings in the caverns under Paris along with a good story that allows us to better understand Seichen in James Rollins' books going forward. This is not a book but a short story.
I enjoyed this short adventure about a side character who has slowly gotten more important in this series. Looking forward even more to the release of Devil Colony in a couple weeks.
Great way to fill the gap before the release of Devil's Colony! I can't believe I read it with 2 1/2 weeks left before Devil's Colony come out. Now I'm dying to know what happens next and have to wait!
I'm not sure I'd agree with "thrilling" as used in the synopsis. It was on 24 out of the 90 pages of the book. I'm getting old...I can't get "thrilled" in only 24 pages.
This is one of those short stories to tide us over till the next full book.
I really liked the Seichan plot line and I really loved the end of the kidnapper.
I really liked the Seichan plot line and I really loved the end of the kidnapper.
Rollins gives the Seichan character a short story of her own. I have enjoyed her character and the tension between Gray and her character. The story is well developed and a quick read. I recommend it.
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James Rollins is the New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma 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 h
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