It’s been quite some time since I dug into a Sigma Force novel, but sometimes you just want to dig into a sprawling adventure. Sigma Force is a super secret arm of DARPA. That means not only do the characters have military training, but they have doctoral degrees, and great science and tech at their fingertips.

A strange plague seems to be spreading out from Christmas Island, and both Sigma and their nemesis, The Guild are racing to investigate and put a stop to things before it’s too late. One is intent on saving the world, the other wants to use the plague for their own nefarious purposes.

Across the globe things begin to escalate. Lisa and Monk are working off of a commandeered cruise ship to investigate the plague at Christmas Island, while Gray is celebrating the 4th of July with his ailing father, and loving mother.

When the party is crashed by Gray’s old nemesis, Seichan, wounded and asking for help, Gray finds himself on the run. He is determined to put the pieces together of an ancient puzzle going back to the journeys of Marco Polo, involves angelic script, and our very DNA. With his parents held by the Guild, Gray has to work to discover the truth, their lives a ticking clock to drive him onward.

And Sigma’s director, Painter Crowe, pushes down his worry about Lisa, whom he has a relationship with, and struggles to work out both end of the obviously connected problems.

Rollins keeps the adventures rolling along with a fast pace, and lots of cliffhanger moments. It moves fast, despite its epic size, and has some pretty powerful moments for our heroes. There is continuity from novel to novel, as well as setting things up for future novels.

And it was very easy to fall back into that continuity. I read the previous novel, Black Order, back in 2021, and yet within moments of being re-introduced to the characters, I remembered their traits, their style, and their past (at least what Rollins has shared so far).

It’s a fun blending of action, history and science. Rollins goes out of his way to ground as much of his story in reality as possible. It makes it all the more enjoyable because it feels like as bold and adventurous as they are, they seem to exist in the realm of the possible.

There are great action sequences, and I love how Rollins ties his tales into historical events, and modern tech. They are solid adventure tales, epic, engaging, and a helluva lot of fun to read. Sure it’s been a while since I picked one up, but everytime I do, I get wrapped up in the tale and the characters.

I should probably not wait four years between books…