Sigma Force's newest novel adds a sense of wonder to the stream of historical events that this team finds themselves embroiled in. The thought that the myths of Homer's Illiad and Odyssey being written after an encounter with a true, advanced people is such a fun concept and Mr. Rollins creation of the these people's version of the world of the Underworld was remarkable. I love this series and this newest novel didn't not disappoint!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for providing me with a free unedited copy of this book in return for an honest review. I enjoy Jame Rollins writing, and prior this I have read 3 of his SIGMA Force series and liked each of them. I have others on my bookshelf waiting to be read. Yet when I got the chance to obtain this book I jumped at it. I prefer to read books in order but for James Rollins I will make the exception and I am happy I did. This was a wonderful thriller and along the way we pick up so much historical information that it really brings the book to life. We have a plot to bring about Armageddon. Yes men are going to try and induce this by following Homer's Odyssey and other Arabic writers to find the Gates of Hell to bring about this event. No sense telling more. It is action packed, well written and very fast paced. When I read this all I could think of was the classic 1963 movie "Jason and the Argonauts" with the innovative stop-motion animation. So many of the obstacles that SIGMA must overcome remind me of that film. This book was heading for a 5***** until the last 50 or so pages. When the story no longer covers the evil masterminds behind this plot, and trust me these guys are evil, the book loses what I enjoyed the most for the majority of the book and becomes a just one action packed page after another, to the point of unbelievability. A very good effort and I am glad I got the chance to read this and will definitely go back and read his others on my shelf.

Rating: 9.5/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of The Last Odyssey (Sigma Force #15) for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

The Last Odyssey is an absolute triumph of a novel. 0-60 in less time than a Porsche 918 Spyder, this novel never lets off the accelerator and shows off Rollins’ chops in a way everyone can appreciate. How in the world have I never given this series a shot until now?

From the brief blurb above, you can pretty much gauge that I loved the stew out of this book. It is a thrill-ride ratcheted up to 11, filled with history, mythology, monsters, and so much more. Twists and turns aplenty, plus characters you can really stand behind and fantastic work-building. I really never wanted it to end.

Considering this is Book #15 in the series, and Book #1 came out sixteen (16) years ago, have I been living under a friggin rock? How have I seriously not known about this series because I now want to read all of them. If TLO is any indication of what I have been missing out on, woohoo am I in for a treat.

Good news for all of you who are in the same boat as me: The Last Odyssey can be easily read, understood, and enjoyed as a stand-alone. I cannot say for sure if that holds true for the others in the series, but this adventure feels tight-knit enough to not have you scratching your head too much (though the storylines Rollins weaves could have you re-reading pages here and there).

If shootouts, hidden treasures, monsters, conspiracies, and historical/mythological elements in stories are in your wheelhouse, look no further. Oh, and if you want more, James will be a guest on my podcast tonight (3/17), so look for the episode to drop on 3/18!