Why did I choose to bring James Rollins latest thriller Kingdom of Bones (#1,101) with me as we steamed towards the coast of Africa when the source of the suspense was an unstoppable new virus spreading inexorably through The Congo? It did make me feel somewhat more secure that we were tested first thing each morning for Covid on board.
New zoonotic diseases crop up each day in our real world, so the subject matter of this thriller is in the best of hands with Dr. Rollins' background as a veterinarian. Who else would know better about the potential threats?
In Kingdom of Bones, the Sigma Force is somewhat pared down, battling a billionaire developer whose aim is to corral the resources of Africa for himself, while stymieing the efforts of the Chinese to do the same. The Sigma Force is called in when a refugee hospital manned by Doctors Without Borders is overrun by an unknown illness, affecting not just the people, but also the animals around them. They are aided on this outing by Tucker Wayne and his canine partner Kane, whom we've met in other Rollins books. His friend, a former army veterinarian, just happens to be doing field research nearby. He has the expertise to help the medical team. No one expects the mercenaries who copter in to destroy the field hospital...
At the end of his novels, Dr. Rollins always sorts out what is real and what is his own invention. That's why I find his thrillers so compelling; they're not so far off the mark. Good luck sleeping after reading Kingdom of Bones!
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