Arkangel

Rollins' Sigma Force series began with 2004's Sandstorm and now numbers 18 books. It's a remarkably consistent series, too: each book is a thrilling adventure, well told. In the newest volume, Arkangel, the murder of a Vatican archivist in Russia is the spark that threatens to light the world on fire; a centuries-old conspiracy emerges from the shadows; a holy war looms. The only people who can stop the world from falling into chaos? Commander Gray Pierce and his Sigma Force team, a group of people with unique skills who travel the world to protect it. Rollins is a terrific writer; his prose is energetic and explosive, his dialogue lean, and his characters ever so slightly larger-than-life. This is the kind of series that could go on for many more years. A television series based on the Sigma Force novels is in development, which could be good news for the author's legion of fans. In the meantime, jump into this fast-paced and edge-of-your-seat thriller from a master of the genre.

Mysteries buried on a lost continent animate Rollins's action-packed 18th adventure for SIGMA Force (after Tides of Fire). When the agency's secret headquarters under the Smithsonian Institution are bombed, commander Gray Pierce and his girlfriend, assassin Seichan, suspect their nemesis, Russian agent Valya Mikhailov. Their suspicions deepen when a Vatican archivist is murdered after delivering a message to his superiors about the Golden Library, a priceless trove of books hidden away by Ivan the Terrible. The volumes are said to contain secrets that could restore Russia to its former glory. While a dormant rivalry between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican flares up after the archivist's murder, Gray and his team search for the supposedly lost island of Hyperborea in the East Siberian Sea, the rumored home of the Golden Library. Rollins stuffs the narrative with globe-spanning combat, pulse-pounding suspense, and some satisfying puzzles to solve. Once readers catch their breath, they'll be eager to dive into the next installment. Agent: Russ Galen, Scovil Galen Gosh Literary. (Aug.)