The Seventh Plague by James Rollins

This novel was the most interesting and informative one I have read in some time. It contained well crafted characters, an engaging plot, unusual settings, and a ton of suspense. While it follows a long line of Sigma Force novels, it read really well on its own.

In the Author's Note to Readers, Rollins says he takes bits of science and history and kneads them together to build his story. He did that very well here. He took the relationships between Livingstone, Stanley, Twain, and Tesla and wove them into a current day plot involving a deadly plague related to the time of the Exodus.

The narrative alternates between the Sudan Desert and Ellesmere Island in the frozen land of northern Canada. One part of Sigma Force tries to find the origin and cure for the plague that came out of the desert. Another part of the Force is trying to stop a billionaire madman attempting to halt climate change and provide unlimited power by infusing the ionosphere with electron-eating micro-organisms. Those micro-organisms tie the two aspects of the plot together.

This novel is very informative. I learned about the New Chronology that calls into question the identification of Pharaoh Ramesses with the plagues of Exodus. If one looks four centuries earlier, there is evidence of the plagues. I learned about self-mummification and that Livingstone was mummified. I learned about the intelligence of elephants and their behavior – they do have the largest brains. Perhaps most interesting of all was the information about electron-eating bacteria, something scientists have, in fact, discovered.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a suspense filled novel that informs as well as entertains.

You can find out more about the book, download excerpts, and watch a trailer here.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

James Rollins is a New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages. In each novel, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets. He graduated from the University of Missouri and established a successful veterinary practice. He continues to volunteer in support of the local SPCA. He is the founder of Authors United, a nonprofit helping soldiers and their families. You can find out more at http://jamesrollins.com/about/.

William Morrow, 448 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.