Crucible by James Rollins

I came upon Rollins' novels by accident and I am glad I did. I find his novels to be a good combination of cutting edge scientific research and intense suspense. This novel fits that description well. The cutting edge science is artificial intelligence. The suspense is nearly continuous as the world as we know it might be destroyed.

Another aspect of Rollins' novels I like is that it includes Christian overtones. The AI being created is named Eve. There is the theme of a created being being introduced to evil and mortality. There are secret religious societies and priests battling each other. There is the concept of witches and those wrongly identified as such.

I like that Rollins includes information at the end of the book that helps us identify where he has included actual scientific discoveries and where he has embellished or imagined a near future using that science. I was amazed at the brain treatment and the note that what appears in the novel is backed by real medical science. Rollins even names articles we can read on it.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy novels of international suspense with advanced scientific applications featured prominently. The only aspect of the book I did not like was that I felt it was too long. I did get a little weary of the suspenseful plot at times.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

James Rollins is the author of the bestselling Sigma Force series as well as other series and the novelization of an Indiana Jones movie. Crucible is the fourteenth Sigma Force Adventure. You can find out more at https://jamesrollins.com/.

William Morrow, 480 pages.

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