'Bloodline' is filled with action and thrills

Cutting-edge science and political intrigue are mixed with action and thrills in “Bloodline,” the latest Sigma Force novel from James Rollins.

A young pregnant woman named Amanda and her husband, Mack, are hiding from their pursuers on a vessel on the far side of the world. Unfortunately, they are discovered. Amanda watches in horror as the crew is slaughtered and her husband literally loses his head. She's kidnapped, but quickly realizes she's not the target: It's her unborn child.

Members of the Sigma Force launch a rescue operation when they learn the kidnapped woman is the daughter of the president of the United States. Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force, knows there's more to the kidnapping than they are being told. His investigation of the villainous top-secret organization The Guild leads him to believe the leader of their group is the president himself.

The science in “Bloodline” reads like the best of Michael Crichton. The machinations of government read like the best of David Baldacci. And the action and thrills read like the best of Clive Cussler. Rollins takes the best of all of these and creates an amazing thriller unlike any other.

The Sigma Force team continues to expand, and new characters like the military operative Tucker Wayne and his war dog partner, the Belgian shepherd Kane, are captivating.

Readers unfamiliar with the previous novels in the series will not feel lost starting here.