James Rollins, Sandstorm

Sandstorm

James Rollins

Morrow, Jul 2004, $24.95, 446 pp.

ISBN: 0060580666

The explosion destroyed much of the Kensington Gallery antiquities collection of the British Museum when a bluish light struck the Iron Camel artifact killing guard Harry Masterson in the blast. Various people and government agencies want to know what caused the detonation.

Lady Kara Kensington, whose family founded the devastated gallery and its curator Safia al-Maaz find clues that lead to Ubar, a city buried beneath the Arabian Desert. They hire renowned explorer Omaha Dunn to escort them to this legendary ancient city.

In Connecticut DARPA Agent Painter Crowe is working an operation when his assignment is changed. His superiors show him the British Museum video and hand him a chunk of meteoric iron that came from the Iron Camel explosion. They assign him to learn what caused the explosion with the clues leading to Ubar.

As these four people and others head to Ubar, none comes close to conjecturing what awaits them in Ubar: a force that could destroy humanity. Those ruthlessly guarding this force believe the outsiders are the wrong hands because they want to control the secrets at a cost that could mean the end.

This exciting science fiction thriller shows once again that James Rollins is one of the best at taking readers on a nature tour like none they have ever been on except in his action-packed novels (see ICE HUNT and EXCAVATION). His latest tales hooks the audience the moment Harry takes his third puff on his cigarette and never lets up until the end. The key quartet each have distinct personalities and a bit of romance adds to understanding the varying motives of the foursome. Fans will cherish this powerful story.

Harriet Klausner