Excavation

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Excavation (eBook) Pub. Date: 10/13/2009 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
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Excavation (Mass Market Paperback) Pub. Date: 4/27/2010 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

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Excavation (Mass Market Paperback) Pub. Date: 7/28/2000 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

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Excavation (Large Print) Pub. Date: 3/1/2011 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
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Excavation Pub. Date: 3/1/2011 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
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Excavation (MP3 - Unabridged) Pub. Date: 7/20/2010 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

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Overview

The South American Jungle Guards Many Secrets...
and a remarkable site nestled between two towering Andean peaks, hidden from human eyes for thousands years.

Dig Deeper...
through layers of rock and mystery, through centuries of dark, forgotten legends.

Into Ancient Catacombs...
where ingenious traps have been laid to ensnare the careless and unsuspecting; where earth-shattering discoveries—wealth beyond imagining—could be the reward for those with the courage to face the terrible unknown.

Something is Waiting…
here where the perilous journey ends, in the cold, shrouded heart of a breathtaking necropolis; something created by Man, yet not humanly possible.

Something wondrous. Something terrifying.

Editorial Reviews

Douglas Preston

From the opening scene high in the Andes to the stunning finish, Excavation is a real page turner. Archaeology, lost Inca cities, graves, gold, and death — what else could you want in a book? Rollins keeps the story in overdrive, with plenty of twists and turns before the final shocker. A compulsive read.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780380810932
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 7/28/2000
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 448
Sales rank: 143,022
Product dimensions: 6.74 (w) x 4.10 (h) x 1.21 (d)

Meet the Author

James Rollins

Spelunker, scuba diver, and all-around adventure junkie James Rollins sold his veterinary practice in Sacramento, California, to concentrate full-time on writing -- his thirst for thrills clearly informing his bestselling novels, including Black Order, Subterranean and The Judas Strain.

Biography

James Rollins is the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of Black Order, Map of Bones and other adventure thrillers. He was born in Chicago and grew up in Ontario, Canada, and St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated with honors from the University of Missouri with a degree in veterinary medicine. And like most veterinarians, he presently shares his home with a Golden Retriever, a Dachshund, and a sixty-five year old parrot named Igor. Rollins currently practices in Northern California, and when not writing or working in his veterinary practice, he can often be found underground or underwater as an amateur spelunker and scuba diver. These hobbies have helped in the creation of his earlier books Subterranean, Deep Fathom, Amazonia, and Sandstorm. His thriller, Black Order, skyrocketed to the top of bestseller lists across the country, winning the author countless new fans, and was proclaimed by People magazine as one of last summer's "hottest reads." Map of Bones was chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of the most likely to win over Dan Brown's faithful audience, and the New York Times rated the book as one the summer's top crowd pleasers.

Author biography courtesy of HarperCollins.

Good To Know

Some fun and fascinating outtakes from our interview with Rollins:

"I often get asked if I still practice veterinary medicine. While I don't practice full-time, I still do volunteer. I work with a group that traps stray cats, brings them to the shelter, where I spend a day spaying and neutering them. It's basically eight hours of removing genitalia. It's a hobby."

"I am a TV junkie. I have two Tivos and they are constantly full."

"My first job was to flip pizzas. I once got a pie spinning that was ten feet across. I had to spin it on my back to keep it going. Yet, I still love pizza."

"Two hobbies I love -- caving and scuba diving -- are also essential research for my novels. Case in point:

I've always been an avid cave explorer, from the vast systems in Missouri to the lava tubes of Hawaii to the tighter squeezes of the California foothills. But one of my most frightening episodes also allowed me to better describe claustrophobia in my novels. While climbing out of the fairly technical wild cavern, involving lots of rope work, I managed to jam myself midway up a narrow vertical chute. Hung up on my ascending gear midway up the chute, I found myself unable to move up or down. My chest was squeezed between two walls, my left knee turned the wrong way. I could not maneuver, and there was not enough room to get a rescue climber to me. I was trapped. I remember the team leader, leaning down from above, shining his helmet lamp at me. ‘You either find a way to un-jam yourself, or you stay there forever.'

So over the course of a long hour -- wriggling, sweating, cursing, and clawing -- I managed to creep a millimeter at a time out of the jam. After this event, I had a better understanding for panic and the determination born of pure desperation, essential ingredients for to writing thrilling fiction.

But spelunking through caves was not my only ‘research' lesson. Two decades ago, I also took up scuba diving and went on dive trips all around the world: Monterey Bay, Hawaii, South Pacific, Australia. I particularly remember one trip to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I was informed by the dive master to beware of the many hazards found in the region. ‘On land, Australia has seven of the ten deadliest snakes. The seas are worse. Box jellyfish can kill in minutes. Local sea snakes are some of the most toxic. But worst of all is the stone fish. It looks like a stone, but its spines are loaded with paralytic poison. So be careful what you touch.'

And down we all went, buddied up in pairs, enthusiastic and excited. I dropped toward the reef and adjust my buoyancy until I'm floating just above the reef. All around spread amazing sights: giant clams, a flurry of colored fish, an astounding variety of coral. But I miscalculated my buoyancy, my weight shifted, and I planted a hand into the sand to stabilize my tumble, careful of the razor-sharp coral. Inches from my thumb, a jagged rock suddenly sprouted fins and swam away. I met the gaze of my buddy diver. His wide eyes firmed up the identification. The deadly stone fish. And I had almost slapped my hand on its back. As the fish scurried away, I understood at that exact moment how little Nature cared about the life of a scuba-diving novelist. Down here, Nature ruled. We were only visitors.

This mix of respect and terror is brought to life in my latest novel, The Judas Strain."

1. Hometown:
  
  Sacramento, California
1. Date of Birth:
  
  August 20, 1961
2. Place of Birth:
  
  Chicago, Illinois

Read an Excerpt

Monday, August 20, 11:52 A.M.
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Professor Henry Conklin's fingers trembled slightly as he unwrapped the final layer of blankets from around his frozen treasure. He held his breath. How had the fared after the three-thousand-mile trip from the Andes? Back in Peru, he had been so careful to pack and crate the frozen remains in dry ice for the trip to Baltimore, but during such a long journey anything could have gone wrong.

Henry ran a hand through his dark hair, now dusted with a generous amount of grey since passing his sixtieth birthday last year. He prayed his past three decades of research and fieldwork would pay off. He would not have a second chance. Transporting the mummy from South America had almost drained the last of his grant money. And nowadays any new fellowships or grants were awarded to researchers younger than he. He was becoming a dinosaur at Texas A&M. Though still fevered, he was now more coddled than taken seriously.

Still, his most recent discovery of the ruins of a small Incan village high in the Andes could change all that -- especially if it proved his own controversial theory.

He cautiously tugged free the final linen wrap. Fog from the thawing dry ice momentarily obscured his sight. He waved the mist away as the contorted figure appeared, knees bent to chest, arms wrapped around legs, almost in a fetal position, just as he had discovered the mummy in a small cave near the frozen summit of Mount Arapa.

Henry stared at his discovery. Ancient eye sockets, open and hollow, gazed back at him from under strands of lanky black hair still on its skull. Its lips, dried and shrunkenback, revealed yellowed teeth. Frayed remnants of a burial shawl still clung to its leathered skin. It was so well preserved that even the black dyes of the tattered robe shone brightly under the surgical lights of the research lab.

"Oh God!" a voice exclaimed at his shoulder. "This is perfect!"

Henry jumped slightly, so engrossed in his own thoughts he had momentarily forgotten the others in the room. He turned and was blinded by the flash of a camera's strobe. The reporter from the Baltimore Herald moved from behind his shoulder to reposition for another shot, never moving the Nikon from her face. Her blond hair was pulled over her ears in a severe and efficient ponytail. She snapped additional photos as she spoke. "What would you estimate its age to be, Professor?"

Blinking away the glare, Henry backed a step away so the others could view the remains. A pair of scientists moved closer, instruments in hand.

"I ... I'd estimate the mummification dates back to the sixteenth century-some four to five hundred years ago."

The reporter lowered her camera but did not move her eyes from the figure cradled on the CT scanning table. A small trace of disgust pleated her upper lip. "No, I meant how old do you think the mummy was when he died?"

"Oh...' He pushed his wire-rimmed glasses higher on his nose. "Around twenty ... It's hard to be accurate on just gross examination."

One of the two doctors, a petite woman in her late fiftieswith dark hair that fell in silky strands to the small of herback, glanced back at them. She had been examining themummy's head, a tongue depressor in hand. "He was thirty-two when he died," she stated matter-of-factly. The speaker,Dr. Joan Engel, was head of forensic pathology at JohnsHopkins University and an old friend of Henry's. Her position there was one of the reasons he had hauled his mummyto Johns Hopkins. She elaborated on her statement, "Histhird molars are partially impacted, but from the degree ofwear on the second molars and the lack of wear on the third,my estimation should be precise to within three years, plusor minus. But the CT scan results should pinpoint the ageeven more accurately."

Belying her calm demeanor, the doctor's jade eyes shone brightly as she spoke, crinkling slightly at the comers. There was no disgust on her face when she viewed the mummy, even when she handled the desiccated remains with her gloved fingers. Henry sensed her excitement, mirroring his own. It was good to know Joan's enthusiasm for scientific mysteries had not waned from the time he had known her back in her undergraduate years. She returned to the study of the mummy, but not before giving Henry a look of apology for contradicting his previous statement and estimation of age.

Henry's cheeks grew heated, more from embarrassment than irritation. She was as keen and sharp as ever.

Swallowing hard, he tried to redeem himself. He turned tothe reporter. "I hope to prove these remains found at thisIncan site are not actually Incan, but another tribe of Peruvian Indians. "

"What do you mean?"

"It has been long known that the Incas were a warrior tribe that often took over neighboring tribes and literally consumed them. They built their own cities atop these others, swallowing them up. From my study of Machu Picchu and other ruins in the remote highlands of the Andes, I've theorized that the lowland tribes of the Incas did not build these cloud cities but took them over from a tribe that already existed before them robbing these ancestors of their rightful place in history as the skilled architects of the mountaintop cities." Henry nodded toward the mummy. "I hope this fellow will be able to correct this error in history.,,

The reporter took another picture, but was then forced back by the pair of doctors who were moving their examination farther down the mummy. "Why do you think this mummy can prove this theory?" she asked.

"The tomb where we discovered it predates the Incan ruins by at least a century, suggesting that here might be one of the true builders of these mountain citadels. Also this mummy stands a good head taller than the average Inca of the region ... even its facial features are different. I brought the mummy here to prove this is not an Incan tribesman but one of the true architects of these exceptional cities. With genetic mapping available here, I can substantiate any --"

First Chapter

Excavation

Monday, August 20, 11:52 A.M.
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Still, his most recent discovery of the ruins of a small Incan village high in the Andes could change all that -- especially if it proved his own controversial theory.

Henry stared at his discovery. Ancient eye sockets, open and hollow, gazed back at him from under strands of lanky black hair still on its skull. Its lips, dried and shrunken back, revealed yellowed teeth. Frayed remnants of a burial shawl still clung to its leathered skin. It was so well preserved that even the black dyes of the tattered robe shone brightly under the surgical lights of the research lab.

"Oh God!" a voice exclaimed at his shoulder. "This is perfect!"

Blinking away the glare, Henry backed a step away so the others could view the remains. A pair of scientists moved closer, instruments in hand.

"I ... I'd estimate the mummification dates back to the sixteenth century-some four to five hundred years ago."

"Oh...' He pushed his wire-rimmed glasses higher on his nose. "Around twenty ... It's hard to be accurate on just gross examination."

Henry's cheeks grew heated, more from embarrassment than irritation. She was as keen and sharp as ever.

Swallowing hard, he tried to redeem himself. He turned tothe reporter. "I hope to prove these remains found at thisIncan site are not actually Incan, but another tribe of Peruvian Indians. "

"What do you mean?"

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4

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Rating Distribution

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Anonymous

Posted April 4, 2011

Things to do when you are having troubles with the book.

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If that wont work, call 1-800-THE-BOOK for further assistance.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted March 11, 2011

I Also Recommend:

Read this book; but not the eBook

The novel is excellent, as is expected from James Rollins. I could hardly stand to put down my Nook, at least until I got to the last 50 pages or so where I discovered that the file is damaged. I missed about 30 pages and then was able to read the last 20 or so. Aggravating to say the least, and as of yet B&N has not resolved the issue. If you love edge-of-your-seat thrills and adventure, this book is definately for you! I've read many of Rollins's books, and the same holds true for them all. You will not be bored when you have a James Rollins novel in your hand..just be sure you have enough time to finish it when you pick it up, because you won't want to put it down!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Bronson

Posted October 30, 2008

Interesting and Action-Packed

James Rollins really made this book hard to put down once you started reading it. From the beginning all the way to the end, there is action and adventure filled scenes with a lot of suspense. It kept me wondering what would happen next. Also, there's many interesting history facts and mysteries throughout the text.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted July 26, 2000

Thought-provoking!!

For a book that I just picked up off the shelf that sounded good, I could NOT put this one down. Right from the beginning, the story grabs you and doesn't let go. I expected the usual slowdown that is typical in a lot of books, but this story both lacked the slowness and was relentless in it's pace. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre, even those that don't! I'm going back to read his first one right now!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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IceManCC

Posted December 30, 2011

Absolutely -A Great Read

Your hooked within the first few pages. The characters are easy to get attached to and the amazing things these people encounter are so well described they are easy to visualize. I hated seeing this book end.
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Anonymous

Posted November 24, 2011

WOW!!!

I have read all of the Sigma Force series and they are all fast paced and can't put down books. Once you start to read you just can't put it down.
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carriam

Posted October 21, 2011

Very Good

Not his best but very good book. Unfortunately I was unable to finish due to Nook issues on my iPad. Hopefully these will resolve themselves and I can see what happens!
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Racheybug

Posted August 15, 2011

more from this reviewer

Okay.....

Was a decent book, but reading it right after The Devil Colony is a bad idea.
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markh00

Posted June 25, 2011

Another outstanding thriller for James Rollins - great story line & creatures

I don't know how he continues to come up with this stuff. This is another action packed thriller with some great off the wall creatures, mysteries and story line. I try to look for other authors to read but just keep coming back to his books.
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7749252

Posted March 29, 2011

issue

need to re-load, issue at page 257 loops to menu
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7599460

Posted March 20, 2011

help

cant read last fifty pages. how do i do it
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Anonymous

Posted February 27, 2011

highly recommended

Starting from the opening page until the last page. James Rollins is one of the best mystery writers there is
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JAJbooks

Posted August 24, 2010

I Also Recommend:

absolutely wonderful

this was my first James Rollins book and boy am I glad I found him. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. I really don't like books that get good around page 500 hundred, but this took me right in, which I love. I can't name one part that had me bored or wanting to put the book down for a little. Every moment I got I would pick up the book and read more due to it's nonstop thrill and entertaining plot. The characters are perfect and the story is absolutely amazing. I look forward to another James Rollins book.
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higgi163

Posted August 9, 2010

A very good read!!

Couldn't put the book now once I started reading it. I really liked the storyline. Great adventure!
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East_Nashvillian

Posted August 7, 2010

Excellent.

Excavation is even better than Sandstorm, and I gave Sandstorm 5 stars.
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Anonymous

Posted August 28, 2008

Amazing

Ancient civilizations, ancient ruins, intrigue, action, romance, humor...all wrapped up in one book. Brilliant piece of writing by Mr. Rollins. You'll be hard pressed to find a place to put this book down.
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Anonymous

Posted April 3, 2008

Fun Archeology

I thought this was a great fun book to sit down and enjoy. Rollins captures your attention from the start and does not seem to let go. Some of it seemed a little too much on the sci-fi side, but overall, it was very entertaining.
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Anonymous

Posted September 18, 2007

Great Fun Read

This book was one of his best and I would recommend it to anyone. High adventure, action, and wonderful characters.
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Anonymous

Posted April 13, 2007

Intense Archaeology!

I loved this book so much because it was thrilling (as its supposed to be) and I always wanted to read more and more and I must admit I was dissipointed when it was over. I haven't read a book in a while that has impressed me enough that when something related to it comes up in everyday life I suddenly remember this story. I didn't expect the ending or many of the twists which kept me intensely into the book the whole time. I think I read it in about a day and a half because it was so good.
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Anonymous

Posted September 18, 2006

James Rollins Take Me Away!

Loved this book! Thanks to my daughter, I just discovered James Rollins. After Amazonia, I am starting at the first and working my through his books. I love them all so far. I am trying to decide whether I liked Amazonia or Excavation the best. I love the action and his description of places, it makes you think you are watching a movie but are really reading a book! I will continue on until I get to the end and have to wait til next year for another one!
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Excavation

Available on NOOK devices and apps

All Available Formats + Editions

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

More About This Book

Overview

Related Subjects

Editorial Reviews

Douglas Preston

Product Details

Meet the Author

James Rollins

Biography

Good To Know

Read an Excerpt

First Chapter

Rating Distribution

Things to do when you are having troubles with the book.

Read this book; but not the eBook

Interesting and Action-Packed

Thought-provoking!!

Absolutely -A Great Read

WOW!!!

Very Good

Okay.....

Another outstanding thriller for James Rollins - great story line & creatures

issue

help

highly recommended

absolutely wonderful

A very good read!!

Excellent.

Amazing

Fun Archeology

Great Fun Read

Intense Archaeology!

James Rollins Take Me Away!