The Last Oracle (Sigma Force Series)

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Overview

In Washington, D.C., a homeless man takes an assassin's bullet and dies in Commander Gray Pierce's arms. A bloody coin clutched in the dead man's hand—an ancient relic that can be traced back to the Greek Oracle of Delphi—is the key to a conspiracy that dates back to the Cold War and threatens the very foundation of humanity. For what if it were possible to bioengineer the next great prophet—a new Buddha, Muhammad, or even Jesus? Would this Second Coming be a boon . . . or would it initiate a chain reaction that would result in the extinction of humankind?

Vital seconds are ticking rapidly away as Pierce races across the globe in search of answers, one step ahead of ruthless killers determined to reclaim the priceless artifact. Suddenly the future of all things is balanced on the brink between heaven and hell—and salvation or destruction rests in the hands of remarkable children.

Will the past be enough to save the future?

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

SIGMA force returns in Rollins's latest high-tension mystery that plays out in the slums of India, ancient temples in Greece and even the diseased remnants of Chernobyl now in Ukraine, all in search of the Greek Oracle of Delphi. There are plenty of historical references and a plethora of pulse-pounding action, and narrator Peter Jay Fernandez makes good use of it all to create a compelling and fun listening experience. He reads with a solid voice that is straightforward, honest and rich. There is a mysterious, almost foreboding element in his tone that carries the story forward into deeper and darker territory, while bringing listeners to the edge of their seats. Fernandez offers layered characters who engage his audience and ground the far-fetched plot. A Morrow hardcover (Reviews, May 12). (July)

Chicago Sun-Times

“Rollins combines real-world science with high-octane action to create rousing stories of adventure that are as exciting as any movie.”

More Reviews (3) Fewer Reviews

Knoxville News-Sentinel

“The perfect escape novel, an edge of-your-seat read.”

Sacramento Bee

“Once again, the action is nonstop.”

The Barnstable Patriot

“Go out and buy James Rollins’s latest saga. He just keeps getting better and better.”

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780062018014
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 4/26/2011
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 608
Sales rank: 119,224
Series: Sigma Force Series , #5
Product dimensions: 4.20 (w) x 7.50 (h) x 1.60 (d)

Meet the Author

James Rollins

New York Times bestselling author James Rollins holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine and resides in the Sierra Nevada mountains. An avid spelunker and certified scuba enthusiast, he can often be found underground or underwater.

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

The Last Oracle LP
A Novel

Chapter One

A.D. 398

Mount Parnassus

Greece

They had come to slay her. The woman stood at the temple's portico. She shivered in her thin garment, a simple shift of white linen belted at the waist, but it was not the cold of predawn that iced her bones.

Below, a torchlight procession flowed up the slopes of Mount Parnassus like a river of fire. It followed the stone-paved road of the Sacred Way, climbing in switchbacks up toward the temple of Apollo. The beat of sword on shield accompanied their progress, a full cohort of the Roman legion, five hundred strong. The road wound through broken monuments and long ransacked treasuries. Whatever could burn had been set to torch.

As the firelight danced over the ruins, the flames cast a shimmering illusion of better times, a fiery restoration of former glory: treasuries overflowing with gold and jewels, legions of statues carved by the finest artisans, milling crowds gathered to hear the prophetic words of the Oracle. But no more.

Over the past century, Delphi had been brought low by invading Gauls, by plundering Thracians, but most of all, by neglect. Few now came to seek the words of the Oracle: a goat herder questioning a wife's fidelity, or a sailor seeking good omens for a voyage across the Gulf of Corinth. It was the end of times, the end of the Oracle of Delphi. After prophesying for thirty years, she would be the last to bear the name Pythia.

The last Oracle of Delphi.

But with this burden came one final challenge.

Pythia turned toward the east, where the sky had begun to lighten.

Oh, that rosy Eos, goddess of dawn, would hurry Apollo to tether his four horses to his Sun chariot.

One of Pythia's sisters, a young acolyte, stepped out of the temple behind her. "Mistress, come away with us," the younger woman begged. "It is not too late. We can still escape with the others to the high caves." Pythia placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder. Over the past night, the other women had fled to the rugged heights where the caves of Dionysus would keep them safe. But Pythia had a final duty here.

"Mistress, surely there is no time to perform this last prophecy."

"I must."

"Then do it now. Before it is too late."

Pythia turned away. "We must wait for dawn of the seventh day. That is our way."

As the sun had set last night, Pythia had begun her preparations. She had bathed in Castilia's silver spring, drank from the Kassotis spring, and burned bay leaves on an altar of black marble outside the temple. She had followed the ritual precisely, the same as the first Pythia thousands of years ago.

Only this time, the Oracle had not been alone in her purifications.

At her side had been a girl, barely past her twelfth summer.

Such a small creature and of such strange manner.

The child had simply stood naked in the spring waters while the older woman had washed and anointed her. She'd said not a word, merely stood with an arm out, opening and closing her fingers, as if grasping for something only she could see. What god so suffered the child, yet blessed her just the same? Surely not even Apollo. Yet the child's words thirty days ago could come only from the gods. Words that had plainly spread and stoked the fires that now climbed toward Delphi.

Oh, that the child had never been brought here.

Pythia had been content to allow Delphi to fade into obscurity. She remembered the words spoken by one of her predecessors, long dead for centuries, an ominous portent.

Emperor Augustus had asked of her dead sister, "Why has the Oracle grown so silent?"

Her sister had responded, "A Hebrew boy, a god who rules among the blessed, bids me leave this house . . ."

Those words proved to be a true prophecy. The cult of Christ rose to consume the empire and destroyed any hope for a return to the old ways.

Then a moon ago, the strange girl had been brought to her steps.

Pythia glanced away from the flames and toward the adytum, the inner sanctum of Apollo's temple. The girl waited inside.

She was an orphan from the distant township of Chios. Over the ages, many had hauled such children here, seeking to abandon such burdens upon the sisterhood. Most were turned away. Only the most ideal girls were allowed to stay: straight of limb, clear of eye, and unspoiled. Apollo would never accept a vessel of lesser quality for his prophetic spirit.

So when this willow branch of a girl had been presented naked to the steps of Apollo's temple, Pythia had given her hardly a glance. The child was unkempt, her dark hair knotted and tangled, her skin marked with pox scars. But deeper, Pythia had sensed something wrong with the child. The way she rocked back and forth. Even her eyes stared without truly seeing.

Her patrons had claimed the child was touched by the gods. That she could tell the number of olives in a tree with merely a glance, that she could declare when a sheep would lamb with but a touch of her hand.

Upon hearing such stories, Pythia's interest had stirred. She called the girl to join her at the entrance to the temple. The child obeyed, but she moved as if disconnected, as if the winds themselves propelled her upward. Pythia had to draw her by hand to sit on the top step.

"Can you tell me your name?" she asked the thin child.

"Her name is Anthea," one of her patrons declared from below.

Pythia kept her gaze focused on the child. "Anthea, do you know why you've been brought here?"

"Your house is empty," the child finally mumbled to the floor. So at least she can speak. Pythia glanced to the temple's interior. The hearth fire burned in the center of the main hall. It was indeed empty at the moment, but the child's words seemed to whisper at something more.

Maybe it was her manner. So strange, so distant, as if she stood with one leg in this world and the other beyond this realm.

The child glanced up with those clear blue eyes, so full of innocence, so in contrast with what spilled next from her lips.

"You are old. You will die soon."

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Anonymous

Posted April 17, 2008

The Best James Rollins so far!

The Last Oracle, by James Rollins is an interesting and worthwhile read. While it might be slightly helpful to read Rollins' previous Sigma Series Books, enough tidbits are dropped throughout the book to keep you up to speed without making you feel like you're re-reading his earlier books. For those past readers, all of our favorite cast of characters have returned, Monk, Kat, Gray, Painter, Lisa and crew. The main plot of the book involves a Russian agency who have kidnapped Gypsy children and altered them over the years to become a type of savant oracle. One of the scientists is planning on using their talents to help her and her son gain world dominance after they first wreak havoc on a global level. This book is action filled from beginning to ending, and yet, has a great deal of heart. I even found myself misting up on one occasion. Rollins manages the main plot and many subplots adroitly, keeping the book moving along nicely. Rollins relies upon his own research, and has discovered enough oddity in reality to build an imaginative, yet believable scenario. A book as solidly written and researched as this doesn't depend upon gimmicks and coincidence, as do so many other authors of this genre. Mr. Rollins writes a compelling novel, that causes one to read on after the book has ended. I always figure an author has been successful if I have to hit the internet to read more after I finish the book. Since completing The Last Oracle, I've already googled autism, autistic savants, Chernobyl, etc. Well done, Mr. Rollins! This one is your best so far, and I look forward to reading your future books!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Rambo01

Posted August 10, 2009

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Good Read

I have read the entire series and once you have read the first few you see a pattern and predictability to the characters and plot sequence. The subject matter is always interesting and unique. I especially like the excert at the end detailing the origin of research and the history behind it. I believe it is a good jumping point for history lovers to explore the mysterious past of history.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Megalith

Posted February 4, 2009

more from this reviewer

I Also Recommend:

Rollins' Best Yet!

James Rollins has produced one of his most exciting and entertaining thrillers with The Last Oracle. The story revolves around a Russian plot to use the descendants of the Oracle of Delphi in a sinister plot to bring the world to its collective knees. The usual cast of Sigma Force players are present and used to good effect in this gripping thriller.

The story begins when a stranger bearing a mysterious coin is killed virtually at the doorstep of Sigma headquarters. The plot unfolds from there with Sigma Force members Gray Pierce following the trail and Painter Crowe dealing with threats and intrigue back at home, along with one other major plot line. Rollins intersperses just enough scenes from the "bad guy" point-of-view to create suspense without revealing too much.

The Last Oracle has all of the elements that make for a great adventure story: a historical mystery, at least one ancient ruin, action and escapes that are thrilling without being cartoonish, a complex plot that unfolds bit-by-bit, villains with absolutely no connection to the Knights Templar, and a few twists that surprise the reader without taking suspension of belief too far.

Only a few bits of the story are difficult to swallow. The pseudo-cliffhanger from Rollin's previous novel, The Judas Strain, carries over to this story, but is done in a way that is a stretch. A few of the developments are a bit hokey, but considering the tropes of the genre, are not sufficiently "out there" to jolt the reader or distract from the story. Rollins also provides a few pages of explanation at the end of the story defending the plausibility of some of the plot elements, which in itself makes for an interesting read.

What Rollins does best in this book is surprise the reader. The "sinister plot" is kept a mystery, but when it is finally revealed, we learn that there's more... much more. He also drops a small bomb at the end of the story, leading us into the next book. The Last Oracle is one of Rollin's best efforts and sure to be one of the top thrillers of the year. Don't miss it!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Grandpa

Posted June 25, 2009

more from this reviewer

The Oracle shouts out loud

Commander Gray Pierce starts his adventure with a Scientist dying in his arms on the street. Then follows one supprise after another leading to discoveries of an amazing legacy being handed down from ancient times to children that have amazing talents. Mixed into this is dozens of Intelligence agencies all clawing for the secrets being discovered. This is a fast pace action packed thriller you will find hard to put down. This is my first Pierce book, but I will be on line today getting more of his series.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Megalith

Posted January 28, 2009

more from this reviewer

I Also Recommend:

My Favorite Thriller of the Year!

James Rollins has produced one of his most exciting and entertaining thrillers with The Last Oracle. The story revolves around a Russian plot to use the descendants of the Oracle of Delphi in a sinister plot to bring the world to its collective knees. The usual cast of Sigma Force players are present and used to good effect in this gripping thriller.

The story begins when a stranger bearing a mysterious coin is killed virtually at the doorstep of Sigma headquarters. The plot unfolds from there with Sigma Force members Gray Pierce following the trail and Painter Crowe dealing with threats and intrigue back at home, along with one other major plot line. Rollins intersperses just enough scenes from the "bad guy" point-of-view to create suspense without revealing too much.

The Last Oracle has all of the elements that make for a great adventure story: a historical mystery, at least one ancient ruin, action and escapes that are thrilling without being cartoonish, a complex plot that unfolds bit-by-bit, villains with absolutely no connection to the Knights Templar, and a few twists that surprise the reader without taking suspension of belief too far.

Only a few bits of the story are difficult to swallow. The pseudo-cliffhanger from Rollin's previous novel, The Judas Strain, carries over to this story, but is done in a way that is a stretch. A few of the developments are a bit hokey, but considering the tropes of the genre, are not sufficiently "out there" to jolt the reader or distract from the story. Rollins also provides a few pages of explanation at the end of the story defending the plausibility of some of the plot elements, which in itself makes for an interesting read.

What Rollins does best in this book is surprise the reader. The "sinister plot" is kept a mystery, but when it is finally revealed, we learn that there's more... much more. He also drops a small bomb at the end of the story, leading us into the next book. The Last Oracle is one of Rollin's best efforts and sure to be one of the top thrillers of the year. Don't miss it!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted September 7, 2008

Keep rolling them out Rollins

I've read EVERY book by this superb author. Each novel is as much or more engrossing as the last!! I've just gotten the new one, but all his books are ALWAYS 5/5. He takes Cussler's ability for historical intrigue, mixes it with some of Brown's religious genius and throws in some Ludlum action to top it off. Never a dull moment with James Rollins at the helm.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted March 21, 2012

Hooked on Sigma!

A friend who overheard me saying how I loved Dan Brown's novels recommended this author and he was so right! To all who like the fiction/action stories based on historic events and scientific facts, James Rolling Sigma Series has plenty!!! Now, this book, the story about these autistic children and their magnificent talents, blew my mind away and made me shed some tears...beautiful yet powerful, the perfect plot for a blockbuster movie! Believable and magical at the same time.
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Gtyrone

Posted December 31, 2011

Whimsical

A little "out there:, but a good read.
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Anonymous

Posted November 24, 2011

WOW!!!! Rolling does it again

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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9797294

Posted October 24, 2011

Amazing

It was a great read. It never ceases to amaze me how Rollins manages to come up with a great story, that could be possible!
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Nollkrip1938

Posted June 12, 2011

Good read

I love all of James Rollins writing. I was surprised to find the nook book was three dollars more than the hard cover. I purchased the nook because I ran out of book case space. I would have been better off building another book case. I could have built a case for far less than the cost of a nook and bought books for less than nook books. I'm sorry I believed the advertisements of $9.95 or less for nook books. I was the idiot for believing the sales person. I have been a Barnes & Noble customer for many years but it seems like there has been a lot of greed creeping in to pricing.
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dino

Posted December 2, 2010

Great read!

I happened to go to our local Barnes and Noble shop to buy Crichton's latest book then I saw this book and the title caught my attention.

I checked out the back and inside cover for an introduction on it.
It sounded cool so I bought it.

After reading the book, Rollins amazed me at the way he wrote this novel. At first it was slow but as you continue to read on, it captures your imagination. He made look up a few things in the internet to know more about what he wrote in the book.

Must read for those who like Dan Brown and Michael Crichton novels.
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apanteva

Posted August 29, 2009

Interesting

Very good entertainment
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Anonymous

Posted August 24, 2009

Great in spots, not in others

The story started rather slowly, was captivating in some spots, couldn't put it down in others, but not a great read cover to cover compared to Vince Flynn or even some of Steve Berry's tomes.
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Anonymous

Posted August 17, 2009

Good Book

Lots of action and suspense
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Anonymous

Posted August 8, 2009

The Last Oracle

this book was in interesting read, but given the topic, not so timely. It got better as it went along and moved nicely for the last half of the book. Seemed like a book written to be made in to a movie. Our book club was mixed.
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Anonymous

Posted August 2, 2009

Exciting as are most of James Rollins books.

Always enjoy reading anything by this author. He includes science with just enough fact to make his books plausible. Always an adventure yet he manages to make the characters likeable. I reccomend any books by this author to anyone who wants to lose themselves in good fiction.
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AZRETIRED

Posted August 1, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Great Read For A Rainy Day

Enjoyed the book, a little too draggy in places but overall a good read.
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dalnewt

Posted July 21, 2009

more from this reviewer

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Entertaining But Not Heart-Stopping

This is a fast-paced and well-plotted book with three primary story lines. The first two, (which concern Washington intrigue at Sigma headquarters and the field investigation of Commander Gray Pierce), are somewhat attenuated and lack the author's signature intensity (as seen in "Ice Hunt", "Sandstorm" and "Excavation"). Only the third plot line about Monk and the children is desperately intense. Unfortunately, the full consequences of Monk's and the children's story is not revealed until very late in the game. During most of the book the reader is only aware of their desperate efforts to escape. As a consequence, the import of their story cannot be anticipated, and the urgency of their efforts is not fully appreciated. Despite these flaws, I recommend this book to longtime Sigma fans and any reader who likes a fanciful action thriller.
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QuilterLadyNR

Posted July 18, 2009

Not his best

I've read all of Rollins' books, and this is far from his best. You need to have read his earlier ones to have any feeling/understanding of the characters; this one just assumes you know about them. Too much scientific detail and jargon, a la Crichton. Still worth a summer reading, but has the feel of an author who may be "written out," like Stuart Woods or some of the later Cussler books.
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