What do you think?
Rate this book
Sigma Force #1
Burza piaskowa
Ksiazka otwierajaca serie SIGMA FORCE Potezna eksplozja niszczy wystawe w Muzeum Brytyjskim Badanie pozostalosci wybuchu ujawnia sladowe promieniowanie o sygnaturze odpowiadajacej anihilacji antymaterii Piekna kustoszka muzeum Safia alMaaz odkrywa zagadkowy zapis na szczatkach antycznego posagu datowanego na rok dwusetny przed nasza era wskazowke ktora moze posluzyc do rozwiazania jednej z najwiekszych zagadek archeologii Co laczy posag z eksplozja i slynnym meteorytem tunguskim Zapada decyzja o zorganizowaniu ekspedycji do Omanu Jej celem jest zaginione przed tysiacami lat miasto bedace jak glosi legenda kolebka krolowej Saby nazywane przez beduinow Ubar a przez poszukiwaczy Atlantyda Piaskow Oprocz Safii i jej przyjaciolki Kary ktorej ojciec zaginal na pustyni wiele lat wczesniej w wyprawie uczestniczy awanturniczy archeolog Ohama Dunn oraz Painter Crowe agent DARPA supertajnej agendy Ministerstwa Obrony USA Jakie tajemnice kryje mityczny Ubar Niewyobrazalne skarby czy zrodlo energii zdolnej zniszczyc cala planete
512 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2004
About the author
James Rollins
89 books13.5k followersJames Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. The New York Times says, “Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together.” NPR calls his work, “Adventurous and enormously engrossing.” Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets matched with stunning suspense. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. Nowadays, Rollins shares his home up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with two furry companions, Echo and Charlie. He also enjoys scuba diving, spelunking, kayaking, and hiking. Of course, he loves to travel and experience new places around the world, which often inspire his next globe-trotting adventure.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,424 reviews
July 23, 2016
Sandstorm started out in London with a literal bang and ended with a storm of supposedly epic proportions in an ancient desert city. But by the time it did, I didn't care anymore. All I saw was a swirly world of sand, glass, and static electricity populated by cardboard characters. The good ones would probably survive and the bad ones wouldn't and so what. What happened in between was pedestrian and predictable thriller fare with too many guns and action and not enough thrill.
Anti-matter? Bucky balls? Parthenogenesis? Underground cities? It all adds up to too much to suspend disbelief. More like 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls' than 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', if you want an Indiana Jones comparison (and Rollins apparently does, naming one character 'Omaha' and having another repeatedly calling him 'Indiana').
The characters never really clicked for me, although the settings were pretty vivid. The plot started unraveling for me when the big puzzle turned into a simple map to a city that wasn't lost, but sealed. If you intentionally hide a city, why do you leave a map to it? And if you do, why do you make it a puzzle? In the end, there was absolutely no point for anyone to go there, anyway. Which is pretty much how I felt.
Anti-matter? Bucky balls? Parthenogenesis? Underground cities? It all adds up to too much to suspend disbelief. More like 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls' than 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', if you want an Indiana Jones comparison (and Rollins apparently does, naming one character 'Omaha' and having another repeatedly calling him 'Indiana').
The characters never really clicked for me, although the settings were pretty vivid. The plot started unraveling for me when the big puzzle turned into a simple map to a city that wasn't lost, but sealed. If you intentionally hide a city, why do you leave a map to it? And if you do, why do you make it a puzzle? In the end, there was absolutely no point for anyone to go there, anyway. Which is pretty much how I felt.
April 1, 2021
Sandstorm is the first Sigma Force novel written by James Rollins. I've seen his name around many times in the past, and years ago, I devoured a bunch of these types of novels... for some reason, I hadn't picked up his. Now that I'm back in the mood for archaeological thrillers with elements of natural disaster, history, religion, and science as influences... I selected five first-in-series this month. Sigma Force revolves around an American agency that protects the world; and Painter Crowe, so far, is the leading agent / investigator. With over a dozen books, I'm not sure he's always the main guy, but I enjoyed this one a lot.
Ubar, a secret Arab city, fell a long time ago. Rumors and facts surround the location, as it's mentioned in many religions and tales about the past exploits and wonders of the world. Queen Sheba is at the center of this one, and a secret sect of modern-day protectors are hoping to keep the place hidden. Safia had a troubled life, and her friend Kara took care of her. Kara's father died, and the girls felt lost. They come from wealth and are searching for answers about how he died in a mysterious sandstorm in the dessert. Safia's ex and his brother are running from the Chinese after stealing something from their lands. Painter Crowe is trying to nail a Chinese criminal for potentially causing harm to the world. It's all connected, and Painter's partners might not be on the good side.
The book has all the elements of a successful thriller. A minor love story, a child searching for a parent, a man angry about his lot in life. The beginning has a lot of backstory, which is intriguing yet a little slow to me for this type of novel. I wanted a much bigger bang to kick it off, but once it settles into the main storyline by 1/3 thru, it's a page-turner. The writing style is very easy to access, despite a lot of history and scientific terms to keep track of. I'm learning some history I either never knew or have forgotten. So far, it's not a huge standout among all I've read in the past... but then again, it's been a few years since I've focused on cozy mysteries and family drama fiction. I might find myself immediately drawn back into finishing all of the series I start this month.
If you have a fascination for desserts, Arab / Christian religious history, Queen Sheba, and intense scientific anomalies (lightning, water, electricity, anti-matter: all a bit over my head), it will be a solid read. If you want a book where you understand every single technical implication, this isn't the right one (unless you come from a scientific or engineering background). Still, the writing is good, the characters are interesting, and the plot has tons of twists and turns to maintain your focus. I will read the second one next month.
Ubar, a secret Arab city, fell a long time ago. Rumors and facts surround the location, as it's mentioned in many religions and tales about the past exploits and wonders of the world. Queen Sheba is at the center of this one, and a secret sect of modern-day protectors are hoping to keep the place hidden. Safia had a troubled life, and her friend Kara took care of her. Kara's father died, and the girls felt lost. They come from wealth and are searching for answers about how he died in a mysterious sandstorm in the dessert. Safia's ex and his brother are running from the Chinese after stealing something from their lands. Painter Crowe is trying to nail a Chinese criminal for potentially causing harm to the world. It's all connected, and Painter's partners might not be on the good side.
The book has all the elements of a successful thriller. A minor love story, a child searching for a parent, a man angry about his lot in life. The beginning has a lot of backstory, which is intriguing yet a little slow to me for this type of novel. I wanted a much bigger bang to kick it off, but once it settles into the main storyline by 1/3 thru, it's a page-turner. The writing style is very easy to access, despite a lot of history and scientific terms to keep track of. I'm learning some history I either never knew or have forgotten. So far, it's not a huge standout among all I've read in the past... but then again, it's been a few years since I've focused on cozy mysteries and family drama fiction. I might find myself immediately drawn back into finishing all of the series I start this month.
If you have a fascination for desserts, Arab / Christian religious history, Queen Sheba, and intense scientific anomalies (lightning, water, electricity, anti-matter: all a bit over my head), it will be a solid read. If you want a book where you understand every single technical implication, this isn't the right one (unless you come from a scientific or engineering background). Still, the writing is good, the characters are interesting, and the plot has tons of twists and turns to maintain your focus. I will read the second one next month.
January 7, 2012
Well, if you're going to have insomnia, this is one heck of a book to have handy. It took me a long time to finish this book because I had so many irons in the fire towards the end of last year. I am so glad that I did pick it up now, because it turned out to be a very rewarding read.
Just a few of Danielle's Late Night Review Observations:
1) James Rollins writes detail-oriented, science heavy action/adventure. It took me a bit to get used to his writing style, but I have to say it really worked for me. Since I am a self-admitted science nerd, I found the scientific aspects quite interesting, and it usually didn't go too far over my head. I loved Coral Novak's character. A tough as nails special forces operative, who is also a serious brainiac. Which leads me to my next point.
2) I think Mr. Rollins really loves and respects women. Painter Crowe and Omaha Dunn are strong, pivotal characters in this novel, but the women really carry the show. This novel is underscored and wrapped in the depths and characterization of women, from the shy, introverted, scholarly, tortured Safia, to her more outgoing adoptive sister, Lady Kara, who is equally tortured, to the seriously twisted villain character (a major spoiler) if you haven't read the book, and then there are the mysterious women of the Ubar descent who trace their origins back to the Queen of Sheba. Although I thought that Lady Kara could have been more fleshed out, I think overall Rollins did a great job of rounding out this book with incredible women.
3)Painter Crowe and Omaha Dunn surprise you, because they are a lot more emotional than I would expect tough guy action heroes to be. Painter actually gets choked up a few times. It was sexy. And I loved the image of him running around in his boxers. (I'm a bit boy crazy, I freely admit) I like a man who can be free with his emotions. Omaha is in the Indiana Jones vein, but with a soft-hearted depth that Jones doesn't quite show with women; he's never fallen out of love with Safia, even with the bad mistakes he made. That's another plus with this novel that Rollins is unafraid to stray from gender conventions, and dare I say, stereotypes.
4)Going back to point 1, (forgive me, it's almost four am, and my brain is muzzy), I like that Rollins does his research to write a story that is about the possible and the plausible. I loved the fact that he built this imaginative science/fantastical adventure on a foundation of real life facts.
5)The action in this book is hot and heavy. When I said it was detailed in the science facts, don't let that scare you away. Mr. Rollins doesn't let his readers down when it comes to things blowing up, characters in serious jeopardy, and yes, violent, gruesome deaths. Nothing gratuitous mind you. If you like all the hardware and high tech action meeting the ancient treasure hunting motif, you'll be a happy camper with this novel.
Wrapping my wobbly thoughts together, I thought this would just be a four star novel because of the fact it took a while to get into the book. However, I have talked myself into a higher rating during this review, actually as I read the incredible imagery in this book at its climax. I was mentally reading with my mouth wide open. A guy who can write with this kind of depth and imagination is a man I want to read more of. I have to give this book 4.5 stars at the minimum.
Highly recommended!
Just a few of Danielle's Late Night Review Observations:
1) James Rollins writes detail-oriented, science heavy action/adventure. It took me a bit to get used to his writing style, but I have to say it really worked for me. Since I am a self-admitted science nerd, I found the scientific aspects quite interesting, and it usually didn't go too far over my head. I loved Coral Novak's character. A tough as nails special forces operative, who is also a serious brainiac. Which leads me to my next point.
2) I think Mr. Rollins really loves and respects women. Painter Crowe and Omaha Dunn are strong, pivotal characters in this novel, but the women really carry the show. This novel is underscored and wrapped in the depths and characterization of women, from the shy, introverted, scholarly, tortured Safia, to her more outgoing adoptive sister, Lady Kara, who is equally tortured, to the seriously twisted villain character (a major spoiler) if you haven't read the book, and then there are the mysterious women of the Ubar descent who trace their origins back to the Queen of Sheba. Although I thought that Lady Kara could have been more fleshed out, I think overall Rollins did a great job of rounding out this book with incredible women.
3)Painter Crowe and Omaha Dunn surprise you, because they are a lot more emotional than I would expect tough guy action heroes to be. Painter actually gets choked up a few times. It was sexy. And I loved the image of him running around in his boxers. (I'm a bit boy crazy, I freely admit) I like a man who can be free with his emotions. Omaha is in the Indiana Jones vein, but with a soft-hearted depth that Jones doesn't quite show with women; he's never fallen out of love with Safia, even with the bad mistakes he made. That's another plus with this novel that Rollins is unafraid to stray from gender conventions, and dare I say, stereotypes.
4)Going back to point 1, (forgive me, it's almost four am, and my brain is muzzy), I like that Rollins does his research to write a story that is about the possible and the plausible. I loved the fact that he built this imaginative science/fantastical adventure on a foundation of real life facts.
5)The action in this book is hot and heavy. When I said it was detailed in the science facts, don't let that scare you away. Mr. Rollins doesn't let his readers down when it comes to things blowing up, characters in serious jeopardy, and yes, violent, gruesome deaths. Nothing gratuitous mind you. If you like all the hardware and high tech action meeting the ancient treasure hunting motif, you'll be a happy camper with this novel.
Wrapping my wobbly thoughts together, I thought this would just be a four star novel because of the fact it took a while to get into the book. However, I have talked myself into a higher rating during this review, actually as I read the incredible imagery in this book at its climax. I was mentally reading with my mouth wide open. A guy who can write with this kind of depth and imagination is a man I want to read more of. I have to give this book 4.5 stars at the minimum.
Highly recommended!
August 3, 2007
This is the first of James Rollins's "Sigma Force" novels. This is different than most of the books that are in my book list, quite different in some cases.
It's basically an action movie in book form, but it's a good one, like Indiana Jones style. And Rollins seems to know that it's that kind of adventure. One of the characters is referred to as "Indiana Jones" occasionally. It's the kind of humor I like in books, the wink to the audience that everything is kind tounge in cheek.
But even with it being not in the same class of book as Hitchhiker's Guide or Lost In A Good Book, it's a lot of fun. I usually read one of these after I've read something by George R.R. Martin, because I know that it's going to be fast paced and fun with action, explosions, humor and completely ridiculous science. And that's one of the things I like about the Sigma Force novels, there's always a scientific reason behind everything, and it looks like James Rollins actually does a lot of research into these subjects. It may not always be totally believeable, but I enjoyed Jurasic Park and I doubt I'd actually enjoy being chased by dinosaurs across a tropical island. Er, that means that it's good enough for me.
It's basically an action movie in book form, but it's a good one, like Indiana Jones style. And Rollins seems to know that it's that kind of adventure. One of the characters is referred to as "Indiana Jones" occasionally. It's the kind of humor I like in books, the wink to the audience that everything is kind tounge in cheek.
But even with it being not in the same class of book as Hitchhiker's Guide or Lost In A Good Book, it's a lot of fun. I usually read one of these after I've read something by George R.R. Martin, because I know that it's going to be fast paced and fun with action, explosions, humor and completely ridiculous science. And that's one of the things I like about the Sigma Force novels, there's always a scientific reason behind everything, and it looks like James Rollins actually does a lot of research into these subjects. It may not always be totally believeable, but I enjoyed Jurasic Park and I doubt I'd actually enjoy being chased by dinosaurs across a tropical island. Er, that means that it's good enough for me.
April 25, 2017
Not nearly as good as I expected...,
I read & loved Map of Bones, Rollins most recent release, so I picked up this book thinking it would be just as good. I moved backwards to this predecessor because I had not heard of Rollins before. Mistake!
I cannot start a book & not finish it & I don't like to read more than one book at a time; personal quirks I live with. Usually I read a book a week, because I usually find good reads based on reviews, research & sales. There was nothing to suggest that I wouldn't like this. Reviews of the book were good, sales were good, & the story seemed enthralling. My formula did not work. This was a month long marathon of torture. I felt like I was back in high school or college reading a book that I hated but had to read to complete a report or take a test to pass the course.
What a disaster of a novel. The book is over 500 pages long for 1 very simple reason: this guy can drag out the description of a piece of dirt for at least a page. It would also appear that Rollins pulled out a thesaurus the day he started writing this book, picked out five to ten words that are not often used in conversation, & regurgitated those five to ten words over and over again. Why? I don't know.
The story and the facts supporting it are promising, intriguing. It involves anti-matter (yes, the same stuff in "Angels & Demons"), the lost city of Ubar (the queen of Sheba and the Garden of Eden), & the potential for world domination based on some long-buried secret. A good formula for a scientific & historical thriller. Right? Wrong!
To top it off, Rollins attempts to add a love story (you could call it a love triangle) to this train wreck of a novel, which only further bogs down the story.
Some of the characters (described in full as if they will be a major player) exist for no apparent reason other than to add a line of dialogue, and the dialogue is bad throughout. One character, who appears in the first chapter & is described with enough detail that you can assume he will be a key character, never returns. Why? It's a muddled mess.
The main characters are unemotional & unresponsive, almost lifeless, considering that they are facing life-and-death situations.
The dialogue is ridiculous: calm conversations about scientific realities & falsehoods in the midst of a gunfight taking place under the so-called sand-storm of the century; attempted witty banter between two characters that have not had an ounce of chemistry; run-on, endless dialogue about scientific facts without a pause or interruption.
I was thoroughly disappointed in this book & I won't be reading any of Rollins' earlier works. I may attempt the follow up to "Map of Bones", if one is released. Maybe that was the turning point for Rollins, the place where he found his writing niche. I'm not sure if I will, but I might.
I am sure that there are many people who truly enjoyed this novel, but I found it to be trite & cliche, a drudgery. I hope anyone who buys this book enjoys it, I just want to let you know that you may want to think twice before believing the great reviews.
For the sake of relativity, I will provide a list of some of my favorite books in this genre so you can decide whether or not my opinion matters to you: The Last Templar by Khoury, The Third Secret & The Romanov Prophecy by Berry, Obsessed by Dekker, Brethren by Young, Labyrinth by Mosse, and The First Horseman & The Genesis Code by Case.
I read & loved Map of Bones, Rollins most recent release, so I picked up this book thinking it would be just as good. I moved backwards to this predecessor because I had not heard of Rollins before. Mistake!
I cannot start a book & not finish it & I don't like to read more than one book at a time; personal quirks I live with. Usually I read a book a week, because I usually find good reads based on reviews, research & sales. There was nothing to suggest that I wouldn't like this. Reviews of the book were good, sales were good, & the story seemed enthralling. My formula did not work. This was a month long marathon of torture. I felt like I was back in high school or college reading a book that I hated but had to read to complete a report or take a test to pass the course.
What a disaster of a novel. The book is over 500 pages long for 1 very simple reason: this guy can drag out the description of a piece of dirt for at least a page. It would also appear that Rollins pulled out a thesaurus the day he started writing this book, picked out five to ten words that are not often used in conversation, & regurgitated those five to ten words over and over again. Why? I don't know.
The story and the facts supporting it are promising, intriguing. It involves anti-matter (yes, the same stuff in "Angels & Demons"), the lost city of Ubar (the queen of Sheba and the Garden of Eden), & the potential for world domination based on some long-buried secret. A good formula for a scientific & historical thriller. Right? Wrong!
To top it off, Rollins attempts to add a love story (you could call it a love triangle) to this train wreck of a novel, which only further bogs down the story.
Some of the characters (described in full as if they will be a major player) exist for no apparent reason other than to add a line of dialogue, and the dialogue is bad throughout. One character, who appears in the first chapter & is described with enough detail that you can assume he will be a key character, never returns. Why? It's a muddled mess.
The main characters are unemotional & unresponsive, almost lifeless, considering that they are facing life-and-death situations.
The dialogue is ridiculous: calm conversations about scientific realities & falsehoods in the midst of a gunfight taking place under the so-called sand-storm of the century; attempted witty banter between two characters that have not had an ounce of chemistry; run-on, endless dialogue about scientific facts without a pause or interruption.
I was thoroughly disappointed in this book & I won't be reading any of Rollins' earlier works. I may attempt the follow up to "Map of Bones", if one is released. Maybe that was the turning point for Rollins, the place where he found his writing niche. I'm not sure if I will, but I might.
I am sure that there are many people who truly enjoyed this novel, but I found it to be trite & cliche, a drudgery. I hope anyone who buys this book enjoys it, I just want to let you know that you may want to think twice before believing the great reviews.
For the sake of relativity, I will provide a list of some of my favorite books in this genre so you can decide whether or not my opinion matters to you: The Last Templar by Khoury, The Third Secret & The Romanov Prophecy by Berry, Obsessed by Dekker, Brethren by Young, Labyrinth by Mosse, and The First Horseman & The Genesis Code by Case.
April 8, 2012
Simply put, I love this guy's work. Less "bromantic" than Clive Cussler and more accessible than Micheal Crichton, both of whom I do enjoy, his tales are just fun, adventurous, and often educational. I wanted to read the Sigma Force books in order, so it took me a while until I could track down the first in the series - and I wasn't disappointed.
With any literature of this type, you have to be able to muster up a certain suspension of belief. Sigma Force, in itself, is a wild concept - scientist soldiers running around acquiring deadly tech for DARPA. We're not even going to get into the near meta-physics that pop up in every book. The thing is... none of that matters. You don't read these books looking for an accurate portrayal of our impact in socio-economic politics - you read these books for sexy spies, crazy weapons, secret societies, and stuff blowing up! And oh, oh does Rollins give it to us.
So yes, I'm hooked. Painter Crowe and the whole crew are awesome. I think I'm on the 4th book now. And seriously... Gray Pierce would beat "The DaVinci Code's" Robert Langdon into a stain with one fist.
With any literature of this type, you have to be able to muster up a certain suspension of belief. Sigma Force, in itself, is a wild concept - scientist soldiers running around acquiring deadly tech for DARPA. We're not even going to get into the near meta-physics that pop up in every book. The thing is... none of that matters. You don't read these books looking for an accurate portrayal of our impact in socio-economic politics - you read these books for sexy spies, crazy weapons, secret societies, and stuff blowing up! And oh, oh does Rollins give it to us.
So yes, I'm hooked. Painter Crowe and the whole crew are awesome. I think I'm on the 4th book now. And seriously... Gray Pierce would beat "The DaVinci Code's" Robert Langdon into a stain with one fist.
April 27, 2017
ল���্ডন মিউজিয়ামে বিস্ফোরণ দিয়ে বইয়ের শুরু। এই বিস্ফোরণের মাধ্যমে অনেকগুলা ঘটনা ঘটার চেইন রি-অ্যাকশনের সূত্রপাত। তারপর একের পর এক রহস্য আর অনেকগুলো প্রশ্নের উদ্ভব। সেসব প্রশ্নের উত্তর আর হারিয়ে যাওয়া শহর উবারের সন্ধানে ওমানে পাড়ি জমাল সিগমা ফোর্স টিম, লেডী কারা কেনসিংটন, সুন্দরী এবং বিদূষী ড. সাফিয়া আল-মায়াজ এবং নামকরা প্রত্নতাত্ত্বিক ওমাহা ডান। একের পর এক বাধা আর আক্রমণের মুখে ওরা। বিপদের মাত্রা আরও বাড়িয়ে দিল সিগমা ফোর্স কর্মী পেইন্টার ক্রো’র প্রাক্তন সহকর্মী। শত্রু সব সময়ই এক ধাপ এগিয়ে থাকে ওদের চেয়ে।
কী পছন্দ করেন আপনি? অ্যাকশন? অ্যাডভেঞ্চার? থ্রিলার? সাসপেন্স? মিথ? – সবই আছে এ বইয়ে।
কী বলব ‘স্যান্ডস্টর্ম’কে! দুই মলাটের ভেতর কালো হরফের মুভি! কী নেই সেই মুভিতে – গুটিবাজি ( :3 ), অ্যাকশন, অ্যাডভেঞ্চার – এগুলোর সাথে মিথ, ইতিহাসের অ্যালিউশন; এক ভরপুর প্যাকেজ! ইন্ডিয়ানা জোনস, অ্যালান কোয়াটারমেইন, মাসুদ রানা, হাজার বছরের গোপন গোত্র – এসবের মিশেলে যে ফ্লেভার তার কোন তুলনা নাই। এস্পিওনাজ টেস্ট থেকে রহস্য-রোমাঞ্চ, অ্যাডভেঞ্চার - সব টেস্টই আছে বইটায়। আর মরুভূমির ভয়ঙ্কর সৌন্দর্যের বর্ণনা পড়ে ইচ্ছা হচ্ছিল বের হয়ে পড়ি! রলিন্সের লেখনীর সবচেয়ে শক্তিশালী দিক হলো (আমার মতে) এতসব মিথোলোজিক্যাল ব্যাপার-স্যাপারকে তিনি বিশ্বাসযোগ্য করে উপস্থাপন করেছেন। সায়েন্সের হ��লকা কচকচানি থাকলেও, তা পড়তে মোটেও বিরক্তি লাগে না। রলিন্সের একটা জিনিসই আমার একটু না-পছন্দের - ডিটেইলিং, যেগুলো না থাকলেও সমস্যা হইত না।
এইবার অনুবাদে আসি। প্রথমে ভালো দিক। অনুবাদকের এটা তৃতীয় প্রকাশিত অনুবাদ। আগের অনুবাদগুলো যথেষ্ট সুখপাঠ্য ছিল। তবে ‘স্যান্ডস্টর্ম’-এর অনুবাদের সাথে বাকিগুলোর অনুবাদে পার্থক্য ব্যাপকভাবে লক্ষণীয়। আগের দুটো অনুবাদকে ছাড়িয়ে গেছেন এবারকার পারফরম্যান্স দিয়ে। দারুণ উন্নতি করেছেন অনুবাদক, সুখপাঠ্য-সুস্বাদু একটি অনুবাদ উপহার দিয়েছেন। রলিন্সের বইয়ের জটিল সব সায়েন্টিফিক টার্মগুলোকে যথাসাধ্য সহজ ভাষায় অনুবাদ করেছেন। চমৎকার, সুন্দর এই অনুবাদটার জন্যে সাধুবাদ পেতেই পারেন তিনি।
কুসুমেও কীট থাকে! :3 এইবার নেগেটিভ দিক। অনুবাদে চরিত্রগুলাকে এতবার ‘নড’ না করায়া মাঝে মাঝে ‘মাথা ঝাঁকাইতে’ দিলে ভাল্লাগার লেভেলটা আরেকটু চড়া হইত; শব্দটার রিপিটেশন বেশি-ই হইছে। বানান ভুলের পরিমাণটা আরেকটু কমাইতে পারলে পড়ার আরামটাও একটু বাড়ত।
সিরিজের প্রথম বই দিয়ে রলিন্স সাহেব আমাকে জালে আটকায়া ফেলছেন।
কী পছন্দ করেন আপনি? অ্যাকশন? অ্যাডভেঞ্চার? থ্রিলার? সাসপেন্স? মিথ? – সবই আছে এ বইয়ে।
কী বলব ‘স্যান্ডস্টর্ম’কে! দুই মলাটের ভেতর কালো হরফের মুভি! কী নেই সেই মুভিতে – গুটিবাজি ( :3 ), অ্যাকশন, অ্যাডভেঞ্চার – এগুলোর সাথে মিথ, ইতিহাসের অ্যালিউশন; এক ভরপুর প্যাকেজ! ইন্ডিয়ানা জোনস, অ্যালান কোয়াটারমেইন, মাসুদ রানা, হাজার বছরের গোপন গোত্র – এসবের মিশেলে যে ফ্লেভার তার কোন তুলনা নাই। এস্পিওনাজ টেস্ট থেকে রহস্য-রোমাঞ্চ, অ্যাডভেঞ্চার - সব টেস্টই আছে বইটায়। আর মরুভূমির ভয়ঙ্কর সৌন্দর্যের বর্ণনা পড়ে ইচ্ছা হচ্ছিল বের হয়ে পড়ি! রলিন্সের লেখনীর সবচেয়ে শক্তিশালী দিক হলো (আমার মতে) এতসব মিথোলোজিক্যাল ব্যাপার-স্যাপারকে তিনি বিশ্বাসযোগ্য করে উপস্থাপন করেছেন। সায়েন্সের হ��লকা কচকচানি থাকলেও, তা পড়তে মোটেও বিরক্তি লাগে না। রলিন্সের একটা জিনিসই আমার একটু না-পছন্দের - ডিটেইলিং, যেগুলো না থাকলেও সমস্যা হইত না।
এইবার অনুবাদে আসি। প্রথমে ভালো দিক। অনুবাদকের এটা তৃতীয় প্রকাশিত অনুবাদ। আগের অনুবাদগুলো যথেষ্ট সুখপাঠ্য ছিল। তবে ‘স্যান্ডস্টর্ম’-এর অনুবাদের সাথে বাকিগুলোর অনুবাদে পার্থক্য ব্যাপকভাবে লক্ষণীয়। আগের দুটো অনুবাদকে ছাড়িয়ে গেছেন এবারকার পারফরম্যান্স দিয়ে। দারুণ উন্নতি করেছেন অনুবাদক, সুখপাঠ্য-সুস্বাদু একটি অনুবাদ উপহার দিয়েছেন। রলিন্সের বইয়ের জটিল সব সায়েন্টিফিক টার্মগুলোকে যথাসাধ্য সহজ ভাষায় অনুবাদ করেছেন। চমৎকার, সুন্দর এই অনুবাদটার জন্যে সাধুবাদ পেতেই পারেন তিনি।
কুসুমেও কীট থাকে! :3 এইবার নেগেটিভ দিক। অনুবাদে চরিত্রগুলাকে এতবার ‘নড’ না করায়া মাঝে মাঝে ‘মাথা ঝাঁকাইতে’ দিলে ভাল্লাগার লেভেলটা আরেকটু চড়া হইত; শব্দটার রিপিটেশন বেশি-ই হইছে। বানান ভুলের পরিমাণটা আরেকটু কমাইতে পারলে পড়ার আরামটাও একটু বাড়ত।
সিরিজের প্রথম বই দিয়ে রলিন্স সাহেব আমাকে জালে আটকায়া ফেলছেন।
December 4, 2017
Here's the thing about James Rollins - his books are utterly predictable and he is just unable to create any type of suspense or intrigue. I've read multiple Rollins books and they are all pretty much the same. They are the epitome of the books that you see on endcaps at your local pharmacy or grocery store and that's about the type of reading level they are as well. I just can't read any more of his novels. This one was another disappointment - a wannabe Michael Crichton/Clive Cussler type of story but nowhere near the skill to pull it off the way that thoose two excellent authors can. I'm sure this will rub some the wrong way because his books sell millions and millions of copies (see Dan Brown), but I have to be honest.
March 19, 2021
The different settings were great, but this felt overall too long and the characters were kinda flat.
February 21, 2020
Another read out of order for me, but still very excited to read those familiar names and background that made Sigma. This first book is sort of Indiana Jones with Sci-fi. Plenty of adventure and action throughout the story starting in London where an explosion occurred at a section of British Museum then the story led to a search of lost city of Ubar, Oman. 3.5 star... too much going on the middle of the story.
August 29, 2018
This is one of those stories I felt that I should’ve liked, but didn’t. The plot needed some editing – it reached the part I felt should’ve been the exciting climax and then kept going, building to the level of absurdity – and then the characters killed it.
I liked Safia for all of about one page after she was introduced, after which my opinion of her started to wane. After a chapter of her, I was sincerely hoping she’d get killed off, so I was very disappointed to learn that not only would she not get killed off, but that she was crucial to the story. All of the characters make observations about how “strong” Safia is, which is interesting, since I never saw Safia being strong. In fact, if it wasn’t for the other characters beating me over the head with how strong and admirable Safia was, I would’ve pegged her as being kinda pathetic, seeing as how she kept having panic attacks and angsting over her not-so-terrible terrible past. Ugh.
I kinda liked Painter Crowe, up until his infatuation with Safia, at which point I started to lose some respect for him. Then later in the book there was some horrible line about how Safia’s wonderful, womanly vulnerability called out the man in him and I very nearly stopped reading.
I liked Safia for all of about one page after she was introduced, after which my opinion of her started to wane. After a chapter of her, I was sincerely hoping she’d get killed off, so I was very disappointed to learn that not only would she not get killed off, but that she was crucial to the story. All of the characters make observations about how “strong” Safia is, which is interesting, since I never saw Safia being strong. In fact, if it wasn’t for the other characters beating me over the head with how strong and admirable Safia was, I would’ve pegged her as being kinda pathetic, seeing as how she kept having panic attacks and angsting over her not-so-terrible terrible past. Ugh.
I kinda liked Painter Crowe, up until his infatuation with Safia, at which point I started to lose some respect for him. Then later in the book there was some horrible line about how Safia’s wonderful, womanly vulnerability called out the man in him and I very nearly stopped reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2022
I LOVED 'Sandstorm' by James Rollins! It is pure old-fashioned adventure much like the Doc Savage series by Lester Dent.
Reader, if you love thriller novels which combine adventure, fantasy, and black-ops excitement, I beg you to read once in your lifetime the Doc Savage series beginning with Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze! If you can. Amazon shows these novels are out of print, alas! They are also not politically correct. I don't care! But I digress..
I have copied the book blurb about 'Sandstorm', which IS a politically correct novel:
"An inexplicable explosion rocks the antiquities collection of a London museum, setting off alarms in clandestine organizations around the world.
And now the search for answers is leading Lady Kara Kensington; her friend Safia al-Maaz, the gallery's brilliant and beautiful curator; and their guide, the international adventurer Omaha Dunn, into a world they never dreamed existed: a lost city buried beneath the Arabian desert.
But others are being drawn there as well, some with dark and sinister purposes. And the many perils of a death-defying trek deep into the savage heart of the Arabian Peninsula pale before the nightmare waiting to be unearthed at journey's end: an ageless and awesome power that could create a utopia... or destroy everything humankind has built over countless millennia."
Almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, much like the serials of the 1930's. Omg, gentle reader, I'm in fricking heaven! I'm so glad I have discovered these books! Omg, I hope the rest of the series are like 'Sandstorm! I will be absolutely devastated if they aren't. This novel, anyway, is a throwback to matinee serials like the one starring Buster Crabbe, star of Flash Gordon and the fictionalized novels of other comic books. What others you ask? Ok, nobody is asking me, but I'm going to show you anyway.
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls056553395/
Needless to say, they ALL are politically incorrect, but when I was able to get my hands on one of these pulp comics or novelizations I went out of my mind with joy! This! This! This!
*ahem*
Sorry. But these dime novels were the start of my adult love affair, so to speak, with reading, once I found them with torn covers, missing pages, and stained with coffee cup rings in the damaged paperbacks bins at my local Salvation Army store. Originally, it was novels like The Complete Sherlock Holmes series and The Black Stallion series that were my elementary school loves, but it was the silly 1930's pulps which cemented my adoration of reading, discovered when I was in junior high (or middle school to non-baby-boomer generations).
'Sandstorm' was printed in 2004, and it involves an up-to-date team of competing scientists and military teams, but it also includes what are to me the absolutely delightful touches present in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark'
https://youtu.be/0xQSIdSRlAk
I hope my library has the next one in the Sigma Force series, Map of Bones! I haven't felt this happy since I read Relic!
I love early pulps! And the radio shows, too! Like "The Shadow" , "Adventures by Morse", "The Creaking door", Arch Obeler plays, "CBS Radio Mystery Theater", "I Love A Mystery" - to name my favorites! No, I wasn't born when these shows were on the radio except for CBS Radio Mystery Theater, but there was, and is sort of a cycle of bringing them back every fifteen years or so. A lot of these are available as podcasts today. However, warning they often are not politically correct.
Don't judge me. My life is small.
P.s. Many of these early pulps are terrible, awful. I laugh and laugh!
Reader, if you love thriller novels which combine adventure, fantasy, and black-ops excitement, I beg you to read once in your lifetime the Doc Savage series beginning with Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze! If you can. Amazon shows these novels are out of print, alas! They are also not politically correct. I don't care! But I digress..
I have copied the book blurb about 'Sandstorm', which IS a politically correct novel:
"An inexplicable explosion rocks the antiquities collection of a London museum, setting off alarms in clandestine organizations around the world.
And now the search for answers is leading Lady Kara Kensington; her friend Safia al-Maaz, the gallery's brilliant and beautiful curator; and their guide, the international adventurer Omaha Dunn, into a world they never dreamed existed: a lost city buried beneath the Arabian desert.
But others are being drawn there as well, some with dark and sinister purposes. And the many perils of a death-defying trek deep into the savage heart of the Arabian Peninsula pale before the nightmare waiting to be unearthed at journey's end: an ageless and awesome power that could create a utopia... or destroy everything humankind has built over countless millennia."
Almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, much like the serials of the 1930's. Omg, gentle reader, I'm in fricking heaven! I'm so glad I have discovered these books! Omg, I hope the rest of the series are like 'Sandstorm! I will be absolutely devastated if they aren't. This novel, anyway, is a throwback to matinee serials like the one starring Buster Crabbe, star of Flash Gordon and the fictionalized novels of other comic books. What others you ask? Ok, nobody is asking me, but I'm going to show you anyway.
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls056553395/
Needless to say, they ALL are politically incorrect, but when I was able to get my hands on one of these pulp comics or novelizations I went out of my mind with joy! This! This! This!
*ahem*
Sorry. But these dime novels were the start of my adult love affair, so to speak, with reading, once I found them with torn covers, missing pages, and stained with coffee cup rings in the damaged paperbacks bins at my local Salvation Army store. Originally, it was novels like The Complete Sherlock Holmes series and The Black Stallion series that were my elementary school loves, but it was the silly 1930's pulps which cemented my adoration of reading, discovered when I was in junior high (or middle school to non-baby-boomer generations).
'Sandstorm' was printed in 2004, and it involves an up-to-date team of competing scientists and military teams, but it also includes what are to me the absolutely delightful touches present in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark'
https://youtu.be/0xQSIdSRlAk
I hope my library has the next one in the Sigma Force series, Map of Bones! I haven't felt this happy since I read Relic!
I love early pulps! And the radio shows, too! Like "The Shadow" , "Adventures by Morse", "The Creaking door", Arch Obeler plays, "CBS Radio Mystery Theater", "I Love A Mystery" - to name my favorites! No, I wasn't born when these shows were on the radio except for CBS Radio Mystery Theater, but there was, and is sort of a cycle of bringing them back every fifteen years or so. A lot of these are available as podcasts today. However, warning they often are not politically correct.
Don't judge me. My life is small.
P.s. Many of these early pulps are terrible, awful. I laugh and laugh!
October 3, 2013
Yahhhhh loved it, 4* read, t'rrific Harry! :)
It's all there, has the right formulae for a good read & glad I finally got around to this series.
Starts with a BANG, a mystery evolves, scientists & government agencies come to the fore as the lead protagonists, many with obvious sterotypical flaws which is all good fun, a nemesis comes into the fray.... BOO HISS.... whose well... you'll see, there's a few good scientific leaps which are kinda viable if not plausible, there's the Oh yeah thats clever alright moment which bridges the story nicely & it finishes with a .......!
There's even an Indiana Jones style character called....wait for it... Omaha Dunn! Moments of tongue in cheek & recommend to all who've not come across this series before, will be adding Sigma 2 to my trl.
It's all there, has the right formulae for a good read & glad I finally got around to this series.
Starts with a BANG, a mystery evolves, scientists & government agencies come to the fore as the lead protagonists, many with obvious sterotypical flaws which is all good fun, a nemesis comes into the fray.... BOO HISS.... whose well... you'll see, there's a few good scientific leaps which are kinda viable if not plausible, there's the Oh yeah thats clever alright moment which bridges the story nicely & it finishes with a .......!
There's even an Indiana Jones style character called....wait for it... Omaha Dunn! Moments of tongue in cheek & recommend to all who've not come across this series before, will be adding Sigma 2 to my trl.
August 7, 2022
The beginning was intriguing but it was a bit too much unfelt romance and POV switching and Indiana Jones-y for me
August 17, 2011
The first Sigma Force Novel.
A freak explosion in the Meuseum of Natural History in London sets off a chain reaction of events. A race to find out what caused the explosion and find the source begins, with deadly consequences for the civilized world. Painter Crow, hardened CIA operative takes a job at DARPA in the newly organized "Sigma Force." Their first mission takes them into the scalding Saudi desert in search of the unknown. The answers may be older than Christ and rooted in obscure scripture from the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the truth could shake the pillars of Christianity itself.
Fun charachters. I Found Painter Crow "Hard around the edges" but in a way that I liked. In the finest tradion of Action Adventure, Rollins starts fast and ends at a crazy fast pace. I've read the entire Sigma force series (well listened to the audio books for some) and this is another just plain fun read.
And just when you think this is all too good to be believed, James Rollins comes out after the story and tells you what he invented and what really exists, along with references. you would be amazed at what we can do these days.
A freak explosion in the Meuseum of Natural History in London sets off a chain reaction of events. A race to find out what caused the explosion and find the source begins, with deadly consequences for the civilized world. Painter Crow, hardened CIA operative takes a job at DARPA in the newly organized "Sigma Force." Their first mission takes them into the scalding Saudi desert in search of the unknown. The answers may be older than Christ and rooted in obscure scripture from the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the truth could shake the pillars of Christianity itself.
Fun charachters. I Found Painter Crow "Hard around the edges" but in a way that I liked. In the finest tradion of Action Adventure, Rollins starts fast and ends at a crazy fast pace. I've read the entire Sigma force series (well listened to the audio books for some) and this is another just plain fun read.
And just when you think this is all too good to be believed, James Rollins comes out after the story and tells you what he invented and what really exists, along with references. you would be amazed at what we can do these days.
April 24, 2023
ধরুন আপনার কাছে একটা পিল বা একটা চকলেট আছে। সেটা মুখে দেও��়ার পর একে একে যত রকম টেস্ট আছে তা আপনি ফিল করতে পারেন, কখনো একটার পর একটা কখনো বা সব গুলো এক সাথে! কালারফুল টেস্ট ব্লাস্ট!!!
স্যান্ডস্ট্রম পড়ার পর থেকে ঠিক এই ফিল টাই পাচ্ছি! রোলিন্স এত দারুন ভাবে লিখেছেন তা যেন চোখে দেখার থেকেও অনুভূতি তে বেশি শক্তিশালি।
আমি সাধারনত বই পড়ার আগে ফ্ল্যাপ টা পড়িনা। এতে আগ্রহটা আরো বেড়ে যায়। কিন্তু স্যান্ডস্ট্রম এমন ভাবে লেখা যেটার স্পয়লার গুলিয়ে খাওয়ার পরেও পড়ার সময় বিন্দু পরিমান অনাগ্রহ কাজ করবে না। গভীরে যেতে যেতে নিজে যেন সমুদ্রে তলিয়ে যাবেন কিন্তু হারিয়ে নয় মুগ্ধতায়।
বাকি সব কিছু সারপ্রাইজ থাক!
স্যান্ডস্ট্রম পড়ার পর থেকে ঠিক এই ফিল টাই পাচ্ছি! রোলিন্স এত দারুন ভাবে লিখেছেন তা যেন চোখে দেখার থেকেও অনুভূতি তে বেশি শক্তিশালি।
আমি সাধারনত বই পড়ার আগে ফ্ল্যাপ টা পড়িনা। এতে আগ্রহটা আরো বেড়ে যায়। কিন্তু স্যান্ডস্ট্রম এমন ভাবে লেখা যেটার স্পয়লার গুলিয়ে খাওয়ার পরেও পড়ার সময় বিন্দু পরিমান অনাগ্রহ কাজ করবে না। গভীরে যেতে যেতে নিজে যেন সমুদ্রে তলিয়ে যাবেন কিন্তু হারিয়ে নয় মুগ্ধতায়।
বাকি সব কিছু সারপ্রাইজ থাক!
September 10, 2022
Read this years ago it's a great start to the Sigma series.
December 7, 2014
Good adventure story but I got lost in the science and wanted more operational intrigue. It's non-stop action though, and I plan to continue the series.
August 5, 2016
This is essentially exactly what I've been looking for: a smart action-adventure techno-thriller with interesting characters (and heroes I cared enough about to fully root for - unlike Robert Langdon, Jack Reacher, Dirk Pitt, Pike Logan, Mitch Rapp, and the rest to date), involving ancient mysteries, theoretical science, and a splash of the supernatural. Indiana Jones and the Uncharted games were my baseline for the kind of story I was in the mood to read. It was fairly hard to lock down that specific sub-genre, considering most books of that type would be filed under "thriller" or "pulp", both of which cover a wide variety of more specific genres of fiction. But with Sandstorm, I think I found it.
In fact, Sandstorm and Raiders of the Lost Ark have quite a bit in common, from the "mirror image" bad guy, to the shady evil organization, to the archeological arms race, to the various artifact plot coupons, to the desert setting and the similar religious sites that the action flows through, to the dramatic and epic climax. Sandstorm's similarity with the video game Uncharted 3 is even more clear, as they both focus on finding the lost city of Ubar. Raiders, UC3, and Sandstorm are all part of their respective series, and Sandstorm is notable for being the first of Rollins' Sigma Force series.
Sandstorm has several main characters, but primarily follows Doctor Painter Crowe, team leader within DARPA's technology-focused special forces team dubbed Sigma Force, as he works with an independent team of archeological experts and financiers to race against a ruthless former Sigma teammate to secure a potential mass destruction weapon hidden in the lost city of Ubar. The characters and their relationships were well fleshed out for this kind of story, and I was pretty impressed with scientific explanations behind the puzzles and spectacles that came at a satisfying pace. Lots of action, gunplay, some decent bad guys, and a crescendo of an ending that did its job and is propelling me to the next in the series. I had a couple of relatively minor issues with the romantic subplot (which I largely enjoyed) and the lack of real humor, but these paled next to the overall race to Ubar.
In fact, Sandstorm and Raiders of the Lost Ark have quite a bit in common, from the "mirror image" bad guy, to the shady evil organization, to the archeological arms race, to the various artifact plot coupons, to the desert setting and the similar religious sites that the action flows through, to the dramatic and epic climax. Sandstorm's similarity with the video game Uncharted 3 is even more clear, as they both focus on finding the lost city of Ubar. Raiders, UC3, and Sandstorm are all part of their respective series, and Sandstorm is notable for being the first of Rollins' Sigma Force series.
Sandstorm has several main characters, but primarily follows Doctor Painter Crowe, team leader within DARPA's technology-focused special forces team dubbed Sigma Force, as he works with an independent team of archeological experts and financiers to race against a ruthless former Sigma teammate to secure a potential mass destruction weapon hidden in the lost city of Ubar. The characters and their relationships were well fleshed out for this kind of story, and I was pretty impressed with scientific explanations behind the puzzles and spectacles that came at a satisfying pace. Lots of action, gunplay, some decent bad guys, and a crescendo of an ending that did its job and is propelling me to the next in the series. I had a couple of relatively minor issues with the romantic subplot (which I largely enjoyed) and the lack of real humor, but these paled next to the overall race to Ubar.
February 20, 2010
3.5 stars. A fun, action packed thriller that reminded me of Indiana Jones meets Tom Clancy with some excellent "fantastical" elements woven into the story as added flavor. I read this novel as it is the first of the SIGMA Force series and I thought the description of the group was interesting (think special forces made up of scientists). I look forward to reading more novels involving this group.
October 20, 2022
Michael Crichton meets Clive Cussler and Dan Brown in this fun and detailed action packed adventure! Sandstorm was like a mix of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted, National Treasure and The Mummy (all the big treasure adventure movies) all in one book!
After a devastating explosion of extraordinary power hits the antiquities exhibit at the London museum, Lady Kara Kensington and the curator of the demolished museum gallery, Safia al-Maaz start looking for answers, which all lead to the lost city of Ubar, buried deep beneath the Arabian desert. Former Navy Seal, now SIGMA operative Painter Crowe is assigned by the U.S to embark on a quest with the 2 women, and famous archaeologist Omaha Dunn to trek through the Arabian desert to find Ubar.
I'm glad to have finally read my first James Rollins book. The beginning of the book started out a bit slow but after the first few hundred pages I was hooked! Can't wait to read the next book in the SIGMA series!
But SIGMA isn't the only one searching for the lost city. They must also evade a team of mercenaries led by a rogue operative of SIGMA, and a deadly sandstorm that is fast approaching.
After a devastating explosion of extraordinary power hits the antiquities exhibit at the London museum, Lady Kara Kensington and the curator of the demolished museum gallery, Safia al-Maaz start looking for answers, which all lead to the lost city of Ubar, buried deep beneath the Arabian desert. Former Navy Seal, now SIGMA operative Painter Crowe is assigned by the U.S to embark on a quest with the 2 women, and famous archaeologist Omaha Dunn to trek through the Arabian desert to find Ubar.
I'm glad to have finally read my first James Rollins book. The beginning of the book started out a bit slow but after the first few hundred pages I was hooked! Can't wait to read the next book in the SIGMA series!
But SIGMA isn't the only one searching for the lost city. They must also evade a team of mercenaries led by a rogue operative of SIGMA, and a deadly sandstorm that is fast approaching.
December 13, 2022
I read a later book in the series years ago and enjoyed it so I figured I'd go back to the start.
March 23, 2020
Sandstorm was like an Indiana Jones adventure set in the Arabian desert, with the added edge of secret service agents. Likeable characters, great action, a semi-supernatural mystery (with well-researched elements) and fast-moving plot made it a really enjoyable and fun read. This is my favourite kind of thriller so I'll definitely be reading more of James Rollins' books.
May 12, 2021
বইয়ের কনসেপ্টটা সুন্দর। শেবার রাণী মাতা মেরি, রেহেম, শাহার, উবার শহর নিয়ে বেশ ভালো আলোচনা আছে। শুরু থেকেই বেশ গতিশীল, থামার জো নাই। বইটা স্যান্ডউইচ এর মত। শুরু আর শেষটা চাইল্ডিশ হলেও মাঝটা দুর্দান্ত। একশন, এডভভেঞ্চার, কন্সপিরেসিতে বেশ উপভোগ্য। সিগমা ফোর্স, যার এজেন্টদের সাধারণ মিলিটারি ট্রেনিংয়ের পাশাপাশি দেওয়া হয় বিভিন্ন টেকনোলজি আর সায়েন্টিফিক ট্রেনিং। এর কাজ হল— আসলেই তো, সিগমা ফোর্সের কাজ কী? সিগমা ফোর্স নিয়ে একেবারেই কিছু বলেনি লেখক মহাশয় (শুরুতে তিন-চার লাইন, আর শেষ পৃষ্ঠা ছাড়া)। অথচ 'সিগমা ফোর্স' নিয়ে বইটা লেখা হয়েছে, সেহেতু এটা নিয়ে আরোও বিস্তারিত জানানোর দরকার ছিলো লেখকের। পেইন্টার আর কোরাল যে ওমানে শেবার রাণীর 'সিটি অব দ্য গ্লাস' ওরফে উবার শহর উদ্ধারের মিশনে গেলো, তার জবাবদিহিতা দিতে দেখলাম না একবারও কাউকে। আর ক্যাসান্দ্রা এবং শেনের বিষয়টা নিয়ে সিগমা ফোর্সের বিষয়ে পুরো ধোয়াশায় কেটেছে পুরো বই। বইয়ের শুরু হয়েছে ব্রিটিশ মিউজিয়ামে বল লাইটেনিংয়ের কারণে ঘটা এক বিস্ফোরণ দিয়ে। ওহ হ্যা, এখানেও গলদ আছে। এখানে বড্ড চাইল্ডিশ করে ফেলেছে লেখক। মিউজিয়াম সিকিউরিটিকে লেখক দেখিয়েছে একেবারে দুধ-ভাত হিসাবে। ক্যাসান্দ্রার আমেরিকান এজেন্টরা কী সুন্দর ব্রিটিশ মিউজিয়ামে ঢুকে খুনোখুনি করতেছে, কোনো ঘাত প্রতিঘাত ছাড়াই। তারপর শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত জায়গায় জায়গায় প্লটহোল আছে, বলতে গেলে স্পয়লার হয়ে যাবার সম্ভাবনা আছে। ওমাহা' চরিত্রটাকে একেবারেই দেখাতে পারে নি লেখক। আর জুতা কিন্তু বিদ্যুৎ কুপরিবাহী, যেটা লেখক অতি সন্তর্পণে এড়িয়ে গেছে। আর এটার জন্য ফিনিশিংটা ভুগিয়েছে আমাকে, বেখাপ্পা লেগেছে।
August 27, 2013
When reading this I didn't realize it was the first in the series, as I have read a couple others but that certainly explains a few things. A freak lightning storm causes an explosion at a London museum which in turns sends all kinds of people racing to the Omani desert in search of the lost city of Ubar.
You have a few DARPA representatives (Painter Crowe and Coral Novak), a Guild operative (Cassandra Sanchez), a millionaire with ties to Oman, the museum curator born in Oman, a few archeologists (a la Indiana Jones) and a mysterious frenemy. All working against each other to claim the ultimate prize.
The pacing is excellent with plenty of action and adventure along with biblical legends and science. Oh and lets not forget technology and lots and lots of weapons. Oh sure you have your unbelievable aspects but when reading something of this nature, you really do just have to throw reality out the window. This is a terrific start to the Sigma Force series and a truly enjoyable read.
You have a few DARPA representatives (Painter Crowe and Coral Novak), a Guild operative (Cassandra Sanchez), a millionaire with ties to Oman, the museum curator born in Oman, a few archeologists (a la Indiana Jones) and a mysterious frenemy. All working against each other to claim the ultimate prize.
The pacing is excellent with plenty of action and adventure along with biblical legends and science. Oh and lets not forget technology and lots and lots of weapons. Oh sure you have your unbelievable aspects but when reading something of this nature, you really do just have to throw reality out the window. This is a terrific start to the Sigma Force series and a truly enjoyable read.
December 24, 2015
এক ঝড়ের রাতে জাদুঘরে রাখা প্রাচীন একটি আর্টিফ্যাক্টের কাছে অদ্ভূত আলো দেখা যায়। আর এর পর পরই ঘটে বিস্ফোরণ। পরীক্ষা করে পাওয়া যায় এ্যান্টিমেটারের অস্তিত্ব, যা কিনা বিপুল শক্তির উৎস। শুরু হয়ে যায় এই ক্ষমতা কবজা করার প্রতিযোগিতা। খুঁজে পেতে হবে দু হাজার বছর আগে হারিয়ে যাওয়া এক শহর। যাকে এখনো পাহাড়া দিচ্ছে রাণী ও রাজার বংশধররা।
প্রচুর টেকনোলজিক্যাল বিষয় রয়েছে, রয়েছে প্রচুর এ্যাকশন, কিঞ্চিৎ রোমান্সও আছে আরো আছে অযৌক্তিক হলেও গল্পে সত্যি টাইপের অনেক কিছু.....সব মিলিয়ে মজা পেলাম।
প্রচুর টেকনোলজিক্যাল বিষয় রয়েছে, রয়েছে প্রচুর এ্যাকশন, কিঞ্চিৎ রোমান্সও আছে আরো আছে অযৌক্তিক হলেও গল্পে সত্যি টাইপের অনেক কিছু.....সব মিলিয়ে মজা পেলাম।
June 26, 2020
অসুস্থ এবং ডিপ্রেশনে থাকাকালীন যখন পছন্দের কাজগুলোও করতে ইচ্ছা করেনা, তখন দরকার এমন গতিশীল বই। সিগমা ফোর্স সিরিজের প্রথম বই- আশা করি সিরিজের বাকি বইগুলোও উপভোগ করব।
March 18, 2020
Going to keep this review short and to the point with hopefully NO SPOILERS. What a FUN read! It is like a cross of Jack Reacher/Indiana Jones/Dirk Pitt all rolled into one. I LOVED how the story just "WHAM", starts out fast, grabs a hold of you, and drags you right into the midst of all the action. Yes, it's the typical thriller story: "something weird has happened so let's get our Special Secret Government agent to investigate it", but as corny and cliche' as it might seem, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. There was enough mystery to keep me turning pages, enough action to pull me into the story, and the characters all seemed real enough.
Yes, it sometimes pushed the boundaries of reality at times, but HEY, isn't that what action-packed thrillers as SUPPOSED TO DO? The story takes you from a London museum to the Arabian Peninsula to the country of Oman. With a cast of characters like Sigma Force agent Painter Crowe, museum curator Safia al-Maaz, and archeologist Omaha Dunn (yes, a little 'wink-wink-nod' at the Indiana Jones character), the story spins an exciting tale of mystery, intrigue and adventure from page one thru the last page. I am so glad I discovered James Rollins' "Sigma Force" series, if for no other reason than some good ol' fashioned escapism in these chaotic times. I HIGHLY recommend the series to all and look forward to reading more. :)
Yes, it sometimes pushed the boundaries of reality at times, but HEY, isn't that what action-packed thrillers as SUPPOSED TO DO? The story takes you from a London museum to the Arabian Peninsula to the country of Oman. With a cast of characters like Sigma Force agent Painter Crowe, museum curator Safia al-Maaz, and archeologist Omaha Dunn (yes, a little 'wink-wink-nod' at the Indiana Jones character), the story spins an exciting tale of mystery, intrigue and adventure from page one thru the last page. I am so glad I discovered James Rollins' "Sigma Force" series, if for no other reason than some good ol' fashioned escapism in these chaotic times. I HIGHLY recommend the series to all and look forward to reading more. :)
November 17, 2014
I don't usually read thrillers. OK, I did read "The Da Vinci Code" along with 12 million other people. And I enjoyed reading it, just because I wanted to know what happened next. In retrospect, it's pretty silly. Anyway, I read an interview of James Rollins in a recent writing magazine ("The Writer") and was intrigued by the protagonists in a series he writes. The Sigma Force is a team of special operatives who are also scientists. Rollins calls them "scientists with guns." Anyway, I downloaded "Sandstorm," the first book in the series onto my Kindle for $3.49 today and got totally sucked into the story. It started with ball lightning in the British Museum and a big explosion and went on from there. Fast-paced is an understatement. Very plot-driven, but engaging characters. Plus some legitimate science underpinnings: buckeyballs and antimatter. Thoroughly enjoyed the book, even the underground city of glass part. Definitely light reading, but still a fun read. I've already downloaded the next three books in the series onto my Kindle. I've been reading a lot of science and academic books recently, so this was an enjoyable break.
May 2, 2016
3.5 stars. It's 4 stars for action, adventure, and the historical/mythological fun. 3 stars for the writing. "Once again, she was surprised by his astute intuitiveness" And how many wells are there? Well of strength, well of grief, well of loss, well of strength and vulnerability, well of ice, well of water, well of corruption, well of warm feelings, well of deeper emotion... Seriously, that's even worse than I thought!
I believe these things were a bit more jarring because I was listening to the audio. Nonetheless, I fully intend to read and most likely listen to the next. The story itself was a hell of a lot of fun. For action adventure with Arabian and biblical mythology, along with more than one kick ass fight scene, you really can't do much better. It was fun.
I believe these things were a bit more jarring because I was listening to the audio. Nonetheless, I fully intend to read and most likely listen to the next. The story itself was a hell of a lot of fun. For action adventure with Arabian and biblical mythology, along with more than one kick ass fight scene, you really can't do much better. It was fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,424 reviews