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    The Last Oracle: A Sigma Force Novel
    The Last Oracle: A Sigma Force Novel
    The Last Oracle: A Sigma Force Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Last Oracle: A Sigma Force Novel

    Written by James Rollins

    Narrated by Peter Jay Fernandez

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    In this superb thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins, Sigma Force must battle a group of rogue scientists who have unleashed a diabolical project that could bring about the extinction of mankind.

    Salvation . . . or annihilation?

    What if scientists could bio-engineer the next great world prophet—the next Buddha, Mohammed, or even Jesus? Would it mark the Second Coming or initiate a chain reaction leading to the end of mankind?

    Formed during the Cold War, a think tank of world scientists known as the JASONS have discovered a way to manipulate and enhance autistic children who show savant talents—mathematical geniuses, statistical masterminds, brilliant conceptual artists. Yet among their young patients a strange side-effect begins to arise. Before it can be analyzed fully, a rogue group of the JASONS begins their own secret experimentation with a cadre of the best children. Their goal, to create a world prophet for the new millennium, one who can be manipulated to create a new era of global peace . . . a peace on their own terms, that is. But such manipulation has grim consequences as a biological meltdown among the children begins to occur—turning the innocent into something far more frightening.

    To stop the JASONS before they engineer the extinction of mankind, Commander Gray Pierce of SIGMA Force races against time to solve a mystery that dates back to the first famous oracle of history—the Greek Oracle of Delphi. But can the past save the future?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJun 24, 2008
    ISBN9780061688232
    Author

    James Rollins

    James Rollins is the author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People magazine). In each novel, acclaimed for its originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets—and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight. He lives in the Sierra Nevada.

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    Reviews for The Last Oracle

    4.5/5

    99 ratings45 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Weaving history, current events, and unusual tidbits of knowledge with his creative storytelling makes any James Rollins book a great read and THE LAST ORACLE continues the tradition. You'll want to get comfy because you may just want to read it in one sitting. The SIGMA Force is back in another thriller complete with savant children, Chernobyl, diabolical scientists, gypsies and lots of action. If you are a reader of Rollins’ previous works you'll recognize the characters and see their stories brought up to date. Like a spider, Rollins weaves a complex web and the reader has a chance to follow the threads through not only the past and present, but also through India, Russia, Washington, DC and other locations as the various characters tangle themselves in a deep mystery that has the possibility of eradicating mankind.I admit to being a fan of Rollins and have read his previous SIGMA Force books, so I was happy to get an advance reader’s copy of this book. The book’s title THE LAST ORACLE, refers to the Oracle of Delphi and the plotline is based on a cabal of scientists who manipulate the brains and talents of autistic-savant children with the goal of world peace. But of course some of the group have other plans for the children and want to use them for evil purposes. Stopping the bad guys is where the SIGMA Force comes in and the worldwide chase begins. Chernobyl plays a key role, psychic abilities are also important to the storyline and SIGMA teams up with gypsies in a rather remarkable way --- (some great historical tidbits here). If you know the SIGMA characters you’ll appreciate the updates to their stories. Plus you get the drawings that Rollins’ includes with his novels – always a nice addition.While I lay no claim to psychic talent I do predict that if you read this book you’ll be fascinated with the historical and scientific information, you’ll find the storyline thrilling and the book hard to put down.
    • 4/5
      Another great novel in this series, which I really enjoy! I have fallen behind in my reading of the Sigma Force novels, but now I'm glad I did! I have one more to read to be caught up, and it saddens me a bit.
    • 5/5
      Like those before it, LOTS of action,intrigue and plot twists !!!
    • 5/5
      The Last Oracle by James Rollins (Advance Reader’s Edition)The Last Oracle is a Sigma Force adventure that combines elements of Theodore Sturgeon’s More Than Human (the gestalt of remarkable children), Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (a mystery enveloped in adventure), autistic savants (empaths, sensitives and precognitives) and the history of the Oracle of Delphi.This book relies slightly on the story that preceded it (Judas Strain) but reading the earlier books in the series is not required to enjoy this story. A Russian agency has bred Gypsy children and manipulated their DNA for half a century in an effort to create modern day precognitives (or oracles.) They plan to murder a consortium of world leaders and destroy the earth in a “blaze of fire” and, with ten mind-controlled and -altered “oracle” pawns, rule what remains. One precognitive in particular, a little girl named Sasha with undreamed of abilities and potential, is abducted while traveling in the United States and the race to save the world begins. Enter Sigma Force… Commander Gray Pierce is a seasoned veteran of this “elite team of ex-Special Forces soldiers who had been retrained in scientific fields…” Their quest to avert the apocalypse begins when Pierce witnesses a murder on the Mall in Washington, DC. In an effort to uncover the mystery surrounding the murder Pierce and a cadre of operatives move around the globe from Washington to the Punjab region of India to Chernobyl, Ukraine following clues left behind by the dead man. Sigma Force uncovers the plot and must work to prevent the annihilation of the world and destroy the Russian faction and its cohorts.Monk, a member of the Sigma Force whose memory has been erased by the Russians, helps three of the “special” children and a chimpanzee escape from the compound known as The Warren in the Ukraine. Chased by soldiers, wolves and tigers the group must survive the radioactive fields and lakes of the Ural Mountains and the pursuit of their captors to help bring a stop to Armageddon.In true Rollins fashion the many diverse characters, groups and sub-plots coalesce and combine together in an astonishing action-filled finale.Inconsistencies in the story:1.On page 330 we find the following sentence: “Archibald Polk had died of acute radiation poisoning, possibly exposed here.” but on page 21 we are told that Archibald was shot on the Mall in Washington, D.C. We later learn that the radiation levels in his body were so high that they would have killed him within weeks. But Archibald Polk died of gunshot wounds and not radiation. This is a minor inconsistency, but one that should be fixed prior to mass publication.2.On page 335 when Gray is chasing Nicolas he gets pinned down by gunfire from Elena. Then… “Gray checked his watch. Ten minutes.” Since Gray is not part of the conspiracy and arrived on the scene late how would he know that there were ten minutes left? And ten minutes to what? He has no knowledge at this point that any event is going to happen yet he seems to know the time frame. I found these two sentences out of place and used probably only for dramatic purpose.Note: There are also a number of typographical errors in the ARC which usually get fixed before mass publication.The Sigma Force Series1. Sandstorm (2004)2. Map of Bones (2005)3. Black Order (2006)4. Judas Strain (2007)5. The Last Oracle (2008)A word about James Rollins – After reading a number of his other novels (Subterranean, Excavation and Amazonia) I’ve come to respect Rollin’s work because of his ability to create stories that contain multiple layers and sub-plots that keep the reader interested in the story until the last word. He has that rare talent of orchestrating three or more story lines and characters that interweave together fluidly. His novels are quick reads – not because their simple but simply because you’ll relentlessly turn pages in an excited frenzy to find out what happens next. The highest compliment I could pay him is that if they ever made a movie of one of his stories I’d shell out the $8.00 to see that too (even though I know how it’d end.)The AlternativeApril 12th, 2008Southeast Wisconsin
    • 4/5
      As always, a very good read (this is the only series of novels that I read). Up to this moment in the series not necessarily the best, but the action flows swiftly and the cliffhangers keeps the story going strong up to the end.
    • 4/5
      A think tank of world scientists have been experimenting for years on ways to manipulate and enhance the abilities of autistic children with savant talents. But a rogue group within have different experiments going - with the plan of creating a world prophet for the new millennium, which will rise out of a manufactured disaster. SIGMA Force commander Gray Pierce races to stop the disaster and save the children, but to do that he must first solve a mystery that dates back centuries to the Greek Oracle of Delphi. I hadn't read any of the other SIGMA Force books, but will look them up. Reads in the manner of Clive Cussler, Matthew Reilly, and Dan Brown. Nonstop action. The afterword where Rollins points out his research is very interesting.
    • 5/5
      A No-Spoilers Review Last summer, the diabolical Mr. Rollins left his fans with a cliff-hanger ending that was simply TORTUROUS. Let me start this review by telling readers that the unresolved questions are answered thoroughly and in a completely satisfying manner. And, you don’t have to wait ‘til the end of the book to learn those answers. Yes, that’s all very vague, but I don’t want to give away a thing. Now the above paragraph may seem pretty intimidating or off-putting if you haven’t read the novel that precedes this one, The Judas Strain. Well, here’s the most impressive thing about The Last Oracle: It absolutely works as a stand alone novel. Yes, it’s great if you’re a long-time fan of the Sigma Force novels, but Rollins manages to jump-start this tale from the opening pages, and I don’t think you’d need any back story to dive right into this adventure. And never once did I feel like there was that awkward exposition you often see in series novels. Bravo! The hard part of reviewing any James Rollins novel is trying to summarize the plot. This novel opens in 398 A.D., with the eponymous Oracle of Delphi. The final moments of the temple are depicted. A few pages later we’re in Romania, circa 1959. The Ruskies are rounding up a bunch of charming villagers. And a few pages after that we’re at last in modern-day DC, with our old friend Gray Pierce of Sigma. Walking across the Mall, he’s approached by a “homeless” man. As he pauses to give the guy a hand-out, a shot rings out. Gray is safe, but the derelict is killed. Later investigation suggests the stranger was the intended target, not Gray. This is confirmed when Gray’s boss takes one look at the body and say’s, “I know this man.” It turns out the man was an important part of Sigma history. Two clues from his murder lead Gray to the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History. There he meets Elizabeth Polk, who becomes a major player in the novel. The scenes in the museum (where I once worked in real life) are among my favorite that Rollins has ever written. The action picks up at this point, and as one clue leads to another, Gray, Elizabeth, and an assortment of Sigma and non-Sigma characters find themselves globe-trotting from India to Russia. With this author, it’s pretty much a given that the action comes fast and furious, and the pages will fly by at lightning speed. Along the way, Rollins explores the connections of autism to the Oracle of Delphi, the history of the Romani (Gypsy) people, and the advancement of the human race. We get to visit with old favorite characters from books past (though some you’ll expect are notably missing) and we’ll meet some new characters too. Not all are human. As always, there was some real science entwined in the plot that absolutely floored me! Sometimes it’s almost an aside and you just wish the entire novel was about the fact that, apparently, human beings (all of us) can see two or three seconds into the future. And again Rollins provides an afterward to clarify fact vs. fiction and cite some of his sources. He also manages to incorporate up-to-the-minute current events into the novel’s plot. It was a little bizarre to have real life news delving very directly into the novel’s story. Talk about timely! Okay, I’m unable to summarize this plot in any meaningful way. It’s simply too complex. But The Last Oracle is fantastic addition to the Sigma novels, and works shockingly well as a stand alone. You need a great airplane book or a beach read? This is the book you’re looking for.
    • 4/5
      An international thriller that has our intrepid government secret agents trying to prevent a nefarious plan by renegade Russian scientist/military types to use the old Soviet Union's radiological wastelands to poison a large part of the world, assassinate most of the free world's leaders, and use children with artificially augmented mental abilities to guide the new Russian messiah in a bid to take over the world. The action ranges from the ancient Oracles of Delphi, Chernobyl, the Smithsonian Castle, India, ancient Egyptians and Gypsy fortunetellers. Sometimes the action and plot jumped around a bit much, but it held my interest, was well-written and even included a bit of occasional comic relief.
    • 5/5
      There is always a steady stream...well more like a torrent...of action in these novels. This time the action was more balanced with the plot...making it more of a page-turning read. I don't know how much time James Rollins puts into research before starting one of these books but it must be considerable. Sigma Force novels are formulaic, but the formula always works. You have ancient history... new mystery...and a bunch of bad guys that always get their "just rewards" in the end. You find that you will become very attached to the characters, both old and new. James Rollins is a great storyteller and I love his books.
    • 4/5
      Autistic savant children, gypsies, Action, and Chernobyl. goog Combo.
    • 4/5
      This is a fiction book based on the Oracle Delphi and the use of modified Savant Children to control the world. The Sigma team travel the world trying to solve a mystery that leads to Russia and a group trying to control the world by releasing nuclear waste to pollute and cause world wide havoc.
    • 3/5
      A good action thriller with historical tie-ins. Just my kinda thing. Fans of Scott Mariani or Steve Berry will enjoy.
    • 4/5
      Harumph. I thought that there'd be more Greek stuff than there was in this boo. But, Rollins doesn't seem to do Greek as much as other ancient societies unfortunately.This time the story is radiation and the killing of a very prominent scientist (who also has some ties to SIGMA Force, sorta), and the long and strange journey of Gray and his team. On the other side of the world a man known to readers of the SIGMA series is also having his own adventure. Needless to say, the two stories do eventually collide in spectacular fashion.The main thrust of the book starts with Gray right in the middle of the action, and, as much as I didn't like it in the other books in the series when Rollins started with random characters. In retrospect, that beginning of his books seems to work a little better that way, than how he wrote the start of this book.I can't say that I loved the black and white pictures within the text either, but, they served a purpose, and I can't think of any other way Rollins could have done it.The Chimp, well, she sorta threw me off a bit, but I warmed to her character. And then the ending. i was prepared for all manner of endings, and so I was pleasantly surprised by the ending, and liked it much more than I thought I would.
    • 5/5
      Loved it! As all of his work!
    • 2/5
      I really wish there was a rating for good writing but plot not for me. Gave it a two because I love Rollins book but sometimes a plot just doesn't catch me and then I spend the whole book thinking about the things which bother me. I can see a lot of Rollin's fans loving it but not for me.
    • 4/5
      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. 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 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!
    • 4/5
      One of Rollins' better works........very engaging plot and the main characters were more interesting and somewhat more believable in this book than other Rollins books. Took a little longer to read because of the holiday, but a fun read.
    • 4/5
      The Last Oracle is a typical Rollins adventure - part science, part ideas just beyond the boundary pf science, lots of action, and Sigma Force saving the world. If you like the series, you'll love this one. If you haven't tried 'em yet, start with the first and have some fun!
    • 4/5
      Well written with lots of real facts woven into the fiction.
    • 4/5
      This novel featuring Sigma Force, a US secret intelligence agency, started off well and then I felt went really flat through the middle. I really struggled to engage with the characters and the story; the characters are numerous and the plot does jump around quite a lot. This is also part of a series of novels and of you haven't read the previous ones you will struggle to figure out who's who and what motivates their actions I think. On the upside, it really picked up at the end and I was absolutely gripped by the last hundred pages, although more points lost for the Hollywood-esque happy ending and the ever-so neat tying up of all the loose ends.. I will read the next one no doubt as I am a sucker for these types of stories.
    • 5/5
      Love James Rollins writing. I am entertained from the first chapter on.
    • 4/5
      The Last Oracle, by James Rollins, is the latest in a series that follows the men and women of Sigma Force, a scientific-minded group of former Special Forces soldiers. Set against a backdrop of the nuclear devastated area of Chernobyl, it shows just how far some are willing to go to achieve their goals. As an intellectual thriller, The Last Oracle works. It's smart enough to be enjoyable without being too cerebral. Some of the action sequences were a bit over the top - lots and lots of shooting with very few injuries on the part of the Sigma Force team (think Bruce Willis in Die Hard , who's constantly being shot at, yet never really getting hit). However, the plot was well-planned and executed, with enough suspense to keep you turning the pages, and with an ultimately satisfying conclusion. I found the afterword in which Rollins gives insight into his inspiration to be particularly fascinating. This was my first experience with James Rollins' Sigma Force, and it can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel. However, I think following the characters from the beginning would add another level of enjoyment to an already fun read. This review is based on an Advanced Release Copy of the book.
    • 4/5
      I loved the puzzles, adventure, and inter-weaving of facts and fiction in this novel. The suspense of the novel was a bit hindered by the writing style. As there were multiple story lines occurring at one time, Rollins would break narration on one story-line at a very suspenseful moment to continue narration on the other story lines. As the narrations were lengthy and there was multiple scenes occurring at once, by the time Rollins returned to a story-line I had forgotten that it was at a suspenseful moment. I loved that this book was so intricate, but this also meant that it was not an "easy" read and required a lot of back referencing in order to understand and keep up with the overall plot.In general, a very good read. I would be interested in the sequel.
    • 4/5
      A fast-moving novel with a truly intriguing plot, The Last Oracle achieves what might seem impossible—making Greece’s oracles real and relevant to the present time, without veering into fantasy or simplistic adventure. There’s a nice blend of modern world politics, ancient world history, and world-spanning geography. There’s a growing threat that just might promise Armageddon. And there’s a pleasing collection of characters—the novel's clearly built on a series, but it's easy to read on its own. The Last Oracle is a thoroughly enjoyable adventure, a cleverly plotted mystery, a nicely intriguing commentary on the post-WWII world, and a really good read.Disclosure: I borrowed it from the book bank.
    • 4/5
      Very good. I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy it at first, but by the end of the book, I just couldn't put it down. The Last Oracle great action and pacing and interesting characters.
    • 4/5
      The latest of Rollins' mysteries is again well research and filled with intrigue and excitement. Thetruthful elements of the story are both startling and unnerving. A great read.
    • 3/5
      The Last Oracle, the fifth book in Rollins' SIGMA series, continues the storyline from The Judas Strain. While all the elements of Rollins' previous works are here -- non-stop action, scientific background/theme, religious history -- this one seemed to lack something that earlier SIGMA novels had. While Map of Bones is the only SIGMA book I didn't really enjoy, this one was just average, along the lines of The Judas Strain.Rollins seems to want to have some minor shakeups within the team, but only teases serious or long-lasting effects. He should either leave the team as-is or actually follow though on these teases. Also, the new, developing romance could be seen a mile away as soon as a new character was introduced early in the novel. I'd still recommend the book to fans of Rollins, but if you're new to Rollins, I'd definitely suggest reading the SIGMA books in order as they are all part of a continuing storyline and reading them out of sequence could spoil some events in prior books in the series.
    • 5/5
      Excellent. Super cliff hangers. Kept me glued.
    • 4/5
      This is 2nd in Jack Cafferty series and is darker and more disturbing than the 1st. Even with the gritty and gruesomeness I will continue this series because Hayder’s writing is excellent. Pedophile and child abuse are hard to read about and the book is definitely not for the feign of heart. Jack learns more about his brother’s death and who killed Rory Peach. Recommended for those who love thrilling serial killer books.
    • 4/5
      This is my third James Rollins, but first Sigma book. I have been reading a lot of military and political thrillers and suspense books lately and this is right up in the top 10 for the last 6 months. I sat right down and ripped through it in only a couple of days.It started out with a bang, literally, and kept up the pace throughout. Characters were pretty well fleshed out and interesting, he built sympathy for them and their plight quickly and I found myself pulling for them until the conclusion.Information about Chernobyl was great, as others have said not many using this as a plot point. I liked the slight paranormal twist as well, it was nicely balanced for those who believe and those who don’t. Not heavy handed at all.A couple of minor misspellings, but mostly a tight edit.After reading this Sigma I will go right out and get the others in the series. If they are at all comparable I know I will be happy to get them.