Map of Bones: A Sigma Force Novel Read online

  Finally, I hope my own novel entertains but also raises some questions in the readers. In that vein, I’ll end this discussion of fact and fiction by endorsing the primary adage of Gnostic tradition: to seek the truth…always and in all ways. It seems a fitting finish to this novel. So to quote Matthew 7:7,

  “Seek, and you shall find.”

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  IN A BOOK of this scope, I needed a legion of supporters: friends, family, critics, librarians, curators, travel agents, dishwashers, and pet-sitters. First, thanks to Carolyn McCray, who red-inked every page before anybody else, and Steve Prey, for his thoughts and insights that evolved into the artwork within these pages. Then, of course, I’m honored to acknowledge my posse of friends who meet every other week at Coco’s Restaurant: Judy Prey, Chris Crowe, Michael Gallowglas, David Murray, Dennis Grayson, Dave Meek, Royale Adams, Jane O’Riva, Dan Needles, Zach Watkins, and Caroline Williams. And for all help with languages, my heartfelt appreciation to my friend from the Great White North, Diane Daigle. A special thanks to David Sylvian for his boundless energy, support, and enthusiasm and to Susan Tunis for her fact-checking of all manner and substance. For the inspiration for this story, I must credit the books by Sir Laurence Gardner and the pioneering research of David Hudson. Finally, the four people whom I respect for their friendship as much as their counsel: my editor, Lyssa Keusch, and her colleague May Chen, and my agents Russ Galen and Danny Baror. And as always, I must stress any and all errors of fact or detail fall squarely on my own shoulders.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  James Rollins is the bestselling author of six previous novels: Subterranean, Excavation, Deep Fathom, Amazonia, Ice Hunt, and Sandstorm. He has a doctorate in veterinary medicine and his own practice in Sacramento, California. An amateur spelunker and a certified scuba enthusiast, he can often be found either underground or underwater.

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  ALSO BY

  JAMES ROLLINS

  Sandstorm

  Ice Hunt

  Amazonia

  Deep Fathom

  Excavation

  Subterranean

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. While the described artwork, historical references, and science are factual, the characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  MAP OF BONES. Copyright © 2005 by Jim Czajkowski.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

  EPub Edition © April 2005 ISBN 9780061792687

  Version 12072012

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Rollins, James, 1961–

  Map of bones: a Sigma Force novel / by James Rollins.—1st ed.

  p. cm.

  ISBN 0-06-076387-6

  FIRST EDITION

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Credits

  Jacket design by Ervin Serrano

  Jacket illustration by Paul Stinson

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