James Rollins latest book, The
Eye of God, is part thriller, part science fiction, and
part fantasy. He combined these storylines by making sure
they merged in the climax of the book. There were a number
of messages presented in the novel, ranging from questioning
how much of the world is real to the relationships between
family members.
The book’s early chapters are action packed as the main
character, Seichen, searches for her mother with the help
of other SIGMA members, Gray and Kowalski. It is during these
scenes that Rollins draws a realistic picture of the Triad
gang’s ruthless and cutthroat behavior in Macau, the
brutality of the North Korean regime, and the steam tunnels
of the Mongolia capital where a sub-culture of children lives.
Rollins stated, “I went to Macau ten years ago and was
fascinated by it. There is this weird Las Vegas glitz; yet,
it is very colonial Portuguese mixed with some Chinese history.
Triads, Mafia types that will stop at almost nothing to achieve
power, run the casinos. Regarding Korea, I always wanted to
put that setting into a story. To get some information I was
able to interview someone who escaped from North Korea. What
I put in the book is just scratching the surface, especially
the part about the prisons. The life expectancy of someone
put in the penal system is three years. I am hoping I showed
the tyranny and the suffering, how the atrocities are beyond
the pale.”
The storyline also delves into the importance of the family
unit. Rollins does this well through the relationships between
characters. There is Seichen trying to find her mother and
coming to grips with how their family dynamics changed; Grey
who constantly lives with the guilt of losing his mother;
the scientist Dr. Jada Shaw whose mother inspired her with
the mysteries of the universe; and how two other characters,
Rachel and her Uncle Vigor, are constantly supporting each
other. The author noted, “I lost my mother about a year
ago and then my family found out my sister had breast cancer.
These tragic events in my life definitely echo in this book.
Writers pull things out of their life, and I did it by sharing
through this story. I am hoping to elicit emotions out of
the readers. There is the issue of mortality, and how a family
member deals with loss.” This is very evident in the
quote he ends the book with, “Live it now…who
knows what will come tomorrow.”
The other sub-plot, more on the science fiction end, explores
how human consciousness fits into the universe. Rollins acknowledges
that at times this storyline seems to be more of a fantasy,
but that is because physics seems like such a complicated
subject. He opens the book with the Einstein quote, “The
distinction between the past, present, and future is only
a stubbornly persistent illusion.” The author is hoping
his readers will understand how he attempts to walk the line
between reality and what is going to come next.
He conceived this sub-plot while being given a personal tour
at Fermilab, and speaking with some of the physicists there.
“One scientist told me that the latest mathematical
projection of the universe is that we are all living in a
hologram, that everything occurring to us is fabricated. This
year there is going to be the construction of a Holometer
to physically test if we are indeed living in a hologram.
That got me thinking, how much of the world is real? Likewise,
theories of multiple universes are being considered, with
many different conjectures about how those other universes
function, interact, and relate to one another. I speak of
multiple universes at the end of the book. Maybe we don’t
actually die but shift into one of these universes where we
don’t get that flip of the coin that kills us.”
He actually used this theory with a few of the characters,
but wants readers to know that those characters will not be
coming back in future books.
While promoting this Sigma Series book, The Eye of God,
this July, Rollins will also be raising awareness and funds
for USA Cares. He is a huge advocate for those in the military
and has organized twenty-two authors, Authors United for Veterans,
under the auspices of USA Cares. The bus tour, with the cover
of the book displayed, will be ending at Fort Knox and Fort
Campbell Kentucky on July 1st. Before that Rollins will be
close to the Navy base when he does a book signing in San
Diego on June 26th. He is hoping the troops come out to say
hello and receive a free book.
Reviews of other titles in this series
Sandstorm
#1
Map
of Bones #2
Black
Order, #3
The
Judas Strain, #4
The
Last Oracle, #5
The
Doomsday Key, #6
The
Devil Colony , #7
Bloodline, #8 [review
1] [review
2]
The
Eye of God #9
The
Sixth Extinction #10
Seventh
Plague #11
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