James Rollins Talks about His New SIGMA Force Thriller, Bloodline

James Rollins's 8th "SIGMA Force" thriller, Bloodline, is published today by William Morrow.

In a video (embedded below), the author talks about the relationship between two characters in the book, a pair of special operatives with unique talents: former Army Ranger Captain Tucker Wayne and his military war dog, Kane. They both play an important role in the mission at the heart of this story.

Bloodline opens in Galilee, 1025. Infiltrating an ancient citadel, a Templar knight uncovers a holy treasure long hidden within the fortress's labyrinth: the Bachal Isu — the staff of Jesus Christ — a priceless icon that holds a mysterious and terrifying power that promises to change humankind forever.

A millennium later, Somali pirates hijack a yacht off the coast of the Horn of Africa, kidnapping a young pregnant American woman. Commander Gray Pierce is enlisted for a covert rescue mission into the African jungle. The woman is no rich tourist: she's Amanda Gant-Bennett, daughter of the U.S. president.

Suspicious that the kidnapping masks a far more nefarious plot, Gray must confront a shadowy cabal which has been manipulating events throughout history — and now challenges the current presidency.