The Last Odyssey

The Last Odyssey is James Rollins' 15th Sigma Force thriller. I have read each and every one of them and love this series. However, this book was bizarre. Here  is the publisher's summary  to help you see what the story involved:

"For eons, the city of Troy - whose legendary fall was detailed in Homer's Iliad - was believed to be myth, until archeologists in the nineteenth century uncovered its ancient walls buried beneath the sands.  If Troy was real, curses and miracles - the Iliad and the Odyssey - could also be true and awaiting discovery.

In the frozen tundra of Greenland, a group of modern day researchers stumble upon a shocking find:  a medieval ship buried a half mile below the ice.  The ship's hold contains a collection of even older artifacts - tools of war - dating back to the Bronze Age.  Inside the captain's cabin is a magnificent treasure that is as priceless as it is miraculous: a clockwork gold map with an intricate silver astrolabe embedded in it.  The mechanism was crafted by a group of Muslim inventors - the Bay Musa brothers - considered by many to be he Da Vinci's of the Arab world - brilliant scientists who inspired Leonardo's own work.

Once activated, the moving map traces the path of Odysseus's famous ship as it sailed away from Troy.  But the route detours as the map opens to reveal a fiery river leading to a hidden realm underneath the Mediterranean sea.  It is the subterranean world of Tartarus, the Greek name for Hell.  In mythology, Tartarus was where the wicked were punished by the monstrous Titans of old imprisoned.  

When word of Tartarus spreads - and of the case of miraculous weapons said to be hidden there - tensions explode in this volatile regions where Turks battle Kurds, terrorists wage war, and civilians suffer untold horrors. The phantasmagoric horrors found in Homer's tales are all too real - and could be unleashed upon the world. Whoever possesses them can use their awesome power to control the future of humanity. 

Now Sigma Force must go where humans fear to tread.  To prevent a tyrant from igniting a global war, they must cross the very gates of Hell."

I thought this was an odd book. Why would the Sigma Force be involved in a search that would require proving various Greek mythologies to be true? The plot seemed preposterous as did the scientific facts supporting it. While the Author's Note tells us what parts of the story were true, I still couldn't believe any of it. I am not a fan of mythology to begin with but The Last Odyssey went overboard with its suspension of belief. Underground bronze cities with bronze monsters? I can't go there.

The characters were off their mark presumably because they were not fighting their typical adversaries. Instead, we have a secret group called the Apocalypti. The group members are from various faiths but they all believe that an apocalypse that will end the current violent world in favor of a new paradise must be helped along by their efforts. Why would governments, and their spies, care about such a group? 

I can't believe what I am about to say about a James Rollins novel:  it was boring. I couldn't wait to finish reading it. My rating is shocking (to me). 2 out of 5 stars. Let's hope Rollins returns to the spy business for his next book.