History Literature / SigmaForce

* EnforcedMethodActing: Fiona (TheChick from ''Black Order'') gets shot in the middle of a crowded amusement park, so what does Gray do? He scoops her up in his arms, tells her to play up her pain by screaming, and he starts yelling "BOMB!" at the top of his lungs.
** Happens again in ''The Judas Strain'' -- to create a distraction, Gray jumps off a scaffold in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia. He actually does hurt his ankle in the fall, prompting the museum director to call an ambulance.

** TheSixthRanger: Seichan, John Creed and Tucker Wayne

* HeroicBastard: [[spoiler:Seichan is the product of Robert Gant's dalliance with a Southeast Asian woman, making her a highly-sought prize by the Bloodline, which have been manipulating Robert's ambitions for presidency, forcing Robert to recruit Seichan as an agent, HiddenInPlainSight from the Bloodline's prying eyes.]]

* ''The Eye of God'' (2013) -- An American satellite used to conduct research on the dark energy contained in a comet crashes somewhere in the wilderness of Mongolia, setting off a wild scramble to find it, but not before relaying a horrifying image of the Atlantic coast of America in ruins. Meanwhile, Vigor Verona receives a mysterious package from a colleague who supposedly disappeared a decade ago -- a skull etched with Aramaic writing and a book bound in human skin, both of which are identified to be GenghisKhan's. Meanwhile, Gray and Sigma reunite with the Veronas to investigate links between the crashed satellite, relics of the Khan, the fall of the Roman Empire, and rumors of an ancient superweapon -- while forcing them to question the very nature of reality itself.

* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: Historical figures have figured into the stories of several novels in this series, such as the Oracle of Delphi (''The Last Oracle''), Thomas Jefferson (''The Devil Colony'') and Genghis Khan (''The Eye of God''), but Marco Polo (''The Judas Strain'') really takes the cake.

* ''The Eye of God'' (2013) -- The crash of a US satellite containing a top-secret dark energy research project in Mongolia sets off a wild scramble to find it and its contents, while the Vatican receives a mysterious package containing a skull etched with Aramaic writing and a book bound in human skin, both of which are identified to be GenghisKhan's. Meanwhile, Gray and Sigma reunite with the Veronas to investigate links between the crashed satellite, relics of the Khan, the fall of the Roman Empire, and rumors of an ancient superweapon.

* ''Tracker'' (Bloodline): Before they met Sigma Force, Tucker and Kane rescue a woman fleeing three assassins on the streets of Budapest, only to realize that she holds the key to a terrible secret originating from NaziGermany's final days.

* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: Historical figures have figured into the stories of several novels in this series, such as the Oracle of Delphi (''The Last Oracle'') and Thomas Jefferson (''The Devil Colony''), but Marco Polo (''The Judas Strain'') really takes the cake.

* ''The Eye of God'' (2013) -- The crash of a US satellite containing a top-secret dark energy research project in Mongolia sets off a wild scramble to find it and its contents, while the Vatican receives a mysterious package containing a skull etched with Aramaic writing and a book bound in human skin, both of which are identified to be GenghisKhan's. Meanwhile, Sigma and a pair of Vatican researchers investigate links between the crashed satellite, relics of the Khan, the fall of the Roman Empire, and rumors of an ancient superweapon.

** ''The Doomsday Key:'' Krista Magnussen[[spoiler: and Wallace, member of "Echelon", a higher-up of the Guild]]

* BiggerBad: Many of the books involve Sigma trying to stop the BigBad from precipitating a possible disaster that could lead to a [[ApocalypseHow Class 5-6]] catastrophe.
** ''Sandstorm:'' [[spoiler:Antimatter destruction, precipitated by a sandstorm currently ravaging Oman.]]
** ''Black Order:'' [[spoiler:Quantum devolution of all living things.]]
** ''The Judas Strain:'' [[spoiler:A disease that attacks the brain and causes a wide variety of symptoms, almost invariably ending in death.]]
** ''The Last Oracle:'' [[spoiler:The radioactive waters of Lake Karachay being unleashed to the world.]]
** ''The Doomsday Key:'' [[spoiler:A fungal mutation attached to genetically modified corn.]]
** ''The Devil Colony:'' [[spoiler:Nanites eating the landscape and essentially wiping out vast pockets of land.]]
** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:The eponymous Bloodline, an even more mysterious group than the Guild, attaining immortality and the power to have their way with the world.]]

* {{Chickification}}: Kat Bryant, sadly. After being introduced in ''Map of Bones'' as a Badass KnifeNut ActionGirl with a penchant for slitting throats with aplomb, she is quickly thrown in a relationship with Monk, knocked up, slapped with a desk job and left OutOfFocus for many of the following books, to the point that Painter, the aging director of Sigma, sees more field time than she does. Subverted come ''Bloodline'', fortunately, where she and Lisa get to join in on the action by investigating a fertility in Charleston, North Carolina, before being tasked with [[spoiler:securing William, Amanda's genetically-altered newborn son]].

* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler:''Bloodline'''s climax is the staged "assassination" of President Gant, who already knew that someone in his own family may be responsible for Amanda's kidnapping, with Gray as the "killer" sniper and Tucker detonating small explosives meant to make the President bleed as part of the ruse. After that, Sigma would only have six hours to uncover the source of their troubles before the President is to be stated to have "miraculously survived" the attempt.]]

** ''Bloodline'': [[spoiler:A poem about how the Bloodline, which manipulated the Gants from the shadows and thus the power behind the Guild's operations, will rise once more to haunt Sigma Force.]]

* DarkestHour: [[spoiler:The middle of ''Bloodline'', when President Gant orders Sigma shut down after his daughter Amanda was apparently killed during her rescue attempt. Fortunately Painter turns the situation around when not only Tucker bring the real Amanda, alive and well, but also convinces the President that someone in his own family may have staged her "death".]]

* GuileHero: Painter, more so in ''Bloodline'' [[spoiler:when he decides to keep silent about Amanda surviving the rescue attempt that apparently killed her, even as Sigma's reputation is apparently damaged beyond repair by their "failure". He eventually is forced to reveal what he knows to Metcalf and President Gant to help defuse the situation, provided they also keep silent, knowing that someone in Gant's own family may be responsible for the kidnapping]].

* ''Bloodline'' (2012) -- Somali pirates kidnap Amanda Gant-Bennett, runaway daughter of President James Gant. Gray and Seichan set out to rescue her, accompanied by Army Ranger Tucker Wayne and his combat dog Kane, all the while Painter and his team investigate links between Amanda's kidnapping, the Guild, and a staff said to have been used by Jesus himself -- reputed to hold the key to immortality.

* {{Chickification}}: Kat Bryant, sadly. After being introduced in ''Map of Bones'' as a Badass KnifeNut ActionGirl with a penchant for slitting throats with aplomb, she is quickly thrown in a relationship with Monk, knocked up, slapped with a desk job and left OutOfFocus for many of the following books, to the point that Painter, the aging director of Sigma, sees more field time than she does. Subverted come ''Bloodline'', fortunately, where she had to protect a group of children.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Many of the novels have this for the Sigma team, but the biggest example is ''Bloodline.''

* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler:''Bloodline'''s climax is the staged "assassination" of President Gant, who already knew that someone in his own family may be responsible for his daughter Amanda's kidnapping, with Gray handling the "killer" sniper rifle and Tucker detonating small explosives meant to make the President bleed as part of the ruse. After that, Sigma would only have six hours to uncover the source of their troubles before the President is to be stated to have "miraculously survived" the attempt.]]

** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:Robert Lee Gant, Seichan's father, older brother of President James Gant, and the Bloodline's most expendable pawn; doubles as RedemptionEqualsDeath, after shielding Seichan from a Bloodline assassin]]

* PoirotSpeak: Averted. Most foreign dialogue from foreign characters consists of either muttering (Ryan's father in ''Black Order''), giving orders (Baldric and his children, again in ''Black Order''), and/or swearing (Nicholas in ''The Last Oracle'' is particularly fond of yelling "Svoloch!")
* RedHerring: [[spoiler:''The Devil Colony'' ends with Painter coming to the conclusion that President James Gant may have a hand in the Guild's operations, and ''Bloodline'' apparently begins with a fast-forward to Gray, who has more than enough reason to be angry following his mother's death in a bombing meant for him, apparently about to snipe the President. Except the "assassination" was actually a ruse (with Gant himself as a willing participant) meant to distract the Guild while Sigma roots out its higherups -- among which is President Gant's own wife, Teresa, a member of the eponymous matrilineal clan desirous of world domination.]]

* ''Sandstorm'' (2004) -- In many ways a prequel novel, ''Sandstorm'' follows [[BigGood Painter Crowe]], future head of Sigma Force, on a mission that led up to his promotion. After an explosion at the British Muesum, Painter teams up with the wealthy Lady Kara Kensington and her foster sister [[AdventurerArchaeologist Safia Al-Maaz]] to find the lost city of Ubar in Oman and the lake of antimatter it rests on. They are pursued by former Sigma agent, Cassandra Sanchez, who works for the mysterious [[NebulousEvilOrganisation Guild]].

* ''The Doomsday Key'' (2009) -- Three murders separated by distance (the Vatican, Africa and Princeton) are connected by the victims sharing the same Celtic cross seared onto their chests. Meanwhile, a Norwegian corporation is making questionable genetically modified crops. Gray, Kowalski, Rachel and Seichan travel across Britain to find connections between said company's crops and 800-year-old cases of "death with a full stomach", while Painter, Monk and newcomer John Creed travel to Norway to investigate the company itself.

** ''The Doomsday Key:'' [[spoiler:Wallace, member of Echelon, a higher-up of the Guild]]

** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:The eponymous Bloodline, an even more mysterious group than the Guild.]]

* {{Chickification}}: Kat Bryant, sadly. After being introduced in ''Map of Bones'' as a Badass KnifeNut ActionGirl with a penchant for slitting throats with aplomb, she is [[StrangledByTheRedString quickly thrown in a relationship with Monk]], knocked up, slapped with a desk job and left OutOfFocus for many of the following books, to the point that the aging director of Sigma Force sees more field time than she does.

* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler:''Bloodline'''s climax is the staged assassination of President Gant, who already knew that someone in his own family may be responsible for his daughter Amanda's kidnapping, with Gray handling the sniper rifle and Tucker to detonate small explosives meant to make the President bleed as part of the ruse. After that, Sigma would only have six hours to uncover the source of their troubles before the President is to be stated to have "miraculously survived" the attempt.]]

* HeroicBastard: [[spoiler:Seichan is the product of Robert Gant's dalliance with a Southeast Asian woman, making her a highly-sought prize by the Bloodline, which have been manipulating Robert's ambitions for presidency, forcing Robert to recruit Seichan as an agent, HiddenInPlainSight from the Guild's prying eyes.]]

* RedHerring: [[spoiler:''The Devil Colony'' ends with Painter coming to the conclusion that President James Gant may have a hand in the Guild's operations. Come ''Bloodline'', it turns out everything that has happened can be traced back to his wife, First Lady Melody Gant, a true member of the eponymous matrilineal clan desirous of world domination.]]

** ''Sandstorm:'' [[TheDarkChick Cassandra Sanchez]] and her superior, [[spoiler:Sigma Director Tony Rector]].
** ''Map of Bones:'' Raoul de Sauvage, Imperator of the Dragon Court. [[spoiler:It's actually General Rende.]]
** ''Black Order:'' Sir Baldric Waalenberg, with his many children as a collective of [[TheDragon dragons]].
** ''The Judas Strain:'' Two Guild operatives -- Amen Nasser (Gray, Pete, Seichan and Vigor) and Devesh Patanjali (Monk, Lisa and the passengers of the ''Mistress of the Seas'').
** ''The Last Oracle:'' General-Major Savina Martov.
** ''The Doomsday Key:'' [[spoiler:Wallace, member of Echelon, a higher-up of the Guild.]]

** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:First Lady Melody Gant.]]

** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:Robert Gant, Seichan's father and older brother of President James Gant]]

* ''The Devil Colony'' (2011) -- A cataclysmic explosion portends an even greater catastrophe: the long-overdue eruption of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera the Yellowstone supervolcano]]. Blame for the blast is pinned on a radical Native American organization protesting the "desecration" of a sacred graveyard by an archaeological team -- among whose ranks is Painter's niece, Kai Quacheets. Gray and Kowalski must infiltrate Fort Knox to uncover secrets related to the blast, Kai must fight for her life and prove her innocence, a Japanese research team, accompanied by an overseas Sigma agent, is on the lookout for strange stirrings in Iceland, and Painter discovers a truly horrifying secret -- one which extends all the way back to the origins of the Mormons and the founding of America.

* ''The Eye of God'' (2013) -- The crash of a US satellite containing a top-secret dark energy research project in Mongolia sets off a wild scramble to find it and its contents, while the Vatican receives a mysterious package containing a skull scrawled with Aramaic and a book bound in human skin, both of which are connected to GenghisKhan. Meanwhile, Sigma and a pair of Vatican researchers investigate links between the crashed satellite, relics of the Khan, the fall of the Roman Empire, and rumors of an ancient superweapon.

* BadassGrandpa: Gray's father in ''The Judas Strain.'' See ObfuscatingDisability below.

** ''The Devil Colony:'' Raphael Roquefort

** ''Sandstorm:'' Antimatter destruction, precipitated by a sandstorm currently ravaging Oman.
** ''Black Order:'' Quantum devolution of all living things.
** ''The Judas Strain:'' A disease that attacks the brain and causes a wide variety of symptoms, almost invariably ending in death.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first book is very much different from its sequels in that only Painter is shown from Sigma (besides Cassandra). Afterwards, Painter is promoted and stuck with a cushy desk job, and more Sigma operatives are brought in as main characters.

* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Seichan seems to switch allegiances with reckless abandon until around book seven, by which point she has defected to Sigma for good.

** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:Robert Gant, Seichan's father]]

* TheMole: Featured in ''Sandstorm.'' [[spoiler:It's the director of Sigma at the time, who's replaced afterwards by Painter after Tony AteHisGun rather than face the jury.]]
* ObfuscatingDisability: In order to get the drop on the Guild agents holding him and his wife hostage in ''The Judas Strain'', Gray's father, a retired soldier with Alzheimer's disease, starts acting extremely agitated, as if his dementia is getting worse. But he's faking it -- he's still fully in control of his mental faculties, so he and Harriet work together to escape. The fact that he's an amputee helps the Guild underestimate him further.
* PoirotSpeak: Averted. Most foreign dialogue from foreign characters consists of either muttering (Ryan's father in ''Black Order''), giving orders (Baldric and his children, again in ''Black Order''), and/or swearing (Nicholas in ''The Last Oracle'' is particularly fond of yelling, ''Svoloch!'')
* RedHerring: [[spoiler:''The Devil Colony'' ends with Painter coming to the conclusion that President James Gant may have a hand in the Guild's operations. Come ''Bloodline'', it turns out it was his own wife, First Lady Melody, behind everything that has happened.]]

** Raphael Roquefort, BigBad of ''The Devil Colony'', to Raoul de Sauvage of ''Map of Bones'' being both {{French Jerk}}s with a savage taste for bloodshed, though Raphael lacks Raoul's predilection for rape.

** ''Bloodline'': [[spoiler:A "poem" about how the Bloodline, which manipulated the Gants from the shadows and thus the power behind the Guild's operations, will rise once more to haunt Sigma Force.]]
* WellDoneSonGuy: Gray's father, who has Alzheimer's (thus bordering on {{Deconstruction}} territory.)

** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:The titular Bloodline, an even more mysterious group than the Guild.]]

--> Painter Crowe: [[spoiler:We're not dealing with a new enemy here...[[WhamLine We're dealing with the same one.]] More Nazis.]]
* Chickification: Kat Bryant, sadly. After being introduced in ''Map of Bones'' as a Badass KnifeNut ActionGirl with a penchant for slitting throats with aplomb, she is [[StrangledByTheRedString quickly thrown in a relationship with Monk]], knocked up, slapped with a desk job and left OutOfFocus for many of the following books, to the point that the aging director of Sigma Force sees more field time than she does.

* DanBrowned: Averted. Rollins' disclaimers instead always state that any historical/scientific errors are entirely his own.

** TheHero: Gray Pierce and Painter during ''Sandstorm''

** ''The Devil Colony'': [[spoiler:Doubles as a SuddenDownerEnding -- Harriet is killed in an explosion meant for Gray, while Painter comes to the conclusion that President Gant may have had a hand in the Guild's operations.]]
** ''Bloodline'': [[spoiler:A metaphorical "poem" about how the Bloodline, which manipulated the Gants from the shadows and behind the Guild's operations, will rise once more to haunt Painter and Gray.]]

* ''The Eye of God'' (2013) -- Nothing is known about this one yet, except the title as revealed on Rollins' website.

* Chickification: Kat Bryant, sadly. After being introduced in ''Map of Blood'' as a Badass KnifeNut ActionGirl with a penchant for slitting throats with aplomb, she is [[StrangledByTheRedString quickly thrown in a relationship with Monk]], knocked up, slapped with a desk job and left OutOfFocus for many of the following books, to the point that the aging director of Sigma Force sees more field time than she does.

* AloofDarkhairedGirl: Seichan, [[IceQueen natch.]]

* TallDarkAndBishoujo: Cassandra, Seichan, and Rachel.

* ''Sandstorm'' (2004) -- In many ways a prequel novel, ''Sandstorm'' follows [[BigGood Painter Crowe]], future head of Sigma, on a mission that led up to his promotion. After an explosion at the British Muesum, Painter teams up with the wealthy Lady Kara Kensington and her foster sister [[AdventurerArchaeologist Safia Al-Maaz]] to find the lost city of Ubar in Oman and the lake of antimatter it rests on. They are pursued by former Sigma agent, Cassandra Sanchez, who works for the mysterious [[NebulousEvilOrganisation Guild]].
* ''Map of Bones'' (2005) -- The first book to introduce the series protagonists -- [[TheHero Gray Pierce]], [[TheLancer Monk Kokkalis]], and [[ActionGirl Kat Bryant]]. After the theft of the bones of the Three Magi and the massacre of an entire congregation attending mass in Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Sigma joins up with [[AdventurerArchaeologist Rachel Verona]], a beautiful Italian archeologist, and her uncle [[CoolOldGuy Vigor]], a custodian of the Vatican Archives, to find the bones and discover a mysterious substance that may have been the source of Biblical miracles while clashing with the Dragon Court and its enforcer, Raoul de Sauvage. The series also introduced [[DarkActionGirl Seichan]], an agent of the Guild with unclear allegiances. The book also features a rare benevolent Vatican secret society.
* ''Black Order'' (2006) -- While Gray goes to Denmark to find CharlesDarwin's family Bible, the rest of the team heads to Tibet where they find a Buddhist monastery full of dead monks and a swastika painted in blood. Both teams find themselves in a battle between [[BlackandGrayMorality two groups]] of ThoseWackyNazis intent on uncovering research on creating {{Super Soldier}}s. The book delves into real life genetic and nuclear projects of NaziGermany.

* ''The Last Oracle'' (2008) -- A secret Russian cabal has been bioengineering autistic Roma children into psychic prophets... while planning to kill off world leaders convening at Chernobyl to witness the sealing of its blasted reactor so as to make Mother Russia powerful again. Painter would have to deal with one such child who somehow made it to America, Gray and Kowalski travel to Chernobyl to stop the cabal, and Monk [[spoiler:(who survived drowning in last book)]] has to accompany a cadre of such children to the area around Lake Karachay.

* ''The Devil Colony'' (2011) -- A cataclysmic explosion portends an even greater catastrophe: the long-overdue eruption of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera the Yellowstone supervolcano]]. Blame for the blast is pinned on a radical Native American organization protesting the "desecration" of a sacred graveyard by an archaeological team -- led by Painter's firebrand niece, Kai Quacheets. Gray and Kowalski must infiltrate Fort Knox to uncover secrets related to the blast, Kai must fight for her life and innocence, a Japanese research team, one of which was a Sigma agent, is on the lookout for strange stirrings in Iceland, and Painter discovers a truly horrifying secret -- one which extends all the way back to the origins of the Mormons and the founding of America.

** ''The Devil Colony'': [[spoiler:Harriet is killed in an explosion meant for Gray, while Painter comes to the conclusion that President Gant may have had a hand in the Guild's operations.]]

* DeadpanSnarker: Monk and Pete.

* ''The Last Oracle'' (2008) -- A secret Russian cabal has been bioengineering autistic Roma children into psychic prophets... while planning to kill off world leaders convening at Chernobyl to witness the sealing of its blasted reactor so as to make Mother Russia powerful again. Painter would have to deal with one such child who somehow made it to America, Gray and Pete travel to Chernobyl to stop the cabal, and Monk [[spoiler:(who survived drowning in last book)]] has to accompany a cadre of such children to the area around Lake Karachay.
* ''The Doomsday Key'' (2009) -- Three murders separated by distance (the Vatican, Africa and Princeton) are connected by the victims sharing the same Celtic cross seared onto their chests. Meanwhile, a Norwegian corporation is making questionable genetically modified crops. Gray, Pete, Rachel and Seichan travel across Britain to find connections between said company's crops and 800-year-old cases of "death with a full stomach", while Painter, Monk and newcomer John Creed travel to Norway to investigate the company itself.
* ''The Devil Colony'' (2011) -- A cataclysmic explosion portends an even greater catastrophe: the long-overdue eruption of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera the Yellowstone supervolcano]]. Blame for the blast is pinned on a radical Native American organization protesting the "desecration" of a sacred graveyard by an archaeological team -- led by Painter's firebrand niece, Kai Quacheets. Gray and Pete must infiltrate Fort Knox to uncover secrets related to the blast, Kai must fight for her life and innocence, a Japanese research team, one of which was a Sigma agent, is on the lookout for strange stirrings in Iceland, and Painter discovers a truly horrifying secret -- one which extends all the way back to the origins of the Mormons and the founding of America.

* ''The Judas Strain'' (2007) -- Gray teams up once again with Seichan and Vigor to seek out the key to stopping a strange disease that has broken out aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Indonesia (where Monk is representing Sigma in the relief/investigation efforts) that threatens the entire world. The series also introduces [[TheBigGuy Pete Kowalski]], a hulking ex-Navy soldier. The first book in the series to have a TwistEnding, meaning most plot threads from future books will invariably spoil the previous highly serialized installments.

** TheBigGuy: Pete Kowalski

* ''Map of Bones'' (2005) -- The first book to introduce the series protagonists -- [[TheHero Gray Pierce]], [[TheLancer Monk Kokkalis]], and [[ActionGirl Kat Bryant]]. After the theft of the bones of the Three Magi and the murder of an entire congregation attending mass in Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Sigma joins up with [[AdventurerArchaeologist Rachel Verona]], a beautiful Italian archeologist, and her uncle [[CoolOldGuy Vigor]], a custodian of the Vatican Archives, to find the bones and discover a mysterious substance that may have been the source of Biblical miracles. The series also introduced [[DarkActionGirl Seichan]], an agent of the Guild. The book also features a rare benevolent Vatican secret society.
* ''Black Order'' (2006) -- While Gray goes to Denmark to find CharlesDarwin's family Bible, the rest of the team heads to Tibet where they find a Buddhist monastery full of dead monks and a swastika painted in blood. Both teams find themselves in a battle between [[BlackandGrayMorality two groups]] of ThoseWackyNazis intent on uncovering research on creating {{Super Soldier}}s. The book delves into information regarding the real life genetic and nuclear projects of NaziGermany.

* ''The Last Oracle'' (2008) -- A secret Russian cabal has been bioengineering autistic Roma children into psychic prophets... and they also plan to trigger a manmade earthquake which will cause water seepage from the incredibly radioactive [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Karachay Lake Karachay]] to kill off world leaders convening in Chernobyl to witness the sealing of its blasted reactor and make Mother Russia a superpower again. Painter would have to deal with one such child who somehow made it to America, Gray and Pete travel to Chernobyl to stop the cabal, and Monk [[spoiler:(who survived drowning in last book)]] has to accompany a cadre of such children to the area around Lake Karachay.
* ''The Doomsday Key'' (2009) -- Three murders separated by distance (the Vatican, Africa and Princeton) are connected by the victims sharing the same Celtic cross seared onto their chests. Meanwhile, a Norwegian corporation is making questionable genetically modified crops. Gray, Pete, Rachel and Seichan must travel across Britain to find connections between said company's crops and 800-year-old cases of "death with a full stomach", while Painter, Monk and newcomer John Creed travel to Norway to investigate the company itself.
* ''The Devil Colony'' (2011) -- A cataclysmic explosion portends an even greater catastrophe: the long-overdue eruption of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera the Yellowstone supervolcano]]. Blame for the blast is pinned on a radical Native American organization protesting the "desecration" of a sacred graveyard from which the blast emanated -- led by Painter's firebrand niece, Kai Quacheets. Gray and Pete must infiltrate Fort Knox to uncover secrets related to the blast, Kai fights for her life and innocence, a Japanese research team, one of which was a Sigma agent, is on the lookout for strange stirrings in Iceland, and Painter discovers a truly horrifying secret -- one which extends all the way back to the origins of the Mormons and the founding of America.
* ''Bloodline'' (2012) -- Somali pirates kidnap Amanda Gant-Bennett, runaway daughter of President James Gant. Gray and Seichan set out to rescue her, accompanied by Army Ranger Tucker Wayne and his combat dog Kane, all the while Painter and his team investigate links between Amanda's kidnapping, the Guild, and a staff said to have been used by Jesus himself -- said to hold the key to immortality.

** ''Map of Bones'' (2005) -- The first book to introduce the series protagonists -- [[TheHero Gray Pierce]], [[TheLancer Monk Kokkalis]], and [[ActionGirl Kat Bryant]]. After the theft of the bones of the Three Magi and the murder of an entire congregation attending mass in Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Sigma joins up with [[AdventurerArcheologist Vitoria Vetra]], a beautiful Italian archeologist, and her uncle [[CoolOldGuy Vigor Verona]], a custodian of the Vatican Archives, to find the bones and discover a mysterious substance that may have been the source of Biblical miracles. The series also introduced [[DarkActionGirl Seichan]], an agent of the Guild. The book also features a rare benevolent Vatican secret society.
** ''Black Order'' (2006) -- While Gray goes to Denmark to find CharlesDarwin's family Bible, the rest of the team heads to Tibet where they find a Buddhist monastery full of dead monks and a swastika painted in blood. Both teams find themselves in a battle between [[BlackandGrayMorality two groups]] of ThoseWackyNazis intent on uncovering research on creating {{Super Soldier}}s. The book delves into information regarding the real life genetic and nuclear projects of NaziGermany.
** ''The Judas Strain'' (2007) -- Gray teams up once again with Seichan and Vigor to seek out the key to stopping a strange disease that has broken out aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Indonesia (where Monk Kokkalis is representing Sigma in the relief/investigation efforts) that threatens the entire world. The series also introduces [[TheBigGuy Pete Kowalski]], a hulking ex-Navy soldier. The first book in the series to have a TwistEnding, meaning most plot threads from future books will invariably spoil the previous highly serialized installments.
** ''The Last Oracle'' (2008) -- A secret Russian cabal has been bioengineering autistic Roma children into psychic prophets... and they also plan to trigger a manmade earthquake which will cause water seepage from the incredibly radioactive [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Karachay Lake Karachay]] to kill off world leaders convening in Chernobyl to witness the sealing of its blasted reactor and make Mother Russia a superpower again. Painter would have to deal with one such child who somehow made it to America, Gray and Pete travel to Chernobyl to stop the cabal, and Monk [[spoiler:(who survived drowning in last book)]] has to accompany a cadre of such children to the area around Lake Karachay.
** ''The Doomsday Key'' (2009) -- Three murders separated by distance (the Vatican, Africa and Princeton) are connected by the victims sharing the same Celtic cross seared onto their chests. Meanwhile, a Norwegian corporation is making questionable genetically modified crops. Gray, Pete, Rachel and Seichan must travel across Britain to find connections between said company's crops and 800-year-old cases of "death with a full stomach", while Painter, Monk and newcomer John Creed travel to Norway to investigate the company itself.
** ''The Devil Colony'' (2011) -- A cataclysmic explosion portends an even greater catastrophe: the long-overdue eruption of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera the Yellowstone supervolcano]]. Blame for the blast is pinned on a radical Native American organization protesting the "desecration" of a sacred graveyard from which the blast emanated -- led by Painter's firebrand niece, Kai Quacheets. Gray and Pete must infiltrate Fort Knox to uncover secrets related to the blast, Kai fights for her life and innocence, a Japanese research team, one of which was a Sigma agent, is on the lookout for strange stirrings in Iceland, and Painter discovers a truly horrifying secret -- one which extends all the way back to the founding of America.
** ''Bloodline'' (2012) -- Somali pirates kidnap Amanda Gant-Bennett, runaway daughter of President James Gant. Gray and Seichan set out to rescue her, accompanied by Army Ranger Tucker Wayne and his combat dog Kane, all the while Painter and his team investigate links between Amanda's kidnapping, the Guild, and a staff said to have been used by Jesus himself -- said to hold the key to immortality.
** ''The Eye of God'' (2013) - Nothing is known about this one yet, except the title as revealed on Rollins' website.

* AncientAliens: Implied with the big discoveries of many of the books, but perhaps the biggest one is [[spoiler:the nano-enhanced gold artifacts featured in ''The Devil Colony.'']]
* ArtisticLicense: Of a variety of types. One of the biggest ones (acknowledged by WordOfGod) is that the Dragon Court (the BigBad group from ''Map of Bones'') is a real group, but they are actually very benevolent and philanthropic, not the evil world-domination seekers depicted in the novel.

* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: Historical figures have figured into the storylines of several novels in this series, such as the Oracle of Delphi (''The Last Oracle'') and Thomas Jefferson (''The Devil Colony''), but Marco Polo (''The Judas Strain'') really takes the cake.
* BigBad:
** ''Sandstorm:'' [[TheDarkChick Cassandra Sanchez]] and her boss, [[spoiler:Sigma Director Tony Rector.]]
** ''Map of Bones:'' The Imperator of the Dragon Court. [[spoiler:It's General Rende.]]
** ''Black Order:'' Sir Baldric Waalenberg, with his many children as a collective of [[TheDragon dragons.]]
** ''The Judas Strain:'' Actually has two - the two Guild operatives who are making life hell for Gray/Kowalski/Seichan/Vigor (Amen Nasser) and for Monk/Lisa/everyone on the ''Mistress of the Seas'' (Devesh Patanjali).

** ''The Doomsday Key:'' [[spoiler:Wallace is Echelon.]]
** ''The Devil Colony:'' Raphael (a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute for Raoul from ''Map of Bones,'' minus the sadism and love of rape.)
** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:The First Lady. Yeah.]]
* BiggerBad: Many of the books involve Sigma trying to stop the BigBad from precipitating a possible disaster that could lead to a [[ApocalypseHow Class 5]] or perhaps [[ApocalypseHow Class 6.]]
** ''Sandstorm:'' Antimatter wipeout of the Earth.

** ''The Last Oracle:'' [[spoiler:The world's most polluted lake being emptied into the oceans, thus poisoning the entire world.]]

* BilingualBonus: Although most foreign phrases are translated for the readers' convenience, some are left up to the reader to figure out. For example, ''svoloch,'' a Russian word meaning "scum," featured in ''The Last Oracle.''

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Fiona, and both Veronas as of Book 6.

* DeadpanSnarker: Monk (and Kowalski.)
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first book is very much different from its sequels in that only one major character is from Sigma (Painter Crowe.) [[spoiler:Afterwards, Painter is promoted and stuck with a cushy desk job, and more Sigma operatives are brought in as main characters.]]

** Happens again in ''The Judas Strain'' - to create a distraction, Gray accidentally-on-purpose jumps off a scaffold in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia. He actually does hurt his ankle in the fall, prompting the museum director to call an ambulance.
* {{Expy}}: Gregory Metcalfe, [[spoiler:the new DARPA Director as of book 6]], seems like one of [[Series/{{NCIS}} Leon Vance.]]

* ImmortalityImmorality: ''Bloodline.''
* IncestIsRelative: [[spoiler:In ''Map of Bones,'' Rachel's ''nonna'' tells her that she was forced to carry two children fathered by the Baron de Sauvage (grandfather of Raoul, TheDragon of the story.) This means that Rachel is expected to marry her step-second-cousin. {{Squick}}.]]
* KilledOffForReal:
** ''Black Order:'' [[spoiler:Deputy Director of Sigma, Logan Gregory.]]
** ''The Last Oracle:'' [[spoiler:DARPA Director, Sean [=McKnight=].]]
** ''The Doomsday Key:'' [[spoiler:John Creed.]]
** ''The Devil Colony:'' [[spoiler:Harriet Pierce.]]
** ''Bloodline:'' [[spoiler:Robert Gant.]]
* MadLibThrillerTitle: Most of the novels do this, starting with ''Map of Bones.'' The eighth novel, ''Bloodline,'' breaks the trend.
* TheMole: Featured in ''Sandstorm.'' [[spoiler:It's the director of Sigma at the time, who's replaced afterwards by Painter Crowe.]]
* ObfuscatingDisability: In order to get the drop on the Guild agents holding him and his wife hostage in book four, Gray's dad starts acting extremely agitated, as if his dementia is getting worse. But he's faking it - he's still fully in control of his mental faculties, so he and Harriet work together to escape.
** The fact that he's an amputee helps the Guild underestimate him further.
* PoirotSpeak: Averted. Most foreign dialogue from foreign characters consists of either muttering (Ryan's father in ''Black Order''), giving orders (Sir Baldric Waalenberg and his children, again in ''Black Order''), and/or swearing (Nicholas in ''The Last Oracle'' is particularly fond of yelling, ''Svoloch!'')

* SceneryPorn: Occasionally, but most prevalent in ''Black Order,'' where Rollins describes in great detail the decor of the meeting hall in Copenhagen where the auction is being held...except he actually uses it as an opportunity to criticize Scandinavian design (which he calls a "total lack thereof.")

** Raphael too (see BigBad above.)

The "Sigma Force" techno-thriller series by author James Rollins features a covert group of special forces soldiers, recruited by DARPA for their incredible intelligence as well as fighting skills. Together the team goes on missions to investigate secure discoveries, both technological and historical, that could hurt the United States and the world.

* There are currently seven books in the series:
** ''Sandstorm'' (2004)- In many ways a prequel novel, "Sandstorm" follows Painter Crowe, the future head of Sigma, on the mission that led up to his permotion. After an explosion at the British Muesum, Painter teams up with the wealthy Lady Kara Kensington and her foster sister [[AdventurerArchaeologist Safia Al-Maaz]] to find the lost city of Ubar in Oman, and the lake of Antimatter it rests on. They are persued by former Sigma agent, Cassandra Sanchez who works for the mysterious [[NebulousEvilOrganisation The Guild]].
** ''Map of Bones'' (2005)- The first book to introduce the series heros, [[TheHero Gray Pierce]], [[TheLancer Monk Kokkalis]], and [[ActionGirl Kat Bryant]]. After the theft of the Three Magi's bones and the muder of an entire church mass in Germany, Sigma joins up with two representives of the Vatican Secret Service to find the bones and discover a mysteious substance that may be the source of all Biblical miracles. They are persued by a secret society bent on using the substance for WorldDomination and the enigmatic Guild assassin [[DarkActionGirl Seichan]]. The book also features a rare benevolent Vatican secret society.
** ''Black Order'' (2006)- While Gray goes to Denmark to find Charles Darwin's family bible, the rest of the team heads to Tibet where they find a Buddist monestary full of dea monks and a swastika painted in blood. Both groups then find themselves in a battle between [[BlackandGrayMorality two groups]] of ThoseWackyNazis intent on uncovering reaserch on creating SuperSoldiers. The book delves into information regarding the real life genetic and nuclear prodjects of NaziGermany.
** ''The Judas Strain'' (2007)- Gray teams up once again with Seichan and Vigor Verona to seek out the key to stopping a strange disease that has broken out aboard a cruise ship (where Monk Kokkalis is representing Sigma in the relief/investigation efforts) that threatens the entire world. The first book in the series to have a TwistEnding, meaning most plot threads from future books will invariably spoil the previous highly serialized installments.
** ''The Last Oracle'' (2008) - A secret cabal of Russians have been bioengineering autistic Gypsy children into psychic prophets - and they also plan to wipe out the world in order to make Mother Russia the supreme superpower. [[spoiler:Oh, and Monk isn't really dead. He's being held prisoner by the same Russians.]]
** ''The Doomsday Key'' (2009) - Three murders. Three continents. One corporation making questionable-quality genetically modified crops. Looks like a job for Sigma!
** ''The Devil Colony'' (2011) - The team is called in to help prevent a major cataclysm from wiping out the western US - and Painter discovers a truly horrifying secret.
** ''Bloodline'' (2012) - [[spoiler:The family of the current US President appears to be the head of the deadly Guild...but all is not what it seems. Why else would they kidnap the President's pregnant daughter?]]

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