Altar of Eden: A Novel

“Every James Rollins delivers mach-speed mayhem, throat-clutching suspense, high-style adventure, and a terrific story told terrifically.”
—Steve Berry, author of The Romanov Prophecy

The thriller king praised for his “edge-of-your-seat excitement” (San Francisco Chronicle), James Rollins storms the New York Times bestseller list with every novel he writes. With his latest breathtaking blockbuster, Altar of Eden, Rollins takes a breather from his Sigma Force adventures (Map of Bones, Black Order, The Judas Strain, et al) while delivering all the action, surprise, and intensity for which he’s well known—and loved. Combining science, history, and breakneck suspense—and a secret tied to the Book of Genesis—Altar of Eden is sure to satisfy every James Rollins fan while winning over a slew of new converts.

Baghdad falls . . . and armed men are seen looting the city zoo. Amid a hail of bullets, a concealed underground lab is ransacked—and something horrific is set loose upon the world.

Seven years later, Louisiana state veterinarian Lorna Polk investigates an abandoned shipwrecked fishing trawler carrying exotic caged animals, part of a black market smuggling ring. But there is something disturbingly wrong with these beasts—each an unsettling mutation of the natural order, all sharing one uncanny trait: incredibly heightened intelligence.

Joining forces with U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jack Menard—a man who shares with her a dark and bloody past—Lorna sets out to uncover the truth about this strange cargo and the terrorist threat it poses. Because a beast escaped the shipwreck and is running amok—and what is about to be born upon the altar of Eden could threaten not only the future of the world but the very foundation of what it means to be human.

“Edge-of-your-seat excitement.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“Rollins combines real-world science with high-octane action to create rousing stories of adventure that are as exciting as any movie.” - Chicago Sun-Times (generic quote)

“Rollins is as sure-footed on new ground as he is in the familiar Sigma Force world.” - Booklist

“Every James Rollins delivers mach-speed mayhem; throat-clutching suspense; high-style adventure; and a terrific story told terrifically. He makes the rest us look bad. I hate him.” - Steve Berry, author of The Romanov Prophecy

“James Rollins is a master of international action and intrigue.” - Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Rollins does his job: thrills promised, then delivered.” - Tampa Tribune

“As with all Rollins books . . . great good fun.” - Library Journal on The Judas Strain

“High-octane.” - People on Judas Strain