4.5/5

For fans of: Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, special forces, sci-fi, historical fiction

Synopsis: Sigma Force has been called to the heart of Africa: the Congo. An outbreak of a mysterious illness has spread along with the kidnapping of several doctors and patients. In addition, the local animals have begun to act strangely, some even have begun to exhibit changes in their appearance that are biologically impossible. In a race against time, members of Sigma along with a special forces soldier and his military canine, must find the doctors and patients as well as the cause and cure of the illnesses and changes before it spreads out of control. Unfortunately for everyone, the disease is airborne and there are storms ahead.

Review: If you haven’t read a Sigma Force novel, this is the sign to jump into this series. This latest installment does not disappoint. Honestly, it was a tad bit more unsettling than usual as a pandemic story in the middle of a real pandemic. If you want a crash course in virology basics, zoonotic diseases, the fungal ancestry of all life on Earth, and the medieval story of Prester John, this is the book for you. The gang is all here and, of course, all separated. I loved the addition of Tucker and Kane as an extension of the team; their relationship pulls at the heartstrings. Action-packed, disturbingly realistic, and a fun mix of ancient supernatural ties this adventure all together for a highly satisfying, if a tad unsettling, story.