I'm not really sure why I ordered this book from the library. I think a friend recommended the author to me, but the last few months have been so hectic that I don't really remember! Ah well, that's life. "Sandstorm" is an adventure thriller in the tradition of Indiana Jones or anything by Clive Cussler. It's not what I read on a daily basis, but it is a genre I enjoy venturing into from time to time!

"Sandstorm" is the first book in Rollin's "Sigma Force" series of books. The Sigma Force is a small group of elite operatives designated by the US government to deal with certain problems. In this case, they are investigating a strange museum break in and the weird "lighting" that was associated with it.

The search will take us to the Arabian desert, and deep into the lives of two women. Lady Kara Kensington and Safia al-Maaz appear to be very different. Lady Kara is a wealthy heiress with a drive and determination that has taken her inheritance and multiplied it. Safia loves nothing more than spending time studying and preserving ancient artifacts. The two have a lot in common though. Safia grew up as Lady Kara's companion, and both of them have their roots in Arabia, and in this mystery.

If your looking for a "can't put it down" action-adventure than this book is perfect for you! ( )

The sort of thriller that SF fans can like.

Not so much with the pages of infodumps on the size of the ammo and how gung-ho they are, but more with the crazy but sort of plausible scientific adventure.

Here we have antimatter meteorites, an actual Indiana Jones (well, Omaha) archaeologist character. Desert leopards, rich English aristocrats, secret government conspiracies, and all-female clans of women with mind powers (who like the clothing optional operation). Plus an ancient hidden city.

Throw Sigma Force into that, a group of special forces operatives with PhDs (no, they aren't in a band or surgeons, so you don't have to hate them), and you have plenty of scientific military mayhem tobe had. On camels, too.

Fun stuff. Nothing amazing, but decent for a change of pace.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/08... ( )

In Sandstorm, James Rollins introduces us to the agency - Sigma Force - and some of the characters that will make up his Sigma Force novels. In a London museum, an explosion shocks the antiquities world. and Safia al-Maaz, the curator of the collection, and Lady Kara Kensington, the rich patron, are looking for answers. They form a team that includes Omaha Dunn, Safia's former lover, and Painter Crowe, an operative with Sigma Force. They head to Oman, where Safia and Kara spent their childhood, searching for a lost city with the secret to the great power behind the explosion. However, they are not the only group looking for the source of this great power, which could create a utopia or destroy the world.

Sandstorm is not one of Rollins' best books, but it's a fun escapist read. As usual, not only does Rollins keep the plot moving at a rollicking pace, but he also does an above-average job of creating fairly realistic characters who are sympathetic to the reader. So often, in these thriller-type novels, the characters are basically cardboard cut-outs, but Rollins really invests some time and energy into making each of his characters unique. Having read many of the Sigma Force novels before this, I "knew" Painter Crowe, but only as a side character in his later role as Director of Sigma Force. It would have been nice if Rollins had spent a few more books focusing on this character, who is quite likable. ( )

Have enjoyed James Rollins early works very much. Have picked this one up twice now, and can't seem to get into it. Perhaps I will try again later.

James Rollins has something in common with Alexandre Dumas, he tells a good story. Sandstorm is one of his best. It is the first of the Sigma Force novels and is classic Rollins. It contains nonstop action, complex characters mixed with an exotic locale and as my friend, Mildred, says "a touch of the weird". He does base most of his "weird" on scientific facts though. I loved it. ( )

I started this series with the second book. I had picked it up for two reasons: 1) it sounded interesting and 2) the main character shares my son's name. I enjoyed it so much that I sought out the rest of the Sigma Force books.

Sandstorm is the first of the Sigma Force novels. I was disappointed at first when I discovered that Grayson Pierce was not even a minor character, however, I quickly warmed to Painter Crowe. The story is that of a lost city in Oman. The action was consistent and the history interesting. As with all the books of this sort, there were an obscene number of "well, isn't that convenient" circumstances.

The scenery was amazing. You'd think that endless sands would become boring, but Rollins kept the land alive and moving. Each location was described with enough detail to allow me to form complete pictures in my head. The characters were realistic and vivid for the most part. Clay bothered me. He seemed very on-again-off-again, but he wasn't exactly a main player.

I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author (including the fantasy he writes under the name of James Clemens) and would recommend this book without hesitation. In fact, I've already gotten several family members interested in it. If you like well planned and fleshed out history-mysteries, you'll enjoy this book as well.

Decent thriller kind of book. Pretty much non-stop action without being over the top. I'll read the rest of the series. ( )

Ordinarily, I never read series books out of order. In this case, however, I read the second book in the series (Map of Bones) first, only because I didn't realize that it was a sequel to Sandstorm. In this (rare) instance, I'm actually glad that I read the second book first because had I read Sandstorm first I might or might not have read Map of Bones but I certainly would not have raced to read it immediately and that would have been a shame (see my review for Map of Bones). Sandstorm was fun, but simply too improbable. Unfortunately, that improbability (not that I mind speculative fiction) took away from the enjoyment of the adventure story. Also, I found that several of the characters never amounted to much more than cardboard cutouts. ( )

His best book to date - and that is saying something as I have enjoyed ALL of his books emensely. He has improved quite a bit with regards to the action scenes, the characterization and the timing. I read it in one sitting. I loved the new characters that were very detailed and varied. The plot and the big discovery were compelling and believable. ( )

It's always fun to read an old fashioned, adventure novel. Set in London and the Middle East, the book is non-stop action. When I see the name James Rollins, I know it's going to be a quick, exciting read. ( )

I don't know why I keep reading James Rollins books. Well, yes I do - I like the story lines, the mysteries - but I do not necessarily like his style of writing. I find myself saying "ya da ya da" to skip over some of his prose, but I keep reading to find out what is the great mystery. Some are a big let down some are not. You decide for yourself. ( )

If you want a great way to spend an afternoon, pick up this book and get going. You won't put it down! It is pure and simple a FUN book with adventure, science & action all rolled into one. Very cool book, a good way to relax & have fun.

If you want serious literature then go read something else!!!!! Between the covers of Sandstorm, the reader is introduced to SIGMA, a kind of covert operations force. But the action starts in London, at the British Museum, where Dr. Safia Al-Maaz, the Arabian Wing curator, wakes up in the wee hours of the morning after smelling smoke & hearing sirens. Instantly she panics, remembering another time in Tel Aviv, but then she looks outside and realizes that her part of the museum is on fire. The explosion creates an interest for SIGMA; two operatives Painter Crowe and Coral Novak are sent to the site disguised as scientists. What they discover at the museum will take them on a journey to Oman, an expedition to get to the heart of the mystery sponsored by Dr. al-Maaz's best friend, Lady Kara Kensington. Painter and Coral tag along as well; they have a more clandestine mission to take care of along the way. Their every move is thwarted, it seems, by an enemy, culminating in a showdown during a sandstorm to end all storms in the desert known as the Rub al-Khali, supposedly the site of the legendary city of Ubar.

FUN fun fun!!! If you take yourself too seriously, you won't like it. If you just want to chill with a great action adventure, try this one. ( )

Fun read, but ending was lame enough for me to give it 3 stars instead of 4. ( )