Interviews
ALTAR OF EDEN
James Rollins on the Truth behind the Tale
Your SIGMA series has been incredibly popular. What drew you to write a stand-alone thriller now?
After writing six Sigma novels, I was ready to tackle an independent story, one free of baggage and recurring characters. It was also a chance to return to my writing roots. My first five novels were stand-alone adventures. Each book was an attempt to capture some of the spirit of adventure found in the pulp novels that I grew up reading, paired with the wild imagination of writers such as H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and H. Rider Haggard.
In this book the main character is a veterinarian. For many years you were a practicing vet. What made you want to have a protagonist share your former profession?
Because I still love the profession. I always wanted to be a veterinarian. I remember in third grade getting that assignment all teachers eventually inflict upon their students: to answer what do you want to be when you grow up? I sat at my desk as a third grader, scratching my head. I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian, but I had a big problem. I didn't know how to spell it. So I did the one thing all third graders are loath to do. I looked it up in the dictionary. I was that determined to be a veterinarian.
We see that you decided to make Dr. Lorna Polk a woman. How are you able to get inside the mind of a woman so well and what made you want to write from the point of view of a woman for this book?
When I was in veterinary school, half of the class was composed of women. Since then, that percentage has continued to grow. So I thought it would beappropriate to tell the story from such a fresh perspective. I also grew up with three brothers . . . and more importantly, three sisters. When it comes to getting inside the mind of a woman, they keep me honest. They're still my best first readers. And since I was breaking ground writing a new subgenre anyway-the first veterinary thriller-I thought I'd have a woman take the reins in what is normally a male-dominated genre. But I didn't want to write a female Rambo. I wanted to flesh out a real woman with a rich history, one tied to New Orleans where the story takes place. So Lorna Polk came into being.
One of the true scientific gems you include in ALTAR OF EDEN is the idea of "genetic throwbacks." What exactly is a genetic throwback and is it possible for my next kitten to be born with saber-tooth fangs?
The scientific term for "genetic throwback" is atavism. It's a real phenomenon where a genetic trait, lost for generations, returns in an individual. In this novel, one of the many creatures featured is a python born with reptilian limbs, a throwback to a time before the snake's ancestor lost its legs. I thought I was making this creature up, but a couple of months ago, I stumbled upon a scientific article about a Chinese snake born with a fully functional reptilian limb poking out of its flank. For the curious, a quick Google search will bring up a picture of this snake. It just goes to show that nature is full of surprises.
Another concept that you include in ALTAR OF EDEN is the idea of a higher, collective intelligence. Do you believe in the notion that animals can think together? Do you believe this type of intelligence already exists?
Something is definitely going on, something beyond our current understanding. One of the scientific phenomena explored in this novel is the human-animal bond-the strange and deep affinity humans have for animals, an affinity that goes beyond mere affection or need for companionship. The presence of animals has a profound effect on people: petting a cat triggers an immediate drop in blood pressure, animals brought into hospital wards boost immune responses in patients and accelerate healing times. Yet, it remains a mystery why we have this bodily reaction. Current research is exploring the roots of this strange bond. In this novel, I offer my own theory. But to tell you more would ruin the story.
I'm sure many fans of the SIGMA series are panicking, wondering when they are going to see Gray Pierce, Painter Crowe and the rest of SIGMA again. Why don't you quell their fears, when can we see the next SIGMA?
It comes out next summer (July 2010). In that book, a major storyline that has been building over the course of the series comes to a head, and all Hell breaks loose . . . in this case, literally. It's titled The Devil Colony and it's a huge story.
