The Judas Strain

A Sigma Force Novel, Book 4

By: James Rollins

Narrated by: Peter J. Fernandez

Length: 18 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

ju-das strain, n. A scientific term for an organism that drives an entire species to extinction

New York Times best-selling author James Rollins returns with a terrifying story of an ancient menace reborn to plague the modern world...and of an impossible hope that lies hidden in the most shocking place imaginable: within the language of angels.

From the depths of the Indian Ocean, a horrific plague has arisen to devastate humankind - a disease that's unknown, unstoppable, and deadly. But it is merely a harbinger of the doom that is to follow. Aboard a cruise liner transformed into a makeshift hospital, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis, operatives of SIGMA Force, search for answers to the bizarre affliction. But there are others with far less altruistic intentions. In a savage and sudden coup, terrorists hijack the vessel, turning a mercy ship into a floating bio-weapons lab.

A world away, SIGMA's commander, Gray Pierce, thwarts the murderous schemes of a beautiful would-be killer who holds the first clue to the discovery of a possible cure. Pierce joins forces with the woman who wanted him dead, and together they embark upon an astonishing quest following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history: Marco Polo. But time is an enemy as a worldwide pandemic grows rapidly out of control. As a relentless madman dogs their every step, Gray and his unlikely ally are being pulled into an astonishing mystery buried deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code. And as the seconds tick closer to doomsday, Gray Pierce will realize he can truly trust no one, for any one of them could be...a Judas.

©2007 Jim Czajkowski (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Action abounds...as the characters from the previous novel range over the globe. There are murders, disfiguring diseases, pirates, cannibals, and, oh yes, people who glow in the dark....this book is great good fun, if readers suspend their disbelief." ( Library Journal)

another great story !

the sigma series is always engaging. however the performer's Italian accent sounds like count Dracula. once you hear it, you can't unhear it.

Another good story in a great series!

I dont understand some of the bad reviews of this book. The storyline follows the same split story pattern ending in a culmination as the previous books.
The narrative abilities are fantastic albeit a little slow reading for me but that is easily remedied by adjusting the play speed.
All in all I love the depth in science,technology and religious perspective & I look forward to the next in the series!!!!

Too complicated?

For the most part, this was a very good book. It is well written and the characters are interesting. Terrific action scenes keep the pace high at times.

The story, however, was simply over-the-top complicated. There are too many characters and some have similar personalities. The twists and turns are thrown together rapidly and are sometimes difficult to straighten out before another is on top of you.

And, there are parts of the book that come across as pre-set movie scenes ... characters portrayed as ruthless that hesitate just long enough for intervention to save the good guys.

In the end, I was relieved that the book ended, not wishing there was more.

Gr888888888

More twists and turns than the roller coasters at Cedar Point. More Cliff hangers than the old Saturday matinees at the movie theaters in the 50's. A gr8 "read." You won't be disappointed. Highly recommend.

Second Read

Very exciting adventure. A thriller from beginning to end. Rollins at his very best. I urge people to read this during the COVID19 pandemic.

Not bad, but Rollins has done better

What made the experience of listening to The Judas Strain the most enjoyable?

The story was a good idea. An interesting way of connecting a mystery from the past with a mystery from the present.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Rollins does have a habit of re-creating the movie where the villain is killed, and then returns, and is killed again, and then returns and is killed again..... This particular story had too many threads to be neatly wrapped up in the end and the ending felt rushed. There are a couple of things that could have been left out that would have cleaned up the last 1/4 of the book and made it a little more enjoyable and a lot easier to finish.

Did Peter J. Fernandez do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Fernandez did ok, but he's not my favorite reader. He just seems to lack a certain something or other that I can't place. Some may love him, but he's not the best to me.

The Judas Strain was no strain to listen to.

A story and narration that keeps the attention rapt from beginning to end, no problem.

Timely read

A very good story for the times. I bought this title in November 2019 but I had not begun my listen until mid-March. The subject is timely in light of the current pandemic event.

The production was a little off w extraneous sounds intruding from time to time as what sounded like page turns and the narrator's nominal inhalations. Also, the chapter transitions were way too sudden.

The performance itself was entertaining, but at times a bit too tedious to hold my attention. I had to keep the rewind handy and listened to many chapters and sections several times to follow the story. It took much longer to consume than other Rollins works .

The Audible app on my new Android phone may have played it's role as well. Somehow syncing between the new phone and my Fire HD 8 tablet did not work and I had to spend a lot of time finding my spot. As a final annoyance, the player kept seeking back to the beginning of the title seemingly on a random basis between sessions with the app in the foreground.

Overall, I liked the book. I've read most full Sigma Force novels except "The Last Odyssey," which I've purchased, but not yet started. "The Judas Strain"was the last one I acquired, but still enjoyed. I've yet to meet a Rollins Sigma Force title I didn't like.

Rollins

James Rollin is as good as every. This book really makes you think about what could happen if one person can have so much power.

bad editing

decent story. terrible editing-he finishes one word then its a new chapter with no breaks