The Demon Crown

A Sigma Force Novel

By: James Rollins

Narrated by: Christian Baskous

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

A construction project beneath the National Mall reveals a dark secret dating back to the Civil War, something buried by a cabal of scientists, led by Alexander Graham Bell, who helped found the Smithsonian Institution. It is a cache of bones, preserved in amber, protecting a wonder like no other, the very secret of life after death. But such a prize is guarded by a horror out of the ancient past, a horror that still lives in the marrow of those bones - and is now free again.

From a crystalline lab atop Mount Fuji to an island off of Hawaii teeming with what's been called the "dark matter of life", Sigma Force must solve a mystery going back eons, to when life first took root on this planet. But the menace is spreading, changing, growing, adapting, outwitting every attempt to stop it. It means to retake a world it once ruled.

For Sigma Force to stop it, Commander Grayson Pierce will have to do the unthinkable: team up with Sigma's greatest enemy - the newly resurrected Guild - even it if means sacrificing one of their own.

©2017 James Czajkowski (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

I absolutely hate this narrator!

I keep trying books narrated by Christian Baskous. Frankly I'm surprised he keeps being hired. His narration is awful. Every character reminds me of an angst-ridden teenager. I can't listen to him! Great book ruined by poor narration. I will no longer purchase books narrated by Christian Baskous.

Not one of his best, made worse by narrator

What did you like best about The Demon Crown? What did you like least?

Fast moving, lots of interesting science. Narration was hideous, I can't understand why they keep hiring the same person to read

How could the performance have been better?

His attempts at accents and different voices is very weak, but what bothers me most is everything sounds like the characters are amazed at even trivial conversations. I keep telling myself I won't buy another book narrated by Christian Baskous.

Great for New to Audible

What made the experience of listening to The Demon Crown the most enjoyable?

I never could listen to audiobooks before. I would zone out and miss half the story or it would put me to sleep. I signed up for a free trial to see if I could ever get used to audiobooks. The story is action packed and you just might end up with a phobia afterwards. James Rollins knows how to write an amazing thriller. The narrator Christian Baskous was perfect! I love how he did different voices and there was no monotone to his voice. I had no trouble following the story. Now I am addicted.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't have a favorite character, but I did really enjoy the chapters from "the demons' point of view. It was a nice touch to the story.

Have you listened to any of Christian Baskous’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first book narrated by Christian Baskous. I have listened to other audiobooks before and always fell asleep or zoned out. I didn't do that once in this book. I really enjoyed Christian Baskous narration of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The impact that something like this would have on not just one particular place, but the entire world made this book even more frightening.

Any additional comments?

If you have had issues with audiobooks before this is the audiobook to try.

Yet another Sigma Force drama

Rollins does great research, and Baskous always turns his words into real action. That said, the trials and tribulations of our friends in Sigma Force are starting to get repetitive, derivative and predictable. If not for the craft of Baskous, I would likely have turned off this series by now.
Recommended for fans of the series only.

Poor choice for narrator.

The story was riviting.
Good beginning middle and end.
However, the narrator make Kowalski sound like a dumb muscle head. Sashan sounded too weird.
I probably spelled those names wrong.
I have so far enjoyed the science and the novel subjects of all of Mr. Rollins books. However this narrator is a poor choice.
Sorry.

disappointing with narrator

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

yes as I love Sigma Force books

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them

How did the narrator detract from the book?

monotone voice did not do very good accents

Another Sigma special

I very much enjoy the Sigma Force novels and this one is no different. Rollins has perfected the art of blending historical facts, scientific facts, and a covert paramilitary organization in a way that keeps the pages turning. Parts of the book had me running to Google to fact check the information. While I'm fine with believing the entire thing, sometimes, the best lie has quite a bit of truth. Well done and well read. I look forward to the next.

Rollins does it again!

Well, Rollins has cost me another night of no sleep - but once I started listening to The Demon Crown there was very little chance I was going to take a break from it. To be honest, it's been a few books in the Sigma series since I've been "wowed" but this book did that for me. There is just not a place in the story where you can stop and take a breath - it just pulls you along and you just have to know what comes next. The research and detail is so well woven into the story it's not like "ok, we need to stop now for an info dump" - the story just keeps barreling on. Also, I think Christian does an incredible job with the audio - when he gets wound up during a high tension scene you can just feel it - something incredible is going to happen. One thing - I'm glad I listened to this when all the bugs outside aren't around (too dang cold) because I don't think I could have taken seeing a wasp - or even a mosquito. The only bad thing I can say is that I have to wait another year for the next Sigma book. Might have to go back and listen to some of my old favorites to give me my Rollins' Fix.

Save your money.

I have read other books by Rollins this is by far the worst! The narrator is just awful and I am trying to be kind!!!

Was there really a story?

It was all action no story to me. No plot, no plot twist, not much of anything. The action sequences were not believable - bad story by a good author.

So so

Not his best but well performed. It left me feeling a bit dissatisfied overall .

What

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

By telling the truth graham Bell was Scottish/U.K. like 90% of great inventors not AMERICAN so please just because he moved there don’t do what Americans seem to always do and wipe peoples heritage away