Sandstorm

A Sigma Force Novel, Book 1

By: James Rollins

Narrated by: John Meagher

An inexplicable explosion rocks the antiquities collection of a London museum, and the race begins to determine how it happened, why it happened, and what it means.

Lady Kara Kensington's family paid a high price in money and blood to found the gallery that now lies in ruins. Her search for answers leads Kara and her friend, Safia al-Maaz, the gallery's curator, into a world they never dreamed existed. Evidence exposed by the tragedy suggests that Ubar, a lost city buried beneath the Arabian desert, is more than mere legend...and that something astonishing is waiting there.

The two extraordinary women and their guide, Omaha Dunn, are not the only ones being drawn to the desert. Former U.S. Navy SEAL Painter Crowe, a covert government operative and head of an elite counter-espionage team, is hunting down a dangerous turncoat and the trail is pointing him toward Ubar.

What is hidden below the sand is more than a valuable relic of ancient history. It is an ageless power that lives and breathes. Many lives have already been destroyed by ruthless agencies dedicated to guarding its mysteries and harnessing its might. The end may be at hand for Kara, Safia, Crowe, and all of the interlopers who wish to expose its mysteries, as it prepares to unleash the most terrible storm of all.

©2004 Jim Czajkowski (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

great book

I really enjoyed this book so much I was disappointed when it was over. will listen to this one again.

So This is the Beginning of Sigma

I have read several books by Mr. Rollins. I had heard of Sigma and thought I should start at the beginning with the first in the series. I found the book lacking in something. I could enjoy as much as his others. I can't quite put my finger on it. I believe it was about character flaws. Everybody except Painter needed some psychoanalysis or at the very least some counseling. This doesn't mean I will skip over Rollins or his books in the future, but I probably will stick to the ones without Sigma.

Exceptional.

This was the first time I've read/listened to the author or narrator. I really liked the storyline. The reading was very good too.

A fun thrill ride through Persian History

My first James Rollins book and I'm hooked. Listening to Sandstorm felt like I was seeing a movie in my mind's eye, first the British Museum then the Arabian coast.. His blend of current events with historical facts and fiction is delicious. His descriptions of places and events was a revelation to me. I'm looking forward to finishing my second Rollins book, "Map of Bones" now.. Enjoy Sandstone, and yes, I did have to look up some of the people and places in Wikipedia.

This series is going to consume my whole world and I love it.

This was my first foray into James Rollins' work, but I can see I'll be spending a lot of time with Mr. Rollins. He has such a variety of well-rounded characters, crafted so well that it's hard to remember they are fictional. Even the antagonists are sympathetic, or even likable, which makes their fight with the main characters all the more difficult.

While there is romance in this story and it plays a decent-sized part, it doesn't consume the story, but adds to it.

I truly enjoyed listening to the recording. The narrator has a very easy voice to listen to and he narrates the emotions of the characters well.

Now I need to go buy the next book. This series is going to consume my whole world and I love it.

Adventure with Archeological Truths!

Would you consider the audio edition of Sandstorm to be better than the print version?

Yes, we are audio book junkie as we travel a lot! You can't read in the dark, but you can listen.

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

First time listener and we both enjoyed his different voices for the characters.

Mesmerizing

The best part of my day from beginning to end while it lasted ... the comments at the end were the cherry on the cake - what an imagination!

was decent, if not predictable.

was good at keeping the story suspended between syfy and the supernatural.
how many times can you say buckyballs?

Excellent story, inconsistent narration.

I had at first expected a cookie-cutter thriller, filled with mythical locales and unbelievable characters of little substance. While the settings are indeed fantastic, this robust ensemble of characters was composed upon a bedrock of reality and human experience. This, coupled with the exhaustive scholarly approach to the more sci-fi elements, makes it incredibly easy to suspend one's disbelief and engage in the narrative. Kudos to the author.

My one note for this audio book is not with the book itself, but with the vocal narrator. Throughout the recording, a vigilant listener well notice that the narrator flip-flops between multiple pronunciations of character- and place names (e.g. Kara being pronounced both CARE-uh and CARR-uh, sometimes within the same chapter). Additionally, a lack of vocal range tends to make different characters sound like they have the same voice, taking attention away from his superb rendering of regional accents. For example, the two main female leads, each with very distinct personalities, would be indistinguishable if you didn't already know who was talking. This makes for a slightly jarring listening experience, when all one really wants to do is absorb the story passively.

These comments aside, this novel receives high marks and high recommendation all around, and in this reviewer's opinion, so should any work by this author. Open it up, and enjoy!

decent mystery action

I like the characters, story, and pacing but the reader is treated like a simpleton. I like the use of real science and places with a fictional element. The novel is just the right length. I was sometimes annoyed by the use of unnecessary detail; for example, the exact type of computer being used to do a Google search was unnecessary. The characters were distinct and likeable. the reading of the book was fine for the most part but occasionally the reader's voice distracted me from the story, and it was sometimes difficult to distinguish when he switched from speaking for one character to speaking for another.