600 Devils

From Refugee to Redemption, a Life Impacted by Smuggling, Cannabis, Psychedelics, Conmen, Cops, and Assorted Holy Men

By: Marjan

Narrated by: Dustin Pete

Forty-five years later, a spiritually tormented smuggler reveals his shocking secret life. Born in a refugee camp, the author sidestepped hallucinogens, gangsters, law enforcement, and conmen, graduating from pot dealer to personal gopher for a world-class smuggler, later becoming an undercover operative for an “adjunct arm” of the US government. Marjan’s path took him to places he really didn’t need to be long before he arrived.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 MARVIN YAKOS (P)2024 MARVIN YAKOS

A Memoir That Defies the Odds

Wow, I couldn’t wait until I finished listening to 600 Devils: From Refugee to Redemption before sharing my thoughts. This audiobook is gripping! Marjan, the author, takes us on an incredible journey from his childhood in a refugee camp to a life intertwined with smugglers, psychedelics, gangsters, and law enforcement. His transformation—from a pot dealer to a trusted aide for a world-class smuggler and eventually to an undercover operative for a secretive government agency—is nothing short of extraordinary.

This memoir's seamless blend of high-stakes crime drama with deep spiritual reflection makes it stand out.

The narration is another standout feature of this audiobook. The narrator's voice is engaging and soothing, perfectly complementing the story's intensity and making it a pleasure to listen to for long periods of time!

Captivating Book

I was unable to stop listening to this book and was so intrigued the entire time. A look into an outlaws life, family and spiritual journey. It was like listening to a movie - not someone’s real life.

A bit long at times, but mostly engrossing

This was not what I was expecting, but it was definitely fascinating. True crime is not my favorite genre (I prefer fictional mystery), but I was often left openmouthed as I listened to what he went through. While I suspect that many of the exact details might be a bit murky (he did, after all, partake in the various products), it's possible that some of it was even more nuts than what he remembers. He readily admits that this story is told from his own admittedly fuzzy memories as well as from stories told by others to him. But true or not, what I found really interesting was his constant philosophizing about religion, the meaning of life, spiritual practices, etc. This really distinguished it (in my mind) from other true crime stories. For one, this is semi-autobiographical. He shares family stories mostly told to him by his uncle Aloyz, but of course he also shares many of his experiences with smugglers, gangs, conmen, law enforcement, and even politicians. From his stories, it's apparent that good and evil are not black and white, and some of the most dangerous situations he found himself in were with the "good guys". Sadly, this did not surprise me all that much.

He did not have the most stable upbringing, and the fact that it appears he survived all of this craziness to build a strong partnership with his wife to raise their many children in a stable environment (Montana, I believe, and very much one with nature) is a miracle in itself.

The pacing was at times uneven, and I found myself drifting occasionally, but soon, I would get sucked back into his narrative. The audiobook was narrated by Dustin Pete and while I've never heard anything by this narrator, I thought he did a really solid job.

I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author and publisher, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fascinating Memoir!

This audiobook will keep you captivated. The author’s life story is fascinating and keeps you on the edge of your seat. His experience in the dark side of the crime world mixed with his own personal spiritual questions is a refreshingly new type of true crime story.

Interesting and Informative!

Wow! I really enjoyed this book. Very exciting. As someone who lives a pretty normal life, I appreciated that Marjan was very informative about subjects most people don’t know anything about! His descriptions took me there! This book would make a great mini series! The narrator was seamless and easy to listen to! Highly recommend.