Cross Country |
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James Patterson
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Pages: 432 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0099514575
Pub: Arrow Books Ltd
Pub date: 2009-10-08
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 5041
Editorial Review:
The Alex Cross thrillers of James Paterson have become something of an institution. His criminal psychologist protagonist is one of the most vividly etched in the field, and the now-lengthy series of books has set a consistently high standard, even though Paterson's famous reliance on co-writers has become rather controversial. Cross Country involves Alex Cross in a caustic personal war against major-league corruption. It’s a narrative that takes the reader across a massive canvas. Alex is called in after a murder investigation - a crime that has resulted in considerable carnage. He discovers to his horror that the victim is an old friend, and this makes his search for the criminal involved even more determined than usual. His quest takes him into the underworld corners of Washington, DC, and even on to a massively dangerous odyssey to the Niger Delta.
The stakes are customarily high in James Patterson's crime narratives, but the author has ratcheted them up even more than usual here, with heroin traffic and the slave trade mixed into a heady brew. Perhaps the most memorably drawn character here is the psychopathic head of a group of killers, the 'Tiger'. The latter’s battle with Alex Cross has clearly re-energised the author, and Cross Country has all the compelling qualities of the earlier novels. If you haven't sampled an Alex Cross novel recently, this is the one to pick up. --Barry Forshaw
Reader Reviews:
Worst read in years (0/0 people found this helpful)
I don't know what to say. The plot is ridiculous, the characters are average at best and it is all so implausible. Gutted I picked it up (although it was only for a train journey!)
avoid at all costs (0/0 people found this helpful)
Please do not spend your money on this book. All the one star reviews are correct. This is one of the worst books in this genre that I have ever read and after the first few chapters I skim read the entire book in an hour as I was loathe to waste any more time on it. At one point Nana hides Alex's passport and by the end of the book I wished she had not given it back to him, thus ending his ridiculous trip across Africa via torture, murder and of course the obligatory kidnapping of his family. If you want a good read try Michael Connelly or Lee Childs. A good read this is not!!!
OVER THE TOP FAR FETCHED (0/0 people found this helpful)
To be blunt, this book is pretty bad. I hate to give these types of reviews, but something will have to be done. For me, this story doesn't explain properly how Cross would get involved in this again, and surely this guy must have secret powers to survive again and again.
I think he's scraping the barrell big time on these Alex Cross novels. I mean, let sleeping dogs lay, and go think up a new character James. There are new writers coming along who will be getting my support from now on. In fact, Tate is the man. His three novels are superb. Enough said.
Big D.
Worth Adding to the Collection (0/0 people found this helpful)
Cross Country reads at the usual fast James Patterson pace and the chapters always help in this regard. I found it odd that our hero Alex Cross was putting everything at stake in order to pursue the bad guy including his life, far fetched, I'd say so. Afterall would he really risk leaving his kids fatherless to take revenge on behalf of someone else?
The descriptions of the attacks are good and well detailed but I found a similarity with some of his previous books especially involving te follwers of the bad guy. One thing that was totally impratical and impossible to complete, was having a verbal conversation onboard a Hercules C130 transport plane. Having spent many hours on a fat albert, I know its impossible to do this.
Nit picking aside, as usual its a good read but I'm starting to get the impression that JP is just knocking the books out when more care could be given and time devoted for a better read.
Don't waste your money (0/0 people found this helpful)
This is a terrible book compared with previous Alex Cross efforts. The book starts out well enough but descends very quickly into one silly escapade after another, none of which are realistic. Each escapade is as follows - Cross gets kidnapped in house/vehicle/road, is tortured for a few days, gets away or is let go. Followed by reprise after reprise.
Basically you get the feeling James Patterson just bolted a couple of thousand words on each day with the first thing that came into his head and then sent it off to the publisher. Without Patterson's previous track record this book would have never got past the slush pile. Lazily written and no thought given to a decent plot.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Special Features -> Custom Stores -> Fiction Complete -> Contemporary Fiction
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> General
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Font Size (format_browse-bin) -> Regular Size