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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Not typical Alex Cross material. Most of this book takes place in Africa. Still a good action packed story.
2.5
How many times can someone get captured honestly. The audiobook was extremely bizare. Random sounds...
How many times can someone get captured honestly. The audiobook was extremely bizare. Random sounds...
This is about the sort of effort James Patterson seems to be making on the Alex Cross lately...bit of a lackluster effort and didnt enjoy the book really. I kept reading and the conclusion happened very quickly, wasnt much of a build up to anything. Alex Cross was beat up alot, family in danger again...same as usual really.
I hope the books in the future are improved.
I hope the books in the future are improved.
This is the 14th book in the Alex Cross Series and the 6th book that I have read.
In this installment, things get personal for Alex Cross as a long-time friend and her family is brutally tortured and murdered. As he investigates, Alex finds similar torture & murder scenarios all over United States and Africa. As the name ‘Tiger’ leads him to Africa, he is prepared to leave everything behind and travel to a different continent all together in search of justice for his friend. Politics, corruption, hired goons, murders, refugee camps… there’s no scarcity of spice in this particular plot.
Alex Cross has a reputation – reputation of being the tough guy with a great mind. I mean the way he has been up against the likes of Gary Soneji and the Mastermind. Alex Cross always comes through and though he does it again this time, it was hard to see him getting beaten up so many times. It is just so unlike Alex Cross. I mean I can believe the first time, but not so much it happened again which made me feel as if he was a sitting duck. Granted, he was on foreign soil and had almost no back-up, still – it is Alex Cross! For me, this book was also a medium to be introduced to Alex Cross’s latest love interest – Brianna Stone. She has starred in an Alex Cross book already (which I haven’t read yet) and so, I guess I did not get a complete picture of her, but from what I have seen in this book, she is certainly an interesting character.
The situation in Africa is vividly depicted. The inhumane and dismal conditions there broke my heart. While we hear and read things in the news and they do make a mark, reading about the same thing in context of a character we have grown to love and admire (even though fictional) is more unnerving than I care to admit. While listening to the news it is easy to be detached but it is not so easy when you are already deeply engrossed in a novel. The usual brutality and the gore are present in this book too. I have almost come to take it for granted even though I am always taken by the detailed description by Patterson. Also this time, at any point of the plot, I actually had no idea which direction it would take and was on the edge all along. As usual it is quite fast paced and exciting as Alex Cross trudges over three countries and two continents in pursuit of the culprits. It is, in true Alex Cross style, an addictive page turner.
In this installment, things get personal for Alex Cross as a long-time friend and her family is brutally tortured and murdered. As he investigates, Alex finds similar torture & murder scenarios all over United States and Africa. As the name ‘Tiger’ leads him to Africa, he is prepared to leave everything behind and travel to a different continent all together in search of justice for his friend. Politics, corruption, hired goons, murders, refugee camps… there’s no scarcity of spice in this particular plot.
Alex Cross has a reputation – reputation of being the tough guy with a great mind. I mean the way he has been up against the likes of Gary Soneji and the Mastermind. Alex Cross always comes through and though he does it again this time, it was hard to see him getting beaten up so many times. It is just so unlike Alex Cross. I mean I can believe the first time, but not so much it happened again which made me feel as if he was a sitting duck. Granted, he was on foreign soil and had almost no back-up, still – it is Alex Cross! For me, this book was also a medium to be introduced to Alex Cross’s latest love interest – Brianna Stone. She has starred in an Alex Cross book already (which I haven’t read yet) and so, I guess I did not get a complete picture of her, but from what I have seen in this book, she is certainly an interesting character.
The situation in Africa is vividly depicted. The inhumane and dismal conditions there broke my heart. While we hear and read things in the news and they do make a mark, reading about the same thing in context of a character we have grown to love and admire (even though fictional) is more unnerving than I care to admit. While listening to the news it is easy to be detached but it is not so easy when you are already deeply engrossed in a novel. The usual brutality and the gore are present in this book too. I have almost come to take it for granted even though I am always taken by the detailed description by Patterson. Also this time, at any point of the plot, I actually had no idea which direction it would take and was on the edge all along. As usual it is quite fast paced and exciting as Alex Cross trudges over three countries and two continents in pursuit of the culprits. It is, in true Alex Cross style, an addictive page turner.
These books have become such a formula.
Alex encounters villain several times and then escapes with out capturing them or getting killed by them.
Villain encounters Alex family.
Alex gets into steamy relationship with a girl who ends up shot/dead.
Short chapters that should not be chapters. Example: ... waited for villian to call... phone rings" phone rings, should I answer is it the villian? then answers phone talks to villian" Why is that a separate chapter?
Boring discussions of family vs work responsibility.
Alex misses promised to attend family event then later confidently states he is always there for family.
Audiobook Only:
Stupid chapter intro/exit music repeated for >100 chapters
Irritating SHORT chapters e.g. "chapter 32 *music* <2-3 sentences> *music* chapter 33 *music*"
Stupid violin music during romance. actually its a good clue to skip 5 min back to the real action.
Alex encounters villain several times and then escapes with out capturing them or getting killed by them.
Villain encounters Alex family.
Alex gets into steamy relationship with a girl who ends up shot/dead.
Short chapters that should not be chapters. Example: ... waited for villian to call... phone rings"
Boring discussions of family vs work responsibility.
Alex misses promised to attend family event then later confidently states he is always there for family.
Audiobook Only:
Stupid chapter intro/exit music repeated for >100 chapters
Irritating SHORT chapters e.g. "chapter 32 *music* <2-3 sentences> *music* chapter 33 *music*"
Stupid violin music during romance. actually its a good clue to skip 5 min back to the real action.
Not your usual Alex Cross book. I was disappointed in the direction Mr. Patterson took Alex's character in "Cross Country". Some of the choices Alex makes are out of character as a matter of fact: too rash (even for Alex), destructive to himself and others, and down-right silly in my opinion.
If it weren't for the setting, I would have rated "Cross Country lower. My husband called it "an excuse to air a cause," but I say if the situation in parts of Africa is as deplorable as Mr. Patterson depicts, then it's a cause that needs airing.
Reading fiction can be the best way to learn--if the research is sound and the facts are accurate. I haven't fact-checked "Cross Country", but I've learned enough from the scant media attention to know it could very well be accurate.
If it weren't for the setting, I would have rated "Cross Country lower. My husband called it "an excuse to air a cause," but I say if the situation in parts of Africa is as deplorable as Mr. Patterson depicts, then it's a cause that needs airing.
Reading fiction can be the best way to learn--if the research is sound and the facts are accurate. I haven't fact-checked "Cross Country", but I've learned enough from the scant media attention to know it could very well be accurate.
One of James Patterson's better Alex Cross books of late. I thougth that all the stuff that happened in Afria was depressing and sad but, it's not there to make us happy. It's there cause it really happens and to educated us. For some this book maybe the way the learn about what is happening in Africa.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No