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adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
At last a John Sampson point of view. Long time coming. John has to stop terrorism. Alex is down and it is up to John to get things done
Here is my rating system. Of course this is all subjective
5 star exceptional. Must read book
4 star excellent book. I enjoyed it
3 star. Average. Take it or leave it. Just ok
2 star. Bad. I finished it but didn’t enjoy it
1 star. Did not finish or so bad I wouldn’t recommend it.
Here is my rating system. Of course this is all subjective
5 star exceptional. Must read book
4 star excellent book. I enjoyed it
3 star. Average. Take it or leave it. Just ok
2 star. Bad. I finished it but didn’t enjoy it
1 star. Did not finish or so bad I wouldn’t recommend it.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
James Patterson is back with his cornerstone series, bringing Brendan DuBois along for the collaborative ride. Alex Cross has seen a great deal in his years working with law enforcement. His time with Metro PD in Washington has been quite eye-opening, an experience shared with his partner, John Sampson. When a number of terrorist stacks rock the United States, Cross and Sampson begin their investigation. However, Cross is brutally sidelined and left for dead, forcing Sampson to take up the torch alone. With a nuclear attack the threatened final act, Sampson will have to find another partner to help stop things before there is no America to call home. Patterson and DuBois do well with this collaborative effort, allowing another protagonist to take some time in the spotlight.
Detective Alex Cross has a long and storied career working for Metro PD and the FBI. His recipe for success has to be the strength of his partner, John Sampson. Together, they are able to carve out the rules of the game and enforce them at will. This will come in handy for their latest case, when a number of terrorist attacks rock the United States and those apparently responsible hint at something even larger to come.
During the investigation, Cross is brutally attacked and ends up in the ICU, keeping him out of the game. While Sampson wants to see his friend recover, there is no time to wait. Sampson will have to work solo for a time, at least until he can find a partner of his own to help diffuse all that is going on.
While things heat up, Sampson finds himself working with the most unlikely partner and travels to the far sides of the world. There may be a clue to discover the plot to unleash a nuclear blast within the United States, devastating the country as a whole. The US President is not yet ready to concede, but Sampson knows that colouring within the lines is not the only way to get answers, pushing him to write the rules and enforce them, as Alex Cross continues to mend. Will there be enough time to ensure everyone is saved? Patterson and DuBois work well together in this collaborative effort that moves the spotlight off Cross himself.
There have been many collaborative efforts between Patterson and DuBois over the years, but I was surprised to see that this series moved in that direction. Patterson has long held onto this series as his own, working to prove to be that he still has what it takes to pen his own thrillers. With a decent foundation and narrative direction, the book keeps pace throughout and allows the reader to feel connected with all the action. Short chapters, in Patterson’s traditional way, help push things along and keep the reader delving deeper into things as they occur. Characters develop, some recurring and others one-offs, enriching the story in their own ways. Alex Cross has taken a step back, allowing John Sampson to shine and perhaps show his mettle for upcoming novels. Plot lines develop with ease and propel the narrative forward, keeping the reader engaged and wondering where things are headed. I can see a great deal of potential with this new spin to the series, involving John Sampson a great deal more. I await Patterson‘s next move to see what this series has in store for its fans.
Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and DuBois, for a decent addition to the series, which keeps getting new life breathed into it.
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adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love all of the JP Cross books, but this is not one of them. This should be in a separate group of books about John Sampson. When I first started reading it, I had a hard time remembering that the narrator was John and not Alex. I did not like the writing of this book. Although JP‘s writing is always simplistic, this one just seemed off to me. I gave it three stars because I liked the story but it just wasn’t and Alex Cross book that I normally love
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced