Book Review: Double Cross by James Patterson

    

So I finished this book recently, Double Cross. It is one of the admittedly few books which I have ever read by James Patterson. 

What did I think of it?

Well, first of all, there was one interesting thing which I encountered after researching Patterson a bit online. One of my favorite authors, Stephen King, was very critical of him, calling him a terrible writer. Apparently, Patterson wrote a book in response about King getting killed, called "The Murder of Stephen King."

That response by Patterson seemed, frankly, a bit over the top. I mean, yes, King did not like Patterson's writing style. Obviously, that will not make Patterson happy. However, to go out and almost release a book about him getting murdered? Seems a bit...well, petty, to be quite frank. Unbecoming of a well-known, highly successful author. And I'm not just saying that as a big Stephen King fan. That would have been true of an author I didn't like, or had never read anything by, for that matter.  It's just a bit much, frankly. 

Anyway, I digress...

What about this particular book?

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

So, back to the book. Again, how was it?

Well, it was not bad. One thing about books by James Patterson is that the chapters are short. So you really feel like you are progressing fast. And the story keeps moving, too. The story itself feels fast-paced. Maybe it's at the expense of character building, at least a little bit. But this book was entertaining enough, nevertheless. 

It features Alex Cross, who is a recurring character for James Patterson. 

Now, I don't want to come across as taking sides in the apparent feud between King and Patterson. But if there is one criticism that I would have of Patterson, based on the few books (three, I think) which I have read from him, his characters feel, frankly, a bit paper thin and unrealistic. Cross is a bit too perfect for my tastes. He just does not feel real to me. His life seems a little too ideal, with an attractive woman completely in love with him, and professional success in terms of writing popular books, being a highly sought after former policeman dragged back by everyone almost against his will, and having opened an apparently very successful office as a psychologist.

Some people are that successful indeed. But most people are not. And people who do enjoy this level of success almost assuredly will not live quite the intense and cardiac level of exciting lives that Alex Cross lives. He reminds me quite a bit of Dan Brown's Robert Langley, or perhaps James Bond, and other adventure characters who seem somehow a little too perfect in every way, and continuously find themselves somehow time and again facing life-threatening situations, and predictably escaping without any real harm by outsmarting and outmuscling their dangerous enemies, also time and time again.

It's kind of a predictable formula. 

Now that said, this also feels like a boo which you read just for fun. It is not too serious, and you generally are not going to read James Patterson based on his literary merits. I enjoy reading Dan Brown, even though his characters often feel a bit paper thin. And James Patterson feels like a similar experience to me. You pick up one of his books for the fun of it. The story moves fast. With the short chapters, you feel that you are making rapid progress, which also kind of adds to the fun.

So for all intents and purposes, this book achieves those things. It is a fun read, something that you might bring with you for a day at the beach, or to the park for relaxation. Nothing too serious, and without literary pretensions. That, to me, feels like how this should be judged. And again, the important thing is that this is a fun book to read.

Recommended for people who enjoy these kinds of books.