The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge

book data

1,108 ratings, 3.24 average rating, 328 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		19%
4		22%
3		29%
2		18%
1		9%

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published

July 21st 2008 by Little, Brown and Company

binding

Hardcover, 238 pages

isbn

0316002925 (isbn13: 9780316002929)

description

The greatest superpower of all isn't to be part spider, part man, or to cast magic spells -- the greatest power is the power to create.
Daniel h...more

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07/18/08

Internetuse rated it:

bookshelves: not-so-hot

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: No one

This is so the worst book known to man. I would say it is MIB meet Naked Gun 2 1/2. I really can not believe this book. Of course I choose it to read with my sister after getting into the Maximum Ride series. He is after all a reputable writer. Everyone has a few bad novels right. I even looked past the upset with the "Final Warning" in the Max Ride series.
Anyway words can not describe how awful this book is. Suffice it to say I will not be finishing it. Can't even fini...more

Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

2 comments

08/05/08

Karin rated it:

bookshelves: 2008-reads, youngadult

Read in August, 2008

James Patterson has teamed up with Michael Ledwidge to write another young adult novel. James Patterson has already been successful in the young adult world with his wildly popular Maximum Ride series. James and Michael have worked together on two recent adult bestsellers - THE QUICKIE and STEP ON A CRACK.

THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X is an extremely fast read. Patterson’s traditional short chapters make you feel like your are flying through the pages. The story is fun to read...more

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08/04/08

♥ Brigid ♥ rated it:

bookshelves: books-that-stink

Read in September, 2008

Well ... honestly, I don't know what to say. After being terribly disappointed by the fourth Maximum Ride installment, I picked this one up in the hopes that maybe Patterson would start off a series that was just as good ... that maybe had the potential not to get ruined as MR did. Unfortunately, I don't really see this series going anywhere. I swear this book was one of the worst I have read in my entire life, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly written by a twelve-year-old. ...more Well ... honestly, I don't know what to say. After being terribly disappointed by the fourth Maximum Ride installment, I picked this one up in the hopes that maybe Patterson would start off a series that was just as good ... that maybe had the potential not to get ruined as MR did. Unfortunately, I don't really see this series going anywhere. I swear this book was one of the worst I have read in my entire life, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly written by a twelve-year-old. The whole plot was very messy and confusing; the twists were either really predictable or made me roll my eyes at how lame they were. Plus the whole thing has so many random pop culture references that it will probably make absolutely no sense to any kid who reads it in like two years.

Obviously, Patterson was trying to appeal to the same audience of Maximum Ride readers with the whole fast-paced plot and sarcastic tone kind of thing. But really, Max is a much stronger character than Daniel and her Flock is more lovable than Daniel's group of creepy dead imaginary friends following him around.

The sad thing is, I think this book had potential. The premise was interesting, but obviously it didn't get much outlining or development before it was carelessly barfed out onto paper. Daniel really could have been a much more interesting character; I mean, there's something dark and depressing about his whole life story that could have been more exaggerated to make the reader actually realize that he was a person -- okay well actually an alien with feelings but whatever. You get what I mean.

So over all, I was disappointed. Not that it makes much of a difference. Because if James Patterson's name is smacked onto the cover of a book A) it's guaranteed to get published, no matter how stupid it is, and B) everyone will read it. Figures.

Not that I don't like meaningless crap, because I do; I mean come on -- Maximum Ride is amazing for the first two books.

But ANYWAY -- unless you're interested in reading this cheap, thoughtless, blood-and-guts, explosions, talking elephants (not kidding) kind of stuff -- trust me. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR YOUR BRAIN CELLS. (less)

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

9 comments

07/25/08

Michelle rated it:

Read in July, 2008

Wow. I can't believe that I am giving a Patterson book such a low rating, but...
I did finish this book, but about 20 pages in I knew it was not going to be good. I had absolutely no attachment to the main character whatsoever, and the whole gist of the story did not interest me. (And it's not like I don't like the idea of aliens and whatnot...I have been loving Stephanie Meyer's books...)
Overall, a HUGE disappointment. I have loved James Patterson for years, picking up every sing...more

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09/28/08

Julie rated it:

bookshelves: action-suspense, science-fiction, young-adult

Read in December, 2008

recommended to Julie by: Read other Patterson books.
recommends it for: Patterson fans. BIG Patterson fans.

I understand what James Patterson is trying to do here - duplicate the success he's had to Maximum Ride by creating another fantastical, out-there series that can be marketed to a YA audience. It's even part of his "Pageturner" category, where "special care has been taken with the language and content" so that it is appropriate for all ages.

I would like to say, that despite this "care," it featured a seriously nasty fight scene gross enough that I had to...more I understand what James Patterson is trying to do here - duplicate the success he's had to Maximum Ride by creating another fantastical, out-there series that can be marketed to a YA audience. It's even part of his "Pageturner" category, where "special care has been taken with the language and content" so that it is appropriate for all ages.

I would like to say, that despite this "care," it featured a seriously nasty fight scene gross enough that I had to skip part of it. Ewwwwwwwww.

The formula just isn't working in this case. I think part of it is because all of the tiny things that I didn't like about Maximum Ride (and I love that series) are multiplied many times in this book. First of all, I wish Daniel wouldn't spend the first section of the book telling us how awesome his powers are. Don't tell us, SHOW us. And stop telling us how important things are - we're not stupid. If it's that important to the plot, we'll notice.

I didn't dislike Daniel as a character, but he wasn't nearly as engaging as Max and the flock. Also, the number of pop culture references, presumably thrown in to make the book seem cool, has even increased from those in Maximum Ride. Once in a while they can be amusing, but they feel sooooo contrived, and they're going to make the book feel dated in just a few years. To me, this just indicates that Patterson(/Ledwidge) doesn't expect the book to have any real staying power, and doesn't CARE that it dates itself, as long as his readers enjoy it for now. Fair enough.

(I would like to point out, though, that Stephenie Meyer purposely did not say that Bella was listening to Linkin Park - although she will tell you so in interviews - purposely to prevent this problem in Twilight.)

As usual it was a lightning-fast read. I read it basically in one sitting. It didn't suck me in even so much as the BAD Maximum Ride books, and I don't know if I'll even pick up the sequel.

(Another side note: Why are there previews into two different "further adventures" in the back? Why not just a preview chapter or four for the next book? Odd.)(less)

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04/26/09

Gracie ;) rated it:

Read in April, 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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12/03/08

Jennifer Wardrip rated it:

(review of isbn 0316002933)

bookshelves: trt-reviews

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

From the first paragraph of THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X, the reader is intrigued with what is to come. James Patterson, in collaboration with Michael Ledwidge, creates a unique science fiction story that will especially appeal to the younger male population.

Daniel is only three years old when his parents are murdered in the kitchen above him. The murder isn't a typical murder. It's one most of us wouldn't believe. You see, Daniel...more Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

From the first paragraph of THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X, the reader is intrigued with what is to come. James Patterson, in collaboration with Michael Ledwidge, creates a unique science fiction story that will especially appeal to the younger male population.

Daniel is only three years old when his parents are murdered in the kitchen above him. The murder isn't a typical murder. It's one most of us wouldn't believe. You see, Daniel's parents are murdered by a 6-foot tall praying mantis looking alien, Ergent Seth. Seth has come looking for Daniel's parents because they are Alien Hunters. And they have The List. The List names the most horrific, evil, murderous aliens.

As the story develops, Daniel shares with the reader his thoughts, and, more importantly, his various super abilities. Because, like his parents, Daniel too is an alien. But Daniel is able to blend in with humans. His parents had settled in Kansas, the most unassuming place for them to blend in.

Daniel begins where his parents have left off. Daniel is 15 and has begun to hunt the aliens that are on The List. After a few successes, he decides to take on Ergent Seth. Seth is #6 on the list. Seth is probably more powerful than Daniel, but Daniel has revenge on his side.

Daniel is taken on a wild adventure on his quest to defeat Seth. On his journey, he travels to Alpar Nok, the home planet of people like him, Alien Hunters. The biggest surprise is when he discovers his grandmother is still alive. But Daniel is determined to be victorious over Seth and continues on. Seth warns him it will be a battle to the death for one of them, but Daniel will not give up. The battle that ensues is imaginative, though maybe a bit gross in its description in the final scenes.

With definite appeal to the teen boy audience, girls and adults alike will also enjoy the unique change of pace that James Patterson has taken with THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X. The action moves quickly as Daniel faces his greatest challenge. But of course, as one can expect with James Patterson, a sequel is not far behind: DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES in August 2009. And if you can't wait that long, check out the graphic novel: DANIEL X: ALIEN HUNTER.

(less)

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09/19/08

Carolyn rated it:

bookshelves: abandoned

recommends it for: absolutely no one

The other night I picked up (and after half the book abandoned) the new James Patterson book The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. If I could give it less than one star, I would!
Now, I like reading 'childrens' and YA books on occasion, so I don't have a problem with that. I do however, fault it for writing 'down' to the level of an 8-year old with ADD problems. Seriously, they insult the intelligence of their targeted readers with this one.
Each chapter was a page and a half (of a book tha...more

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09/16/08

Sam rated it:

Read in September, 2008

I'm going to try to make this as no-nonsense as possible. So, to start, I will make a statement that now determines part of my new reading criteria for a book: James Patterson has lost any skill he ever had, trading anything that might have been good for the cash he so desires. Therefore, TDDODX is not great, but it doesn't suck either. It is much faster paced than Maximum Ride and reads without bore (also like MR), but its premise is sloppy, hasty, and out of place. Aliens? Come on. On to...more

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08/21/08

Breanne rated it:

bookshelves: sci-fi

Read in August, 2008

Here is my nice review for our library's blog:

Daniel was born with the power to create. His abilities include being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind and to re-create himself in any shape he chooses. His mission: he is an Alien Hunter. From the day that his parents were murdered before him, he has used his unique gifts to hunt down villainous aliens on earth until he can close in on their killer.

This book combines the humorous quips of Spiderman with th...more Here is my nice review for our library's blog:

Daniel was born with the power to create. His abilities include being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind and to re-create himself in any shape he chooses. His mission: he is an Alien Hunter. From the day that his parents were murdered before him, he has used his unique gifts to hunt down villainous aliens on earth until he can close in on their killer.

This book combines the humorous quips of Spiderman with the repellant bad-guy aliens of Men In Black. It will probably appeal most to young adult guys, and the short chapters (each one was 2-3 pages) make it a quick read.

Here is the truth:

The 2 page chapters gave me imaginary ulcers. It was such a disconnecting, disjointed way to put a book together. Is he trying to cater to today's short attention span? Aren't books supposed to be combating short attention spans? He would cut off the action right in the middle of a scene and start again in a new chapter. WHY. I tried to think of some reasons: It's supposed to be a Young Adult book. It caters directly to boys (who supposedly read less?). Ok, I can see how you're trying for that. But is this really what we have to do to get our children to read? I am depressed about our future.

As a librarian, really, I should be okay with any efforts to get people to read. Anything we can do to draw people in to read is a good thing, right? So should I be ok with this on principle?

Steve Jobs, who you hope would be knowledgeable of general public interests, recently said in an interview about Amazon's Kindle, "It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore." Another reason for depression, I think. People still read. To think otherwise, as the heated response to Jobs' comment has shown, is erroneous. Do we really need to chop down every chapter in a young adult book just to draw someone in, to make it easier for their fragile attention spans to handle?

I don't think so. As my own personal response, I hated it. There were 92 chapters in this 238 page book (I will save you getting out your calculator: it's an average of 2.6 pages per chapter). Aside from that, there were some other obnoxious elements. His quips weren't charming, and got old very quickly. The aliens were grotesque for the sake of being grotesque. Cliche developments ("kidnapped children! oh no!"). And the reader sees things coming dozens of chapters before Daniel did.

The good stuff: his powers were pretty cool. And the opening scene was pretty cool. And some character development toward the end of the book was interesting. And that's about it.

So sorry, James Patterson. I promise to read more of your books so that I don't form an opinion of your work based on this one.(less)

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2 comments

04/08/09

Maggie rated it:

Read in April, 2009

Well, I didn't like this book from James Patterson, even though I loved some of his others. With this said, authors have their down sides, too. There comes a good one--a *really* good one--and then comes a bad.

I love James Patterson--I think he's amazing, but I don't think that this was one of his best works. I was not into it, but being OCD, I made myself finish it. I didn't feel attached to Daniel, like I do to some of other characters from different books.

Creative id...more

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08/06/08

Ben rated it:

Read in August, 2008

recommends it for: teens

An amazingly quick read. It felt more like a saturday morning cartoon than a novel. It was light and teen-friendly without worrying about anything inappropriate. It deals with Daniel, an alien-hunter and his exploits in hunting a particular alien. It has short, choppy chapters and I read the whole thing (200+ pages) waiting for a plane in about 2 hours. It has a "Men in Black" kind of feel to it - almost comic-like, rather than serious. But I can't get over how fast it reads. I ...more

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12/17/08

Matt rated it:

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in November, 2008

Daniel X is pretty much like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" meets "Men in Black" but it is not half as good as either of those two media efforts.

The main character's super powers are very unbelievable, and they leave the reader wondering, if this guy is so powerful he should be able to defeat the bad guys with both hands tied behind his back, but I guess it would only be a short story if that was the case.

It would seem that Patterson is someone who just do...more

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01/15/09

Cheryl rated it:

bookshelves: high-school-reads

Read in January, 2009

The boys are going to like this one...aliens, gore, and a superhero 15 year old...I'll definitely order a copy for the media center.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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07/26/08

Jodi rated it:

bookshelves: audiobook

Read in August, 2008

If you are a 7th grade boy you will probably enjoy this remarkably poorly written tale of an alien-on-earth superhero. The repetitive sentences - Daniel would think something and then say the same thing out loud. He's 15 but can do pretty much anything and makes Superman seem like a bit player. It's a bit much. Actually, it's more than a bit. I listened to the audiobook and about the only positive thing I can say is that it's short. Patterson is far too condescending to his audience who isn't su...more

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01/10/09

Paige rated it:

I was disappointed in this book only because I didnt realize this was for younger children. I would say that even older teens are too old for this one.

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12/30/08

Aaron rated it:

Read in December, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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12/18/08

Denae rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, sci-fi

Read in December, 2008

I shouldn't have expected much, after the bitter disappointment of MR 4. Sure, JP's writing is still down-to-earth intriguing and page-turning, but he doesn't have enough of it. The events of this book slipped by too fast, and we hear too little description of passing time and scenes.
Daniel was an idiot.
He had too many powers (and ridiculously unrealistic) and if he bothered to use them he'd rule the universe, or JP didn't properly define the power-limit for readers. Daniel went t...more

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07/04/09

Sandra rated it:

Read in July, 2009

Everyone, please welcome our new hero, the young Daniel X. Daniel with no family name, Daniel with no Mom & Dad, Daniel who has the ability to create…anything, including his Mom & Dad, and also his unborn sister Pork Chop aka Brenda.

When he was 3, The Prayer, an alien with praying mantis form killed his parents and left Daniel alone with the List of Alien Outlaws on Terra Firma (Earth). To escape from the murder site, Daniel transformed into a thick and hung on The Prayer.

...more

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04/08/09

Feathered Quill Book Reviews rated it:

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X follows fifteen-year-old Daniel in his quest to fight aliens, who seem to have a habit of putting the world in danger. When we first meet him at the age of three, he is a highly intelligent child, far more intellectually advanced than others of his age. This intellect allows Daniel to understand things that other people of his age are simply not able to comprehend. Perhaps more importantly, he is able to morph into anything he wants to become, either animate or ina...more

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