James Patterson Book Club discussion
Alex Cross
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by
Brooke
(last edited Aug 25, 2016 01:36PM)
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Nov 07, 2007 12:29PM
I'm new to James Patterson's books. Which is the first one with Alex in it? And is it important to read them in a specific order?
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I was JUST going to ask this.
Mod
Along Came a Spider
Kiss the Girls
Jack & Jill
Cat and Mouse
Pop Goes the Weasel
Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
Four Blind Mice
The Big Bad Wolf
London Bridges
Mary, Mary
Cross
Double Cross (will be released Nov 13th)
Cross Country (will be released in 2008-possibly with a different title)
*As far as reading them in order...my sister (Julie-she is in this group) says it really isn't necessary but I like to read the books in order in case their is some background on the characters.
Thanks!!!
I've read a few of these out of order and it really doesnt matter.
thank you!
Yeah you need to read them in order. Roses are Red and Violets are Blue have major spoilers in them that I wouldn't want to read first and have to go back to the beginning. Trust me on this, you'll want to read them in order. When I was first introduced to Patterson it was after watching the movie Kiss The Girls (and realizing it was based on a book) so all I had to do was go back and read Along Came A Spider. So from then on I've read them in order.
I just finished Double Cross after waiting a while to get this one from the library and it was worth the wait compared to some of the crap his been putting out with his guest writers. Those Alex Cross novels just write themselves.
So Along Came A Spider is the first one right?
Yes it is.I started with Kiss the Girls so only had one to catch up on.
Yes, Gabriella, Along Came a Spider is 1st.
Jessica kindly listed them all in order above.
Brooke and Melissa: YES! You HAVE to read them in order. They are a series that takes information from one book to another.
Susan: Along Came a Spider was also made into a movie. Unfortunately, Morgan Freeman does not cast well as Alex, and it's an oldy so you'd have to look for VHS. I liked the ending of the movie mcuh more than the book, though-made more sense.
Ellenjsmellen: Are you gellin'? ha ha (bad joke)
I agree, Sail and Honeymoon (newer ones) were incredibly unrealistic, poorly plotted, and NOT JP writing at all.
Actually, I DO like the Alex series due to the familiarity of characters. However, I've read Alex up to Roses are Red and these books could have benefitted by DEEPER character development, MORE foreshadowing, a bit of alliteration for smoother reading, and some symbolism and/or personification. Past/present tense was a bit of an issue, too, but still could follow the story.
If anyone wants to discuss any of these things in particular scenes, please send me a personal messages. I'd LIKE to talk about it! ...Comments on Jezzie, Christine, the kids, and such.
I like the Alex series, but could've been written better if more time and thought had gone into them.
My opinion is the first two Alex series books went to movies, JP quickly got on the map, so he started pumping out books too quickly. Quantity over quality. And now by using ghost writers, he is failing further by doing the same thing-quantity vs quality. He DID afterall want to get himself into the Guiness book of most novels or something like that, and he did achieve it. But at what price?
I think the fact that his other books weren't made into movies tells us this is the case. If the stories after the the first two were "blockbuster" material, they would also been snatched up and made into movies.
In general: Can ANY of you explain this in Along Came a Spider?: As a teacher, he was known as Gary Soneji.
BUT his "home" surname was Murphy. WRONG, I think.
The school records of his surname would HAVE to be the SAME-Soneji. Personally, I'd have named him Murphy as a teacher and at home, as it sounds more "benign" and dull. And use Soneji as his alias. Am I right on this? Any comments?
Great to interact with all of you!
Jessica kindly listed them all in order above.
Brooke and Melissa: YES! You HAVE to read them in order. They are a series that takes information from one book to another.
Susan: Along Came a Spider was also made into a movie. Unfortunately, Morgan Freeman does not cast well as Alex, and it's an oldy so you'd have to look for VHS. I liked the ending of the movie mcuh more than the book, though-made more sense.
Ellenjsmellen: Are you gellin'? ha ha (bad joke)
I agree, Sail and Honeymoon (newer ones) were incredibly unrealistic, poorly plotted, and NOT JP writing at all.
Actually, I DO like the Alex series due to the familiarity of characters. However, I've read Alex up to Roses are Red and these books could have benefitted by DEEPER character development, MORE foreshadowing, a bit of alliteration for smoother reading, and some symbolism and/or personification. Past/present tense was a bit of an issue, too, but still could follow the story.
If anyone wants to discuss any of these things in particular scenes, please send me a personal messages. I'd LIKE to talk about it! ...Comments on Jezzie, Christine, the kids, and such.
I like the Alex series, but could've been written better if more time and thought had gone into them.
My opinion is the first two Alex series books went to movies, JP quickly got on the map, so he started pumping out books too quickly. Quantity over quality. And now by using ghost writers, he is failing further by doing the same thing-quantity vs quality. He DID afterall want to get himself into the Guiness book of most novels or something like that, and he did achieve it. But at what price?
I think the fact that his other books weren't made into movies tells us this is the case. If the stories after the the first two were "blockbuster" material, they would also been snatched up and made into movies.
In general: Can ANY of you explain this in Along Came a Spider?: As a teacher, he was known as Gary Soneji.
BUT his "home" surname was Murphy. WRONG, I think.
The school records of his surname would HAVE to be the SAME-Soneji. Personally, I'd have named him Murphy as a teacher and at home, as it sounds more "benign" and dull. And use Soneji as his alias. Am I right on this? Any comments?
Great to interact with all of you!
Thank you Annette. I haven't started reading Alex Cross yet, just the Women's Murder Club Series.
I'll start soon.
Do you like the Women's Murder Club? It just seems to be so obvious there is always a murder. Senseless and twisted murderers is all JP seems to write about, not even getting into apprehending the criminal and twists that could bring. I think I'll take a break from JP. I'll be reading The Broker by John Grisham, have made up a discussion forum in the John Grisham group specifically for reading and discussing The Broker, if anyone is interested.
john grisham is good I will have a look at the forum
I just finished "Alex Cross's Trial." What did anyone think of that one?
Peni, I've heard really good things about that one. I started the series out of order while I was pregnant, and when the baby came didn't really have time for the reading. He's a little older now, and Mama deserves some me time, lol, so I've started picking them up again. I decided to go back and do them start from the beginning to get the ones I hadn't before. Just finished "Pop Goes the Weasel" and have about 4 more to go... So I should be starting that one by the end of next week.
I was little worried about it being too different from his current stuff, not really falling in with the typical Cross stuff when I read the synopsis, but my friend said it didn't matter. She said it was such a great read anyway. Relly looking forward to it now!
Afsana wrote: "john grisham is good I will have a look at the forum"
I had to take a break from the Broker due to health reasons. Have so many books to read, but just not getting to them...it's summer, after all!
I stopped Alex Cross because his writing is pumped out so quickly it lacks alliteration, foreshadowing, realism, and such. I'm not saying they aren't good stories, but his writing could use a good deal of polishing. JP is too busy pumping them out, I think.
Look at John Grisham. He has MANY fewer, but SO excellently written, and those made into movies
were fabulously done (A time to kill, the pelican brief, and so on.)... While JP's movies Along Came a Spider and hmmm...there's another one I watched...they were not very well done.
I'm taking a break-I joined a local book club and have that one to read, as well as "My Sister's Keeper"
that my SON recommended from his school reading list!
He says get to it, that I'll love it! (from a 16 yr old-no less!) It took SO long to get it from on hold at the library, I should get to it. Probably others waiting for it.
Busy designing a kitchen, a welcome center for a church, and trying to write my first screenplay.
And watercolors class coming up (I need "brushing" up-pun intended!
If others are slowing their reading due to summer, what'cha up to? I LIKE to hear what other activities such avid readers are interested in and doing!
I had to take a break from the Broker due to health reasons. Have so many books to read, but just not getting to them...it's summer, after all!
I stopped Alex Cross because his writing is pumped out so quickly it lacks alliteration, foreshadowing, realism, and such. I'm not saying they aren't good stories, but his writing could use a good deal of polishing. JP is too busy pumping them out, I think.
Look at John Grisham. He has MANY fewer, but SO excellently written, and those made into movies
were fabulously done (A time to kill, the pelican brief, and so on.)... While JP's movies Along Came a Spider and hmmm...there's another one I watched...they were not very well done.
I'm taking a break-I joined a local book club and have that one to read, as well as "My Sister's Keeper"
that my SON recommended from his school reading list!
He says get to it, that I'll love it! (from a 16 yr old-no less!) It took SO long to get it from on hold at the library, I should get to it. Probably others waiting for it.
Busy designing a kitchen, a welcome center for a church, and trying to write my first screenplay.
And watercolors class coming up (I need "brushing" up-pun intended!
If others are slowing their reading due to summer, what'cha up to? I LIKE to hear what other activities such avid readers are interested in and doing!
Annette you are busy I am amazed you get time to readi hae been thinking similar thoughts re Jp and I read his coauthored ones as a habit I think
I have read all of John grishams books and he was one of the first writers I got interested in
I have the associate to read and I think I never read the broker but have read all the rst and yes his films were good-the only JG book I couldn't gret into was The Client
Afsana:
OH, I liked the Client-and even a better as a movie! The Testament ROCKED! But, this is a James Patterson site, so I better quit touting John Grisham! LOL
(I have lots to do, but tend to leave too much "for tomorrow.) It's great to be able to do things again-had back surgery in April. I can move again! :-)
I enjoy talking to you!
I forgot how to, but maybe you could invite me to be a friend? Then we can yack about anything we want, not just what a forum is following!
OH, I liked the Client-and even a better as a movie! The Testament ROCKED! But, this is a James Patterson site, so I better quit touting John Grisham! LOL
(I have lots to do, but tend to leave too much "for tomorrow.) It's great to be able to do things again-had back surgery in April. I can move again! :-)
I enjoy talking to you!
I forgot how to, but maybe you could invite me to be a friend? Then we can yack about anything we want, not just what a forum is following!
I am a fan of both James Patterson and John Grisham (and agree the latter is probably a better author - or least recent results show that, but if JP spent more time and wrote his novels SOLO, they may be of a higher caliber). As for what else I've got going on...a six month old baby 11-year old stepson, full time career and I'm an avid scrapbooker. Life is busy and it's hard to find time to read (especially since having a baby). I like to have 2 books going at once. I keep one in the car so if I'm ever stuck with downtime, I have something available. And then I keep one by the nightstand. Reading a few minutes before bedtime is about the only time I get to read. Therefore, it can take me a while to get through a book!
I'm reading 7th Heaven right now.
WHOA!!!!!!!!! Just having a baby would do it for me!
I give you credit, if you sneak reading in there, you are a wonder woman! LOL
I give you credit, if you sneak reading in there, you are a wonder woman! LOL
I still don't get how someone can co author-does JP write outline of what the story should be about adnd his coauthor does the writing and he checks it at end and finishes up what he is unhappy with Or
they write a few chapters each?- i don't think that is it as the writing style doen't change half way
i can see them sitting there and writing all pages together?
I noticed even Alex crosses trial is coauthored
I get why its done-new authors get the chance of being better known and then hopefully their solo books read and I suppose jp gets more money and credit for another book?
I don't understand co-authoring either.
I think you're dead on that new authors launch themselves through JP. AND he gets a huge cutfor it.Sorry, fans, I'm one too, but he pumps this shit out to the point that he's in the Guiness World Book, I understand. He got damned lucky with his first and second books, because they were made into movies. That put his name on the charts VERY early as an author, and when people see you're the author of a book, AND movies, you must be a good writer. So, I think his ego caught hold, and he liked the money from movies...so he took on authors to actually WRITE his books for him-probably according to his own
synopses. There IS a difference in his writing:compare When the Wind Blows to the
Alex Crosses to "Sail." Sail was a Gilligan's Island
murder adventure gone bad.(Hence, the tuna.)
The other authors, I'm convinced, are taking over much of his show, and yet to his credit. He's done so well due to Alex Cross, because people love to follow the same characters from book to book. So goes Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, and now the Michael Bennett series starting up.
I got so far as Roses are Red, and couldn't pick up Violets are Blue yet...I like Alex, but every storyline is the same: serial killers. How many serial killers can be in the DC area? He's even done TWO books with two sets of serials killers each: Jack and Jill, and Kiss the Girls. I think there's probably
a very interesting story behind him and his success
and I'd love to hear it. I'm off of JP for a while. I JUST HATE to give up, though, because I'm looking for another unique type like, "When the Wind Blows." Just my 2 cents. I'm sure I'm not too popular with my opinions and theories, but look at his web page and it
looks like an auction.
synopses. There IS a difference in his writing:compare When the Wind Blows to the
Alex Crosses to "Sail." Sail was a Gilligan's Island
murder adventure gone bad.(Hence, the tuna.)
The other authors, I'm convinced, are taking over much of his show, and yet to his credit. He's done so well due to Alex Cross, because people love to follow the same characters from book to book. So goes Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, and now the Michael Bennett series starting up.
I got so far as Roses are Red, and couldn't pick up Violets are Blue yet...I like Alex, but every storyline is the same: serial killers. How many serial killers can be in the DC area? He's even done TWO books with two sets of serials killers each: Jack and Jill, and Kiss the Girls. I think there's probably
a very interesting story behind him and his success
and I'd love to hear it. I'm off of JP for a while. I JUST HATE to give up, though, because I'm looking for another unique type like, "When the Wind Blows." Just my 2 cents. I'm sure I'm not too popular with my opinions and theories, but look at his web page and it
looks like an auction.
You shouldn't be popular or unpopular because of your opinions all are entitled.I was thinking that he was churning them out too quickly and I am not too impressed with the women's murder club but i am a fool and keep reading/buying them!!
Glad there's no ill will on my opinion, obviously it is shared. H'd golden key are the series books. It's obviously working for him!
Has anyone read Alex Cross' Trial? I know this was just published but it doesn't appear to be like most of the other Alex Cross books in that it seems to be his recounting of his family's history. I'm not sure if I want to buy this. It looks like it could be a bit "slow," though I've not really read one of Patterson's books that I would describe as "slow."
Ellenjsmellen wrote: "I just finished Double Cross after waiting a while to get this one from the library and it was worth the wait compared to some of the crap his been putting out with his guest writers. Those Alex Cr..."Actually, some of his "guest authors," as you call them, are actually pretty good. You should check out the books they have written separately from what they write with Patterson.
Ed wrote: "Ellenjsmellen wrote: "I just finished Double Cross after waiting a while to get this one from the library and it was worth the wait compared to some of the crap his been putting out with his guest ..."I agree I have tried Andrew Gross and his first book The blue zone that was great-prefferred it to the womens murder club. Have his other 2 to read
haven't tried the others as of yet
Ed wrote: "Ellenjsmellen wrote: "I just finished Double Cross after waiting a while to get this one from the library and it was worth the wait compared to some of the crap his been putting out with his guest ..."
This I agree with...I forget which one, but one of them had a great stand-alone book of her own!
This I agree with...I forget which one, but one of them had a great stand-alone book of her own!
Did JP do one with Sandra Brown???
no he didn't you should go to this website
www.usatoday.com/life/.../2007-02-04-...
Its about jp and his the fact that he writes so much and coauthoring
He has his on entertainment company
h has coauthored with Andrew gross, peter de jonge , maxine peatro, Michel ledwig, Howard Houghton
Ed wrote: "Has anyone read Alex Cross' Trial? I know this was just published but it doesn't appear to be like most of the other Alex Cross books in that it seems to be his recounting of his family's history...."I'm interested to see what this one is like too Ed, I'm going to sit back and wait to see what reviews it gets first before I read it.
I wasn't going to buy it but I endd up buying it. Haven't had a chance to read it yet.Am reading Max: MAximum Ride
Afsana wrote: "no he didn't
you should go to this website
www.usatoday.com/life/.../2007-02-04-...
Its about jp and his the fact that he writes so much and coauthoring
He has his o..."
Thanks for the link!
you should go to this website
www.usatoday.com/life/.../2007-02-04-...
Its about jp and his the fact that he writes so much and coauthoring
He has his o..."
Thanks for the link!
oops, the link wasn't found. Oh, well.
anyoneknow how to set up these long forum pages in descending order with most recent post down to less recent...to keep this scrolling down to new posts to a minimum-they get long!
there is a button at top that states newest -click on thatsorry not a link as such-copy and paste and then return and will go to page
Afsana wrote: "there is a buttin at top that states newest -click on that
sorry not a link as such-copy and pste and then return and will go to page"
Thanks!
sorry not a link as such-copy and pste and then return and will go to page"
Thanks!
Afsana:
I used the button yesterday and it worked somehow
(it wasn't lit up as clickable, but I fiddled and somehow I got it that way-today it's back to the same old scroll way down the page again. Operator error!
I used the button yesterday and it worked somehow
(it wasn't lit up as clickable, but I fiddled and somehow I got it that way-today it's back to the same old scroll way down the page again. Operator error!
HiWhat also works is clicking on the date part next to newest and that will start the messges with the most recently dated (and timed) post
Afsana wrote: "Hi
What also works is clicking on the date part next to newest and that will start the messges with the most recently dated (and timed) post"
Hey, I did it! Thanks.
What also works is clicking on the date part next to newest and that will start the messges with the most recently dated (and timed) post"
Hey, I did it! Thanks.
Karen wrote: "Ed wrote: "Has anyone read Alex Cross' Trial? I know this was just published but it doesn't appear to be like most of the other Alex Cross books in that it seems to be his recounting of his family..."I am starting the book tonight. I will let you know what I think! I haven't heard much about this one so I am curious to see what he does with the character.
Thanks Kelly, will be interested in seeing what you think of it.
Alex cross's trial is not about alex cross. The book is about one of his ancestors and it supposed to be alex cross writing the story-Alex cross explains it in his prologue
Karen wrote: "Thanks Kelly, will be interested in seeing what you think of it."I am almost finished with the book. At first I was a little worried since it is very different from any of the other books in the Cross series and the WMC series but I have to say I am enjoying the story and curious to see how he wraps it all up.
