I finished reading James Patterson's Along Came a Spider yesterday and started Kiss the Girls today. My wife has most of the early books (up through Roses are Red, but she's missing Pop Goes the Weasel). Anyway, she's always said what a poor choice Morgan Freeman was to play Alex Cross in the movies. After finally reading the books, I have to agree. Although he's a fine actor--and did a very good job in the films--he wasn't anything like the Alex Cross character in the books.

I hope the casting of Repairman Jack goes a lot better...

I agree whole-heartedly.

I finished reading James Patterson's Along Came a Spider yesterday and started Kiss the Girls today. My wife has most of the early books (up through Roses are Red, but she's missing Pop Goes the Weasel). Anyway, she's always said what a poor choice Morgan Freeman was to play Alex Cross in the movies. After finally reading the books, I have to agree. Although he's a fine actor--and did a very good job in the films--he wasn't anything like the Alex Cross character in the books.

I hope the casting of Repairman Jack goes a lot better...

Yeah, if memory serves Alex Cross is a much larger man than Morgan Freeman, not to mention younger. A word of warning as you move through James Patterson... In my opinion, Along came a Spider is his best book, and as you read Kiss the Girls and some of his later stuff, you may find him a bit repititious? I remember reading a passage in one of his books, and then reading the exact same thing a few chapters later, and then again a few chapters after that. After a few books, this got so annoying that I stopped reading his stuff.

...as you read Kiss the Girls and some of his later stuff, you may find him a bit repititious? I remember reading a passage in one of his books, and then reading the exact same thing a few chapters later, and then again a few chapters after that. After a few books, this got so annoying that I stopped reading his stuff.

I did notice today that he wasn't very weapon-savy in Kiss the Girls. In one paragraph he "quietly placed my hand on the butt of my revolver," then 2 paragraphs later he "checked the bathroom, Glock pistol first." Stephen King makes some errors in firearms terminology, too. I just try and read past those kinds of things...

Yeah, if memory serves Alex Cross is a much larger man than Morgan Freeman, not to mention younger. A word of warning as you move through James Patterson... In my opinion, Along came a Spider is his best book, and as you read Kiss the Girls and some of his later stuff, you may find him a bit repititious? I remember reading a passage in one of his books, and then reading the exact same thing a few chapters later, and then again a few chapters after that. After a few books, this got so annoying that I stopped reading his stuff.

I'm not a huge fan of James Patterson, though I find myself reading all his stuff.

The best of his books, though, is something different. "When the Wind Blows" is more fantasy than who-dunit, and the mix is delightful. I was charmed by this unexpected change of pace from Patterson.

I'm not a huge fan of James Patterson, though I find myself reading all his stuff.

Wouldn't that make you a huge fan of James Patterson?

Wouldn't that make you a huge fan of James Patterson?

No, just a bit of moron. :eek:

If I were a huge fan, I'd be seeking out his website and bombarding that board with nonsense.

No, just a bit of moron. :eek:

If I were a huge fan, I'd be seeking out his website and bombarding that board with nonsense.

You're not a moron. I read a lot of his stuff too, before I realized I didn't like it that much either. The first couple were fun, then I also think they got redundant. You could swap the bad guy, and his love interest from one book to another and not know the difference. I also really liked When the Wind Blows by Patterson. Then I read Sims. They had some of the same themes. Unethical genetic engineering experiments on unwitting research subjects and eventually the crap hits the fan for the bad guys. I was honestly touched by the conflict inherent in Sims and moved to consider my own line of work in the larger picture. It also motivated me to consider how I'd feel about a situation like that. There was not a shred of dicussion on the moral/ethical implication of those kinds of experiments and "advancements" in When the Wind Blows. Perhaps that's just not Patterson's style, and that's fine, it's just another example of why I LOVE FPW's writing and most everything else is just okay.

wow, that ended up being a long post.

Stacy

You're not a moron. I read a lot of his stuff too, before I realized I didn't like it that much either. The first couple were fun, then I also think they got redundant. You could swap the bad guy, and his love interest from one book to another and not know the difference. I also really liked When the Wind Blows by Patterson. Then I read Sims. They had some of the same themes. Unethical genetic engineering experiments on unwitting research subjects and eventually the crap hits the fan for the bad guys. I was honestly touched by the conflict inherent in Sims and moved to consider my own line of work in the larger picture. It also motivated me to consider how I'd feel about a situation like that. There was not a shred of dicussion on the moral/ethical implication of those kinds of experiments and "advancements" in When the Wind Blows. Perhaps that's just not Patterson's style, and that's fine, it's just another example of why I LOVE FPW's writing and most everything else is just okay.

wow, that ended up being a long post.

Stacy

What you need to understand about James Patterson is that his background is in advertising, and he models his work around money and opportunity rather than craft. FPW is a writer and a doctor, not just a doctor who writes like say, Robin Cook. James Patterson is an advertising executive who writes. ..There's a difference.

I read somewhere that prior to writing Along Came a Spider, Patterson conducted research surveys to see what kind of hero would be most appealing, what kind of villain whould be most hated, etc...He modeled Alex Cross and all of his characters out of this data...

You're not a moron. I read a lot of his stuff too, before I realized I didn't like it that much either. The first couple were fun, then I also think they got redundant. You could swap the bad guy, and his love interest from one book to another and not know the difference. I also really liked When the Wind Blows by Patterson. Then I read Sims. They had some of the same themes. Unethical genetic engineering experiments on unwitting research subjects and eventually the crap hits the fan for the bad guys. I was honestly touched by the conflict inherent in Sims and moved to consider my own line of work in the larger picture. It also motivated me to consider how I'd feel about a situation like that. There was not a shred of dicussion on the moral/ethical implication of those kinds of experiments and "advancements" in When the Wind Blows. Perhaps that's just not Patterson's style, and that's fine, it's just another example of why I LOVE FPW's writing and most everything else is just okay.

wow, that ended up being a long post.

Stacy

Stacy, thanks for not endorsing my moron status.

I just received "SIMS" and haven't read it yet. I'm looking forward to it. And yes, I like that FPW brings a humanist and thoughtful approach to his work. You don't just get the thrill of a lifetime, you get a PROVOCATIVE thrill of a lifetime!