Patterson: don't go on holiday without one! (James Patterson in general)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	James Patterson in general
Date:	15/09/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to read, great characters and flowing narrative

Disadvantages: Nothing really, although often not much depth

If you take it in terms of financial gain, James Patterson is one of the most successful authors in the world over the past few years. Over 30 years ago, he penned his first novel, and has since become famous for his fast paced easy reading style of writing, with intense and intriguing plots and vivid characters.

Patterson has given us over 50 novels in just about 30 years, and perhaps the most famous of his characters is the psychologist Alex Cross. A former detective, Cross also hit the big screen, played by Morgan Freeman in 'Along Came A Spider' and 'Kiss The Girls', and it is the intrigue and clever characterisation of these films that first made me try the novels.

What I like about Patterson's writing is the no fuss, no frills style he adopts. While other crime thriller authors tend to go for the intense and deep plots, with twisting and convoluting descriptive passages, Patterson does away with all of this, and gives us no nonsense. His characters are best developed over the course of a number of books, as he glosses over a lot of details, often telling the stories in the narrative, giving his leads the control of the page and getting them to tell it how it is.

Despite this quick and skimming style, you still get a vivid picture of what is going on, particularly with the Alex Cross novels. He has also reached book number 8 in the Women's Murder Club series, which interestingly features a woman as the main narrative character. This works surprisingly well, and perhaps this is the simple nature of the writing that does it.

Patterson doesn't go in for the long words and sentences, keeping the language as basic and simple as the storytelling. He also gives us a bit of difference, particularly in more recent books, as he has collaborated with other authors to bring new and exciting ideas to the table and onto the page. These include Andrew Gross and Maxine Paetro.

He has also tried his hand at a bit of sci-fi, with the Maximum Ride series that features genetically altered kids following scientific experiments. I don't find his style of writing completely works with these books, but what they ahve done is open up his writing to a younger generation, aiming at the teenage market. His other books tend to be definitely adult focused, with often violent and destructive elements, quite graphic in places, but the Maximum Ride books definitely go for the teens. They are also in the works for being made into a series of films.

Patterson also tries to promote reading through other means, such as the PageTurner Awards, which provides funds for those who find new ways to spread the excitement of reading; and the ReadKiddoRead.com project, attempting to encourage more children into reading.

Despite the criticism of many that he doesn't delve deeply enough with his writing, there is obviously something intensely appealing about his books that makes people keep on reading him to the point where he is one of the most read authors in the world. I shall continue to read his books as they require less effort, but still give you a really good crime thriller. I highly recommend his Alex Cross series above the others, as a personal choice, but the Women's Murder Club and the majority of his stand alone novels are also well worth reading. Perfect holiday thriller trash!

Summary: US author responsible for Alex Cross and well known for easy to read style