The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

This book is sophomoric, trite, poorly written, and boring. Older elementary readers might enjoy it.

This book's targeted age group is clearly mis-assigned. When I first read this book I was disappointed...I wanted something along the same lines as "Maximum Ride". My problem was that I was looking for reading materials for 14-15 year old students. All those nasty little things that the other reviewers are saying, I felt. BUT...

As someone who used to teach elementary, please let me recommend "Daniel X" to you if you have one of those high-level reading students/children who read above level but have a hard time finding appropriate books. Really, this book should have been targeted for 10-12 year-old kids.

I just gave this to my fifth grade daughter. She absolutely loves it! She loves the fact that Daniel can do about anything and thinks it is wonderful that he can conjure up what ever he wants to see. She finds the book exciting and really appreciates the short chapters.

Give this book to your reluctant readers. I think they'll love it.

Reviewed by Narayan Radhakrishnan for RebeccasReads (8/08)


Superman, Batman, Spiderman, He-man... enough; I am through with these super men. After all, they are mere mortals... with some extraordinary powers. James Patterson, the prolific author...rather institution, has now, with "The Dangerous Days of Daniel X" started a new series. It is his own version of a super hero, and unlike our umpteen supermen, Daniel has a few extra powers up his sleeve, the most important being the power to create. So is Daniel the Almighty in a new avatar? Is he God himself? You have to read the book to find it out.

Anyway, without being a spoilsport let me say a few words about the book. As already said, this is the first of a planned series. The novel starts with the murder of the parents and sister of little Daniel by an alien called `The Prayer.' From then onwards Daniel's mission was one single thing...to wipe out aliens from the face of this earth. And the target in this first outing is Alien No.6, otherwise known as Ergent Seth. With powers almost equivalent to that of Daniel, Daniel can only overpower him by exploiting Seth's one and only weakness. The catch lies in the fact that Seth should not realize that he is being exploited. How Daniel does the same, through a fine game of cross, double-cross, triple cross and quadruple cross, forms the plot of the novel.

I enjoyed the novel, especially giving a new heroic image to the Saviour (whether Daniel truly is the Saviour is for you to find out). One thing's sure, James Patterson, the institution of an author has carved another neat success with this latest offering. I for one am looking forward to the next books in the series. The teaser chapters of the two next books in the series given in this book have sure intrigued me. Wonder whether Hollywood is taking note of this novel.

I enjoyed Patterson books way back, but everything lately is just plain drivel. And the 1 or 2 page "chapter" thing got old years ago. The premise of this book sounded like it might be interesting, so I tried it.

The book said it was for folks "from 8 to 80". *I* thought they meant AGES 8 to 80 but after reading the book I realize they meant IQ POINTS!

Seriously, this thing is a little kids book and not fit for any kid pretty much old enough to read it for themselves. There has to be a lot better material to read to your kids or for them to read for themselves than this.

For adults, don't even bother opening the book as it is pure Patterson junk in the worst way.

This is a little out of my reading for pleasure. Patterson needs
to stay with what he knows best and that is Drama and Suspense stories.