I finally got around to checking out a James Patterson novel.
Way behind the power curve, I know.
After perusing the huge bookcase of Patterson books I picked The Angel Experiment which is the first book in “The Fugitives” series. It is set in modern America, this book is a non-stop rush of events. The book starts out fairly normal; it consists of the main character, Maximum Ride, going through her morning routine. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
By chapter five however, the book explodes into action, from then on out Maximum Ride and the Flock (her group of friends) are on a relentless thrill-ride. Unlike most action books however, this one made time for the human, relatable reactions and observations, “Attempting to drive a car before you find and release the parking brake is like trying to drag a Saint Bernard into a bathtub.”(177).
So The Angel Experiment has humor, and plenty of it, but in my opinion it was too fast-paced to be a good book. The characters are one to two dimensional and lack the depth and humanity of some other book characters, and for me, that’s a big problem. I can’t get into a book when I can’t sympathize with at least one of the characters.
Patterson’s writing is very visual; you see what the characters see instead of feeling what they feel. It is a fascinating approach to writing a book, and one I have never seen before. You feel more like you’re in the story, instead of the character’s head.
I think that the storyline and characters lend themselves much better to the manga version of the series, by the talented Narae Lee. I highly recommend the manga as a far better way to receive the story, if you can stand the anime.
If you enjoy thriller, high-action books with plenty of fights and horror, then this one is definitely for you. The lack of inappropriate situations is refreshing; I don’t enjoy seeing children stuck in adult positions. Be warned though, all the characters are veritable dictionaries of creative cussing.
James Patterson has crafted a good, strong storyline, but is not a novel that I would read again.