London Bridges is the ninth James Patterson novel to feature Alex Cross and I have been a fan of this writer and in particular the Cross character ever since the first of the series which was Along Came a Spider. This book made up my festive reading as it is perfect to be able to pick up and ... Read review
London Bridgesis something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an alliance...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
London Bridges is something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an allianc...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
London Bridgesis something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an alliance...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
London Bridges is something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an allianc...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
London Bridges is something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an allianc...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
London Bridgesis something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an alliance...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
London Bridges is something of a departure for James Patterson's Alex Cross novels in that ... more
it contains a serious speculation about what would--some might say, what will--happen if international crime copies the methods of terrorists or forms an allianc...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Fast paced Disadvantages: Not always believeable
London Bridges is the ninth James Patterson novel to feature Alex Cross and I have been a fan of this writer and in particular the Cross character ever since the first of the series which was Along Came a Spider. This book made up my festive reading as it is perfect to be able to pick up and put down in between bouts of festive gorging given that each chapter is only three to four pages long.
Plot warning in advance, if you have not ... ...In fact if you read London Bridges you will also get a reference to another of the villains that Cross tangles with in earlier books and this particular character provided a huge twist at the time so my advice is to read the earlier work of Patterson before picking this one up.
The Plot
When a small town in Nevada is wiped from the map by a huge explosion a chain of events is set into motion that brings mayhem and fear ... more
London Bridges is the ninth James Patterson novel to feature Alex Cross and I have been a fan of this writer and in particular the Cross character ever since the first of the series which was Along Came a Spider. This book made up my festive reading as it is perfect to be able to pick up and put down in between bouts of festive gorging given that each chapter is only three to four pages long.
Plot warning in advance, if you have not read any of the Alex Cross books yet then reading this review first will give away in part the endings in two books in the series as this book sees the return of two former villains that Cross has tangled with in previous stories therefore you will be reading those stories safe in the knowledge that the bad guys get away. In fact if you read London Bridges you will also get a reference to another of the villains that Cross tangles with in earlier books and this particular character provided a huge twist at the time so my advice is to read the earlier work of Patterson before picking this one up.
The Plot
When a small town in Nevada is wiped from the map by a huge explosion a chain of events is set into motion that brings mayhem and fear to the whole world and especially those in the West and Israel. The fact that the operation that destroyed the town resulted in only one death is a testament to the ruthlessness and planning shown by the villains headed by a character called The Wolf who is believed to be a former KGB operative and major figure in the Russian Mafia and someone Cross has grappled with in a previous book. Even more worrying for Cross is that at the scene of the bombing another of his former nemesis the Weasel is also captured on film. A number of other explosions follow in towns in England and Germany before finally the Wolf issues is ransom demand with the threat that next time the explosions will wipe out major cities killing hundreds of thousands.
Alex Cross formerly with the Washington DC police but now with the FBI is part of the huge task force given the job of tracking down the mysterious Wolf who seems to move around at will causing mayhem and murder with huge amounts of resource at his disposal.
I have deliberately kept the plot review brief to avoid spoiling it for others who might want to read the book.
Main Character
Alex Cross is a criminal psychologist by profession and it was this role and his ability to get into the mind of criminals that found him working as a consultant for the Washington PD. Following the death of his wife in a drive by shooting a crime he was unable to solve he has raised his two children with the help of his formidable Nana who is the one who rules the family home. As a person Cross has earned the nickname Dragon Slayer for the relentless way he hunts his quarry always able to tackle the big serial killers that thrive in the US. In later books he joins the FBI as a trouble shooter reporting directly to the FBI Director however his work has often meant he has had to make sacrifices in his personal life as his job often brings danger to those closest to him.
One of the downsides to the movement of his character to working for the FBI is that this means that his former Washington DC partner John Sampson is missing from this book as this character provided a little humour to earlier books.
My Opinion
On the whole I found this an enjoyable read. The style of Patterson in using short paragraphs helps to keep the pace of the book moving, parts of the story are told from the perspective of Cross however it also switches to include chapters from the perspective of both the Wolf and the Weasel.
The action is constant and the plot twists are never ending as Cross seeks to find out about the past of the Wolf whilst at the same time trotting around the globe following in the wake of the destruction caused by the Wolf.
Patterson has an easy style of writing and avoids long flowing descriptive passages instead focusing on the tension and suspense in all of his novels and this one is no different.
The plot of the book does draw on the doomsday scenario that has become more relevant post 9/11. The book also examines the fact that despite the huge amount of resource thrown at such threats the sheer number of agencies who have a stake in the pie means that investigations are often slow and weighted down by administration and meeting after meeting with the law enforcement agencies often playing catch up.
There are for me however a couple of drawbacks to the book which means that this is not one of his best pieces of work.
The other main character in this book is the master criminal nicknamed the Wolf. For me this is one of the weaknesses of the story as I do not find the character believable. I just could not believe that such a character could exist.
By building up this character as one who is almost super human in his ability to carry out crime and avoid detection it built a sense of expectation in my mind which left me with a feeling of anti climax at the end of the book. In fact the ending is the weakest part of the story as it appeared rushed and with a lack of explanation.
Part of this story highlights the fact that even though Cross is on the inside as a trouble shooter he is also not at the centre of the investigation and this for me is another weakness. Where in the past the Cross novels have worked well for me is the fact that you get a true feel of the obsessive ness of his character as he hunts down serial killers. In his current role this feature is missing and the book lacks an important quality because of it. Despite these two drawbacks this is still a book which is well worth reading. It is also an easy read and quite compelling and one that I completed over a three day period.
Extras
No, this is not a DVD review in the wrong place. You do get some extras with this book in the form of Alex Cross case notes on each of his pervious investigations. Don't get too excited though in effect these are just a clever way to replace the typical book reviews in the back of most books.
As is typical with most Patterson books you do also get the first chapter of his next novel to wet your appetite (Mary, Mary in this case) however personally I find these annoying as in a couple of months time I will pick this up in a bookstore and think that I have already read it before.
Published by headline the rrp is £6.99 however you can currently get it on Amazon for £3.99.
Thanks for reading and rating my review and may everyone enjoy a prosperous New Year.
...to inflict upon us.”
London Bridges marks the seventh outing for Alex Cross and our hero has still got what it takes to keep the reader turning the pages in eager anticipation. The beauty of this book is that it can be picked up and enjoyed either by a die hard fan of James Patterson’s Alex Cross series or a complete newcomer to the collection, there is just the right level of information at the beginning of the book to bring newcomers up to scratch ... ...and times of Alex Cross. As with most Patterson books the reader is thrown straight into the action so as to get a real feel for the nastiness of the current situation. We are also introduced to Alex Cross` family which is a clever piece of writing from Patterson and shows us the human being behind the badge. Scenarios are believable and characters well described in Patterson’s unique way so that the baddies are boo hiss bad while the good guys are ...
stuleg 19.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of London Bridges - James Patterson
Advantages: Good Book, Entertaining Disadvantages: Poor Ending
Technical Details:
Paperback 512 pages (September 26, 2005) Publisher: Headline Book Publishing Ltd ISBN: 0755305809 Categories: Fiction , Crime, Thrillers & Mystery About the Book:
This is a kinda sequel (although it is a book on its own) to the "Big Bad Wolf". I would immediately recommend that you read the "Big Bad Wolf" first before reading this book as it draws in a small part on previous events.
Now in this book, Alex Cross is still with ... ...is on vacation he gets called back as a small town in Nevada has been bombed.
Alex soon recognises Geoffrey Schafer (another killer from previous books - see my other reviews for a more complete listing of Alex Cross books and the order for the stories) as being part of the attack.
It soon turns out that the Wolf is behind this latest attack and he holds the President of the USA, the French President, the UK Prime Minister and the Chancellor of ...
jpegington 28.10.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of London Bridges - James Patterson
Advantages: completes the story after Big Bad Wolf Disadvantages: very poor story, difficult to follow, rubbish!
...disappointment I felt after reading London Bridges.
This book is the latest in the sequence of Alex Cross books written by Patterson- the main character being a very likeable and good looking Washington DC policeman who also works for the FBI. More about Alex Cross' character can be found in James Pattersons earlier novels. Some key points to note about London Bridges
-Firstly don't read it if you haven't read any of James Patterson's earlier Alex ... ...deal about his family life, friends and character from this book. These are important points which I think make the Alex Cross series of books even more enjoyable to read as you really get to like his character.
-Definitely don't read this book if you haven't read the preceding Alex Cross novels The Big Bad Wolf and Pop Goes the Weasel. This is because the characters Alex Cross is pursuing in this novel are previously introduced and uncaught in ...
rollerskaterabbit 15.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of London Bridges - James Patterson
Advantages: Alex Cross genre Disadvantages: no disadvantages
London Bridges by James Patterson is a novel featuring Alex Cross as an FBI agent.
This is one of many of James Patterson's characters and he is teamed once again in the book with the Wolf and Weasel characters.
The story really begins with the evacuation of a town in Middle America and the town then being exploded apart by the character of the Wolf with assistance from the Weasel. There is then a meeting involving the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, ... ...Thus begins the story of London Bridges, not a fast paced novel but a moving novel all the same. It leads you on twists and turns in America, Britain and France chasing after the Wolf and his associates to prevent a catastrophe of a magnitude that the world has not seen by terrorism before. This is not James Patterson's best work but it is a good novel and enjoyable right to the end. Enjoy and if this is the first novel by James Patterson you have ...
SMRobinsonHudson 11.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of London Bridges - James Patterson
Advantages: Quick and easy read Disadvantages: Disappointing and abrupt end
In this, the 9th Cross novel (released October 2005 as a sequel to The Wolf) Detective Alex Cross is facing his two cruellest and cunning adversaries; Geoffrey Shafer aka the Weasel and the mysterious wolf.
I am a HUGE James Patterson fan and Alex Cross is my favourite character by far however this book was a disappointment, I only recommend it to those wanting to end the continuing story of the Wolf.
Alex is a lovable family man, trying to hold ... ...him a suitable relationship. The realisticness and kindness of the character makes all Cross novels enjoyable, easy to relate to and a pleasure to read, however in this novel it is not enough to excuse the poor plot.
The Wolf and the Weasel are holding four of the world’s largest cities ransom, including Washington DC Alex’s home. To prevent the bombings and murders Alex and the FBI must pay an improbable amount somewhat over a billion dollars and ...
hold-the-heart 19.04.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of London Bridges - James Patterson
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Advantages: Compelling and a thoroughly engrossing read Disadvantages: none that I found
, or is it part of something much more terrifying? 'You've got mail' Members of the A-list fear they're Mary's next target, and the case grows into blockbuster proportions as Cross and the LAPD scramble to find a pattern before Mary can send one more chilling update.
As I was already a fan of the Alex Cross series after I had finished JamesPatterson previous Cross novel LondonBridges. I wondered if Patterson could follow it up with another classic, which of course he has.
From the start we find Cross trying to fight not only one of the most brutal and disturbing series of murders that are committed by a psychopath he has come across. But he is also fighting for the custody of his youngest child "Little Alex" or Ali as he tells his father he likes to be called.
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Advantages: Excellent Book, Continues the Story of Alex Cross, Gripping Disadvantages: None
to Crime / Thriller Books JamesPatterson is one of my favourites. Since I first discovered his books (I think my Mum actually first introduced me to them) I have read all of his books published as they have come out in paperback, although still not read LondonBridges for some reason!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
This is the second book from JamesPatterson from the Alex Cross Novels.
Lets start with some background again (please note that this is similar to the previous review of Along came a Spider, but the main characters are the same and for completion sake I am including them within this review) to help you understand the book:
Alex Cross is a Washington DC cop with a doctorate in psychology. Alex Cross is officially a Deputy Chief of Detectives but is still very much on the frontline of detective work. Due to his background ...
