Wolverine

Alex Cross Must Die: James Patterson

All of the expected parts of an Alex Cross story are here.

Two simultaneous investigations that may or may not be interconnected. Check.

The short sentences, four-page chapters and terse prose that have made author James Patterson both prolific and popular, and his books page turners. Check … mostly.

Interesting bad guys. Check.

The usual supporting characters who make this series feel like an annual visit with old friends while reading a thriller: Cross’ ancient grandmother Nana Mama, stalwart sidekick John Sampson, wife Bree and the kids. Check.

Alex Cross, famed investigator, analyst, therapist, lead in about 30 books starting with “Along Came a Spider,” the character who made Patterson a bestseller before he became a book industry. Check.

Here, Cross seeks a suspect who shoots an airliner out of the sky as it prepares to land as well as a suspect who is killing people and taking their eyes in the metro Washington, D.C., area. Meanwhile, Bree, a former police investigative captain who now works as an investigator for a private firm, looks for her boss’ missing friend.

In “Alex Cross Must Die,” Patterson breaks a few of his trends and clings to others.

The majority of chapters are still short but a little longer than usual. Traditionally, he writes three- to four-page chapters; here, they are mostly four but occasionally stretch to five pages. Very short compared to most books but lengthy for a Patterson book, especially an Alex Cross book.

It’s not unusual for Patterson to introduce readers to the bad guys while Cross and company are still trying to figure out who they are. Here, we meet the bad guys but don’t know much about them this time. Patterson throws some interesting curve balls.

There is, again, another instance where Cross and Bree’s seemingly unrelated investigations connect, though not as ridiculously connected as the last book. These repeated coincidences stretch credibility.

As have past instances when Cross’ seemingly unrelated investigations overlap one another. There are two investigations here – the downing of a commercial jet and the hunt for a serial killer; they are unrelated as one would and should expect.

Also, for the first time, the chapters written from Alex Cross’ perspective seem out of place. Which is odd. Patterson writing with Cross as narrator has been one of the endearing things about the books. Cross seems like a good guy that readers feel comfortable with.

From the start of the series, the majority of chapters were written in Cross’ voice, with the occasional chapter written from the perspective of an omnipresent narrator sharing what’s happening with a criminal or crime scene.

In “Must Die,” some chapters are still written from Cross’ perspective but the omnipresent narrator is far more present as Patterson tells what’s happening from the viewpoint of multiple suspects and other investigators, from Bree’s investigation, from John Sampson, even from Cross’ young son, Ali.

The narration flips are never confusing but noticeable enough to pull a reader’s mind out of the action for a second to adjust to a different perspective.

Still, “Alex Cross Must Die” is an enjoyable read – a tradition this time of year as regular as Santa Claus and Christmas trees for fans seeking the annual release of a new Alex Cross novel.

Wolverine Vol. 6

Benjamin Percy continues his excellent run as writer of “Wolverine.” He manages to carve independent Wolverine stories from the thick soup that has become the interconnected complexity of the “X” books and the overarching tale of Marvel’s mutants.

Volume 6 of Percy’s “Wolverine” run packages issues 31-35 of the monthly comic, again with stunning visuals by artist Juan Jose Ryp. The latest collection continues the storyline from Volume 5.

In his effort to protect mutants from mankind, the usually lovable, furry, intellectual Beast has gone rogue in a ruthless fashion. Throughout “Wolverine” Vol. 5, Beast resuscitated Wolverine (Marvel mutants can now resurrect themselves) but without Logan’s full memories/morals. Beast turned Wolverine into an assassin to kill anyone he viewed as a menace to mutants or his plans.

Wolverine’s healing factor overcame the manipulation of his mind. Wolverine killed Beast, or so he thought. In Volume 6, Beast’s plans have been exposed but he continues his mission with a portion of Krakoa – the mutant’s island nation – transformed into a giant walking land mass and with clones of himself and a small army of mindless Wolverines.

Wolverine teams with his old military comrade Maverick to end the Beast’s vendetta.

Intrigued readers will want to read “Wolverine” Vol. 5 first but should otherwise be able to follow the action with only a small working knowledge of what has been happening in the rest of the “X”-related books.