β Scribed by James Patterson
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Patterson jumps on the superheroes bandwagon with contributor Ledwidge and delivers the adventures of Daniel X, a superpowered alien whose mission is to defend Earth from more malignant, threatening aliens. In his first adventure, listeners hear the typical origin story (parents killed by the most vile alien on Earth), his early adventures (growing up on his own with amazing powers) and his first real step into manhood (facing off against another alien). The story throws in a few interesting twists, but isn't particularly dynamic as superhero narratives go. The production is sparsely sprinkled with sound effects, which work quite well and add to the story, but there is a lack of consistency to their execution. However, Milo Ventimiglia makes it worth the listen. His timing and inflection match perfectly with Daniel, the first-person protagonist. He sounds youthful enough to be believable as Daniel and easily transitions to other character voices within the story. A Little, Brown hardcover. (July)
Copyright Β© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Grade 5 UpβThis splashy, somewhat nonsensical graphic novel is sure to find an audience despite its flaws. Daniel X is an orphan, his parents murdered by an evil alien. But Daniel, like his father before him, is also an alien, and not a regular one at thatβhe's a superhuman hunter of evil aliens. With a wealth of fantastical abilities and a list of baddies to catch (including his parents' killer), the teen is on a quest to rid the Earth of unwanted visitors. Along the way he meets Kildare, another alien and the son of one of the evildoers on the list, and the two team up to take down Kildare's gangster-alien father. The book is filled with clichΓ©s and ridiculous plot twists, and kids unable to suspend their disbelief will find the book lacking. However, the action-packed story line, kinetic computer-generated art, and Patterson's name are sure to attract readers.βDouglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Library, Ontario, Canada
Copyright Β© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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