Rating: 
Summary: Not an Alex Cross Book
Review: Read this book if you have read all of Patterson's books. If you liked "Where the Wind Blows" and were willing to let Patterson take you in a different direction from the usual detective/suspense novel, you will like his newest book.If you like Mary Higgins Clark's abbreviated style of short chapters and dividing equal time among several characters, you will like this latest book. This book is very abbreviated. There is something like 200 chapters, each 1-2 pages long in this book. Much of these pages can be scanned. If you liked "Rosemary's Baby" and "Damien" and that sort of thing, this is the book for you. If you are a fairly religous person with a few doubts, this book will work for you. If you want another Alex Cross book and hated "When the Wind Blows," then please don't read this book and then whine about it. Mr Patterson has taken another chance with this book instead of churning out another detective book with familiar characters which would have been a sure fire hit with all his fans. He prob knew he would get pummelled for it. I am still not sure if I liked this book, but I admired the effort it took to do something different. I am not sure if Patterson was confirming religous beliefs, or tearing them down. Whether he upholds the virgin birth of Christ or is having a field day tearing it all apart. Some of both I think. I think the question he made me ask if we can believe the virgin birth really happened 2000 years ago, why could we not believe it was all meant to happen again in our day and time? It's seems a bit easier to believe what long ago happened than to put the same circumstances into our day and time and believe the parallel events happened again. Read this book and ask your own questions.
Rating: 
Summary: Cradle doesn't "Rock"
Review: If you liked When The Wind Blows, you might enjoy Cradle Will Rock; but if you are a fan of Alex Cross, you will probably be even more disappointed than you think. Like all of Patterson's work, it is fast paced, and hard to put down; but it seemed to me, he was "just going through the motions". It read more like a screenplay than a novel - waiting for actors and actresses to fill out the characters. His work always seems to be "Literature Lite"; but this goes a little too far down the path toward comic book reality, for my taste.
Rating: 
Summary: A terrific change for Patterson
Review: Patterson's last book was a disappointment...time for a break from Alex Cross. Cradle and All is a superb transformation for the author. I couldn't put it down...and wished that it lasted longer than the 3 hours it took to read it. True, it is not a traditional Patterson novel...and if you expect blood & guts...don't buy it. If you want a thrilling ride through religous fears and the mystery of our Lady of Fatima...order it now! This would be a great book to buy if you are going on an airplane trip...it would make the trip go fast. I can't wait for the sequel...and there is one lurking! Thanks Mr. Patterson. And keep writing!
Rating: 
Summary: Bring back Alex Cross
Review: I literally lunged for this book at the bookstore. I was so excited to get the new Patterson book and so disappointed after I had read it. In very simple terms, this was the dumbest book I have ever read. Bring back Alex, PLEASE!
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: From the time I read the first page I could not put this book down. It was very, very good! Suspenseful. Keeps you enthralled until the last page.
Rating:
Summary: Mother of God
Review: The premise doesn't get much deeper -- evil running amok, End Times events going on all over the world, and the promise of the imminent birth of a holy child born of a virgin. The only problem is, there are two virgins pregnant at the same time, 16-year-old Kathleen in the US and 14-year-old Colleen in Ireland. The Church has sent investigators and doctors to check out the claims of both girls, including Anne, an ex-nun turned PI, and Father Justin, the man she loves but can't acknowledge. This is a serious topic, fertile ground for a deep, convoluted story incorporating allegory and parable, lessons and warnings, and sin, faith, and salvation. Thus, I was disappointed with the short, almost trite treatment of such Apocalyptic material. There was too much potential here which seemed glossed over in an almost cavalier fashion. Also, a lot of pivotal questions were left unanswered, such as why on earth one of the virgins was surrounded by a plethora of supernatural events in light of the deus ex machina ending. Much in this world must be taken on faith, but this did little to reinforce mine. I believe I will stick to the tried and true Alex Cross series in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Not for Alex Cross Fans
Review: Right off the bat, if your primary reason for reading James Patterson's works is because of his main man Alex Cross, then pass this one up. It's way off the path and will in all liklihood not appeal to you. On the other hand, if you're a horror fan that doesn't mind some "stream of consciousness" type stuff, then you may like this one. I've got mixed feelings (which are reflected in the three-star rating). I hate giving three stars, generally I believe you should commit to liking a book or not. But with this one, I can't go hardcore either way. I appreciate the novel for not being predictable but at the same time I did struggle with some plot points that just didn't seem to fully explain themselves. I'd say worth it in a (hopefully) future paperback version but there's just a little missing for me to fully recommend it in hardback.
Rating:
Summary: Amateurish, one dimensional effort
Review: This is the last time I invest in a James Patterson hardback. I didn't even finish When the Wind Blows, but thought I would give this book a chance anyway. About three chapters into it, I went looking for the date it was written because it so clearly is amateurish. Realized at that time that it was a rewrite of a 1980 book. Re-releases of earlier books by a popular author are usually disasters, intended only to capitalize on the author's present fame. This book's characters are one-dimensional and the bleating of the main characters becomes incredibly boring after just a few chapters. The dialogue reminded me of cheap romance novels. A waste of time and dollars. I felt ripped off by the publisher and the author. Never again.
Rating:
Summary: Anger provoking
Review: I really don't know who to be angrier with - James Patterson for writing this mess or myself for reading it. I have his entire collection of novels but this is one I will put on the shelf with great reluctance. Without spoiling the ending, let me say it was totally unbelievable. As for all that comes before that, well, let's just say this. While the tension and suspense is there I was continually berating myself for continuing to read it. Anne is a one-dimensional ex-nun who cannot admit she loves a priest. The parents might as well be non-existent and the girls (virgins) just gave me the creeps. The boyfriend is a jerk while Father Rossetti is something out of "The Exorcist". And not even as believable. Please James, go back to Alex Cross and do not look back. This books must have be one of those tucked in a drawer for a dry spell filler. Doesn't work.
Rating:
Summary: The Devil made him do it
Review: I am a devoted James Patterson fan. This book was a complete disappointment. The story jumps from one location to another. The Ireland section is a mess as far as plot goes. The Newport section not much better. Yes, the Devil made James Patterson write this ccompletely terrible book
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