Rating: 
Summary: A horrid sequel
Review: While reading the first half of Patterson's "The Lake House," I had to look at the title page now and then to remind myself that I was not rereading "When the Wind Blows". This sequel started out exactly the same: the genetically-engineered bird children performing their aerodynamic acrobatics, Frannie and Kit trying to protect them, and all of them on the run when evildoers try to capture and kill them. I also found that these elements became stale on the second go-around.In the latter half of the book, I had to reexamine the title page to be sure I was not reading a bad Robin Cook novel. The story had now metamorphosed into a medical thriller: a mad scientist harvesting organs from humans to create a race of supermen to rule the world. It was replete with ominous hospital scenes that brought to mind Robin Cook's "Coma," although not as skillfully implemented. And finally, when I finished reading the book, I had to check the title page one last time to assure myself that this book was indeed written by James Patterson. He can and has done much better. The plot was preposterous and the dialog was simplistic and naive. Bring back Alex Cross!
Rating:
Summary: Where is Alex Cross when you need him?
Review: What a surprise this book was. Does James Patterson think he's Dean Koontz or what. Very weak, unbelievable flimsy plot. Full of miracle escapes form the clutchs of the evil doctor. PLLLLEEASE. Bring back detective Cross and some resembelance of reality. If I want to read fantasy I'll buy Steven King.
Rating:
Summary: Don't make this mistake......
Review: We hardly ever buy books anywhere but Amazon. The reason? Because we get to read the reviews here before we buy. However, one day I was out shopping and saw The Lake House by James Patterson. We have read everything he has written I think (maybe not) so I bought the book. My husband started it last night and today he said "This might be the worst book I've ever read, do you care if I throw it away".
We have learned our lesson.
Rating: 
Summary: The Lake House
Review: I've read and completed The Lake House. I thought it was supposed to be coming out in movie form and wanted to read the book first. Where's the movie???? Anyway, it was an interesting story, but I was insulted as a reader. I thought it was more geared for adolescent reading. James did more telling than showing and I found there were too many references to songs and it irritated me. The best thing about this book was that it was, indeed, a fast read and I could move on to more sophisticated styles of writing.
Rating:
Summary: The story is unbelievable...
Review: ...and the kids are unlikeable. Maybe if Patterson had been a bit more subtle, things would have worked out more to the story's benefit. As it is, we have a bunch of arrogant kids who think that since they're part bird that they're exempted from mistakes that humans make (as if birds are so much better...I handle chickens at the place where I work, and they are nasty, nasty creatures). They claim to be mature; Max even says at one point that she's probably around Frannie's age. But then, how come we are only TOLD this piece of information, but not shown? Look at Max when she's on the computer typing to Oz, her thought processes, her "lists." They are not the "mature" thoughts of an adult, but very adolescent in its behavior. This is only part of the reason why I can't believe that the kids supposedly have a genius IQ--because they act like arrogant (okay, so that might be an indicator of being smart...but it's clear that we are not supposed to think of the kids as anything but adorable and wonderful and brilliant) little jerks who talk and act like children! In the courtroom scene, Frannie goes out of her way to mention that the kids tested off the charts on IQ tests...and that they are all quick to come up with a quip. Besides the fact that this kind of behavior would never be allowed in the courtroom, Icarus' saying, "As blind as I am, even I can see that..." as an example of quick wit falls flat. Beyond flat. What I really couldn't stand was how Patterson went out of his way to make the story completely unambiguous. The villains--as so thoughtfully stated by Frannie, the narrator--are all "monsters," and generally just wretched, wretched folk. They are all mocked and anybody who is against Frannie, Kit, and the kids are made out to be idiots--what about when that lawyer Fitzgibbons is said to have proudly "waddled" back to her seat. A small thing, I know, but it's just an example of how Patterson pulls no punches, which gets to be very, very irritating. You don't even have to think while reading this story, because everything is laid out in such stark, unsubtle terms. The parents are all pushy and overbearing, the kids and Frannie and Kit are all saints, the scientits are evil overlords. Is it just me, or are stories that actually have a lot of gray as opposed to just black and white in them just more thoughtful, original...and just plain better? Another thing: the idea of imprinting. This wasn't just stupid, it was impossible. Birds imprint on the first moving thing that they see. Unless Frannie and Kit were the first people the kids had seen since they were born (uh...no!), they would not have imprinted on 'em. Max mentions in "When the Wind Blows" that there was someone back at the School who seemed to be truly kind (I forget the specific details). If anything, the kids would have imprinted on that lady, and not Frannie! Even if that lady hadn't been there, the kids would have imprinted on one of the other workers, even if those workers were (as we are supposed to believe) the incarnation of all that is evil. People with a brain should avoid this book at all costs. You might lose a few IQ points. It feels like I sure did!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Escape
Review: I didn't read "When the Wind Blows" prior to "The Lake House" and had no trouble at all following the story. I found this story to be a great escape into fantasy and science fiction. I enjoy the details James Patterson provides that give me a good vision of the characters and setting. I'm buying "When the Wind Blows" today.
Rating:
Summary: Watch your own reflection in a spoon... it's better
Review: James... James.... James.... what is happening to you? I've never considered Patterson to be that great of a writer as much as he is a great storyteller. He's never embodied the kind of talent with prose that one might expect from a bestselling author, but he usually has some pretty brilliant stories... the Alex Cross novels among his very very best. The Lake House however... is quite possibly the worst book I've ever read. Having mostly only read his Alex Cross novels and the two Women's Murder Club novels, I am admittedly not well-versed in his other works. That being said, I had no idea this was a sequel. The book does make mention of a lot of past adventures with these characters, and I remember thinking... man... why did he write this book? The past adventures sound a hell of a lot more interesting. I'm glad to know that he DID in fact write the previous adventures in "When the Wind Blows". This sequel however is so filled with corny repetetive description and cheese that the pages might as well have been published on Velveeta. Everything is "glorious", "gorgeous", and Ozymandius is like a "prince"... yeah we got it, James... No one talks like the people in this book. It's dripping with more corn than a cornfield and more cheese than double layer nachos. The only redeeming quality is the creepy doctor Ethan Kane... though even he borders on the cliche Patterson character where every person is "gorgeous" and has perfect physiques and no imperfections or flaws... other than the homicidal urges in his villian. Worse is the audio version of this book. Hope Davis, who I find to be a fantastic actress, unfortnately gives the cornfed prose of this novel even more butter. She reads it like it sounds... lilty and corny. I'm hesitant to go back and read the first novel now, though it appears to have gotten more acclaim than this one, so perhaps I should give it a chance. Actually, from the title... I thought it was a sequel to "The Beach House"... oh well. Many say "When the Wind Blows" is great... as for it's sequel... it should have been called "When The Story Blows". Sorry James... I like your other stuff.
Rating:
Summary: A waste of time
Review: This is the worst book I've read this year! I couldn't finish it. What is Patterson thinking? I've read almost all of his books and think that they have gotten noticeably worse the last several years. The shortness of the chapters and choppiness of the story really bothered me. It really appears that he's just churning them out. I can't believe that this is the same man who wrote Along Came a Spider, which was excellent. I think I've just read my last James Patterson novel.
Rating:
Summary: Max is Back
Review: Frannie O'Neill and her friend Kit Brennan rescued the children from the School, a clandestine laboratory specializing in genetic engineering, and cared for them at a secret location for a few weeks and the children grew close to them and Frannie and Kit care for the children too. These six children, victims of the School, had been injected with avian DNA when they were still embryos and after being born by cesarean section, their respective parents had been told they hadn't survived the birth. Never having know life outside the lab, they can't adjust and want to go back to live at the Lake House with Frannie and Kit. Feeling the same way about the children, Frannie and Kit seek legal custody of the kids. Max, the twelve-year-old winged girl who captured reader's hearts in "When the Wind Blows," fears for her life and the lives of her "siblings," because while working at the School, she read some records which could prove deadly to then all if revealed and she also learned about Dr. Ethan Kane and the Resurrection Project and how it threatens all of humanity. Okay, so the book's a little far fetched, kids with wings. Sure they have to be really, really big wings to lift the weight of a human, but if you suspended your disbelief for the first novel, and zillions of people did, how come you can't go along for the ride with this one? I ask that, because "When the Wind Blows" got such excellent reviews and readers apparently don't like this one at all. But it wasn't that bad, not five stars, but I'm giving it four. I enjoyed it, but admittedly I might not have, had I not read what had come before, but I did read "When the Wind Blows," and I loved it, I just don't love this one as much. Reviewed by Vesta Irene
Rating:
Summary: SELL OUT
Review: WOW, I READ THIS BOOK IN ONE DAY. AND I THINK I JUST FOUND THE BEST BOOK TO BE CONSIDERED A SELLOUT. MEANING THAT THIS BOOK IS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY TO MAKE MONEY. THE WRITING IS VERY SUPERFICIAL AND SIMPLE. THE ACTION IS VERY LAUGHABLE AND TWISTS AND TURNS HAPPEN WITH NO EXPLANATION. IT'S LIKE WATCHING A VERY BAD EPISODE OF A BAD TV SHOW.THE PART I LIKE IS THE SCOOP FOR THE REASON THAT IT'S SO GROSS, BUT OF COURSE TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE . I'M A PATTERSON FAN THOUGH. SO I GUESS IT'S FORGIVABLE TO WRITE A PIECE LIKE THIS ONCE IN A WHILE. FOR ANYBODY WHO JUST STARTED READING PATTERSON, TRY HIS OTHER NOVELS. THIS ONE JUST HAPPENS TO BE A VERY BAD FLUKE. BUT I SWEAR HE IS VERY TALENTED ,EVEN THOUGH THE LAKE HOUSE SEEMS LIKE HE'S NOT.
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