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Daniel X #1
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X
Discover the heart-pounding start to the #1 bestselling series from James Patterson! Daniel X is on the hunt for the being who killed his parents, but danger—and the world's deadliest aliens—lurk in the shadows. Daniel X has the greatest power of the ability to create. His secret abilities—like being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind or to recreate himself in any shape he chooses—have helped him survive. But Daniel doesn't have a normal life. He is the protector of the earth, the Alien Hunter, with a mission beyond anyone’s imagination. From the day that his parents were brutally murdered before of his very eyes, Daniel has used his unique gifts to hunt down their assassin. Finally, with the help of The List, bequeathed to him in his parents' dying breath, he is closing in on the killer. Now, on his own, he vows to take on his father's mission—and to wreak vengeance in the process.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2007
458 people are currently reading
9700 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
938 books355k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,766 reviews
July 23, 2008
This is so the worst book known to man. I would say it is MIB meet Naked Gun 2 1/2. I really can not believe this book. Of course I choose it to read with my sister after getting into the Maximum Ride series. He is after all a reputable writer. Everyone has a few bad novels right. I even looked past the upset with the "Final Warning" in the Max Ride series.
Anyway words can not describe how awful this book is. Suffice it to say I will not be finishing it. Can't even finish it. The writing stinks. I have never seen chapters end and begin in the middle of a thought, literally a thought. I was so upset I think I got to page 4o something and said there is no way I can do this. Save your money, walk on by, don't even bother to borrow from the library. I believe there will be a lot of disappointed readers. This book is not even suitable for kids to read. Not sure what category this will fall in. If you think I am being harsh read ten pages, no five and you will see where I am coming from. I will be returning this book TODAY!! Full refund.
Anyway words can not describe how awful this book is. Suffice it to say I will not be finishing it. Can't even finish it. The writing stinks. I have never seen chapters end and begin in the middle of a thought, literally a thought. I was so upset I think I got to page 4o something and said there is no way I can do this. Save your money, walk on by, don't even bother to borrow from the library. I believe there will be a lot of disappointed readers. This book is not even suitable for kids to read. Not sure what category this will fall in. If you think I am being harsh read ten pages, no five and you will see where I am coming from. I will be returning this book TODAY!! Full refund.
July 23, 2010
This book was, well...strange, to say the least. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. This is my first James Patterson "family" book, but really, no one over twelve would find this very interesting. It's like the authors are writing for eight-year-olds, at most. Some of my main concerns with this novel are:
1. The Short Chapters. In his adult thrillers, the two or three page chapters are used very nicely. They're all like mini cliffhangers, and make you want to read on. In this book, though, the chapters end at the most awkward places. Here's an example on page 31: (Daniel's "Mom" is speaking) "Oh, I'm sorry, officers. My husband is a jokester sometimes. And slow to get to the point. Daniel doesn't need to go to school anymore." -NEXT CHAPTER- Was that supposed to be a dramatic cutoff point? It's almost as if JP is using the blank spaces between the chapters to take up space, so he can put a $20 price tag on this already very short book.
2. The "Bad Guy." The alien antagonist (named Seth? Seriously?) really got on my nerves. For one, he is terribly immature and bland in his "comebacks." And really, what was his point? There wasn't really any suspenseful buildup of his character before the "climax" (if you can call it that) of the novel.
3. The Pop Culture Remarks. I hope JP and ML aren't throwing in these awkwardly placed blurbs about famous electronics, movie stars, etc. to sound more "with it." Let's reference page 156: (Daniel is narrarating) "'I should have listened to you,' I moaned, crying. Shia LaBeouf couldn't have done a better acting job, not even with Steven Spielberg directing." Bravo, guys. That paragraph made such a great visual image and made the book that much cooler.
4. Daniel Himself. I didn't feel one bit of sympathy for him throughout this book. Neither does anyone else in his world, since he needs to create his own friends. And he probably has more superpowers than any other character created. Did I mention I can read minds? Flip through books in my head and ace every single test? Easily overcome a blow to the stomach? Create humans based on my memory of them? Talk telepathically with elephants? Oh yeah, he definitely has some in-depth conversations with elephants. Enough said.
So, all in all, this book was a train wreck. Hopefully the Maximum Ride series is better, because I've purchased the first three books in that series already. Oh yeah, and since I bought both Daniel X books at the same time, I guess I'm going to have to read one more volume in his oh-so-interesting life. Let's hope it gets better.
EDIT: For the record, I've decided I'm definitely not continuing on with this series. :)
1. The Short Chapters. In his adult thrillers, the two or three page chapters are used very nicely. They're all like mini cliffhangers, and make you want to read on. In this book, though, the chapters end at the most awkward places. Here's an example on page 31: (Daniel's "Mom" is speaking) "Oh, I'm sorry, officers. My husband is a jokester sometimes. And slow to get to the point. Daniel doesn't need to go to school anymore." -NEXT CHAPTER- Was that supposed to be a dramatic cutoff point? It's almost as if JP is using the blank spaces between the chapters to take up space, so he can put a $20 price tag on this already very short book.
2. The "Bad Guy." The alien antagonist (named Seth? Seriously?) really got on my nerves. For one, he is terribly immature and bland in his "comebacks." And really, what was his point? There wasn't really any suspenseful buildup of his character before the "climax" (if you can call it that) of the novel.
3. The Pop Culture Remarks. I hope JP and ML aren't throwing in these awkwardly placed blurbs about famous electronics, movie stars, etc. to sound more "with it." Let's reference page 156: (Daniel is narrarating) "'I should have listened to you,' I moaned, crying. Shia LaBeouf couldn't have done a better acting job, not even with Steven Spielberg directing." Bravo, guys. That paragraph made such a great visual image and made the book that much cooler.
4. Daniel Himself. I didn't feel one bit of sympathy for him throughout this book. Neither does anyone else in his world, since he needs to create his own friends. And he probably has more superpowers than any other character created. Did I mention I can read minds? Flip through books in my head and ace every single test? Easily overcome a blow to the stomach? Create humans based on my memory of them? Talk telepathically with elephants? Oh yeah, he definitely has some in-depth conversations with elephants. Enough said.
So, all in all, this book was a train wreck. Hopefully the Maximum Ride series is better, because I've purchased the first three books in that series already. Oh yeah, and since I bought both Daniel X books at the same time, I guess I'm going to have to read one more volume in his oh-so-interesting life. Let's hope it gets better.
EDIT: For the record, I've decided I'm definitely not continuing on with this series. :)
August 11, 2008
James Patterson has teamed up with Michael Ledwidge to write another young adult novel. James Patterson has already been successful in the young adult world with his wildly popular Maximum Ride series. James and Michael have worked together on two recent adult bestsellers - THE QUICKIE and STEP ON A CRACK.
THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X is an extremely fast read. Patterson’s traditional short chapters make you feel like your are flying through the pages. The story is fun to read, but it doesn’t have a lot of meat.
Daniel X is the son of two Alien Hunters from the planet Alpar Nok. They came to Earth to protect humans from the Outer Ones. When Daniel was three-years-old down in his basement building replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World out of Play-Doh (you can already see that he isn’t like a typical toddler), his parents were both killed by an alien named The Prayer. Daniel narrowly escapes and takes up his parents mission and begins to hunt down the most dangerous aliens on Earth.
The story is entertaining but it lacks character development. You get a glimpse into Daniel’s life, but even with him it is just surface and what is happening in the present. We never get to see how he survived from the age of three to his current age of fifteen. This is clearly meant to be the first in a series of stories about Daniel X. In the back of the book there are two BRIEF previews of two more stories. Also, in December 2008 there is supposed to be a graphic novel version of THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X released. For a book that is 238 pages and takes such a short time to read my suggestion would be to borrow it from a school or public library. It definately doesn’t fall in my Needs To Be Read Again pile.
THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X is an extremely fast read. Patterson’s traditional short chapters make you feel like your are flying through the pages. The story is fun to read, but it doesn’t have a lot of meat.
Daniel X is the son of two Alien Hunters from the planet Alpar Nok. They came to Earth to protect humans from the Outer Ones. When Daniel was three-years-old down in his basement building replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World out of Play-Doh (you can already see that he isn’t like a typical toddler), his parents were both killed by an alien named The Prayer. Daniel narrowly escapes and takes up his parents mission and begins to hunt down the most dangerous aliens on Earth.
The story is entertaining but it lacks character development. You get a glimpse into Daniel’s life, but even with him it is just surface and what is happening in the present. We never get to see how he survived from the age of three to his current age of fifteen. This is clearly meant to be the first in a series of stories about Daniel X. In the back of the book there are two BRIEF previews of two more stories. Also, in December 2008 there is supposed to be a graphic novel version of THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X released. For a book that is 238 pages and takes such a short time to read my suggestion would be to borrow it from a school or public library. It definately doesn’t fall in my Needs To Be Read Again pile.
April 26, 2012
Daniel X is one badass dude. He has almost every power you'd want:
- Telepathy,
- The instantaneous (temporary) creation and manipulation of animate and inanimate objects,
- Super-Human Durability, Strength, and Speed
Unfortunately for Daniel, all that's moot because Daniel's book? Yeah, pretty shitty. The powers Danny's without?
- ANY SORT of character depth/building
- Well-constructed, interesting story line
- The ability to make it rain (throw some Ds on that, throw some Ds)
What pisses me off about James Patterson is that he thinks he can start using Ghost Writers for everything, and still make tons of money off it...which maybe has been working for him, I don't know. But if you check, almost every book in this series is written by a different author, just with James Patterson's plastered over it. So ridiculous.
And no, I didn't re-read this book. I just thought about it recently (one of my more masochistic thoughts) and decided to warn my fellow GRs.
- Telepathy,
- The instantaneous (temporary) creation and manipulation of animate and inanimate objects,
- Super-Human Durability, Strength, and Speed
Unfortunately for Daniel, all that's moot because Daniel's book? Yeah, pretty shitty. The powers Danny's without?
- ANY SORT of character depth/building
- Well-constructed, interesting story line
What pisses me off about James Patterson is that he thinks he can start using Ghost Writers for everything, and still make tons of money off it...which maybe has been working for him, I don't know. But if you check, almost every book in this series is written by a different author, just with James Patterson's plastered over it. So ridiculous.
And no, I didn't re-read this book. I just thought about it recently (one of my more masochistic thoughts) and decided to warn my fellow GRs.
August 7, 2008
An amazingly quick read. It felt more like a saturday morning cartoon than a novel. It was light and teen-friendly without worrying about anything inappropriate. It deals with Daniel, an alien-hunter and his exploits in hunting a particular alien. It has short, choppy chapters and I read the whole thing (200+ pages) waiting for a plane in about 2 hours. It has a "Men in Black" kind of feel to it - almost comic-like, rather than serious. But I can't get over how fast it reads. I am disappointed in that aspect. I don't buy a $20 hardback to have it done in a couple hours. However, it was entertaining, so I will stick with 4 stars. It is more distinctly teen oriented than a lot of other "teen fiction" I like to read.
February 8, 2015
Wow, I feel guilty giving any book 1 star, but God, this was pathetic. Sorry, Daniel X fans. I've actually read up to the third until now, and I have NO idea why. Well, no, I do--- these books are just SO FUN to critique. I've actually written commentary in the margins of the third book (shouldn't have bought it, waste of money). Yeah, well....
On the actual review of the first book:
It was really, really stupid. So basically, Daniel's parents are brutally murdered by the universe's most evil and powerful alien, so Daniel who is amazingly strong, intelligent, and can pretty much do or make anything (literally, so as long as he is "very, very calm and focuses a lot. Which of course isn't true because throughout the ENTIRE BOOK he can just materialize anything, INSTANTLY, when, say, being in battle surrounded by hundreds of aliens. Yeah. And he totally sounds calm when doing so *coughs*) decides to nobly hunt down and try to destroy all evil aliens on Earth. Which are conveniently listed on a supersupersuper high-tech magical computer on THE LIST (of magical rainbows and fluffy, fluffy unicorns). He has been eaten alive, chased, stabbed, and traumatized multiple times and yet still manages to be an idiot . He can also materialize dead PEOPLE like his friends that he can't remember were ever alive and his parents. That totally destroys the scope and trauma of the thing, and yet James Patterson is constantly reminding us how terrible and sad and dramatic it is. AND DANIEL'S CHARACTER HAS NEVER BEEN AFFECTED. EVER.
(what gif)
Okay, I'll try to give y'all an example of this madness.
So we're towards the back half of the book, and this-idiot-that-we-must-listen-to our brave hero looks like he's doomed because he has been captured by the main baddy of the book (number 6 on The List of Fluffy Fluffy Unicorns), named Ergent Seth.
SETH. AN ALIEN NAMED SETH. OKAY THEN.
(um ok gif)
Anyways, he's in this cell and is so disoriented that for a long period of time he can barely sit up. And when he can sit up and barely materialize some FREAKING FOOD for himself, you want to know what TYPE of food he makes?
Snow cones.
![no/]()
Wait, oops. It specifically says that he's eating a CHERRY snow cone. And then he'll have a lime one next. Uh-huh.
Okay, that would not be what I would be doing in his situation. At all. Problems with this ridiculous scenario:
Sugar and water. Snow cones are nothing but SUGAR AND WATER. How about, um, coffee, peanut butter, an energy drink, chocolate or something that can actually make you feel well? This guy is supposed to be Einstein-smart. Like making-amazing-sculptures-when-you-were-THREE-YEARS-OLD-smart. Doesn’t that fall below the expectations of a genius?
b. Okay, I would NOT be calm in this situation. The book says that he has to be extremely calm in order to do shit. Yeah. He’s so totally calm when he could be instantly killed by Ergent SETH and when HUNDREDS OF LITTLE KIDS ARE IN CAPTIVE OF THIS HUGE SPACECRAFT AND IT’S UP TO HIM TO SAVE THEM ALL . (See what I did there, mimicking Patterson’s overuse of all caps and italics?).
NO. Okay, I get that some of you might say that “He’s been in situations like this like a million times, he’s used to it by now.” Haha. Hahahaha. That’s like a woman saying she’s had so many children that childbirth doesn’t even hurt anymore. It just doesn’t work like that.
c. Okay, why don’t the aliens just KILL HIM already. It’s like Harry Potter going into the woods to sacrifice himself to Voldemort, and Voldemort just being like, “Okay guys, lock him up so he can just rot for a while, and then just kill him.” And Daniel just got so annoying that I wish he WOULD die. And the people in Daniel’s version of the Earth are all dicks, so they can die too!
Oh, and you know how The List (of Rainbows and Fluffy, Fluffy unicorns) says that Seth *teehee* can release this gas into the air that would cause Daniel’s cells to explode or decay from the inside of something, right? Yeah. Never see that happening. Because Daniel has no plan, we just need to forget that the pesky List said anything about that because it would be too inconvenient.
Okayyyyy random image time:
(when you see a lobster fighting a dog with a spoon there is not much else to see meme)
UGHSDHDSHKDF the ridiculousness of this “book” is just so…...ridiculous.
Hey, did you know JP cranks out, on average, cranks out 14 books…...EVERY YEAR.
I….I give up. I know I’m going to keep reading them, because they’re just so fun to criticize----that makes me guilty, but it’s true! Of course, I won’t be buying or writing in them, because that would waste money. And you shouldn't either, in my opinion.
On the actual review of the first book:
It was really, really stupid. So basically, Daniel's parents are brutally murdered by the universe's most evil and powerful alien, so Daniel who is amazingly strong, intelligent, and can pretty much do or make anything (literally, so as long as he is "very, very calm and focuses a lot. Which of course isn't true because throughout the ENTIRE BOOK he can just materialize anything, INSTANTLY, when, say, being in battle surrounded by hundreds of aliens. Yeah. And he totally sounds calm when doing so *coughs*) decides to nobly hunt down and try to destroy all evil aliens on Earth. Which are conveniently listed on a supersupersuper high-tech magical computer on THE LIST (of magical rainbows and fluffy, fluffy unicorns). He has been eaten alive, chased, stabbed, and traumatized multiple times and yet still manages to be an idiot . He can also materialize dead PEOPLE like his friends that he can't remember were ever alive and his parents. That totally destroys the scope and trauma of the thing, and yet James Patterson is constantly reminding us how terrible and sad and dramatic it is. AND DANIEL'S CHARACTER HAS NEVER BEEN AFFECTED. EVER.
(what gif)
Okay, I'll try to give y'all an example of this madness.
So we're towards the back half of the book, and
SETH. AN ALIEN NAMED SETH. OKAY THEN.
(um ok gif)
Anyways, he's in this cell and is so disoriented that for a long period of time he can barely sit up. And when he can sit up and barely materialize some FREAKING FOOD for himself, you want to know what TYPE of food he makes?
Snow cones.
Wait, oops. It specifically says that he's eating a CHERRY snow cone. And then he'll have a lime one next. Uh-huh.
Okay, that would not be what I would be doing in his situation. At all. Problems with this ridiculous scenario:
Sugar and water. Snow cones are nothing but SUGAR AND WATER. How about, um, coffee, peanut butter, an energy drink, chocolate or something that can actually make you feel well? This guy is supposed to be Einstein-smart. Like making-amazing-sculptures-when-you-were-THREE-YEARS-OLD-smart. Doesn’t that fall below the expectations of a genius?
b. Okay, I would NOT be calm in this situation. The book says that he has to be extremely calm in order to do shit. Yeah. He’s so totally calm when he could be instantly killed by Ergent SETH and when HUNDREDS OF LITTLE KIDS ARE IN CAPTIVE OF THIS HUGE SPACECRAFT AND IT’S UP TO HIM TO SAVE THEM ALL . (See what I did there, mimicking Patterson’s overuse of all caps and italics?).
NO. Okay, I get that some of you might say that “He’s been in situations like this like a million times, he’s used to it by now.” Haha. Hahahaha. That’s like a woman saying she’s had so many children that childbirth doesn’t even hurt anymore. It just doesn’t work like that.
c. Okay, why don’t the aliens just KILL HIM already. It’s like Harry Potter going into the woods to sacrifice himself to Voldemort, and Voldemort just being like, “Okay guys, lock him up so he can just rot for a while, and then just kill him.” And Daniel just got so annoying that I wish he WOULD die. And the people in Daniel’s version of the Earth are all dicks, so they can die too!
Oh, and you know how The List (of Rainbows and Fluffy, Fluffy unicorns) says that Seth *teehee* can release this gas into the air that would cause Daniel’s cells to explode or decay from the inside of something, right? Yeah. Never see that happening. Because Daniel has no plan, we just need to forget that the pesky List said anything about that because it would be too inconvenient.
Okayyyyy random image time:
(when you see a lobster fighting a dog with a spoon there is not much else to see meme)
UGHSDHDSHKDF the ridiculousness of this “book” is just so…...ridiculous.
Hey, did you know JP cranks out, on average, cranks out 14 books…...EVERY YEAR.
I….I give up. I know I’m going to keep reading them, because they’re just so fun to criticize----that makes me guilty, but it’s true! Of course, I won’t be buying or writing in them, because that would waste money. And you shouldn't either, in my opinion.
June 12, 2011
Every so often a book makes me angry because it is so poorly written. The Dangerous Days of Daniel X is one of these books.
I read this book to screen it for my classroom library. In particular, one of my fourth grade boys (we'll call him Tom) refuses to read anything but action books. At the beginning of the school year, Tom unabashedly exclaimed that he hated to read. I made it my personal quest to change him and asked him what kinds of video games he likes. He said, "I like violent games!" Quite cheerfully, I might add. So, I started him with Alex Rider, a recommendation from my son, which is basically James Bond for kids.
Tom quickly took on to Alex Rider and tore through the whole series. After that, I was stuck--he wanted action, but he didn't want anything with magic or fantasy involved. Sadly, that left out a whole sub-genre of some great young-adult fiction. But then I figured, maybe he should try The Hunger Games. Right now, he is gobbling up the second of the trilogy.
But now, with summer drawing near, I've been frantically looking for a book that has all the action this kid craves with none of the magic. I googled "books like Alex Rider" and had to skip over great books like The Lightning Thief and The Warrior Heir. What popped up most often? The Daniel X series. I reluctantly cracked open the book---I have found James Patterson to be the most overrated writer currently around. His books actually irritate me because they are so poorly written....and he is so popular. But Daniel X ended up on a lot of librarians' lists, so I decided to give it a try.
Here's the hook in a nutshell: Daniel X is an alien hunter. End of story. I won't waste any time on the plot--I'm sure you can read summaries elsewhere. It's basically a Men-in-Black knock-off for teens.
I just want to ask--who put these books on the same list as Percy Jackson? It's shameful. There is no coherent world view--apparently Daniel X has any power that will conveniently solve his problems. Unless the writers need to put him into a life-or-death situation, in which case they conveniently fail to mention his alien superpowers.
The descriptions are completely void of any detail. Oh--let me quote an example: "The inside of Seth's cochlea was even grosser than his earwax situation. It was filled with this fluid that was...ugh, I don't even want to get into it." Pleeeease get into it! I WANT to hear about the fluid. But James Patterson and his co-author pass up EVERY SINGLE CHANCE to give the reader an enjoyable reading experience.
This book has two things going for it: (1) aliens are, in general, fun to read about, and (2) it's a very fast read. I wavered between giving it one and two stars--but this book is so horribly disappointing that I'm punishing it for letting me down.
So---next time I am tempted to read another James Patterson book, would somebody please stop me?
I read this book to screen it for my classroom library. In particular, one of my fourth grade boys (we'll call him Tom) refuses to read anything but action books. At the beginning of the school year, Tom unabashedly exclaimed that he hated to read. I made it my personal quest to change him and asked him what kinds of video games he likes. He said, "I like violent games!" Quite cheerfully, I might add. So, I started him with Alex Rider, a recommendation from my son, which is basically James Bond for kids.
Tom quickly took on to Alex Rider and tore through the whole series. After that, I was stuck--he wanted action, but he didn't want anything with magic or fantasy involved. Sadly, that left out a whole sub-genre of some great young-adult fiction. But then I figured, maybe he should try The Hunger Games. Right now, he is gobbling up the second of the trilogy.
But now, with summer drawing near, I've been frantically looking for a book that has all the action this kid craves with none of the magic. I googled "books like Alex Rider" and had to skip over great books like The Lightning Thief and The Warrior Heir. What popped up most often? The Daniel X series. I reluctantly cracked open the book---I have found James Patterson to be the most overrated writer currently around. His books actually irritate me because they are so poorly written....and he is so popular. But Daniel X ended up on a lot of librarians' lists, so I decided to give it a try.
Here's the hook in a nutshell: Daniel X is an alien hunter. End of story. I won't waste any time on the plot--I'm sure you can read summaries elsewhere. It's basically a Men-in-Black knock-off for teens.
I just want to ask--who put these books on the same list as Percy Jackson? It's shameful. There is no coherent world view--apparently Daniel X has any power that will conveniently solve his problems. Unless the writers need to put him into a life-or-death situation, in which case they conveniently fail to mention his alien superpowers.
The descriptions are completely void of any detail. Oh--let me quote an example: "The inside of Seth's cochlea was even grosser than his earwax situation. It was filled with this fluid that was...ugh, I don't even want to get into it." Pleeeease get into it! I WANT to hear about the fluid. But James Patterson and his co-author pass up EVERY SINGLE CHANCE to give the reader an enjoyable reading experience.
This book has two things going for it: (1) aliens are, in general, fun to read about, and (2) it's a very fast read. I wavered between giving it one and two stars--but this book is so horribly disappointing that I'm punishing it for letting me down.
So---next time I am tempted to read another James Patterson book, would somebody please stop me?
August 23, 2008
Here is my nice review for our library's blog:
Daniel was born with the power to create. His abilities include being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind and to re-create himself in any shape he chooses. His mission: he is an Alien Hunter. From the day that his parents were murdered before him, he has used his unique gifts to hunt down villainous aliens on earth until he can close in on their killer.
This book combines the humorous quips of Spiderman with the repellant bad-guy aliens of Men In Black. It will probably appeal most to young adult guys, and the short chapters (each one was 2-3 pages) make it a quick read.
Here is the truth:
The 2 page chapters gave me imaginary ulcers. It was such a disconnecting, disjointed way to put a book together. Is he trying to cater to today's short attention span? Aren't books supposed to be combating short attention spans? He would cut off the action right in the middle of a scene and start again in a new chapter. WHY. I tried to think of some reasons: It's supposed to be a Young Adult book. It caters directly to boys (who supposedly read less?). Ok, I can see how you're trying for that. But is this really what we have to do to get our children to read? I am depressed about our future.
As a librarian, really, I should be okay with any efforts to get people to read. Anything we can do to draw people in to read is a good thing, right? So should I be ok with this on principle?
Steve Jobs, who you hope would be knowledgeable of general public interests, recently said in an interview about Amazon's Kindle, "It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore." Another reason for depression, I think. People still read. To think otherwise, as the heated response to Jobs' comment has shown, is erroneous. Do we really need to chop down every chapter in a young adult book just to draw someone in, to make it easier for their fragile attention spans to handle?
I don't think so. As my own personal response, I hated it. There were 92 chapters in this 238 page book (I will save you getting out your calculator: it's an average of 2.6 pages per chapter). Aside from that, there were some other obnoxious elements. His quips weren't charming, and got old very quickly. The aliens were grotesque for the sake of being grotesque. Cliche developments ("kidnapped children! oh no!"). And the reader sees things coming dozens of chapters before Daniel did.
The good stuff: his powers were pretty cool. And the opening scene was pretty cool. And some character development toward the end of the book was interesting. And that's about it.
So sorry, James Patterson. I promise to read more of your books so that I don't form an opinion of your work based on this one.
Daniel was born with the power to create. His abilities include being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind and to re-create himself in any shape he chooses. His mission: he is an Alien Hunter. From the day that his parents were murdered before him, he has used his unique gifts to hunt down villainous aliens on earth until he can close in on their killer.
This book combines the humorous quips of Spiderman with the repellant bad-guy aliens of Men In Black. It will probably appeal most to young adult guys, and the short chapters (each one was 2-3 pages) make it a quick read.
Here is the truth:
The 2 page chapters gave me imaginary ulcers. It was such a disconnecting, disjointed way to put a book together. Is he trying to cater to today's short attention span? Aren't books supposed to be combating short attention spans? He would cut off the action right in the middle of a scene and start again in a new chapter. WHY. I tried to think of some reasons: It's supposed to be a Young Adult book. It caters directly to boys (who supposedly read less?). Ok, I can see how you're trying for that. But is this really what we have to do to get our children to read? I am depressed about our future.
As a librarian, really, I should be okay with any efforts to get people to read. Anything we can do to draw people in to read is a good thing, right? So should I be ok with this on principle?
Steve Jobs, who you hope would be knowledgeable of general public interests, recently said in an interview about Amazon's Kindle, "It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore." Another reason for depression, I think. People still read. To think otherwise, as the heated response to Jobs' comment has shown, is erroneous. Do we really need to chop down every chapter in a young adult book just to draw someone in, to make it easier for their fragile attention spans to handle?
I don't think so. As my own personal response, I hated it. There were 92 chapters in this 238 page book (I will save you getting out your calculator: it's an average of 2.6 pages per chapter). Aside from that, there were some other obnoxious elements. His quips weren't charming, and got old very quickly. The aliens were grotesque for the sake of being grotesque. Cliche developments ("kidnapped children! oh no!"). And the reader sees things coming dozens of chapters before Daniel did.
The good stuff: his powers were pretty cool. And the opening scene was pretty cool. And some character development toward the end of the book was interesting. And that's about it.
So sorry, James Patterson. I promise to read more of your books so that I don't form an opinion of your work based on this one.
April 27, 2009
At first this book was kinda dull, kinda interesting for me. I have to admit that i started out with no expectations at all because my book buddy Maggie said that it was disappointing, and usually our book reviews are alike. :)
This book was a bit disappointing, but not completely. It was confusing at first, but slowly got clearer. I didn't like how it seemed so Men in Black... i mean seriously, it was almost copying it!!! But the part that made me really start liking it is when they went to Daniel's home planet. I thought that was awesome, and it reminded me a bit of Ender's Game because it was science fictiony. The aliens were gross, but i liked the book better and better towards the end. I was going to actually rate it a 5, but decided it wasn't that good and gave it a four.
One of the reasons i think that i gave it such a high rating is because when somebody starts outw ith no expectations, it can only go uphill from there.
When i read the small section at the end from the next book, IT SUCKED!!!! i can tell the next book is gonna be horrible, because all of the ideas were already used up in thr first book.
all in all, i liked this book. it was nothing compared to maximum ride, but it was a good effort. i think maybe it sucked a little because of the other author's writing, not james patterson's.
LONG LIFE ELEPHANTS!!!
or as i like to say,
efalants!!!!!! ;)
This book was a bit disappointing, but not completely. It was confusing at first, but slowly got clearer. I didn't like how it seemed so Men in Black... i mean seriously, it was almost copying it!!! But the part that made me really start liking it is when they went to Daniel's home planet. I thought that was awesome, and it reminded me a bit of Ender's Game because it was science fictiony. The aliens were gross, but i liked the book better and better towards the end. I was going to actually rate it a 5, but decided it wasn't that good and gave it a four.
One of the reasons i think that i gave it such a high rating is because when somebody starts outw ith no expectations, it can only go uphill from there.
When i read the small section at the end from the next book, IT SUCKED!!!! i can tell the next book is gonna be horrible, because all of the ideas were already used up in thr first book.
all in all, i liked this book. it was nothing compared to maximum ride, but it was a good effort. i think maybe it sucked a little because of the other author's writing, not james patterson's.
LONG LIFE ELEPHANTS!!!
or as i like to say,
efalants!!!!!! ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2020
Wow. Just wow. I am still in awe of this incredible blast off into the series. I know I usually continuously rant about anything and everything, but who am I to rant about a legend like James Patterson? The only thing that I really have to say is that this book is perfect in every way. I absolutely love Daniel’s personality!! Definitely adding him to the book character boyfriend list!!! James has done it again!!!
October 2, 2020
the books was amazing keeps you on your toes the all way i could not stop reading.
April 2, 2018
This book started off really strong, particularly as the audio version is very animated with sound effects etc. But the plot twist and ending kind of went down hill. It did not feel like a young adult book, more of a middle grade. I do admit it was fun, and I will continue with book 2 to see if it improves. I liked the whole super powers that Daniel had and the way he was able to create things. I was also shocked when we found out he was an alien. The concept was enjoyable, but I think when Daniel was in Seth’s ear was the point where my rating dropped.
December 16, 2008
I understand what James Patterson is trying to do here - duplicate the success he's had to Maximum Ride by creating another fantastical, out-there series that can be marketed to a YA audience. It's even part of his "Pageturner" category, where "special care has been taken with the language and content" so that it is appropriate for all ages.
I would like to say, that despite this "care," it featured a seriously nasty fight scene gross enough that I had to skip part of it. Ewwwwwwwww.
The formula just isn't working in this case. I think part of it is because all of the tiny things that I didn't like about Maximum Ride (and I love that series) are multiplied many times in this book. First of all, I wish Daniel wouldn't spend the first section of the book telling us how awesome his powers are. Don't tell us, SHOW us. And stop telling us how important things are - we're not stupid. If it's that important to the plot, we'll notice.
I didn't dislike Daniel as a character, but he wasn't nearly as engaging as Max and the flock. Also, the number of pop culture references, presumably thrown in to make the book seem cool, has even increased from those in Maximum Ride. Once in a while they can be amusing, but they feel sooooo contrived, and they're going to make the book feel dated in just a few years. To me, this just indicates that Patterson(/Ledwidge) doesn't expect the book to have any real staying power, and doesn't CARE that it dates itself, as long as his readers enjoy it for now. Fair enough.
(I would like to point out, though, that Stephenie Meyer purposely did not say that Bella was listening to Linkin Park - although she will tell you so in interviews - purposely to prevent this problem in Twilight.)
As usual it was a lightning-fast read. I read it basically in one sitting. It didn't suck me in even so much as the BAD Maximum Ride books, and I don't know if I'll even pick up the sequel.
(Another side note: Why are there previews into two different "further adventures" in the back? Why not just a preview chapter or four for the next book? Odd.)
I would like to say, that despite this "care," it featured a seriously nasty fight scene gross enough that I had to skip part of it. Ewwwwwwwww.
The formula just isn't working in this case. I think part of it is because all of the tiny things that I didn't like about Maximum Ride (and I love that series) are multiplied many times in this book. First of all, I wish Daniel wouldn't spend the first section of the book telling us how awesome his powers are. Don't tell us, SHOW us. And stop telling us how important things are - we're not stupid. If it's that important to the plot, we'll notice.
I didn't dislike Daniel as a character, but he wasn't nearly as engaging as Max and the flock. Also, the number of pop culture references, presumably thrown in to make the book seem cool, has even increased from those in Maximum Ride. Once in a while they can be amusing, but they feel sooooo contrived, and they're going to make the book feel dated in just a few years. To me, this just indicates that Patterson(/Ledwidge) doesn't expect the book to have any real staying power, and doesn't CARE that it dates itself, as long as his readers enjoy it for now. Fair enough.
(I would like to point out, though, that Stephenie Meyer purposely did not say that Bella was listening to Linkin Park - although she will tell you so in interviews - purposely to prevent this problem in Twilight.)
As usual it was a lightning-fast read. I read it basically in one sitting. It didn't suck me in even so much as the BAD Maximum Ride books, and I don't know if I'll even pick up the sequel.
(Another side note: Why are there previews into two different "further adventures" in the back? Why not just a preview chapter or four for the next book? Odd.)
February 22, 2016
He is still fight for his wish
June 6, 2024
For a young readers book, James Patterson's The Dangerous Days of Daniel X was a little-of-everything mess of a story. I picked this up because my wife's former student who we are friends with said this was one of his favorite series of books when he was in 9th grade. He read the whole series. I'm stopping at this one, which is the first book in the series. 15-year-old protagonist Daniel X has a mysterious past with seemingly unlimited powers - being able to create almost anything with his mind, including summoning physical likenesses of his dead parents and dead childhood friends - it was hard to really care about this kid and his plight. It's weird reading a short book with 3-page-long chapters aimed at the middle school crowd that has drug dealers, murder, and child enslavement in it and think that's okay for them to read. Ha ha. Patterson and his co-author Michael Kedwidge keep the sarcastic bad-jokey puns-filled story with all-over-the-place old pop culture references - some obviously directed at middle schoolers parents as references from the 60s, 70s, and 80s would be over the young readers heads - moving along briskly - so briskly that there's only cliches and not much left for real characters to be developed. But whatever will keep our kids reading, I'm all for it. From an immature readers perspective, and that's the only way you can read this novella to enjoy it, it's fun. But not much else.
March 18, 2020
James Patterson’s foray into YA fiction is in my humble opinion, a flop. Given that there is a co-writer in this novel, it means that he didn’t actually do the writing, but it was the other writer who wrote it. Regardless, this didn’t work for me for a multitude of reasons. First, the main character here has every imaginable power, doesn’t know how he got these powers, was never trained, but still can be beat the baddest of the bad people. His home planet, who has people with similar superpowers, was overtaken by a villain, but Daniel X can defeat this same villain single handedly. This is a shortcoming of many YA novels that make their protagonists are more powerful, more capable, and more mature than their years would reasonably allow for.
The writing is weak. I’m not a teen, but even if I was I would feel insulted by the dumbing down of the writing here. I felt as if I was reading a reprisal of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The characterization was weak. There was very little that I liked about this novel, and I have no interest in reading any further books in this series.
Carl Alves – author of The Invocation
The writing is weak. I’m not a teen, but even if I was I would feel insulted by the dumbing down of the writing here. I felt as if I was reading a reprisal of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The characterization was weak. There was very little that I liked about this novel, and I have no interest in reading any further books in this series.
Carl Alves – author of The Invocation
July 31, 2025
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X is not the start this series needed. First, the writing falls short. Co-written by established Patterson collaborator Michael Ledwidge, the book just doesn’t nail the tone I want from a book like this. While I admire the pace this book manages to keep (even by Patterson standards, these chapters are short), there aren’t enough details to get me fully invested in the story. The jokes too often fall flat or are placed in moments they don’t belong; the villain of the novel, Seth, does a fantastic job of feeling imposing and a real threat to our experienced alien hunter, yet when he speaks, he often devolves into corny jokes that don’t fit his character. And Daniel’s narration does little to improve or even differentiate himself from Max to make him stand out. In some places, it is way worse, such as the intro. Despite the importance of the scene, there are too many moments which are either designed to show off how cool Daniel is or reek of some of the worst melodrama I can think of. In fairness, the writing here isn’t dreadful. Far from it. The whole thing goes down smooth and, I’ll admit, I did find some of the lines charming in that dopey Spider-man kind of way. Still, I suspect there is a reason Ledwidge, who is still writing today as a solo author, never came back to this series or wrote another children’s book. He just wasn’t a good fit as Gabrielle Charbonnet was for his first children’s series, Maximum Ride.
The cast is another step back from his first series. None of them are terrible per se, but no one really stands out as exemplary. Our protagonist, Daniel X himself, has a compelling if formulaic backstory and an interesting hook (a kid who can do and create whatever he wants but who is also incredibly lonely with friends and family he conjures up from his imagination). However, none of it is developed far enough to be satisfying. His loneliness is only touched on occasionally, never feeling like an important part of his character. Instead, he emulates Max’s personality so fully that he struggles to stand out. His friends are also rather lacking in much the same way (fine but uneventful), which may be worse given how well Angel Experiment was able to establish an effective group dynamic. His parents, or at least his conjured versions of them, are probably best of the recurring cast; they’re fun, especially his mom. What isn’t fun is the world building, which is especially weak here. Patterson has never been the best at including fantastical elements in his stories (barring Maximum Ride), and that flaw is on full display in Dangerous Days. All the alien designs are lazy, just random parts strewn together, often involving pieces of animals, and the lore of this universe is lacking. I’ve certainly read worse from the author in this regard (*cough* Sophia *cough*), but that is not a ringing endorsement. At its best, it’s only fine.
Where the book probably excels the most is in its plot. Essentially split into two parts, each captures the fast-paced thrills of Maximum Ride while offering a new spin on that formula. Yet even here, there are problems. While the action here has the intensity and speed comparable to that other series, I wish there was more. The first half, while satisfying in establishing Daniel’s normal routine, doesn’t drive forward with the same intensity that Maximum Ride did, making it less exciting than I’d want. The second half is better in that respect; I quite like its unpredictability as well as some of its narrative choices (the main twist is specifically great). But I still wanted better set pieces, more memorable moments where Daniel could show he is a compelling action star. The climax is the closest we get, and while contrived is plenty enjoyable, but there needs to be far more throughout the story. At least the ending was fun.
For all its faults, I still had a great time with The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. It’s far from exceptional, but I’ve read much worse from Patterson. At least it riffs on a solid foundation in Maximum Ride and offers some light fun with a sci-fi flair. The problem, however, is that I’m a massive fan of Maximum Ride, and I’m not sure how many others have either read or enjoyed any of the almost-dozen books in that series. And even then, my view hasn’t exactly been rosy. If anyone out there is seriously considering reading this book, I’d recommend at least reading Angel Experiment to see if you really enjoy this style. If so, then sure, give it a shot. If not, then I’d steer clear. Even for die hard Max fans, I’d hesitate to say this is essential reading. It’s nice, it’s enjoyable, but it is far from exceptional. If nothing else, at least this is the low point in the series. It’s just not ideal that it had to be for the first book.
The cast is another step back from his first series. None of them are terrible per se, but no one really stands out as exemplary. Our protagonist, Daniel X himself, has a compelling if formulaic backstory and an interesting hook (a kid who can do and create whatever he wants but who is also incredibly lonely with friends and family he conjures up from his imagination). However, none of it is developed far enough to be satisfying. His loneliness is only touched on occasionally, never feeling like an important part of his character. Instead, he emulates Max’s personality so fully that he struggles to stand out. His friends are also rather lacking in much the same way (fine but uneventful), which may be worse given how well Angel Experiment was able to establish an effective group dynamic. His parents, or at least his conjured versions of them, are probably best of the recurring cast; they’re fun, especially his mom. What isn’t fun is the world building, which is especially weak here. Patterson has never been the best at including fantastical elements in his stories (barring Maximum Ride), and that flaw is on full display in Dangerous Days. All the alien designs are lazy, just random parts strewn together, often involving pieces of animals, and the lore of this universe is lacking. I’ve certainly read worse from the author in this regard (*cough* Sophia *cough*), but that is not a ringing endorsement. At its best, it’s only fine.
Where the book probably excels the most is in its plot. Essentially split into two parts, each captures the fast-paced thrills of Maximum Ride while offering a new spin on that formula. Yet even here, there are problems. While the action here has the intensity and speed comparable to that other series, I wish there was more. The first half, while satisfying in establishing Daniel’s normal routine, doesn’t drive forward with the same intensity that Maximum Ride did, making it less exciting than I’d want. The second half is better in that respect; I quite like its unpredictability as well as some of its narrative choices (the main twist is specifically great). But I still wanted better set pieces, more memorable moments where Daniel could show he is a compelling action star. The climax is the closest we get, and while contrived is plenty enjoyable, but there needs to be far more throughout the story. At least the ending was fun.
For all its faults, I still had a great time with The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. It’s far from exceptional, but I’ve read much worse from Patterson. At least it riffs on a solid foundation in Maximum Ride and offers some light fun with a sci-fi flair. The problem, however, is that I’m a massive fan of Maximum Ride, and I’m not sure how many others have either read or enjoyed any of the almost-dozen books in that series. And even then, my view hasn’t exactly been rosy. If anyone out there is seriously considering reading this book, I’d recommend at least reading Angel Experiment to see if you really enjoy this style. If so, then sure, give it a shot. If not, then I’d steer clear. Even for die hard Max fans, I’d hesitate to say this is essential reading. It’s nice, it’s enjoyable, but it is far from exceptional. If nothing else, at least this is the low point in the series. It’s just not ideal that it had to be for the first book.
October 4, 2024
The absolute best worst-book I've ever read, hands down. This book's climax is the protagonist crawling into the antagonist's ear as a tick, then once at the brain he transforms into an elephant, killing the antagonist. I just... wuhh huh hoo huh? If that's not odd enough, the final chapter is a bunch of cheerleading cows spelling words and finally forming a pyramid together. I read this knowing it'd blow chunks but wow was I surprised. I'll never recommend a horrible book as much as this one. If any book is to get one star, I think this one is truly the most deserving.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2017
Full of humor, figurative language and grossness- this alien hunting book is a witty, wonderful adventure! Simple to read and short chapters keep you moving through the text.
February 8, 2023
Zero stars absolutely terrible
January 18, 2013
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson
There are a few short comings to this book with is short chapters it sometimes leaves things unfinished before jumping to the next chapter such as on page 31: (Daniel's "Mom" is speaking) "Oh, I'm sorry, officers. My husband is a jokester sometimes. And slow to get to the point. Daniel doesn't need to go to school anymore." That is where the chapter ends with that sentence. Where as in books such as Maximum Ride these short chapters are excellent. James Patterson could have done a better job with some of the chapters but they do keep the action rolling and makes it hard to put down. This book over all is a great read if you are looking for a short quick action filled story line which gives a new perspective to the super hero world. With a hero that has powers that are unheard of such as the ability to create things with just your mind and make them real. Not an illusion but completely real.
The main character in this book is a fifteen tear old boy named Daniel. Daniel was born with a special set of powers and abilities, the ability to create anything with just the power of his imagination. Daniel lost his parents, who were alien hunters, to the most wanted alien in the known Universe, known as The Prayer. The Prayer is a six foot tall giant praying mantis. Daniel survived and has grown to become an alien hunter himself and with the help of the List, which is a high tech alien device that has the locations of every single alien on Earth. Daniel determined to avenge his parents death begins to take out aliens on this List.
After Daniel has begun to eliminate aliens on the List. He decides it is time to go after the Number 6 alien in that List. Ergent Seth. Daniel heads to L.A. to pursue this fiend. In their first real encounter Seth captures Daniel and Daniel gets shot. The reader begins to worry what might happen to Daniel. Seth takes him onto his ship where Seth keeps children as salves and sells them as they get older. Here Daniel recovers from his wound in his prison cell. After awhile they land and Daniel is taken outside to discover his home planet Alpar Nok which has been leveled. As he is being escorted out Daniel breaks loose and makes it into the sewers where he runs until he passes out and wakes up to find he is not far from where the rest of his people live. Here he heals and recovers with the aid of his grandmother for the final battle against Ergent Seth. As I'm sure you've guessed Daniel is successful in defeating Seth and returns home with all of the enslaved children back to Earth.
Compared to other books such as the Maximum Ride series written by Patterson this is not his best piece of work but all in all it is not a bad read. I have enjoyed this book and the other books in this series mostly because of the action packed adventures and intriguing character that is Daniel X.
There are a few short comings to this book with is short chapters it sometimes leaves things unfinished before jumping to the next chapter such as on page 31: (Daniel's "Mom" is speaking) "Oh, I'm sorry, officers. My husband is a jokester sometimes. And slow to get to the point. Daniel doesn't need to go to school anymore." That is where the chapter ends with that sentence. Where as in books such as Maximum Ride these short chapters are excellent. James Patterson could have done a better job with some of the chapters but they do keep the action rolling and makes it hard to put down. This book over all is a great read if you are looking for a short quick action filled story line which gives a new perspective to the super hero world. With a hero that has powers that are unheard of such as the ability to create things with just your mind and make them real. Not an illusion but completely real.
The main character in this book is a fifteen tear old boy named Daniel. Daniel was born with a special set of powers and abilities, the ability to create anything with just the power of his imagination. Daniel lost his parents, who were alien hunters, to the most wanted alien in the known Universe, known as The Prayer. The Prayer is a six foot tall giant praying mantis. Daniel survived and has grown to become an alien hunter himself and with the help of the List, which is a high tech alien device that has the locations of every single alien on Earth. Daniel determined to avenge his parents death begins to take out aliens on this List.
After Daniel has begun to eliminate aliens on the List. He decides it is time to go after the Number 6 alien in that List. Ergent Seth. Daniel heads to L.A. to pursue this fiend. In their first real encounter Seth captures Daniel and Daniel gets shot. The reader begins to worry what might happen to Daniel. Seth takes him onto his ship where Seth keeps children as salves and sells them as they get older. Here Daniel recovers from his wound in his prison cell. After awhile they land and Daniel is taken outside to discover his home planet Alpar Nok which has been leveled. As he is being escorted out Daniel breaks loose and makes it into the sewers where he runs until he passes out and wakes up to find he is not far from where the rest of his people live. Here he heals and recovers with the aid of his grandmother for the final battle against Ergent Seth. As I'm sure you've guessed Daniel is successful in defeating Seth and returns home with all of the enslaved children back to Earth.
Compared to other books such as the Maximum Ride series written by Patterson this is not his best piece of work but all in all it is not a bad read. I have enjoyed this book and the other books in this series mostly because of the action packed adventures and intriguing character that is Daniel X.
December 18, 2015
I loved The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. This is one of the most intriguing books i ever read. Who doesn't want to read a book about a teenage alien hunter on a mission to save the world. There was no boring or bland spot in this book which is very rare. My experience with this book was fantastic and i I'm looking forward to reading the sequels.
"I spent the better part of the next hour lying there on the cold stone floor, Writhing for pain, Probably close to death"(Patterson 128). This quote sums up Daniel X quite nicely. In this part of the book even I felt hopeless for Daniels situation. So the fact that Patterson wrote this book so well that i felt effects of the characters shows how intriguing and interesting this book is.
This brings me to my essential question. How do we form and shape our identities? For Daniel it was when his mother and father gave him a list that showed him what he had to do. This list establishes Daniel as an alien hunter that was destined to save the world. Daniel realized how important he was when he witnessed first hand what the aliens were plotting to do.
I loved this book, and even though it was easy to read i would recommend it to someone that loves a fun and good story. I couldn't find a reason why someone wouldn't like this book therefore i highly recommend you to read it.
"I spent the better part of the next hour lying there on the cold stone floor, Writhing for pain, Probably close to death"(Patterson 128). This quote sums up Daniel X quite nicely. In this part of the book even I felt hopeless for Daniels situation. So the fact that Patterson wrote this book so well that i felt effects of the characters shows how intriguing and interesting this book is.
This brings me to my essential question. How do we form and shape our identities? For Daniel it was when his mother and father gave him a list that showed him what he had to do. This list establishes Daniel as an alien hunter that was destined to save the world. Daniel realized how important he was when he witnessed first hand what the aliens were plotting to do.
I loved this book, and even though it was easy to read i would recommend it to someone that loves a fun and good story. I couldn't find a reason why someone wouldn't like this book therefore i highly recommend you to read it.
May 21, 2013
I loved this book. It was page turning and just got more exciting as the book went on. I loved how James Patterson explains the problems and events that take place. I would most defiantly recommend this great novel to others. This book is filled with so much action and things going on. It's a great read and most defiantly a book that with will not waste your time on. So in this book it is a bout a kid named Daniel X and he is an alien from another world. The book explains why he is an alien and how he got here right at the beginning of the book. He has the ability the control atomic particles. That means that he can create any object with only his mind. Well Daniel is here on earth because he is a alien hunter and wants revenge on a person that murdered his parents. Don't worry the book tells the readers all of this information at the beginning of the story. Once again the book is great and very interesting in many ways. I also would recommend this book to some of my personal friends just because its a wonderful book.
June 8, 2017
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X
James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
As stated on the back cover of the book “They killed my mother and father- and I will hunt them to the ends of the earth”Daniel is an alien who has the power to shape shift and control objects with his mind. One day when Daniel was three years old his parents were killed by another alien who was in search for a list of all of the aliens that were needed to be eliminated. Daniel is on a mission to find the aliens who killed his parents and get his revenge. This book has a lot of action and surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat and the book has a lot of descriptive language. An example of this is on 139 where it says, “Suddenly Seth had a smile on his face. An awful pinched smile, matched with an even more heartless gleam in his dark, demonic eyes.” This quote shows descriptive language when it is describing Seth’s “awful pinched smile” and “dark, demonic eyes.”A reader who enjoys a book with a lot of action, humor, and surprises on each page would like
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X.
James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
As stated on the back cover of the book “They killed my mother and father- and I will hunt them to the ends of the earth”Daniel is an alien who has the power to shape shift and control objects with his mind. One day when Daniel was three years old his parents were killed by another alien who was in search for a list of all of the aliens that were needed to be eliminated. Daniel is on a mission to find the aliens who killed his parents and get his revenge. This book has a lot of action and surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat and the book has a lot of descriptive language. An example of this is on 139 where it says, “Suddenly Seth had a smile on his face. An awful pinched smile, matched with an even more heartless gleam in his dark, demonic eyes.” This quote shows descriptive language when it is describing Seth’s “awful pinched smile” and “dark, demonic eyes.”A reader who enjoys a book with a lot of action, humor, and surprises on each page would like
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X.
October 23, 2009
I had to give this book 5 stars. I know, a first from me.
I picked up this book at the local library out of curiosity. I've read most of the Patterson’s books and hadn't heard of this series yet.
This was neither crime, nor murder, or mystery...but a work of pure genius.
Being a novel that delves into all things “otherworldly” and “alien” it is not my usual tastes, but if I can liken it to biting into a mysterious filled chocolate and finding the most delicious center you’ve ever had? That’s what it was like. Deliciously intriguing, exciting fresh and well written.
You will love the quirky hero, Daniel-X, and enjoy his musings and creations throughout the book. It will be an exciting and fanciful journey on earth? In space? Either way, it was a trip worth taking.
An excellent read…
I picked up this book at the local library out of curiosity. I've read most of the Patterson’s books and hadn't heard of this series yet.
This was neither crime, nor murder, or mystery...but a work of pure genius.
Being a novel that delves into all things “otherworldly” and “alien” it is not my usual tastes, but if I can liken it to biting into a mysterious filled chocolate and finding the most delicious center you’ve ever had? That’s what it was like. Deliciously intriguing, exciting fresh and well written.
You will love the quirky hero, Daniel-X, and enjoy his musings and creations throughout the book. It will be an exciting and fanciful journey on earth? In space? Either way, it was a trip worth taking.
An excellent read…
July 6, 2013
Daniel X is on a mission. A mission to kill every evil alien scum he can find, eventually killing Number One, the Prayer. The Prayer killed his parents years ago and it's his job to avenge their deaths.
I've been wanting to read this for awhile. I think I bought it at a book store a year ago. It was really good. James Patterson has the ability to get right to action. He doesn't mess around with any long introductions when they can just be done over time. I love books with short chapters as well. Daniel was a bit odd. His best friends were figments of his imagination and he talks to his dead parents and unborn baby sister. That was a little creepy. He was a pretty good and funny character though.
I've been wanting to read this for awhile. I think I bought it at a book store a year ago. It was really good. James Patterson has the ability to get right to action. He doesn't mess around with any long introductions when they can just be done over time. I love books with short chapters as well. Daniel was a bit odd. His best friends were figments of his imagination and he talks to his dead parents and unborn baby sister. That was a little creepy. He was a pretty good and funny character though.
April 8, 2009
Daniel X is pretty much like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" meets "Men in Black" but it is not half as good as either of those two media efforts.
The main character's super powers are very unbelievable, and they leave the reader wondering, if this guy is so powerful he should be able to defeat the bad guys with both hands tied behind his back, but I guess it would only be a short story if that was the case.
It would seem that Patterson is someone who just doesn't get that whole "science fiction thing". He's probably just writing something to impress his grandchildren.
Regardless of what I say, I'm sure Patterson will be laughing all the way to the bank as always.
The main character's super powers are very unbelievable, and they leave the reader wondering, if this guy is so powerful he should be able to defeat the bad guys with both hands tied behind his back, but I guess it would only be a short story if that was the case.
It would seem that Patterson is someone who just doesn't get that whole "science fiction thing". He's probably just writing something to impress his grandchildren.
Regardless of what I say, I'm sure Patterson will be laughing all the way to the bank as always.
July 28, 2008
Wow. I can't believe that I am giving a Patterson book such a low rating, but...
I did finish this book, but about 20 pages in I knew it was not going to be good. I had absolutely no attachment to the main character whatsoever, and the whole gist of the story did not interest me. (And it's not like I don't like the idea of aliens and whatnot...I have been loving Stephanie Meyer's books...)
Overall, a HUGE disappointment. I have loved James Patterson for years, picking up every single book that had his name on it. Unfortunately, that will now change.
I did finish this book, but about 20 pages in I knew it was not going to be good. I had absolutely no attachment to the main character whatsoever, and the whole gist of the story did not interest me. (And it's not like I don't like the idea of aliens and whatnot...I have been loving Stephanie Meyer's books...)
Overall, a HUGE disappointment. I have loved James Patterson for years, picking up every single book that had his name on it. Unfortunately, that will now change.
October 27, 2012
Okay it's slightly flawed. It reads a little "jerkily", lots of short "choppy chapters" and not too detailed in some ways. BUT I liked it and I'll be watching for the sequels. The idea of an "Alien bounty hunter" isn't new, but if handled well it has and can give a lot of mileage. This book is just a story and it's meant to be read for enjoyment, that's what it gives, simple enjoyment.
Brain candy but a fun read.
Brain candy but a fun read.
November 2, 2016
AustinR Daniel X is a book about a teenage boy who's parents where murdered by one of the most dangerous aliens in the universe. Daniel X himself, is an alien, who hunts down alien outlaws, and the alien that killed his parents. Daniel has special powers that are used to defeat these aliens. I liked this book becuase it had lots of action and sci-if scenes. I recommend this book to people that like sc-if fast paced action.
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