I'll be handing this off to my nephew. A cute read for a 10-13 year old boy.

I did laugh out loud at one point when he said his mom was reading, "A Traveling Elephant Keeper's Kite Flying Daughter." Heh. Aren't all moms reading that book?

I recently read a review where they complained James is only in it for the money and seeing the sheer amount of chapters for OTHER books (I think there were 5) attached to this I can see where that argument came from. I know this is the second in the series. I missed the first (had a different co-author too) but you didn’t really need it.

Was this James Patterson at his best? Not even close. Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t bad. In fact it was entertaining enough, a very fast read but it’s like popcorn, eaten then forgotten. I’m having trouble remembering the beginning and I read the thing in a day. Daniel isn’t going to stay with me I’m afraid.

So, who is Daniel? He’s an Alparian alien hunter who can make himself look human. His powers include mostly whatever he can imagine. He points his finger and imagines it’s a gun, bang it’s a gun. Daniel was orphaned by Alien #1 (on the List’s top most wanted list) but that doesn’t stop him. Daniel is accompanied on his hunting down of wanted aliens by a gaggle of friends…all imaginary but he can make his imaginary friends real, which he does, along with his murdered parents and sister. His friends are your archetypical computer geek, affable muscle, vegetarian-feminist-animal rights activist etc. In fact, really, there are a whole lot of Larry Stu-ism and cardboard cutout action heroes going on. Daniel is personable enough to get you past that…almost.

Daniel has to foil #5, fish-like creature who turns out to be an alien director/producer, using and killing humans to get intergalactic ratings (didn’t I see this in the Longshot comic books back in the late 80’s-early 90’s?). #5 is also using the ladies of the town to help him take over the world. It’s meant to be darkly funny and it does work. Would I run out and buy it? No but that’s what libraries are for.

The author has a captivating writing style that keeps you reading. But, other than that, is just like many others, a contact, the good x the bad, the salvation…

this sucked!!!

After absolutely hating the first Daniel X book, I'm really not sure why I even picked this up. I guess I was holding out hope that it might be a little better (it would be hard for it to be worse...). Besides, Patterson changed collaborators this time around, so there was a CHANCE it would be different. And they are such fast reads that it wouldn't take THAT much time out of my life even if it really did suck.

All that said, it was okay - maybe just a bit better than the first book. The problem I had with it is less in writing style, and more with the actual premise. He can basically do whatever he wants just by imagining it - including hanging out with his deceased parents, and a whole posse of imaginary friends. What gets me is, these imaginary people can apparently affect reality, because he can summon them, have them build something, and then be using it later when they're not around (i.e. they are creating something with a physical form). Daniel can come up with whatever weapons he wants, etc., and yet he still has a tough time with these alien battles. I guess I just think the premise is ridiculous.

On top of that - what the HECK kind of Alien Hunter goes on a date when there is a nasty alien killing people by the...well, by the tens at least, all around him? I feel that when the bodies are piling up (well, this is inaccurate as they are puddles of goo) like they were in this situation, the one person with any hope of stopping it should NOT BE GOING ON A DATE.

Whatever, Daniel X. Who knows if I'll be sticking around to see what you do in book 3.