Not My Bag

"Not my bag" is an idiomatic expression that means something is not within one's area of interest, expertise, or responsibility. It implies that the person has no particular inclination or ability to deal with a certain matter.

For example, if someone is asked to solve a complex math problem and they respond with "not my bag," it indicates that they are not good at math or have no interest in solving such problems.

This phrase can also be used in a social context. For instance, if a group of friends is discussing a particular hobby that one person is not familiar with or has no interest in, they might say "that's not my bag."

In conclusion, "not my bag" is a useful and commonly used expression that helps to convey one's lack of interest or ability in a particular area. It allows people to be honest about their limitations and avoid getting involved in things that they are not comfortable with.

This is an adequate thriller,

presumably inspired by the 1972 golf course murders on St. Croix.

Mix in some Mafia, CIA, and hitmen plotting an Island takeover and you have your story.

There's plenty of carnage and suspense,

but I found the story and characters to be disjointed.

Patterson wants the reader to suspect nearly everyone of being co-conspirators,

but that leaves too few to root for.

I can't recommend it.

It made me hunger for a return to my usual non-fiction fare.

The story seems to lack a cohesive thread that would tie all the elements together.

The constant shifting of suspicion among the characters makes it difficult for the reader to form a connection with any of them.

As a result, the overall impact of the thriller is diminished.

While there are moments of excitement and tension,

they are not enough to overcome the flaws in the story and character development.

Perhaps if Patterson had focused more on creating well-rounded characters and a more logical plot,

this could have been a more engaging and enjoyable read.

However, as it stands, I would not recommend this book to others.

This is yet another JP novel that failed to capture my interest.

It shared a similar style with the Thomas Berryman Number, which I had not liked previously. From the very beginning, I wasn't impressed.

At first, I was determined to force myself to finish it. However, I soon realized how absurd that was.

Since it was a library book, I hadn't spent any money on it. Reading is meant to be an enjoyable experience, so why should I torture myself?

Consequently, I decided to stop reading.

In any case, I wouldn't recommend this novel, but that's just my personal opinion.

Perhaps others might have a different perspective and find something to appreciate in it.

But for me, it simply didn't click.

I'll continue my search for books that can truly engage and delight me.

Simply dreadful!

I read a plethora of reviews on this book, and not a single one was remotely good. So, I can't claim that I wasn't forewarned. However, like numerous others, I am a completist. I just can't read all of Patterson's books without also reading the bad ones.

I'm not precisely sure why this book was so bad; it was simply boring. There were moments when I had read 20 pages, yet couldn't recall a single word. And this was despite having planned out my entire evening for reading.

The character development was virtually non-existent. Roughly 150 pages into the book, I found myself asking, "who the hell is Peter?!" It turns out he was one of the main characters!

This is the third of Patterson's first books that I have read, and two out of the three were truly terrible. The other one was re-released 10 years later. Maybe it was revised to make it better? I'm starting to wonder whether it was experience that enhanced his novels, or perhaps when he began allowing other authors to write for him?

I'm extremely glad that I only paid a quarter for this book at the library book sale. On the positive side, I've now got this one out of the way, and I can truthfully say that I've read it.

It was immediately evident from the very first page that this was an extremely early Patterson work.

At present, I am reading it in Kindle format, and it is filled with all the atrocious editing and grammatical errors that render it difficult to peruse. Nevertheless, even with these drawbacks, the story itself is disjointed and perplexing. There is an excessive amount of "detail"! Truly, it is not essential to describe the attire of every character each and every time they are mentioned. And typically, one or two adjectives are sufficient to depict a beach, a tree, a bird... not five or six!

After a rather lengthy and convoluted story, the ending here is pathetically melancholy. It almost seems as if he was envisaging a movie ending rather than that of a novel. Long, slow pans away with meaningful glances work well in theaters, but not so much with the written word.

Despite all that has been said, there was still SOMETHING in this story that compelled me to keep reading, and that is the magic of James Patterson. Fortunately, he learned from this early effort and now continuously thrills readers with his proficiency in the written word.

It’s Patterson. Undoubtedly, it is racist, ignorant, and poorly written. However, to be fair, at least it reads as if it was penned by an actual human being. This stands in contrast to whatever they are currently passing off as “James Patterson, LLC” these days.

It seems that Patterson’s work has taken a rather concerning turn. The blatant racism and ignorance displayed within the text are truly disheartening. One would hope that an author of his supposed caliber would have a better understanding and respect for different cultures and perspectives.

Moreover, the poor writing quality further detracts from the overall experience. It lacks the finesse and craftsmanship that one might expect from a well-known author.

In conclusion, while it may have the semblance of being written by a human, Patterson’s work in its current state leaves much to be desired.

One of his early books was good.

However, it was not a patch on his Alex Cross books.

The Alex Cross series is truly remarkable.

It has captured the hearts and minds of countless readers.

The characters are vividly drawn and the plots are filled with twists and turns.

In contrast, the early book, while having its own merits, lacks the depth and excitement of the Alex Cross books.

It may have been a step in the right direction for the author, but it pales in comparison to the brilliance of the Alex Cross series.

Perhaps with time and experience, the author will be able to produce more works that are on par with the Alex Cross books.

Until then, readers will continue to flock to the Alex Cross series for their fix of thrilling and engaging reading.

This particular work is not Patterson's finest creation, yet it also doesn't fall into the category of his worst efforts.

One aspect that definitely earns it some bonus points is having Lou Diamond Phillips as the audiobook narrator. His voice and delivery add a certain charm and allure to the story.

I find myself completely captivated by his narration, and I could easily listen to him for an extended period of time.

Phillips has this unique ability to bring the characters and the plot to life, making the listening experience truly enjoyable.

Even though the story itself may not be Patterson's most outstanding, the presence of Lou Diamond Phillips as the narrator elevates it to a certain extent.

It's like a hidden gem within the audiobook, adding an extra layer of entertainment and engagement.

Overall, while it may not be a masterpiece, it's still a worthwhile listen, especially for fans of Patterson and those who appreciate great audiobook narration.

I never could really get into this book.

I started reading it with a certain amount of anticipation, but as the pages turned, I found myself losing interest.

However, I persevered and finished it.

But now that I've reached the end, I'm not entirely sure why I bothered.

Perhaps it was out of sheer curiosity, as to how the story was going to unfold and reach its conclusion.

Maybe I was hoping for a sudden twist or a revelation that would make it all worthwhile.

But in the end, I was left feeling rather underwhelmed.

The book had its moments, but overall, it just didn't capture my attention or engage me on a deeper level.

I'm not sure if I would recommend it to others, as it might not be to everyone's taste.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I gave it a try, as it's always interesting to explore different types of literature.

Premetto che questo libro mi ha lasciata parecchio perplessa per gran parte della lettura.

Certo, non lo si può definire un brutto romanzo ma, considerato chi è l’autore, mi aspettavo di meglio.

Poi ho letto che si tratta di uno dei primi lavori di Patterson, datato 1978, e allora tutto si spiega.

A partire dalla trama con troppi elementi, tipica di un giovane autore che nell’intento di non apparire banale, pecca dal lato opposto, rendendo l’intreccio troppo elaborato per sembrare realistico.

Qui c’è proprio tutto: la mafia, la CIA, i cattivi cattivissimi degni di un film di James Bond, una rivoluzione guidata, l’eroe che non vorrebbe essere tale ma che visto che ce lo tirano dentro, figuriamoci se alla fine non risolve tutto.

Ovviamente cosa potrebbe essere se non un eroe di guerra pluridecorato che però ammazza il tempo facendo il barista nei Caraibi?

I personaggi non sono caratterizzati benissimo. In verità sono troppo stereotipati per avere contorni realmente profondi, troppo legati al ruolo che la storia gli impone per poter maturare in un soggetto a tutto tondo.

Tuttavia non è certo un libro da buttare. La storia è piacevole, divertente, scritta con uno stile fluente e accattivante e mostra chiaramente un talento acerbo ma comunque presente.

Se non vi aspettate i soliti sublimi lavori di Patterson, potrete trascorrere diverse ore di assoluto relax sulle tracce dei coniugi Rose con l’ex marine Peter Mac Donald, personaggio quest’ultimo in verità piuttosto interessante e che personalmente, nei panni dell’autore, sarei tentata di riesumare per tentare di farne il nuovo Alex Cross.

Ci tengo in ogni caso a precisare che queste sono impressioni mie, assolutamente soggettive, che nulla tolgono a un romanzo che ha comunque le carte in regola per piacere a molti.

Vi auguro dunque come sempre, buona lettura!

Buffy - per RFS

The writing was truly terrible.

It was nothing at all like the Patterson novels that I am so accustomed to reading.

Patterson's works are known for their engaging plots, well-developed characters, and smooth writing style.

But this piece of writing lacked all of those qualities.

The story seemed disjointed and the characters were one-dimensional.

The writing itself was choppy and difficult to follow.

I found myself constantly having to go back and reread sentences to try and make sense of what was being said.

Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this writing and would not recommend it to anyone.

I will stick to reading Patterson novels in the future and hope to find more works that are as enjoyable and well-written as his.

I had this book selected for me as part of a challenge. I am a big fan of this author, and this particular book had been sitting on my To-Be-Read (TBR) list and on my Kindle for an extremely long time. Additionally, I was excited because I could utilize this book for two more challenges. These are the positive aspects.

However, it is quite evident that this is one of James Patterson's earlier works. It simply lacked the impact and punch that he is so renowned for. There were an excessive number of characters, making it difficult to keep track of them all. There were also editing issues that detracted from the reading experience. Not to mention, there was far more violence than was necessary. It was far, far below the standard of writing that I have come to expect from him. To put it bluntly, if I had read this book before any of his other works, I would never have bothered to pick up another book by him.

Overall, while I had high hopes for this book due to my love for the author, it unfortunately did not meet my expectations.