Touted as a pathbreaking novel on a split personality psycho, maybe it is. But I read it after watching 7 seasons of Criminal Minds. That might be one reason I'm not impressed.

However, that's not the only reason. The pace is extremely slow. The hero, Alex Cross, is no Sherlock or Poirot. James made him black, but I don't see any specific reason for that. Soneji, the split personality lunatic, is way too smart to be believable.

The detective work is of very low grade or almost non-existent. Soneji is caught more by luck than by deduction. The climax seems forced and Hollywood-inspired. It lacks the authenticity and depth that I was hoping for. Overall, while the concept of a split personality psycho is interesting, the execution of the story leaves a lot to be desired.

I expected more from this novel, especially considering its reputation. But perhaps my prior exposure to Criminal Minds has set my expectations too high. Nevertheless, I was disappointed with the slow pace, unconvincing characters, and lackluster detective work. It just didn't live up to my standards.

I am so glad that I am finally reading a book by James Patterson! It is truly a great feeling. What makes it even better is that there are over 30 books in this series. I am more than ready to immerse myself deeper into it. After watching the new show on Prime, I knew without a doubt that I had to find out where these amazing characters originated from.

I have always had a love for good crime fiction series, and this one is like a precious gem. The short chapters make it easy to read and keep you engaged throughout. The writing is so captivating that you can't put the book down. Even though the book is quite long, the pacing is very fast, which makes it a page-turner. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves crime fiction. It is an excellent place to start as it is the first book in James Patterson's Alex Cross series. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series and see where the story takes me.

The illustrious Alex Cross is introduced.

He is a remarkable character who has captured the hearts of many readers. These are truly awesome stories that unfold with excitement and intrigue.

You simply gotta love the guy for his intelligence, courage, and determination.

However, I must admit that I just haven't gotten past 2 or 3 of the books yet.

There is so much to explore in the world of Alex Cross, and I look forward to delving deeper into his adventures.

Each story seems to offer a new and thrilling experience, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead for this beloved character.

Whether it's solving complex mysteries or facing dangerous adversaries, Alex Cross always manages to come out on top, making him a hero worth rooting for.

I highly recommend these stories to anyone who loves a good mystery or adventure.

"I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them."

2.5 stars

Plot:
Alex Cross, a detective and psychologist, is faced with a new and challenging case. The culprit is Gary Soneji, a man responsible for the kidnapping of two children and multiple murders. Alex Cross must race against time to find the missing kids and outwit this cunning sociopath. The story unfolds as a thrilling cat and mouse game, filled with intense action and numerous unexpected twists that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Review:
This was my first encounter with a James Patterson book, and unfortunately, it left me feeling disappointed. Most of the characters in the story failed to capture my interest. I found myself lacking any real connection to them, and they seemed rather forgettable. However, there was one character who did manage to stand out for me, and that was NANA MAMA. The reason I liked her so much was that she reminded me of my own grandma. She is depicted as a caring, reliable figure, someone you can turn to in times of crisis. Sadly, the only drawback is that she is not a main character, and as a result, she has a relatively minor presence in the book :/.

The main plot of the story was just okay. Along Came a Spider did have some entertaining action scenes, but overall, I found most of the story to be rather bland and unexciting.

Conclusion:
I have decided that I will not be continuing this series. I apologize to anyone who enjoys this book. I do not mean to offend, but it simply was not to my taste.

5 star.

My husband is an extremely enthusiastic fan of the Alex Cross series. Naturally, he insisted that I must read at least the very first novel in this series. To be honest, I didn't have the same level of affection for it as he did, yet it was still a worthwhile read.

Alex Cross is an incredibly intelligent doctor/detective. He has encountered a worthy adversary in the form of the killer, Gary Soneji. Soneji is the archetypal villain. He has no regard for anyone else and is driven by an intense desire to become someone significant. He will stop at nothing short of achieving fame through his heinous crimes. In contrast, Cross cares deeply about everyone and is committed to seeing justice prevail.

The novel had several twists that caught me completely off guard. However, it didn't unfold in the way I had anticipated. There was an abundance of dialogue, rather than the action-packed scenes I had expected (somehow, I had thought it would be the other way around). Additionally, there was a lengthy pre-trial phase that occupied a substantial portion of the novel.

All in all, it was a good read. To make my husband happy, I will go ahead and read the next novel in the series.

I've been an on-and-off reader of James Patterson for quite some time now. In fact, it's been over 12 years since I started piling up his books. I also consider myself a dedicated reader of "the woman's murder club series," having read seven novels from that collection

Before I begin, I must state that Along Came A Spider was an incredibly enjoyable and entertaining book.

This is coming from someone who was once a Patterson hater. I had only read one of his other books. If you were to read my thoughts on You’ve Been Warned, which he co-wrote with Howard Roughan, you would understand how biased and negative I was towards Patterson's work before reading this one. And look, I consider myself a serious reader, so I won't sit here and claim he's an amazing talent in his craft. I have read much worse writers, but still, I don't think it's his literary skills that people find so appealing. The simple fact is that, when he actually tries, he can weave a thrilling plot filled with twists and turns, along with simple but workable characters, all held together by an industrial form of basic prose that gets the job done, leaving you craving more and more.

Having had a long-standing hatred for this man and everything he represents - (I guess everyone needs something to criticize) - I was initially in a hard-shell mode with this book. Don't ask me why I chose it when I thought I'd almost definitely hate it. Sometimes I just get this urge to read something, and on top of that, I generally give any author two chances to initially convince me they're worth checking out from time to time.

I recently found this book in a charity shop, and I just felt strongly that I should give the guy another chance after the abysmal experience of the first time back in 2013. For his own benefit, I selected what is often regarded as his greatest novel. (Back when he was actually a novelist who wrote his novels himself). I had avoided trying Patterson again for such a long time. The honest truth was that I thought maybe I'd just made a poor decision in my first Patterson experience. That was certainly true in some sense. You’ve Been Warned is still the worst thing I've ever read, and I really felt like I could never like a single thing - (no matter how great it might be) - if it came from the same guy who wrote that. I was afraid of trying Patterson again because I thought … God forbid … what if I actually discover that I like him?

Well, you'll never guess what happened?

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Yeah. I still feel a bit dumbfounded. But I just can't deny the fact that I loved this book. Going in, I actually hated it. I was nit-picking everything because I thought I knew what I was getting into. To be honest, Patterson's storytelling style does take a little getting used to. The first-person narrative from Cross's perspective doesn't come across very well at first. The discourse feels too light-hearted, too “happy-go-lucky” - (whatever that means) - for this kind of story. And it's not just Cross's chipper, conversational tone but all the third person narration as well. There's a strange focus on school children and their playful bickering; every single character seems to have a humorous nickname; and Patterson has this very strange tendency to italicize random words, which makes his sentences clunky and awkward. As an \\"obsessive compulsive\\", I had so much fun dealing with that stuff. In order to convey how annoying it gets, I'm going to do the same thing throughout the rest of this review.

As I said before, there are some tonal inconsistencies that undermine the overall impact some dramatic scenes might have had. To put it most simply: imagine the movie Seven. Think of how perfectly grim and depressing everything is in that film. Flawless directing by David Fincher (one of my favorite modern directors). But how might that film have suffered if, instead of Morgan Freeman's wearied narration, it had been overdubbed by Zack Braff instead?

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\\"Ernest Hemingway once wrote, \\"The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.\\" I agree with the second part.\\"

CUE ‘SCRUBS' TRANSITION MUSIC

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This book was full of silly moments that I just had to try and ignore. James Patterson doesn't have as sharp a sense of humor as someone like Stephen King. I also kept getting these obnoxious PC vibes from him. Sometimes it felt very much like he was trying too hard to show how diverse he was by making Alex Cross a black man. Patterson tries to touch on racism and sexism a little from time to time, but it just doesn't work. Also, for a book of this genre, it sometimes felt like Patterson was reluctant to take his readers into areas that were too dark. I mean, don't get me wrong, this book was pretty violent and even disturbing at times. But it doesn't reach the atmospheric perfection of such superiors like Thomas Harris, Peter James, or even Dean Koontz. I've always seen Patterson as like a mega-successful version of John Saul.

The bad guy - (don't get me wrong) - was an interesting character. I truly enjoyed Gary Murphy/Seneji, and the Jekyll/Hyde aspect was actually handled quite effectively. There was one part when Cross hypnotizes him that was actually kind of creepy. But still, I didn't fear the villain like I feared Buffalo Bill, Patrick Bateman, or any of those classic psychopaths. I envisioned him more as a Jim Carey-like character. Certainly crazy, but not exactly frightening.

I also got a little annoyed by how perfect Cross is. Like, people say he's a flawed character, but apart from being black, the guy had absolutely no flaws at all ( … just kidding, calm down). But seriously, he has a murdered wife, so we feel sorry for him; he has depression, so we feel even sorrier for him (even though I never saw that depression manifest itself at any point. Where's the depression, bro? Don't say you're depressed and then completely forget to act like it. I guess he has depression and anxiety in the same way everyone thinks they have OCD because they like their cutlery drawer all nice and organized … you ignorant bastard, you … don't you know how annoying you are to people who actually have real OCD and know how hellish it can be?).

Cross, of course, despite his supposed crippling depression and the difficulties of being a single parent, has two kids who are too cute-as-pie and perfect, so wholesome yet sassy that they need a deranged babysitter to sit them down and show them a raw-footage documentary of the Holocaust or something, to show them the real world and how messed up it is. Cross also lets his elderly grandmother live with him. God help me, he even volunteers at a homeless shelter. Could he possibly be a more perfect human being? Stop forcing him down my throat, Mr Patterson. I ended up liking him naturally because of the way he conducted himself, because of his strong moral compass and the fact that he had brains. That other stuff you have to impose on him doesn't mean a thing. Show; don't tell. Believe it or not, you're actually not so bad at doing that.

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Setting aside the smaller issues, however, this was such a good book. It's not something people will be reading in a hundred years' time. I'm not saying that. But for what it's worth, the book is so much fun and easy to get into. And sometimes one just wants to read a book like that. I'm not so snobbish that I refuse to enjoy those types of books from time to time. It's the same principle as with Dan Brown. So many people want to resist him because of his mainstream popularity, but if they just shut up and enjoy his books the way they're meant to be enjoyed, and stop overthinking the whole thing, they will realize how much these popular writers offer us.

Along Came A Spider was full of surprises. It's so reliant on plot escalation that I really can't say anything without spoiling the flow of the story. But suffice it to say that I loved how every time you think you have the story figured out, something new is added, increasing the stakes and the tension, keeping you constantly guessing. And although I was worried that this very thing might happen - (that I would actually stop hating James Patterson) - I'm not going to let principles get in the way of enjoying a book that is genuinely enjoyable. I still strongly disagree with the way Patterson trademarks his name by putting it on all sorts of books that he has very little to do with actually writing. That will never be justified. But still, this book made me smile so many times, and I would be a blatant liar if I said I didn't love it.

So well done, James. Well done. I gave you a second chance, and you hit it out of the park.

4.5 Stars

The first installment in the Alex Cross series is truly a gem! I've read several books by James Patterson, but I was particularly eager to embark on this series after hearing numerous glowing reviews. And I'm so glad I did.

This book has all the elements one could desire in a thrilling mystery. There's a creepy and murderous psychopath, short and intense chapters that keep the pace brisk, a brilliant detective in the form of Alex Cross, plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and a captivating plot that hooks you from the start. It had me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing and second-guessing.

The character descriptions in this book were a major highlight for me. Alex Cross is a modern-day hero, and I absolutely adored him. He's an all-round good guy with a heart of gold. I'm so happy that this is a series because I can't wait to learn more about him and see his character develop further. Gary, on the other hand, was a standout character in a different way. He's truly despicable and yet, in a strange way, perfect for the story.

The quotes in the book added an extra layer of depth. For example, "They come in all shapes and sizes, all races and creeds and genders. That's the scariest thing of all" really drives home the point that evil can lurk anywhere. And "It’s all right to put the weight of the world on your shoulders sometimes, if you know how to take it off" offers a bit of wisdom.

I don't think this book is for the faint of heart. There are some rather gruesome murders described in vivid detail. However, I think the only reason I didn't give it a full 5-star rating is because of the romance aspect. I just wasn't feeling it, and I've noticed this in a few of Patterson's books. Maybe he should focus more on the gore and guts and less on the romance.

Throughout the book, I found myself constantly wondering how all the murders were connected, and I wasn't disappointed with the conclusion. It tied everything together neatly.

I rate this book so highly because it was impossible to put down. I was completely engrossed and just had to know what was going to happen next. Now, on to the next book in the series!

I have been recommending this book for years.

Yes, the movie adaptation was terrible. It failed to capture the essence and the intricate details of the story.

Also, some of the later Alex Cross entries were somewhat weak. For example, “Violets Are Blue” didn't quite live up to the expectations set by the earlier books.

But the first book of the Alex Cross series, “Along Came a Spider,” is still an amazing read.

What really made this book work for me was the antagonist, Gary Soneji. He is chilling and creepy, with his devious plans and unpredictable behavior. Yet, he is still utterly fascinating, making the reader unable to look away.

The game of cat-and-mouse between Alex Cross and Gary Soneji is gripping and exciting, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the entire book.

However, the book is not perfect. I did have to deduct a star, as I really didn't enjoy the portrayal of Secret Service agent Jezzie Flanagan. I found her to be a grating character, and wished the time Patterson spent on her could have been used for any of the other more-interesting characters.

Still, despite its flaws, “Along Came a Spider” is still a great suspense novel that will keep you entertained and engaged from start to finish.

A truly fabulous mystery that, for some reason, I found myself reading more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.

The style of writing, the overall vibe that it gave off, simply wasn't to my liking. It's such a shame, really, because when it came to the crime aspect, it was absolutely top-notch.

The plot was filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, and the details of the crime were masterfully crafted. However, the one area where I really struggled was in connecting with the characters.

I just couldn't seem to get a handle on who they were as people, and as a result, I didn't feel as invested in their stories as I would have liked.

It's a bit of a conundrum, really, because on one hand, I was thoroughly impressed with the crime-solving elements of the book, but on the other hand, I felt somewhat detached from the characters.

Over and out.

Alex Cross is a decently entertaining movie.

The main character, Alex Cross, is a likeable MC. He is portrayed as a smart and determined detective, which makes him easy to root for.

The movie wasn't overly thrillerish, but that doesn't mean it was lacking in excitement. The plot was well developed, with some good twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I especially liked the way the movie explored the relationship between Alex Cross and his family. It added an extra layer of depth to the story and made me care more about the characters.

Overall, I would recommend Alex Cross to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or thriller. It's not the most intense movie out there, but it's definitely worth a watch.