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Virgin has the distinction of being James Patterson’s first book to be made into a movie. Granted, it was a TV movie with a budget to match, but it shows a development in Patterson’s pre-Alex Cross career that’s largely forgotten. Virgin was good enough that, in 1990, it was developed into a movie. And, looking at Patterson’s pre-90s books, Virgin is the best. Patterson’s previous book, The Jericho Commandment, centered around one religious conspiracy; this one centers around another. The Roman Catholic Church is investigating two alleged virgin pregnancies amid global chaos. A prophecy (not a biblical one, mind you) suggests that one baby will be the Second Coming of Christ while the other will be the Antichrist.
Published in 1981, Virgin plays on both religious and secular apocalyptism that was popular at the time. The Omen and The Exorcist had both been hits. Patterson delves into this mystery/horror genre with serviceable prose and an intriguing theme. It’s not great fiction, but it definitely feels like it captures the late 70s-early 80s zeitgeist. It’s certainly a better story than the prequel Left Behind trilogy written by evangelical stalwarts Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. Patterson’s pacing moves at a good clip and the mystery is retained until almost the very end. It doesn’t feel like a James Patterson novel and it’s a product of its time, but it isn’t awful.
Patterson re-published this in 2000 under the name Cradle and All (he was in his title-things-as-nursery-rhymes phase), giving it a bit of a current-Patterson edit. It then was published once more under his children’s imprint as a YA novel, which is a bit of an odd decision. The cover art is much better than the previous versions, though.
Published in 1981, Virgin plays on both religious and secular apocalyptism that was popular at the time. The Omen and The Exorcist had both been hits. Patterson delves into this mystery/horror genre with serviceable prose and an intriguing theme. It’s not great fiction, but it definitely feels like it captures the late 70s-early 80s zeitgeist. It’s certainly a better story than the prequel Left Behind trilogy written by evangelical stalwarts Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. Patterson’s pacing moves at a good clip and the mystery is retained until almost the very end. It doesn’t feel like a James Patterson novel and it’s a product of its time, but it isn’t awful.
Patterson re-published this in 2000 under the name Cradle and All (he was in his title-things-as-nursery-rhymes phase), giving it a bit of a current-Patterson edit. It then was published once more under his children’s imprint as a YA novel, which is a bit of an odd decision. The cover art is much better than the previous versions, though.
