Cross Country (Alex Cross, #14) in Q&A with James Patterson

Feb 12, 2011 Maria rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Let me start by saying that I love the Alex Cross series and James Patterson is one of my favorite authors. That being said, this book left me feeling a little weird afterwards. Great job on bringing to the forefront issues in Africa that still occurs today, even though this book was released in . However, Alex Cross acted totally out of character. Decisions based on emotions rather than rational thinking as previous books. Did he not stop to think that any decision he made would affect the fami Let me start by saying that I love the Alex Cross series and James Patterson is one of my favorite authors. That being said, this book left me feeling a little weird afterwards. Great job on bringing to the forefront issues in Africa that still occurs today, even though this book was released in . However, Alex Cross acted totally out of character. Decisions based on emotions rather than rational thinking as previous books. Did he not stop to think that any decision he made would affect the family back home??? I guess what they say is true: out of sight...out of mind. I found myself thinking several times throughout the book, "how is this going to end??" Those thoughts crossed my mind because of the constant uphill battle Cross endures when in Africa. "You're not in Kansas anymore, Cross!" The laws and procedures you know of from DC do not apply in Africa, a totally different country, where the government is corrupt and the people die daily as a result of the internal war within their own country. The first three days he spent in captivity should have beat that in to his hard head, but he continued to make irrational decision after irrational decision because he was dead set of finding this "Tiger", even after finding out that there are many "Tigers" out there.

The book and investigation doesn't really seem all that believable. Is it really that easy to fly to another nation following a mass murderer (that may even be working for/with the government), track him down without government help, and end the conspiracy while you and your family walk away alive? Even after being held captive a few times?? I don't get it. Obviously we're missing Nana's logical thinking in the book, which is what Cross needed in every decision he made. But being he ran off to another country, he didn't have the voice of reason to bring him back to reality.

Granted, it's definitely an eye-opener to real life issues that most of us are blind to while those in Africa face it day to day. You definitely shouldn't take what you have for granted. But I still have mixed feelings about this book. Hopefully Cross will return to reality in the next book. ...more

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