Daniel X: Watch the Skies

James Patterson and Ned Rust
Little, Brown and Company (2009)
ISBN 9780316036184 
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (11/09)

 

James Patterson and James Rust do an excellent job reaching out to young adult readers through this sci-fi thriller.  And, even if the story is intended for the younger reader, this middle-aged reader enjoyed it a lot!  This is the second book in the Alien Hunter series but the first one that I have read and is definitely a departure from previous James Patterson books.

Daniel X, a 15-year-old Alien Hunter from another galaxy, is ready for action as Holliswood, USA, comes under attack from some very vicious aliens.  Daniel has compiled a list of the nastiest aliens and the lower their number of the alien on the list, the nastier they are. When Number 5 and his minions decide to take over planet Earth by turning Holliswood into a giant reproduction farm, it is Daniel X to the rescue!    

Outwardly, Daniel X, appears to be a normal teenage boy who enjoys fast cars, gadgets and dating.  But on closer scrutiny, he has special manifesting powers that can materialize anything that he needs, including a family and friends.  He is also very good at dematerializing them when his needs suit him.  His parents were Alien Hunters who were killed by a nasty alien many years before.  With Number 5, his powers are stretched to the limit, but his imagination, smarts and determination still play an important role in winning this battle.  And his wit and humor go a long way in making this story very enjoyable to read. 

“Daniel X: Watch the Skies” by James Patterson and Ned Rust will have you turning the pages very quickly and not stopping until you reach the very end.  Young readers and young at heart readers, from the fifth-grade reading level up, will enjoy this fast-paced action thriller.

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