Some authors have earned their livelihood by carving out series after series. James Patterson has done so by giving readers numerous characters to work on and read and share their lives with. In his latest series Private along with Mark Sullivan he takes trip down to Los Angeles with the book titled "Private L.A" on an adventure which will make or break the entire scenario. So has he been able to pull it off? Let's find out.
Jack Morgan is having a bad week. His twin brother is up on a murder charge and determined to frame him for the crime, and one of Jack's clients has just called to report the burnt bodies of four surfers on his beach.But what seems like a random mugging gone wrong soon reveals something far worse - a killer calling themselves No Prisoners is holding the city to ransom. And there's more bad news: Hollywood's golden couple, Thom and Jennifer Harlow, have been kidnapped, along with their adopted children.It looks like the whole world is about to discover whether Private are really as good as they say they are.
First look at the title and the cover and a reader gets a feeling called "similarity". The cover's no different from the other books in the series and it becomes monotonous and boring. The title too carries on the legacy with only the city names being switched with the others. The blurb is a short and sweet ride and talks about the latest exploits of Private and Jack Morgan. It serves the purpose of not dishing out too many details. .
The story is set off in Los Angeles where Private is amidst action. A no holds barred maniac is at large in the city leaving deadlines and no clues. On the other hand, the powerful celebrity couple is found missing from their ranch along with their children, again leaving behind no clues. So two cases at hand and Jack Morgan and his troops are working over time. So will they be able to throw some light on the happenings? Will it be a tough nut to crack? Are things related to each other? Will Private reach the end or will somebody else scoop the entire scenario? That's what the story is all about.
The two different story idea running parallel to each other is a famous concept, though repetitive yet offers two different dimensions to the book. On one hand, there is psychopath cum murder mystery and on the other suspense,drama,lure and wealth is involved. The story deals with two the aspects in a healthy manner. The narration is a breeze.
The downside of the book is the unfolding time of the story line. It moves away from the track and keeps faltering in to the personal zones of the Private. As a teamwork, the book fails but as an individual effort it excels. The characters blossom alone which is not the hallmark of the story. Parts of the story are completely in effective. Capitalization is the area where the book fails to provide a fresh perspective to the readers.
All in all the book marks the sad free fall of the series. Stories are true but the arrangement fizzles out too soon. The idea to keep the team alive doesn't works and it falls flat. The assortment of ideas thrown at the readers is also a fallacy and there is no come back whatsoever as the book becomes predictable towards the end. A powerful resurgence is what it lacks. An average story telling from the master story teller.
RATINGS:
2 OUT OF 5
No comments:
Post a Comment