Finding bloopers in a novel, James Patterson's I, Alex Cross specifically

[Disney1fan2002]

My DH gave me I, Alex Cross for Christmas. With the kids wrapped up with there new electronics, I relaxed and jumped right into it. (I have been dying to read this book) After we retruned home from the inlaws last night, the kids tucked into bed, I went to bed with the book. I finished it this morning.

OK, so the book is set in present day. James Patterson has a fictional President as a character in the book. That's fine, although throughout the book he mentions real people. The made-up President is a woman. The book is going along good, then I read something that struck me funny. DH thinks I'm amazing I would pick up on it immediately, but how could you NOT? LOL

James Patterson introduces us to a gossip columnist, fictional, but he compares her to Perez Hilton, as far as getting the scoop on celebrities. To make the point, he creates some "scoops" that she uncovered, one being that she was the one that discovered Barack Obama was a closet smoker. Who is Barack Obama in this book? The POTUS in this book is a female, named Margaret Vance. Who is Barack Obama?

I am thinking of sending Mr. James Patterson an e-mail pointing it out to him. My Dh says maybe the book is set in the future, but even though there is no year given, all the current events and things he refers to in the past indicate that this is very much present day.

This is how my brain works. It drives me crazy sometimes, that these little details stand out like a sore thumb to me.

 

[MsLeFever]

Here's my guess on what he'd say....

This is a present day - alternate reality. Obama is still a political figure of some sort - apparently worth "outing" as a smoker; maybe he even ran for President but was defeated by Ms. Vance.

Still - this would bug me too.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

At least it is not as bad as several years ago a well-known science fiction author, who happens to have a PhD in Physics, accidently had the Earth rotating in the wrong direction. He made the corrections needed in the second printing.

 

[Acklander]

A zillion years ago, I picked out a mistake in a Stephen King novel. At the time, I wrote him a letter. He actually wrote back a very funny letter - I forget what it said but at the end he said that if I had any future criticisms of his work that I could write him directly and he added his address from when he was living in Colorado.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Perhaps the book takes place in 2015 or something... sort of present day, sort of in the future.

I don't like the author, but my mom loves him. I wonder if she will catch this.

I quit reading Janet Evanovich after a WDW blooper in one of her books. I just couldn't look past the lack of research.

 

[sunnyday123]

This would bug me to no end. I'd write the letter, but in a nice, joking sort of way.

I had an english professor in college who, in his spare time, enjoyed reading books and highlighting the errors he found. But he did it in such a nice way, that there was no way anyone could ever take it as mean.

 

[Jennasis]

Maybe Obama is still a Senator from Illinois in his book?

 

[AKL_Megs]

Maybe Obama is still a Senator from Illinois in his book?

Yes, perhaps it is set in 2008, and Obama will be running against this Vance.

 

[TDC Nala]

He's still a Senator I guess. although does anyone care if Senators smoke?

The Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol, establishes in the first part of the book that the Washington, DC area is at a standstill because everyone is busy watching the Washington Redskins in the NFC playoffs. Now that is a blooper.

 

[MsLeFever]

Perhaps the book takes place in 2015 or something... sort of present day, sort of in the future.

I don't like the author, but my mom loves him. I wonder if she will catch this.

I quit reading Janet Evanovich after a WDW blooper in one of her books. I just couldn't look past the lack of research.

What was the mistake?

 

[AKL_Megs]

What was the mistake?

I sure wish I could remember now... I do remember it was something about the Magic Kingdom... some ride or something. It was something that anyone who had been there in their life would know, and it just made her look stupid... I want to say it was in her first Christmas book. Stephanie Plum's sister and kids went to WDW, and Evanovich made a reference.

 

[ajk912]

Totally off topic but I hate that commercial. "You better buy this book or I will be forced to kill off Alex Cross". Not sure why that commercial rubs me wrong.

Carry on.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Totally off topic but I hate that commercial. "You better buy this book or I will be forced to kill off Alex Cross". Not sure why that commercial rubs me wrong.

Carry on.

I didn't understand and/or get that commercial... is that a threat? Like, buy this book, or I won't write any more in this series, or is it an inside joke kind of thing?

Anyone???

 

[1957]

Chapter 1
When I read. A James Patterson book. Where one sentence. Due to spacing. Can take up to. Three pages.

Chapter 2
I usually figure. Out what is going on. Pretty quickly.

Chapter 3
The kids don't. Seem to age much.

Chapter 4
Why is it that. I can read the. Whole book. Over lunch.

Chapter 30
End of. Book.

 

[Imzadi]

I can't stand books that lack obvious research, as in simply watching TV for the correct answers.

I was reading a romantic mystery where the hero was an FBI guy. he and the Heroine walk out to her car. They find a note on the windshield. They read it, and she gets all upset because they don't know if the guy is around and still watching them. It doesn't occur to the FBI guy until she mentions that. Only then does he look up and look around to scan their surroundings.

Hello author, try watching a few episodes of Criminal Minds for proper, basic FBI procedures.

I can no longer read stories where the setting is in NYC unless the author is a very good one or has actually been to NYC. Otherwise, their details are so off, it's obvious that someone decided to set their mystery in NYC, but has never even been here. There are so many TV shows about NYC, it's pure laziness to not even watch one for what NYC is about.

A four hour drive from Manhattan to a mountain cabin is NOT in the Catskills. A drive that long, even on the slowest, windy roads, (while speeding to escape from murderers,) would put someone in the Adirondacks, or far west of the Catskills. Even mapquest would tell a person that kind of info.

 

[ajk912]

Chapter 1
When I read. A James Patterson book. Where one sentence. Due to spacing. Can take up to. Three pages.

Chapter 2
I usually figure. Out what is going on. Pretty quickly.

Chapter 3
The kids don't. Seem to age much.

Chapter 4
Why is it that. I can read the. Whole book. Over lunch.

Chapter 30
End of. Book.

I seriously just laughed out loud.

This is why I get his books at the library. If Alex Cross dies because I didn't buy the book, I guess it's my fault. I feel kind of ripped off paying $25 for a James Patterson book, because they are so "short".