The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

The greatest superpower of all isn't to be part spider, part man, or to cast magic spells--the greatest power is the power to create. Daniel X has that power.

Daniel's secret abilities - like being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind or to recreate himself in any shape he chooses - have helped him survive. But Daniel doesn't have a normal life. He is the protector of the earth, the Alien Hunter, with a mission beyond anyone's imagining.

From the day that his parents were brutally murdered before his very eyes, Daniel has used his unique gifts to hunt down their assassin. Finally, with the help of The List, bequeathed to him in his parents' dying breath, he is closing in on the killer. Now, on his own, he vows to take on his father's mission - and to take vengeance in the process.

At first, the one distinct thought this book gave me was, “What the...?” The topic of this book - an adolescent alien hunter searching for his parents' extraterrestrial killer - is somewhat of a departure from Patterson's usual mystery works.

However, as I progressed through this book, I started to really enjoy it. Patterson's lending of a sassy demeanor to his main character produces an excellent sense of adventure (not to mention that the kid's powers of creation are pretty darn cool).

While the story progresses nicely, Patterson leaves some very loose ends. The Prayer - the beastly thing that murders Daniel's parents in the opening chapter - isn't seen again through the rest of the book (the great majority of the story revolves around Daniel's hunt of alien #6, Seth). This may mean Patterson intends to continue this story elsewhere, but it didn't seem terribly clear.

Overall, Patterson's writing style (including his trademark 1-2 page chapters) and his craft of an intriguing story make this an excellent read.

A+ for so effectively creating the voice of a 15-year-old boy, for inhabiting his conscience so completely. D- for not bothering to grace that character with any depth or interesting insight. Daniel is an alien hunter with the powers of creation - I would hope that the author (whether Patterson actually writes any of the words for which he gets paid is debatable) would have been able to come up with at least one interesting thought related to the character's exploration of his self.

Two stars because I know that reluctant teen readers may find this book more accessible than others - I just hope it prompts them to ponder the questions that the book doesn't bother to even brush upon.