Cross by James Patterson - Audiobook Review

Value Priced Release, Part of the Alex Cross Thriller Series

Nov 19, 2008

Cross by James Patterson is a fast moving thriller which is narrated by Peter J Fernandez and Jay O Sanders. The excellent reading adds to the enjoyment of this audiobook

Cross, by James Patterson, is part of the series of books that follow the life of one-time FBI agent and police officer, Alex Cross. In Cross, Alex Cross has set himself up in private practice as a psychologist, however he gets called in to help his friend and former partner, John Samson, in a hunt for a serial rapist.

As the plot spreads and encompasses events from the past, a connection becomes apparent with the death of Cross's wife, Maria, thirteen years before. Cross and Samson end up in a hunt to track down the brutal killer, who has been given the name the Butcher to reflect the horror of his killings.

This audiobook edition of Cross is narrated by two readers. Peter J Fernandez voices the plot from the point of view of Alex Cross with Jay O Sanders reading the parts that featured the Butcher.

This works extremely well and is a very effective way of adding a different perspective, demonstrating to the listener the different characters in the book. One criticism that some listeners make of audiobooks is that it is sometimes difficult to follow and identify the different characters. The two narrators certainly goes a long way towards negating this problem.

Both Peter J Fernandez and Jay O Sanders read their parts with relish. Their expert reading of the audiobook brings the characters to life, without resorting to pastiche. Peter J Fernandez has narrated previous books in the Alex Cross series and appears to know the character well. Jay O Sanders manages to ooze evil and his calm reading of some of the more gruesome scenes adds to the tension and suspense.

Abridged Version

This audiobook is abridged and plays over 6 hours. Cross is also part of a series, therefore there are parts of the plot that perhaps would work better with the provision of more background. This does not, however, detract from the enjoyment of the audiobook.

Some of the parts of the book that explore the relationship between Cross and his family or Cross and his grandmother are hastened over, with the priority in the abridging of the book being action. This, however keeps the plot moving at a fast pace.

Value Priced

The abridged, 5 cd version of Cross is value priced at $14.98. Some online retailers, however, offer significant discounts. The discounted price of the audiobook is very competitive with the price of the print editions, making it a good alternative to someone wanting to try audiobooks, perhaps for the first time.

Conclusion

This is an exciting and fast paced thriller. The first class narration by the two readers make this an excellent listen for fans of the genre. Listeners should note that while not overly graphic, there are descriptions of brutal murders and adult content.

Further Information

The copyright of the article Cross by James Patterson - Audiobook Review in Audiobooks/Ebooks is owned by Kate Pullen. Permission to republish Cross by James Patterson - Audiobook Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.