# Is James Patterson review-proof?



## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

I was just looking at the kindle bestseller list and saw James Patterson's new book Toys at #50.  That's not surprising.  What's amazing is the book has a 2 star rating filled with lacerating reviews.  But that doesn't seem to stop his sales.  So, is he review-proof or what?


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

Did James actually write this one or was this an "outline" book that was then passed onto other writers?


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

lacymarankevinmichael said:


> I was just looking at the kindle bestseller list and saw James Patterson's new book Toys at #50. That's not surprising. What's amazing is the book has a 2 star rating filled with lacerating reviews. But that doesn't seem to stop his sales. So, is he review-proof or what?


It baffles me. Any indie who published that tripe would be ripped to shreds. I'm convinced of it.

People keep buying his stuff that HE doesn't even write. I can't explain it.


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

JRTomlin said:


> It baffles me. Any indie who published that tripe would be ripped to shreds. I'm convinced of it.
> 
> People keep buying his stuff that HE doesn't even write. I can't explain it.


I think the majority of people don't realize he didn't write it.


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## BuddyGott (Feb 4, 2011)

I think when you hit that kind of level of fame, reviews don't matter anymore to the loyal fans. They see his name on it (regardless of whether he wrote it or not) and they're going to buy it without thinking twice - bad reviews or not.


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## Tom Schreck (Dec 12, 2010)

I think readers like to stay in their comfort zone and they've read everything of his so even if its bad they feel compelled. It's also not usually a huge time commitment because his books are so short...


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

Comfort zone is very important, even if it's slightly uncomfortable at times   (Hey, how do you think Windows still survives to this day!?)


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

lacymarankevinmichael said:


> I think the majority of people don't realize he didn't write it.


This. It's his name in giant letters and the co-author's name in small letters.


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## A. Rosaria (Sep 12, 2010)

Only read his first few books and they are good. I believe his marketing instincts hit in when he noticed the goldmine he was sitting on. I feel he turned whole marketing and left writing as a produce to make money. I can't see a writer being a writer if most of his books are co written. Then again I may be wrong. What he does works for him, and people buy his books. So long writers want to write for him he will be producing books.


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## brianrowe (Mar 10, 2011)

I feel like James Patterson has a prison under his mansion with thirty-six jail cells, each cell with its own writer, and once a day he takes a stroll downstairs just to see how all of his minions are doing with his upcoming books. "I NEED A BOOK A MONTH!" he shouts at the top of his lungs. "I NEED AT LEAST ONE BOOK A MONTH TO PAY FOR MY HELICOPTER PAD! NOW WRITE!" The guy with the hunchback in the last cell on the right spent two rough nights writing Toys, and it was so bad, even Patterson didn't care for it. But he plunked it down and shouted: "It's garbage! But it's garbage that will sell! Muahahaha!" He stamped his name on it and shot it off to the publisher without a moment's hesitation. As the prisoners downstairs screamed for food for the twentieth time today, Patterson sat back in his rocking chair, fiddled with his gold cane, and started laughing hysterically.


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## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

I can't wait to have the level of fame. The minute I received my first and only 1 star review all sales stopped. Crazy!


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## SidneyW (Aug 6, 2010)

I have enjoyed Alex Cross books, but I don't feel driven to the "brand extensions." I agree many may not realize they are written by other writers. I think with a lot of blockbuster authors readers are kind of "on the popularity train" and don't have a lot of other reading to compare.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

He used to  be my  very favorite author... I read everything  he wrote.  That  was before  he pumped out so many books  a year and stopped  writing on his  own.  That plus the high price of his novels  has turned me off completely.  Kinda sad!


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## jason10mm (Apr 7, 2009)

Well, technically his easy success funds the publisher to carry a load of underperforming but higher quality writers, right? Right?


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## Labrynth (Dec 31, 2009)

BuddyGott said:


> I think when you hit that kind of level of fame, reviews don't matter anymore to the loyal fans. They see his name on it (regardless of whether he wrote it or not) and they're going to buy it without thinking twice - bad reviews or not.


I agree with this. LKH has all kinds of scathing reviews for her badly written good book turns to porn series and yet there are always that handful of folks who will buy it and gush about how great it is just because she wrote it.

I don't have that kind of blind loyalty to anything. As much as I have loved Koontz in the past I freely admit I'm more of a hit or miss with him these days.


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## A. Rosaria (Sep 12, 2010)

brianrowe said:


> I feel like James Patterson has a prison under his mansion with thirty-six jail cells, each cell with its own writer, and once a day he takes a stroll downstairs just to see how all of his minions are doing with his upcoming books. "I NEED A BOOK A MONTH!" he shouts at the top of his lungs. "I NEED AT LEAST ONE BOOK A MONTH TO PAY FOR MY HELICOPTER PAD! NOW WRITE!" The guy with the hunchback in the last cell on the right spent two rough nights writing Toys, and it was so bad, even Patterson didn't care for it. But he plunked it down and shouted: "It's garbage! But it's garbage that will sell! Muahahaha!" He stamped his name on it and shot it off to the publisher without a moment's hesitation. As the prisoners downstairs screamed for food for the twentieth time today, Patterson sat back in his rocking chair, fiddled with his gold cane, and started laughing hysterically.


We got his autobiographer in our midst. (Sweet Jesus I typed autobiographer correctly, my spelling may be improving  )


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2011)

brianrowe said:


> I feel like James Patterson has a prison under his mansion with thirty-six jail cells, each cell with its own writer, and once a day he takes a stroll downstairs just to see how all of his minions are doing with his upcoming books. "I NEED A BOOK A MONTH!" he shouts at the top of his lungs. "I NEED AT LEAST ONE BOOK A MONTH TO PAY FOR MY HELICOPTER PAD! NOW WRITE!" The guy with the hunchback in the last cell on the right spent two rough nights writing Toys, and it was so bad, even Patterson didn't care for it. But he plunked it down and shouted: "It's garbage! But it's garbage that will sell! Muahahaha!" He stamped his name on it and shot it off to the publisher without a moment's hesitation. As the prisoners downstairs screamed for food for the twentieth time today, Patterson sat back in his rocking chair, fiddled with his gold cane, and started laughing hysterically.


This gets a big thumbs up. Well played, Brian.


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## BethCaudill (Mar 22, 2011)

I've never read Patterson, but I didn't have an interest in starting when I found out a few years ago he didn't actually write some of the books.



Labrynth said:


> I agree with this. LKH has all kinds of scathing reviews for her badly written good book turns to porn series and yet there are always that handful of folks who will buy it and gush about how great it is just because she wrote it.
> 
> I don't have that kind of blind loyalty to anything. As much as I have loved Koontz in the past I freely admit I'm more of a hit or miss with him these days.


I used to be a blind LKH fan until it was all sex and no mystery. What I loved about the early books where her Necromancer skills and the police procedure stuff. That disappeared and I couldn't spend the money anymore for books I hated. My friends all say the most recent books have gone back to more crime stuff but I haven't had the energy to try and read them again.

I loved the early Koontz with the Supernatural / science elements but I stopped reading once every book I picked up with a pysco killer.


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## Labrynth (Dec 31, 2009)

BethCaudill said:


> I've never read Patterson, but I didn't have an interest in starting when I found out a few years ago he didn't actually write some of the books.
> 
> I used to be a blind LKH fan until it was all sex and no mystery. What I loved about the early books where her Necromancer skills and the police procedure stuff. That disappeared and I couldn't spend the money anymore for books I hated. My friends all say the most recent books have gone back to more crime stuff but I haven't had the energy to try and read them again.
> 
> I loved the early Koontz with the Supernatural / science elements but I stopped reading once every book I picked up with a pysco killer.


I loved that she was kind of a grown up Buffy. She kicked Ass, took names and stuck to her beliefs. Then she started sleeping with everything that moved and characters were introduced just for Anita to have sex with. And I was just done. I refuse to give her any more of my money, especially after she went on a big rant about how she could write what she wanted and no one's opinion mattered,etc. If she doesn't appreciate the money fans drop on her crap, then why drop any? Bleh.

I'm not sure what it is about the newer Koontz stuff that hasn't worked for me. Some of it is the more religious overtones he seems to have picked up, but otherwise it's nothing I can put my finger on.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

A. Rosaria said:


> Only read his first few books and they are good. I believe his marketing instincts hit in when he noticed the goldmine he was sitting on. I feel he turned whole marketing and left writing as a produce to make money. I can't see a writer being a writer if most of his books are co written. Then again I may be wrong. What he does works for him, and people buy his books. So long writers want to write for him he will be producing books.


Honestly, "co-written" is putting it kindly. I co-write with another writer on fantasies which I couldn't plot if my life depended on it. We BOTH make a substantial contribution.

Co-writing is not a matter of: "Produce a novel for me, Minion!" *whip crack*


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Probably in a minority here. . . but I never cared much for Patterson's earlier books, presumably those he wrote alone.  I thought the Alex Cross books had a bit too much gratuitous violence.  I understand if I'm told a guy was murdered with a knife -- I don't need 3 pages explaining each stroke and describing the blood spurting.

OTOH, I enjoy his Women's Murder Club series which is mostly, I gather, written by others -- it was just his idea!


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## Cabinboy (May 31, 2010)

Some authors gain an enviable reputation and then churn out things that are disappointing to their readers.  For Patterson, Tick Tock lowered the bar.  I doubt now that I'll download his newest, so thanks for the alert.


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## Mrs. K. (Dec 31, 2010)

Labrynth said:


> I don't have that kind of blind loyalty to anything. As much as I have loved Koontz in the past I freely admit I'm more of a hit or miss with him these days.


Yet for some reason (like with Mr. Patterson and Mr. King) I keep buying and hoping he'll _finally_ be back. They're getting down to only having one (or maybe two ) chances left.


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## Labrynth (Dec 31, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Probably in a minority here. . . but I never cared much for Patterson's earlier books, presumably those he wrote alone. I thought the Alex Cross books had a bit too much gratuitous violence. I understand if I'm told a guy was murdered with a knife -- I don't need 3 pages explaining each stroke and describing the blood spurting.
> 
> OTOH, I enjoy his Women's Murder Club series which is mostly, I gather, written by others -- it was just his idea!


I've only read one or two of his, The Beach House I think it's called comes to mind. And it did nothing for me. I think I tried one more but can't even remember which one and wasn't impressed.



> Yet for some reason (like with Mr. Patterson and Mr. King) I keep buying and hoping he'll finally be back. They're getting down to only having one (or maybe two Wink) chances left.


I haven't hated anything from Koontz I don't think. Some of them just don't have the same impact for me for some reason. Some of them I LOVE still and some are just ok. I really wish I knew what it was that made these not so enjoyable for me, but I just can't seem to figure it out. I dont' know if my tastes have changed or if his writing style has changed more than I realize.


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## Sean Thomas Fisher (Mar 25, 2011)

Labrynth said:


> I've only read one or two of his, The Beach House I think it's called comes to mind. And it did nothing for me. I think I tried one more but can't even remember which one and wasn't impressed.
> 
> I haven't hated anything from Koontz I don't think. Some of them just don't have the same impact for me for some reason. Some of them I LOVE still and some are just ok. I really wish I knew what it was that made these not so enjoyable for me, but I just can't seem to figure it out. I dont' know if my tastes have changed or if his writing style has changed more than I realize.


Older Dean Koontz was awesome! Not sure what happened.


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## kglavin (Mar 18, 2010)

Hi All,

Yeah, the whole Patterson phenomenon is something of a mystery--a lot more intriguing than some of his books.
I wrote a recent 3-star review of _Tick Tock_:

http://tiny.cc/lsokr

I was critical, but fair at the same time. I think it's actually helped his sales. Even critical reviews get people
talking. And his "brand" is so large right now, it's just going to keep growing, even if he does nothing. Like
Bill Gates' money 

Cheers,

Kevin


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

Yup.  Good reviews or bad reviews, it's never seemed more true than even bad publicity is good publicity.  Sigh.


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