Daniel X: Watch the Skies

As both a bestselling author and the father of an eleven-year-old son, James Patterson truly believes that the best way to get people excited about reading is to give them books they’ll love. To help create a lifelong appreciation for books in kids everywhere, James Patterson has recently added young adults series to repertoire, including, as many of you know, Daniel X. The first book in the series, The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, told the story of a teen with secret powers, hunting aliens and protecting Earth. It was read and loved by adult and kid readers alike, including even the toughest customers of all – boys! 

Now, Patterson introduces his second novel in the series, Daniel X: Watch the Skies. In this story, Number Five, an evil outer-space outlaw, comes to a small town on Earth intending to produce an intergalactic version of “Survivor,” with a twist: every human in the town will be eliminated. Daniel finds himself on a quest to stop Number Five and his alien crew, not just to save the world, but to save himself.

Here's what MotherTalk reviewers are saying about Daniel X: Watch the Skies:

Champagne Living says: "Their page-turning adventures to keep Number 5 from destroying theEarth drives a book that you just can't put down until the last page...This book is written for readers teen to adult, with appropriatelanguage. There is violence, but Patterson and Rust do not dwell on it.It sends the message that our imagination and powers of creation arelimitless, a good message for both alien and human!"

A Nut in a Nutshell says: "The novel is addictive for all ages and with the short 2-3 pagechapters, the reader is convinced to read just one more chapter, thenone more, over and over, to see what could possibly happen next. Thepace is quick, the excitement is palpable, and the story is just greatfun!"

Rundpinne says: "I found the novel to be an intriguing blend of fantasy and sciencefiction, which engaged the reader's imagination. Rather then describingscenes of gore or violence Patterson allows the reader to envision whatis happening. Patterson has created a super hero who happens to be analien hunter posing as a human, making Daniel X easy to relate with."

Giggle Pops says: "I'm not usually a fan of sci-fi myself, but I definitely couldappreciate the action and adventure this young alien hunter encounteredon his journey. Amongst all of the explosions and slimy aliens bitingthe dust, they even managed to sneak in a love interest, what's not tolike?"

It's All a Matter of Perspective: Mine says: "If there’s a moral to be had, it’s that “electronics are a conduit for aliens to control you and destroy your planet, so turn that stuff off. Go read a book. And use your imagination, because that’s the greatest superpower in the universe.” Not a bad moral, really, for our video-game-addict, cell-phone toting, TV loving teens."

Hamster Boy says: "If you are looking for a lively, fun, action-packed, gore-filled seriesfor your 8 to 10 year old son to read, then get these books. I promisehe won't put them down. I'm a 41 year old Mom and I was mesmerized bythis young adult novel!"

A Bookish Mom says: "Daniel X is a good Young Adult novel. It is definitely a page turner,but a short fast read. Daniel X is growing stronger, and are is hisfoes. We see Daniel X growing into a more unique character. This bookis not the first in the series, but gave enough back story to keep meup to date."

Myth and Stories says: "The style of the book reminded me of an MTV video, with lots of shortchapters, which felt like quick cuts. The action never let up, and thehumor was nonstop.I tried to read the book as a nine year old boywould, and I can't imagine any boy of that age who wouldn't love thebook, and devour it as quickly as possible."

Bloggin' 'Bout Books says: " If you want to frighten said tween boy away from technology overload, Watch the Skiesjust might just do the trick. After all, what's scarier than abloodthirsty alien bent on taking over the world via iPod? It's enoughto make you pop out your earbuds - a least long enough to devour the250 pages of this fun, thrilling adventure. It's just plain ole' good endertainment."

All Rileyed Up says: "Like its predecessor, Daniel X: Watch the Skies is fast-paced, filledwith smart mouth teenagers, rock ‘em sock ‘em action sequences, andgrosser than gross aliens. The emphasis in these books is definitely onthe gross factor: alien stench, appearance, and appetite range fromgross to grosser to Paris Hilton. Which brings me to an important point about these books: never forgetthat they are written with the purpose of interesting boys in reading.Boys think gross is funny and/or cool, so a book full of gross aliensought to appeal to them."

Park City Girl says: "I have to say that action/alien adventures are not usually my first pick in leisure reading - but this book is fun! It is geared for teen boys that haven't found a book to hold their interest - and I imagine it would. Written in the first person you get a sense that you are there with the characters and in on the secret. Who doesn't love to be in "the know?""

Education Uncensored says: "When the afternoon turned to evening, he [my husband] proudly closed the book, asmirk turned to a smile and he declared, that really was better thanthe last one….there’s two more in this series right?  I wasn’t sure howmany more are available in the series but I know what he is gettingChristmas…"

The Zen of Motherhood says: "Each chapter is only about three pages long. Every other page,something is exploding or aliens are splattering. Tons of techy gadgetsand fast motorcycles... Frankly, my middle-aged, female self didn't . . .quite . . . get it.  And, that' s why you should buy it for your eleven year old boy immediately. Trust me, he'll love it."

Our Little Slice of Heaven says: "...My 12 year old son was next in line to read the book.  (As usual.  Ilove that he loves to read as much as I do!)  I expected to hear "Mom,this is sorta boring" or "Mom, I don't want to finish this one." Instead, the child greeted me with snickers.  And giggling.  Andguffaws.  He really liked this book.  Apparently, I don't have the samesense of humor as a 12 year old boy.  Who knew?"

Boojoos & Aprilcots says: "Like most Patterson lately, the story line was great. The action was palpable, the fast pace makes it tough to walk away.... My favorite mini-lecture from the book? "My powers are only as good as my imagination. And my imagination is only as good as what I've learned. That's why I have to study things really hard."

Fun In The Sun says: "All in all I believe Mr. Patterson has written a book with subjectmatter and form that does indeed appeal to the pre-teen and young teenaudience.  I know my ds liked it and it got him reading (anddiscussing!) and that’s good enough for me."

Cutie Booty Reviews says: "I think this series will really captivate adolescent boys and girls (and of course parents). I truly believe that James Patterson has scored a homerun with this one and I anxiously await the next book in the series. If you are fan of Sci-Fi or just a fan of engaging fiction, I say read it and share it with a young person."

A Simple Bliss says: "...I also wanted my 16 year old brother to read it. He was a very reluctant reader and in the past 2 years or so has finally started being excited about reading. I am always on the lookout for books that I think he will like. I gave him both [Daniel X] books when he was here for a visit. I got a phone call this morning from my dad asking for the next book in the series. He really liked them and wanted more. I would chalk that up to a success."

Hip Mama's Place says: "Daniel X: Watch the Skies is a fun, fast-paced book intended for youngadult audiences. While this type of action, made-for-video-game sciencefiction does not particularly thrill me, I think young teenagers wouldbe thrilled!"

Our 7 Qtpies says: "When James Patterson first started Daniel X, it was to get young boysinterested in reading. I am all for a book that will get my boysreading! I couldn't get Cody started on the book, so I broke down andstarted reading it out loud to him. I fell in love with Daniel X! It issort of a Men in Black with teenaged boys. Very funny and off beat. Then came the graphic novel. THAT got Cody hooked.  Next came Daniel X: Watch the Skies. I recently finished reading the book and it was immediately snatched by a young teen boy in the house."

Did You See That? says: "...This sequel, Daniel X: Watch the Skies,is another (literal) page turner. I say literal because these chaptersare only 2 -3 pages long. Theaction moves quickly and decisively, something I imagine appeals to thetarget audience of adolescent boys (and gives instant bragging rights -"I read 50 chapters today!"). Bravo Mr. Patterson - Daniel X: Watch the Skies is another hit for your repertoire and I'm looking forward to seeing what Daniel X is up to next!"

Black Belt Mama says: "What's great about Daniel X books is that they are smart, entertaining,and seem to relate well to younger generations without seemingcontrived. Patterson and Rust are good at nailing the sarcasm of ateenager without sounding mouthy. And what parent can resist a maincharacter who conjures up his parents for advice whenever necessary?"

Here We Go Again says: "James Patterson's goal in writing this series is to get boys to readmore. This book is perfect for that. It is quick, interesting, snappy,and the plot contains aliens that use technology to take over yourmind. "Put down that video game or aliens will use it to suck out yourbrain!"...Overall, I think this book is perfect for its target audience and quite enjoyable for everyone else."

Life is like Champagne says: "When I found out that James Patterson released his second book Daniel X: Watch the Skies,I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read the new book. Again,this book did not fail me in keeping my interest, visualizing the storyand wanting more. James Patterson does it again, proving that you can write a book thatmakes you want to read, both youth and even myself, an adult. When isthe next book coming out?"

A Box of Chocolates says: "Oneof my absolute favorite parts of the Daniel X books are the extremelyshort chapters, I'm talking like 3 or 4 pages at the most. Last year, Ishared these books with a couple boys in my 3rd grade class who Ithought would enjoy the content and one of the first things they lookedat was how long the chapters were.It was perfect for enjoying in school because they could quickly finishup a chapter and feel that they were completing the book"

Sheepish Annie says: "Thestory is quickly paced, perhaps too much so for many adults. However,for young readers who struggle with longer novels or who havedifficulty maintaining attention for extended periods, this is ideal.It is also appropriate for those who are sensitive to conflict drivenstress and who require a quicker resolution in order to maintain acomfortable emotional level while reading."

Music.Movies.Mayhem says: "James Patterson never fails to impress me, nomatter which type of book genre he is writing. He wows me with hisromance titles and even now with my first peek into his science fictionselections. The man releases bestseller after bestseller and thewriting never gets old.This novel is geared more towards younger readers, especially since the chapters are pretty short. I can see fans of the Harry Potter novels enjoyingthe Daniel X books, as well as fans of television show, Kyle XY and theX-Men movies and comics."

Marta's Meanderings says: "This bookwas rollicking good fun page after page! This second installment in theDaniel X series will not disappoint it's fans. I'm not the biggest scifi fan, but this book was one imaginative alien/monster fight afteranother and was nothing else but great fun. This book made me wish Ihad kids to get interested in this series. You won't be disappointedand neither will your young readers. This is the best kind of end ofsummer escapism!"

All Because Two People Fell In Love says: "Patterson has created another excellent fictional story that really didkeep my interest throughout the whole book. I love how Patterson isable create awesome visual images through his words! What I reallyenjoy about this book is that it is written in really short chapters. When my students are deciding on a book to read they almost alwayscheck on the length of the chapters."

Why are you Reviewing Me? says: "What I appreciate most about this book is that it made my daughter wantto read the first one. While the book appears to be geared toward thetweenaged boy, my nine year old daughter loved it! She is totally intoexplosions, sarcasm, and gross. This book is full of all three. Thechapters are short enough that she didn’t feel overwhelmed at readingthem and as I warned her, the book is a page turner. She read it inunder a week which may be a record for her. She is letting her friend,“who is a boy, but not a boy friend” read it next."

Squidalicious says: "James Patterson is also the founder of ReadKiddoRead, a site devoted to getting kids to love books like the author does. And I get the sense that Daniel X, like the Maximum Rideseries Iz [daughter] also enjoys, is about getting kids to do that reading usingany hooks necessary. From this perspective, Daniel X is a rich read --it's full of such hooks."

Knitty Reviews says: "One thing I like about this series so far is that the chapters arereally short, so if a parent wanted to find a chapter book to read to achild that was maybe 10+ years old, they'd be able to read a couple ofchapters a night."

Life As Lou says: "This book was very creatively written, with many plot twists anduniquely designed outer-space villains that merged the best of boyhoodslime with the technology of tomorrow.  If you have a teen or preteen boy you need to get reading, definitelypick up this series. And if you just want a goofy, enjoyable escape,put it on your own nightstand!"

Clearview says: "The subtext in this book that I enjoyed the most was a social criticismof the time we all spend staring into the glowing rectangles ofcomputer, TV, and cell phone screens, which Number 5 uses to manipulatethe citizens of the town into participating in their own destruction."

Books And Movies says: "My son Noah rates these books [Daniel X Series] both five stars, and considers them amonghis favorites. If you know any boys at that age, this is the perfectbook to hand them to get them excited about reading – or, if they arealready an avid reader, to give them a few hours of great entertainment."

Cattywampus Life says: "If you have a boy on the cusp of the teen years, I highly recommend this book. Patterson has a young tween son himself and speaks the write language to keep his audience excited about reading. The books are quick reads, but also manage to include a pretty broad range of vocabulary—which is something I like about them. Kids can read and get wrapped up in the story, and not even realize they’re reading and learning new words along the way!"

A Book Blogger's Diary says: "It's also refreshing to see Daniel exhibiting some normal teenagebehavior like getting a crush on a girl his age, instead of forevergoing about with an imaginary girlfriend. At once Robin Hood and Dennisthe Menace, Daniel's yearning for a normal life comes through loud andclear as he time and again conjures up his family and friends out ofhis very imagination (just one of the cool powers he has). The partwhere his imaginary Mom comes up with unbelievable sounding but trueexcuses for Daniel being unable to attend school had me laughing outloud!"

Chicka Nuts says: "Wow! I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down. DanielX does it again in this interesting book of alien hunting. Hunting downNumber 5 on the Most Wanted Alien list, Daniel caught my attention onceagain. Risking his life to save his mind created friends and working tohelp rid the world of these aliens of junk he rocked my reading world."

Coming to a Nursery Near You says: "The story and James Patterson’s writing style (short chapters, lotsof description) kept him [her son Anthony] engaged virtually every waking hour.  He keptcoming to me to tell me the latest that he’d read and his ideas aboutwhat might happen next.  He hadn’t even finished the book and wasasking me about the next one. I think that any book that can engage a kid’s imagination like that- and inspire him to then make up more stories when he goes outside toplay with friends - inventing different scenarios, etc. is worth itsweight in gold."

Family Briefs says: "But I digress . . . still loved the short chapter format of the bookand loved the science fiction story line with good guys vs. bad guys.All in all, we give both Daniel X books a big thumbs up! Can’t wait forDemons & Druids - the next in the Daniel X series (this book had asneak preview which makes it doubly hard to wait for it!)"

From Frank to Frivolous says: "While reading, I kept thinking Patterson was writing more of ascreenplay than a novel, with passages that seemed expressly designedfor making into an action sequence in a movie as opposed to developingplot or character. On the other hand, these qualities contribute tomaking these books both zippy, entertaining reads for the younger, morereluctant reader set, and, ultimately, these are the readers Pattersonis trying to reach."

With a Little Luck says: "Once again we see Daniel use his powers to create all sorts ofinventions that aid him in his quest. Any kid that likes imagining howthings work or what they could make with random parts will enjoy thispart of the book. A new character finds her way into Daniel'slife. It is fun to see him try to have a normal life with a normal girlwhile battling bad guys from outer space who took over her town.Once again James Patterson comes through with a book sure to capture the interest of boys & girls."

The Life of a Home Mom says: "I liked it and I heard they are making a movie, I definitely want tosee a movie of it. I want to read the rest of the books because I likeit and want to see Daniel kill everyone on the list." [post written by blogger's son]

Jeanne's Ramblings says: "James Patterson, 2009 Children's Choice Book Award finalist, haswritten another book in the Daniel X series. Mothers everywhere havebeen amazed that their sons actually want to read, thanks to thisseries...James Patterson is dedicated to make reading fun for people."

Mommy of Three says: "This is the first "chapter" book I have attempted to read to him [her oldest son], and Iwas ecstatic that he was so captivated. He was upset each night when westopped reading, but couldn't wait the next day until it was time tobegin. He wants to know how the story begins, so we will be referringback to Book One next. While this book is targeted at the younger adultaudience, and hits its mark, it is not "too" young for adults to enjoy.Mr. Patterson started this series to help young children develop alifelong passion for reading, and he has definitely hit the mark onceagain."

Mom Reviews says: "The book is fast-paced and the chapters are short, making it easy totell yourself you will just read “one more chapter”.  Patterson has mewanting Daniel to do more, go more places. If Patterson keeps writingbooks about Daniel X, I plan to keep reading them!"

PNR Reviews says: "So if you have a kid who would enjoy a book that's high on movement andshort on character, and who would like the satisfaction that comes fromwhipping through short chapters, I offer you Daniel X."

Who are all these boys and why are they calling me Teacher??? says: "Patterson uses vivid language and descriptions, along with lots ofaction to hook his readers. What 9, 10, or 14 year old boy can resist astory packed with a plethora of outlandish aliens, out of this worldweaponry and references to the electronics, language, food and placesof today's pop culture? I am already reading the first Daniel X book to my current class of 3rd grade boys, and plan on reading the second book to them as well. That is when I get it back from my 4 students from last year who are already lined up to borrow it!!"