Is James Patterson Killing Book Reviews?

Mystery Month!At Booklist, we take our work seriously . . . but not too seriously. In the tradition of “Reading Is My Business,” “The Read,” and “A Novel Idea,” I would like to present a groundbreaking thriller: “James Patterson’s Books: A Novel Not by James Patterson.” An author who writes books faster than readers can read them—it must be fiction, right?

Chapter 1

Rod Penn sat in his corner office on the seventieth floor of World Book Review Enterprises Tower, which looked out on a magnificent view of the New York City skyline, which today was as beautiful as it always was.

But Rod wasn’t looking at the view. He was looking at the stack of books on his desk.

He sighed. Books had been getting more and more similar. Ever since James Patterson had become the best-selling author in the history of the printed word, things had changed. More accurately, Patterson had changed them.

Books now had more em-dashes—and more exclamation marks! Shorter sentences. And shorter chapters, too.

>>keep reading

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About the Author:

Keir Graff is Executive Editor of Booklist Publications and the author of five books. His most recent is the middle-grade novel, The Other Felix (2011). Follow him on Twitter at @Booklist_Keir.

2 Comments on "Is James Patterson Killing Book Reviews?"

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  1. joelcreese@gmail.com' Joel says:

    A really fun read, with an excellent point that’s deftly made. Wouldn’t it be as ironic as a fly in your chardonnay if this article got Mr. Graff a call from Mr. Patterson himself?

  2. Keir Graff says:

    Actually, that would be more like a free ride when you’ve already paid, don’t you think?

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