9. It's An Excuse To Pick Up The Books
I read James Patterson in the same way that I eat McDonalds. I sneak it, usually don't tell anybody about it and feel ashamed about it later. I mean, the guy throws out like twenty books a year and most of it reads just like bad TV! Not the Alex Cross novels though. They're some of the only books Patterson takes sole credit on and working with a protagonist that is on par with literary's best heroes of today, Patterson weaves some great thrillers and always keeps the reader guessing and loving every second of it even when he's clichéd and walking on a well trodden path. Alex Cross is loosely based on the novel Cross, and a new Cross adventure hits shelves on February 26th. So, if you haven't read the books, use what may be a terrible film as an excuse to read some pretty cool thrillers.