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After defeating Number 6 and Number 7 on The List of Alien Outlaws on Terra Firma (in .nightsandweekends.com/articles/08/NW0800295.php>The Dangerous Days of Daniel X and Daniel X: Alien Hunter), teen alien hunter Daniel returns to take on the deadliest (and smelliest) alien yet in Daniel X: Watch the Skies.
There’s something fishy going on in the small town of Holliswood. When Daniel shows up at the town’s diner, he’s greeted by a mess of broken dishes and alien slime—and a pretty young waitress who doesn’t remember a thing. The being to blame is Alien Outlaw Number 5—a big, fish-like monster who’s taken control of the residents’ minds through their electronic devices.
Number 5 is an intergalactic entertainment mogul who’s famous for his own brand of reality TV, which he calls “endertainment.” On each episode of his wildly popular show, he uses his powers to force his cast to perform silly song-and-dance numbers. Then, at the end of the show, he turns them into a puddle of goo.
With his right-hand alien (who also happens to be Number 21 on The List) and a horde of dimwitted henchbeasts at his side, Number 5 has big plans for the town of Holliswood—and he intends to make Daniel the grand finale.
Quick and witty and totally icky, Daniel X: Watch the Skies is Patterson’s best Daniel X yet. The situations are quirkier, the dialogue is sharper, and the aliens are a whole lot stinkier than ever before. And not only are they big and ugly and smelly, but they also use victims’ TVs, cell phones, and video games to take control of their minds. How’s that for a subtle suggestion to put down the Game Boy and pick up a book?
Patterson and Rust make a winning team—and it’s clear that they had a whole lot of fun with Watch the Skies. While the plot is action-packed and clever, it’s the extra stuff that makes it so much fun to read. The story is loaded with pop-culture references that readers of all ages will appreciate—from the latest music and gadgets to classic literature and ‘70s rock (and, in the comical opening scene, even a little bit of disco). And pre-teen boys, especially, will love the silly scenes and the creepy aliens. In fact, even they might get grossed out by Number 5’s new and totally disgusting use for caviar (though they’ll probably be even more grossed out by the kissing scenes).
Meanwhile, the more you get to know Daniel, the more you’ll like him. He’s smart and funny, and he’s got all kinds of cool superpowers—yet he’s still an awkward teenage boy who doesn’t know what to do when he gets a crush on a real, human girl.
If you’ve been struggling to get your favorite pre-teen boy hooked on reading, this is the perfect place to start. It has the action and adventure of his favorite video game mixed with the imagination of his favorite cartoon series—and it’s all presented on the page, written in Patterson’s signature rapid-fire style. He’ll love every fun and fast-paced chapter—and you will, too.
