Toys is the 25th stand-alone novel by James Patterson and is co-written with Neil McMahon. It is set in 2061, in a dystopic world ruled by genetically engineered super-humans known as the Elite, at a time when ordinary humans are regarded as dirty, barbaric, evil and hopeless. In this world, toys (rather than religion) are the opiate of the masses. In this world, Hays Baker and his wife, Lizbeth are Elite operatives for the Agency of Change. After an attack by rogue humans, which leaves Hays seriously injured, surgeons discover that Hays is actually an Augmented human, making him the target of scorn of the Elite, including Lizbeth, and a candidate for a slow death by torture by his boss, Jax Moore. Hays then ecsapes, steals a car and heads for his parents farm to learn the truth. In reading fiction, we are asked to suspend our disbelief, but there is a limit. Its 2061, for heavens sake: are we really meant to believe that it never occurred to Hays that the fancy Mazda he stole might have a locator beacon? That he, himself, might have a chip embedded? That no-one would guess he was going to see his parents? And then the World Leaders immediately trust him to save humankind? This novel, in Pattersons trademark short chapter format, is full of shallow characters, wooden dialogue and transparent plot. Patterson is putting his name on some real rubbish lately. One advantage of reading this is that I now know that I dont need to read anything else co-written with Neil McMahon.