The X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate by Jonathan Mayberry
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How did Fox Mulder become a believer? How did Dana Scully become a skeptic? The X-Files Origins has the answers in this young adult origin story.
The X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate will explore the teen years of Dana Scully, the beloved character depicted in the cult-favorite TV show The X-Files. Her story is set in the spring of 1979, when serial murder, the occult, and government conspiracy were highlighted in the news.
The book will follow Scully as she experiences life-changing events that set her on the path to becoming an FBI agent.
Don’t miss The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos, by Kami Garcia, about 17-year-old Fox Mulder.
Okay, I was not a fan of this. I’m so deep in the middle of an X Files spiral right now, and Mulder and Scully are just amazing. I love these two so dearly. After reading the absolutely wonderful first book of this series, I was so excited to read about my fierce and fantastic leading lady, Dana Scully. Scully is brilliant – not only as a doctor but a developed skeptic and a fighter. She kicks some major butt, but this book did not do her justice.
This Scully did not have the same feeling as the Scully in the show. Obviously that Scully is a much more experienced and mature Scully, but I didn’t feel anything from this Scully. I felt like she had such a dry personality in this book, and I thought that she focused on things that she didn’t mean to. She just didn’t feel like Scully, so much I just imagined that this book wasn’t about her.
The other characters were quite painful as well. Melissa was always an interesting side character in the show, but I found her to just be a cheap cliche in the book. She was sitting there, singing a song about a witch (fantastic Fleetwood Mac song, though), obsessed with crystals and a shop called Beyond, Beyond. It felt like she was just this side character that was meant to be a caricature of the character of the show and had no depth. The other characters were so boring that I can’t even tell you anything about them.
The plot was kind of interesting, but I named the killer the moment that I saw them appear in the book. Literally, the second I saw them, I’m like, yup, you the killer. AND I WAS RIGHT. It was predictable and quite a bit boring that I didn’t interest me without the draw of this being Scully’s story.
Overall, this was not a good read for me, despite my devotion to The X Files. It didn’t feel like Scully, and the story wasn’t interesting enough to keep me intrigued without the draw of her. The characters and plot didn’t bring the love that the first book in the series brought to me. 1 crown and a Merida rating from me!
Verdict: skip this one because the first book was so amazing and it’s totally a favorite.
Book Princess Reviews 
So… it sounds like Scully’s character was not nearly as well served as Mulder’s *sigh*. Thanks for you review!
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No, not at all! Mulder was so much more intricately and wonderfully done, while Scully got the short end of the stick. Thanks for reading. 🙂
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This one is from a different author than book one, right? I wonder if that’s why it fell flat. It sounds like their writing styles were pretty different. Sorry you didn’t enjoy this one as much. I know you loved the first one!
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Yes! Different author! Kami Garcia did such a better job with it. I had never heard of this guy’s work before, and he really did take a different approach and I did not jell well with his writing style. Definitely stick with the first one. 😉 Oh! Didn’t you meet Garcia at the Comic Con?
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Oh, that’s right! I forgot it was Kami Garcia’s. She’s a pretty great writer, so that kind of makes sense. Still a bummer though! I did meet her, and she is awesome!
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Yes! I agree. And that’s awesome! Did you read her Beautiful Creatures series?
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I did a long time ago, and I really liked it! Have you read those ones?
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I never made it past the first one for some odd reason. Like, I remember the basics, but I think I went full on book hipster at that point and just didn’t want to read anything that was hyped up. But I find it super cool that Garcia and Stohl both went on to do different books. 😀
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Hahaha. I went through a period like that after I graduated, because I did study literature in college, so that tends to make you a bit of a lit snob. Luckily, I’m over it! LOL. I do think it’s awesome that they’ve both gone on to write other awesome books on their own. 🙂
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Ahhhhhhhh gotcha. XD Hard to shake that, but glad you did or you wouldn’t be here. 😀 But yes! 😀 I’m not ever sure I could be part of a writing duo – do you?
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Hahaha. It’s so true. I just accepted the fact that I love to read fun books, and that’s okay. LOL. I honestly can’t even imagine writing a book with someone else. That would be sooooo hard!
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Lol yes! And yesssssssssss. I feel like how do you even compare the images in your head to describe them and I’m not sure I would ever want to give up full control of my babies?
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I am totally with you on that. I think there are definite good parts, like having someone to keep you on track, so you don’t quit, and having someone to bounce ideas off of, but giving up that kind of control would be SOOOOO hard.
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Yes! So many props to the people that do it and actually did just one character instead of the easy route of two people.
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That’s so true! It would be soooo much harder that way.
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Womp womp wommmpppppp. Boo, this is second book syndrome! I’m so sorry you didn’t like it Mandy! At least you still have the show!
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Thank you, Rendz! ❤ So very true…which I may or may not be watching this every moment?
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