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Reports: Mrbeast And James Patterson’s New Book Is A Flop

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After surviving seven days at sea and 100 hours inside the Egyptian pyramids, MrBeast is reportedly having some trouble surviving his first book launch. The Most Dangerous Games, a collaboration between the YouTuber Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson and prolific thriller author James Patterson, is “on track to be a historic bomb,” according to Semafor.

Semafor reported that presales are clocking in “in the four digits,” though IGN reported that a senior source disputed that narrative. Publisher HarperCollins, which hasn’t responded to requests for comment, likely spent a ton of cash on the pair’s author fees that will be difficult to recoup if the book doesn’t sell like gangbusters.

It feels like a partnership out of left field. Patterson has written several novels with famous people, from Dolly Parton to Bill Clinton. But the crossover between Donaldson’s younger, internet-focused audience and Patterson fans wouldn’t even fill an early 2000s Barnes & Noble loveseat. Donaldson told USA Today that he was hoping the book, which follows a fictional (more) dangerous version of the Squid Game-like challenges he’s become known for, would reach multiple generations in a family. “When’s the last time there’s been a book that a mom and her son or daughter would also be interested in?” (Easy, Marley and Me.)

Hail Mary. Donaldson is trying to pad sales by offering fans who buy a physical copy of the book a chance to win $1,000,000.—MM

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