We are quite sure that just about all of us are already familiar with agent Ethan Hunt listening in to a particular mission briefing, where it ends with “This message will self destruct in 5 seconds.” Cue the Mission Impossible theme song, and the adventure begins. Well, Agent Ethan Hunt wannabes, your mission, should you choose to accept it, would be to read this particular novel known as Private Vegas in 24 hours, or the book will self-destruct afterwards. In the literal sense, too.
Of course, author James Patterson has come up with this zany idea, where he will offer 1,000 self-destructing digital advance copies of his latest novel, Private Vegas, to the lucky selected ones. Should you fail to finish the novel in 24 hours, all of the text within will disappear – for good. It is no use holding up the pages to a flame to see if it is printed in some sort of time sensitive invisible ink, it just won’t work. If you have an appetite for adrenaline, then there is an actual self-destructing copy that will cost you close to $295,000, and that my friends, will include a dedicated bomb squad in addition to other creature comforts. Definitely cool to have, and I do wonder if flipping the pages quickly would signal one completing the book – just in case, you know, you do not want to end up gibbed.