The Dean
Koontz Review Blog
This blog will eventually have all of Dean Koontz’s
books in synopses and review. It will be
arranged chronologically, with his pseudonym-written books listed when first
released. The synopsis of each book will
be taken directly from the book cover or dust jacket itself.
You can read the reviews with confidence; there will
never be any spoilers!
Check back regularly for added reviews.
First, a word about Dean Koontz’s career:
Like many authors, Koontz’s books can be categorized
into different sections throughout his career.
These are those different sections, as I see them, starting with his
pseudonyms, which have their own genres:
Deanna
Dwyer – Gothic Romance
K.R. Dwyer
– Suspense, “Chase” novels
Brian
Coffey – Crime Novels, ala John D. MacDonald
Anthony
North – Political Thriller
John Hill
– Science Fiction, technology
Aaron
Wolfe – Alien Sci-fi
David
Axton – Adventure Novel, ala Alistair MacLean
Owen West
– Horror Suspense
Leigh
Nichols – Mystery Suspense, Conspiracy
Dean has
said: “My career is an example of
Brownian movement, progress by random motion.”
While Dean
Koontz books have never (perhaps excluding his early SF novels) easily fit into
one genre or another, I believe Dean Koontz has had six different eras to his
works:
1-
Science Fiction,
1968-1975 (Star Quest to Nightmare Journey)
2-
Early Thrillers,
1973-1977 (Demon Seed to The Vision)
3-
“1980’s”
Horror-Thrillers, 1980-1992 (Whispers
to Cold Fire)
4-
“1990’s”
Suspense-Thrillers, 1992-1999 (Hideaway to
False Memory)
5-
“Spiritual
Thrillers”, 2000-present (From the Corner
of His Eye to ?)
6-
Spiritual/Character
thrillers, 2013-present (Innocence to ?)
These different eras overlap as far as time and genres
are concerned (occasionally throwing in a straight crime thriller), and, of
course, his style continues to evolve.
Now, his works:
Star Quest (1968)
Synopsis:
Divided
cosmos…
In
a universe that had been ravaged by a thousand years of interplanetary warfare
between the star-shattering Romaghins and the equally voracious Setessins,
there seemed now but one thing that might bring the destruction to an end.
That
would be the right catalyst in the hands of the right people.
The
right catalyst could well be the individualist rebel, Tohm…he who had once been
a simple peasant and who had been forcibly changed into a fearfully armored
instrument of mechanical warfare – the man-tank Jumbo Ten.
But
the right people? Could they possibly be
the hated driftwood of biological warfare – those monsters of a cosmic no-man’s
land – the Muties?
Review:
Paperback
only. This first Koontz novel, published when he was 23-years-old, is a good
example of the imagination that would make him a beloved author. This sci-fi thriller is about a man, Tohm,
who awakens as a machine, or actually, as the brain running a machine. After finding himself a new body, he joins a
group of mutant rebels after saving the life of one. He then seeks for his kidnapped love while
helping the mutants in their fight against their enemies. An exciting novel with some mind-blowing
“what-ifs”, typical of the science-fiction genre of the time. A strong beginning to a great career!
The Fall of the Dream Machine (1969)
Synopsis:
(None
produced – Author’s foreword:)
If
there was a single phrase that captured the public’s attention more than any
other in 1967, it was this one: “The Medium Is the Massage.” Marshall McLuhan not only made a fortune with
it, but established himself as a prophet and philosopher. When McLuhan says the printed word is doomed
in our age of electronic communication, everyone listens. Somehow, no one seems to notice that
McLuhan’s own predictions are presented via the printed word and – by his own
theories – are doomed from the start.
Still,
it frightens me to think of a future where all artistic outlets are electronic,
where all of life becomes an open, sterile, and public thing. In this novel, I have tried to shape a
society that has advanced along the lines of the predictions in The Medium Is the Massage…and then
advanced a little further – a little too far.
McLuhan
says we are drawing – via electronics – together again into a Village
Society. A quick look around at
television, telephones, and the recorded messages of today’s pop music groups
makes this seem a reasonable statement.
But what will follow the Village Stage?
A Household Society? And after
that what will we have – and be?
This
is not truly a horror story. Not quite.
-Dean
R. Koontz
Review:
Paperback
only. In a tale reminiscent of the much later Bruce Willis movie, Surrogates, this book is an interesting
look at a future world where technology and the desire for proxy experiences
combine with horrifying consequences.
Mike
Jorgova has been brought up from birth to be a Performer in Show, an immersive
experience that has taken over all forms of entertainment. Its creator, the seemingly immortal
Anaxemander Cockley, is the most powerful man on earth, with most of the
government in his pocket. Mike escapes
with the help of revolutionaries, including the President of the United States,
and sets out to bring down Show while attempting to save his love, another
Performer, from the exploitation and danger that is coming.
This
fascinating novel contains many ideas and inventions that seemed futuristic at
the time but which would eventually come to fruition, demonstrating Koontz’s
imagination and flair for futurism (he describes everything from the Roomba to Viagra)! It also shows the
beginnings of his inclusion of humor amid horrific circumstances. Interesting reading!
Fear That Man (1969)
Synopsis:
In
the beginning there was darkness and light, and Sam Penuel opened his eyes on
the world of Hope. This world had
forgotten violence and no man thereon knew war.
No
man except Sam Penuel, who had come from nowhere and who had no past. But, alone on that planet, he possessed
knowledge of the ways of destruction and was able to destroy a world that could
not fight back.
But…was
that his purpose? Or was he there to
save all Hope from a threat even deadlier than the one he himself presented?
Review:
Paperback
only. Strangely interesting science-fiction story that begins like a typical
spaceship-themed mystery but soon evolves into an existential fable with
bizarre, slug-like creatures, mutants, and the question of what is god? A little dated today as far as the profound
subject matter is concerned, but interesting nonetheless. This is a far cry from his later novels
dealing with the subject of religion and spirituality, like Innocence.
The Dark Symphony (1969)
Synopsis:
Alliance
against the stars!
Men
came home to Earth, home from the stars…home to rule a world that they
hated! But Earth was easy prey, for
there was little left after the last of the atomic wars, except for pathetic
mutants picking a living in the ruins…and others, creatures no longer even
remotely human, who threatened to supplant the last strains of real man. The men from the stars moved in, bringing
their star-born societies, setting themselves up as masters over the mutant world…a
world of creatures not even fit to be slaves!
But the mutants were still there, too many to kill off, and the new
races plotted together against the masters from the stars!
Review:
Paperback
only. In a world where sound is revered, the Musicians rule…
This
imaginative story is Koontz’s first stand-alone novel (the others have a second
novel by another author on the opposite side.)
It is the tale of a young man, Guillaume Dufay Grieg, who is the son of
a prominent Musician, and therefore, ought to become one himself. However, Guil has never felt like the person
he’s supposed to be. There’s a reason
for that.
This
book is so different from Koontz’s later novels that there is very little of
his style to be seen in it. While it’s
an interesting idea, it seems to lack the heart of his later stories. Just another stepping stone on his search to
find his niche.
Hell’s Gate (1970)
Synopsis:
Time-lines
clash as Earth becomes a battleground for alien creatures and men of the far
future!
The
puppet…
He
came out of the dark night with only another man’s name…a man who would soon be
found floating in a distant river. He
was a man without a past, without a future; he had only a bloody mission. His first act was violent murder! He was a man…or was he? Just who was Victor Salsbury? And if he was not a man, then…what was
he? And who were the unseen masters, who
issued orders only on whim? What were
their plans for the world…plans so horrifying that they could change an
unfeeling nonhuman creature into a frightened human!
Review:
Paperback
only. This is Koontz’s first novel that takes place in “present day” (which was
1970.) A man awakes to remember only his
name. He soon realizes that he is being
controlled by a subliminal power (exuded by a mysterious computer) that causes
him to perform some seemingly nefarious actions. Eventually, however, he gains better control
of himself and can fight the power controlling him. With the aid of a woman and a stray dog (the
first time Koontz includes his favorite furry creature in a storyline) the man
sets out to find out who he is. Pretty
soon, other unknown beings come to apparently finish a job he was supposed to
do, but things aren’t what they seem. By
the end, this turns out to be a full-blown sci-fi novel with aliens, time
travel, alternate dimensions and probabilities.
His most interesting, exciting, and enjoyable novel to date!
Soft Come the Dragons (1970) side 1 of book
Synopsis:
Dean
Koontz is in league with the future.
Follow
him as he leads you down the gnarled paths of night descending into the
ever-present and terror-filled tomorrow.
Come trod the byways to hell and to hope when you journey with:
-
Mutilated, mutant
by-products of America’s “Artificial Wombs” created by attempts at producing
human weapons…
-
An American team
of doctors sent to China to combat the runaway ultimate in biological warfare…
-
The genetically
mutated daughter of LSD users, hiding her powers in order to survive society…
-
And Gabe, the
vital, young man mistakenly locked in an antiseptic old-age ward…
Review:
Paperback
only. The first of two collections of short stories by Koontz (the other is Strange Highways). Almost as interesting as the stories are the
introductions written by Koontz. Both
these introductions and the stories themselves demonstrate the themes,
interests, and religious and political beliefs that Dean had at the time, the
early 1970’s. This collection includes:
Soft Come the Dragons: Koontz’s
first sci-fi story sold, about a fight against ultra-light dragons that appear
regularly and kill all those who look on them.
A Third Hand: An existential story about an uber-intelligent
mutant.
A Darkness in My Soul: The short
story which Koontz later expanded into a full-length novel about a psychic man
who is hired to look into the mind of an ancient “Child” who may hold the key
to the ultimate weapon.
The Twelfth Bed: A very
interesting, though dark, story about a 12-bed “Old Folks Without Supporting
Children Home” (run by robots) and what happens when a young man is mistakenly
brought there.
A Season for Freedom: A fight
against killer robots, and one creature that seems to be the greatest killerbot
of all.
The Psychedelic Children: A “what-if”
tale about the possibility of mutations from taking LSD.
Dragon in the Land: Another
extrapolation on McCluhanism (see Koontz’s Fall
of the Dream Machine) about the final war on earth, a devastating man-made
disease, and the people charged with cleaning it up.
To Behold the Sun: A scientist’s
trip to the sun, and the psychological results.
These
stories are a very interesting look into the psyche of the early 70’s.
Dark of the Woods (1970) side 2 of book
Synopsis:
(None
published. From inside cover:)
Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and
blessed shalt thou be in the field.
Thou shalt be blessed above all…
Our
holy empire of the Alliance of mankind has fulfilled our destiny. Remember the many heroic humans who have died
in conquering the stars for you.
Therefore, do not let misguided sympathy toward inferior and conquered
animals deter you from your inherent title of divine rulers of the
universe. Do not lose this birthright by
succumbing to the “attractions” of any alien creature. Remember the penalties imposed by the
Supremacy of Man party for this transgression.
Our
blessing be with you as you follow in the paths of your brothers and
sisters. We have faith in mankind and we
have faith in you. But, however, should
you falter from the paths of righteousness, we have many willing hands eager to
show you the error of your ways…
Review:
Paperback
only. Well-known author, Stauffer Davis, along with his personal security
robot, Proteus, arrive on the planet Demos on a research visit for his next
book. Davis is aware of the genocide
perpetrated against the native Demosians by the conquering Earthmen, of the
mustard gas that killed nearly every man, woman, and child among these winged
people. Davis is also aware of the laws
against inter-species relationships.
After meeting Leah, though, he no longer cares.
Another
interesting story in Dean Koontz’s science-fiction repertoire, but still a far
cry from his thrillers that became his signature style.
Beastchild (1970)
Synopsis:
What
Alien?
The
naoli came to Earth as conquerors, while the last men skulked through the ruins
of their civilization. The two races,
human and naoli, were the most powerful intelligences in the galaxy – and
destined to be immediate and perpetual enemies!
Then
the adult Hulann met the boy Leo…and each became a traitor to his race. For it was only through treason that the
future of each race could be assured!
Review:
Paperback
only. Although this story is about an alien race, surgically implanted psychic
abilities, and a futuristic post-apocalyptic earth, it would probably appeal to
those who don’t like science-fiction more than other early works by Dean
Koontz. It is really just an
entertaining chase scenario, like Koontz did in books like Shattered, Oddkins, Innocence, and other works.
Hulann
is a naoli, the conquering reptile race that defeated the humans in a war-to-end-all-wars. One day, while excavating some ruins, he
discovers Leo, a human boy. Rather than
turn him in, which would result in the boy’s death, Hulann helps Leo survive. When Hulann’s deception is discovered, the
naoli takes off with the boy. They are
then chased by two naolis: a “Hunter” whose only purpose is to kill, and a
“traumatist”, a therapist of sorts, with his own secrets.
Koontz’s
most humanistic book to date, this is also a good example of the character
development that he would later hone into the best in the craft.
Anti-Man (1970)
Synopsis:
A
freak of nature.
Sam
was an android.
His
flesh was the ultimate miracle of science, artificially created and completely
self-sustaining. And he had the unusual
power to heal others. In fact, Sam was
too good to live.
The
world was overpopulated. Medicine had
made the decision to stop trying to prolong life. Thus anyone who was not only immune to
disease but who healed the dying was dangerous to the now precarious balance of
nature.
The
order was issued by the Secret Police: “Disassemble Sam and destroy all records
of his existence.”
But
one man couldn’t bear to see the work of a lifetime destroyed. He kidnapped Sam and began to run.
Now
they were enemies of the State – hunted like animals, hurtling toward the
terrifying secret of existence itself!
Review:
Paperback
only. This novel was expanded from Koontz’s short story, The Mystery of His Flesh, which appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1970.
Dr.
Jacob Kennelmen was on the run with Sam, the first and only android created on
earth. The government was trying to find
them, for the android had a talent that they detested: the ability to heal the
dying instantaneously. In an
overpopulated world, this talent could not be allowed to be used. As the doctor and the android continued to
avoid detection, Dr. Kennelmen began to notice changes in his companion,
changes that would continue to a horrifying conclusion.
This
story seems very timely today with the subject of artificial intelligences in
the spotlight.
Demon Child (1971) Deanna Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
Freya
was seven, and was a beautiful child.
When Jenny Brighton came to the ancestral home of her cousins to recover
from the horror of the sudden death of her parents, she fell in love with this
little girl. Freya could have stepped
out of a portrait of idealized childhood!
But
the beauty was on the surface only; for the guileless blue eyes hid the secret
of an inheritance of long-dead evil.
Freya was possessed by something from the dark, and would slip without
warning into a strange trance…and Death would stalk the grounds of the Brucker
Estate.
The
first victims were animals, but soon the taste of blood became too strong for
the unseen stalker to resist, and Jenny found herself plunged into a nightmare
world…where she was marked as the next victim!
Review:
Paperback
only. This “gothic romance” was really more of a mystery-thriller. It is reminiscent of an early John Saul
story, with danger and suspicion around every corner. Not up to the quality that Koontz would later
display, but certainly entertaining (and educational) reading, as it was one of
Koontz’s first published attempts at non-science fiction. This was also the first of Koontz’s books to
be re-released with a (slightly) different cover.
Crimson Witch (1971)
Synopsis:
A
young man’s struggle with destiny and desire in a post-nuclear world.
Jake
Turnet’s overdose of the drug PBT had opened the psychic doorway into a world
where nuclear disaster had happened in a much earlier century – a world where
sorcery had replaced science.
Then
Jake met Cheryn, a witch whose will to conquer was surpassed only by her
exquisite beauty. Here was the one woman
Jake must resist, yet whose magical powers he must rule if he was to find his
way back to his own earthly civilization.
Review:
Paperback
only. Another departure from Koontz, this time trying his hand at the fantasy
sub-genre of science-fiction. While he
has written about dragons (and other fantastical creatures) before, this is a
much stranger take, mixing futuristic ideas with such creatures.
Jake
and his trusty, talking dragon, Kaliglia, are being chased by the beautiful and
powerful “Crimson Witch”, Cheryn, who can think only of revenge. Soon, however, she realizes her true feelings
and helps Jake regain what he truly desires.
Very strange, yet interesting.
Legacy of Terror (1971) Deanna Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
A
Christmas Nightmare.
It
was the season to be jolly, a time made for all children, and for all grownups
who would never grow old. It was the
happiest time of the year, a time of renewed friendships, and of strangers
being welcomed into the house. It was
the time to reflect again on events that had transpired 2000 years ago…It was
not the time for murder.
But
Death knows no holiday season. The sight
of happiness can only be answered by bitterness, and the darkest joys. This Christmas would not be a time of peace
among men of good will…and the horror of this darkest of dark holidays would
live on for fifteen years, live on until an innocent stranger would be caught
up by the unforgettable terror of that long-ago Christmas, trapped in a
celebration of death!
Review:
Paperback
only. This is a good example of Dean Koontz’s early ability to build tension
and suspense.
Elaine
Sherred, a newly graduated nurse, goes to a large home outside of Pittsburgh to
care for an elderly stroke victim. Not
long after arriving there, she learns of a horrible incident that occurred
fifteen years earlier, and with which the family has yet to deal. After a similar incident occurs, Elaine
becomes afraid that she may be next, and it looks like she may be right…
A
very typical gothic romance, with predictable outcomes (especially for those
familiar with the genre), yet still exciting and suspenseful.
The Flesh in the Furnace (1972)
Synopsis:
To
be a god…
Pertos
was a god, of sorts. Aided only by an
idiot who nurtured a dark secret, Pertos created living puppets from the
Furnace. Puppets complete with intellect
and emotions, lusts and fears.
But
it was not easy to be a god. The puppets
had to go back into the Furnace when their task was done. If one created, one also had to destroy.
In
fact, sometimes it was dangerous to be a god.
What if one’s creations did not wish to be destroyed…?
Review:
Paperback
only. Pertos is a puppeteer, one from
the future who makes his puppets before each performance out of a device called
“the furnace”. This actually creates
live, miniature humans who then act in his show. Afterwards, he puts them back into the
furnace where they are “killed”, or rather, recycled until the next time. After much time, though, these live performers
have begun to resent their creator.
Sebastian is Pertos’ assistant, a simple-minded man who doesn’t
understand even his own emotions. After
a very unfortunate (and violent) incident, the furnace, the puppets, and the
characters will never be the same.
This
is another excellent example of Koontz’s imagination. Another interesting step in the path of his
career.
Warlock (1972)
Synopsis:
The
Blank was the time, near-forgotten but for the legends that remained as
fancies, when the Earth’s crust shifted mightily, and towering mountains rose
where no mountains had existed before.
New coastal lines were formed, while jungle became desert, and desert
and grassy plain became the bottom of the new seas. The old world was gone…but the legends remained. And they told of marvels hard to believe,
even among men who had mastered the powers of the mind. The stories told that before the Blank men
possessed marvels almost unbelievable; it was even said that the old people had
conquered the skies (and, in whispers, space itself). Men like Shaker Sandow
knew there was truth in the fancies…and then a would-be master of the world
uncovered a trove of pre-Blank treasures, and once more the world turned toward
all-consuming war!
Review:
Paperback
only. As much adventure story as science-fiction, this is Koontz’s most
enjoyable tale to date. Shaker Sandow is
a revered man in a futuristic world where cars, airplanes and other
technologies are things of legend. The
world had changed after the moving of the earth. Superstition had become the religion, making
Sandow, as a “Shaker”, the person everyone turned to for answers. With his two aides in tow, Gregor and Mace,
Shaker accompanies a group over the Cloud Range and the world beyond, all the
time being pursued by the evil Oragonians and perhaps killers from within.
This
fast-paced adventure story is quite entertaining!
Time Thieves (1972)
Synopsis:
(None
produced – inside cover:)
“Mr. Mullion,” one of the triplets said,
looming up twenty feet away as Pete followed the smooth railing.
He
stopped, his heart racing, but he felt a break in the rail as he did so. He edged forward a foot or two and felt
around with his boot until he discovered a step. In a moment, blood pounding in his temples,
he was halfway down toward the lower level, taking two risers at a time, no
matter what the danger of a fall.
He
heard the mechanical man start after him as he set foot on the cement floor.
Review:
Paperback
only. This is the last of the “shared” Koontz books (titles with a book by
another author on the opposite side.
Pete
Mullion awakes to find that he has lost twelve days of his life – complete
amnesia. After reestablishing his
relationships, especially with his wife, Della, he tries to remember the past
two weeks. Then he begins catching
glimpses of a faceless being, seemingly watching him. Soon, he loses another three days. Then sees the being again. Could it have been alien abduction, or
something worse?
Another
science-fiction story that takes place in modern times, Time Thieves is Koontz at his sci-fi best: action, imagination, humor,
and a love story all based around an interesting premise involving telepathy,
aliens, and the meaning of love.
Excellent!
Starblood (1972)
Synopsis:
Hell
tomorrow!
Timothy
was not human – not if by human you mean a man with two arms, two legs, two
eyes. Of the first criteria, he had none
at all, of the last, only one. An even that one was misplaced.
Timothy
was born of human stock, of course – but not of woman. He was a product of the artificial wombs, a
strictly military venture, and when he was born the technicians shrugged, and
consigned him to custodial care. They
expected him to die within five years, like most of the freaks.
It
was in his third year that they discovered Timothy to be something more than
human. Cheated of a normal life through
his physical deformities, nature developed his brain – and talents that were
peculiarly his. Talents that would help
him survive in a world made for the normal people – survive, and perhaps even
more!
Review:
Paperback
only. Timothy was a product of the Artificial Wombs, created by man; human, but
only in ways that can’t be seen: the mind, the soul. As a baby, he was destined to be killed,
surviving only by the grace of those who knew what it really meant to be
human. He then went on to find his place
in the world…and beyond.
Another
very strange, imaginative story in the early works of Dean Koontz, the cover of
which looks more like the album art for a Led Zeppelin release than a
science-fiction novel.
A Darkness in My Soul (1972)
Synopsis:
Superman
– or supermonster?
Although
he was the first successful product of the Artificial Creation laboratory – the
government workshop for the production of new talents by tampering with the
genes of the unborn, Simeon Kelly would work for them only under
compulsion. And the compulsion of the
generals applied to get him to probe the mind of the thing called Child had to
be the greatest.
Because
Child was anything but that. In that
incredibly monstrous infant appeared to be the potential for whole oceans of
inventions and an entire cosmos of total creativity. But Child was vicious, insane, and
short-lived.
The
encounter of Simeon Kelly inside the soul? mind? cosmos? of this final gene-construct is a novel which spans the
crises of the present with the whole ultimate mystery of Creation itself –
possibly the most serious novel ever written by the rapidly rising SF talent of
Dean R. Koontz.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is Dean’s first hardcover release, as well as the first
book under his own name to have multiple printings with different covers.
Expanded
from the short story of the same name, which appeared in his book, Soft Come the Dragons. Part One is the original short
story. Parts Two through Four are the
“sequel” to the tale, the continuing story of Simeon Kelly, an “esper” whose
job it is to enter the minds of others.
He is hired by the government to look into the mind of a mutant known
only as “Child”, who may hold the key to the ultimate weapon.
This
expanded novel, still rather short at 125 pages, is interesting as an answer to
what happened to Simeon after he was trapped inside the mind of Child.
Chase (1972) K.R. Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
When
Benjamin Chase was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, he accepted
without ceremony – by mail. He shunned
the hometown press and nearly demolished the sports car given him as a token of
their esteem by the local merchants.
He
had almost managed to make the newspapers forget him when he became a hero
again. He saved a girl’s life. He took on a knife-wielding madman, who had
already killed Lois Allenby’s lover, and drove him off. Thus buying another unwanted batch of
publicity.
But
that was the least he had to worry about. Chase had also bought the hatred of a
psychopathic killer. The voice on the
telephone was tense and ugly. “You
messed in where you had no right messing…I just want to tell you that it
doesn’t end here. I’ll deal with you,
Mr. Chase, once I’ve researched your background and have weighed a proper
judgment on you. Then, once you’ve been
made to pay, I’ll deal with the whore, the Allenby girl.”
“Deal
with?” Chase asked.
“I’m
going to kill you and her, Chase.”
Chase
believed him. However, once the police
learned about his endless sessions with a psychiatrist and his service
disability pension for having suffered a nervous breakdown, nobody believed
Chase.
Slowly,
painfully, Chase had to return from his penitent retreat and face reality
again. He had to find the killer before
the killer got to him. Fortunately, he
had been trained in stealth and mayhem by the best school in the world – the
U.S. Army. Unfortunately, the killer –
who called himself Judge – had also learned a few things.
Chase is not only a novel of modern suspense, but a frightening, disquieting
look at the sources of violence and their ultimate effect in our society.
Review:
Hardcover
only. This is the first book by “K.R. Dwyer” and the first pseudonym-written
book released as a hardcover. It was
later heavily revised and printed in Strange
Highways.
Despite
Koontz’s memoir in Strange Highways,
this is not a story he should be embarrassed about. He was, perhaps, right in rewriting it and
shortening the story, as it seems to have a lot of extra material that slows
the pace at times, but the idea is exciting, the characters well-developed, and
the action relentless. It is filled with
characters who are deeply scarred, psychologically, for a variety of
reasons. Written and set at the end of
the Vietnam War, this does a good job of presenting the country’s mentality at
the time, and the differing views on that war.
Children of the Storm (1972) Deanna Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
Dark
Distingue…
It
was hard for Sonya Carter to believe that she was only half an hour from
civilization, for the feeling of isolation from the world on this tiny island
in the Caribbean was almost complete.
The people in the two houses on the island could have been cast adrift
from reality, inhabiting a universe of their own. Sonya had come to Distingue to escape the dark
days of her recent past; the offer of a job as tutor to the Dougherty children
seemed heaven-sent. And for a time
Distingue seemed to live up to the promise of its name – a place of elegance. But there was a darker force on the island,
an insane power that sought to bring terror to the most innocent victims of
all, the children. Someone was
determined to murder them – and only Sonya stood in his way!
Review:
Paperback
only. This was my favorite of the “Deanna Dwyer” books. It contains the suspense of the later Dean
Koontz thrillers along with their character development. Although it was perhaps a little predictable,
at least for someone who is familiar with the basic structure and premise of
the typical gothic romance, it still delivers in the scares and thrills.
Dance with the Devil (1972) Deanna Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
The
devil’s country…
Katherine
Sellers came to Owlsden in the winter, to be the secretary-companion to Lydia
Boland, one of the wealthiest women in the country. The job was an exciting challenge for
Katherine, and a needed change from events she’d sooner forget. And her new employer was a charming and
gracious lady. If only all of the people
of Owlsden and the little mountain village that huddled against the estate for
protection were so nice, Katherine’s happiness would be assured. However, beneath the charm stirred other
emotions, other forces. There was evil
in that mountain valley, a brooding evil that worshipped at a dark altar…an
altar that had been built for unspeakable sacrifice! And Katherine was marked from the moment she
arrived – marked to die!
Review:
Paperback
only. Marketed as a gothic romance, this book is really more of a thriller
reminiscent of the early works of Lois Duncan.
In this mystery, no one is who they seem, and the reader (along with the
protagonist) is kept guessing as to the real intentions of the threatening
characters. Very atmospheric, full of
paranoia and heart-pounding thrills, this is worth a look as a step along
Koontz’s evolution to becoming the master of suspense.
The Dark of Summer (1972) Deanna Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
Inherit
Death…
After
her parents’ death, Gwyn Keller tried to run away from life, escaping the agony
of facing each day in the blessed world of sleep. Her bed became a fortress that guarded her
and protected her, until the time came when she would not leave it at all. Gwyn knew that something was horribly wrong,
but it took her six months to find the strength to seek out professional
help. And Dr. Recard had helped her; she
was once again making solid contact with life, facing decisions, putting her
loss and her agony behind her.
Then
came the letter from her uncle, William Barnaby, after fifteen years of
alienation…and Gwyn found herself thrust back into a nightmare world of hatred
and violence. Even sleep was no longer a
refuge, when someone…or something…was trying to kill her!
Review:
Paperback
only. After her parents are killed, and after months of severe emotional
turmoil, Gwyn Keller goes to live with her only living relative, an uncle who
had been estranged from her family her entire life. At first, it seems like old pains have been
healed, but something seems wrong, is it just an act? Then, Gwyn begins seeing the ghost of her
long-dead twin sister…
In
a novel full of twists and turns, shady characters that may or may not be who
they seem, and mysteries around every corner, this exciting novel is similar to
the works of Mary Higgins Clark and Joy Fielding. Clearly, Koontz had found his genre, whether
he was willing to admit it yet or not!
Writing Popular Fiction (1972) Non-fiction
Synopsis:
Fan
of popular fiction, professional writer, new writer looking for markets –
whoever you are, you’ll enjoy this book.
It takes you behind the publishing scene and shows you how popular
novels – science fiction, mysteries, suspense thrillers, Gothic – romances,
adult fantasy, Westerns, and erotica – are created and how you can write them too.
Writing Popular Fiction offers you, whatever you write, the chance to perfect
your craft while earning income, building your reputation, and experiencing the
encouragement of seeing your work in print.
With this book – conversationally, amusingly written by a knowledgeable
craftsman of popular fiction, and spiced with quotations and examples – you’ll
find learning all about the writing of popular fiction a pleasurable,
worthwhile experience.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Koontz has recently said that both this book, and his 1982 book How to Write Best Selling Fiction are now
too dated to be any help to aspiring writers.
However, this is an interesting read to see how Dean approached his
craft at the time, along with some of his views of the world and other writers. It is funny to see his references to some of
his books written under pseudonyms that he praises as if they were coming from
different people! It is also fascinating
to see how the market for books was in the early-‘70’s, and Dean talks a lot
about how he varied his books among the different genres, using various
pseudonyms (some divulged, others only alluded to), and what he did in order to
“pay the bills” during the first few years of his writing career. An interesting history lesson, if not much
help to the budding author.
The Haunted Earth (1973)
Synopsis:
The
Maseni were humanoid, but no creature with bulbous forehead, slit mouth and
tentacles where fingers should be would ever be mistaken for a man. The Maseni had been on earth for ten years –
years in which the human race reeled under the shock not only of meeting an
alien intelligence, but of knowing for the first time that earth did not belong
to men alone. For the Maseni held the
secret of contacting the worlds of the supernatural, and now all of the creatures
of legend and mythology had been released from their ancient bondage. Not all of them were happy about the new
freedom, however – even a vampire is apt to resent the interference when he’s
stopped in mid-bite by the precise wording of a decision handed down by the
supreme court of the United Nations.
Review:
Paperback
only. This funny look at the future (the year 2000), when the earth had been
populated by alien beings, the Maseni, who arrived, unveiling all the
supernatural creatures in the world.
Vampires, hell hounds, and other paranormal entities were now
commonplace on earth, and Jessie Blake had converted from an Interpol agent to
a private detective who made sure that all laws governing the interactions
between species were kept, like the requirement that vampires read their victims
the “fine print” about the results of their bite! When Jessie takes a case for one Maseni: to
look into the destruction of the soul of one of their own, he is introduced to
the strangeness of this new, alien race.
This
is a funny look at the speculative world of aliens, supernatural beings, and
the interactions of humans among them.
Demon Seed (1973)
Synopsis:
It
was the first mating of a human female with a sensually self-programed,
murderously intelligent computer.
No
woman had ever been violated as profanely.
Subjected
to the inhuman love of Proteus, she became a slave, forced to submit entirely
to his will.
At
first, Proteus shaped her personality to suit his own obsessive desires. Then he began to prepare her for the most
perverse destiny of them all.
Proteus
had chosen her to bear his child…Demon
Seed.
Review:
Paperback
only. This is Dean Koontz’s first major success, and the first of his works to
be put on film in a popular movie starring Julie Christie. It is also his earliest work still in print
(though in a modified, 1990’s version.)
It
is 1995. Susan Abramson lives in a
late-19th century home which has been retrofitted with the latest
security, environmental, and convenience technology. Even the computer voice has been designed to
create the most comfortable surroundings.
As a result, Susan has begun to use her home as an emotional cocoon,
distancing herself from the world, rarely venturing out. As with most technology, though, it is soon
obsolete. Rumor has it that there is a
new computer system that has been created, a computer that has the ability to
upgrade both its software and hardware, possibly even the ability to think, a
computer called Proteus. Then, Susan’s
house begins to “act” unpredictably…the question then arises: if Proteus can
create new parts and functions for itself, what else might it be able to
create?
This
is one of the few science-fiction novels ever written that has become more timely and modern as time
passes. Koontz certainly saw the future
with this idea! Very exciting and
chilling, this crossover from sci-fi to suspense thriller was the one that got
him noticed.
A Werewolf Among Us (1973)
Synopsis:
He
was a cyberdetective – a super-man…
People
– ordinary people – were afraid of Baker St. Cyr. Patiently the cyberdetective would explain
that the computer half of his investigatory symbiosis did not “take over” when
his human half joined with it. “A
cyberdetective is part man and part computer, meshed as completely as the two
can ever be. The highly
microminiaturized components of the bio-computer remember and relate things in
a perfectly mathematical manner that a human mind could never easily grasp,
while the human half of the symbiote gives a perception of emotions and
emotional motivations that the bio-computer could never comprehend. Together we make a precise and thorough
detective unit.”
And
also a very dangerous creature. Which
St. Cry never went on to explain…
Review:
Paperback
only. Baker St. Cyr is a cyberdetective, a symbiote creature half-man and
half-computer. His latest case involves
murder among an elite family. While
almost everyone is suspect, St. Cyr is surprised by the indications: a
werewolf. Aided by the family’s personal
robot, Teddy, the cyberdetective finds clues leading to a shocking conclusion,
one that may place doubts on his own existence.
Borrowing
from Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, this exciting story plays out like
an episode of Columbo, or perhaps an
Agatha Christy mystery set in the far future.
Fascinating!
Shattered (1973) K.R. Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
Alex
Doyle and his new wife’s eleven-year-old brother, Colin, set out from
Philadelphia on a drive across the country to their new home in San
Francisco. It should have been a fine
adventure.
Colin
was precocious, savvy beyond his years, good company. Alex was a successful young commercial artist
on his way to a new job as well as to a new wife whom he deeply loved, and he
had no worries to detract from his enjoyment of the trip. He intended to teach Colin a few things about
the old U.S.A. And knowing Colin, Doyle
expected the boy to do some teaching of his own. It would be a learning experience for both of
them.
One
of the things they would learn in the next five days was the true nature of
terror.
“We’re
being followed, Alex,” Colin said when they were only four blocks into their
long journey.
Doyle
played along with the fantasy. He was
used to Colin’s elaborate games, and he enjoyed them himself. By chance, the small delivery van remained a
steady quarter-mile behind them for the next two hours, giving Colin’s
grandiose imagination an opportunity to evolve all sorts of melodramatic
explanations: spies, highwaymen, FBI agents…
But
then it became obvious that the van’s steady pursuit of them was not
coincidental. It was deliberate. They were
being followed. And then, on the second
day of the journey, on the deserted plains of Missouri, the van tried to run
them off the road. After a harrowing
fifty-mile chase, they managed to escape with their lives.
Temporarily. Several hours later, as if the driver of the
van knew their preplanned itinerary, he showed up on the road behind them. And the violence began again. From the long night of stalk and
counter-stalk in the unhumanly gray corridors of a huge motel outside of
Denver, to the desperate chase across the deserts of Utah and Nevada, Alex and
Colin search for a clue to the identity of the madman behind them. But he remains faceless…until the final confrontation
in San Francisco, when Courtney Doyle – wife and sister of the pursued –
becomes the focal point of a paranoid nightmare.
Shattered is primarily the story of the violence wrought by one
man’s broken mind. But it is also the
story of modern American factionalism and suspicion, a miniature portrait of a
nation divided and unsettled. Dwyer’s
writing, as in his previous novel, Chase,
is lean and fast and in tune with the rhythm of modern American life.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This one’s a nail-biter!
In the same vein as the movie Duel
and Stephen King’s story, Maximum
Overdrive, this tale has more heart and character than those two stories
combined. The reader is immediately
drawn in to the predicament surrounding the protagonists, thanks to Koontz’s
inimitable way of drawing characters with which the reader can sympathize. Although not a very long novel, it sure seems
that way as the suspense builds relentlessly and never lets up. Be sure to set aside the time needed to
finish this book, because you won’t want to put it down!
Hanging On (1973)
Synopsis:
Super
snafu…
It
all began when Major Kelly’s Army engineers were dropped into Nazi-occupied
France and ordered to keep a bridge open until the Allies arrived.
Simple…
Except
the mission was a secret and nobody knew they were there – nobody except the
Luftwaffe, which kept bombing the bridge…which meant the GI’s kept rebuilding
it…which meant the Luftwaffe kept bombing it…
Which
meant the tension was doing funny things to Major Kelly’s men’s minds…which
meant anything could happen –
And
you can bet your last C-ration it did!
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This ribald, yet exciting comedy was clearly inspired by
M*A*S*H, as it contains wacky characters and nail-biting thrills, however,
that’s where the similarities stop.
Most
of the characters, including the protagonists, are unsympathetic, therefore
making it difficult to get into the story.
They are too flawed to be likable (with a few exceptions in minor
characters) and therefore the reader has a hard time caring what happens to
them. With that said, the story is
interesting and their predicament is exciting and unpredictable. It is also well-written, as all of Koontz’s
work, as far as the descriptions, pacing, and storytelling is concerned. Interesting reading as it is Koontz’s only
war novel.
Blood Risk (1973) Brian Coffey pseudonym
Synopsis:
A
Blood War against the Mafia.
Four
men waited on the narrow mountain road for the Cadillac carrying $341,890, the
biweekly takings of a Mafia cell. Four
men who had never failed in a heist before, on their fourteenth operation in
three years.
Shirillo,
watching in the long grass. Pete Harris
with a submachine gun. Bachman in the
getaway car, and Mike Tucker, art dealer and professional thief; the
perfectionist. As the big Cadillac
slewed round the bend, none of them realized that this time Tucker had made a
fatal miscalculation that would plunge them all into a blood war against the
Mafia.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Dean Koontz has stated on numerous occasions that John D. MacDonald is
one of his favorite authors. This book
is obviously inspired by MacDonald’s Travis
McGee series. Koontz’s three Mike Tucker books (Blood Risk, Surrounded, The Wall of Masks) have a protagonist who
doesn’t always obey the law. However,
that is where the similarities end.
Blood
Risk is a departure for Koontz, at the time writing only science fiction under
his own name and gothic romance under the pen name Deanna Dwyer. Under the pseudonym Brian Coffey (this being
his debut) Koontz tries his hand at the crime thriller. Despite the lack of character development, at
least compared to his later novels, Koontz spins an exciting yarn about a heist
gone wrong, and the necessary steps involved in cleaning up the ensuing
mess. The final action is definitely a
page-turner, displaying the talent he would use many times in future novels.
Strike Deep (1974) Anthony North pseudonym
Synopsis:
In
the sub-sub-basement of the Pentagon there exists a room housing the most
valuable information this country possesses.
The information – contingency plans in case of atomic attack,
projections of foreign policy to the year 2000, “hard” data on leaders both
foreign and domestic, blueprints and plans for a range of sophisticated weapons
– is stored in heavily guarded computers which will only divulge their secrets
to nine men (including the President, the Director of the CIA, and Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff) who possess the code key to activate them, a code
key which is changed bi-weekly.
What
if – just what if – an unauthorized
person or persons got hold of those codes?
What if they demanded a ransom of something more valuable than
money? And what if, after receiving the
ransom, they nevertheless determined to release the information in the computers
– with the sole purpose of destroying the United States?
They
could do it, of course, unless they were somehow stopped…
Strike Deep is a chilling novel of suspense. It is one of the most exciting books you will
ever read.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Lee Ackridge is a Vietnam vet with severe facial scars from his tour in
Southeast Asia, and deep psychological scars to go along with them. The only thing going right in his life is his
girl, Carrie Hoffman, a beautiful woman with a kind heart. Suddenly, with a visit from his only close
friend from the war, Doug Powell, his life would never be the same. Powell has a plan for a heist that would
leave them both with permanent financial stability: they would “kidnap” the
most top secret plans from the Pentagon by hacking into the computer system,
then hold them for ransom. Of course,
they would never actually hand the plans over to a foreign government, just
threaten to do so. At first, Lee had no
intention of going along with the plan, but the more he heard, the more
fool-proof it sounded. Unfortunately,
Doug Powell was inspired by more than greed, in fact, his motives bordered on
madness.
This
exciting page-turner is a fascinating look at the politics, lifestyle, and
technology of the mid-70’s. Great character
development and nail-biting tension make for a novel that is almost impossible
to quit. Get ready for a sleepless
night!
After the Last Race (1974)
Synopsis:
A
two million dollar heist…
That’s
what Edgar and Annie dreamed up. To hit
the new Century Oaks Race Course on Sweepstakes Day.
They
recruited a gang of pros and put their dream into action. It seemed to be going okay. Except one of them plotted a
double-cross. And a freaked-out stranger
planned a big fire for the same track – on the same day.
No
one saw the whole pattern – until it was too late…
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Koontz’s first heist story released under his own name (the Mike
Tucker series was written under the pseudonym of Brian Coffey.) This story about a heist at a high-tech (for
1974) horse racing and gambling facility is an exciting look at the high-paced
world of thoroughbred racing.
Well-researched and fascinating, if you’ve ever wanted to know about
that world, this book will tell you everything there is to know. Besides that, it is an exciting story with
many interesting characters. Perhaps not
up to the deep character development that Koontz would display in his later
novels, this is nevertheless an interesting, fast-paced story worthy of a read.
Surrounded (1974) Brian Coffey pseudonym
Synopsis:
The
second in a new suspense series featuring Mike Tucker, successful art dealer,
heir to a large (and unobtainable) fortune, and professional thief. Mike steals only from large institutions, and
he has successfully carried out fourteen operations in four years. His last heist was from the Mafia.
This
time, his target is less exotic but no less lucrative: to knock over a posh
California shopping mall. The mall
contains a well-heeled bank, a fabulous jewelry store, and eighteen other
stores crammed with cash. With his
colleagues Meyers and Bates, it’s a matter of an hour to clean the place out.
But
Meyers had held back one vital piece of information when he cased the
joint. An alarm is sounded. They are surrounded by cops, and there is no
way out.
Yet
when the cops finally break in the three men have disappeared into thin air
with the stash.
Surrounded
is a fast-moving novel of a clever break-in and an ingenious escape.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Although the synopsis on the dust jacket sounds like the entire plot,
like it contains spoilers, it really does not.
This tight story contains plenty of thrills, twists and turns, and
excitement to satisfy any fan of heist novels.
Again, reminiscent of John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee series, this book is Koontz’s best heist novel to
date. Full of humor and fun, yet a real
page-turner, you won’t want to miss this one!
The Wall of Masks (1975) Brian Coffey pseudonym
Synopsis:
Mike
Tucker is a modified modern-day Robin Hood.
True, he steals only from heavily insured institutions or, in one heist,
from the Mafia (which could well afford to lose a few hundred thousands). Also true, Tucker keeps the money for himself
to support his expensive taste in art.
But in the latest in a series of robberies, he rises to heights of
altruism that will surprise even his staunchest admirers.
Tucker
dreams up a fantastic robbery: the stealing of a Mayan wall of masks, hidden
for hundreds of years in the jungles of Campeche. There is a Texas art collector (black-market)
who wants the wall. So does a corrupt
Mexican general. In order to preserve
the wall for the Mexican people, Tucker works out an ingenious plan to smuggle
the wall out of the jungle. But he
underestimates the cupidity of the Texan and the ruthlessness of the
general. The three factions meet on a
disastrous collision course. Getting the
three-quarter-ton wall to Vera Cruz – a difficult feat in itself – proves to be
only secondary to the problem of outwitting two dangerous killers.
Cleverly
plotted, tersely written, The Wall of Masks is a fast, exciting and enjoyable
read for all of Tucker’s fans.
Review:
Hardcover
only. While not originally intended as
such, as Koontz (Coffey) alludes to the next heist at the end of this book,
this turned out to be the final entry in the Mike Tucker series (aka Black Cat
Mysteries).
This
is the most enjoyable of the three Mike Tucker heist novels, which is saying a
lot. All three books are fast-paced,
exciting, funny, and well-plotted. Mike
Tucker (not his real last name) is
once again teamed with Jimmy Shirillo, whom he worked with in the book Blood Risk. They team up with another thief, George
Knight, in an attempt to steal a Mayan wall of masks, along with the money that
an unscrupulous art collector has brought to a sale. When things go wrong, Tucker and his crew are
forced on the run by an evil Mexican general.
With the help of a half-crazy taxi driver, they come up with a plan that
will not only end up in their escape, but may even make them some more
cash! Very fun!
Nightmare Journey (1975)
Synopsis:
One
hundred thousand years in the future, after man has been fatally humbled by his
exploration of the stars and discovery of far more intelligent beings, civilization
is struggling to return to the planet’s surface.
After
man fled the stars, he tried to explore his own genetic frontier, creating
horrible races of deformed beings – some scaled, some furred, tiny, winged and
huge. Now Jask, a Pure who retains the original
human genetic code, and Tedesco, a great bear with a human brain, are thrown
together by their one shared and fatal trait – telepathy. Hunted like animals by the fearful populace,
they go in search of The Black Presence – which may be the key to mankind’s
place in the cosmos.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This was Koontz’s final science fiction novel (The Long Sleep was expanded from an
earlier story and released under the pseudonym John Hill).
Jask
is a “Pure” man, one with no genetic mutations.
However, he is an outcast from the other Pures when they discover his
ability to read minds. He begrudgingly
teams up with another “esper”, Tedesco, who was conceived and created in the
Artificial Wombs, and who looks like a giant bear. Like all other Pures, Jask refuses to admit
that Tedesco is a man, though as they try to escape from the hunters together,
things will change between them.
Again,
Koontz creates an interesting world of amazing creatures and places, with
themes relevant today. An interesting,
exciting end to Koontz’s career in the science fiction genre.
The Long Sleep (1975) John Hill pseudonym
Synopsis:
Mind
raped…
He
woke - and discovered that somehow, somewhere, his mind had been ravished, his
memory erased, and his only clue to his identity was his name: Joel.
But
he was not alone. Around him the
omnipresent computers typed out messages he could not decipher. Embracing him was a beautiful woman. Reassuring him was a kindly, white-haired man
who told him one lie after another. And
pursuing him was a figure without a face who called himself the Sandman.
Was
Joel the only sane human in a world gone mad?
Or was he a hopeless maniac living out his fearful fantasies? Joel’s long sleep was over - and his
nightmare had just begin…
Review:
Paperback
only. This novel was expanded from Koontz’s short story, Grayworld.
He
saved one of his best for last. In his
final science fiction novel, Koontz (under the pen name John Hill) tells the
story of Joel Amslow who awakes from a long sleep in a pod to remember only his
name. Over the next few days, he lives a
series of illusions, seemingly controlled by his Uncle Henry, a man named
Richard, a man with no face, and perhaps even his wife, Allison. Each time he awakens, he tries to escape his
confinement to discover his true identity, and his true surroundings. When he finally uncovers the truth, it will
be more terrifying than he could have ever imagined. Although only 192 pages, this is one of Dean
Koontz’s most exciting and imaginative sci-fi entries.
Dragonfly (1975) K.R. Dwyer pseudonym
Synopsis:
The
Committee, a group of powerful CIA fanatics, has friends in the Mafia, the
Congress, in every important department of the government up to and including
the President’s Oval Office. They are
funded by a reclusive billionaire, and they have always gotten what they
wanted. Now they want everything.
This
timely and chilling thriller, in the tradition of The Manchurian Candidate, is edge-of-the-chair suspense
fiction…with the future of the world hanging in the balance.
Enraged
by the Chinese-American détente, the Committee conceives a sinister plot to
destroy vital portions of the Chinese population. Their weapon is a Chinese youth (code name:
Dragonfly) who has been surgically implanted with a deadly virus. He has no memory of what has been done to
him, yet he walks around, a human time bomb, set to explode at the right moment
and release the plague within him, killing hundreds of thousands of his
countrymen. He must be found.
Thus
begins a bizarre and violent odyssey, shifting from Washington to Peking and
back. A poignant love story provides the
counterpoint to a fast-paced and spectacular plot; the combination makes Dragonfly a book readers will not be
able to put down.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is the only “K.R. Dwyer” book that has never been
re-released under Koontz’s name.
With
the detail and research of a Michael Crichton novel, and the edge-of-your-seat
excitement of a Robert Ludlum book, Dragonfly
is Koontz’s best entry in the political thriller genre. Full of twists and turns, though lacking in
the deep character development which would define his later novels, this book
is a fascinating look at the politics, paranoia, and morality of the mid-‘70’s.
Invasion (1975) Aaron Wolfe pseudonym
Synopsis:
(No
official synopsis published – also see Winter Moon.)
Don
Hanlon, his wife, Connie, and their son, Toby, have moved to a farm house deep
in the woods in northern Maine. It is in
this seclusion that Don plans to regain his life after returning from war and
its aftermath: a long stint in a psychiatric hospital.
As
a winter blizzard moves in, they discover strange prints in the snow, prints
belonging to no known creature. As the
snow deepens, they learn that they are not alone; there is someone, or
something else in the forest surrounding the farmhouse. It is watching, and coming closer…
Review:
Paperback
only. This is one of the first Koontz works to have deep character development
which results in great sympathy for the characters. Told in first-person by the father, Don, who
is a disturbed, ex-soldier trying to get his life back after returning from war
(Vietnam?) and a subsequent mental breakdown.
This book is reminiscent of a Stephen King book, as it takes place in
Maine and concerns a writer, two themes which he often uses in his novels. However, that is where the similarities
end. Unlike King, Koontz doesn’t feel
the necessity to use vulgarities in his writing, a refreshing change from much
of the writing today.
This
book is edge-of-your-seat thrilling which will probably be read in one or two
sittings. Koontz rewrote the book in the
1990’s and released it as Winter Moon,
changing the character’s names, setting, and backstory, but leaving the basic
premise, themes, and emotions the same.
Both are worth a read.
Prison of Ice (1976) David Axton pseudonym
Synopsis:
Ice-cold
death.
The
crisis: world-wide drought and famine.
The
theory: giant chunks of arctic ice can be split from the pack by explosives,
towed south and melted down for water.
The
reality: eight scientists, caught by a violent arctic storm, are adrift on a
huge iceberg planted with sixty high explosive charges due to detonate within
twelve hours.
The
possible solution: rescue by a Russian nuclear submarine cruising the Arctic on
an espionage mission.
The
hazards: intense cold, high wind-velocity, hunger, exhaustion, fear – and the
presence, in the close-knit group of scientists, of a killer…
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This was Koontz’s attempt at a political adventure thriller in
the vein of Tom Clancy, Frederick Forsyth, or Alistair MacLean. It could be best described as Ice Station Zebra meets The Hunt for Red October.
Fascinating
in not only the subject matter and page-turning excitement, but in a commentary
on the politics of the time, as one of the main characters is a thinly-veiled
version of Robert Kennedy, Jr., if only by heritage. The character of Brian Dougherty is described
as being the son of an assassinated Senator, the nephew of an assassinated
President of the United States, and the nephew of a congressman, as well as
being a third-generation Irish-American and heir to a financial and political
dynasty.
This
book has all the thrills of a great adventure novel. A group of scientists are caught after a
tsunami strands them on an iceberg filled with explosives set to go off in a
few hours. In the middle of a blizzard,
the only possibility of rescue is by a Soviet submarine in the area on a spy
mission. On top of it all, there appears
to be a murderer in their midst…
Updated,
expanded, modernized, and released under his own name in the 1990’s as Icebound.
Night Chills (1976)
Synopsis:
When
Paul Annendale arrived in Black River, he expected to enjoy a quiet six weeks
of vacation, camping in the mountains with his children. Instead, he found a nightmare: the town
ravaged by a mysterious epidemic of night chills and fever that ordinary drugs
didn’t seem to cure; old friends and acquaintances behaving in a strange and
frightening manner.
Paul
did not know then that a powerful mind-control drug was turning Black River
into a town of robots – a devastating prelude to a sex-obsessed scientist’s
dream of controlling the world.
Paul
knew only that something was wrong. Terribly wrong. And that he could no longer stand by and
watch while the horror spread...
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. After the death of his wife, Paul Annendale takes his two
children, his daughter, Rya, and his son, Mark, to the small town of Black
River for a getaway. Their timing
couldn’t have been worse, for the town was unknowingly under siege by a madman,
a scientist named Ogden Salisbury who intended to turn everyone into his
personal slaves, all in the name of science.
This
book was written only two years after the supposed conclusion of the C.I.A.’s
MK-Ultra program on mind control and brainwashing. Dean Koontz takes the idea to the next level
in this horrifying story about a small town being used as a trial for
widespread mind control under the hands of a sociopath. Full of terrifying incidents, this was the
book that introduced the world to Koontz as a suspense writer, and probably
why, for a time, he was considered a horror-genre author. Fascinating, edge-of-your-seat reading, this
one will stay with you for a long time.
The Face of Fear (1977) Brian Coffey/K.R. Dwyer pseudonyms
Synopsis:
“Nietzsche
strikes again, this time through the manic personality of a New York ‘superman’
who hopes that the terror resulting from his killing of women will enable him
to seize political power. A policeman
himself, ‘the Butcher’ gets away with a number of grisly murders until he comes
up against Harris, an ex-mountaineer whose fall from Everest has rendered him
psychic and who actually ‘sees’ one of the murders during a TV talk show.
“In
a prolonged and cleverly managed climax, the Butcher traps Harris and his
girlfriend, at night, in a Lexington Avenue office building, having shot the
guards and short-circuited the elevators.
A cat-and-mouse game played up and down the inside of the building is
continued outside it as Harris, with a game leg and terrified of heights, and
his girlfriend, with no climbing experience, try to descend the building
mountaineer-style from the fortieth floor.
There’s a blizzard blowing, to boot.
Exciting stuff. Mystery Guild
selection; Doubleday Book Club alternate.” (Publishers
Weekly)
This
is a gripping novel about two people terrorized into immobility and then driven
beyond their endurance to the brink of death.
It is the story of a man and a woman whose love for each other sustains
them through the eight most grueling hours of their lives.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is “Brian Coffey’s” first non-Mike Tucker book, and his
first to be re-released by Dean Koontz; it was also released under the
pseudonym of K.R. Dwyer in the UK.
Brian
Coffey seemed to have a knack for suspense before Dean Koontz ever attempted
it. This book seems to touch every nerve
in the human body, every “worst-case-scenario”, every phobia. When the people who are supposed to protect
us turn out to be the ones to fear, where does one turn? As the saying goes, it isn’t paranoia if they
really are out to get you! This is one of Koontz’s best to date – just
don’t read it in the dark.
The Vision (1977)
Synopsis:
Here
is a powerful, breathtaking story about a gifted woman, a psychopathic killer
who wants her, and a terror that pursues her down the corridors of time.
Twenty-four
years ago, when Mary Bergen was a child, someone tortured and tried to kill
her. When she got out of the hospital,
she discovered that her flirtation with death had left her with a bizarre gift
– clairvoyance. Since then she had used
her psychic talent to assist the police in the solution of a hundred murders.
Now,
more than two decades later, Mary is again the target of a homicidal
maniac. She must use all of her wit,
courage, and psychic ability to find him before he finds her. And as the case unfolds, she begins to
suspect that the man she is after is somehow connected to the man who stabbed
her twenty-four years ago.
To
save herself, Mary must remember every detail of the horror she endured in
childhood. Gradually she realizes that
she was the victim of more than an attempted murder. Something worse. Something strange. She must confront a terrible truth in her
past if she is to have a future.
The Vision is many things.
A riveting thriller. A love
story. The odyssey of a weak woman who
becomes strong. A story about the nature
of evil.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. The same year that “Brian Coffey” released a story about a
psychic who helps the police in solving crimes, Dean Koontz also released this
book. That is where the similarities
end, though.
This
is one of the first books that Koontz wrote that contained what would become
one of his signature elements: a very flawed, yet still likeable and
sympathetic protagonist. It also
contains his signature twists and turns, the occasional red herring, and just
enough of the supernatural to create intrigue and originality. This is a very readable, exciting little
novel.
The Key to Midnight (1979) Leigh Nichols pseudonym
Synopsis:
Zurich:
1968
A
group of scientists known as “The Clinic” has perfected Midnight: a
terrifying form of total mind control.
Japan:
1978
Millionaire-investigator
Alex Hunter hadn’t come to Kyoto to fall in love, but Joanna Rand was the most
beautiful, most exciting woman he’d ever seen.
What disturbed him was the certainty he’d seen her before. In pictures of a senator’s daughter who’d
disappeared ten years ago. Slowly,
tenderly, he helped awaken her to a terrifying fact: that she was not who she
thought she was…that her mind, her memories, had been created for her.
What
could she have known that was so important?
What
could they have done to bury it so completely?
The
answer was hidden half a world away in a conspiracy neither of them could have
suspected. Now, with death dogging their
footsteps, Alex and Joanna went out together to find The Key to Midnight.
Review:
Paperback
only. This is the debut novel from “Leigh Nichols”, and it is a fascinating,
exciting, twist-filled story about what constitutes reality and memory. Similar in theme to Night Chills, but with a much deeper plot, The Key to Midnight stands among the best mystery stories and spy
thrillers in the genre. Full of deep,
interesting, and highly sympathetic characters, this is just another novel in
the classic Dean Koontz form.
The Funhouse (1980) Owen West pseudonym
Synopsis:
The
carnival has come to town, and tonight Amy and her high-school friends are
spending the evening in The Funhouse, a place for enjoying gondola rides
through gory delights and harmless horror.
But
there is unspeakable evil waiting for unsuspecting Amy in the dark of The
Funhouse, a secret evil that began 25 years ago. It was then that a lonely young woman, who
had run off and married a carnival barker, gave birth to a monstrous
offspring. One night, in a drunken
stupor, she destroyed it. Her disturbed
husband divorced her, and vowed to go to any lengths to exact his terrible
revenge.
Now
the night he has been waiting for has finally arrived. Amy, refusing to heed the carnival fortune
teller’s warnings, excitedly takes her place on The Funhouse ride…to keep her
date with terror.
The Funhouse is more chilling than the most exciting carnival
ride.
Review:
Paperback
only (BCE hardcover). This, the first of two books by “Owen West”, is the only
film novelization that Koontz ever produced.
On the back cover of this book, “West” is compared to Stephen King, John
Saul, and Peter Straub, and called “the new master of terror”. Fans of Koontz already knew that.
Due
to delays in post-production, this book came out a year before the movie, which
resulted in some believing that the movie was based on Koontz’s book. (The movie would undoubtedly have been better
if it had!) The movie was directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist)
and written by Larry Block. Though the
idea came from Block, Koontz made the book into one of his own, as it is much
more detailed, interesting, and profound than the movie. (The film is a
standard, late-’70’s, slasher movie, the only saving grace being the excellent
makeup work by the master of special-effects makeup, Rick Baker.) The later
Koontz novel, Twilight Eyes, which also dealt with the world of carnies, was
supposedly influenced by his writing of this book.
This
novel is reminiscent of Stephen King’s Carrie,
as it has to do with religious fanaticism.
It is a horrifying look at revenge, madness, and depravity in its worst
incarnations. Gory, suspenseful, and
exciting, this is more than a simple novelization, it is Koontz at his best.
Whispers (1980)
Synopsis:
This
extraordinary novel pulsates with dramatic and evil incident, with tenderness
and terror. It is the story of a man and
a woman in love, but it is also the chilling story of the killer who first
brings the lovers together and later attempts to separate them with an unspeakable
act of violence.
At
twenty-nine, Hilary Thomas, a successful screenwriter, is still struggling to
cope with the nightmarish memories of the abuse she suffered at the hands of
her parents a long time ago.
Tony
Clemenza is a police detective who dreams of earning a living as an
artist. But he lacks faith in his talent
and takes refuge in the fact that he is, at least, a good cop.
Bruno
Frye is rich but unhappy, insecure. He
lives in fear. He is afraid to
sleep. He is terrified of darkness
because he thinks something is waiting for him in the night. And he’s right. Frye is a killer, compelled to slaughter
beautiful women. But there’s a special
dark place, filled with menacing whispers, where something hideous waits to
kill Frye.
Some
people think Hilary’s report of Frye’s first attack on her is a lie or the work
of a fevered imagination. But Tony
believes and tries to help her. During
the investigation into Frye’s background, Tony and Hilary fall in love, but
their chances of living to enjoy each other are slim. Frye is a persistent, efficient killing
machine. Nothing will stop him – not
even death. When it appears that Frye
has even come back from the grave to get Hilary, she and Tony probe deeper into
the killer’s past, gradually uncovering a series of astonishing, blood-freezing
secrets.
As
Whispers moves from Hollywood to Napa
Valley, from a Beverly Hills mansion to the city morgue, from the gritty world
of the homicide detective to the elegant and peaceful California wine country,
one explosive surprise follows another, and tension builds page by page. Whispers
explores the hidden forces, the whispered influences, that often shape our
lives without our knowledge. Whispers touches the heart – and it
terrifies.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is Koontz’s tribute to Alfred Hitchcock. It was released right around Hitchcock’s
death in 1980, but before his passing, the great director had stated his
interest in making Whispers into a
movie. (It finally was made into one in
1989 by a Canadian company, but went straight to video in the USA.)
Whispers is another edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller which
grabs hold at the first chapter and never relents. Koontz has a knack for creating a severe
contrast between very likeable protagonists and über-evil villains. This book is the epitome of this talent. The reader identifies with Hilary and her
difficult circumstances while despising Bruno and his insane, relentless
pursuit. Along with that, this story is
full of twists and turns, enigmatic, seemingly impossible situations, and of
course, unrelenting suspense. Another
“do-not-miss” book! (In another possible
nod to Hitchcock, the character of Bruno Frye may be named after the character
played by Norman Lloyd in Hitchcock’s Saboteur,
Mr. Frye.)
The Voice of the Night (1980) Brian Coffey pseudonym
Synopsis:
Colin
and Roy. Two California Teenagers. Colin was shy and bookish, just finding out
about girls. Roy was handsome, outgoing,
athletic, with a string of conquests. No
one could figure out why these two chose each other as best friends. No one could guess the games they found to
play together, and the nightmare they were creating between them. No one could stop them…
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. In the vein of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and the real-life case of Leopold and Loeb comes this
intensely disturbing thriller, the last by “Brian Coffey”.
Devastating. That one word sums up this book nicely. No other novel brings across the feeling of
despair and helplessness better than The
Voice of the Night. Disturbing in
its subject and theme, but still very satisfying and readable. This is a great end for “Brian Coffey’s”
career of suspense thrillers.
The Eyes of Darkness (1981) Leigh Nichols pseudonym
Synopsis:
It
is a year since Tina Evans lost her little boy Danny in a tragic accident…a
year since she began the painful process of forgetting, of trying to go on.
But
today this shocking message appeared on the blackboard in Danny’s room:
NOT DEAD HELP ME
Was
it someone’s grim joke? The tangible
evidence of her own tormented unconscious?
Or something…more?
The
search for the answer will begin now…A search that will drive a beautiful
anguished woman and her compassionate lover through the neon clamor of Las
Vegas nightlife, the sun-scorched desert, the mighty shadows of Boulder Dam and
the frozen towers of the High Sierras.
People
will die now, coldly, brutally, while a buried truth struggles to the surface…a
truth so incredible, so frightening, so dangerous that its secret must be kept
at the price of any life – any man, any woman…any child.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. As he so often was in his science-fiction novels, Dean seems
ahead of the times with parts of The Eyes
of Darkness. Although written in
1981, when computers were still in their infancy (and years before the World
Wide Web), Koontz describes corporations collecting vast spending, lifestyle,
and personal information on clients in order to understand how to make future
profits off of them, a practice widely used today.
Dean
updated this book for its 1996 release under his own name, but little was
changed. It remains an extremely
exciting mystery set in Nevada – first in Las Vegas, then into the Sierra
Nevada Mountains around Reno. Like many
of his thrillers, this one has to do with government experiments and their
effects on innocent people, along with a touch of the supernatural. Full of very sympathetic protagonists as well
as evil scientists and others, this is another fascinating book that will keep
you up late into the night.
The Mask (1981) Owen West pseudonym
Synopsis:
“Hello, I’m nobody.”
She
appeared out of nowhere, in the middle of traffic, on a busy day. A teenager with no past, no family – no
memories. Carol and Paul were drawn to
her – she was the child they’d never had.
It was almost too good to be true.
Then
the hauntings began – ghastly sounds in the night, a bloody face in the
mirror…the half-felt horror and the déjà -vu…
Where
did Jane come from? Is she just an
orphan in need of love? Or a visitor
from a dark place in Hell? Who is the
girl behind The Mask?
Review:
Paperback
only. This is “Owen West’s” second, and final, book. It is a fast-paced, nail-biter, which will
leave you reading at top speed until the final page is turned. The pace literally doesn’t let up until the
final sentence of the book - a book that, once again, is full of deeply
sympathetic characters and fascinating mystery.
This one has more than a touch of the supernatural in it, yet still
seems very plausible, thanks to Koontz’s talent for realistic details. Don’t miss it!
How to Write Best Selling Fiction (1981) Non-fiction
Synopsis:
...In
this book, Dean Koontz, whose own books have sold more than 25 million copies,
shares his insight into the publishing world and shows writers how to write the
kind of book that a publisher can promote as a lead title - a well-written,
thoroughly researched, complex, wide-appeal novel that can sell the millions of
copies necessary to finance an extensive advertising and promotion campaign.
Koontz takes a practical, detailed approach to the art, craft, and business of
novel writing. You'll learn how to structure a story for greatest reader
appeal, how to provide depth of characterization without slowing the pace, and
how to recognize and use the sort of theme that is timely and appealing. Plus
you'll receive thorough instruction on other writing techniques as they apply
to today's novel, including background, viewpoint, scene setting, transitions,
and dialogue. On the business side, Koontz gives an insider's view of how to
deal profitably with editors and agents, advice on contracts, and tips on
paperback and book club sales, foreign rights, and film rights. His final
advice to writers is to read, read, read. To help you get started, he supplies
a list of today's best-sellers which will provide further insight into the kind
of novel that will succeed today...
Review:
Hardcover
only. While Koontz discourages people from reading (and especially adhering to)
the two books he wrote about writing fiction, this one is worth reading for a
few reasons: Many of the points he makes
are still valid (though the writing styles, publishing community, and
popularity of different genres have changed), it is fascinating to see his approach
to writing at this point in his career, plus his sense of humor is always
fun! The final chapter is well-worth a
look as we see Koontz going through many authors and describing their styles
and why he likes them, as well as listing their books that he believes should
be read.
The House of Thunder (1982) Leigh Nichols pseudonym
Synopsis:
In
a cavern called the House of Thunder, Susan Thorton watched in terror as her
lover died a violent death in a college hazing.
And
in the next few years, the four young men who participated in that grim
fraternity rite likewise died violently.
Or did they?
12
years later…
Susan
awakens in the aftermath of an accident, suffering amnesia. Her only comfort – the handsome, reassuring
Dr. Jeffrey McGee. Slowly her
convalescence unfolds into a fearful nightmare.
Can the four ageless young men in the corridors possibly be the killers
of her boyfriend or phantoms of her tormented memory?
Have
the dead come back to life? Are the
answers locked in her haunted mind? Or
has Susan plunged into the abyss of madness?
Now the gentle doctor and a brilliant woman will watch a plot of complex
and dangerous dimensions unravel. A plot
whose monstrous purpose echoes back to…The
House of Thunder.
Review:
Paperback
only. Like the other “Leigh Nichols” books, this one has to do with a deep,
elaborate mystery which may or may not be linked to a government conspiracy.
This
is one of those books where the protagonist’s frustration is transferred to the
reader, in an almost unbearable nature!
Until the final chapter, one is left guessing, usually wrongly, about
the situation and its resolution.
Edge-of-the-seat suspense mixed with fascinating characters makes this
one a must-read!
Phantoms (1983)
Synopsis:
Snowfield,
California, was a charming little town.
That
was yesterday.
Today,
Snowfield is a place of nightmares. It
is a glimpse of Hell.
Today,
over two hundred of Snowfield’s five hundred residents have completely
disappeared. At least one hundred fifty
others have died – suddenly, horribly, mysteriously. Something very strange is happening in
Snowfield. And the worst is yet to come.
Phantoms is the story of an urgent, incredible investigation
involving a dedicated county sheriff, federal and state authorities, scientists
– and one woman doctor who first discovers the horror in Snowfield, and whose
life is changed by the swiftly building crisis that follows.
Phantoms is filled with vividly drawn people about whom we
care very much. Dr. Jennifer Paige,
thirty-two, has spent years atoning for a mistake she made when she was
nineteen. Now, just as she is learning
to put the past behind her, just as she is beginning to enjoy life, she is
thrust into a terrifying struggle for survival.
Lisa Paige, fourteen, idolizes her older sister but discovers that her
survival depends upon her own inner strength and courage. Sheriff Bryce Hammond lost his family in a
tragic accident a year ago. In
Snowfield, when he meets Jenny Paige, he finds new hope, a chance to build a
new life – if he doesn’t die first in one of Snowfield’s countless, unexpected
traps.
Phantoms is a story of shattering suspense and terror. It is a love story. It is an adventure story. But most of all, it is a story of stunning surprises
– dark, chilling surprises. With one
shocking development after another, with breathless narrative force, it will
leave the reader gasping.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is one of a small handful of novels that made some readers
think that Dean Koontz is a horror novelist.
While this story has some superficial horror elements, it is really a
novel with many themes: hope, faith, fantasy and religion, what determines
intelligence, etc. This is classic
Koontz in every sense – deeply fascinating characters, well-researched science,
and nail-biting suspense.
The
movie is another story. While the
screenplay was written by Koontz, he apparently had the same trouble every
screenwriter has adapting a novel: it is impossible to translate all of the
character development and emotional impact onto the screen. That being said, the movie is relatively true
to the book, though some characters overlap, others have different roles, and
the ending is a little different. It is
also lacking in the subplots that the book has.
Watch the movie for the novelty of it, but read the book for the
pleasure!
The Servants of Twilight (1984) Leigh Nichols pseudonym (aka “Twilight”)
Synopsis:
To
his mother, Joey seems an ordinary, six-year-old boy – special to her, but to
no one else.
To
the Servants of Twilight however, he is an evil presence who must be destroyed
– an Anti-Christ who must die.
The
terrifying ordeal for Joey, and his mother, began in the supermarket carpark
where the old woman accosted them and pursued them with her terrible
threats. Christine’s world was turned
upside down into a nightmare of terror.
Only
her love for her child, and the support of the one man who believed in her,
gave her the chance to survive The
Servants of Twilight.
Review:
Paperback
only. Originally released under the title, “Twilight”,
this became The Servants of Twilight in
its second printing.
This
is a slight departure from the previous “Leigh Nichols” stories. Instead of government conspiracy, this one
has to do with religious fanaticism and the cult mentality. In fact, this novel explains the
susceptibility of human beings to charismatic characters better than most any
other book on the subject. Around that
theme, though, lies another nail-biting suspense story that is Koontz’s
bread-and-butter. The final hundred
pages will be turned faster than any other story he has written to date.
The
movie is another story. The first hour
of the 1991 film is fairly true to the book, at least as far as movie
adaptations can be. Like most, it lacks
the character development and emotional impact, but the storyline is true to
the book. The final half-hour is a
complete departure from the book and a despicably fraudulent use of Koontz’s
work. I don’t know which is worse: this
change in an author’s story while using his name and title, or what the filmmakers
behind High Tension did (see Intensity). Don’t bother with this movie!
Darkfall (1984)
Synopsis:
Ten-year-old
Penny Dawson cannot tell her father about the horrible “things” under her
bed. Or that one night she poked under
there with a baseball bat and it was yanked out of her hand and gnawed to
pieces. Or that the “things” with the
unearthly silver-white eyes are following her everywhere – even to school –
destroying her most valued possessions, scrabbling for a grip of her
flesh. She knows that they want to kill
her; probably her brother, Davey, too.
But no, her father wouldn’t understand.
He’d say she was still upset over her mother’s death.
Her
father, Lt. Jack Dawson, doesn’t notice Penny’s silent fears. He and his partner and lover, Rebecca
Chandler, are embroiled in a series of mystifying murder cases: four hideous
killings, the corpses punctured with dozens of tiny wounds, the bodies found in
locked rooms with no way in or out. It
tests their abilities, stretches their imaginations, and finally fills both
their lives with stark terror.
For
Jack soon knows that something unspeakable has been set loose upon the earth –
an unstoppable evil that will soon rush toward its most prized victims: his
children. And he is the only person on
earth who can save them.
And
so begins one of the most terrifying books in recent horror fiction, a novel of
unrelenting tension by the best-selling author of Phantoms.
Review:
Paperback
only (BCE hardcover). This is perhaps the most supernatural novel Koontz has
released, at least to date. With
subjects like voodoo, strange creatures, organized crime, good versus evil, and
telepathy, this is another fascinating, exciting, and nail-biting novel by the
master of suspense. Extremely
well-researched, especially into the world of voodoo, this is another classic
for Koontz. This character-driven piece,
both with the protagonists and the antagonists, will keep the reader absorbed
well into the night!
The Door to December (1985) Richard Paige/Leigh Nichols pseudonym
Synopsis:
What
was the secret her little girl dared not even whisper?
Six
years before, Laura McCaffrey’s three-year-old daughter Melanie had been
kidnapped by Laura’s estranged husband Dylan, and had seemingly vanished from
the face of the earth.
Now
Melanie had been found, a nine-year-old wandering the Los Angeles streets with
blank eyes and a secret in her soul she would not or could not reveal.
Dylan
had been found, too – or at least his mangled remains.
Melanie
was home again, safe in her mother’s arms.
But would Melanie ever be safe again – as the floodgates of horror
opened and the bloody torrent came pouring through…?
The Door to December.
Review:
Paperback
only. This is one intense book!
Heartbreakingly real characters in desperate, though despicable,
situations, but well-balanced with very decent, moral protagonists makes this a
novel not to be missed. With subject
matters such as the occult, depraved scientific experimentation (on children,
no less) and extreme violence, this book isn’t for the faint of heart. It is, however, a fascinating, original idea
with page-turning suspense which will, no doubt, satisfy any Koontz fan. First released under the pseudonym of
“Richard Paige” (his only release), and also published under the “Leigh
Nichols” name in the UK, it was eventually re-released under Koontz’s name.
Twilight Eyes (1985) Illustrated
Synopsis:
Slim
MacKenzie sees what others cannot see.
He possesses a strange, unwanted gift: the ability to look deep into the
heart of darkness. And he has discovered
something looking back at him.
Slim
is a desperate fugitive who dares not glance behind. Seeking sanctuary in the summer of his
seventeenth year, he seems to find safe harbor as a worker in the Sombra
Brothers Carnival.
However
– though it boasts the usual thrill rides, freaks, girly shows, and gaudy
glamor – this is not ordinary carnival.
Beyond the lights and tinsel, there is eeriness, danger, and brooding
mystery. Within the exotic realm of the
dazzling midway, there moves a creature of which the carnies are unaware,
something dark, something dangerous.
Soon,
Slim discovers that his glittery sanctuary has become a somber stalking
ground. The creature from which he is
hiding has found him once more – perhaps because it has been waiting for him in
the carnival from the very beginning.
Slim
and the carnies who befriend him will soon make a terrifying discovery: the
earth is shared by something even more deadly than humankind.
Twilight Eyes is no ordinary book.
It is an experience. Much time and care has been expended to give
the reader a multi-sensory adventure that will remain with him long after he
has reached the last page. Once read,
this is not a book to be put on the shelf and quickly forgotten, but is
designed to be taken down again and again over the years. Each time it is opened, another world –
bejeweled yet darkling – will rise before your eyes.
Review:
Hardcover
only. This is part one of the full-length novel published two years later. It was only released as a limited edition,
hardcover, illustrated version with pictures by Phil Parks. (See the full-length novel for the review.)
Strangers (1986)
Synopsis:
A
terrifying and truly deadly secret – an eternal riddle come to reality – is
what the protagonists of this relentlessly gripping novel subconsciously
share. Not one of them knows what the
secret is, nor do they know each other.
All they do know is that a special terror has come to dominate and warp
their lives. For each victim the torture
is different.
For
Dominick Corvaisis, in Laguna Beach, California, a writer on the verge of his
first success, it means compulsive and increasingly dangerous sleepwalking and
awakening to cryptic and sinister messages on his word processor.
For
young doctor Ginger Weiss in Boston, it means that unrelated objects – a pair
of black gloves worn by a stranger, water swirling down a drain – have the
power to send her into sudden blackouts that threaten her surgical career.
For
Father Brendan Cronin in Chicago, an idealistic young curate, it means a
precipitate loss of faith one morning when he hurls away the sacred vessels at
Mass.
For
Jack Twist in New York, an embittered ex-POW and safecracker par excellence, it
means a searing wave of conscience.
For
seven-year-old Marcie Monatella in Las Vegas, it means zombielike trances when
she does nothing but draw pictures of a scarlet moon.
For
Ernie Block, ex-Marine motel owner in Elko County, Nevada, it means a new fear
of the dark so numbing that the approach of dusk reduces him to cowering
paralysis.
These
and other Strangers are utterly mystified until a pattern of puzzling clues and
tentative contacts begins to surface.
What could these disparate individuals have shared that would make
powerful and ruthless agents strive so hard to make them forget it? Finding the answer, the Strangers stumble
toward one another, leading to a stunning climax that will change their lives
forever and provide the reader of this masterfully crafted novel with an
experience haunting and unforgettable.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This book was the first in which Koontz used his current writing
routine, which consists of coming up with a couple of characters, sitting down
at the typewriter, and letting the book “write itself.” After this novel became a hit - his first
hardcover bestseller - he never returned to writing with an outline or
pre-planned plot. He gave up a
six-figure bonus in order to keep this novel at its original length, nearly
six-hundred pages! It is filled with
fascinating characters, at first seemingly unrelated, and living throughout the
United States. The theme is reminiscent
of his “Leigh Nichols” books, having to do with conspiracy and government
science run amok, but this is much more of a character study of numerous
interesting protagonists – and antagonists.
This book is a precursor to his later books with themes of hope,
spirituality, and human interaction, all within the confines of a suspense
story. Definitely a must-read!
Twilight Eyes (1987) full novel
Synopsis:
They’re
out there.
Waiting.
Watching. Unseen by normal eyes, but all too visible to Slim MacKenzie, a young
man blessed – or cursed – by Twilight
Eyes…
They’re
out there.
Lurking
in the darkest shadows of an eerie, moonlit carnival. Feeding their twisted needs with human
suffering. And fiendishly plotting their
ultimate triumph…
They’re
out there.
But
don’t scream. They’ll hear you…
Review:
Paperback
only in USA, hardcover in UK. This is one of Koontz’s most atmospheric,
fascinatingly detailed novels ever. As a
result, it is also one of his most enjoyable.
If one were only going to read a handful of Dean Koontz books, this
needs to be one of them!
Koontz’s
character development is reminiscent of the novels of Charles Dickens: fascinating
complex emotional issues and relationships which add to the atmosphere of the
story itself. Part One: The Carnival
is the story released two years earlier, and is a novel in itself, and probably
the more interesting of the two parts.
As the title suggests, it takes place in a traveling carnival. If one wants to know what life as a “carny”
is like, just read this book. Full of
intricate detail about life in this fascinating sub-culture, the story is
intertwined with nail-biting suspense and lovable, deep characters. Part
Two: Dark Lightning could have been a sequel released under a separate
cover, which it probably would be if it were written today. While still extremely suspenseful and
interesting, it takes place away from the carnival in a more mundane
setting. It also contains fewer - though
no less fascinating - characters than part one.
In
the U.S., Twilight Eyes was only released as a paperback. A rare, hardcover version was released in the
UK with cover art by Phil Parks, who illustrated the 1985 version.
Watchers (1987)
Synopsis:
Out
of a government laboratory so sinister and secret that its very name cannot be
whispered and into the lives of certain good and evil people come two escaped
creatures, one murderous and one benign and both “changed, changed utterly”
from the ordinary animals they once were.
To the scientists who fashioned them they are the end products of
experiments in genetic engineering and enhanced intelligence and they want them
back. To the people who encounter them they
spell either doom or a touching new kind of love. At the climax of this heart-stopping novel
they will inevitably meet.
Along
the way the reader is warned not to look back.
Someone or something dangerous may indeed be watching, following.
It
could be a decent man driven to desperate measures…
It
could be a lovable stray dog, who is not what he seems…
It
could be a hired killer who is a genius at inflicting the unspeakable…
It
could be a beautiful woman with a sad and frightening past…
It
could be a savage stalker out of a genetic nightmare…
Some
are innocent victims. Some are the
victimizers. But as their plaited
destinies propel them toward a violent confrontation, even the innocent must
learn to be dangerous in order to protect themselves from a strange and
terrible malevolence.
Reviewing
Strangers, Dean Koontz’s 1985 novel,
the New York Times called that book
“ingenious…engaging, often chilling.”
Mary Higgins Clark agreed: “Exciting, enjoyable, intensely
satisfying.” Now Dean Koontz has
surpassed himself with Watchers – a
tale of contemporary menace that proclaims him a superb master of the
storyteller’s art.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is Koontz’s first mega-hit.
It is on many people’s list of favorite all-time Koontz books. It is also the first book where a dog played
a major role in the plot of the story.
Einstein,
a golden retriever, is one of Koontz’s immortal creations. Along with the endearing characters of Travis
Cornell and Nora Devon, Einstein and his surrounding situations make for one of
the most beloved, nail-biting, and interesting stories ever put to paper. Covering such themes as the power of love,
what makes for intelligence, and the strength of the human (and canine) spirit,
this book is fascinating as it also intertwines unbearable suspense,
unforgettable characters, and rich prose.
For any Koontz fan, this is a must-read.
While
the movie was a modest success, it is an extreme departure from the book –
taking out everything that made the book good, changing characters from
interesting, deep individuals and relationships to shallow, whining teenagers –
it basically just keeps the characters of Einstein (who is called “Fur Face”)
and the Outsider. It certainly isn’t
worth the price it is bringing as a used DVD (it is out of print). The other sequels (Watchers II, Watchers 3,
and Watchers Reborn) are other stories using the characters of Einstein and the
Outsider, along with Banodyne Labs, but nothing else is similar to the book.
Don’t bother.
Shadowfires (1987) Leigh Nichols pseudonym
Synopsis:
When
Eric’s body disappears from the morgue, his wife, Rachael, fears he has come
back to life – to kill her because she dared to demand a divorce. She knows he will allow nothing, not even his
accidental death, to keep him from vengeance.
A
youth-obsessed womanizer with a taste for teenage girls, Eric was also a
brilliant research scientist specializing in recombinant genetics. He had developed a process which negates
death but produces powerful side effects: uncontrollable violence and
horrifying changes in the body. His
laboratory experiments were wildly successful.
The drug he developed brought back mice from clinical death, and Rachael
has no doubt that Eric tested the drug on himself as well.
Riddled
with fear, Rachael confides in the man she loves, Ben Shadway. They learn from one of Eric’s teenage
mistresses that Eric is indeed alive. He
has come to her and gone, after beating her brutally. While Ben tries to discover where Eric may go
next, Rachael heads for Las Vegas to ask Eric’s best friend, Whit, for
help. She will meet him at an abandoned
motel outside Las Vegas. The
blood-lusting, part-simian, part-reptilian monster that is now Eric eludes
government agents, who want his secrets, and the police, who want him for
multiple murder, while he pursues Rachael.
Neither
Whit nor Rachael is aware that the constantly mutating Eric waits outside the
motel, until Whit steps outside. And
then Rachael is alone…
Review:
Paperback
only (BCE hardcover). This is Koontz’s final pseudonym-written book. After this, he was successful enough to
release at least two books annually in his own name, which is about how much
time he put into them, as he really hit his stride with his new writing
approach: developing a few characters and a basic storyline, then letting the
novel “write itself.” Koontz says that he would write and re-write a page until
he felt it was perfect – sometimes as many as 30-40 different drafts of each
page! Only then would he move on to the
next page. It is a process that works
wonderfully.
Shadowfires
is another classic Koontz novel. Full of
incredible suspense, beloved protagonists, evil-to-the-bone villains, and
science-run-amok, this book is just another must-read in the Koontz collection.
This
is also an excellent example of Koontz’s ability to create sympathy for
characters – and create it faster and more completely than any other
author. One only needs to read the first
two pages to care immensely for Rachael (the heroine) while utterly despising Eric
(the villain). Even minor characters are given depth and substance which makes
the reader empathize with their plight.
Truly a gift for a writer!
Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages (1988)
Synopsis:
To
the world, the Oddkins are just stuffed animals. But all of these soft, cuddly, sweet-faced
toys share a wonderful, magical secret…they’re alive!
Created
by Mr. Isaac Bodkins, the old toymaker, the Oddkins are made only for very
special children, those who must face something difficult in life and need a
true friend. The Oddkins are given to
these children to inspire them, help them, and love them as long as the
children need them. Only now the toys
themselves – Amos, the brave stuffed bear; Skippy, the rabbit who dreams of
being a superstar; Butterscotch, the gentle, floppy-eared pup; as well as Burl
the elephant; Gibbons; and Patch the cat – are the ones in need of help.
Mr.
Bodkins has passed away before he can give his life-giving powers to Colleen
Shannon, the toymaker he had chosen to replace him. Yet before he dies, the old man takes Amos
aside, appoints him leader of the Oddkins, and gives him a dire warning: Watch
out for an evil toymaker – and something much, much worse!
That
“something” is happening right now.
Locked up in the dark subbasement, another group of toys is climbing out
of boxes and crates and coming to life.
These bad toys – like Rex and Lizzie, the puppets with no strings; Gear,
the vicious robot; and Stinger, the horrid buzzing bumblebee with his
knife-sharp stinger – were made to hurt children, not help them. Leering, laughing, and deadly, they are being
loosed on the world by a terrible, terrifying force.
Frightening
as it may be, the Oddkins have only one choice: to go on a journey in search of
Colleen Shannon’s toy shop. The night is
stormy and black; the way is filled with peril.
And the Oddkins have to face a danger that threatens not only their
magic…but the magic in us all.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Another departure from the “norm” for Dean Koontz is this delightful, though
sometimes dark, fairytale about a group of therapy stuffed animals and the
journey they take. It is a rather long
story for younger children to read themselves, but I imagine it would be great
as a serial to be read to youngsters at bedtime, one chapter at a time. It is beautifully illustrated by Phil Parks,
who Koontz used frequently in his poetry books and other illustrated editions (Twilight Eyes, etc.).
Lightning (1988)
Synopsis:
The second time it strikes, the terror
starts.
From
a grand master of menace, here is an unforgettably haunting novel of
inescapable and imperiled destiny.
Spirited
Laura Shane lives a life whose escapes and rewards are inevitably weighed
against the reckoning of a mysterious and fearsome creditor. Her existence is marked by crisis, from the
hour of her birth on a stormy January night in 1955, when “there was a
strangeness about the weather that people would remember for years.” She narrowly escapes death as a stranger
materializes out of the blizzard to guard her from the not-so-tender mercies of
a drunken doctor and ensure her safe passage into the world.
The
years go by, and ever more terrifying troubles plague her, but with increasing
strength and courage Laura prevails – often with the almost miraculous involvement
of the same stranger. She marries and
becomes a mother but cannot shake the growing certainty that powerful forces
are controlling her destiny. To what
end? Is the stranger the guardian angel
that he seems – or a devil in disguise?
Laura
will learn the answers on the night of her thirtieth birthday, when once more
the stranger appears, desperately needing her help if he is to survive. He then reveals the true nature of her
awesome fate, but it is a revelation that will lead to even greater danger. Indeed Lightning
has struck once more, shattering the lives of Laura and her child. The adventure – and the terror – have just
begun…
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is another must-read
for Koontz fans. Along with Watchers, the Christopher Snow series, and From
the Corner of His Eye, this book has more fan mail written about it than
any other of Dean’s books.
This
is part suspense, part sci-fi, part comedy, and a lot of character development,
all mixed together within the framework of an historical novel. Edge-of-the-seat excitement, endearing
characters, and fascinating “what-if’s” make this a novel not to be missed!
Midnight (1989)
Synopsis:
A
chilling tale of inexplicable deaths and spine-tingling terror from the
unparalleled master of suspense.
Strange
deaths have occurred in picturesque Moonlight Cove, an idyllic northern
California coastal town – “the edge of paradise” to some but increasingly the
edge of sheer terror for others. Certain
residents harbor a secret so dark it could cost even more lives – in and beyond
Moonlight Cove.
Tessa Lockland comes to town to probe her sister’s seemingly
unprompted suicide. Unusually hopeful
and unfailingly optimistic, Janice was hardly the sort to take her own
life. In exploring the circumstances of
her death, Tessa comes harrowingly close to the secret of Moonlight Cove…and in
the process places her own life in jeopardy.
Sam Booker, haunted by ghosts of his own, is another town
newcomer. A federal agent operating
under cover, Sam has been sent to Moonlight Cove after the formal FBI
investigation failed to discover the truth behind the mysterious string of
deaths. He’s faced terror before, but
nothing he’s encountered has prepared him for the crippling fear that seizes
him in Moonlight Cove.
Chrissie Foster, an eleven-year-old whose family lives on a ranch in
the hills north of town, is on the run from her parents. They are not the same loving people who
raised her; they’ve changed. Darkness
dwells in them now. And they are bent on
instilling that darkness in their daughter.
Harry Talbot, a wheelchair-bound veteran, lives with his faithful
dog, Moose. From his windows, Harry has
seen things he was not meant to see, things he can scarcely believe. If the wrong people learn all he’s witnessed,
neither Moose nor Harry’s skill with a revolver will keep the two safe.
In
Midnight, these four will be drawn
together to make a stand against the swiftly descending darkness that may soon
bring endless night to Moonlight Cove.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This was Dean Koontz’s first number one New York Times hardcover
bestseller. It is also the book Dean was
researching when he was introduced to Canine
Companions for Independence, the organization that he donates to - and that
gave him his dogs, Trixie and Anna.
Not
only is this another fast-paced, relentless thriller, but it is a fascinating
read. Part of the subject matter has to
do with computers, artificial intelligence, and how such things were viewed in
the late-1980’s. It is interesting to remember
the world right before the emergence of the internet, and how the future was
perceived.
As
with his other books, this has endearing, profound characters, a mind-bending
“what-if” plot, and a beloved dog, this time a black lab named Moose.
The Bad Place (1990)
Synopsis:
From
the reigning monarch of suspense and author of the number-one bestseller Midnight comes his eeriest tale yet.
You’ve got to help me find where I go at
night. What in God’s name am I doing
when I should be sleeping?
Frank
Pollard awakens in an alley, knowing nothing but his name – and that he is in
great danger. Having taken refuge in a
motel, he wakes again only to find his hands covered in blood. As far as he knows, he’s no killer. But whose blood is this, and how did it get
there? Over the next few days Frank
develops a fear of sleep, because each time he wakes he discovers strange
objects in his hands and pockets – objects far more frightening than blood.
Husband-and-wife
detective team Bobby and Julie Dakota specialize in high-ticket corporate
security investigations, but when a distraught and desperate Frank Pollard begs
them to watch over him, they can’t refuse.
Out of compassion – and curiosity – they agree to get to the bottom of
his mysterious, amnesiac fugues.
It
seems a simple job: just follow a client who wants to be watched and tell him
where he winds up. But as the Dakotas
begin to discover where their client goes when he sleeps, they are drawn slowly
into ever-darkening realms where they encounter the ominous figure stalking
Frank. Their lives are threatened, as is
that of Julie’s gentle, Down’s-syndrome brother, Thomas.
To
Thomas, death is “the bad place” from which there is no return. But Julie and Bobby – and their tortured
client – ultimately learn that equally bad places exist in the world of the
living, places so steeped in evil that in contrast death seems almost a relief…
More
terrifying than Strangers, more
gripping than Watchers, more haunting
than Midnight, The Bad Place is Dean R. Koontz’s masterpiece of terror, a classic
duel of good and evil sure to keep the reader breathless and guessing until the
last page.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is one of Koontz’s
most disturbing novels. The evil in it,
in the form of the antagonist, is purer evil than seen in any of his books to
date. If you get squeamish or bothered
when reading of horrific actions by pure psychopaths against their fellow human
beings, this book may not be for you.
That said, Dean is at the top of his game with this book. The characters are richly drawn, the
situation, though fantastic, is told so believably that the reader is not put
off by the seemingly impossible situations.
Like all of Koontz’s novels, this one is screamingly fast-paced and
exciting from page one. If you love stories
that pit the deepest goodness and heart up against the worst of evils, this one
is a must!
Cold Fire (1991)
Synopsis:
“As
close to actual physical terror as the printed word can deliver,” wrote the Los Angeles Times Book Review about Dean
R. Koontz’s spellbinding novel The Bad
Place. Rich in characterization,
powerful suspense, lyrical prose, and extraordinary plots, Koontz’s novels soar
to the top of the best-seller lists and place him in a category all his own. Now he moves beyond his number-one
best-sellers The Bad Place and Midnight with Cold Fire, a novel of unequaled wonder, mystery, and terror.
Jim
Ironheart, an ordinary schoolteacher, flies to Portland, Oregon, on an impulse,
unable to explain why he’s compelled to make the trip. There he risks his life to save a young boy
from being killed by a drunk driver.
Reporter
Holly Thorne witnesses Jim’s heroism.
His athletic grace and courage intrigue her. When he declines to be interviewed for her
newspaper, she’s impresses by his self-effacement.
Soon
after, Holly sees a news-wire story about the nick-of-time rescue of a little
boy in Boston. There is a photograph of
the rescuer – Jim Ironheart.
Burned
out and cynical and looking for a life beyond journalism, Holly finds her newshound
instinct rekindled. Her research shows
that Jim Ironheart has quietly performed twelve last-minute rescues in twelve
far-flung places over the past three months.
Realizing
she is onto the biggest story of her life, Holly tracks Jim to California. He insists that he’s not a psychic, that he
sees no visions; he merely believes God is working through him. Holly is certain his explanation is too
simple. About this, she is correct. “There is no wonder in life,” she argues, “no
great mystery.” About this, she is dead wrong, for she and Jim
Ironheart are about to plunge into a dark sea of wonder, mystery – and stark
terror.
When
Jim suddenly says, “There is an
Enemy. It is coming. It is relentless,” he has no idea where
the words come from or what they mean.
Soon the meaning is all too clear, and he and Holly are running for
their lives from a savage and uncannily powerful adversary. In great jeopardy, they are drawn first to
the farm where Jim spent part of his childhood, then to the high room in the
old windmill where as a boy he experienced something frightening and strange.
Breathtaking
and unique, Cold Fire is Dean Koontz
at his mesmerizing best.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This book is a nice
showcase of Koontz’s skill at both science-fiction and suspense. Gripping from page one, and never relenting,
this one captures the readers imagination with a man who can seemingly foresee
the future, and frequently saves people from impending doom. A disillusioned reporter catches on to these
cases and begins following this ultra-private individual, with horrific
consequences. Another great one!
Hideaway (1992)
Synopsis:
In
his most profoundly felt- and terrifying – novel yet, Dean Koontz compels us to
explore the meaning of death, the nature of sociopathic evil, and the
transcendent power of love.
“An
extraordinary piece of fiction, with unforgettable characters…unique,
spellbinding, with depth, sensitivity and personality. It will be a classic,” United Press International said about Cold Fire, the author’s most recent New York Times number-one best-seller. Hideaway
has the breathless pace, suspense, lyrical prose, deeply drawn characters, and
surprises that readers have come to expect in a Koontz novel – yet it is
entirely fresh, breaking new ground for the author and taking the reader into
the beating heart of darkness.
Although
accident victim Hatch Harrison dies en route to the hospital, a brilliant
physician miraculously resuscitates him.
Given this second chance, Hatch and his wife, Lindsey, approach each day
with a new appreciation for the beauty of life – until a series of mysterious
and frightening events brings them face to face with the unknown. Although Hatch was given no glimpse of an
Afterlife during the period when his heart was stopped, he has reason to fear
that he has brought a terrible Presence back with him from the land of the
dead.
When
people who have wronged the Harrisons begin to die violently, Hatch comes to
doubt his own innocence – and must confront the possibility that this life is
just a prelude to another, darker place.
He and Lindsey are forced to fight not only for their own survival but
for that of Regina, the delightful and exceptional disabled child who has given
meaning and purpose to their lives. With
growing desperation, Lindsey and Hatch seek the truth along a twisted trail
that leads eventually to an abandoned amusement park – and a confrontation with
purest evil.
Emotionally
affecting and powerfully suspenseful, Hideaway
may be Dean Koontz’s finest work to date.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. From the car crash at the
very beginning of this novel, until the page-turning finale, this one doesn’t
let up – ever! The characters are some
of the most endearing Koontz has ever put on paper, especially in the orphan
child, Regina. Despite her handicaps,
she is funny, clever, and full of life – the reader can’t help but fall in love
with her, as do the protagonists. This
only adds to the suspense when things go from bad to worse. Hideaway
is a perfect example of a well-written suspense novel. Don’t miss it!
The
movie, on the other hand would be good to watch if you have never read the
novel, or never plan to. Otherwise, one
will be greatly disappointed, as the characters are changed so drastically to
take away all traits that endeared the reader to them. What a waste!
Trapped (1993) graphic novel
Synopsis:
White
rats locked in a laboratory cage – but try not to pity them. These dome-headed monsters are huge,
bioengineered smart rates. And out they
break one stormy winter night. They take
over the nearby house of widowed mother Meg Lassiter. Hatred glows in their clever red eyes. Meg and young Tommy are their first
victims. Loathsome humans, trapped…
Koontz’s
inimitable style permeates the graphic form, spreading evil and terror…and
confronting them with the force of a mother’s need to protect her child.
Review:
Graphic
novel edition only. Illustrated by Anthony Bilau and adapted by Ed Gorman, this
shortened version of Koontz’s novelette (found in Strange Highways) stays true to the original story. While Koontz’s prose is replaced by colorful
renderings (losing something in the translation) it remains an exciting story
reminiscent of Watchers and other
stories about technological experiments gone awry.
Dragon Tears (1993)
Synopsis:
A
startlingly original masterpiece of suspense from a number-one New York Times best-selling author.
Tuesday was a fine California day, full
of sunshine and promise, until Harry Lyon had to shoot someone at lunch. From that
first sentence, Dragon Tears explodes across the page with the excitement,
chilling suspense, emotion, and deeply drawn characters that have earned Dean
Koontz enormous worldwide popularity.
Police
detective Harry Lyon is a perfectionist who likes his condo immaculate, his
suits well-tailored, and his homicide files typed error-free. To Harry’s dismay, his partner, Connie
Gulliver, embraces chaos, urging him to “get in touch with the rhythms of
destruction.” But when Harry and Connie
have to kill in the line of duty, the ensuing surreal nightmare makes Connie’s
cynical world view seem all too accurate.
That
same afternoon, a hulking street person prophesies that Harry will be dead by
dawn, then self-destructs before his eyes.
As twilight falls, Harry glimpses strange creatures in the shadows, and
finds his rational world transformed into a place of bizarre surprises and
unimaginable dangers. As dawn ticks
closer, Harry is caught in a whirlwind of terror that threatens to sweep away
not only him but Connie and everyone he loves.
The San Diego Union has called
Dean Koontz “a master storyteller…sometimes humorous, sometimes shocking, but
always riveting.” Never before has that
judgment been truer than in the vastly entertaining, enormously satisfying Dragon Tears.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This exciting novel
explores the theme of what causes evil in a person, the Freudian theory that it
is the result of childhood experiences, or whether evil is an inborn
trait. As partners and personalities,
Harry and Connie, both excellent detectives, couldn’t be more different. Harry is extremely organized, calculating,
precise, while Connie is reckless, impulsive, and violent. When a transient tells Harry that he will be
dead by morning, their lives are turned upside-down, and both have to change
their outlook simply to survive.
One
of Koontz’s most supernatural, and therefore most imaginative stories, Dragon Tears is another non-stop
rollercoaster ride full of fun, engaging characters, mind-bending plot-twists,
and, of course, a loveable dog inside whose mind we get to visit.
Mr. Murder (1993)
Synopsis:
A
stylish, spellbinding tale from America’s number-one bestselling master of
suspense.
Because
he has a happy marriage, two adorable small daughters, and a successful career,
mystery writer Marty Stillwater counts himself a lucky man. But all this is shattered when a stranger
breaks into his house one rainy afternoon to announce: “You stole my wife, my
life, and my children. I want them
back.” Claiming to be the real Martin Stillwater, the madman wages
a relentless and terrifying campaign to eliminate Marty and recapture the
family and life he believes to be his.
When
even bullets fail to stop this savage intruder, the police are hard-pressed to
believe the Stillwaters’ harrowing account.
Unable to rely on the protection of the authorities, the family goes on
the run. But no matter where they hide,
their enemy finds them.
In
Mr. Murder, Dean Koontz creates the
most endearing family to appear in a novel in a long time, makes us love them –
and makes us fear for them as they cross the path of a psychotic killer unlike
any who has previously haunted the pages of fiction. Exploring contemporary society’s tendency to
draw an ever-thinner line between fiction and reality, Mr. Murder is blisteringly paced, terrifying, thought-provoking,
and utterly fresh.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. One of Koontz’s most
terrifyingly intense stories ever, Mr.
Murder touches the reader’s emotions unlike anything he had before written. Paced at breakneck speed, this story proves
that just when it seems that Koontz can’t wring any more hopelessness to the
protagonists’ plight, he manages to do so, resulting in the most heart-pounding
action sequences ever put to paper. This
is a must-read for any fan of the genre!
As part of the story, the protagonist, Marty Stillwater, tells his girls
a bedtime story about “Santa’s Evil Twin”.
Using this inspiration, Koontz wrote the children’s book, Santa’s Twin a few years later, as well
as the sequel, Robot Santa.
The
movie, executive produced by Koontz and starring Stephen Baldwin in a dual
role, is pretty faithful to the book for the middle half of the movie. The beginning adds more backstory into the
company “sponsoring” the antagonist and the ending completely changes the
storyline. As with most (all?) other
movie versions of Dean Koontz’s novels, just stick to the book!
Winter Moon (1994)
Synopsis:
From
the #1 best-selling author of Mr. Murder
and Dragon Tears comes a
“riveting…first-rate” thriller that embodies Dean Koontz’s “exceptional ability
to mix humor, fear, and hope” (The San
Diego Union).
When
Jack McGarvey, a tough Los Angeles cop, is badly injured and his new partner is
killed by a drug-maddened punk, he feels he’s had it with the city. He moves with his wife, Heather, and their
8-year-old son, Toby, to a ranch he has inherited in Eagle’s Roost, Montana,
where they expect to enjoy a quiet, safe
life. What Jack and Heather don’t know
is that the previous owner had died of sheer terror. For something inhuman lurks in the woods
around the ranch, something more dangerous, more purely evil, than any threat
in the city streets, something that has targeted little Toby for its own.
Review:
Paperback
only (BCE hardcover). This story, “inspired by” his earlier novel (under the
pseudonym Aaron Wolfe), Invasion, has
the same theme and basic premise, but is based in a more modern setting and
expanded to nearly twice as long.
For
a basic, bare-bones, concentrated-action, alien-invasion story, read the Aaron
Wolfe version, Invasion. For a more character driven, back-story
detailed, but more terrifying alien-invasion story, read Winter Moon. Both books are
exciting and engaging and definitely worth a read. If I had it to do over again, I would read Winter Moon first, then Invasion. The dog in this book is named Falstaff, a
golden retriever.
Dark Rivers of the Heart (1994)
Synopsis:
A
man and a woman – she is a figure of mystery, he is a mystery even to himself -meet
by chance in a Santa Monica bar. Suddenly – first separately, and then together
- they are fleeing the long arm of a clandestine and increasingly powerful
renegade government agency: the woman hunted for the information she possesses,
the man mistaken as her comrade in a burgeoning resistance movement.
The architect of the chase is a man of uncommon madness and cruelty, ruthless, possibly psychotic, and equipped with a vast technological arsenal: untraceable access to the government’s electronic information banks, its surveillance systems, weaponry, and materiel. He is the brazen face of an insidiously fascistic future. And he is virtually unstoppable.
The architect of the chase is a man of uncommon madness and cruelty, ruthless, possibly psychotic, and equipped with a vast technological arsenal: untraceable access to the government’s electronic information banks, its surveillance systems, weaponry, and materiel. He is the brazen face of an insidiously fascistic future. And he is virtually unstoppable.
But
he has never before come up against the likes of his current quarry. Both of
them - survivors of singularly horrific pasts – have lived hidden, nomadic,
solitary lives. Both have learned to
expect “savagery as surely as sunrises and sunsets.” Both have long been
emboldened by their experiences to fight with reckless courage for their own
freedom. Now, they are plunged into a struggle for the freedom of their
country, and for the sanctity of their own lives.
Once
again, in Dark Rivers of the Heart, Dean Koontz has given us an electrifying
thriller, a feat of the imagination that steers us just along the razor edge of
a familiar, terrifying reality. It is
the work of a master suspense storyteller writing at the pinnacle of his form.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is by far Dean
Koontz’s most politically-charged novel to date. This extremely paranoid thriller, about a man
and woman who team-up to oppose a nearly omnipotent government entity, is as
good of a suspense thriller as Koontz has ever produced. In addition, it contains not a singular evil
antagonist, but multiple ones, making for a breakneck-paced story with almost
unbearable tension. Despite this, it
still contains endearing protagonists, interesting backstories, and a loveable
dog, this time in a mutt named “Rocky” who is neurotic but loyal.
Icebound (1995)
Synopsis:
The
arctic night is endless. The fear is numbing. Screams freeze in the throat.
Death arrives in shades of white. And cold-blooded murder seems right at home.
Conducting a strange and urgent experiment on the Arctic icefield, a team of scientists has planted sixty powerful explosive charges that will detonate at midnight. Before they can withdraw to the safety of their base camp, a shattering tidal wave breaks loose the ice on which they are working. Now they are hopelessly marooned on an iceberg during a violent winter storm. The bombs beneath them are buried irretrievably deep . . . and ticking. And they discover that one of them is an assassin with a mission of his own.
Conducting a strange and urgent experiment on the Arctic icefield, a team of scientists has planted sixty powerful explosive charges that will detonate at midnight. Before they can withdraw to the safety of their base camp, a shattering tidal wave breaks loose the ice on which they are working. Now they are hopelessly marooned on an iceberg during a violent winter storm. The bombs beneath them are buried irretrievably deep . . . and ticking. And they discover that one of them is an assassin with a mission of his own.
Review:
Paperback
only. Unlike Invasion and Winter Moon, which are very different
novels, Icebound is basically the same
story as Koontz’s Prison of Ice
(written under the name David Axton), just modernized and expanded. It is still a very exciting, adventurous
novel in the vein of Alistair Maclean or Tom Clancy. (See Prison
of Ice for a more detailed review.)
Strange Highways (1995)
Synopsis:
You
are about to experience what may be the publishing event of the year. The author – one of the most prolific writers
of our time, the creator of such classic New
York Times bestsellers as Dragon
Tears, Midnight, The Bad Place, Watchers, and Hideaway. The book – an extraordinary first-ever
collection of two complete novels, plus a compilation of twelve novelettes and
short stories, as only the man universally hailed as a master of imaginative
fiction can create them.
You
are about to travel along the strange highways of human experience: the
adventures and terrors and failures and triumphs that we know as we make our
way from birth to death, along the routes that we choose for ourselves and
along others onto which we are detoured by fate.
It
is a journey down wrong roads that can lead to unexpectedly and stunningly
right destinations…into subterranean depths where the darkness of the human
soul breeds in every conceivable form…over unfamiliar terrain populated by the
denizens of hell. It is a world of
unlikely heroes, haunted thieves, fearsome predators, vengeful children, and
suspiciously humanlike robots.
As
profound as it is mesmerizing, Strange
Highways is a remarkable achievement.
As the Washington Post Book World
put it: “His perennial bestsellers are engrossing entertainments that transcend
the possibilities of any one of the genres from which they borrow.”
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is Dean’s second
collection of short stories (after 1970’s Soft
Come the Dragons) though it contains two complete novels. The first is Strange Highways, a supernatural thriller loosely based on the
real-life town of Centralia, PA, which was also used in the movie Silent Hill.
The other novel is the previously released Chase, an updated version of his novel released under the pen name
K.R. Dwyer. This collection also
contains stories written throughout Koontz’s career, from his first story every
sold (the horrific Kittens) to other
examples of his sci-fi and suspense stories. All contain Koontz’s signature
characterizations and beautiful prose. Very interesting reading not only as
entertaining tales, but as a retrospective of his career. Included stories:
Strange Highways – A rare supernatural thriller about a man who is
given a second chance to change his fate, and save the girl he was supposed to
love.
The Black Pumpkin – An eerie thriller, though tongue-in-cheek, about a
boy who witnesses an evil creature doling out the karma his evil family
deserves.
Miss Attila the Hun – An ancient creature attacks the members of a small
town, including the elementary school and its prized teacher.
Down in the Darkness – In his new home, a man finds a cellar door that
only he can see. The cellar leads to
more than a basement, though…
Ollie’s Hands – A man’s extraordinary powers, and their unfortunate
side-effects.
Snatcher – A thief steals from the wrong old woman, and pays
the consequences.
Trapped – Short story which was later illustrated as a
graphic novel (1993, see previous review).
Bruno – Another good sample of Koontz’s sci-fi writing. A humorous look at alternate realities, and
what happens when beings from different worlds combine to find a fugitive.
We Three – An excellent example of minimalism in writing. Ten-year-old triplets with unique abilities
find themselves in a world of their own.
Hardshell – Reminiscent of film noir detective movies, though
with plenty of fantasy thrown in, this story again shows Koontz’s
science-fiction background.
Kittens – The first story sold by Koontz in 1966 at the age
of 21. Although he was writing
exclusively sci-fi at the time, this is definitely a horror story, and an early
sample of Koontz’s black humor which would serve him well through his career.
The Night of the Storm – Another science-fiction story about a world where
robots are the dominant species, and man has been relegated to a mythological
creature, and an incident when the two meet.
Twilight of the Dawn – Fascinating story about a rabid atheist who has to
deal with tragedy in his life. Different
than anything Koontz has ever written before or since as it is not a suspense
thriller, sci-fi, or horror, just a character piece.
Chase - An updated version of the novel originally released by “K.R. Dwyer”
in 1972 (see previous review).
Intensity (1995)
Synopsis:
Chyna
Shepherd is a twenty-six-year-old woman whose deeply troubled childhood taught
her the hard rules of survival, and whose adult life has been an unrelenting
struggle for self-respect and safety. Now rare trust has blossomed for Chyna
into friendship with the woman whose family home she is visiting for the
weekend: a farm in the Napa Valley surrounded by vineyards and hills, which
Chyna can see from the guest-room window where she sits at one o'clock in the
morning, fully dressed, unable to sleep. Suspicions she learned in childhood
still make her uneasy in unfamiliar houses--even this one, where her closest
friend is sound asleep down the hall. And in this case her most disturbing
instincts prove reliable. A man has entered the house, a man who lives for one
purpose: to satisfy all appetites as they arise, to immerse himself in
sensation, to live without fear, remorse, or limits--to live with intensity.
His name is Edgler Foreman Vess. He likes to make words with the letters from his name--GOD, DEMON, SAVE, RAGE, ANGER, FEAR, FOREVER, are just a few of them--and then makes sentences with the words. One of his favorites, GOD FEARS ME, is sometimes the last thing he whispers to his victims. Edgler Vess is a self-proclaimed "homicidal adventurer": On this night, his adventure--murdering everyone in the house--becomes Chyna's long nightmare.
Trapped in Vess's deadly orbit, Chyna thinks only of getting out alive. But when she inadvertently learns the identity of Vess's intended next victim, waiting for him far from Napa Valley, Chyna is gripped with concern for this other person, who is as innocent as Chyna, and as endangered. Driven now by a sense of responsibility for another, by a purpose and meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna rises to unexpected heights of courage and daring--her only hope as the threat of Edgler Foreman Vess closes in and grows more horrifying moment by moment.
Intensity unfolds over the course of just twenty-four hours, but within that brief time frame, Dean Koontz gives us what is perhaps his most inventive, emotionally intricate, and terrifyingly suspenseful novel yet.
His name is Edgler Foreman Vess. He likes to make words with the letters from his name--GOD, DEMON, SAVE, RAGE, ANGER, FEAR, FOREVER, are just a few of them--and then makes sentences with the words. One of his favorites, GOD FEARS ME, is sometimes the last thing he whispers to his victims. Edgler Vess is a self-proclaimed "homicidal adventurer": On this night, his adventure--murdering everyone in the house--becomes Chyna's long nightmare.
Trapped in Vess's deadly orbit, Chyna thinks only of getting out alive. But when she inadvertently learns the identity of Vess's intended next victim, waiting for him far from Napa Valley, Chyna is gripped with concern for this other person, who is as innocent as Chyna, and as endangered. Driven now by a sense of responsibility for another, by a purpose and meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna rises to unexpected heights of courage and daring--her only hope as the threat of Edgler Foreman Vess closes in and grows more horrifying moment by moment.
Intensity unfolds over the course of just twenty-four hours, but within that brief time frame, Dean Koontz gives us what is perhaps his most inventive, emotionally intricate, and terrifyingly suspenseful novel yet.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. The title says it all: Intensity. This book almost seems like an experiment on
Koontz’s part; an experiment to see how much suspense and tension can be built
in one novel, an experiment he succeeds with in spades. Within the first six pages, the reader
intensely cares for the protagonist, after that, the reader will be turning
pages with intensity, reading at break-neck speed. At least once, one will have to put the book
down, if only to put on a jacket or warm up one’s hands, calm one’s skipping
heart, and begin breathing again. Don’t
plan to do anything else, though, until the final page is turned.
There
have been two movies made from this novel.
The first is the T.V. movie “Intensity” from 1997 with John C. McGinley
and Molly Parker. This version was
executive-produced by Koontz and, despite being a made-for-television movie
(2-parts, 90 minutes each part) this movie is one of the most true-to-the-novel
adaptations ever made. It is
suspenseful, well-acted, and gripping.
While it is impossible to get all the character development in a movie
that is contained in the book, this comes as close as is possible. Definitely worth a look!
The
other is the film “High Tension” (or “Haute Tension”) from 2003. In the case of the latter, no credit was
given to Koontz, and no monies came to him as a result of the film (until he
sued them and settled out-of-court for an undisclosed amount). The movie is very true to his novel for the
first half of the film – to the point that any person who has read it would be
convinced that the screenwriters had taken the story directly from the pages of
Intensity. The rest of the movie is a complete departure
from the story, ruining this pleasurable novel and changing it into another
despicable slasher film. (See also The Servants of Twilight.) Don’t give the filmmakers any monetary or
psychological compensation by watching this train wreck!
Santa’s Twin (1996)
Synopsis:
“Someone
has stolen Santa’s bank card!”
Combining
the tongue-in-cheek charm of a modern classic with the timeless magic of
cherished holiday tradition, here is a new Christmas story guaranteed to
delight children of all ages – including those who pretend to have grown up.
At
the request of his fans, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz has created a
contemporary masterpiece that is destined to take its place alongside “The
Night Before Christmas” and A Christmas
Carol as a perennial Yuletide favorite.
Santa’s Twin is the hilarious and heartwarming story of two little
girls, Charlotte and Emily, who set out to save Santa from his mischievous twin
– Bob Claus – who has not only stolen Santa’s sleigh, but has stuffed his toy
bag with mud pies, cat poop, and broccoli!
Plus, he’s threatening to turn Donner, Blitzen, and the rest into
reindeer soup! And look at the mess he’s leaving under the tree!
How
the brave but foolhardy sisters fly to the North Pole and rescue Santa from his
“deeply troubled” twin is an utterly charming and unforgettable story that will
add sparkle to your holiday season.
The
first major new Christmas story in decades, Santa’s
Twin is sure to bring joy that parents can share with their children. Lavishly illustrated with spectacular
paintings by Phil Parks, this thoroughly modern masterpiece breathes new life
and warmth into the world’s most beloved legend.
Read
it aloud, preferably to someone whose laugh you love to hear.
And
Merry Christmas!
Review:
Hardcover
only. Many readers wrote to Dean wanting
to hear the end of a poem started in Mr.
Murder. Koontz wrote this book,
illustrated by Phil Parks as a response to these letters.
This
is a cute, funny story, written in rhyme, about the exploits of Santa Claus’
brother, Bob, and his evil attempts to ruin Christmas. Look closely at the detailed artwork by Parks
and find the snowman in every picture; some are obvious, while others are
hidden. Santa’s Twin was followed up a few years later by Robot Santa.
Tick Tock (1996)
Synopsis:
Prepared
to be terrified by a superb “middle-of-the-night, sneak-up-behind-you suspense
thriller” (San Francisco Chronicle)
that only Dean Koontz could write.
Thirty-year-old
detective novelist Tommy Phan has just become the proud owner of a bright aqua
Corvette. But as he drives his new
purchase home on a balmy California day, he is suddenly seized by a
teeth-chattering chill and the feeling that he is being followed by something
sinister. When Tommy arrives home, a
mysterious rag doll – with crossed stitches for eyes and mouth, and one over
its heart – is sitting on his doorstep.
Tommy
takes the doll inside. That evening, he
is horrified when its fabric rips open, revealing a beating heart and a
blinking green eye. It evolves into a
hulking, formidable creature bent on destroying him. On Tommy’s computer screen, it writes THE
DEADLINE IS DAWN. With his new friend
Del, a beautiful, strangely intuitive blonde, Tommy frantically flees. He must discover what this fierce enemy is
and why it’s pursuing him…before his
very life ticktocks away.
Review:
Paperback
only (Book Club released a hardcover version). This is the last non-Frankenstein novel that
was released only in paperback. But
don’t let that fact fool you – this novel contains all the suspense, intrigue,
character development, and poetic prose of any other Dean Koontz novel. As Koontz himself said, the reason it was
released as a paperback is that he didn’t feel it was long enough to warrant
the price of a hardcover book. That
said, it’s an exciting chase story, with more than a little touch of the
supernatural. Ticktock (the title Koontz wanted for his previous novel, Dragon Tears) is one of his more bizarre
plots, yet still thoroughly enjoyable.
Koontz describes it as a supernatural thriller and a screwball comedy in
one. Definitely a must-read!
Sole Survivor (1997)
Synopsis:
The
story begins with a catastrophic, unexplainable plane crash. Three hundred and thirty dead, no
survivors. Among the victims, the wife
and two young daughters of Los Angeles Post crime reporter Joe Carpenter.
A
year later, still gripped by an almost paralyzing grief, unable to work, unable
to imagine any relief but his own death, Joe encounters a woman named
Rose. She claims to have survived the
crash, and holds out a tantalizing possibility: a secret that will bring Joe
peace of mind. But before he can ask any
questions, she slips away.
Driven
now by rage (have the authorities withheld information from the families of the
victims?) and a hope almost as unbearable as his grief (if there really was one
survivor, could there have been others?), Joe sets out to find the woman: “The
resolution of this mystery was his mission, his purpose, and perhaps an
unknowable redemption.” But his search
immediately leads him into the path of a powerful and shadowy organization
hell-bent on stopping Rose before she can reveal what she knows about the
crash. And Joe’s connection to her – the
nature of which he comes to understand only by inches – makes him part of the
quarry.
The
novel unfolds at a heart-stopping pace as a desperate chase and a shattering
emotional odyssey lead Joe to a truth that will force him to reassess death – a
truth that, given the chance, will rock the world and redefine the destiny of
humanity.
Sole Survivor is the most galvanizing and unexpected, the most
haunting, novel we have had from this master of invention and suspense.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Another fast-paced
classic from Koontz, and one of his first to feature his themes of
spirituality, faith, and hope. This is
as much a mystery as it is a suspense thriller, with the reader kept guessing
until the end. It is also an excellent
example of Koontz’s imagination and science-fiction background. Very imaginative with a complex plotline,
this one will keep you reading deep into the night. Definitely a must-read!
The
movie, made in 2000, was another story.
It is nearly three hours long (it was a television mini-series) which
allowed enough time for much of the original story, and it contained good
acting by Billy Zane in the role of Joe Carpenter. However, it changed too much of Koontz’s
novel, especially in the ending. If one
hadn’t read the book, though, I think it would be quite satisfying as it is well
written (teleplay by Richard Christian Matheson) and well produced (Koontz was
an executive producer). Watch for the
novelty of it, but definitely read the book first!
Fear Nothing (1998)
Synopsis:
Fear,
compassion, evil, courage, hope, wonder, the exquisite terror of not knowing
what will happen on the next page to characters you care about deeply—these are
the marvels that Dean Koontz weaves into the unique tapestry of every novel.
His storytelling talents have earned him the devotion of fans around the world,
making him one of the most popular authors of our time, with more than 200
million copies of his books sold worldwide.
If you are already a fan, prepare yourself to settle into a novel Dean Koontz considers perhaps his best work to date. If you are a brand-new Dean Koontz reader, buckle up for what will be a most breathtaking ride through the long, enthralling night of...
Christopher Snow is different from all the other residents of Moonlight Bay, different from anyone you've ever met. For Christopher Snow has made his peace with a very rare genetic disorder shared by only one thousand other Americans, a disorder that leaves him dangerously vulnerable to light. His life is filled with the fascinating rituals of one who must embrace the dark. He knows the night as no one else ever will, ever can—the mystery, the beauty, the many terrors, and the eerie, silken rhythms of the night—for it is only at night that he is free.
Until the night he witnesses a series of disturbing incidents that sweep him into a violent mystery only he can solve, a mystery that will force him to rise above all fears and confront the many-layered strangeness of Moonlight Bay and its residents.
Once again drawing daringly from several genres, Dean Koontz has created a narrative that is a thriller, a mystery, a wild adventure, a novel of friendship, a rousing story of triumph over severe physical limitations, and a haunting cautionary tale.
If you are already a fan, prepare yourself to settle into a novel Dean Koontz considers perhaps his best work to date. If you are a brand-new Dean Koontz reader, buckle up for what will be a most breathtaking ride through the long, enthralling night of...
Christopher Snow is different from all the other residents of Moonlight Bay, different from anyone you've ever met. For Christopher Snow has made his peace with a very rare genetic disorder shared by only one thousand other Americans, a disorder that leaves him dangerously vulnerable to light. His life is filled with the fascinating rituals of one who must embrace the dark. He knows the night as no one else ever will, ever can—the mystery, the beauty, the many terrors, and the eerie, silken rhythms of the night—for it is only at night that he is free.
Until the night he witnesses a series of disturbing incidents that sweep him into a violent mystery only he can solve, a mystery that will force him to rise above all fears and confront the many-layered strangeness of Moonlight Bay and its residents.
Once again drawing daringly from several genres, Dean Koontz has created a narrative that is a thriller, a mystery, a wild adventure, a novel of friendship, a rousing story of triumph over severe physical limitations, and a haunting cautionary tale.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. The beginning of a
(supposed) trilogy of novels featuring Christopher Snow, the loveable,
night-dwelling author who deals with his bout with xeroderma pigmentosum, or
XP, in his own heroic way. The novel begins on the night his father
dies, and Chris is thrown into a mystery which could end the world as he knows
it – a world already stranger than most people’s, and getting stranger by the
hour. Followed-up by Seize the Night, and the as
yet-unpublished Ride the Storm, this
is one of the most endearing series ever put on paper. As Koontz writes in the author’s notes:
“Christopher Snow, Bobby Halloway, Sasha Goodall, and Orson are real. I have
spent many months with them. I like
their company, and I intend to spend a lot more time with them in the years to
come.”
It
can’t come soon enough!
Seize the Night (1999)
Synopsis:
With
each breathtaking new adventure he creates, Dean Koontz so amazes his eager
readers that Rolling Stone recently
proclaimed him “America’s most popular suspense novelist.” Those readers know that Dean Koontz is a
master at weaving strange and terrifying events into the otherwise ordinary
lives of his characters, but what they find equally satisfying are his sheer
storytelling power, his unforgettable characters, and his gift for shining the
wondrous light of human courage and compassion over life’s darkest challenges.
Moonlight
Bay, California. A safe, secluded small
town that is at its most picturesque in the gentle nighttimes that inspired its
name. Now, somewhere in the night,
children are disappearing. From their
homes. From the streets.
The
police cannot be trusted to solve the mystery because in Moonlight Bay the
police work their hardest to conceal crimes and silence the complainants rather
than catch the perpetrators. They were
long ago corrupted by a greater authority, hidden behind the supposedly
shuttered walls of the adjacent military base, Fort Wyvern.
When
he sets out to find the missing five-year-old son of a former sweetheart,
Christopher Snow believes the lost children are still alive. He is convinced the disappearances have
everything to do with the catastrophic effects of secret research conducted
deep within Fort Wyvern. To keep those
secrets, extremely violent and powerful forces are willing to conceal even the
most heinous crimes.
But
Christopher Snow has developed a secret advantage of his own. His rare genetic disorder – xeroderma
pigmentosum, XP – leaves him dangerously vulnerable to light. Forced to live in the shadows, Christopher
Snow knows the night world better than anyone, even those adversaries who seem
at one with darkness.
Never
before in Dean Koontz’s phenomenal writing career has he created a character
quite like Christopher Snow – a creation so complex, so fascinating that the
author has felt compelled to return to him.
Readers of Fear Nothing already know why. Those who meet him for the first time in
Seize the Night will soon join millions of others whose imaginations have been
touched by this unique character and the extraordinarily eerie world of Moonlight
Bay.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This sequel to Fear Nothing is a roller-coaster ride of
suspense, mind-bending science fiction, unforgettable characters, and no small
amount of humor. Intricately plotted,
this story harkens back to Koontz’s early sci-fi novels, while still containing
all of his talent for thrills and suspense.
It has been called his “masterwork”, and while that’s very subjective,
it definitely qualifies as one of his best.
It ends with a nod to a sequel, though it has yet to be published. However, Koontz has announced the title, Ride the Storm, and claimed to have
written about half of it, though it apparently became so long that he put it
aside until he can figure out what to do with it. I think all of his fans would agree that
however many more novels it takes to finish the story of Christopher Snow,
Sasha Goodall, Bobby Halloway, Orson the dog, and others would be just fine!
False Memory (1999)
Synopsis:
Just
when you thought he couldn't top himself, Dean Koontz has done it again with a
novel that will chill you to the bone and demonstrate why he has earned the
distinction "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling
Stone). A Dean Koontz novel is not just an unforgettable read—it is a
life-changing experience. As anyone who has ever read one of his novels knows,
he creates atmospheric settings, believable characters, and all-too-plausible
situations through which he explores the terror that we all suspect lurks just
out of sight in our ordinary lives. In this unforgettable novel he weaves a
tale of madness, suspense, love, and terror from a startling and true-life
psychological condition so close to home it will stun even his most seasoned
readers: autophobia—fear of oneself.
Martie Rhodes is a young wife, a successful video game designer, and a compassionate woman who takes her agoraphobic friend, Susan, to therapy sessions. Susan is so afraid of leaving her apartment that even these trips to the doctor's office become ordeals for both women—but with each trip a deeper emotional bond forms between them.
Then one morning Martie experiences a sudden and inexplicable fear of her own, a fleeting but disquieting terror of...her own shadow. The episode is over so quickly it leaves her shaken but amused. The amusement is short-lived. For as she is about to check her makeup, she realizes that she is terrified to look in the mirror and confront the reflection of her own face.
As the episodes of this traumatic condition— autophobia—build, the lives of Martie and her husband, Dustin, change drastically. Desperate to discover the reasons for his wife's sudden and seemingly inevitable descent into mental chaos, Dusty takes Martie to the renowned therapist who has been treating Susan, and tries to reconstruct the events of recent months in a frantic search for clues. As he comes closer to the shocking truth, Dusty finds himself afflicted with a condition even more bizarre and fearsome than Martie's.
No fan of Dean Koontz or of classic psychological suspense will want to miss this extraordinary novel of the human mind's capacity to torment— and destroy—itself. In False Memory, Dean Koontz has created a novel that will stay in your memory long after the final page is turned— a story not only of gripping fear but also of the power of love and friendship. Once more Koontz reveals why he has, as People put it, the "power to scare the daylights out of us."
Review:
Martie Rhodes is a young wife, a successful video game designer, and a compassionate woman who takes her agoraphobic friend, Susan, to therapy sessions. Susan is so afraid of leaving her apartment that even these trips to the doctor's office become ordeals for both women—but with each trip a deeper emotional bond forms between them.
Then one morning Martie experiences a sudden and inexplicable fear of her own, a fleeting but disquieting terror of...her own shadow. The episode is over so quickly it leaves her shaken but amused. The amusement is short-lived. For as she is about to check her makeup, she realizes that she is terrified to look in the mirror and confront the reflection of her own face.
As the episodes of this traumatic condition— autophobia—build, the lives of Martie and her husband, Dustin, change drastically. Desperate to discover the reasons for his wife's sudden and seemingly inevitable descent into mental chaos, Dusty takes Martie to the renowned therapist who has been treating Susan, and tries to reconstruct the events of recent months in a frantic search for clues. As he comes closer to the shocking truth, Dusty finds himself afflicted with a condition even more bizarre and fearsome than Martie's.
No fan of Dean Koontz or of classic psychological suspense will want to miss this extraordinary novel of the human mind's capacity to torment— and destroy—itself. In False Memory, Dean Koontz has created a novel that will stay in your memory long after the final page is turned— a story not only of gripping fear but also of the power of love and friendship. Once more Koontz reveals why he has, as People put it, the "power to scare the daylights out of us."
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This novel took me the
longest to get through of any of Dean Koontz’s works. Perhaps it’s because it is one of his longest
tomes, or perhaps it’s the subject matter (a sexual sadist). Whatever the reason, on my third try, I stuck
with it, and was pleasantly surprised.
Again, Koontz delves deep into his characters, making them more than
believable, to the point that we love and cheer for the protagonists and
despise the villains. Again, Koontz
gives us a rollercoaster ride of a plot, running the characters halfway around
the country as they pursue and are pursued by the villains. Twists and turns are plenty, and the
storyline keeps one guessing throughout.
Although a little far-fetched in a small part of the plot, all in all,
this turned out to be just as enjoyable as any Koontz thriller out there.
From the Corner of His Eye (2000)
Synopsis:
Dean
Koontz has been called "America's most popular suspense novelist,"*
but that only begins to describe the rich variety and endless invention that
characterize his work. Critics hail his impeccable craft and the artistry that
has inspired the devotion of millions of fans around the world. He is unique
among contemporary writers, venturing far beyond traditional boundaries to
explore our deepest fears and most transcendent aspirations. Now, in From the Corner of His Eye, Koontz
brings together his most powerful themes to draw readers into a spellbinding
world made by a master at the top of his form -- a story rich in triumph and
tragedy, joy and terror, love, hate, and profound meaning, played out by
perhaps the most unforgettable cast of characters he has yet created.
Bartholomew Lampion is born in Bright Beach, California, on a day of tragedy and terror, when the lives of everyone in his family are changed forever. Remarkable events accompany his birth, and everyone agrees that his unusual eyes are the most beautiful they have ever seen.
On this same day, a thousand miles away, a ruthless man learns that he has a mortal enemy named Bartholomew. He doesn't know who Bartholomew is, but he embarks on a search that will become the purpose of his life. If ever he finds the right Bartholomew, he will deal mercilessly with him.
And in San Francisco, a girl is born, the result of a violent rape. Her survival is miraculous, and her destiny is mysteriously linked to the fates of Barty and the man who stalks him.
At the age of three, Barty Lampion is blinded when surgeons reluctantly remove his eyes to save him from a fast-spreading cancer. As the growing boy copes with his blindness and proves to be a prodigy, his mother, an exceptional woman, counsels him that all things happen for a reason, that there is meaning even in his suffering, and that he will affect the lives of people yet unknown to him in ways startling and profound.
At thirteen, Bartholomew regains his sight. How he regains it, why he regains it, and what happens as his amazing life unfolds results in a breathtaking journey of courage, heart-stopping suspense, and high adventure. His mother once told him that every person's life has an effect on every other person's, in often unknowable ways, and Barty's eventful life indeed entwines with others in ways that will astonish and move everyone who reads his story.
People magazine has said that Dean Koontz has the "power to scare the daylights out of us." In this, perhaps the most thrilling, suspenseful, and emotionally powerful work of his critically acclaimed career, Koontz does that and far more. He has created a compulsive page-turner that will have you at the edge of your seat, a narrative tour de force that will change the way you yourself look at the world.
Bartholomew Lampion is born in Bright Beach, California, on a day of tragedy and terror, when the lives of everyone in his family are changed forever. Remarkable events accompany his birth, and everyone agrees that his unusual eyes are the most beautiful they have ever seen.
On this same day, a thousand miles away, a ruthless man learns that he has a mortal enemy named Bartholomew. He doesn't know who Bartholomew is, but he embarks on a search that will become the purpose of his life. If ever he finds the right Bartholomew, he will deal mercilessly with him.
And in San Francisco, a girl is born, the result of a violent rape. Her survival is miraculous, and her destiny is mysteriously linked to the fates of Barty and the man who stalks him.
At the age of three, Barty Lampion is blinded when surgeons reluctantly remove his eyes to save him from a fast-spreading cancer. As the growing boy copes with his blindness and proves to be a prodigy, his mother, an exceptional woman, counsels him that all things happen for a reason, that there is meaning even in his suffering, and that he will affect the lives of people yet unknown to him in ways startling and profound.
At thirteen, Bartholomew regains his sight. How he regains it, why he regains it, and what happens as his amazing life unfolds results in a breathtaking journey of courage, heart-stopping suspense, and high adventure. His mother once told him that every person's life has an effect on every other person's, in often unknowable ways, and Barty's eventful life indeed entwines with others in ways that will astonish and move everyone who reads his story.
People magazine has said that Dean Koontz has the "power to scare the daylights out of us." In this, perhaps the most thrilling, suspenseful, and emotionally powerful work of his critically acclaimed career, Koontz does that and far more. He has created a compulsive page-turner that will have you at the edge of your seat, a narrative tour de force that will change the way you yourself look at the world.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is what I consider
the first of Koontz’s “spiritual thrillers”.
It is the first novel where he combines faith with the suspense that he
is so good at. Although 622 pages long,
one hardly notices as it is a page turner from the beginning and doesn’t relent
until the end. This book also delves
deeper into the psyche of the characters (especially the evil Junior Cain) than
ever before, which is saying something in Dean Koontz’s case! While there are a few “must-reads” in
Koontz’s earlier works (Watchers,
Midnight, The Moonlight Bay books, etc.) every book from From the Corner of His Eye on has to be
relished by any fan of Koontz’s. He
really hit his stride from here on out!
The Paper Doorway: Funny Verse and
Nothing Worse (2001)
Synopsis:
A thrilling world awaits you inside The
Paper Doorway! From "The Woggle Wrangler" to "The
Wart," from "Boogeyman" to "The Bear with One Green
Ear," from "The Monstrous Broccoli Excuse" to "An Angry
Poem by a Dragon's Mother," Dean Koontz's poetry is wickedly entertaining
fun.
With
225 million copies of his books sold, New York Times – mega-selling
author Dean Koontz has been called "America's most popular suspense
novelist" -- but that only begins to describe his endless talent and
imagination. Following the success of his previous children's book, Santa's
Twin, Koontz has created a richly inventive book of poems, illustrated in
black-and-white by Phil Parks, that delivers a powerhouse combination of humor
and spookiness.
Review:
Hardcover
only. This funny, entertaining book is full of witty, amusing poetry by Koontz
and detailed, fascinating drawings by Phil Parks. Koontz began his career writing short stories
and poetry for the Shippensburg State College (PA) literary magazine, The Reflector. This book showcases his gift for not only
poetry but humor as well. Look for a
mouse in every picture.
One Door Away from Heaven (2001)
Synopsis:
Hailed
as “America’s most popular suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) Dean
Koontz has entered a rich new phase of his writing career that is yielding his
most imaginative, meaningful, and popular work yet. At the height of his powers as a literary
craftsman, he has won the acclaim of critics as well as the allegiance of
millions of fans the world over, transforming the greatest fears and hopes of
our time into masterworks of dazzling originality and emotional resonance. Now, with the stunning depth and virtuosity
of his storytelling, he brings to readers one of his most gripping and richly
imagined novels to date—an intoxicating story of adventure and suspense,
mystery and revelation, told with humor, heart, and high art.
In a dusty trailer park on the far edge of the California dream, Michelina Bellsong contemplates the choices she has made. At twenty-eight, she wants to change the direction of her troubled life but can’t find her way—until a new family settles into the rental trailer next door and she meets the young girl who will lead her on a remarkable quest.
In a dusty trailer park on the far edge of the California dream, Michelina Bellsong contemplates the choices she has made. At twenty-eight, she wants to change the direction of her troubled life but can’t find her way—until a new family settles into the rental trailer next door and she meets the young girl who will lead her on a remarkable quest.
Despite the brace she must wear on her deformed left leg, and her withered left hand, nine-year-old Leilani Klonk radiates a buoyant and indomitable spirit that inspires Micky. Beneath Leilani’s effervescence, however, Micky comes to sense a quiet desperation that the girl dares not express. Leilani’s mother is lost in drugs. The girl’s stepfather, Preston Maddoc, is educated but threatening. He has moved the family from place to place as he fanatically investigates UFO sightings, striving to make contact, claiming to have had a vision that by Leilani’s tenth birthday aliens will either heal her or take her away to a better life on their world. Slowly, ever more troubling details emerge in Leilani’s conversations with Micky. Most chilling is Micky’s discovery that Leilani had an older brother, also disabled, who vanished after Maddoc took him into the woods one night and is now “gone to the stars.”
Leilani’s tenth birthday is approaching. Micky is convinced the girl will be dead by that day. While the child-protection bureaucracy gives Micky the runaround, the Maddoc family slips away into the night. Micky sets out across America to track and find them, alone and afraid but for the first time living for something bigger than herself. She finds herself pitted against an adversary, Preston Maddoc, as fearsome as he is cunning. The passion and disregard for danger with which Micky pursues her quest bring to her side a burned-out detective who joins her on a journey of incredible peril and startling discoveries, a journey through terrible darkness to unexpected light.
One Door Away From Heaven is an incandescent mix of suspense and humor, fear and wonder, a story of redemption and timeless wisdom that will have readers cheering. Filled with tragedy and joy, with terror and hope, it solidifies Dean Koontz’s reputation as one of the foremost storytellers of our time. This is Dean Koontz at his very best—and it doesn’t get any better than that.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. One of my top three
favorites of his. This has everything
one would want from a novel: endearing protagonists, über-evil villains, an
interesting, fast-paced plot, and rich prose.
Koontz succeeds in all of these areas, bringing the reader into the
story, but not so much so that one sees the twists coming too far ahead. The heroes are real, flaws and all, which
helps bring believability to the remarkable storyline. Although it’s nearly 700 pages, they fly by
thanks to the short chapters and engaging story. Wonderful!
By the Light of the Moon (2002)
Synopsis:
Dean
Koontz has surpassed his longtime reputation as “America’s most popular
suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) to become one of the most celebrated
and successful writers of our time. Reviewers hail his boundless originality,
his art, his unparalleled ability to create highly textured, riveting drama, at
once viscerally familiar and utterly unique.
Author of one #1 New York Times bestseller after another, Koontz
is at the pinnacle of his powers, spinning mysteries and miracles, enthralling
tales that speak directly to today’s readers, balm for the heart and fire for
the mind. In this stunning new novel, he delivers a tour de force of dark
suspense and brilliant revelation that has all the Koontz trademarks:
adventure, chills, riddles, humor, heartbreak, an unforgettable cast of
characters, and a climax that will leave you clamoring for more.
Dylan O’Connor is a gifted young artist just trying to do the right thing in life. He’s on his way to an arts festival in Santa Fe when he stops to get a room for himself and his twenty-year-old autistic brother, Shep. But in a nightmarish instant, Dylan is attacked by a mysterious “doctor,” injected with a strange substance, and told that he is now a carrier of something that will either kill him...or transform his life in the most remarkable way. Then he is told that he must flee--before the doctor’s enemies hunt him down for the secret circulating through his body.
Dylan O’Connor is a gifted young artist just trying to do the right thing in life. He’s on his way to an arts festival in Santa Fe when he stops to get a room for himself and his twenty-year-old autistic brother, Shep. But in a nightmarish instant, Dylan is attacked by a mysterious “doctor,” injected with a strange substance, and told that he is now a carrier of something that will either kill him...or transform his life in the most remarkable way. Then he is told that he must flee--before the doctor’s enemies hunt him down for the secret circulating through his body.
No
one can help him, the doctor says, not even the police.
Stunned, disbelieving, Dylan is turned loose to run for his life...and straight into an adventure that will turn the next twenty-four hours into an odyssey of terror, mystery--and wondrous discovery.
Stunned, disbelieving, Dylan is turned loose to run for his life...and straight into an adventure that will turn the next twenty-four hours into an odyssey of terror, mystery--and wondrous discovery.
It
is a journey that begins when Dylan and Shep’s path intersects with that of
Jillian Jackson. Before that evening Jilly was a beautiful comedian whose
biggest worry was whether she would ever find a decent man. Now she too is a
carrier. And even as Dylan tries to convince her that they’ll be safer sticking
together, cold-eyed men in a threatening pack of black Suburban’s approach, only
seconds before Jilly’s classic Coupe DeVille explodes into thin air.
Now the three are on the run together, but with no idea whom they’re running from--or why. Meanwhile Shep has begun exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior. And whatever it is that’s coursing through their bodies seems to have plunged them into one waking nightmare after another. Seized by sinister premonitions, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to crime scenes--just minutes before the crimes take place.
What this unfathomable power is, how they can use it to stop the evil erupting all around them, and why they have been chosen are only parts of a puzzle that reaches back into the tragic past and the dark secrets they all share: secrets of madness, pain, and untimely death. Perhaps the answer lies in the eerie, enigmatic messages that Shep, with precious time running out, begins to repeat, about an entity who does his work “by the light of the moon.”
By the Light of the Moon is a novel of heart-stopping suspense and transcendent beauty, of how evil can destroy us and love can redeem us--a masterwork of the imagination in which the surprises come page after page and the spell of sublime storytelling triumphs throughout.
Now the three are on the run together, but with no idea whom they’re running from--or why. Meanwhile Shep has begun exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior. And whatever it is that’s coursing through their bodies seems to have plunged them into one waking nightmare after another. Seized by sinister premonitions, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to crime scenes--just minutes before the crimes take place.
What this unfathomable power is, how they can use it to stop the evil erupting all around them, and why they have been chosen are only parts of a puzzle that reaches back into the tragic past and the dark secrets they all share: secrets of madness, pain, and untimely death. Perhaps the answer lies in the eerie, enigmatic messages that Shep, with precious time running out, begins to repeat, about an entity who does his work “by the light of the moon.”
By the Light of the Moon is a novel of heart-stopping suspense and transcendent beauty, of how evil can destroy us and love can redeem us--a masterwork of the imagination in which the surprises come page after page and the spell of sublime storytelling triumphs throughout.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Dean Koontz has the unrivaled
ability to make the incredible seem not only possible, but realistic. Never before has he done such a masterful job
of this than in By the Light of the Moon. Another great talent of Koontz’s is the skill
of making flawed characters into endearing heroes and heroines. Perhaps more than any other, the protagonists
of Jilly and Dylan have very troubled psyches, as well as Dylan’s brother,
Shep, an autistic whose mannerisms are a great stumbling block in their desperate
flight from their pursuers. The
breakneck pace begins in the first chapter and doesn’t let up until the
last. Classic Koontz!
The Face (2003)
Synopsis:
Acknowledged
as “America’s most popular suspense novelist” (Rolling Stone) and as one of today’s most celebrated and successful
writers, Dean Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the
world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and
adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human. Now he delivers
the page-turner of the season, an unforgettable journey to the heart of
darkness and to the pinnacle of grace, at once chilling and wickedly funny, a
brilliantly observed chronicle of good and evil in our time, of illusion and
everlasting truth.
He’s Hollywood’s most dazzling star, whose flawless countenance inspires the worship of millions and fires the hatred of one twisted soul. His perfectly ordered existence is under siege as a series of terrifying, enigmatic “messages” breaches the exquisitely calibrated security systems of his legendary Bel Air estate.
The boxes arrive mysteriously, one by one, at Channing Manheim’s fortified compound. The threat implicit in their bizarre, disturbing contents seems to escalate with each new delivery. Manheim’s security chief, ex-cop Ethan Truman, is used to looking beneath the surface of things. But until he entered the orbit of a Hollywood icon, he had no idea just how slippery reality could be. Now this good man is all that stands in the way of an insidious killer - and forces that eclipse the most fevered fantasies of a city where dreams and nightmares are the stuff of daily life. As a seemingly endless and ominous rain falls over southern California, Ethan will test the limits of perception and endurance in a world where the truth is as thin as celluloid and answers can be found only in the illusory intersection of shadow and light.
Enter a world of marvelous invention, enchantment, and implacable intent, populated by murderous actors and the walking dead, hit men and heroes, long-buried dreams and never-dying hope. Here a magnificent mansion is presided over by a Scottish force of nature known as Mrs. McBee, before whom all men tremble. A mad French chef concocts feasts for the mighty and the malicious. Ming du Lac, spiritual adviser to the stars, has a direct line to the dead. An aptly named cop called Hazard will become Ethan’s ally, an anarchist will sow discord and despair, and a young boy named Fric, imprisoned by celebrity and loneliness, will hear a voice telling him of the approach of something unimaginably evil. Traversing this extraordinary landscape, Ethan will face the secrets of his own tragic past and the unmistakable premonition of his impending violent death as he races against time to solve the macabre riddles of a modern-day beast.
A riveting tour de force of suspense, mystery, and miraculous revelation, The Face is that rare novel that entertains, provokes, and uplifts at the same time. It will make you laugh. It will give you chills. It will fill you with hope.
He’s Hollywood’s most dazzling star, whose flawless countenance inspires the worship of millions and fires the hatred of one twisted soul. His perfectly ordered existence is under siege as a series of terrifying, enigmatic “messages” breaches the exquisitely calibrated security systems of his legendary Bel Air estate.
The boxes arrive mysteriously, one by one, at Channing Manheim’s fortified compound. The threat implicit in their bizarre, disturbing contents seems to escalate with each new delivery. Manheim’s security chief, ex-cop Ethan Truman, is used to looking beneath the surface of things. But until he entered the orbit of a Hollywood icon, he had no idea just how slippery reality could be. Now this good man is all that stands in the way of an insidious killer - and forces that eclipse the most fevered fantasies of a city where dreams and nightmares are the stuff of daily life. As a seemingly endless and ominous rain falls over southern California, Ethan will test the limits of perception and endurance in a world where the truth is as thin as celluloid and answers can be found only in the illusory intersection of shadow and light.
Enter a world of marvelous invention, enchantment, and implacable intent, populated by murderous actors and the walking dead, hit men and heroes, long-buried dreams and never-dying hope. Here a magnificent mansion is presided over by a Scottish force of nature known as Mrs. McBee, before whom all men tremble. A mad French chef concocts feasts for the mighty and the malicious. Ming du Lac, spiritual adviser to the stars, has a direct line to the dead. An aptly named cop called Hazard will become Ethan’s ally, an anarchist will sow discord and despair, and a young boy named Fric, imprisoned by celebrity and loneliness, will hear a voice telling him of the approach of something unimaginably evil. Traversing this extraordinary landscape, Ethan will face the secrets of his own tragic past and the unmistakable premonition of his impending violent death as he races against time to solve the macabre riddles of a modern-day beast.
A riveting tour de force of suspense, mystery, and miraculous revelation, The Face is that rare novel that entertains, provokes, and uplifts at the same time. It will make you laugh. It will give you chills. It will fill you with hope.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This story contains one
of Koontz’s most horrific and despicable villains, the über-evil Corky
Laputa. While it has no shortage of
supernatural elements, The Face is
told with the talent seen so often in a Dean Koontz novel which makes the
reader not only believe in the paranormal circumstances, but become fully
involved in the plot. The denouement
comes barely halfway through the book, then sustains for the other half,
resulting in a page-turner like no other!
In perfect complement to the villain, the two main protagonists, Aelfric
and Ethan, are such likeable characters that one can’t help cringe at their ordeals
and cheer at their successes.
Odd Thomas (2003)
Synopsis:
Distilling
the art, ingenuity, and emotional power of his most acclaimed novels into a
gripping all-night read, Dean Koontz delivers a haunting tale of love and
terror, suspense and self-discovery – an unforgettable fable for our time
destined to rank among his most enduring works.
Here is the story of a gallant sentinel at the crossroads of life and
death, an unassuming young hero who offers up his heart in these pages and will
forever capture yours.
“The dead don't talk. I don't know why.” But they do try to communicate, with a short-order
cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas
thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of
talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful
girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn.
Maybe
he has a gift, maybe it’s a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do
his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and
Odd’s otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter,
can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's
different.
A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd’s deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.
Today is August 14.
In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.
A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd’s deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.
Today is August 14.
In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is the book that begins the magic. The world is introduced to Odd Thomas, the
unassuming young fry cook and seer of spirits.
In perhaps his most violent encounter, and certainly his most
unforgettable, Odd tracks a mass murderer, trying to unravel the vague clues to
the killer’s identity before the fateful hour when dozens, perhaps even
hundreds are killed. The encounter will
change Odd’s life forever, a life which has been strange enough already.
This
is the amazing story that leads to many others, Dean Koontz’s longest series of
books. Odd Thomas is an unforgettable
character, as are many of the supporting characters in the series. Perhaps more than any other character in
history, Odd truly comes alive in these pages, turning him from a fictional
being to the reader’s narrator and friend.
An unforgettable experience!
The Book of Counted Sorrows (2003) Poetry, Limited release
Synopsis:
(No
official synopsis available.) This is a collection of poetry taken from various
Koontz novels that quote the fictional “Book of Counted Sorrows”, along with
other poetry written specifically for this limited-edition, 1250 piece, signed
release. Very rare, copies sell for $300
and up. A second edition (2008) was
self-published by Koontz’s Dogged Press,
with a 3000 copy limited release. Copies
of that printing start at $125.
Review:
Hardcover
only, no dust jacket available. This is
easily Koontz’s most bizarre, yet funniest book ever. Before the poetry, he spins a tale of how The Book of Counted Sorrows came to be,
complete with fictional accounts of his own life and the lives of those who
supposedly owned the only copy in existence.
Hilarious from start to finish, printing this book (for years requested
by fans) allowed Koontz to finally let his sense of humor run free in a format
never before attempted by him. Though
copies are quite expensive, any fan of Koontz needs to read this volume. Priceless!
Robot Santa: The Further Adventures
of Santa’s Twin (2004)
Synopsis:
Dean Koontz kicks the holiday season
into high gear with a wildly inventive and wickedly funny sequel to his perennial
Christmas bestseller Santa's Twin.
The Claus family's bad seed, Bob, is
back and dishing out a second helping of holiday havoc and headaches for his
twin brother, Santa. Exactly a year has passed since Bob kidnapped Santa and
visited Charlotte and Emily in his stead, bearing gifts of mud pies, cat poop,
and broccoli. After his defeat at the hands of the two brave sisters, Bob has
worked hard to redeem himself in Santa's eyes. Unfortunately Bob's spare time
has been spent secretly building a robot Santa Claus. Super Santa One was
designed to help Santa halve his delivery time, but Bob has left a screw loose
on his creation (several screws, actually), and this Christmas Eve, a badly
malfunctioning robot Santa Claus is coming to town.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Once again, Santa’s brother, Bob,
is up to no good. This time, he
inadvertently ruins Christmas by creating a robot to help Santa. When things go awry, it is up to Charlotte
and Emily to again save Christmas. In Santa’s Twin, illustrator Phil Parks put
a snowman in each picture. In this
volume it is an angel that the reader can look for hidden in the illustration.
Every Day’s a Holiday: Amusing Rhymes
for Happy Times (2004)
Synopsis:
In
Every Day's a Holiday, the ever inventive Dean Koontz ponders the origin
of Valentine's Day; introduces Jinx, a guy who really gets into Halloween; and
explains that extra "a" on the end of Kwanzaa. There are also
holidays you may not have heard of -- but that you are sure to be celebrating
soon -- including Praise-the-Chicken Day, Lost-Tooth Day, and Up-Is-Down Day.
With over 250 million copies of his books
sold, Dean Koontz is considered one of the world's premiere suspense writers.
Now he is conquering a whole new field with his flagrantly funny poetry. As he did
in two previous books for children, The Paper Doorway and Santa's
Twin, the New York Times best-selling author has created original
verse that combines fun, fantasy, and just a dollop of the macabre. The
resulting laugh-fest is truly cause for celebration.
Review:
Hardcover
only. This collection of poetry by
Koontz is all about holidays, both real and made-up. Very amusing and clever, it shows Koontz’s
gift for humor and rhyme, along with Phil Parks’ wonderful illustrations. Like the other books (Santa’s Twin, The Paper Doorway, Robot Santa) this one has a hidden
item to find in each picture: look for a frog.
The Taking (2004)
Synopsis:
In
one of the most dazzling books of his celebrated career, Dean Koontz delivers a
masterwork of page-turning suspense that surpasses even his own inimitable
reputation as a chronicler of our worst fears—and best dreams. In The Taking he tells the story of a
community cut off from a world under siege, and the terrifying battle for
survival waged by a young couple and their neighbors as familiar streets become
fog-shrouded death traps. Gripping, heartbreaking, and triumphant in the face
of mankind’s darkest hour, here is a small-town slice-of-doomsday thriller that
strikes to the core of each of us to ask: What
would you do in the midst of The Taking.
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Neil Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain on their roof. It has haunted their sleep, invaded their dreams, and now they rise to find a luminous silvery downpour drenching their small California mountain town. A strange scent hangs faintly in the air, and the young couple cannot shake the sense of something wrong.
As hours pass and the rain continues to fall, Molly and Neil listen to disturbing news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. Before evening, their little town loses television and radio reception. Then telephone and the Internet are gone. With the ceaseless rain now comes an obscuring fog that transforms the once-friendly village into a ghostly labyrinth. By nightfall the Sloans have gathered with some of their neighbors to deal with community damage...but also because they feel the need to band together against some unknown threat, some enemy they cannot identify or even imagine.
In the night, strange noises arise, and at a distance, in the rain and the mist, mysterious lights are seen drifting among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn, but a moody gray-purple twilight prevails. Soon Molly, Neil, and their small band of friends will be forced to draw on reserves of strength, courage, and humanity they never knew they had. For within the misty gloom they will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to their world—something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency.
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Neil Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain on their roof. It has haunted their sleep, invaded their dreams, and now they rise to find a luminous silvery downpour drenching their small California mountain town. A strange scent hangs faintly in the air, and the young couple cannot shake the sense of something wrong.
As hours pass and the rain continues to fall, Molly and Neil listen to disturbing news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. Before evening, their little town loses television and radio reception. Then telephone and the Internet are gone. With the ceaseless rain now comes an obscuring fog that transforms the once-friendly village into a ghostly labyrinth. By nightfall the Sloans have gathered with some of their neighbors to deal with community damage...but also because they feel the need to band together against some unknown threat, some enemy they cannot identify or even imagine.
In the night, strange noises arise, and at a distance, in the rain and the mist, mysterious lights are seen drifting among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn, but a moody gray-purple twilight prevails. Soon Molly, Neil, and their small band of friends will be forced to draw on reserves of strength, courage, and humanity they never knew they had. For within the misty gloom they will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to their world—something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency.
Epic
in scope, searingly intimate and immediate in perspective, The Taking is an
adventure story like no other, a relentless roller-coaster read that brings
apocalypse to Main Street and showcases the talents of one of our most original
and mesmerizing novelists at the pinnacle of his powers.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Borrowing from his
extensive sci-fi past, Dean Koontz mixes alien invasion and horror in this
unique story. Terrifying then touching,
suspenseful then funny, grotesque then gratifying, this story combines the best
Koontz has to offer. Dean once called it
“an inspiring look at the end of the world”. One of his first to mix suspense and horror
with religion and spirituality. You’ll
be dying to turn the page, but can’t because you’ll want to relish the rich
prose of every paragraph. One of my
favorites!
Life Expectancy (2004)
Synopsis:
With
his bestselling blend of nail-biting intensity, daring artistry, and
storytelling magic, Dean Koontz returns with an emotional roller coaster of a
tale filled with enough twists, turns, shocks, and surprises for ten ordinary
novels. Here is the story of five days in the life of an ordinary man born to
an extraordinary legacy—a story that will challenge the way you look at good
and evil, life and death, and everything
in between…
Jimmy Tock comes into the world on the very night his grandfather leaves it. As a violent storm rages outside the hospital, Rudy Tock spends long hours walking the corridors between the expectant fathers' waiting room and his dying father's bedside. It's a strange vigil made all the stranger when, at the very height of the storm's fury, Josef Tock suddenly sits up in bed and speaks coherently for the first and last time since his stroke.
What he says before he dies is that there will be five dark days in the life of his grandson—five dates whose terrible events Jimmy will have to prepare himself to face. The first is to occur in his twentieth year; the second in his twenty-third year; the third in his twenty-eighth; the fourth in his twenty-ninth; the fifth in his thirtieth.
Rudy is all too ready to discount his father's last words as a dying man's delusional rambling. But then he discovers that Josef also predicted the time of his grandson's birth to the minute, as well as his exact height and weight, and the fact that Jimmy would be born with syndactyly—the unexplained anomaly of fused digits—on his left foot. Suddenly the old man's predictions take on a chilling significance.
What terrifying events await Jimmy on these five dark days? What nightmares will he face? What challenges must he survive? As the novel unfolds, picking up Jimmy's story at each of these crisis points, the path he must follow will defy every expectation. And with each crisis he faces, he will move closer to a fate he could never have imagined. For who Jimmy Tock is and what he must accomplish on the five days when his world turns is a mystery as dangerous as it is wondrous—a struggle against an evil so dark and pervasive, only the most extraordinary of human spirits can shine through.
Jimmy Tock comes into the world on the very night his grandfather leaves it. As a violent storm rages outside the hospital, Rudy Tock spends long hours walking the corridors between the expectant fathers' waiting room and his dying father's bedside. It's a strange vigil made all the stranger when, at the very height of the storm's fury, Josef Tock suddenly sits up in bed and speaks coherently for the first and last time since his stroke.
What he says before he dies is that there will be five dark days in the life of his grandson—five dates whose terrible events Jimmy will have to prepare himself to face. The first is to occur in his twentieth year; the second in his twenty-third year; the third in his twenty-eighth; the fourth in his twenty-ninth; the fifth in his thirtieth.
Rudy is all too ready to discount his father's last words as a dying man's delusional rambling. But then he discovers that Josef also predicted the time of his grandson's birth to the minute, as well as his exact height and weight, and the fact that Jimmy would be born with syndactyly—the unexplained anomaly of fused digits—on his left foot. Suddenly the old man's predictions take on a chilling significance.
What terrifying events await Jimmy on these five dark days? What nightmares will he face? What challenges must he survive? As the novel unfolds, picking up Jimmy's story at each of these crisis points, the path he must follow will defy every expectation. And with each crisis he faces, he will move closer to a fate he could never have imagined. For who Jimmy Tock is and what he must accomplish on the five days when his world turns is a mystery as dangerous as it is wondrous—a struggle against an evil so dark and pervasive, only the most extraordinary of human spirits can shine through.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This book struck me more
personally than any other Koontz book to date, due to its plot’s similarities
to my life. Again, Koontz displays his
talent for sustained suspense, complex characters, precise plotting, charming
comedy, and profound prose. Like his
earlier Twilight Eyes and The Funhouse, this also has to do with “circus
folk”. While not considered one of his most stand-out or successful books, if
any other author would have written it as their first, or only novel, it would
be acclaimed as a masterpiece. This just
goes to show how much Dean Koontz is taken for granted, and how much is
expected of him and his work, an expectation which he never fails to reach and
exceed!
Life is Good: Lessons in Joyful
Living (2004) w/Trixie Koontz
Synopsis:
Many
readers wonder what inspires the creative genius of best-selling writer Dean
Koontz. Much of the credit must go to
Trixie, the golden retriever who has taught him things about life that no human
ever could.
Dogs
like Trixie show us how to be happy every minute of every day, except those
fleeting moments after a meal when the dish is (temporarily) empty. Dogs know how to work hard and to play even
harder. In this book, Trixie shares the
secrets of the canine world and touches on many topics such as trust,
self-esteem, safe driving, meditation, peanut butter, holidays, swimming,
napping, and abiding love for all creatures…and for bacon.
With
words of wisdom only a bird dog knows, and beautiful photographs to warm your
heart, this book will lift your spirits and make your left leg shake
uncontrollably with pleasure. As Trixie
says:
“A
joyful life needs to have purpose. Maybe
purpose is healing sick. Maybe is
helping poor. Maybe is making people
laugh. Maybe purpose is chasing ball on
water, on land, wherever is thrown, chase, chase, chase! You may not be Olympic star. Me neither.
But chasing makes heart strong, the better to love with.”
Review:
Hardcover
only. This fun, uplifting book is a great companion piece to two of Koontz’s
other books: A Big Little Life: A Memoir
of a Joyful Dog, and Bliss to You:
Trixie’s Guide to a Happy Life.
Many
of the photographs in this book are referenced in Big Little Life, and much of the wisdom and proverbs in this book
are reminiscent of Bliss to You. Unlike those volumes, though, this book is full
of photographs of Trixie and Dean Koontz.
It is a funny, touching, inspiring look at life and what is really
important in it, told from Trixie’s point of view.
Forever Odd (2005)
Synopsis:
Every
so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of readers that he
seems to take on a life of his own long after the final page is turned. For such a character, one book is not enough
– readers must know what happens
next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the
novel his fans have been demanding. With
the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks,
Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric
little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and
mystery - and altogether irresistibly odd.
We’re all a little odd beneath the
surface. He’s the most unlikely hero you’ll ever meet
– an ordinary guy with a modest job you night never look at twice. But there’s so much more to any of us than
meets the eye – and that goes triple for Odd Thomas.
For
Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo,
where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead
– it’s something that just happened. But
as the unofficial goodwill ambassador between our world and theirs, he’s got a
duty to do the right thing. That’s the
way Odd sees it and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide
between life and death.
A
childhood friend of Odd’s has disappeared.
The worst is feared. But as Odd
applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he
discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional
cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror.
Once
again Odd will stand against our worst fears.
Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some
not. For in the battle to come, there
can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between
despair and hope. Whether you’re meeting
Odd Thomas for the first time or he’s already an old friend, you’ll be led on
an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder, and delight – to a
revelation that can change your life.
And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Picking up six months
after the events in Odd Thomas, this
second episode in the extraordinary life of the perpetually optimistic fry cook
has him up against unknown persons, and forces, who have kidnapped Odd’s
friend, Danny, who has brittle-bone disease.
At first, it is suspected to be a simple kidnapping by an estranged
father, but things in Pico Mundo are never as simple as they seem. Being led by his “psychic magnetism,” and
aided by Pico Mundo’s police chief, Wyatt Porter, as well as Ozzie Boone, Odd’s
author friend, Odd searches the streets of the town, then down into the storm
drains which lead out to a deserted resort hotel with ghosts of its own.
The
shortest of the Odd Thomas novels, Forever
Odd has all the suspense, humor, gritty and grisly events, and optimistic
hope, that one expects in an Odd Thomas story!
This
is the last story to take place in Pico Mundo before Odd hits the road to
adventures outside this sleepy town.
Frankenstein Book One: Prodigal Son (2005) with Kevin J. Anderson
Synopsis:
From
the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of
the classic stories of all time. If you think you know the legend, you know
only half the truth. Here is the mystery, the myth, the terror, and the magic
of . . .
Dean
Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son
Every city has its secrets. But none as terrible as this. His name is Deucalion, a tattooed man of mysterious origin, a sleight-of-reality artist who has traveled the centuries with a secret worse than death. He arrives as a serial killer stalks the streets, a killer who carefully selects his victims for the humanity that is missing in himself. Detective Carson O’Connor is cool, cynical, and every bit as tough as she looks. Her partner Michael Maddison would back her up all the way to Hell itself – and that just may be where this case ends up. For the no-nonsense O’Connor is suddenly talking about an ages-old conspiracy, a near immortal race of beings, and killers that are more – and less - than human. Soon it will be clear that as crazy as she sounds, the truth is even more ominous. For their quarry isn’t merely a homicidal maniac –but his deranged maker.
Every city has its secrets. But none as terrible as this. His name is Deucalion, a tattooed man of mysterious origin, a sleight-of-reality artist who has traveled the centuries with a secret worse than death. He arrives as a serial killer stalks the streets, a killer who carefully selects his victims for the humanity that is missing in himself. Detective Carson O’Connor is cool, cynical, and every bit as tough as she looks. Her partner Michael Maddison would back her up all the way to Hell itself – and that just may be where this case ends up. For the no-nonsense O’Connor is suddenly talking about an ages-old conspiracy, a near immortal race of beings, and killers that are more – and less - than human. Soon it will be clear that as crazy as she sounds, the truth is even more ominous. For their quarry isn’t merely a homicidal maniac –but his deranged maker.
Review:
Paperback
only. (Review coming soon.)
Frankenstein Book Two: City of Night (2005) with Ed Gorman
Synopsis:
From
the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of
the classic stories of all time. If you think you know the legend, you know
only half the truth. The mystery, the myth, the terror, and the magic of. . .
Dean
Koontz’s Frankenstein: City of Night
They are stronger, heal better, and think faster than any humans ever created–and they must be destroyed. Not even Victor Helios–once Frankenstein–can stop the engineered killers he’s set loose on a reign of terror through modern-day New Orleans. Now the only hope rests in a one-time “monster” and his all-too-human partners, Detectives Carson O’Connor and Michael Maddison. Deucalion’s centuries-old history began as Victor’s first and failed attempt to build the perfect human – and it is fated to end in the ultimate confrontation between a damned creature and his mad creator. But first Deucalion must destroy a monstrosity not even Victor’s malignant mind could have imagined – an indestructible entity that steps out of humankind’s collective nightmare with one purpose: to replace us.
They are stronger, heal better, and think faster than any humans ever created–and they must be destroyed. Not even Victor Helios–once Frankenstein–can stop the engineered killers he’s set loose on a reign of terror through modern-day New Orleans. Now the only hope rests in a one-time “monster” and his all-too-human partners, Detectives Carson O’Connor and Michael Maddison. Deucalion’s centuries-old history began as Victor’s first and failed attempt to build the perfect human – and it is fated to end in the ultimate confrontation between a damned creature and his mad creator. But first Deucalion must destroy a monstrosity not even Victor’s malignant mind could have imagined – an indestructible entity that steps out of humankind’s collective nightmare with one purpose: to replace us.
Review:
Paperback
only. (Review coming soon.)
Velocity (2005)
Synopsis:
Dean
Koontz’s unique talent for writing terrifying thrillers with a heart and soul
is nowhere more evident than in this latest suspense masterpiece that pits one
man against the ultimate deadline. If
there were speed limits for the sheer pulse-racing excitement allowed in one
novel, Velocity would break them
all. Get ready for the ride of your
life…
Billy
Wiles is an easygoing, hardworking guy who leads a quiet, ordinary life. But that is about to change. One evening, after his usual eight-hour
bartending shift, he finds a typewritten note under the windshield wiper of his
car.
If you don’t take this note to the
police and get them involved, I will kill a lovely blond schoolteacher
somewhere in Napa County. If you do take
this note to the police, I will instead kill an elderly woman active in charity
work. You have six hours to decide. The choice is yours.
It
seems like a sick joke, and Billy’s friend on the police force, Lanny Olsen,
thinks so too. His advice to Billy is to
go home and forget about it. Besides,
what could they do even if they took the note seriously? No crime has actually been committed.
But
less than twenty-four hours later, a young blond schoolteacher is found
murdered, and it’s Billy’s fault: he
didn’t convince the police to get involved.
Now he’s got another note, another deadline, another ultimatum…and two
new lives hanging in the balance.
Suddenly
Billy’s average, seemingly innocuous life takes on the dimensions and speed of
an accelerating nightmare. Because the
notes are coming faster, the deadlines growing tighter, and the killer becoming
bolder and crueler with every communication – until Billy is isolated with the
terrifying knowledge that he alone has the power of life and death over a
psychopath’s innocent victims. Until the
struggle between good and evil is intensely personal. Until the most chilling words of all are: The choice is yours.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. In a bit of a departure,
Koontz delivers a straight-forward crime thriller in Velocity. However, he still
brings his inimitable character studies and edge-of-the-seat pacing that has
made him the master of the thriller.
Though this novel contains no hint of the supernatural, it does have the
spiritualistic wonder with which he often imbues his stories. Very entertaining, though almost unbearably bleak
at times, Velocity won’t take long to
read. (Koontz claims to have begun a trilogy
of novels, beginning with the preliminarily-titled The Secret Forest, with one of the side characters, Ivy Elgin. As of yet, though, these books have been
shelved for future release.)
Brother Odd (2006)
Synopsis:
Loop
me in, odd one. The words, spoken in
the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her.
For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love, and Stormy
is dead, gone forever from this world. In the haunted halls of the isolated
monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an
infinitely darker nature…
Through
two New York Times bestselling novels
Odd Thomas has established himself as one of the most beloved and unique
fictional heroes of our time. Now,
wielding all the power and magic of a master storyteller at the pinnacle of his
craft, Dean Koontz follows Odd into a singular new world where he hopes to make
a fresh beginning – but where he will meet an adversary as old and inexorable
as time itself.
St.
Bartholomew’s Abbey sits in majestic solitude amid the wild peaks of
California’s High Sierra, a haven for children otherwise abandoned and a
sanctuary for those seeking insight. Odd
Thomas has come here to learn to live fully again, and among the eccentric
monks, their other guests, and the nuns and young students of the attached
convent school, he has begun to find his way.
The silent spirits of the dead who visited him in his earlier life are
mercifully absent, save for the bell-ringing Brother Constantine and Odd’s
steady companion, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
But
trouble has a way for finding Odd Thomas, and it slinks back onto his path in
the form of the sinister bodachs he has met previously, the black shades who
herald death and disaster, and who come late one December night to hover above
the abbey’s most precious charges. For
Odd is about to face an enemy who eclipses any he has yet encountered as he
embarks on a journey of mystery, wonder, and sheer suspense that surpasses all
that has come before.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This, Odd Thomas’ first
journey outside his small hometown of Pico Mundo, is a fascinating look inside
the workings of a secluded monastery.
Odd has come to the monastery to receive some much needed
inner-reflection, some time off from the strain of the past year. Unfortunately, he learns all too quickly that
problems follow him wherever he goes.
Evil, in many different disguises, haunts the monastery. Odd finds himself up against this evil, which
seems to be determined to cause harm to the many disabled children cared for
there. With the help, and hindrance, of
the many fascinating characters, both alive and not-so-much, who live in the
monastery, Odd Thomas heads toward a showdown with creatures he has never
before imagined.
This
interesting incident in the life of the mild-mannered fry cook is again
uplifting, funny, poignant, and nail-bitingly suspenseful. Odd’s interactions with the children of the
monastery are not only heartbreakingly poignant, but at times both hilarious
and hopeful. Another book in the series
not-to-be-missed!
The Husband (2006)
Synopsis:
With
each and every new novel, Dean Koontz raises the stakes-and the pulse
rate-higher than any other author. Now, in what may be his most suspenseful and
heartfelt novel ever, he brings us the story of an ordinary man whose
extraordinary commitment to his wife will take him on a harrowing journey of
adventure, sacrifice, and redemption to the mystery of love itself-and to a
showdown with the darkness that would destroy it forever. What would you do for
love? Would you die? Would you kill?
We have your wife. You can get her back
for two million cash. Landscaper
Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of
planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang.
Now he's standing in a normal suburban neighborhood on a bright summer day,
having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare.
Whoever
is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch's wife and he's
named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn't care that Mitch runs a
small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum.
He's confident that Mitch will find a way. If
he loves his wife enough. . .
Mitch
does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He's got seventy-two
hours to prove it. He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot
more. He'll pay anything.
From
its tense opening to its shattering climax, The
Husband is a thriller that will hold you in its relentless grip for every
twist, every shock, every revelation...until it lets you go, unmistakably
changed. This is a Dean Koontz novel, after all. And there's no other
experience quite like it.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. One of Dean Koontz’s
great talents is taking extraordinary situations and making believable
characters who act realistically while dealing with those circumstances. He, more than any other author, uses these
incidents to create in greater depth, and seemingly bring to life, real people. Another straight crime thriller, The Husband asks the question: How far would someone go to save the person
they love? Full of unexpected twists
and unbearable tension, like the typical Koontz book, this one has so many “how-are-they-going-to-get-out-of-this-one”
moments that one is on the edge of one’s seats through the entire reading. Prepare yourself!
The Good Guy (2007)
Synopsis:
From
the electrifying openings of his novels to their unforgettable conclusions,
Dean Koontz draws readers into complex and fascinating worlds of suspense and
wonder. His latest novel weaves the
timeless themes for which he is acclaimed into a breathtaking tale of an
ordinary man pushed to the limit, in the ultimate battle against an adversary
whose malice knows no bounds…
“Are
you him?”
“Who
else would I be?”
“You
look so…ordinary.”
“I
work at it.”
Timothy
Carrier, having a beer after work at his friend’s tavern, enjoys drawing
eccentric customers into amusing conversations.
But the jittery man who sits next to him tonight has mistaken Tim for
someone very different – and passes to him a manila envelope full of cash.
“Ten
thousand now. You get the rest when
she’s gone.”
The
stranger walks out, leaving a photo of the pretty woman marked for death, and
her address. But things are about to get
worse. In minutes another stranger sits
next to Tim. This one is a cold-blooded
killer who believes Tim is the man who has hired him.
Thinking
fast, Tim says, “I’ve had a change of
heart. You get ten thousand – for doing
nothing. Call it a no-kill fee.” He keeps the photo and gives the money to the
hired killer. And when Tim secretly
follows the man out of the tavern, he gets a further shock: the hired killer is
a cop.
Suddenly,
Tim Carrier, an ordinary guy, is at the center of a mystery of extraordinary
proportions, the one man who can save an innocent life and stop a killer far
more powerful than any cop…and as relentless as evil incarnate. But first Tim must discover within himself
the capacity for selflessness, endurance, and courage that can turn even an
ordinary man into a hero, inner resources that will transform his idea of who
he is and what it takes to be The Good
Guy.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. (Review coming soon.)
The Darkest Evening of the Year (2007)
Synopsis:
With
each of his #1 New York Times bestsellers, Dean Koontz has displayed an
unparalleled ability to entertain and enlighten readers with novels that
capture the essence of our times even as they bring us to the edge of our
seats. Now he delivers a heart-gripping tour de force he’s been waiting years
to write, at once a love story, a thrilling adventure, and a masterwork of
suspense that redefines the boundaries of primal fear—and of enduring devotion.
Amy Redwing has dedicated her life to the southern California organization she founded to rescue abandoned and endangered golden retrievers. Among dog lovers, she’s a legend for the risks she’ll take to save an animal from abuse. Among her friends, Amy’s heedless devotion is often cause for concern. To widower Brian McCarthy, whose commitment she can’t allow herself to return, Amy’s behavior is far more puzzling and hides a shattering secret.
No one is surprised when Amy risks her life to save Nickie, nor when she takes the female golden into her home. The bond between Amy and Nickie is immediate and uncanny. Even her two other goldens, Fred and Ethel, recognize Nickie as special, a natural alpha. But the instant joy Nickie brings is shadowed by a series of eerie incidents. An ominous stranger. A mysterious home invasion.
And the unmistakable sense that someone is watching Amy’s every move and that, whoever it is, he’s not alone.
Someone has come back to turn Amy into the desperate, hunted creature she’s always been there to save. But now there’s no one to save Amy and those she loves. From its breathtaking opening scene to its shocking climax, The Darkest Evening of the Year is Dean Koontz at his finest, a transcendent thriller certain to have readers turning pages until dawn.
Amy Redwing has dedicated her life to the southern California organization she founded to rescue abandoned and endangered golden retrievers. Among dog lovers, she’s a legend for the risks she’ll take to save an animal from abuse. Among her friends, Amy’s heedless devotion is often cause for concern. To widower Brian McCarthy, whose commitment she can’t allow herself to return, Amy’s behavior is far more puzzling and hides a shattering secret.
No one is surprised when Amy risks her life to save Nickie, nor when she takes the female golden into her home. The bond between Amy and Nickie is immediate and uncanny. Even her two other goldens, Fred and Ethel, recognize Nickie as special, a natural alpha. But the instant joy Nickie brings is shadowed by a series of eerie incidents. An ominous stranger. A mysterious home invasion.
And the unmistakable sense that someone is watching Amy’s every move and that, whoever it is, he’s not alone.
Someone has come back to turn Amy into the desperate, hunted creature she’s always been there to save. But now there’s no one to save Amy and those she loves. From its breathtaking opening scene to its shocking climax, The Darkest Evening of the Year is Dean Koontz at his finest, a transcendent thriller certain to have readers turning pages until dawn.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. (Review coming soon.)
In Odd We Trust (2008) graphic novel
Synopsis:
From
the infinite imagination of #1 New York
Times bestselling author Dean Koontz comes the suspenseful graphic-novel debut
of a natural-born hero with a supernatural twist.
Odd
Thomas is a regular nineteen-year-old with an unusual gift: the ability to see
the lingering spirits of the dead. To
Odd, it’s not such a big deal. And most
folks in sleepy Pico Mundo, California, are much more interested in the
irresistible pancakes Odd whips up at the local diner. Still, communing with the dead can be
useful. Because while some spirits only
want a little company…others want justice.
When
the sad specter of a very frightened boy finds its way to him, Odd vows to root
out the evil suddenly infecting the sunny streets of Pico Mundo. But even with his exceptional ability – plus
the local police and his pistol-packing girlfriend, Stormy, backing him – is
Odd any match for a faceless stalker who’s always a step ahead…and determined
to kill again?
Review:
Graphic
Novel only. The first in a series of graphic-novels written by Koontz and
Queenie Chan, and Illustrated by Chan.
While it’s impossible in an illustrated format to have the character
development of a novel, these books are nonetheless very entertaining and
engrossing. They take place
chronologically before the novels, with Odd Thomas and his girlfriend, Stormy
Llewellyn confronting evil in Pico Mundo.
Worth a look, but no competition for the full-length novels.
Your Heart Belongs to Me (2008)
Synopsis:
From
the #1 New York Times bestselling
master of suspense comes a riveting thriller that probes the deepest terrors of
the human psyche – and the ineffable mystery of what truly makes us who we
are. Here a brilliant young man finds
himself fighting for his very existence in a battle that starts with the most
frightening words of all…
Your Heart Belongs to Me
At
thirty-four, Internet entrepreneur Ryan Perry seemed to have the world in his
pocket – until the first troubling symptoms appeared out of nowhere. Within
days, he’s diagnosed with incurable cardiomyopathy and finds himself on the
waiting list for a heart transplant; it’s his only hope, and it’s dwindling
fast. Ryan is about to lose it all…his health, his girlfriend Samantha, and his
life.
One
year later, Ryan has never felt better. Business is good and he hopes to renew
his relationship with Samantha. Then the unmarked gifts begin to appear – a box
of Valentine candy hearts, a heart pendant. Most disturbing of all, a graphic
heart surgery video and the chilling message: Your heart belongs to me.
In
a heartbeat, the medical miracle that gave Ryan a second chance at life is
about to become a curse worse than death. For Ryan is being stalked by a
mysterious woman who feels entitled to everything he has. She’s the spitting image of the
twenty-six-year-old donor of the heart beating steadily in Ryan’s own chest.
And
she’s come to take it back.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. (Review coming soon.)
Odd Hours (2008)
Synopsis:
Only
a handful of fictional characters are recognized by first name alone. Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas is one such literary
hero who has come alive in readers’ imaginations as he explores the greatest
mysteries of this world and the next with his inimitable wit, heart, and quiet
gallantry. Now Koontz follows Odd as he
is irresistibly drawn onward, to a destiny he cannot imagine…
The
legend began in the obscure little town of Pico Mundo. A fry cook named Odd was rumored to have the
extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. Through tragedy and triumph, exhilaration and
heartbreak, word of Odd Thomas’s gifts filtered far beyond friends – and
enemies of implacable evil. With great
gifts comes the responsibility to meet great challenges. But no mere human being was ever meant to
face the darkness that now stalks the world – not even one as oddly special as
Odd Thomas.
After
grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil separating
him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable,
Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two
otherworldly sidekicks – his dog Boo and a new companion, one of the few who
might rival his old pal Elvis. But a
true hero, however humble, must persevere.
Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled
inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as
it seems. Now the forces arrayed against
him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority…and
in this dark night of the soul, dawn will come only after the most shattering
revelations of all.
Burnishing
Dean Koontz’s stature as a master of suspense and one of our most innovative
and gifted storytellers, Odd Hours
illuminates a legacy of mystery and hope that will shine on long after the
final page.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. “It’s only life. We all get through it.” Thus begins this fourth installment in the
adventures of the perpetually-optimistic-psychic-fry-cook Odd Thomas. This time, he finds himself living with the
now mostly-forgotten classic movie actor, Lawrence Hutchison (Hutch), in the
small coastal town of Magic Beach. He
soon meets a mysterious girl by the name of Annamaria who seems to be in need
of Odd’s unique abilities, though she seems to have plenty of abilities of her
own. “Would you die for me?” she asks
one day. Odd’s immediate answer of “yes”
sends them on a roller-coaster ride of adventure that only Odd Thomas could
imagine as normal. Again, with his
humorous look at life, Odd sets out with his ghost companions, including Elvis
Presley, Frank Sinatra, and, of course, his ghost dog, Boo, on an adventure
that leads him closer to his lost love, Stormy Llewellyn.
Bliss to You: Trixie’s Guide to a
Happy Life (2008) w/Trixie Koontz
Synopsis:
Bestselling
author Dean Koontz says that his dog, Trixie, changed his life and made him a
better, happier person. A 68-pound dog
who lived close to the ground, Trixie certainly did cast a long shadow. She first became known outside of her own
house (doghouse, that is) as a guest blogger on Dean’s website, signing off
every entry Life is Good, Bliss to You. Now, in this warm and funny book – as told to
Dean Koontz – Trixie once again shares her inspiring outlook on life and
reveals the eight steps that anyone can take to achieve not merely happiness,
but bliss.
Packed
with dog wisdom, both poignant and funny, this charming and heartfelt book
gives the reader much food for thought – which might not be as tasty as a bowl
of kibble but is nonetheless nourishing.
Bliss
to You!
Review:
Hardcover
only. This is a very profound, intelligent book full of wisdom and heart. Told from a dog’s humorous point of view, the
advice in it is guaranteed to enhance everyone’s life. Quick reading, but packed full of
wisdom. Definitely a must-read!
Frankenstein Book Three: Dead and
Alive (2009)
Synopsis:
As
a devastating hurricane approaches, as the benighted creations of Victor Helios
begin to spin out of control, as New Orleans descends into chaos and the future
of humanity hangs in the balance, the only hope rests with Victor’s first,
failed attempt to build the perfect human. Deucalion’s centuries-old history
began as the original manifestation of a soulless vision–and it is fated to end
in the ultimate confrontation between a damned creature and his mad creator.
But first they must face a monstrosity not even Victor’s malignant mind could
have conceived–an indestructible entity that steps out of humankind’s
collective nightmare with powers, and a purpose, beyond imagining.
Review:
Paperback
only. (Review coming soon.)
Relentless (2009)
Synopsis:
#1
New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz delivers a
mesmerizing new thriller that explores the razor-thin line between the best and
worst of human nature—and the anarchy simmering just beneath society’s
surface—as a likeable, successful family man is drawn into a confrontation with
a foe of unimaginable malice….
Bestselling novelist Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich is a lucky man and he knows it. He makes a handsome living doing what he enjoys. His wife, Penny, a children’s book author and illustrator, is the love of his life. Together they have a brilliant six-year-old, Milo, affectionately dubbed “Spooky,” and a non-collie named Lassie, who’s all but part of the family.
So Cubby knows he shouldn’t let one bad review of his otherwise triumphant new book get to him—even if it does appear in the nation’s premier newspaper and is penned by the much-feared, seldom-seen critic, Shearman Waxx. Cubby knows the best thing to do is ignore the gratuitously vicious, insulting, and inaccurate comments. Penny knows it, even little Milo knows it. If Lassie could talk, she’d tell Cubby to ignore them, too.
Ignore Shearman Waxx and his poison pen is just what Cubby intends to do. Until he happens to learn where the great man is taking his lunch. Cubby just wants to get a look at the mysterious recluse whose mere opinion can make or break a career—or a life.
But Shearman Waxx isn’t what Cubby expects; and neither is the escalating terror that follows what seemed to be an innocent encounter. For Waxx gives criticism; he doesn’t take it. He has ways of dealing with those who cross him that Cubby is only beginning to fathom. Soon Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a relentless sociopath, facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life.
Fearless, funny, utterly compelling, Relentless is Dean Koontz at his riveting best, an unforgettable tale of the fragile bonds that hold together all that we most cherish—and of those who would tear those bonds asunder.
Bestselling novelist Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich is a lucky man and he knows it. He makes a handsome living doing what he enjoys. His wife, Penny, a children’s book author and illustrator, is the love of his life. Together they have a brilliant six-year-old, Milo, affectionately dubbed “Spooky,” and a non-collie named Lassie, who’s all but part of the family.
So Cubby knows he shouldn’t let one bad review of his otherwise triumphant new book get to him—even if it does appear in the nation’s premier newspaper and is penned by the much-feared, seldom-seen critic, Shearman Waxx. Cubby knows the best thing to do is ignore the gratuitously vicious, insulting, and inaccurate comments. Penny knows it, even little Milo knows it. If Lassie could talk, she’d tell Cubby to ignore them, too.
Ignore Shearman Waxx and his poison pen is just what Cubby intends to do. Until he happens to learn where the great man is taking his lunch. Cubby just wants to get a look at the mysterious recluse whose mere opinion can make or break a career—or a life.
But Shearman Waxx isn’t what Cubby expects; and neither is the escalating terror that follows what seemed to be an innocent encounter. For Waxx gives criticism; he doesn’t take it. He has ways of dealing with those who cross him that Cubby is only beginning to fathom. Soon Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a relentless sociopath, facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life.
Fearless, funny, utterly compelling, Relentless is Dean Koontz at his riveting best, an unforgettable tale of the fragile bonds that hold together all that we most cherish—and of those who would tear those bonds asunder.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. (Review coming soon.)
Breathless (2009)
Synopsis:
#1
New York Times bestselling author
Dean Koontz delivers a thrilling novel of suspense and adventure, as the lives
of strangers converge around a mystery unfolding high in the Colorado mountains
– and the balance of the world begins to tilt…
In
the stillness of a golden September afternoon, deep in the wilderness of the
Rockies, a solitary craftsman, Grady Adams, and his magnificent Irish
wolfhound, Merlin, step from shadow into light…and into an encounter with
enchantment. That night, through the
trees, under the moon, a pair of singular animals will watch Grady’s isolated
home, waiting to make their approach.
A
few miles away, Camillia Rivers, a local veterinarian, begins to unravel the
threads of a puzzle that will bring to her door all the forces of a government
in peril.
At
a nearby farm, long-estranged identical twins come together to begin a descent
into darkness…In Las Vegas, a specialist in chaos theory probes the boundaries
of the unknowable…On a Seattle golf course, two men make matter-of-fact
arrangements for murder…Along a highway by the sea, a vagrant scarred by the
past begins a trek toward his destiny.
In
a novel that is at once wholly of our time and timeless, fearless and funny,
Dean Koontz takes readers into the moment between one turn of the world and the
next, across the border between knowing and mystery. It is a journey that will leave all who take
it Breathless.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. (Review coming soon.)
A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a
Joyful Dog (2009) Non-fiction
Synopsis:
“In
each little life we can see great truth and beauty, and in each little life we
glimpse the way of all things in the universe.”
Dean
Koontz thought he had everything he needed.
A successful novelist with more than twenty #1 New York Times bestsellers to his credit, Dean had forged a career
out of industry and imagination. He had
been married to his high school sweetheart, Gerda, since the age of twenty, and
together they had made a happy life for themselves in their Southern California
home. It was the picture of peace and
contentment. Then along came Trixie.
Dean
had always wanted a dog – had even written several books in which dogs were
featured. But not until Trixie was he
truly open to the change that such a beautiful creature could bring about in
him. Trixie had intelligence, a lack of
vanity, and an uncanny knack for living in the present. And because she was joyful and direct as all
dogs are, she put her heart into everything – from chasing tennis balls to
playing practical jokes to protecting those she loved.
A
service dog with Canine Companions for Independence, Trixie retired at three to
become an assistance dog of another kind.
She taught Dean to trust his instincts, persuaded him to cut down to a
fifty-hour work week, and, perhaps most important, renewed in him a sense of
wonder that will remain with him for the rest of his life. She inspired him in many ways.
Trixie
weighed only sixty-something pounds, Dean occasionally called her Short Stuff,
and she lived less than twelve years. In
this big world, she was a little thing, but in all the ways that mattered,
including the effect she had on those who loved her, she lived a big life.
Review:
Hardcover
only. This is the closest that Dean has written to an autobiography, though the
information he gives about his life is limited to the first couple of
chapters. The rest of the book are the
experiences he and his wife, Gerda (pronounced Jér-duh), had with their dog,
Trixie. This is truly an amazing book
which shows in heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking) reality what an amazing
creature Trixie was. It reads almost
like a novel, as it is full of page-turning suspense, tear-inducing heart, and
life-affirming hope. An absolute
must-read!
I, Trixie, Who is Dog (2009) w/Trixie Koontz, Children’s book
Synopsis:
Not
everyone can be a dog.
Some
must be people, cats, birds, or even skunks.
But Trixie is very, very lucky.
She gets to be a dog. And dogs
are loyal and brave and true – and very appreciative
of the charms of a dog’s life.
Bestselling
author Dean Koontz reveals the joys of doghood through the eyes of his beloved
– and very imaginative – golden retriever Trixie, whose quirky narration and
irrepressible spirit will delight readers young and old.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Trixie and her friends and the adventures they have, told from a dog’s
point of view. This cute, children’s
picture book has nice watercolor illustrations by Janet Cleland and is
appropriate for children from two-years-old and up.
Christmas is Good! Trixie’s Guide to
a Happy Holiday (2009) w/Trixie
Synopsis:
A
big little book of holiday fun for dogs and their people with Trixie’s secrets
for the merriest of seasons.
“Sometimes
seems people forget wonder of Christmas. Dog like me could help people see
wonder again.”
“Is
not necessary to spend fortune on gift.
If it tastes like bacon, everyone will like it.”
“Do
not tie cat to tree as decoration. Is
funny, but not worth losing your nose.”
Review:
Hardcover
only. Funny ideas of Christmastime fun from a dog’s point of view. Another cute book by Trixie, with
illustrations by Janet Cleland and photos of Trixie by Monique Stauder.
Odd Is On Our Side (2010) graphic novel
Synopsis:
The
one and only Odd Thomas is back – in his second edgy and enthralling
graphic-novel adventure from #1 New York
Times bestselling suspense master Dean Koontz.
It’s
Halloween in Pico Mundo, California, and there’s a whiff of something wicked in
the autumn air. While the town prepares
for its annual festivities, young fry cook Odd Thomas can’t shake the feeling
that make-believe goblins and ghouls aren’t the only things on the prowl. And he should know, since he can see what
others cannot: the spirits of the restless dead. But even his frequent visitor, the specter of
Elvis Presley, can’t seem to point Odd in the right direction.
With
the help of his gun-toting girlfriend, Stormy, Odd is out to uncover the
terrible truth. Is something sinister
afoot in the remote barn guarded by devilish masked men? Has All Hallows Eve mischief taken a
malevolent turn? Or is the pleading
ghost of a trick-or-treater a frightening omen of doom?
Review:
Graphic
Novel only. The second Odd Thomas graphic-novel illustrated by Queenie Chan is
an entertaining, exciting glimpse into the unusual life of the psychic fry
cook. While one needs to absorb the
full-length novels to completely understand the characters, this is certainly
worth the time to follow Odd and company on another adventure.
Fear Nothing (2010) graphic novel
Synopsis:
Graphic
Novel only. Adaptation of the novel. Fear Nothing tells the story of
28-year-old oddball hero Christopher Snow, who lives in the city of Moonlight
Bay, California, along with his hyper-intelligent dog Orson, his best surfing
buddy Bobby and his late-night deejay girlfriend Sasha. Snow has XP—xeroderma
pigmentosum—a very rare genetic affliction that forces him to avoid light at
all costs, and will likely give him cancer later in life. His parents died
under mysterious circumstances and he’s now being stalked by the shadowy
characters who want Snow to stop trying to find out how they died--or else
they'll bump off his remaining loved ones.
Fear Nothing features all the pulse pounding thriller action and great character development Koontz fans have come to expect from his work, as well as a bit of comedy, and yes, even an army of evil mutant rhesus monkeys!
Fear Nothing features all the pulse pounding thriller action and great character development Koontz fans have come to expect from his work, as well as a bit of comedy, and yes, even an army of evil mutant rhesus monkeys!
Review:
See
“Fear Nothing” novel.
Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein (2010) graphic novels
Synopsis:
Series
of graphic novels only. In the 19th century, Dr. Victor Frankenstein brought his first creation
to life, but a horrible turn of events forced him to abandon his creation and
fall away from the public eye. Now, two centuries later, a serial killer is on
the loose in New Orleans, and he's salvaging body parts from each of his
victims, as if he's trying to create the perfect person. But the two detectives
assigned to the case are about to discover that something far more sinister is
going on...
From the masterful pen of New York Times Bestselling author Dean Koontz and featuring an adaptation by legendary comic book writer Chuck Dixon and gorgeous illustrations by acclaimed artist Brett Booth, Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son is a story that is filled with adventure, action, horror, and more!
From the masterful pen of New York Times Bestselling author Dean Koontz and featuring an adaptation by legendary comic book writer Chuck Dixon and gorgeous illustrations by acclaimed artist Brett Booth, Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son is a story that is filled with adventure, action, horror, and more!
Review:
Graphic
novels only. Based on novel series. (See Frankenstein novels for reviews.)
Nevermore (2010) graphic novels
Synopsis:
Graphic
novel series. Love makes us do crazy
things. Meet Robert Godric, who in a desperate attempt to bring back his wife,
Nora, who died of an aggressive brain cancer, invents a way to travel to
parallel earths and searches for a living Nora on the infinite number of
Earths. Inadvertently, he and his team encounter an alien hive-like race - the
Hydra - that is conquering Earth after Earth after Earth. If the Hydra find our
version by following Godric back to it, our civilization will not survive the
invasion! Created exclusively for comics, Nevermore is a brand-new story from
the masterful pen of the New York Times-bestselling author Dean Koontz and
Keith Champagne, with gorgeous illustrations by artist Andy Smith.
Review:
(Graphic
Novels only.)
Darkness Under the Sun (2010) e-book only
Synopsis:
There
once was a killer who knew the night, its secrets and rhythms. How to hide
within its shadows. When to hunt. He roamed from town to town, city to city,
choosing his prey for their beauty and innocence. His cruelties were infinite,
his humanity long since forfeit. But still . . . he had not yet discovered how
to make his special mark among monsters, how to come fully alive as Death. This
is the story of how he learned those things, and of what we might do to ensure
that he does not visit us.
Review:
E-book
only. This “prequel” to What the Night
Knows concerns the main character in that novel. It is the incident referred to in that book
that takes place when the character, John Calvino, is a teenager, when an evil
enters his life. Like the typical Koontz
novel, it is full of atmosphere, character development, and heart. While not necessary to understand What the Night Knows, it certainly adds
to the experience of the novel.
What the Night Knows (2010)
Synopsis:
In
the late summer of a long-ago year, a killer arrived in a small city. His name was Alton Turner Blackwood, and in
the space of a few months he brutally murdered four families. His savage spree ended only when he himself
was killed by the last survivor of the last family, a fourteen-year-old boy.
Half
a continent away and two decades later, someone is murdering families again,
re-creating in detail Blackwood’s crimes.
Homicide detective John Calvino is certain that his own family – his
wife and three children – will be targets in the fourth crime, just as his
parents and sisters were victims on that distant night when he was fourteen and
killed their slayer.
As
a detective, John is a man of reason who deals in cold facts. But an extraordinary experience convinces him
that sometimes death is not a one-way journey, that sometimes the dead return.
Here
is a ghost story like no other you have read.
In the Calvinos, Dean Koontz brings to life a family that might be your
own, in a war for their survival against an adversary more malevolent than any
he has yet created, with their own home the battleground. Of all his acclaimed novels, none exceeds What the Night Knows in power, in
chilling suspense, and in sheer mesmerizing storytelling.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. (Review coming soon.)
Frankenstein Book Four: Lost Souls (2010) with Christopher Lane
Synopsis:
The
war against humanity has begun. In the
dead hours of the night, a stranger enters the home of the mayor of Rainbow
Falls, Montana. The stranger is in the
vanguard of a wave of intruders who will invade other homes…offices…every local
institution, assuming the identities and the lives of those they have been
engineered to replace. Before the sun
rises, the town will be under full assault, the opening objective in the new
Victor Frankenstein’s trajectory of ultimate destruction. Deucalion – Victor’s first, haunted creation
– saw his maker die in New Orleans two years earlier. Yet an unshakable intuition tells him that
Victor lives – and is at work again.
Within hours Deucalion will come together with his old allies, detectives
Carson O’Connor and Michael Maddison, and Victor’s engineered wife, Erika Five,
and her companion Jocko to confront new peril.
Others will gather around them.
But this time Victor has a mysterious, powerful new backer, and he and
his army are more formidable, their means and intentions infinitely more
deadly, than ever before.
Review:
Paperback
only. (Review coming soon.)
Trixie & Jinx (2010)
Children’s Book
Synopsis:
Trixie
loves Jinx, & Jinx loves Trixie.
But
Jinx is going on vacation. Oh, no! What will Trixie do without him? The other neighborhood animals are no
substitute for Jinx – Trixie finds spiders have no sense of humor and mice just
can’t appreciate a good tail-chase. No
one can compare to Jinx!
Kids
young and old will relate to bestselling author Dean Koontz’s witty story
extolling the joy of having a best friend.
Review:
Hardcover
only. Fun children’s picture book with a cute story about Trixie and her
friend, Jinx, and their adventures together, including what happens when Jinx
goes away on vacation. Nice watercolor
illustrations by Janet Cleland and an engaging story.
Frankenstein Book Five: The Dead Town (2011) with Christopher Lane
Synopsis:
The
war against humanity is raging. As the
small town of Rainbow Falls, Montana, comes under siege, scattered survivors
band together to weather the onslaught of the creatures set loose upon the
world. As they ready for battle against
overwhelming odds, they will learn the full scope of Victor Frankenstein’s
nihilistic plan to remake the future – and the terrifying reach of his shadowy,
powerful supporters.
Now
the good will make their last, best stand.
In a climax that will shatter every expectation, their destinies and the
fate of humanity hang in the balance.
Review:
Paperback
only. (Review coming soon.)
The Moonlit Mind (2011) e-book only
Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old
Crispin has lived on the streets since he was nine—with only his wits and his
daring to sustain him, and only his silent dog, Harley, to call his friend. He
is always on the move, never lingering in any one place long enough to risk
being discovered. Still, there are certain places he returns to. In the midst
of the tumultuous city, they are havens of solitude: like the hushed environs
of St. Mary Salome Cemetery, a place where Crispin can feel at peace—safe, at
least for a while, from the fearsome memories that plague him . . . and seep
into his darkest nightmares. But not only his dreams are haunted. The city he
roams with Harley has secrets and mysteries, things unexplainable and maybe
unimaginable. Crispin has seen ghosts in the dead of night, and sensed
dimensions beyond reason in broad daylight. Hints of things disturbing and
strange nibble at the edges of his existence, even as dangers wholly natural
and earthbound cast their shadows across his path. Alone, drifting, and
scavenging to survive is no life for a boy. But the life Crispin has left
behind, and is still running scared from, is an unspeakable alternative . . .
that may yet catch up with him.
Review:
E-book
only. This “prequel” to 77 Shadow Street
is really a stand-alone novella. The
only real connection with the novel is its close geographic proximity to the
apartment at the center of 77 Shadow
Street; it doesn’t contain the same characters as the novel.
That
said, this is an exciting novella, full of the character development expected
from Koontz, despite the shortness of the story. If you are looking for a classic Koontz novel
condensed to near-short-story size, this is for you!
77 Shadow Street (2011)
Synopsis:
The
Pendleton stands on the summit of Shadow Hill at the highest point of an old
heartland city, a Gilded Age palace built in the late 1800s as a tycoon’s dream
home. Almost from the beginning, its
grandeur has been scarred by episodes of madness, suicide, mass murder, and
whispers of things far worse. But since
its rechristening in the 1970s as a luxury apartment building, the Pendleton
has been at peace. For its fortunate
residents – a successful songwriter and her young son, a disgraced ex-senator,
a widowed attorney, and a driven money manager among them – the Pendleton’s
magnificent quarters are a sanctuary, its dark past all but forgotten.
But
now inexplicable shadows caper across walls, security cameras relay impossible
images, phantom voices mutter in strange tongues, not-quite-human figures lurk
in the basement, elevators plunge into unknown depths. With each passing hour, a terrifying
certainty grows: Whatever drove the Pendleton’s past occupants to their
unspeakable fates is at work again.
Soon, all those within its boundaries will be engulfed by a deadly tide
from which few have escaped.
Dean
Koontz transcends all expectations as he takes readers on a gripping journey to
a place where nightmare visions become real – and where a group of singular
individuals hold the key to humanity’s destiny.
Welcome to 77 Shadow Street.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Dean Koontz’s books often have a touch of the supernatural in
them. This one has more than a
touch. This is a very imaginative,
original “ghost story” – in quotes because it is too original to be clumped together with others of that
sub-genre. More cerebral and symbolic
than other stories, this one grips the reader and transports them to this
“apartment building from hell.” Full of
the interesting characters one expects in a Koontz tale, this book will have
you reading (as fast as you can) on the edge of your seat.
House of Odd (2012) – Graphic Novel
Synopsis:
#1
New York Times bestselling maestro of
macabre suspense Dean Koontz plunges everyone’s favorite spirit-spotting fry
cook into his most frightening encounter yet, in the thrill-packed third Odd
Thomas graphic novel.
Transforming
a ramshackle mansion into a dream house has become a nightmare for onetime
Hollywood producer Nedra Nolan, whose newly purchased fixer-upper in Pico Mundo
has sent a string of spooked contractors scurrying off the job, claiming the
place is haunted. Who’s she gonna
call? Her friend recommends Odd Thomas,
the mild-mannered young man with a gift for communing with ghosts who won’t
rest in peace. With his soul mate and
sidekick, Stormy Llewellyn, in tow, Odd agrees to investigate the eerie
incidents. But his spirit-seeking style
is cramped by the obnoxious TV ghost hunters Nedra hires to flush out the
troublesome phantoms with elaborate gadgets.
As
night falls and a raging storm traps them all in the mazelike manse, Odd tries
in vain to scare up some lost souls. But
instead, something more terrifying than any apparition – something with flesh,
blood, and teeth – makes its sinister presence known. And with nowhere to hide, Odd and his fellow
hunters suddenly become the prey.
Review:
Graphic
Novel only. The third graphic-novel by Koontz and Illustrator Queenie Chan,
this is again worth the time to follow the experiences of Odd Thomas and
friends, but no replacement for the full-length novels.
Odd Interlude (2012)
Synopsis:
There’s
room at the inn. But you might not get
out.
Nestled
on a lonely stretch along the Pacific coast, quaint roadside outpost Harmony
Corner offers everything a weary traveler needs – a cozy diner, a handy service
station, a cluster of cottages…and the Harmony family homestead presiding over
it all. But when Odd Thomas and company
stop to spend the night, they discover that there’s more to this secluded haven
than meets the eye – and that between life and death, there is something more
frightening than either.
Review:
E-book
and paperback. This novella was originally released as an e-book. Unlike the other e-books Koontz has released,
though, this is really a short novel in itself, probably the reason it was
eventually published in paperback.
Like
the other Odd Thomas novels, this is exciting, funny, and full of interesting
characters. It is infused with the deep
character development expected of Koontz tales.
Very atmospheric, this page turner is definitely worth a few
heart-pounding hours of reading!
Odd Apocalypse (2012)
Synopsis:
The stallion reared over me, a creature
of such immense power that I stumbled backward even though I knew that it was
as immaterial as a dream…The woman
astride the ghostly mount reaches out desperately, the latest spirit to enlist
the aid of Odd Thomas, the unassuming young fry cook whose gift – or curse – it
is to see the shades of the restless dead, and to help them when he can. This mission of mercy will lead Odd through
realms of darkness he has never before encountered, as he probes the long–held
secrets of a sinister estate and those who inhabit it.
Once
presided over by a flamboyant Hollywood mogul during the Roaring ‘20s, the
magnificent West Coast property known as Roseland is now home to a reclusive
billionaire financier and his faithful servants. And, for the moment, it’s also a port in the
storm for Odd Thomas and his traveling companion, the inscrutably charming
Annamaria. In the wake of Odd’s most
recent clash with lethal adversaries, the opulent manor’s comforts should be
welcome. But there’s far more to
Roseland than meets even the extraordinary eye of Odd, who soon suspects it may
be more hell than haven.
A
harrowing taste of Roseland’s terrors convinces Odd that it’s time to hit the
road again. Still, the prescient
Annamaria insists that they’ve been led there for a reason. Just how deep and dreadful are the mysteries
Roseland and her masters have kept for nearly a century? And what consequences await whoever is brave,
or mad, enough to confront the most profound breed of evil? Odd only knows. Like his acclaimed creator, the irresistible
Odd Thomas is in top-notch form – as he takes on what may well be the most
terrifying challenge yet in his curious career.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This is another
page-turner in the saga of Odd Thomas.
It is also one of the more mysterious stories in the series. Odd has followed Annamaria to Roseland, a
gated, highly-secure mansion owned by a reclusive billionaire who is smitten by
Annamaria. As is typical in Odd’s life,
mysterious and dangerous things begin to happen almost immediately upon
arrival. Besides the ever-present Bodachs,
which follow death and destruction, Roseland seems to be the home of other
creatures which Odd calls Boogeymen. Of
course, Odd has to investigate, but Roseland is full of security people, some
of which may or may not belong, who don’t appreciate an outsider looking into
their private world.
This
is as much a mystery as it is a thriller, one of the more entertaining in the
Odd Thomas series.
Deeply Odd (2013)
Synopsis:
The pistol appeared in his hand the way
a dove appears in the hand of a good magician, as if it materialized out of
thin air. “You think I won’t do it right
here in the open. But you’d be
surprised…You’ll drop before you get the breath to scream.”
The
truck driver is decked out like a rhinestone cowboy, only instead of a guitar
he’s slinging a gun – and Odd Thomas is on the wrong end of the barrel. Though he narrowly dodges a bullet, Odd can’t
outrun the shocking vision burned into his mind…or the destiny that will drive
him into a harrowing showdown with absolute evil.
How
do you make sure a crime that hasn’t happened yet, never does? That’s the critical question facing Odd
Thomas, the young man with a unique ability to commune with restless spirits
and help them find justice and peace.
But this time, it’s the living
who desperately need Odd on their side.
Three helpless innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can
intervene in time. Who the potential
victims are and where they can be found remain a mystery. The only thing Odd knows for sure is who the
killer will be: the homicidal stranger who tried to shoot him dead in a
small-town parking lot.
With
the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock riding shotgun and a network of unlikely allies
providing help along the way, Odd embarks on an interstate game of cat and
mouse with his sinister quarry. He will
soon learn that his adversary possesses abilities that may surpass his own and
operates in service to infinitely more formidable foes, with murder and mere
prelude to much deeper designs.
Traveling across a landscape haunted by portents of impending
catastrophe, Odd will do what he must and go where his path leads him, drawing
ever closer to the dark heart of his long journey – and, perhaps, to the bright
light beyond.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. This second-to-last novel
entry in the Odd Thomas series is one of the most enjoyable, humorous, but
still nail-bitingly intense of the lot.
Odd and his traveling companion, Annamaria have holed up in a cottage in
a small coastal village. As usual, Odd
senses trouble, and is immediately confronted by an evil entity he calls the
“Rhinestone Cowboy”. Soon, Odd is sent
headlong into a race to save a group of children from a fiery grave. This book is an excellent precursor to the
grand finale for Odd Thomas in Saint Odd.
Wilderness (2013) e-book only
Synopsis:
“The
world is a machine that produces endless surprises and mysteries layered on
mysteries.”
Addison Goodheart is a mystery even to himself. He was born in an isolated home surrounded by a deep forest, never known to his father, kept secret from everyone but his mother, who barely accepts him. She is haunted by private demons and keeps many secrets—none of which she dreads more than the young son who adores her.
Only in the woods, among the wildlife, is Addison truly welcome. Only there can he be at peace. Until the day he first knows terror, the day when his life changes radically and forever . . .
Addison Goodheart is a mystery even to himself. He was born in an isolated home surrounded by a deep forest, never known to his father, kept secret from everyone but his mother, who barely accepts him. She is haunted by private demons and keeps many secrets—none of which she dreads more than the young son who adores her.
Only in the woods, among the wildlife, is Addison truly welcome. Only there can he be at peace. Until the day he first knows terror, the day when his life changes radically and forever . . .
Review:
E-book
only. This “prequel” to Innocence was
released as an e-book six weeks prior to the novel’s release.
While
not necessary to an understanding of the novel, this short story gives an
interesting glimpse into the childhood of Addison Goodheart, the protagonist of
Innocence. This tale recounts an early incident in the
life of this amazing character, which helps the reader understand his motives
and heart. A page-turner that will
undoubtedly be read in one sitting!
Innocence (2013)
Synopsis:
He
lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy
him if he is ever seen.
She
dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is
ever found.
But
the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their
lives. Something more than chance – and
nothing less than destiny – has brought them together in a world whose hour of
reckoning is fast approaching.
In
Innocence, #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz blends mystery,
suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that
will resonate with readers forever.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. While Dean Koontz is known for his rich, poetic prose and
intense character development, never before has he developed either to the
extent that he does in Innocence. This book needs to be read slowly, absorbing
the language and emotion of the writing.
This is not a book to be scanned!
This
is one of the most interesting ideas ever put on paper. As the characters come to life through the
chapters, the story becomes deeply infused with mysticism, spirituality, and
hope, despite the ugly, evil circumstances surrounding the protagonists. It is far beyond the basic good versus evil
premise. As in other books, Koontz uses
the supernatural as the framework for a morality tale much needed in today’s
world. As the characters confront the
evils around them, they are led toward a destiny they never expect, nor will
the reader. Anyone who doesn’t like this
book is probably recognizing the evil in themselves contrasted in the integrity
of the characters. Anyone who loves it
will be uplifted by the theme of hope that resonates from this astounding tale,
one to be read over and over.
The Neighbor (2014) e-book only (Short Story)
Synopsis:
Every city has its wonders and mysteries. For the
Pomerantz family, the most disturbing mystery at the moment is the identity and
the intentions of their new neighbor, in this eBook original short story—a
prequel to The City, the gripping and moving new novel by Dean Koontz.
The year is 1967. Malcolm Pomerantz is twelve, geeky and socially awkward, while his seriously bright sister, Amalia, is spirited and beautiful. Each is the other’s best friend, united by a boundless interest in the world beyond their dysfunctional parents’ unhappy home. But even the troubled Pomerantz household will seem to be a haven compared to the house next door, after an enigmatic and very secretive new neighbor takes up residence in the darkest hours of the night.
The year is 1967. Malcolm Pomerantz is twelve, geeky and socially awkward, while his seriously bright sister, Amalia, is spirited and beautiful. Each is the other’s best friend, united by a boundless interest in the world beyond their dysfunctional parents’ unhappy home. But even the troubled Pomerantz household will seem to be a haven compared to the house next door, after an enigmatic and very secretive new neighbor takes up residence in the darkest hours of the night.
Review:
E-book
only. As he has done for his previous few books, this short story is a “teaser”
for his upcoming novel. In true Koontz
fashion, the reader immediately sympathizes with the protagonists, is drawn-in
to their situation and plight, and is left wanting to know more about these
fascinating characters. The story is
tense, colorfully described, and more than a little dark. It is told in first person by a friend of the
narrator of The City about a
terrifying incident in his early life.
The only problem with it is that it came too far before the release of The City (a month). Those who read The Neighbor when it was first released had too long to wait to
read more about these interesting characters!
The City (2014)
Synopsis:
The city
changed my life and showed me that the world is deeply mysterious. I need to tell you about her and some
terrible things and wonderful things and amazing things that happened…and how I
am still haunted by them. Including one
night when I died and woke and lived again.
Here is the riveting, soul-stirring story of Jonah
Kirk, son of an exceptional singer, grandson of a formidable “piano man,” a musical
prodigy beginning to explore his own gifts when he crosses a group of extremely
dangerous people, with shattering consequences.
Set in a more innocent time not so long ago, The City encompasses a lifetime but unfolds over three
extraordinary, heart-racing years of tribulation and triumph, in which Jonah
first grasps the electrifying power of music and art, of enduring friendship,
of everyday heroes.
The unforgettable saga of a young man coming of age
within a remarkable family, and a shimmering portrait of the world that shaped
him, The City is a novel that speaks
to everyone, a dazzling realization of the evergreen dreams we all share. Brilliantly illumined by magic dark and
light, it’s a place where enchantment and malice entwine, courage and honor are
found in the most unexpected quarters, and the way forward lies buried deep
inside the heart.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. My name is Jonah Ellington
Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk. Thus begins one of Koontz’s most endearing character
studies. Full of rich, real people who
not only seem to truly live, but come off the page in a way I’ve never before
seen. Although a little light on action
(but not suspense), as compared with his other novels, the reader doesn’t seem
to notice, and won’t care, as one is filled with intrigue, wonder, magic, and
heart in such abundance that putting down the book isn’t an option. Set aside enough time to absorb the musical
prose of 400 pages.
Ask Anna: Advice for the Furry and
Forlorn with Anna Koontz (2014)
Synopsis:
It’s long been suspected that dogs are
smarter than humans. Now we know it’s
true.
Dear Reader,
My dad, Dean Koontz, is a writer, as you might be aware. For years his first golden retriever, Trixie, also wrote books, which sometimes made the best-seller list. I vowed never to be a writer.
I barely have enough time for all the belly rubs, ball chasing, bird chasing, tug-of-war, and posing cutely that is required of me as a golden retriever, not to mention all of my non-professional interests, such as the new translation of Proust that I have undertaken, and learning to pilot a hot-air balloon.
My dad, Dean Koontz, is a writer, as you might be aware. For years his first golden retriever, Trixie, also wrote books, which sometimes made the best-seller list. I vowed never to be a writer.
I barely have enough time for all the belly rubs, ball chasing, bird chasing, tug-of-war, and posing cutely that is required of me as a golden retriever, not to mention all of my non-professional interests, such as the new translation of Proust that I have undertaken, and learning to pilot a hot-air balloon.
Nevertheless,
I have written a book of advice for dogs. It's not a matter of ego, which
anyone who knows a golden retriever will attest. It's not about money, because I’m
being paid in sausages. What it's about
is giving back to my community--which I feel obliged to do especially because
of all the park grass I've ruined with little round brown spots.
I hope you
enjoy my book – and learn something about our fine species.
Woof,
Anna Koontz,
Dog
Review:
Review:
Hardcover
only. Another very cute book about dogs, ghost written by Dean for his dog,
Anna. This is an advice column-style
format, with Anna answering questions by other dogs. It is full of photos of the dogs, along with
the inimitable humor, and occasional profundity, that Dean Koontz has made his
trademark.
Odd Thomas: You Are Destined to Be
Together Forever (2014) e-book
only (Short Story)
Synopsis:
The singular journey of Odd Thomas is approaching
its unforgettable conclusion in Saint Odd. But before Odd’s destiny is
revealed, this exclusive eBook short story looks back—way back—to where it all
began for Odd Thomas and Stormy Llewellyn, two souls who are destined to be
together forever.
Amid the dizzying rides, tantalizing games of chance, and fanciful attractions of a state fair, two teenage sweethearts on the cusp of life and love’s pleasures find their way to a shadowy carnival tent brimming with curiosities. There, from the bizarre and enthralling Gypsy Mummy, a mechanized merchant of dreams and prognosticator of tomorrows, the young couple learns what fate promises for them. But fate, for Odd Thomas and Stormy Llewellyn, is something altogether different: full of dark corners, sharp edges, and things no seer or soothsayer could ever anticipate.
And for Odd Thomas, a gallant fry cook from a sleepy California desert town, the future beckons—to listen to unquiet spirits, pursue unsettling mysteries, and learn shocking truths . . . for a purpose far greater than himself.
Amid the dizzying rides, tantalizing games of chance, and fanciful attractions of a state fair, two teenage sweethearts on the cusp of life and love’s pleasures find their way to a shadowy carnival tent brimming with curiosities. There, from the bizarre and enthralling Gypsy Mummy, a mechanized merchant of dreams and prognosticator of tomorrows, the young couple learns what fate promises for them. But fate, for Odd Thomas and Stormy Llewellyn, is something altogether different: full of dark corners, sharp edges, and things no seer or soothsayer could ever anticipate.
And for Odd Thomas, a gallant fry cook from a sleepy California desert town, the future beckons—to listen to unquiet spirits, pursue unsettling mysteries, and learn shocking truths . . . for a purpose far greater than himself.
Review:
E-book
only. This 38-page short story was released a month before the final Odd Thomas
book, Saint Odd. This story is a prequel to all of the Odd
Thomas books, including the graphic novels.
It involves an incident that takes place on the day Odd and Stormy
receive their prophetic note from the fortune teller: “You are destined to be
together forever.” Like all of Koontz’s
stories, this one grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go, leaving you
wanting more. Thankfully, the wait on
this one was only a month!
Saint Odd (2015)
Synopsis:
Odd
Thomas is back where it all started . . . because the time has come to finish
it. Since he left his simple life in the small town of Pico Mundo, California,
his journey has taken him to places strange and wonderful, mysterious and
terrifying. Across the land, in the company of mortals and spirits alike, he
has known kindness and cruelty, felt love and loss, saved lives and taken
them—as he’s borne witness to humanity’s greatest good and darkest
evil. Again and again, he has gone where he must and done what he had to
do—for better or worse—with his courage and devotion sorely tested, and his
soul forever changed. Every triumph has been hard won. Each sacrifice has taken
its toll.
Now, whatever destiny drives him has finally steered his steps home, where those he cares for most surround him, the memory of his tragically lost true love haunts him, and one last challenge—vast and dreadful—awaits him. For Odd Thomas, born to serve a purpose far greater than himself, the wandering is done. Only the reckoning remains.
Now, whatever destiny drives him has finally steered his steps home, where those he cares for most surround him, the memory of his tragically lost true love haunts him, and one last challenge—vast and dreadful—awaits him. For Odd Thomas, born to serve a purpose far greater than himself, the wandering is done. Only the reckoning remains.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. In this, the final
edition of the Odd Thomas saga, we learn all the mysteries for which Odd,
himself, has been searching. The
mild-mannered fry cook has returned home to Pico Mundo, his hometown and the
site of the beginning of his search for meaning. Again, Odd is up against the
Cult-To-End-All-Cults, the epitome and embodiment of Evil, this time with their
sights set on bringing about destruction on a global scale. Their intention is to not only kill many
people, but destroy Odd’s spirit in the course.
On the other hand, Odd has come home, along with his entourage of
mystical companions, to find the truth behind his carnival-gypsy’s prediction
of: “You are destined to be together forever.”
This
volume is a masterful ending to an eight-part (including Odd Interlude) collection of beloved stories. The unforgettable group of characters, led by
the inimitable Odd Thomas, receive an exciting and heart-touching send-off in a
novel full of Dean Koontz’s unequaled suspense and sentiment. To be safe, one may want to wait to begin the
book until one has enough time to read the entire novel in one sitting. The action begins on page one and doesn’t let
up until the final “exclamation point.”
We can only hope that Koontz creates another character as endearing as
Odd Thomas.
Last Light (Sep. 8, 2015) e-book only (Short Story)
Synopsis:
With
just a touch, Makani Hisoka-O’Brien can see the deepest secrets that others
conceal—and it frightens her. There’s danger in the terrible knowledge that
floods her mind and haunts her conscience.
With just a touch, Rainer Sparks can learn the biggest problems that others bear—and it thrills him. There’s profit to be made making problems go away, by any means . . . including murder.
In a place as big as Southern California, these two might have never met and discovered one another’s chilling abilities. But good and evil have a way of colliding . . . with shattering consequences.
With just a touch, Rainer Sparks can learn the biggest problems that others bear—and it thrills him. There’s profit to be made making problems go away, by any means . . . including murder.
In a place as big as Southern California, these two might have never met and discovered one another’s chilling abilities. But good and evil have a way of colliding . . . with shattering consequences.
Review:
E-book
only. This novella (the first in a trilogy with Final Hour and a novella to be released in 2016) is a good example
of what makes Dean Koontz the master of the thriller. In just a few pages, he manages to make the
reader hate the antagonist, love the protagonist, and wonder how she will ever
get out of the dire situation she has been put in, all while infusing it with
Koontz’s own brand of humor (and, of course, a loveable dog). While this is tied to his upcoming novel, Ashley Bell (one of the side characters
in this novella is a main character in the novel), it has nothing to do with
the plot of that novel. Another great
read!
Final Hour (Oct. 27, 2015) e-book only (Short Story)
Synopsis:
Just
by touching others, Makani Hisoka-O’Brien can see the darkest secrets they
keep. The troubling talent has made the Southern California surfer wary of
casual contact. But while impulsively saving a stranger from an accident, she
experiences her most disturbing vision.
With only a good friend to help her, and mere traces of information to guide her, Makani must track down two mysterious women—one of them innocent, one not.
But Makani is stepping into the path of an adversary more dangerous than she can imagine: a brutal predator behind a pretty face, who won’t go down without drawing blood.
With only a good friend to help her, and mere traces of information to guide her, Makani must track down two mysterious women—one of them innocent, one not.
But Makani is stepping into the path of an adversary more dangerous than she can imagine: a brutal predator behind a pretty face, who won’t go down without drawing blood.
Review:
E-book
only. Another thriller using one of the
characters from Ashley Bell, though
not tied to that storyline, this is one more example of Koontz’s talent for
suspense and character development.
After reading these short stories, one wishes Koontz would write a full
novel with these realistic, lovable characters.
Ashley Bell (2015)
Synopsis:
The girl who said no to death.
Bibi
Blair is a fierce, funny, dauntless young woman – whose doctor says she has one
year to live.
She
replies, “We’ll see.”
Her
sudden recovery astonishes medical science.
An
enigmatic woman convinces Bibi that she escaped death so that she can save
someone else. Someone named Ashley Bell.
But
save her from what, from whom? And who
is Ashley Bell? Where is she?
Bibi’s
obsession with finding Ashley sends her on the run from threats both mystical
and worldly, including a rich and charismatic cult leader with terrifying
ambitions.
Here
is an eloquent, riveting, brilliantly paced story with an exhilarating heroine
and a twisting, ingenious plot filled with staggering surprises. Ashley
Bell is a new milestone in literary suspense from the long-acclaimed
master.
Review:
Hardcover
and paperback. Dean Koontz
called this one of the three best novels he has written, and as far as plotting
goes, I would agree. This intricate
storyline is full of twists and turns with the point of view changing at vital
moments to both further the plot and sustain the suspense. In addition, the revelations come at
carefully placed moments which helps make the story an edge-of-the-seat
thriller. Though nearly six-hundred
pages, its short chapters act like “MTV editing” in sustaining the suspense and
speeding along the story. The character
of Bibi Blair is one of Koontz’s most endearing and fascinating, her backstory
being so rich that she truly becomes an organic character, seeming to write her
own destiny. The other characters (Pogo,
Paxton, and especially the antagonist, Birkenau Terezin) also read like real
people. This one mustn’t be missed!
Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Storm
Surge (2016)
(Graphic Novels)
Synopsis:
Graphic Novel series. An all-new original story! From the
celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of the
classic stories of all time. If you think you know the story, you know only
half the truth. Welcome to the mystery, the myth, the terror, and magic of Dean
Koontz's Frankenstein. While healing from a beating she suffered at the hands
of Victor Helios - once Dr. Frankenstein - and her own maker, Erika Five
decides to leave the comfort of her glassed-in porch and bottle of cognac to go
exploring into Victor's secret home lab, which she believes is an antechamber
to something more sinister. With the help of the bodiless head Karloff and his
disembodied hand, Erika finds a secret lab and within sees experiments
revealing Victor's attempts to do more than create a race of super-immortals...
and a mirror-like portal to another universe, one of infinite realities Victor
is trying to bridge for his own horrible reasons!
Review:
(Graphic
Novels only.)
The Silent Corner (June 20, 2017)
Synopsis:
Synopsis:
“I very much need to be dead.”
These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for—but took his own life. In the void that remains stands his widow, Jane, surrounded by questions destined to go unanswered . . . unless she does what all the grief, fear, confusion, and fury inside of her demand: find the truth, no matter what.
There is no one else to speak for Jane’s husband—or the others who have followed him into death at their own hands. Although people of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have recently been committing suicide in surprising numbers, no one else is willing to give up everything, just to seek, to find, to know. No one except Jane. But ahead lies only risk. Because those arrayed against her are legion . . . and dangerously devoted to protecting something profoundly important—or terrifying—enough to exterminate any and all in their way.
Too many have already died, and those responsible will learn that all their malevolent power may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless—and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love.
These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for—but took his own life. In the void that remains stands his widow, Jane, surrounded by questions destined to go unanswered . . . unless she does what all the grief, fear, confusion, and fury inside of her demand: find the truth, no matter what.
There is no one else to speak for Jane’s husband—or the others who have followed him into death at their own hands. Although people of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have recently been committing suicide in surprising numbers, no one else is willing to give up everything, just to seek, to find, to know. No one except Jane. But ahead lies only risk. Because those arrayed against her are legion . . . and dangerously devoted to protecting something profoundly important—or terrifying—enough to exterminate any and all in their way.
Too many have already died, and those responsible will learn that all their malevolent power may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless—and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love.
Review:
Hardcover and paperback. This first installment in the "Jane Hawk" series of books introduces us to this tough, yet sensitive, heroine. Forced into an unauthorized investigation after the suspicious suicide of her hero-husband, FBI Agent Jane Hawk is required to go on the lam - and off the grid - while continuing to function in modern society, a condition referred-to as being in "the silent corner." Unable to trust very few, she is forced to rely on her wits and her training while being thrust deeper and deeper in to a horrific premise. This is Koontz at his edge-of-the-seat best, a promising start at what will likely prove to be an enjoyable, though quite dark, journey into Jane's thrilling new life, and terrifying new world.
The Whispering Room (Nov. 21, 2017)
Synopsis:
Synopsis:
These are the words that ring in the mind of mild-mannered, beloved schoolteacher Cora Gundersun - just before she takes her own life, and many others', in a shocking act of carnage. When the disturbing contents of her secret journal are discovered, it seems certain that she must have been insane. But Jane Hawk knows better.
In the wake of her husband's inexplicable suicide - and the equally mysterious deaths of scores of other exemplary individuals - Jane picks up the trail of a secret cabal of powerful players who think themselves above the law and beyond punishment. But these ruthless people bent on hijacking America's future for their own monstrous ends never banked on a highly trained FBI agent willing to go rogue - and become the nation's most wanted fugitive - in order to derail their insidious plans to gain absolute power with a terrifying technological breakthrough.
Driven by love for her lost husband and by fear for the five-year-old son she has sent into hiding, Jane Hawk has become an unstoppable predator. Those she is hunting will have nowhere to run when her shadow falls across them.
Review:
Hardcover. Another breakneck speed read of the continuing adventures of Jane Hawk. Following The Silent Corner, Jane stays under the radar as she meets new endearing characters and fights evil in many forms. A heart-pounding story that you may need to take a break from in order to allow your pulse to return to normal, or just read it through for a marathon aerobic exercise. Perfect Koontz, perfect book.
Ricochet Joe Illustrated e-book only (Dec. 28, 2017)
Synopsis:
Synopsis:
Can an ordinary guy make extraordinary choices in a battle between humanity and unearthly evil?
Joe Mandel is a perfectly ordinary guy from a perfectly ordinary town—a college student and community volunteer who dreams of one day publishing a novel. When a series of strange intuitions leads him to a crime in progress, Joe jumps headlong into danger without hesitation. In the aftermath, he wonders about the uncanny impulse that suddenly swept over him.
Until new friend Portia Montclair, the strangely wise daughter of the local police chief, explains to him what sent him ricocheting around town like a crazy pinball. Portia tells of another reality, a reality more thrilling—and terrifying—than Joe ever imagined. Timeless, elemental forces of good and evil have come to the quiet town of Little City: a cosmic entity capable of infecting human beings, and the seeker who has chosen Joe to find it.
To stop the malevolent invader, this average Joe must be braver than he ever thought possible…and face the hardest decisions of his life.
Review:
After many great, straight thrillers, Dean Koontz returns to a touch of the supernatural with this short story. As always, he gives us characters that are endearing from page one, rich, descriptive prose, and pulse-pounding suspense. One is left yearning for Joe's future adventures. This is why Koontz is king.
The Crooked Staircase (May 8, 2018)
Synopsis:
Synopsis:
“I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead.”
Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she’s breathing, she’ll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom—and free will—of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane’s husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane’s enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.
Jane’s ruthless pursuers can’t stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.
The Forbidden Door (Oct. 9, 2018)
Synopsis:
(Review coming soon.)
The Night Window
Synopsis:
(Review coming soon.)
Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she’s breathing, she’ll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom—and free will—of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane’s husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane’s enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.
Jane’s ruthless pursuers can’t stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.
Review:
Hardcover and paperback. Another pulse-pounding adventure for Jane Hawk as she digs deeper into the world of the Arcadians. As usual, rich prose combines with heart-stopping suspense and complex characters. However, in the process of showing the evil that is the Arcadians, Koontz allows "the bomb to go off", as Hitchcock used to say. Still, a worthwhile addition to the Hawk series.The Forbidden Door (Oct. 9, 2018)
Synopsis:
Review:
(Review coming soon.)
The Night Window
Synopsis:
Review:
(Review coming soon.)
