Book Review - Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Lost Souls

I'm not what you would call an avid Dean Koontz fan. I don't buy a book because it has his name on it. But I do recognize him as one of the best in his genre today. What Stephen King once had and long ago lost, Dean Koontz still masters -- he is one of today's best at character development, and he proves that again in the fourth installment of his rendition of the "Frankenstein" saga.

I won't rehash either Mary Shelley's original or Koontz's update here. You can search the site or use the Book Review links in the sidebar for my reviews on the three previous "Frankenstein" offerings from Koontz.

In this latest entry to what will surely become a classic in it's own right, Frankenstein's monster, now known as Deucalion, outlives his creator -- killed in an epic battle of good versus evil in New Orleans. But the evil of Doctor Frankenstein a.k.a. Victor Helios lives on in clone form and has moved on to a small backwoods Montana town where he hopes to carry on the work of his predecessor.

With a new method, new technology, and a slightly new vision, the all new Victor Immaculate (or Victor Laben, as he now calls himself) is picking off the town in bite-size chunks. Little does he know that his first creation, his fifth wife (also his own creation), and the New Orleans Police Detectives who shut him down two years earlier, are all hot on his trail and working hard to ensure his failure once again.

Koontz comes through reliably with another page-turner, but left me unsatisfied in several ways. First, not enough Victor and not enough of the Monster. How can you have a Frankenstein book that doesn't center on Frankenstein?

Second, while the whole premise of Frankenstein and his Monster still living 200 years later is made quite believable by Koontz in the first three volumes, somehow the idea of him living on in his clone just doesn't sell well.

Third -- and this one troubled me the most -- with roughly a hundred pages left in the book, it was clear that the ending was nowhere in sight. While the first three volumes all leave room for the story to continue, they also give a sense of closure. In Frankenstein: Lost Souls, there is no closure. The books ends just as the story is truly beginning, and a couple of pages past the ending we learn that we have to wait nearly a year to find out what happens next. I like a cliffhanger as much as the next guy, but this one is ridiculous.

Either way, I can still enthusiastically recommend this as highly as the prior three volumes, but only if you can wait another year to get the ending.

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Book Review: Velocity by Dean Koontz

Whomever said you can't judge a book by it's cover obviously never read Velocity by Dean Koontz. One thing that never happens in the book Velocity is a lull in the action. From the opening page to the final chapter, Koontz's characters in Velocity deliver a fast-paced tale of intrigue, mystery, and horror (or, more accurately, terror).

When Billy the bartender leaves work one night to find a note on the windshield of his SUV, he is thrust into a game that he has no choice but to play -- a deadly game.

If you don't take this not 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.

What would you do if faced with such an ultimatum? On one hand, you could rush to the police and show them the note, essentially signing the death warrant of a sweet little old lady. Or you could shrug it off, assume it's just a hoax, and hope not to read about a murdered young blond woman in the morning papers.

* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *

When Billy is faced with making the choice, he finds that action and inaction are one and the same, as he learns from his friend, Deputy Lanny Olsen, that a young blond schoolteacher has been found murdered. Having chosen not to decide, Billy decided to let the old woman live and the young woman die -- in what is only the first move of a deadly game of cat and mouse that leads to shocking revelations, for both Billy and the reader.

* * * END OF SPOILERS * * *

Velocity, released four years ago, is one of Dean Koontz's most compelling books ever. Packed with action and suspense, this book is likely to steal hours of restful sleep from you. Will you keep reading, or put it down until tomorrow? The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

Your comments?

Joe

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AJA Press

Book Review: Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Book 3: Dead and Alive

Finally, after waiting more than three years, Dean Koontz delivers with Book Three of his take on the classic Frankenstein tale. From my earlier review of Books One and Two:

Imagine if Mary Shelley wasn't a novelist at all, but rather an historian. If she had penned her hit book Frankenstein not from her own imagination, but rather from actual events that occurred in her lifetime. If not only Doctor Frankenstein had really existed, but also his monstrous creation.

If such a thing were true, then it's not much of a stretch of the imagination to believe that this giver of life had found a way to ensure his own mortality. Or to believe that the monster he created is still alive today, hiding and waiting.

Dean Koontz does indeed come through in the long awaited, greatly anticipated conclusion(?) to his Frankenstein trilogy. In Dead and Alive, Koontz builds upon the foundation he laid in Books One and Two, with a fast paced, action packed, page turning frenzy of a monster tale like nothing you have ever read -- like nothing you could possibly prepare yourself for.

* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *

As Doctor Frankenstein (aka Victor Helios) prepares to mount his final war against the Human Race with his New Race, he quickly finds his empire collapsing around him, as a rebellion of his creations, led by his first -- the Frankenstein monster first made famous by Mary Shelley, known here as Deucalion -- mount an elaborate ambush and take the famous Doctor down, along with all (or very nearly all) of the abominations he has created.

* * * END OF SPOILERS * * *

Set, as the first two books were, in New Orleans -- though this time as Hurricane Katrina is approaching the city -- Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Dead and Alive will make you think twice about just what science can achieve. You won't want to read this book in the dark -- which is challenging, because you're likely to find yourself reading it into the wee hours of the morning, as the dark closes in around you, and every little bump and shuffle that you hear will have the skin standing on the back of your neck.

My greatest disappointment about the trilogy? That it had to end. Or did it?

Your comments?

Joe

Maddy's Cancer Battle

AJA Press

Book Review: Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz first introduced us to this likeable character in Odd Thomas. Odd Hours is the fourth in this series, and follows Forever Odd and the third installment, Brother Odd.

Odd Hours is in ways unlike the first three books of the series. If you've joined Odd throughout his journey, you might notice in Odd Hours that Odd spends much less time dealing with the spirits of the dearly departed and, practically, the entire book trying to rescue the world from the certainty of nuclear destruction.

Odd Hours is at times compelling and at others merely entertaining, though it dishes up just enough to make the reader want to keep reading. Especially if you've followed Odd along his journey since the beginning.

In Odd Hours, America's favorite seer of the dead is faced with an entirely new challenge, as he finds himself literally seeing the future when coming into contact with those who are planning a mass attack on four American cities. Odd finds himself committed to rescue a woman he doesn't know -- has never even met -- who seems to know so much about him. His oath to die for her results in Odd taking matters into his own hands as he attempts to hi-jack four nuclear weapons destined to wreak havoc on four major cities and cause untold thousands of deaths.

I enjoyed Odd Hours, better than some of the series, but not quite as much as Forever Odd. One thing that stood out to me -- and as an author myself maybe I notice this more than the average reader -- was what I considered to be a pretty major inconsistency in the tale. In chapter 32 on page 224 of the hardback edition of the book, Odd is receiving a weapon from Birdie Hopkins, a woman who appears out of the fog to rescue him. {emphasis mine}

The weapon was a pistol. I examined it.

"No safeties," she said. "Double action. Ten rounds in the magazine. You know how to use such a thing?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm no Bonnie's Clyde, but I won't shoot my foot, either."

When I read this, I expected to find there would be some significance to the fact that the gun had no safeties. Maybe Odd would end up firing the weapon by accident at a time that it would put him in grave peril.

Later, in chapter 42, on pages 290 and 291 in the hardback edition, Odd draws the weapon, and I was sitting on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen because of the missing safety. {emphasis mine again}

In case the redheaded gunmen had come visiting Hutch, had not been convinced by his performance, and had settled down to wait for me, I examined the compact pistol. The ten-round magazine held nine. I switched off the safety.

It continues on the next page.

When I peered cautiously through the open parlor door, I saw Hutch in the armchair where I had left him. The chenille throw lay across his lap and draped his knees; but he had put the book aside. He snored softly.

I engaged the safety on the little pistol, and pocketed the weapon.

Again, I figured maybe I would find something later in the story to indicate that Odd had not actually engaged and disengaged a safety, but that he had done something else by mistake. Unfortunately, there was no more mention of the mysterious safety. I think what bugs me most about it is that the act of engaging and disengaging the safety adds nothing to the story. Both underlined sections above could have been omitted from the book without detracting from the story and, in fact, might have eliminated this confusion.

Dean Koontz's Odd Hours is published by Bantam Books, and I find it inexcusable that such a large publishing house doesn't have someone who can catch such inconsistencies before the book goes to publication. Nothing major, just a pet peeve of mine. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book, and I'm sure it won't take away from yours, either.

Your comments?

Joe

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Book Review: Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

The third book in Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas franchise, Brother Odd is, in my opinion, the slowest starter so far. The process of building up the story here seems to be more tedious than in prior installments of the saga. In fact, It took me probably twice as long to read Forever Odd from cover to cover as it did the other two books. Maybe even longer to read it than the other two books combined.

That's not to say that it isn't a good story. Let's just say that it gets better the closer it gets to the end. Again, that's not intended to be a slam. But while I found it difficult to keep reading it through the first half of the book, I found it difficult to stop reading during the second half.

I don't know what it is about Odd Thomas that keeps Dean Koontz penning novel after novel about the unlikely hero. He seems to have found some connection to Odd that he just can't let go.

I won't go into spoilers here. I do occasionally (mostly when reviewing movies), but I like to leave the unexplored territory between the covers of a book for the individual reader to discover. I'll just say about this one: don't give up. You might find it a bit tedious at times, or even bordering on boring. But, like anything in life worth having, if you just stick to it and keep trudging through page after page, you will be rewarded in the end with another delightful Koontz tale.

I just have one question for the author though: why Odd Thomas? Can't we get a little Frankenstein love in the U.S.? I'll bet there are millions more like me that would absolutely love to get their hands on a third installment of that epic adventure!

Your comments?

Joe

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Book Review: Forever Odd by Dean Koontz

As I continue through Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series of books, I have recently finished reading the second of the series, Forever Odd. While I found Odd Thomas (click here for my review) to be quite enjoyable, I found Forever Odd to be very difficult to put down. It was a fast paced book that kept the action coming, page after page. While we continue to learn more about "Dean Koontz's most likeable character," he continues to learn more about himself.

While a great deal of book one in the series is devoted to the development of characters and setting, by book two we are already familiar with Odd Thomas, Chief Porter, Ozzie, and the town of Pico Mundo, and Koontz can spend a significantly greater amount of time working on developing the plot of his story.

I found myself up many late nights, digging deeper and deeper into the story, finding it more and more difficult to put the book down. Many of those nights I fell asleep with my nose in the book long before I decided that it was time to put the book down and go to sleep.

Perhaps one of the best parts of Forever Odd is the hook at the ending that makes you anxious to dive into the third installment, Brother Odd, which is just what I've done.

No spoilers here, sorry. Just grab the book and start a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Your comments?

Joe

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Book Review: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Every very successful author has his signature something. With Stephen King, it has always been Castle Rock, Maine. With Ted Dekker, it's the world of Other Earth. For Dean Koontz, it appears that it has become his character, Odd Thomas.

I originally passed up the Odd Thomas collection, for no reason really. I guess I just didn't know what it was about and didn't think it sounded too interesting. Until I saw the video series, "Odd Passenger," based on the Odd Thomas character. View the videos below, or skip ahead to read more.

Odd Passenger - Episode 1



Odd Passenger - Episode 2



Odd Passenger - Episode 3



Odd Passenger - Episode 4



Continued...

Those videos captured my attention, sparked my interest, piqued my curiosity -- give it whatever label you want, but I rushed out and bought Odd Thomas, the first of (so far) four books about Koontz's colorful character.

Odd Thomas sees dead people. They come to him seeking justice, mostly, though they can't really communicate what it is exactly that they want from him, because the dead don't talk. Or, in the case of the late, great Elvis Presley, they come to him at times just to hang out. To weep. To brood. When the dead refuse to let go of this world for one reason or other, they are doomed to roam the earth as a silent spirit, invisible to all but a very, very few.

In Odd Thomas, we follow Odd through his hometown of Pico Mundo, where his strange gift has him on a mission to save hundreds of people from certain death. With twists and turns unexpected, Koontz weaves a tale that will have you glued to the pages and send you rushing out (as I did) to buy the rest of the series.

To say much more here would be to reveal too many spoilers. I'm now reading Forever Odd and will soon be reading Brother Odd. Of course, Odd Hours is now out in hard back. So far, the only Koontz books I've read and enjoyed more have been the first two in his adaptation of the classic Frankenstein franchise.

Read Odd Thomas. You won't be disappointed.

Joe

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Book Review: The Husband by Dean Koontz

What would you do for love? Would you lie? Would you steal? Would you die? Would you kill? Is there anything you wouldn't do for love?

Landscaper Mitch Raferrty grapples with just those questions in Dean Koontz's The Husband when he receives a phone call offering to return his wife for two million dollars -- cash.

Holly Rafferty asks herself those same questions as she struggles under the psychological torment of her captors.

Who would you turn to for help? The Police? Even if the kidnappers threatened to kill your wife if you involve authorities? Could you turn to friends or family? Mitch finds the answer when the kidnappers instruct him to go to his brother's home and await their next call. When that call comes, everything changes.

Join Mitch Rafferty on the wildest ride of his life as he battles to beat a sixty hour deadline and rescue the woman he loves. He faces challenges and decisions he has never imagined and makes choices he has never faced before as his life changes forever. Will Mitch make it in time? Can he raise two million dollars in cash?

I thought I had the ending figured out about half way through. I was wrong. It isn't really a surprise ending. It just isn't what you might think it will be as you're reading along. The book reads at a fast pace and is, at times, quite difficult to put down.

As with most of Dean Koontz's books, though he is a mainstream author, this book has no objectionable content. I think you'll enjoy it.

Joe

Book Review: Dean Koontz's Frankenstein

I'm not what you'd call a die-hard Dean Koontz fan. I've read a few of his books: some that I've enjoyed, and some that I couldn't finish. So I was a little disappointed last month when I received two used Koontz books at a Christmas party gift exchange. Being an avid reader, I thought I'd give them a try.

Imagine if Mary Shelley wasn't a novelist at all, but rather an historian. If she had penned her hit book Frankenstein not from her own imagination, but rather from actual events that occurred in her lifetime. If not only Doctor Frankenstein had really existed, but also his monstrous creation.

If such a thing were true, then it's not much of a stretch of the imagination to believe that this giver of life had found a way to ensure his own mortality. Or to believe that the monster he created is still alive today, hiding and waiting.

Dean Koontz brings just such a tale to life in his telling -- continuation, rather -- of the classic Frankenstein tale. Giving full credit to the original author, Koontz spins a tale of the impossible, making it impossibly true. To tell you more would do you a disservice. You must pick up a copy of each of the three books that comprise Dean Koontz's Frankenstein.

Book one, Prodigal Son, and book two, City of Night, are both available now. Book three is promised this summer. Frankenstein is Dean Koontz at his best. Don't miss these books!

UPDATE: Check out my review of Book 3.

Joe