Of all of Koontz's many adult novels, this one, despite some rough scenes, can be, because of its warm, direct voice and inherent moralism, recommended to a mature YA readership, who will love it.I hate violence. 9)įorecast: Koontz novels always fly up bestseller lists, and this one will, too, but there's potential for additional sales here. This is Koontz working at his pinnacle, providing terrific entertainment that deals seriously with some of the deepest themes of human existence: the nature of evil, the grip of fate and the power of love.
In some recent books, Koontz has tended to overwrite, but not here: the narrative is as simple and clear as a newborn's gaze. But Koontz fans know that the author has recently added humor to his arsenal of effects, and this thriller also stands out for its brilliant tightrope walk between the amusing and the macabre one of the dead with whom Odd interacts frequently, for instance, is Elvis, still pining for his long-dead mother, Gladys.Ībove all, the story, like most great stories, runs on character-and here Koontz has created a hero whose honest, humble voice will resonate with many. As with Koontz's best novels, this one features electrifying tension and suspense, plus a few walloping surprises. The proximity of bodachs to a weird-looking stranger in town, whom Odd dubs "Fungus Man," alerts Odd that trouble is brewing breaking into Fungus Man's house, Odd discovers not only hundreds of bodachs but a shrine to serial killers that helps him deduce that somehow Fungus Man will wreak widespread havoc very soon-so Odd is caught in a classic race against time to deter catastrophe. Odd also has the ability to see bodachs, malevolent spirits that feast on pain and whose presence signifies a likelihood of imminent violence. The reason for his lack of ambition? A much rarer talent: Odd sees and converses with ghosts, the lingering dead who have yet to pass on, a secret he has kept from nearly everyone but his girlfriend, an eccentric author friend and the local police chief, whom he occasionally helps solve terrible crimes.
Odd Thomas, who narrates, is odd indeed: only 20, he works contentedly as a fry cook in a small fictional California town, despite a talent for writing. Once in a very great while, an author does everything right-as Koontz has in this marvelous novel.
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