Odd Thomas
by Dean Koontz
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Book Reviews of Odd Thomas
Book Review: Worst book I've ever read; last Koontz I'll ever read
Summary: 1 Stars
I've read around ten Dean Koontz books and, despite some of my problems with his writing style, I've obviously been entertained enough to come back for more, time and time again. Well, no more. This book compounded all of his lazy, unprofessional, and imbecilic writing "techniques" and slopped them into one short, but far too long, book -- probably the worst I've ever read in my entire life.
What shocks me, of course, is that so many people not only like this book -- they love it! I cannot for the life of me figure out what there is to love. Here's a "spoiler" for you: Nothing happens in this book! It is basically 302 pages of long lists of the contents of people's drawers, refrigerators, glove compartments, etc. It is written in the first person by Odd Thomas -- an immensely annoying and unrealistic character who only seems less so by the annoyance and unrealism of all of the other characters in the book.
Here's a shocker: Odd -- that's his name, by the way -- comes from a dysfunctional family. So does his girlfriend, "Stormy." Oh, and here's what makes Odd so odd: He can see dead people. Yes, only a few years after the Sixth Sense (a phrase that is used time and time again in this book), Koontz wrote a book where the character literally says "I see dead people." But don't worry, the dead people never do anything interesting.
My theory on why people like this book: They're stupid and the book is short. It's one of the few books they ever read, so they grow an emotional attachment to it. If your IQ is above that of Forest Gump's please pass on this book and move on with your life. There's nothing here for you to see.
Book Review: New Fan
Summary: 5 Stars
Several years ago I purchased a Dean Koontz book (don't remember which one) because I was a horror fan and also because I had heard so much about the bestselling author and his books. At the time I was a huge fan of Stephen King & more hardcore horror. I read maybe a chapter of the Koontz book and put it aside with disgust. What was all the hoopla about? I wondered. Well, just like food tastes change as we mature, so do our reading tastes. I was looking around in a book store one day soon after this book was published, and I asked the salesperson if he could recommend a good book. He immediately showed me Odd Thomas. I thought, "Oh no, another Koontz fanatic." I perused the book, but didn't purchase it (nope, not gonna be fooled again, not me). Yet, every time I would go to a bookstore after that I found myself drawn to the book. I would look at it, read the back cover, flip through it, put it back on the shelf. Finally, about 2 weeks ago, I was in a used book store & saw the book. I thought, what the heck, how badly could I be stung....the book was only a couple of bucks. Odd Thomas is, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever read. It is, by turns, spooky, creepy, funny, sad and just plain a delight to read. Odd is a sympathetic character whom I liked & cared about. Since I first wrote this review, I've read Forever Odd and Brother Odd. I read the last book as slowly as I could force myself, because there's no more Odd books currently available. The entire series is an enjoyable, amazing read. Am I now a Koontz freak? Who knows? Am I now an Odd freak? Definitely!Book Review: A Fun Read
Summary: 4 Stars
Odd Thomas is a 20 year-old short-order cook who can see dead people. I won't summarize much of the plot because I don't want to be a spoiler, but I will tell you that the book's conceit is that it's written by Odd himself. He explains how his supernatural powers helped him save his small town of Pico Mundo over the course of two days.
This is the first book I've read by Koontz, and I must say that I rather enjoyed it. I'm not a diehard suspense fan, but the book appealed to me because it was genuinely funny as well as suspenseful. Even more than that, I liked the book because Koontz populates Pico Mundo with genuinely likable characters. Odd isn't the oddest person in this book, but he and all his quirky friends make the reader care about them.
The book is well written, and Koontz maintains a relatively brisk pace. The action sometimes slows as Odd makes personal observations about his peculiar circumstances, but these pauses are still fun to read. Koontz keeps his chapters very short in this book, which makes the book seem to race by and is convenient for folks with kids, since we have to stop more frequently.
Some people who don't like mixing humor with suspense might not like this book. Also, the villains of the book are a little cliche, but I think Koontz made them that way purposefully. Odd himself seems to think his nemeses are cliche. These cliche villians sort of detract from the narrative, but I think Koontz is trying to use cliche to imply something else. What that something else is, I'll leave up to you to decide.
Book Review: Another good one from Koontz
Summary: 5 Stars
Once again, Dean Koontz has taken us on a riveting journey. Through scary moments, humor, romance, and violence, he has captivated the reader and keeps the pages turning; a true testament to his easy flowing and enjoyable writing.
Odd Thomas is one of those characters the "everyman" can identify with, although we can not share his special/supernatural abilities. Not unlike the character Forrest Gump, Odd Thomas is humble, vulnerable, comes from a troubled past, and has unwillingly risen to greatness when necessary; all of this despite his reluctance to be the center of attention and fawned upon. Like Jimmy Tock of Life Expectancy, one can't help but root for,and perhaps most importantly, relate to and empathize with Odd Thomas as he describes Stormy, converses with his troubled parents, discusses his "gift" (or perhaps more appropriately, his burden), and ponders the questions that many of us faced when we were twenty and had a dead end job, small apartment, and no car. Through him, we see the optimistic side of life despite being afflicted with what many of us in the real world would consider a curse. Although a flawed and fallible hero, Odd Thomas may well represent the compassion and persevering spirit lacking in many of us.
To date, I have yet to be disappointed with a Koontz book and Odd Thomas is no exception. I hope it is enjoyed by others as much as I have enjoyed it. And to Mr. Koontz: Thank you and please keep up the good work!
Book Review: Novel That Does It All
Summary: 5 Stars
I did not expect much from this book. I did not know much about it, other then the title, and author. I heard some good things so I decided to pick it up. I got much more then I bargained for.
I thought the character's name was Thomas who was just an odd person. I soon learned that this was not the case. Then I found out that he could see dead people, and at once compared it too the movie "The Sixth Sense." It was nowhere near the same.
This novel is about much more the just seeing dead people and the event that he much help stop. Odd Thomas goes through a huge range of emotions and has incredible friends. This book brings youin from the beginning and actually makes you hope that every man could act the way Odd does.
Another part of Odd Thomas was the love story. Stormy and Odd are just an incredible pair. They are so much fun, and you quickly realize that they are soulmates, and you care for both of them a great deal.
Dean Koontz mashes humor, intensity, horror, and saddness in a masterful way in the novel. I felt more emotions in the book then I ever had before. It was the first book that I have ever read that I found myself crying, not a small feat with a book.
This is simply the best book I have read in the last few years, and easily in the top 10 books I have ever read. I recommend this book to anyone is open to emotions, and likes to feel connected deeply to the characters involved.