Odd Thomas
by Dean Koontz
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Book Reviews of Odd Thomas
Book Review: Extracurricular Thoughts, Description, Internal Monologue....
Summary: 2 Stars
Although I did enjoy the humor and found the plot of Odd Thomas interesting, I found this book difficult to read because of the many extraneous conversations, background history of places and towns, and other irrelevant descriptions and explanations that slowed the forward movement of the novel. I feel that description is mainly necessary to set the atmosphere, illustrate a pause in conversation, or maybe a pause in thought as a person notices what's around him or her.
I even skipped around through the action scene with the Fungus Man when he first came after Odd in the church belfry because there was too much internal monologue going on within Odd. Thoughts of what Odd could do, where Fungus Man was hiding, what his girlfriend, Stormy might be feeling....more description....I just found it all mentally exhausting. I'm not against description, and Dean Koontz does paint amazing illustrations within the minds eye, but he gets a little too busy with that brush, which frustrated me and left me wanting to just get on with the action.
Book Review: Oddly Addictive
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm a harder grader than most reviewers. Give this one 3 1/2 stars.
The real key to this book, and all the Odd Thomas books, is characterization. As Dean Koontz says in his interview on Amazon, he thinks characterization first and the story tends to flow from that. This approach bears great fruit in the Odd Thomas series. Even allowing for suspension of disbelief, there are a fair number of inconsistencies in this book and for that matter the entire series, the plots are hardly the most complex and Odd's prior history accumulated over 20 short years would apparently put Indiana Jones and his father to shame. But at the end of the day, Odd Thomas is a singularly endearing and interesting character, as are his friends.
The book may be read at face value or as an allegory (albeit one with Elvis in it), but the humaneness, off kilter observations and good humor of Odd and company will keep you hooked. My prediction: you'll steam through this one and go onto the next in the series just to see where the ride will take you.
Book Review: A most unusual book - Fantastic tension, hard to put down
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read a few books of Dean Koontz, not a fan, really. I just ran across Odd Thomas in the library and thought I'd give it a try. WOW. It's the most unusual book I've ever read. The protagonist is a wonderful, likable guy with a gift or a curse, depending on your perspective. While the book does have some slow parts, with a tad bit too much minutiae, as some of his other books, it builds to such a tense and compelling ending that all is forgiven.
I loved the character. I loved the way the story unfolded. I loved how he took his gift as an accepted, an integral part of his life. We could all learn from his ability to watch his actions with detachment and acceptance, even when they didn't really make 'sense.' He was brave, fearless really and as relentless in the pursuit of the solution to the mystery as any Sherlock Holmes or Harry Bosch, just in a far different manner.
I will definitely keep reading this series.
Another good book by this author was The Good Guy.
Book Review: ODD THOMAS TRILOGY - THE BEST OF KOONTZ!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm an avid Dean Koontz fan & have read many of his novels. However, "Odd Thomas" is the best character he has ever developed. I became hooked by reading "Forever Odd", then realized that there was a first book to this story, "Odd Thomas", so I had to go back & read it also. Shortly after that "Brother Odd" came out in hardback & I was right there to snatch it up. Odd (his real name) Thomas (last name) is a short-order cook in a small town. He's sweet, funny, compassionate, a little screwed up due to his crazy mother's upbringing, AND he can see & speak to the dead. This "gift" leads him into all kinds of terrifying experiences, since he can also see demons. The reader becomes so attached to this hero...you're scared for him but glued to the book. My teenage son hates reading books. Since I've handed him "Odd Thomas" & told him to trust me, he's been reading it almost every day and says he really likes it. If I can get a teenaged sports fanatic guy to actually enjoy a book, it's GOT to be a great one!!Book Review: Best book I've read in a long time
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great book - I LOVED this book. It evoked almost every emotion a person can feel & I think that's what makes it such a good story. "Odd Thomas" is suspenseful, scary, sad & funny. It's a bk. that can make you tear up one moment & then laugh out aloud.
The book is full of three-dimensional characters that you care about & a plot that has many twists and turns. Odd Thomas is such a loveable character. Some might feel Odd is a bit cheezy, but I actually like the cheese & it makes Odd all the more lovable. Normally I don't like books w/ "romance," however, I even enjoyed the love story & thought it was beautiful. This might not have been the case if the ending had been diffrent. I love the ending - I love this book.
I'm also pleased that Koontz has written a cat (Terrible Chester) into the story instead of "man's best friend." Not that I have anything against dogs, I just like the variety.
Anyways, this a book worth buying.