Amazon.co.uk Review
There are many reasons why Dean Koontz has managed to remain at the top of the authorial tree for so long (and his sales are the envy of many of his contemporaries). Firstly, of his course, there's his totally assured storytelling skill (something that seemed to arrive fully formed even in his earliest books); his command of a variety of popular genres, from horror to the blockbuster crime novel; and his skill at creating distinctive characters. But -- most of all – it's Koontz's direct contact with his readership - a talent he has few rivals at -- that has assured his popularity.
The Odd Thomas sequence has been one of Dean Koontz's most successful series, with its supernaturally gifted protagonist a strong creation. In Odd Hours, Odd finds himself in Magic Beach, California, an oceanside town. His ability to communicate with the dead is both a blessing and a curse -- and his life is currently in a state of crisis, as he tries to find spiritual peace. He is working as domestic assistant to an elderly film actor -- and part of his job is to listen to lengthy stories of the star's golden past. But Odd is experiencing worrying dreams of a red tide -- and his instincts tell him that something evil is on his horizon. He is not prepared, however, for the magnitude of what he will have to confront.
Koontz admirers will know what to expect here: unsettling, atmospheric prose that exerts a steadily growing grip. Some may be uncomfortable with Koontz taking on the threat of terrorism (is this really his territory?), but aficionados know that he won't let them down. And Odd Hours -- discursive though it is -- is still one for Koontz admirers. --Barry Forshaw
Review
Praise for Dean Koontz: 'Odd Thomas is certainly a page-turner -- this is a read-at-a-sitting novel -- with a terrific final twist' Observer 'A terrific pursuit story ! clever, up-to-the-minute, and riveting' Guardian 'There's surprise after surprise, including a killer finale ! a read-in-one-go novel' Independent on Sunday 'Velocity hits its pace from the first page and races through to a suitably climactic ending' Sydney Sunday Telegraph 'Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler' The Times 'Psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying ' The New York Times 'One of the great masters of suspense, Koontz has an undeniable gift for playing on the reader's innermost fears ... What we have come to expect from Koontz are exciting, fast-paced thrillers that make your flesh creep. Once again, he doesn't disappoint' Northern Echo 'A modern Swift ! a master satirist.' Entertainment Weekly 'If Stephen King is the Rolling Stones of novels, Koontz is the Beatles.' Playboy 'Dean Koontz writes page-turners, middle-of-the-night sneak-up-behind-you suspense thrillers. He touches our hearts and tingles our spines.' Washington Post Book World 'Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. Serious writers might do well to study his technique.' New York Times Book Review 'Fast-paced and dark ! Koontz knows we live in a world where evil delights in justifying itself ! Classic literature that deserves a place on the bookshelf beside Orwell's 1984 and Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.' California Literary Review 'Koontz is writing right where popular culture swells into something larger, just as it did for Homer, Shakespeare, and Dickens. He's got the gift.' Australian 'Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition.' USA Today 'Inspires both chills and serious thought ! has the power to scare the daylights out of us.' People 'The poet laureate of paranoid pop fiction.' Denver Post 'Koontz achieves a literary miracle ! stunning physical description, unique turns of phrase.' Boston Globe 'Near Dickensian powers of description.' Los Angeles Times
