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Product Description
Product Description
A chilling novel from bestseller Dean Koontz. It starts as a kid's game to while away the long drive across country. It ends in a grotesque nightmare of death and destruction. They're travelling three thousand miles to a golden city and a golden girl. She's Colin's adored sister, Alex's ravishing new wife. But she could cost them their lives. Someone's out to get them. To destroy their dreams. To plunge them into a paranoid world where every sound could be the last thing they ever hear!
About the Author
Dean Koontz was born into a very poor family and learned early on to escape into fiction. His novels have sold over 200 million copies worldwide and more than thirty have appeared on national and international bestseller lists. He lives in southern California with his wife, Gerda and a vivid imagination.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
It's a relatively short and easy 245-page read. Once you get the first few pages under your belt it has you hooked!
Alex is making the long journey from Philadelphia to San Francisco by car. In California a new wife and job await him. His only passenger on the journey is he intelligent but somewhat geeky and feeble companion Colin. Colin is the younger brother of Alex's new wife Courtney. He is 11 years old and desperately wants to grow close to his new stepbrother Alex. Alex also wishes their relationship to blossom and hopes that the long journey will provide an ideal catalyst for this.
Things start off well in the journey as they both play car games. However, they soon begin to suspect that a van is following them...or is it just coincidence?
Quite early on in the book we realise that Leland, an ex-boyfriend of Courtney's, is driving the van. What results is a cat and mouse chase game across America. Just as Alex and Colin think they have escaped Leland he then pops up again.
The relationship between Alex and Colin unfolds throughout the book. Generally it is heart-warming journey of discovery with the pair becoming closer. Colin is a typical Koontz character - vulnerable with a tragic past (the loss of parents). Alex's character is less so although his does have a demon to content with - fear (or rather a fear of being afraid!). Throughout the book Alex's pacifist principals are confronted with violence.
A book like this couldn't be set today. We have mobile phones and other such technology. As a result the sense of isolation that Alex and Colin experience couldn't be experienced to the same levels today. In addition, as Koontz states in his 1983 forward, the 1973 setting is full of social paranoia. You get a real feel for middle America's conservative attitude in "Shattered". In many ways this exploration of American social paranoia of the time follows from where the first K. R. Dwyer (Dean Koontz originally penned the book under this name) novel "Chase" left off.
To conclude, "Shattered" is a page-turning thriller. Leland's hunt for the pair keeps you on edge throughout the book. It's not as complex a book as future work but it does provide a vivid and exciting cat and mouse chase across America.
9/10
Alex is making the long journey from Philadelphia to San Francisco by car. In California a new wife and job await him. His only passenger on the journey is he intelligent but somewhat geeky and feeble companion Colin. Colin is the younger brother of Alex's new wife Courtney. He is 11 years old and desperately wants to grow close to his new stepbrother Alex. Alex also wishes their relationship to blossom and hopes that the long journey will provide an ideal catalyst for this.
Things start off well in the journey as they both play car games. However, they soon begin to suspect that a van is following them...or is it just coincidence?
Quite early on in the book we realise that Leland, an ex-boyfriend of Courtney's, is driving the van. What results is a cat and mouse chase game across America. Just as Alex and Colin think they have escaped Leland he then pops up again.
The relationship between Alex and Colin unfolds throughout the book. Generally it is heart-warming journey of discovery with the pair becoming closer. Colin is a typical Koontz character - vulnerable with a tragic past (the loss of parents). Alex's character is less so although his does have a demon to content with - fear (or rather a fear of being afraid!). Throughout the book Alex's pacifist principals are confronted with violence.
A book like this couldn't be set today. We have mobile phones and other such technology. As a result the sense of isolation that Alex and Colin experience couldn't be experienced to the same levels today. In addition, as Koontz states in his 1983 forward, the 1973 setting is full of social paranoia. You get a real feel for middle America's conservative attitude in "Shattered". In many ways this exploration of American social paranoia of the time follows from where the first K. R. Dwyer (Dean Koontz originally penned the book under this name) novel "Chase" left off.
To conclude, "Shattered" is a page-turning thriller. Leland's hunt for the pair keeps you on edge throughout the book. It's not as complex a book as future work but it does provide a vivid and exciting cat and mouse chase across America.
9/10
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Its a good basic story that doesn't confuse, youll finish it quickly but enjoy every page. The characters are well written with depth and the plot is fast. I recommend this book very highly.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I truly enjoyed it.The way Koontz bulds up suspense was particular: he described Colin and Alex' cross-country-trip. Are they followed or is it just Colin's imagination? Even though you know that in the end everything will turn out ok; you have serious doubts through this novel.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
not his best
i have read all of dean koontz books and must say i disagree with another review that koontz gets better with age. Read more
Published 3 months ago by madleon
A good thriller, and early Dean Koontz novel
Alex Doyle is journeying from Philadelphia the San Francisco in his new Thunderbird to join Courtney, his recent bride, and start a new life. Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2010 by Benjamin
I'm Glad He's Gotten Better With Age
SHATTERED was first published in the very early 70s, under a pseudonym. Glimmers of what was to become the Koontz style are present: The ever-ratcheting tension; the taut... Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2009 by Graceann Macleod
a brilliant book by dean koontz and i rate it very highly
this book is a sort of thriller and i enjoyed it a lot .the ending was very good and I have found it very interesting. Read more
Published on 21 Oct 1999
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