Odd Thomas

Rating:
Summary: One of his absolute best of all time!
Review: I'll get right into the summary of the book, and spare you the boring commentary (for a little while):

Odd Thomas never fails to live up to his name. He's a short-order cook in Pico Mundo, California, a town of about 40,000. He lives above a garage. He's twenty years old. His parents are border-line insane. He and his girlfriend, Stormy, have matching birthmarks.

Oh, yeah: Odd sees dead people.

Sometimes, he helps them. Like the little girl who comes to him and tells him (without speaking, for the dead don't speak) that she was raped and murdered. Then, sometimes, he has to go chasing the perpetrator through a swimming pool, into someone's home. And that's just the first 20 pages.

Odd also sees other things. Bodachs--shadowy spirits that seem to thrive on evil. Demons? Lost souls? Who knows? But Odd knows that they mean trouble--and when a man comes into the Pico Mundo Grill with a score of bodachs trailing him, Odd realizes that Pico Mundo is in for some trouble.

And he's the only one that can stop it.

A fast-paced, rock 'em 'til they drop suspense novel, Dean Koontz returns to what he's good at: scaring your behind off! ODD THOMAS will leave you begging for more, chapter after chapter, as you read your way through the adventures of a young man just doing what he can to avert a disaster.

ODD THOMAS is a novel about an intriguing, all-too-real young man who faces gigantic problems. Yeah, Odd's a freak--but he's still human. With this novel, Koontz will make you think about your own humanity--while at the same time taking you to the edge of your seat, with gravity threatening to pull you out.

Better wear a seatbelt.

Rating:
Summary: A New Hero: Odd Thomas
Review: This is a well-written, enjoyable, entertaining, and excellent novel. For fans of Dean Koontz, you'll recognize his signature story-telling style layered in with one of the freshest voices in any recent novel written.

Odd Thomas could be an everyman except for one thing: he sees the dead everywhere around him. They communicate with him--not in voice, but in gestures. Odd has kept his predilection for seeing the dead mostly to himself. Only a few around him know of this blessing/curse he's gifted with, and Odd would like to keep it that way. That is until he uncovers the most insidious plot ever to endanger the small town of Pico Mundo. The plot, ripped straight from newspaper headlines, has a nasty little twist to it which I won't give away here. Needless to say, it's up to Odd, and Odd alone, to save his friends and the town...and he does so by putting himself in serious danger.

Koontz has thrilled readers over the years with his tales of the supernatural and various other oddities, but never has he captured a unique cast of characters as he has in "Odd Thomas." Like a Tim Burton film, he unravels the strange events in a manner that allows the reader to slowly buy in to them...and ultimately believe and root for a new hero: Odd Thomas.

Rating:
Summary: Average
Review: See book description above.

When I started reading this I thought I'd be in for a wild ride, but when I continued reading, the story seemed to move into idle until almost the last quarter of the book where it picked up steam again. Not Koontz' worst and not his best.
Though a very well written book, it did seem to have quite a bit of filler. Odd was very likeable and the book was filled with some quirky and entertaining characters, although they didn't do much.

Rating:
Summary: A great read!
Review: A great read!

I truly enjoyed reading this It's a rarity these days to find an author capable of such good storytelling. The story is well written and very engaging, and despite the fact that it lost some momentum in the middle, I found myself eagerly turning pages to find out what would happen next. All in all, though this is not quite a perfect novel, it comes close.

Rating:
Summary: Dean Koontz, Christian novelist?
Review: The author of Watchers, Night Chills, Phantoms, and lots of other horror novels, plus such high-pitched thrill-rides as Intensity and Sole Survivor, a Christian novelist? Hmmmm.

It's been building a long time, this sly Christian sensibility in Koontz's fiction. For example, here's a passage (page 419 of the mass market paperback edition) from his December 2000 release, From the Corner of His Eye: "And so Agnes went alone to her bedroom and there, as on so many nights, sought the solace of the rock who was also her lamp, of the lamp who was also her high fortress, of the high fortress who was also her shepherd. She asked for mercy, and if mercy was not to be granted, she asked for wisdom to understand the purpose of her sweet boy's suffering."

Whew! That's as Christian as anything Frank Peretti or Steven R. Lawhead or Ted Dekker has ever written.

But his latest book, Odd Thomas, goes even beyond that. It is veritably drenched in a traditional Christian worldview. The twenty-year-old eponymous protagonist, one of Koontz's greatest characters, is gifted, graced, with supernatural abilities: he can see dead persons, ghosts, who haven't yet passed on to their final resting place (or place of torment, as may be). He can also see "bodachs," wraithlike, insubstantial creatures who seem to congregate wherever great human suffering--mass murders, calamitous natural disasters--is about to occur. And he has an uncanny sense about evil people; if he has met them and discerned their malign spirit, he can locate them by means of "dowsing for" their evil intentions, which, for him, hang in the air like a spoor. He also posesses more mundane gifts, which he knows he could use, e.g., to make a lot of money in Las Vegas. But being a person of conscience, he eschews the easy path to power and riches, and instead chooses to live his life as a simple fry cook in the California desert town of Pico Mundo, helping out where he can, and generally trying to live a life of virtue.

Occasionally, opportunities arise for him to use his gifts for the good of humanity. This comes at a cost: he must generally keep his eldritch endowments to himself, lest he be regarded as even more odd than he is, and his solitary exercise of them often puts him in harm's way. The Pico Mundo police chief is a confidant, although he struggles to square Odd's preternatural boone with a fundamentally naturalist outlook. But there've been enough times Odd's been right to convince Chief Porter that his gifts are real.

His gal, Bronwen "Stormy" Llewellyn, a smoldering, dark-eyed beauty with whom a fortune-telling machine has declared his destiny will ever and always be entwined, knows most of his secrets, and this arcane knowledge does nothing but bond her more closely to him, because she recognizes and affirms his strange mission on this sad earth.

But when Bob Robertson, aka, Fungus Man, comes to town with malign and nefarious intentions and secret partners, Odd Thomas must stand in the gap between him and the most hideous events that unfold, seemingly, just beyond his ability to thwart them.

I won't give away what, rather remarkably, happens. I will say that the ending is controversial, though entirely satisfying to me.

This is a very important book although not necessarily a great one. It's important because it exactly captures the intersection of divine grace and human will. That is, it bridges the gap between Christian supernaturalist fiction and conventional horror fiction. And although it is not a great book, on account of some rather too neat plotting devices, it is nevertheless very significant because of the way the author addresses the question of divine destiny and human will, somewhat reminiscent of what Ted Dekker does in Blink.

Moreover, it is filled with wry observations about the human condition, wonderful and memorable minor characters, and a deft and exact evocation of life in a California desert town. These more than overcome whatever plotting legerdemain Koontz (not ineptly) employs.

My own feeling is that Koontz's (rather recent?) Christian sensibility hasn't yet found its ideal fictional vehicle. When it does, watch out--he will write the Great American Christian Commercial Novel.

For now, let us luxuriate in the prodigal novelistic virtues he possesses, not gainsaying minor flaws, but celebrating Koontz's glorious vision and encouraging him to even greater triumphs.

Rating:
Summary: An Ordinary/Extraordinary Man
Review: ODD THOMAS, Dean Koontz's latest novel, reads like a cross between two Bruce Willis films, The Sixth Sense and Die Hard. Twenty-year-old Odd Thomas is a fry cook in his hometown of Pico Mundo, California (translated from Spanish: Little World). The narrator, Odd Thomas, who sees dead people, malevolent creatures called bodachs and also has something akin to a psychic tracking system in his head, is remarkably sweet to have been raised by two very dysfunctional people. This is due, I think, to the wonderful secondary characters who populate Odd's life: His girlfriend, Stormy; The chief of Police who is a surrogate father to him; his pal Little Ozzie a mystery writer who is in no way small at over 400 pounds; and many other lovable, if quirky characters. Koontz definitely brings home the point that we are whom we decide we're going to be, and we don't have to be negatively affected by our environment. All through ODD THOMAS I was filled with a sense of hope, a sense of if you persevere, you WILL make it through this crazy world intact. I compared ODD THOMAS to The Sixth Sense because Odd can see dead people. I compared it to Die Hard because Odd is an ordinary man up against extraordinary odds. He has to race against time to prevent a disaster of epic proportions, and he must do it alone. Koontz made me care about Odd and his friends. I wanted him to succeed. I cried at the unexpected ending, and as I closed the book, I wanted more stories from the pen of Odd Thomas. In the beginning he said that Little Ozzie had admonished him to keep the narrative light. In most instances, he succeeded, but that ending was heartbreaking. I would like to revisit Pico Mundo, and Odd Thomas. Perhaps Odd can go meet his aunt Cymry whom I suspect may be a bit odd too.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books Dean Koontz has written.
Review: I just finished Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, and I've come to the conclusion that it is one of the best books that he has written to date. As an avid Koontz reader I anticipate each new book, and buy it the day it is released, knowing that I won't be disappointed. Odd Thomas was in no way a disappointment at all, it was a very heartfelt tale of a young man who has a gift, and must deal with the severe consequences of his actions. Koontz's writing has always been what attracts me to his books, the way he works in his characters' "special" abilities makes it almost normal for one to see the dead, or to do any of the other wondrous things his characters do. Koontz is a master storyteller in both his descriptive form, and his pacing, there is never a dull moment in Odd Thomas, and each environment is so real you almost feel like you are out in the Mohave desert or behind the grille that Odd so adores.

Once again this is a "MUST HAVE" book for any fan of Koontz's, or of literature in general.

Rating:
Summary: A great story...
Review: ...but maybe not Koont's best (that would be, IMHO, 'The Face' or 'From the Corner of His Eye'). But it is a thrilling, fastpaced tale, with some chilling moments and some plot-twists, and...a happy ending?? I don't know for sure, I was crying through the last five pages - so, sue me for being emotional ;o) All in all, a very worthy read, indeed.

Rating:
Summary: The review to read!
Review: I have read every Koontz book out. Gobbled them up in the space of a 8 months a few years back and now buy the hardback the day it comes out. This was a good if not great Koontz story. I found the main character Odd Thomas likeable but not engaging in a throughly deeply satisfying way. The plot is exciting but not thrilling. The best and most compelling part of the story (as is typical in Koontz' books and the reason why they stand well above the rest of the pack) is Odd Thomas' relationships particularly with Stormy - the love of his life - as well as with the rest of the townspeople. The setting of Thomas' strange ability to commune with the dead and the unavoidable sense of impending doom sends the narrative humming along, but ultimately the emotional punch of knowing Odd's loves, losses, friends, enemies, joys and sorrows is what ultimately carries the story. A punch there is, and not one you would expect if you are a regular Koontz reader. In short this is a light story (for Koontz anyway - after all that is Odd's stated goal to keep the story light) that is an easy read and fun if not all you could hope for. For the Koontz regular reader it is of course a must read. For the occasional Koontz reader (especially if you have stayed away from Koontz because he is a "horror" writer - which he is not) I think you will find the story suprisingly enjoyable. For the Koontz newbie you will probably find elements enjoyable, but I would highly recommend beginning one of the following - "By the Light of the Moon", "Seize the Night" and "Fear Nothing" (2 book continuing story), "Twilight Eyes" or "Lighting" all of which are fantastic. Thanks for reading and enjoy Dean Koontz. - Ken

Rating:
Summary: Odd Thomas....
Review: I've got to admit, I love Dean Koontz' books. My all-time favorites are "Servants of Twilight" and "Tick Tock". My favorite short story is "The Black Pumpkin" which I love to read to everyone around Halloween. Over the last few years, we hadn't heard alot out of Dean. Although, what we have has been pretty good.
Odd Thomas, is odd but definitely a keeper and one story I recommend all Koontz' fans to check out. It tells the story of Odd Thomas. A fry cook in a small California town who sees and talks with ghosts. One day, he sees a stranger whom he dubs "The Fungus Man" who alerts Odd that trouble is brewing. Upon his investigating this Fungus Man, he soon realizes that the fungus man plans to wreak havoc on this small town and it's up to him to stop that from happening.
Before you dismiss this as an uninteresting story...believe that this is true Dean Koontz style and a definite good read. I agree, I hope we see a continuation to this story or the character, at least. Odd Thomas may be odd but he's definitely an endearing character we'd like to see more of.