Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed...
Review: I am a big Koontz fan having read all of his books. By the Light of the Moon was a big disappointment. The story's well written, and its initial premise was very interesting. However, as it developed it became very cartoon like and seemed to better fit a comic book (X-Men to be specific) than a Koontz novel. It would have been much better had it followed the suspense angle of having been injected by something and trying to determine who, why and what than turn into a fantasy involving people that were really not very interesting. I'll continue to be a Koontz fan because I typically find his stories to be very interesting and well written. By the Light of the Moon is, however, not going to be one of my favorites. I was so looking forward to the next Koontz book too!
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Take It Too Seriously
Review: This book is a decent, light read. If you don't take it too seriously and you know where to skip over some of the overstuffed descriptive jargon, it is fun. Just wade through some of the verbosity in the beginning and you will be hooked. I enjoyed it and felt it was an improvement over the last couple of books which seemed to have a bit too much verbal "filler" and completely unbelievable characters. If you are looking for on-the-edge-of-your-seat old-style Koontz suspense you will be disappointed, but if you enjoy the mellow, morphed (perhaps psychotropically enhanced?) Koontz of his last "phase" it is a pleasant ride.
Rating: 
Summary: Dean Koontz where are you?
Review: I just finished "By the Light of the Moon". I rather enjoyed it but not as much as his earlier novels. I used to be a huge fan of his books until after "Sole Survivor". After that it seems like Dean Koontz has been on a weird downward spiral of books that just don't add up or live up to our expectations. He has become too formulatic and predictable. I gave this book 2 stars because I always love his characters and his colorful use of prose but this book did have a comic book angle to it, especially near the end. (**spoiler**) I wasn't expecting it to end in such a silly way but it did. I mean come on! The Midnight Club? And what was with them all discussing near the end about giving themselves alter-ego names? Plus I really rolled my eyes with the scene of the plane flying pass the moon giving off an image of a "tiny-winged silhouette" ala Batman style. I felt that Dean had watched "X-Men" a couple of times and couldn't come up with any idea's for a book and just used his old formula with a super-heroes twist and heard through his editor about Michael Crichton's latest idea of nanotechnology. I wish that Dean would get his head out of the teleporter and show us his real mind power!
Rating:
Summary: Flawed, but still a good read...
Review: I admit, after reading other reviews of the novel, several of which said that this was Koontz's best, I was dissapointed.
While the characters were funny and endearing, I didn't feel they were as well developed as, say, the couple from " Dark Rivers" or the characters from the Christopher Snow novels. I guess I was dissapointed that they had actual lives before being injected with the stuff, and that they had to give up their lives as if being a comedian and an artist aren't worthy enough- I say what's the worth of life without laughter and beauty. The character of Shep was interesting, but terribly inconsistent, and I was annoyed to find him a veggie at the beggining of the novel, extraordinary in the middle, and then reduced to saying "cake","ice" and "tasty" at the end.
While I enjoy the chased/ chasers aspect of the novel, the antagonists barely appear in the story( What- three times?), so it's easy to forget they exist. The tautness, intensity and cardiac arrest induced by, for example " Dark Rivers" or " Intensity", etc. is just not in this novel.
Part of the reason I enjoy Koontz's books is because of the humor, but in the beggining of the book, dare I say it, it was over the top and became irritating. The "I'm not a rapist, I'm an artist." bit was excellent, though.
I guess to sum it all up, I guess I was dissapointed that I wasn't reduced to a sodden mass of tears at the close of the novel. " By The Light Of The Moon" only left me satisfied- usually after a Koontz novel I'm reassured of the innate goodness of humankind, awed by the possibility of technology, impressed by the redemptive power of love and courage, or just plain moved.
Despite all the compliants listed above, "By The Light of The Moon" is still a great read and worthy of your time- Koontz at his not so best is still EXTRAORDINARY!- and I eagerly await his next work.
Rating: 
Summary: Koontz-like, but a little better than usual
Review: I have read MANY Koontz novels, enjoyed about half, and could only recommend one (False Memory) to anyone not a fan of the genre. The reason I continue to endure his books is simple: they are light, easy reads; familiar territory that eases me into a Reading Cycle. There are a few things to expect with every Koontz novel: the hero and heroine will fall in love by the end of the story (if they're not already); an all-powerful killer or secret government organization is trying to kill them; the heroine will be fiery, independant and scrappy; and one of the heroes will be an artist. Dogs and autistic people show up regularly too.
By the Light of the Moon possesses all of these things. The characters, in this case though, rise a tad above their stereotyped cliche ridden personalities. Dylan is a decent guy, not overly goody-goody like usual; Jilly is a strong female with a troubled past (as usual) but doesn't overbear the reader. Shep is a well done autistic kid (young man), and the bad guys (black suburban driving super mercenaries) are mercifully kept in the background. The mad scientist is almost believable, though his motives are a bit shaky, and the Lantern character works--though he has a minor role. My biggest quibbles concern the overall plot; the terror of nanomachines injected into humans is interesting, but the results of the injections could have been better; and the whole story "clicks" together a bit too finely at the end.
In short, Koontz is improving, finally. Light of the Moon does not resemble his previous novels (he has a tendency to recycle ideas), and is a decent read. Recommended for Koontz fans, and for those who (like me) have read all of Stephen King's books. Better than Corner of the Eye, and on par with the Christopher Snow novels.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Koontz is back!
Review: I was disappointed with FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE and ONE DOOR AWAY FROM HEAVEN, but the Dean Koontz I've grown to admire is back with his latest thriller, BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON.You can read any of the other "reviews" here for a plot synopsis, but I'd like to instead commend the book on several notes: he has finally gotten rid of a canine sidekick, which is a nice temporary reprieve. Secondly, the action is fast-paced and he doesn't go on ad nauseum with rambling details as he has been prone to do. I also like the "vague" ending, which leads one to believe that there could be a sequel somewhere along the line, or so I hope. I do see similarities to the movie UNBREAKABLE, where normal people become superheroes of sorts, and Shep's character is somewhat cliche (and gets on the nerves from time to time with his repetitions), but these are easily forgiveable. Let us remember that Koontz has taken a fascinating idea, that of nanotechnology (doing a better job of it than M. Crichton did in his latest, PREY), and also infuses that human emotion, the draw of thriller, an element of psychology, and good ol' fun. I haven't enjoyed a Koontz book this much since FALSE MEMORY. The key to his writing is taking characters we can relate to and putting them in scenarios that are reasonable, but mind-bending at the same time. At no point does he "talk down to the reader," and, what's more, explains things very well, not leaving questions hanging like the aforementioned works at the top of this critique have (at least in my case). Kudos to a job well done, Dean, and I can't wait to read what you come up with next! Don't make me wait too long, or I may have to call up Jilly to ask her what she sees in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Great Reading
Review: I enjoyed reading this novel. It was exciting but had a touch of humor as well. Great work, Mr. Koontz!
Rating: 
Summary: Still the Master of Suspense
Review: What I like about Dean Koontz is that no matter what he writes about, whether it's evil bioethicists or your everyday sociopath, he manages to imbue his stories with his own unique style and spirit. You know his hero and heroine are going to be thrust into a life-threatening situation. You know you're in for a roller-coaster ride, but you also know that along the way you're going to laugh, cry and express every emotion known to man. The action in BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON is rapid-fire. Everything happens within the space of twenty-four hours. Reminiscent of INTENSITY, another favorite of mine. Dylan, Jilly and Shep are injected with a mysterious golden serum and, almost immediately, begin exhibiting strange powers like precognition, and the ability to fold space and time. Wow! As a science buff, AND a science fiction buff, I was thrilled when I learned WHY Dylan, Jilly, and Shep were suddenly blessed with superhero powers. And the scene in the church, toward the end of the book, when the three try to prevent a terrorist attack,is one of the best Mr. Koontz has ever written. Astonishing. I loved every minute of this book. I didn't want it to end, and when I finished it I was sorry I'd read it as quickly as I did. I'm looking forward to his next book with high expectations. It's going to take a lot to top this one. But, you know, I have a feeling that he can do it with the third installment of the Christopher Snow series. I miss Chris. Hint, hint...:o)
Rating:
Summary: A NOVEL ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A HERO IN THE TRUEST SENSE
Review: BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON begins with Dylan O'Connor and his younger, autistic brother, Shepard, driving across Arizona to an arts festival in New Mexico. After they stop at a motel for the night, Dylan leaves his brother in the room for a while and walks across the street to a restaurant to get some food. Dylan then makes his way back to the motel room and is clubbed from behind on the walkway as he attempts to open the door. When he wakes up, Dylan finds himself tied to a chair and about to be injected with an unknown serum by a mysterious, crazy-acting doctor named Lincoln Procter. The serum is Procter's own creation. It will cause Dylan's mind to either deteriorate or to expand to unbelievable magnificence. Once Dylan is injected, the good doctor warns him to take his brother and to run away as quickly as possible because there are hunters now closing in on them at that very moment. Their intent is to kill Lincoln Procter and anyone he has injected with the serum. After the doctor disappears, Dylan frees himself from the chair and hurriedly gets ready for the hostile journey that will change him and his brother forever. As he and Shep are preparing to leave the motel, they encounter Jillian Jackson-a female comedian who's also been injected with the serum-coming out of another room. The three of them have only seconds to readjust to this new situation as black Suburbans swiftly pull into the motel's parking lot, each one filled with deadly killers who are on the lookout for Dr. Procter. The trio barely manages to escape with their lives, but the hardest and most dangerous part is still ahead. Each of them will see miraculous changes within their own bodies and minds over the next twenty-four hours. They will develop the powers to see into the future and to transport themselves long distances in the blink of an eye. It may not be enough, however, to keep them alive as their pursuers close in for the kill. As with the author's previous two books (FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE & ONE DOOR AWAY FROM HEAVEN), this novel also uses cutting-edge advances in science and technology and theories on time travel and teleportation as a focus point for the storyline. The average human being uses less than five percent of his brain capacity. If a method could be found to increase one's brain capability to forty or fifty percent, or even more, what wonders could we expect to see? What would mankind be able to accomplish? Mr. Koontz is able to see and understand where modern science and research are headed at this very second and simply takes it to next level, which may be within the realm of possibility ten or twenty years down the road. He doesn't see the future of humanity with a negative gleam in his eye, but rather with a wondrous, child-like anticipation, understanding the goodness that mankind is capable of perpetuating, if given the opportunity. In BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON, the characters of Dylan and Shep O'Connor and Jilly Jackson are skillfully created to portray the "everyman" that's in most of us. They don't want what's thrust upon them. Yet, once it's realized that they can never return to the normalcy of their previous lives, none of them hesitates to move forward into the great unknown and to use their new powers to help those in need and in trouble, putting themselves at risk time and time again to do what they intrinsically know to be the right thing. This is therefore a passionate novel about what it takes to face unimaginable fear, knowing that you could die at any second, and to become a hero in the grandest sense of the term. If you want to spend several hours reading a book that's not only fun and entertaining, but also purer magic within the scope of possibilities that it sets forth, then BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON is definitely the one to get. This is certainly a book that will delight you in many unexpected and thought-provoking ways because Dean Koontz has his fingers on the pulse of humanity's heart and soul, and there's no one better to pass along the message than him. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Rating:
Summary: Annoying Characters, unrealistic plot
Review: I am normally a fan of Dean Koontz, but not since his annoying character Christopher Snow, has Koontz come up with a more tiring cast of characters. Literally pages of text are devoted to monosyllabic exchanges between the hero and his autistic brother. Cute the first time, tiring thereafter. The plot of the entire novel is acceptable, but it never builds any depth and actually ends with the heroes discussing themselves as super-heros, capes, tights and all. This is so far from his best work that I almost believe it was written by a ghost writer with his name attached to attract sales. This is one where I would have to say to not just wait for the paperback, but wait for the paperback in the used bookstore.
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