Rating: 
Summary: Koontz creates great characters once again!
Review: I'll admit right up front that I'm a big Dean Koontz fan. If he would only write a book a month!! He doesn't, so I tend to savor his books and this one was worth savoring.This book departs from much of his previous work in focusing on children and ... well, aliens. Yes, aliens. Now, I usually don't enjoy books where children are main characters, but these are very atypical children. I won't say more lest I give away facts that you should slowly unwrap as you read this book. Please read it, you will not be disappointed. How does Koontz manage to describe serious emotional issues in one breath and then having me laughing loudly in the next? Not at all 'scary' as many of his other books, but yet full of suspense. I loved hearing about the different characters in the book in separate chapters, thinking and uncovering how their lives may interact, and then discovering how indeed they do converge. Typically I race through a Koontz book, unable to put it down and often looking over my shoulder in fear. This book was different in that the fear factor wasn't present. I was able to take my time with this book, not because I wasn't interested in how it would end, but because I thoroughly enjoyed actually thinking of the book and trying to figure it out. As well, some of the dialogue is so incredibly funny that it had me laughing loudly and frequently. Of course, another loveable dog in the picture only makes the book that much better. I love the way this guy thinks. I love that Koontz can change his books, yet not change the high quality. The detail and accuracy present in his books illustrated the breadth of his knowledge and research. Yes, as I said, a big fan. But please don't let that bias your reading of this review, I think you'll love the book. I teach MBA students and like to give them a book to analyze. If I could only come up with organizational behavior implications of one of his books! Enjoy .....
Rating: 
Summary: entertaining
Review: I really enjoyed 3/4 of this book. I thought that the characters were engaging and the storyline engrossing. However, I was disappointed by the ending. It was too obvious for me. I'm not sure what I expected. Anyone who has read more than one of Koontz's books, knows how they all will end...
Rating:
Summary: Slow Start, but picks up at the end
Review: I have read all Koontz has written and watched his progression as a writer. Lately he has fallen into character building in the first half of his books and plot development in the latter. This book is no exception. I found myself irritated that nothing was happening during the first 150 pages. Everyday life, banal character actions, and what in college the profs call "filler". Finally the plot gets started, but I fear many will have given up on the book by that time. Maybe Koontz intends the first hundred pages to be skimmed. Stick with it, it does get interesting but like an old car, it takes a while to start. A brutal editor would have helped here.
Rating: 
Summary: All the Masters of Horror are suffering from...
Review: ...the same virus, Silly-itis. Koontz, King and Rice have become so determined to keep up with the new and ultra-silly horror authors, i.e. Bentley Little, Poppy Z. Brite, Owl Goingback, that they are abandoning everything that made them great in the first place....mature and intelligent horror stories. "One Door Away from Heaven" from Koontz, is yet another unbearable excursion into supreme silliness that he began with "Fear Nothing" and he has unmercifully bombarded his fans with since. No, we fans don't expect Mr. Koontz to give us the same formulatic stories over and over, but we would appreciate if author would keep his sharp focus and great writing style, instead of doing a thorough "Riki Lake Makeover" and coming across as an entirely different author, cranking out silly 'disease of the week' and would-be spiritual tales. I would rather read another well written tale of a common-man hero and his super intelligent dog from Koontz than to suffer through any of his last 5 novels. (which I did, usually half or 3/4 through) At least his 'man and dog' tales were entertaining and didn't mutate into utterly ridiculous experiences. I did not (could not) finish "One Door Away..." just as I couldn't finish the last 4 novels from Koontz. He was such a favorite is why I keep attempting to read his newer work, but now the truth is blatant....Dean Koontz doesn't exist anymore. Maybe his next novel will show the new "makeover" author, Bentley Koontz. It's really sad.
Rating:
Summary: Frankly, I'd rather attend math class all day...
Review: Promising. Like Koontz's previous novel, From the Corner of His Eye, this book started with a lot of promise. An interesting set of characters and stories. But it soon becomes a jumbled mess. Things start getting bad when this politician or whoever he may be, gets introduced. Don't know what I'm talking about? Neither did I: this character isn't even mentioned in the book jacket. Only slightly better is the story of the boy and his dog-an unrealistic story to say the least. This subplot is at least mentioned in the book jacket, where you can therefore feel a small amount of knowledge of where they fit in. Usually I like stories like that-where you have a number of seemingly unrelated storylines that come together eventually. But it ended up like From the Corner... A ugly, muddled mess. The writing isn't engaging as well, unlike some of Koontz's other books. The story is promising but it starts going nowhere, just seeming to continue with no movement towards what we all want to happen-the kid's step-dad to take her away for our 'hero' Micky to pursue. But this seems to never happen. So yes, I would rather take math all day then have to read this book. I'd sincerely wish Koontz would turn back to his old horror stories that he's displayed in great books like False Memory or Whispers. With his last two offerings, he has shown he can't handle books like this.
Rating: 
Summary: Major disappointment
Review: I have read EVERY one of Dean Koontz's novels and while I have taken exception with some he's written in the past few years, I've never been this disappointed before. His character development, as always, is outstanding but this is one of the worst stories he has ever come up with. Literally, almost nothing happens until you're almost 400 pages into this book and the action (what little there is) slowly (and predictably) begins to build. At 600 pages, this book is far too long and should have been 200 pages shorter. His descriptions of scenes, characters, and actions have become much too flowery and wordy and I often found myself saying "Who cares?" Keep it tighter next time, Dean.
Rating: 
Summary: "Interesting reading--full of twists and turns--too wordy"
Review: I enjoyed this book. It was not extremely intense or ghoulish, however, it is a book that keeps you turning the page to find out what's next. Psychological terror is the best kind! Mr. Koontz' writing style never ceases to amaze me, although sometimes he does over-write to make a simple point. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars if possible. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: One Door Away From....another book!
Review: Dean, Dean, Dean. I've been a loyal fan of Koontz for years and have loved the majority of his novels. Each new release kept getting better and better! That is, until the last two. "False Memory" I loved. Mature characters, believable story, interesting phobia. "From the Corner of His Eye" I semi-liked. "One Door Away from Heaven" I just plain didn't like. With the last two, Koontz is getting more and more into the miracle children, miracle dogs and just plain weird stuff! I realize that he's starting to write more about people who don't typically appear as heros in novels (you know - not the tall, dark, handsome and perfect in every way kind of hero), but is that what readers really want? In my opinion, Leilani Klonk was not a believable character. Her words seemed way too "adult" for me to believe that she was ... what, 9 years old? As a loyal fan, I'm sure I'll continue to read his work. But I have to say, Dean, ease up on the wonder kids & wonder pups, eh?
Rating:
Summary: If you like Koontz, DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!!
Review: Being a longtime Dean Koontz fan, I was eagerly waiting for his next book to come out. I was completely disappointed after having read this book. I started the book and had a hard time really getting into it but wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt so I stuck with it. What started out as chapters of lengthy mediocre writing, turned into the worst plot I have ever encountered. Every time I thought I had figured it out, I said to myself, "No, it can't be that, he wouldn't write something that predictable." Well, I was wrong. It was predictable and boring and a huge disappointment. It was different from his normal style (much like From the Corner of His Eye which was a great book) but it did not live up to my expectations which turned out to be entirely too high. Maybe he'll get it with the next book? For his sake, and readers everywhere, I hope so.
Rating:
Summary: One Door Away from Heaven
Review: I have read many, many Koontz books...can't ever put them down, however, this one is not very well written. It is EXTREMELY choppy, bouncing back and forth with no real story plot. I am 1/2 way through (has taken over 2 months) and there still is no rhyme or reason to this book. If you love Koontz, I think you'll be disappointed. I was. My husband is almost done with the book and says it doesn't get any better....
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