Rating: 
Summary: Koontz reaches all time low
Review: One door away from heaven is by far dean Koontz worst book to date!Once one of the masters in the horror genre now is absalutely without any original ideas left!His story here is so scattered and unscary you realy cant begin to care about anything that happens.It started with From the corner of his eye and now unfortinently continues to get worse!Ive been a long time fan but untill i know Dean Koontz will return to his old ways of writing i think im done!If you want to read some great horror novels go back a few years and read his older books!
Rating: 
Summary: A shift for Koontz
Review: I have read all 39 books that Koontz has in print, and the last two have been a little different. I guess that is the reason for some of the negative reviews, when someone changes from the familiar there is bound to be some criticism. One Door Away from Heaven is a great book with a heartwarming message. The two storylines involve a mysterious boy on the run with his dog and a deformed girl who has a murderer for a stepfather. The woman next door and her aunt try to save this girl. In probably half of Koontz's books there is a dog involved and this one is no exception. And without giving anything away, dogs always contribute in unique ways in Dean Koontz's books. RECOMENDED
Rating:
Summary: koontz fails again!
Review: Dean Koonts is taking a new direction with his latest novel. His last From the corner of his eye is where it started. This book is by far the worst piece of garbage he has ever written! I disliked the direction of corner but gave this one a chance anyway.The story is a rip off of so many other storys. Absalutely nothing original at all! He also now feels the need to throw in a serial killer into all his storys. I hope he goes back to his old style of writting! Please Dean go back to the old school of story telling we loved so much!
Rating: 
Summary: Even the masters don't always create masterpieces. . .
Review: Dean Koontz is undeniably one of the most talented storytellers in all of fiction. In near-flawless gems such as Watchers, Lightning, and more recently Intensity, as well as flawed-but-beautiful works like Twilight Eyes and From the Corner of His Eye, he has shown time and time again that few can equal, and almost none surpass, his raw talent as a pure spinner of magical, frightening, transcendent tales. But his latest offering, One Door Away From Heaven, is not the multifaceted symphonic masterpiece of suspense to which we have become accustomed; instead, it is at best a divertimento. While Mickey Bellsong is a fairly well-drawn character and the Rickster comes across well enough to nearly steal the few scenes he appears in, one begins to get the feeling that, like director David Lynch, Mr. Koontz is using the same actors over and over. We have Leilani, the latest in a long line of overly-precocious Koontz child geniuses; Old Yeller, the intelligent dog (made smart through her "link" with Curtis, but still used the same, plot-wise, as Koontz's other smartdogs); a drugged-out hippy mom too similar to the one he used in Intensity. The novel starts slow, there are several large sections of infodump, where Koontz thinly disguises exposition as dialogue, and he takes far too long to bring the disparate threads of the plot together. While the passion with which he rails against utilitarian bioethics drives the novel forward, there is a lack of cohesion to the whole that makes the first third very slow going -- this book, more than any than Koontz has written recently, lacks the "couldn't put it down" page-turner effect that defines so much of his body of work. To sum up, One Door Away From Heaven is a competently-written, mostly interesting book. It's far better than much of what gets published, and if I were comparing this book to anything other than Koontz's own work, I'd probably bump it up one more star. But when an author is as good as Koontz can be at his best, you come to expect a little extra with each new outing -- this book delivers, but the package was damaged in shipping, and a few of the parts were missing.
Rating: 
Summary: Ignore the crazy people! This is a GREAT book!!
Review: I have to disagree with most of these reviews here, especially one from someone who didn't even read half of the book! Everyone is talking about, "Where's the old Dean Koontz? I want another 'Dragon Tears,' etc...." That's the problem, this isn't the same Dean Koontz and I know that I don't want to read another 'Dragon Tears!' He's evolving as a writer, doing different things. You can't expect him to churn out the same verse over and over again, if he did everyone would complain, "Oh, this book is just like 'Dragon Tears,' blah, blah, blah." I enjoyed this book from start to finish! If you're looking for a clone of an old DK book, then you will be disappointed! But if you have liked what he has done recently then you will enjoy ALL 608 pages of this book. This is an excellent book, classic Koontz even if it's different. One question: How could you guys not think that Christopher Snow was an amazing character? I absolutely loved Snow! Into poetry? Check out my book on this site: The Silent Winds of October Stay well,
Ken
Rating:
Summary: His best yet!
Review: forget what other people say about this book. it is the best one I ever read! It's true that if you are a shallow Koontz fan, craving only horror and gore, then you might not appreciate this book as someone of a more intellectual level would. It is a thrilling suspense story on one level but also a much deeper, profound look at life on another level. It is a character study, a tale of ultimate triumph over evil, and has so many insights into life and the way the world works that it leaves your head spinning. Don't go into this book expecting a cheap thrill, go in expecting something much deeper that will move and thrill you in an entirely different way. It will introduce you to some of the best characters you will ever meet. Their absolute purity of soul and goodness still astounds me. Read it, there's nothing better you could do for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Much better than "From the Corner of His Eye"....
Review: In his new novel, Koontz tries a mix of old and new, and seems to have taken to heart much of the criticism he received after his last book. He has done much better work earlier in his career, but this effort perhaps will get him back on the track of things that made him so successful in prior books (Intensity, Whispers, etc.) Like From the Corner, Koontz creates a "tribe" of mismatched people who are brought together in an unusual way and who gravitate to the children in the center of the story. Koontz uses three different story lines, which begin to mingle in the center of the book.
Prior to the plots' combination, I was impatient with the writing. I found the stories of Noah and Micky/Leilani to be engaging and realistic, and, unlike his heroes in From the Corner, all of them had warts and quirks and just didn't "radiate goodness". I was particularly impressed with the character of Micky, and her reaction to someone who has had more trouble in life than even Micky has had in her own life. A great heroine that Koontz can bring back, if he likes!Interesting characterizations, although perhaps Leilani and Aunt Geneva were a little too over the top. In these two stories, Koontz also clarified his two villains, Dr. Doom and Sensimilla, although they just seemed misguided and strange at first. As the stories intertwine, we really get a taste of just how evil they both are. Again, Koontz returns to form in the characterization of the villains. The third story (and Koontz skips and alternates between stories in each chapter) was just a little too much too absorb.(Translation, it dragged for me and was boring.) Although the extra-terrestrial, "Curtis" who carries the story line, is interesting and funny, in this story we get way too much in the way of descriptive passages about the geography and about Curtis' social ineptness. Once more, the Koontz signature plotline is present, with this hero communing with a Golden Retriever. I love Goldens, don't have a problem with Koontz utilizing them in all his books, but I really dislike the whole "dog mysticism" that Koontz advocates, with repetitive passages about the relationship between boy and dog (the dog is his "sister-becoming", a phrase that must be used at least 80 times in the book). This relationship culminates in a far-fetched utopia of people/dogs at the end of the novel, that really wasn't necessary. With all that said, the social issues of bioethics and the thrill of battling evil and uncovering the true nature of the extra terrestrial make for a satisfying climax to the book, one that made the read worthwhile. I'll buy another Koontz when it comes out, but not sure of my long-term commitment. If his spiritual experiences with dogs and need to layer multi-part plots keep trying to overshadow the humorous characterizations and fast-paced thrill aspects of future books, I'll give up. Had this book come from another writer, I might not be as critical, but want Koontz to realize how some of his writing patterns have disappointed his large audience. Probably rent from a library, buy used, or wait for the paperback!
Rating:
Summary: Better than expected
Review: I have read every book written by Koontz. Reading the dust jacket didn't elicit high expectations for this newest novel. I was wrong. Koontz keeps this novel going at a fast and eager pace by giving more than one point of view. Each chapter is in Micky's, or Leilani's, or Curtis'. Fantastic writing to keep all this together. The decription Koontz uses throughout this book is amazing. Throughout the novel, each of the characters are more often than not on the road traveling. Yet, Koontz is able to show us where they are through is words. Superb work once again by a fantastic writer. I would recommend this book to anyone. At more than 600 pages, (hardcover) this novel may seem a bit daunting, but it is an easy read in that it can be put down and picked up seamlessly. This book was fantastic.
Rating:
Summary: ONE DOOR AWAY FROM HEAVEN
Review: This book is a winner !! It's got all of the stuff that makes Dean Koontz one of the best. It makes you think, laugh, and get the chills. I read it in two days but I wanted it to go on forever. The charaters become friends. You will hope Knootz writes more about them . But I always feel that way about the charaters in his books. Read this one and you will too.
Rating:
Summary: Another wonderful page turner!!!
Review: I must say after reading "From the Corner of his eye" which was a little slow paced but worth the wait,"One Door Away from Heaven" captured me right from the start and never lost momentum.The story starts with the introduction of Micky Bellsong and Leilani Klonk, whom you immedately feel at home with. The way in wich these two carry on together would make for a good comedy sitcom! The story immedately throws you into a world of a E.T. searching, Phsyco stepdad, doped up mother, and many other wonderfuly interesting characters. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to the last 20 or so pages, Which in my eyes is a big plus!!! I highly recomend this book,Especially if your a die hard Koontz fan!!! Thanks for such a wonderful and thought provoking book Mr. Koontz I am looking for to the next one!!!
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