Rating: Summary: Good, but certainly not his best. Review: I have been a long time fan of Mr. Koontz's since reading Whispers while pregnat with my now 15 year old. Most of his books get you with in the first couple of pages, except this one. The plot was entertaining, the characters colorful and I enjoyed it. :) But it was very slow at the beginning. Had this book been by any other author I would have put it down after the first 10 (short) chapters. Valet was great, but certainly not his best dog yet, as noted on the dust jacket. The evil Doctor was a great charactor, but Skeet could have used more depth. While I did enjoy the book, its not one that I will re-read several times.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Book! Review: This was a great read. I have to admit that I have liked every book Koontz has ever written. After reading the book; however, I have to wonder if these reviews are real :)(read the book, you'll get the joke). A previous reviewer had noted that they could not get past the first tape and I will admit the book was a little slow starting; however, it soon picks up and is well worth the money.
Rating: Summary: couldn't put it down Review: i must say that the last couple of koontz books have left something to be desired, but this book was a page turner, i couldn't put it down. I especially like the ending better in this book, i really enjoy reading about what happens to the characters after the smoke settles...i must say, i wish i could have slowed myself down, because once again, i'm eagerly awaiting the next book to come out!
Rating: Summary: False Memories Review: For me, Dean Koontz is an outstanding writer. I have all his books. False Memories is another one of his greatest achievements. His characters are very real and I can easily get attached to them. Always fast paced, catches you in its grip from the first word. I just have one complaint, I have noticed his stories have taken on a different light. His latest books, except for "Seige the Night" don't have the horror, bone-chilling plots like he used to have, they are more thrillers than horror. I miss that. But "False Memories" was still a very intense book. I enjoyed the ending very much, thanks, Dean!
Rating: Summary: Best Effort Review: Being a big fan of Koontz I was excited about this book and I was not disappointed. It took me only 2 days to read (and I work 10 hours a day) what may be Dean's best effort to date. An outstanding read!
Rating: Summary: Read This Book! Review: I have done nothing for 2 days but read this book. I could not put it down ... a classic page turner. A fan of Koontz, I eagerly awaited the release of his next book, and I was not disappointed. Only disappointed that I am already finished with it. If only I had the self control to pace myself and extend my reading of the novel to at least a week. Koontz fans -- buy this book... you will not be disappointed!
Rating: Summary: A decent read, though not great Review: To me, Dean Koontz has always been a writer who is either on again or off again. He has written books that are outstanding in the suspense field (Intensity, Dark Rivers of the Heart), and those that are largely a mess (Sole Survivor, Tick Tock). False Memory falls somewhere in between. This novel of mind control and nefarious conspiracies has several scenes of heart-pounding suspense, but often times it plods along as the author drags out situations through several chapters that would have been much more effective if they had been compacted into a shorter space. For example, one of the main characters, Martie Rhodes is mysteriously afflicted with severe autophobia (the fear of one's self), which results in her irrational fear that she will attempt to murder everyone she loves. Unfortunately the reader has to suffer through chapter after chapter after chapter of Martie running madly through the house trying to dispose of every item that might potentially be turned into a weapon, and it gets really boring really fast. This is not to say that the whole book is bad; in fact it's quite good at times. The novel's villain is viciously evil and very well crafted. The author is especially good at honing his characterizations as well as maintaining that almost undefinable trait that only the best writers have--he makes you want to keep reading. Special note: I found it pretty amusing that one of the characters who appears late in the novel is a narcissistic writer who spends a great deal of time writing phony reviews to make his own book seem better than it is, and phony negative reviews of his most serious competitor's book. I assume Koontz doesn't need to do this, because he really is a terrific writer.
Rating: Summary: Plodding and disjointed Review: I am a huge Dean Koontz fan on books on tape. I've listened to the unabridged editions of almost everything he's done -- and he is the best. I could not get through the second side of the first tape. It dragged. It plodded. Sometime when I run out of books on tape I'll finish this one, but compared to Dragon Tears, Shadow Fires, and the like, I became afraid I'd be pulled over for sleeping while driving.
Rating: Summary: Now I am Afraid to be Afraid Review: A very good read. I still liked the Heart of the River of Darkness better but this was a captivating read. It makes you wonder if you are really thinking what you are thinking---Is even your fear your own? Manipulation can sometimes be more dangerous than a knife. If you like the author, pick this one up.
Rating: Summary: Old material repackaged - good yarn Review: Does anyone have a count on how many of Koontz's works have dealt with psychological terror induced by nefarious means? That theme crops up again and again. The novels are growing in length but not in depth and breadth. Koontz needs to take a time out and develop an original story before dashing out the next one in neck-break time.You want cliches? How about an evil psychiatrist, "specially designed drugs", the tender, literate blue collar worker with the beautiful wife, the emotionally and mentally crippled helpless souls, the victim no one believes, the satanic parents, etc. Considering it all, it is a suprise the story turned out as well as it did. It is presented in his classic "switch action" technique - his story / her story / his story... The premise of drug induced zombies has been approached from almost every conceivable angle and this one is far from original. One detects previous works in each book and this is no exception. So many have been released that repetition cannot be avoided. The bad guys are remarkedly similar. The trouble with popular authors is the eventual slide from quality to quantity. I am not asking for an Elizabeth George or Bram Stoker. I do ask for a little imagination and originality. The author has shown he is capable of creating works of great power (The Watchers, Strangers, Lightning). He owes his public something more.
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