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False Memory

False Memory

List Price: $39.95
Your Price: $26.37
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Unique Opportunity to Read the Advanced Reader's Edition!
Review: Working at a major chain bookstore, I had the unique opportunity to read this book almost one month before its strict-on-sale date, today (Dec 28th). After several, quickly produced mediocre novels, Koontz has come rushing back with this absolutely stunning look at autophobia-the rare fear of oneself. A must-read!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Koontz is the king!
Review: Martine "Martie" Rhodes seems to have it all together as she is happily married and a successful video game designer. However, her world begins to collapse. Her brother-in-law jumps off the roof after insisting he has seen and spoken with an angel, who vows the other side is better. Her best friend Susan struggles with a severe case of agoraphobia, leaving Martie to coax her into leaving her home so she can see a psychiatrist. Susan swears that her estranged husband rapes her every night even though her home is locked tight.

The confidant Martie soon begins to fear her own shadow, finding it difficult to even look in a mirror. Already grieving his brother's stunning suicide, Martie's spouse Dustin worries about her sudden descent into a seemingly deep-rooted phobia. He begins to search for common links between his brother, his wife, and their friend, as well as another individual who has sunk into a debilitating fear. Dustin concludes that psychiatrist Dr. Mark Ahriman is deeply involved with the rash of traumatic feelings impacting everyone. Dustin is unaware that his inquiries will trigger a phobia of his own.

FALSE MEMORY is an exciting thriller that is one of Dean Koontz's best novels. The story line centers on personal and societal phobias that the great author makes so frighteningly real that the audience will fear what happens next because it could happen to them. The characters are wonderfully designed so that fans can understand what has occurred. Though a bit wordy at times, Mr. Koontz has written a fabulous tale that will eliminate any fears that his audience might have that the grandmaster of suspense has lost it.

Harriet Klausner

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I'm Hooked on Koontz!
Review: Being a huge Stephen King fan, I always considered Dean Koontz more of a "softie" in the realm of horror and phsychological thrillers. Oh boy, I couldn't have been more wrong. This engaging tale of Marty and Dusty has made me recognize what so many already knew: Koontz is brilliant.

What I look for in a novel is not only a great story with well-developed characters, but also beautifully constructed prose and wonderful descriptions. Koontz delivers just that. The way he describes scenery, dreams and moods is probably the best I've ever seen. King is still the master of dialogue to me, but I now consider Koontz a master of characterization.

The villian in this story is amazingly detailed, described and destroyed. Its amazing when an author goes in depth to describe not only a villian's intentions, but also his motivations and the images that lurk in his head throughout the day. Its a great pleasure to read about this guy (I won't divulge his name, but once you start reading, you'll find out pretty quick). He will remain with me for a long time.

Martie and Dusty are loveable, as is the tail-wagging Valet (who manages to bring a measure of stability throughout the story). I would have given 5 stars, but there are some times in the story where things are a bit monotonous, as a previous reviewer mentionede about the scene with Martie runnin through the house disposing potential weapons that lasted seemingly forever.

My next stop: Intensity, then Dark Rivers of the Heart. They're already sitting on my desk waiting to be read!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Almost too eeire
Review: This is probably the most explicit Koontz novel I've read. I hated the first third of this book as it was almost to sinister and disgusting to read. It was more painful and gut wrenching than entertaining. I almost put the book down when it detailed someone committing rape. In spite of it's awful beginning, the book got better.

I don't think there has been a more evil villian in a Koontz novel than this one. The way Koontz describes his sinfulness down to his every thought is the amazing writing you've come to expect in his novels. And like many of his novels, the ending is clutch. These aspects made the book a worthy read.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Silly
Review: Sorry but the book is silly. Characters act as if they have a script in front of them and mouth what's written there...not natural...of course we have a wonderful couple here whose lives smash into pieces...except that any logical person would overcome those problems the villain allegely lashes on within a week. No fun factor (one of the most boring dialogue writer I have seen around this Koontz man), no intelligent side stories, no underboiling story line, a silly, imitative, boring book...Makes someone wonder how on good Lord's earth these books pass past the editors and publishing houses. To cash in on author's name? May appear better to the lowest common denominator.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good plot, but redundant
Review: In this book you have Martine, a computer game programmer, and Dusty, her construction business owning husband. Martine has a friend named Susan, who is an agoraphobic neurotic. Susan senses something is wrong. She is finding something "sticky" in her underwear and feels like she's been raped. It happens every night but she deadbolts all of her doors and there is no sign of forced entry.

With Susan's death, Martine and Dusty are thrown into chase for life and death, truth and falsehoods. This book is very fast paced, even though the 3 days spans into 750 pages. But who are Martine and Dusty, really? Yes, we all know about Skeet, Dusty's druggie brother. But, unfortunately, you don't really get a "feel" for the characters, except for maybe the exception of the villan, the psychopathic psychiatrist.

Good plot and good suspense, but weak character development and redundant wit from the main characters.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: False treatment of false memories?
Review: I was interested in others' reviews of Koontz's False Memory because the ones who suggested keeping on reading it until 220 or 300 did keep me reading until 300, but then I quit. I liked the characters Dusty and Skeet, but I found the descriptions of Martie's problems to be unbelievable and boring. And then the distasteful treatment of the psychiatrist's abuse of Susan was really overboard.

Here's hoping the next Koontz I read is better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Psychotherapy gone wrong...
Review: Freud look out. No one takes care of patients better than Dr. Mark Aruman. Psychotherapy goes wrong in Koontz's latest thriller: False Memory.

Koontz' casts of characters include: A golden Retriever: check, somewhat nerdy male protagonist: check, doughty and tough female/wife figure: check, dependant brother character: check, fatherly doctor character: check, and nerdy sidekick character: check. The villain? Crazed sugar-eating, eyeball-collecting Doctor Aruman the consummate family shrink.

If you are a Koontz fan you doubtless know the plot formula by now. The evil, unfeeling scientific community is experimenting on hapless humans. In this case-Dr. Mark Aruman. The psycho bad guy. Mark is using his cover as a shrink to brainwash helpless victims. Why? Because its all fun for Mark who is nothing more than an evil psychotic overgrown boy.

In False Memory, I really didn't find the formula as abrasive as his more recent works. There was less bible-thumping and pulpit pounding. The dog didn't play a large role, and Dusty was less whiney than most Koontz heroes. I liked Fig and Skeet, and even the doctor after a while.

Funny scenes? I liked the "Normal" scenes where Dr. Aruman was trying to do his job. The scenes with the "Keanu-Phobic" woman were really amusing. The running mental commentary from the Doctor while forced to deal with 'real-life' situations such as his secretary were funny. I liked Fig Newton and Dusty.

The narrator deserves a great deal of praise for his fantastic narration of this book. A fine edition to any Koontz fan's library.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Waste of time and money
Review: This book took way too long to develop into an interesting turn pager. The first 300 pages were very difficult to digest, and I found myself having to read the book in 10 page intervals before I really became interested in the story and the plot itself. After getting to the heart of the plot, the story became a bit clearer and more accessible.

I really do not like Koontz's writing style at all. The word usage and metaphors just come across as pretentious. The length of this novel could be cut by well over 100 pages if Koontz would quit the intellectual posturing, and just stick with basic story telling.

For all I know, a majority of the positive reviews for this book come from Koontz himself, under 59 different e-mail addresses.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very good psychological horror!
Review: This one was a real surprise for me - after a long break from reading Koontz I picked up a copy of "False Memory" and was really blown away. This book is a fresh style for Koontz; his popular writing centers around creatures and omnipresent evils, while this one follows a human conspirator, but it isn't any less chilling... in fact, it may be more so. Hard-core fans of Koontz's creature features may or may not glom onto his new direction, but I found it refreshing and extremely thrilling - you really couldn't guess on this one!! I NEVER would have imagined the turn out (well, until close to the end of course ; ) My psychology major friends LOVED it! Kudos on your new venture Koontz!


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