Midnight

Rating:
Summary: Grew worse the second time I read it.
Review: I read this book a few years ago, and I admit that I enjoyed it immensely. That was then.

I picked this up again, hoping to have the same pleasant experience as my first reading, but I was sorely disappointed.

Koontz's diction grates quickly. I rolled my eyes dozens of times while reading, thanks to the needless repetition of such words as "clotted" (when describing clouds or fog) and "tinelike claws". Really, could Koontz not have used more synonyms?

I suppose mentioning the weather every single paragraph was meant to create atmosphere, but I tired quickly of reading about the many manifestitations of fog and all the metaphors it evokes. It's foggy. Yes, we know. It was like reading The Weather Channel.

Must every Koontz book have characters who suffer some great tragedy, only to find revelation and renewed hope amidst chaos, terror, and near-death experiences? I've read a few Koontz books, and this seems to be his formula. Perhaps he doesn't do this in every single book, but then why does it happen so often that the few (5 or so) that I HAVE read all rely on this model? And must all his ensembles end up as I love you, you love me, we're a happy family? Main characters' relations and loved ones always die early on (or become estranged) in the story so that they can upgrade to "Loved One: Version 2.0" somewhere later in the book.

Chrissie annoyed me. I like spunky, precocious kids as much as the next person, but her mental "headlines" just made me want to kick her. They did NOT make me chuckle or sympathize with her in the least.

After giving up on the saccharine From the Corner of His Eye, and suffering the disappointment of this book upon second reading, I'm not sure I'll ever read Koontz again. False Memory was fun, so perhaps there's hope yet.

The good in this book? It was fun laughing at Shaddack and his pompous, puerile stupidity. A great example of what a single-minded, obsessive idiot can become.

Rating:
Summary: Another great book from Dean Koontz...
Review: Dean Koontz's "Midnight" takes place in the town of Moonlight Cove, CA. The people of Moonlight Cove, CA are changing. Some are losing their emotions, while others are giving into their wildest fantasies and urges. The few people that have not yet changed are either murdered at night, or forced to join against their wills. Sam Booker is a skeptical FBI agent who has been sent into Moonlight Cove to investigate the amount of unnatural deaths and other strange things that are going on. Now Sam, with the help of three other unlikely survivors confront the darkest realms of human nature.

If I had to describe "Midnight" in one sentence, I would say that it is a mix between Koontz's other novel "Fear Nothing" and the film "The Island of Dr Moreau". The story is terrifying, and extremely well written. It involves the entire town against itself, with the heroes of the story caught in the middle. The townspeople in "Midnight" are extremely evil, because they give into their animal instincts. The creatures that some of the townspeople change into, are very violent. "Midnight" also offers a sense of paranoia because the story involves the entire town. Literally anyone could be an enemy. I love books that have conspiracies and make you ask the questions - What are they hiding? and Why are they doing it?

Koontz's character development is great in this book. The story's four unlikely heroes are lead by FBI agent Sam Booker. He is originally brought in to investigate all of the strange things going on. Sam figures that there must be a logical explanation for everything. However, as the story unfolds, he is forced to step outside his normal way of thinking in order to survive. The rest of the group includes an independent film maker named Tessa Lockland who is town investigating the strange death of her sister, a 10 year old girl named Chrissie who escaped from her parents that went crazy, and a man in a wheelchair named Harry Talbot who spies on the townspeople from his bedroom window. Thomas Shaddack may be one of Koontz's best villans ever. He is rich, powerful, and completely out of his mind. Koontz does a good job developing him because the reasons behind Tom's actions are hidden until the very end. As the story unfolds, we slowly learn why he is changing the town. It is almost as if he is a puppeteer, and the people of Moonlight Cove are his puppets.

Overall, Midnight really impressed me. The creatures are violent, the people in Moonlight Cove are sadistic, the heroes are inspiring, the main villan is one of Koontz's best, and the book creates a giant conspiracy because no one in the town can be trusted. This book's oustanding mix of horror, suspense, and paranoia makes it a treat to read.

Rating:
Summary: Author Joy Lee Rutter ~ A Disturbing Presence~
Review: The book was not one to put down. It takes place within a couple of days as many of his books do, keeping you riveted. Just when you think the people of Midnight Cove could not find another way to matamorphosize (sp), they DO, and into more shocking and hideous ways. Koontz has a gift. He brings the characters alive and makes you think that this...could...really...happen.

Rating:
Summary: Cool Monsters!
Review: All is not well in Moonlight Cove. "Midnight" is a suspenseful horror/science fiction novel of the hubris and (bio)technology run amok variety. It shares some ideas, and explicitly alludes to H.G. Wells' "Island of Dr. Moreau" (complete with mad genius), but perhaps owes more of a debt to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" with its theme of emotions and what makes us human. Like his best selling contemporary Stephen King, Koontz can write a propulsive narrative that grabs you by the throat (i.e. a page turner) as well as having a firm grasp on creating (also like King) sympathetic and recognizable ordinary Joes and Josephines, which has undoubtedly helped his bestsellerdom. This is the second novel by Koontz, I've read, the first being "The Strangers", and a criticism of both would be that occasionally his characters "shed their skins" and become too obvious a mouth piece for a Koontz lecture on morality and ethics. On the plus side, "Midnight" deals with the transformation of people into various human-animal creatures, cybernetic creatures, and one feisty protoplasmic blob (always a favorite), and the descriptions, both physical and psychological, are compelling, vivid, and powerful. In other words, cool special effects. Neither "Midnight" nor "The Strangers" converted me into an ardent Dean Koontz fan, but both provided what I asked for - an exciting thrill ride.

Rating:
Summary: A Koontz Classic
Review: Though I've read most of his novels, this one is a classic and one of my favorites. I'd have to say it focuses more on the sci-fi element than his standard novels, but is no less enjoyable. It's more twisted and subtly erotic as well, which, though many "respectable" readers might not comfortably admit to liking, adds a futher level of perverse fascination.

Rating:
Summary: Tune Out, Jack In, Drop Dead
Review: Koontz views the Computer Culture in much the same way the FBI viewed the Drug Culture of the 1960s and '70s. He may be a little overly alarmist, but the speculation is not entirely without merit, and he drives his point home well.

A mad Utopian has a plan for saving humanity from itself. He's going to make humans as rational as computers - by making them computers. As if that plan isn't off-base enough, the experimental town of Midnight Cove is demonstrating that his human computer virus has a few more bugs in it than he thought...

This book was the better-written inspiration for the author's later Christopher Snow novels. Like the Snow novels, it works best when hewing to a more science-fictional vein than a fantasy one, but veers a little over the edge from time to time.

I didn't care for it that much when it first came out, but on a re-read a couple years ago I found it to be much cleverer and satisfying than I remembered. It suffers from way too much padding in the beginning, but is one of Koontz's better books.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Buy The Audio Book!
Review: This review is strictly about the audiobook of Midnight and doesn't concern Koontz's story. This recording is the first bad audiobook I've ever heard. The reader is someone named J. Charles and he's described as someone with over 40 years of theater experience, but apparently he never learned the art of narration. His pace is too fast, and his inflections and rhythm have a clipped style. At times it almost sounds like a synthesized, robotic voice and there are moments where he pauses inappropriately in the middle of a sentence altering its meaning. Charles' reading is, in a word, incompetent. The recording is a complete disaster and is an insult to Koontz and his fans. It's a mystery why the recording's Director, Koontz, and his publisher allowed this thing to be released. I honestly believe I could have recorded a more listenable version; yep, it's THAT bad. I struggled painfully to listen to the first 15 minutes then quit, shocked and angered at how bad it was. Don't waste your money on the audiobook, Midnight is one you have to read.

Rating:
Summary: Another great book from Dean Koontz...
Review: Dean Koontz's "Midnight" takes place in the town of Moonlight Cove, CA. The people of Moonlight Cove, CA are changing. Some are losing their emotions, while others are giving into their wildest fantasies and urges. The few people that have not yet changed are either murdered at night, or forced to join against their wills. Sam Booker is a skeptical FBI agent who has been sent into Moonlight Cove to investigate the amount of unnatural deaths and other strange things that are going on. Now Sam, with the help of three other unlikely survivors confront the darkest realms of human nature.

If I had to describe "Midnight" in one sentence, I would say that it is a mix between Koontz's other novel "Fear Nothing" and the film "The Island of Dr Moreau". The story is terrifying, and extremely well written. It involves the entire town against itself, with the heroes of the story caught in the middle. The townspeople in "Midnight" are extremely evil, because they give into their animal instincts. The creatures that some of the townspeople change into, are very violent. "Midnight" also offers a sense of paranoia because the story involves the entire town. Literally anyone could be an enemy. I love books that have conspiracies and make you ask the questions - What are they hiding? and Why are they doing it?

Koontz's character development is great in this book. The story's four unlikely heroes are lead by FBI agent Sam Booker. He is originally brought in to investigate all of the strange things going on. Sam figures that there must be a logical explanation for everything. However, as the story unfolds, he is forced to step outside his normal way of thinking in order to survive. The rest of the group includes an independent film maker named Tessa Lockland who is town investigating the strange death of her sister, a 10 year old girl named Chrissie who escaped from her parents that went crazy, and a man in a wheelchair named Harry Talbot who spies on the townspeople from his bedroom window. Thomas Shaddack may be one of Koontz's best villans ever. He is rich, powerful, and completely out of his mind. Koontz does a good job developing him because the reasons behind Tom's actions are hidden until the very end. As the story unfolds, we slowly learn why he is changing the town. It is almost as if he is a puppeteer, and the people of Moonlight Cove are his puppets.

Overall, Midnight really impressed me. The creatures are violent, the people in Moonlight Cove are sadistic, the heroes are inspiring, the main villan is one of Koontz's best, and the book creates a giant conspiracy because no one in the town can be trusted. This book's oustanding mix of horror, suspense, and paranoia makes it a treat to read.

Rating:
Summary: Suspense, Suspense, and more Suspense
Review: This is the first time I have purchased a paperback book off the rack. I read the book in a day. I felt the plot was creative and there was no boring buildup to the climax. If you like science fiction this book is for you.

Rating:
Summary: Midnight
Review: Wow! I have read Koontz off and on for years and have to say that I enjoyed this most of all. From the very first page I was captured and couldn't stop until I finnished this chilling tale.
Sometimes a little far out and sometimes it grossed me out but still....it was exciting to say the least. I have to admidt that I had to close my drapes at night so "those things" wouldn't know I was home. I put it on the top of my "Koontz List". Enjoy!