Intensity

Rating:
Summary: A fast and furious ride to nowhere
Review: Definitely a hang-onto-your-seat page-turner, but in the end, Intensity left me unsatisfied. The plot is a rambling roller coaster of action and suspense with hollow characters and no point.

Rating:
Summary: Gratuitous Depraved Indifference
Review: Totally devoid of redeeming value, this novel appeals to sadistic interests only. Upon finishing it, I threw it away, lest someone else in my family could accidentally read it.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down...
Review: Another great book from my favorite author--got my adrenaline pumping, I could hardly put it down. Just one thing I didn't quite "get"--what was the significance of the elk (the ones in the redwoods, and the one at Vess's house)???? Please reply to [e-mail] with thoughts. Thanks!

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book That I Have Ever Read
Review: From the first page Intensity grabs you and doesnt let you go. The story is based around a lady called Chyna Shepherd, who survives a killing spree at her friends house, and in order to do this she ends up in the motor home of the killer. What follows is a story of how Chyna tries to escape from the killer untill she finds out that there is more to this man than meets the eye, and she realises that she is needed in his home to try and free another cative young girl who needs more help than she does.

Rating:
Summary: Dean Koontz makes things intense with "Intensity"
Review: He was born in Pennsylvania, a teacher before he became a writer, and his students attacked him. He soon later quit his job as a teacher and began writing full time. His wife supported him financially while he started his writing career, and a great one at that! Many of Dean Koontz's works, such as Icebound, From the Corner of His Eye, False Memory, Strangers, and Dragon Tears were very popular. Another popular five star book he wrote was Intensity. Intensity can lead a mind to wonder just what will happen next. In the story, a visit to Laura's home in Napa Valley to see her family turns deadly. Laura brings her best friend along for the ride. During this family reunion, a spider-eating killer, Edgler Vess, murders everybody in the house along with Laura. However, those who hide under beds shall always survive. After the slaughter, Chyna, Laura's friend sneaks through the house to find everyone murdered in cold blood. She tiptoes mysteriously and warily down the stairway and out the door. In fear of being found by Edgler Vess, she seeks to hide once again. With nowhere else to hide, she turns to the killer's motor home, where she finds old victims and a sewing kit. She has a few close calls in the duration of Edgler Vess' travel back home. Chyna lives to try to save the other potential victims and get justice for her friend, but does she get the justice she deserves? This is a really well written piece of literature. If you want chills to run up and down your spine then I recommend that you read this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Title says it ALL
Review: Never have I had to stop reading a book before in my life until I read "Intensity"... 4 times I had to put the book down because I was so terrified! A VERY intense story. This one will definitely keep you interested!

Great Job Mr. Koontz!

Rating:
Summary: Can't Put It Down
Review: This is one of my favorite books by Dean Koontz. It it also one of the scariest books I've ever read. The antagonist in this story is not only weird himself, but the fact that he has the power to do the things he does and still have a normal job makes this story all the more scary. The way he plays with his victims minds is freaking in that this is something that could actually happen. It has the classic plot of a killer and a person trapped in his house, but Dean Koontz does an excellent job of throwing different twists in the story that keep you on the edge of your seat every page of the way.

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING!!!!!!
Review: I first read this book about two years ago, and have re-read it numerous times. This book is one of the must intense books i think i have ever read by Dean Koontz (not to mention the fact that i have all of his books). Chyna Shepard and Edglar Vess have got to be the two must awesome characters ever created by Dean. Chyna's personality is so unique, and Vess's mind is so complex, which give the book an edge, or SOMETHING... its hard to explain. This book is INCREDIBLE!

Rating:
Summary: Smart and frighteningly intense!!
Review: I have only read one other book by Dean Koontz and let me tell you that it did not go well at all. The Bad Place. I could not believe I even forced myself to finish it. So, you can understand my hesitation when my friend was trying to convince me to read this one. And when I finally gave in, I was mesmerized!! I could not put this book down! It started so quickly and I was sitting alone in a dark house reading this book and I was actually kind of scared. I have never had a book really scare me and this one did it! It was intense and so smart. It is about a young woman and her fight against a dimented murderer as she strives to over come her horrifying past and the terrifying present. She fights for her own life and strives to save a young captive he has locked away. It is great to see how the victim and the crazed killer analyze each other psychologically, and read into each other's plans and thoughts. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is not not too frightened to have a little scare. It will take you on a journey in connection with this brave person and you will feel so connected with her, so truely scared for her. And yet, you are holding on just to see what the killer is going to do next.

Rating:
Summary: Not much intensity here...
Review: Again Dean Koontz is reliably consistent. His stories feature the same types of characters, ranging from the sadistic murderer to the self-empowering hero who must overcome her disturbed past. Unfortunately I found myself feeling little for the character of Chyna Shepard, or even for the traumatised young girl, Ariel. To me Chyna's plight was ridiculously far-fetched. Her troubled childhood was a huge motivating factor for her actions but you have to wonder if these characters we continually see in Dean Koontz' books are selflessly heroic or just plain warped.

'Intensity' is patchy in some parts but it does have it's moments. Some passages stretch on and on, but there are spots where the book will keep you turning the pages. Admittedly, I found it interesting that the story was staged over a period of just 24 hours. The only other Dean Koontz book I have read that has done this was 'Shattered.' So I think there can be limitations and Koontz handles it well.

The reason why I like Koontz is his unfailing faith in the human race. That's why I keep reading his books. The bad guy often seems to be the worst possible kind of person imaginable. In fact (as is the case with Intensity) he often has that dark sense of the supernatural. Koontz' heroes on the other hand seem mostly to be ordinary folk who've had it rough their whole life. You can't help but feel a sense of justice when they triumph - and they always do.

I didn't find this book to be exceptional, I just enjoyed 'Intensity' for what it was - a well-told tale.