The Bad Place

Rating:
Summary: Dean Koontz--The Bad Place (1990)
Review: Koontz delivers with this nicely chiseled science-fiction horror-fantasy that combines elements from previous successes such as "Lightning", but does a fine job creating original, likable characters and perhaps one of his most fiendish villains to date. "The Bad Place" prospers because of Koontz's ability to show the intimate feelings and perceptions of all his characters, allowing the reader to not only race through a riveting page-turner, but also develop a relationship with the players at hand.

Bobby and Julie Dakota are partners of their own private investigating firm: Bobby is a very humorous, easy-going fellow who loves classical music, while Julie is a hard-nosed stick of dynamite with a troubled past and a will to survive. Together they are planning a magical future together, which involves a peaceful, tranquil setting and the love and care for Julie's invalid brother Tommy. Their plans spiral downward as Frank Pollard enters their lives, claiming he wakes up in strange situations which he does not remember and acquires valuable possessions without even knowing how. The couple agrees to watch over Pollard and examine these strange occurrences. As Bobby and Julie attempt to uncover the secrets of Frank's mysterious life, a horrific creature named Candy with incredible powers is on the loose and out to kill Frank and all those who are trying to help him.

Tommy steals the show as he telepathically struggles to save the couple while in his hospital room, communicating with Candy through a crazy world of time-travel. Koontz does superior work providing the reader with the realistic thoughts produced by a young man with Down syndrome, using specific language and punctuation to illustrate with effectiveness. "The Bad Place" is certainly one of Koontz's most bizarre tales and at times seems too outrageous; however, the novel develops rigorously with a tense, atmospheric plot and unfolds to an exhilarating finish. Not one of his absolute best, but certainly worth the read-if you can stand the truly weird.


Rating:
Summary: SPINE TINGLING STORY AND READING
Review:
"You've got to help me find where I go at night. What in God's name am I doing when I should be sleeping?"

That's the frantic cry from the tortured Frank Pollard in Dean Koontz's gripping "The Bad Place." Something strange, other worldly is happening to Pollard. He has found himself in an alley, not knowing how he got there. His only knowledge is his name, and that he has something to fear.

Anguished and terrified Pollard can no longer sleep because when he wakes up he finds strange objects in his pockets - once, his hands were covered with blood. He turns to the husband/wife detective team of Bobby and Dakota to help him. As they probe more deeply into the nether world where Frank goes when he sleeps they too find themselves in great danger.

What a frightening scenario! And it is chillingly read by Carol Cowan and Michael Hanson. These voice performers never over dramatize or use histrionics, even when this plot would easily call for major board pounding. But rather they simply read the story in alternate narrative voices, knowing that Koontz's spine tingling words are all that's needed to hold listeners in thrall.

- Gail Cooke

Rating:
Summary: Darkness, Fireflies, Velocity, Fast, Slow, Fast
Review: "Frank Pollard awakens in an alley, knowing nothing but his name and that he is in great danger. Having taken refuge in a motel, he wakes again only to find his hands covered in blood. As far as he knows, he's no killer. But whose blood is this and how did it get there? Over the next few days Frank develops a fear of sleep, because each time he wakes he discovers strange objects in his hands and pockets - far more frightening than blood."

Enter our heroes, Bobby and Julie Dakota. Frank hires them to keep an eye on him and figure out where he is going, what he is doing and why.

In typical Koontz fashion, this book starts off fast and gets your heart pumping. You can imagine yourself with Frank running for your life and with Bobby in the back of his Dodge van conducting surveillance. Unfortunately, after this portion of the book climaxes, Koontz slams on the breaks and brings you almost to a halt. It's like going from 80 to 5 MPH in a few seconds.

Though it slows down, the book doesn't come to a complete stop. I didn't find this book to be a real page-turner, like many of Mr. Koontz novels, until about the last 100 pages or so, and then I couldn't put it down. It also wasn't until this point that I realized that I had read this book before. I'm not saying that the reader will feel bogged down, it just slows down and is less exciting for awhile.

I really liked the character of Tommy. Tommy suffered from Downs Syndrome though Mr. Koontz showed him in a light that made me wonder if people with Downs Syndrome really suffer and are they really smarter then we think and only have a hard time formulating their thoughts into words to communicate with us verbally.

Mr. Koontz writing style is one that I enjoy. He has a way of setting scenes and painting the characters without going into extreme detail like authors such as Stephen King.

This book, unlike some of his others, doesn't revolve around some experiment that went wrong or anything like that. You will be shocked (maybe a strong word) when you find out what is going on.

If you like good writing, a good plot, Great characters make this book a must read especially if you are a big Koontz fan. For first time Koontz readers I would recommend one of his novels such as Face of Fear, Icebound or Sole Survivor.

I always have a hard time comparing authors to other authors and this is no exception. To me, the most logical comparison would be to Stephen King. If you like King, you will definitely like Koontz.

Some of the other titles I have read by this author are listed below.

Dark Rivers of the Heart (Prometheus Award)
Face of Fear
Fear Nothing (Bram Stoker Award)
From the Corner of His Eye
House of Thunder, The
Icebound
Intensity
Key to Midnight, The
Lightning
Midnight (Bram Stoker Award)
Sole Survivor
Ticktock

Note: The items in parenthesis are awards, which that book, was nominated for.

In all, Mr. Koontz has been nominated for the following awards.

Hugo
World Fantasy Award
Bram Stoker Award (3)
Prometheus Award


Rating:
Summary: Koontz at his most delightfully macabre!
Review: Bobby and Julie Dakota are a couple of private detectives. Sure, there life's a little rough and tumble--you get shot at on a stake-out, it isn't exactly sunshine and roses--but they realize they've had it easy when they meet Frank Pollard.

Frank's got a problem. He wakes up in the morning knowing he's been somewhere in the night...but has no recolection of it. And what's more, somebody's after Frank...his brother Candy, who's not quite human...

What follows is a wild, macabre story by suspense master Dean Koontz. One of Koontz's first major successes, this novel blends sci-fi, horror, action, drama, and comedy into one thrilling ride. Here with a new afterword (which details the credulous reception this novel initially received from publishers and film makers), this is THE BAD PLACE: a thrilling novel that's anything but a bad read.