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Summary: The Vietnam war as never seen before
Review: Koko is a great novel. A group of very different people with the common misfortune of having served in Vietnam together try to find and apprehend man from their old platoon who they suspect is responsible for a series of murders. Before reading it I never had any interest in the events in Vietnam. But now I want to learn more about it. The story was good. The idea of a group of war vets who don't neccessarily like each other cooperateing for a greater purpose is a fascinating concept. The twists and turns in the plot keep the novel going strong throughout most of its entirety. Only most though. Even though it has interesting plot twists, the going door to door questioning strangers bit gets a little old. Overall this is a must read novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard work but rewarding
Review: My view on this book hung in the balance until the very end. Its long (and over-written) but one of Struabs better constructed novels. The writing is more fluent and easy to read. There is a lot of detail but thia adds to some fine character development . The book suffers from a big dip in the middle where nothing really happens. This is not a story full of exiting happenings but stick with it ! The ending is clever and helps to give the book a lift. Basically this is a very good read for those who like serial killer thrillers !
Rating:
Summary: A Poignant, Beautifully Written Masterpiece!
Review: Peter Straub has raised himself, in my estimation, from good genre writer to author of excellent fiction with his novel "Koko." This is no light, scary beach read. "Koko" is a complex tale of a group of men who travel to hell and return with demons. It is a psychological suspense thriller that took my breath away. Straub's "Vietnam book" is far different from any other I have read. He didn't have to look far to discover evil monsters with which to terrify his readers. He was able to find them within the minds of his characters, men who served together in Vietnam. At the same time he was able to build a tremendous sense of sympathy towards his characters - those who fought for their country and returned far different men than they started out to be. I am of an age where I can recall the boys, my fellow high school grads, who went off to the Far East. This novel triggered the feelings of sorrow and loss I felt for those who never returned...and for those who did.
Years after the end of the Vietnam War, four members of the same platoon meet in Washington, D.C., for the unveiling of the Vietnam War Memorial. Four men from totally different backgrounds, who chose different paths in life, Dr. Michael Pool, pediatrician; Harry "Beans" Beevers, the "Lost Boss, the world's worst lieutenant" - a lawyer; Tina Pumo, Pumo the Puma, whom Underhill had called Lady Pumo - a NYC restaurateur; and wild little Conor Linklater, a skilled carpenter." These men are supposedly the only survivors of their platoon. They all bonded, once, in the brotherhood of combat. They closed rank throughout the traumatic period when members of their group were accused of committing My Lai-level atrocities in a little village called Ia Thuc. Now they will re-forge their ties to look for another platoon member - one whom they thought long dead - a probable murderer.
A series of brutal, seemingly random slayings have been committed in the Far East. The victims were all foreigners - American, British, French. A calling card was left behind at each crime scene, leading the vets to believe that the killer was one of their own - an ex-soldier known as Koko. The four travel together, once again, to Singapore and then Bangkok in search of a an elusive and wily ghost from the past. Their pursuit becomes, in a sense, a last mission, an opportunity for closure. And it is also a time-out from their daily lives - a chance to evaluate and contemplate change. For their own purposes they are determined to catch-up with Koko before the police do.
I was riveted to the page with "Koko." Peter Straub has created some of the most phenomenal, realistic, and fully realized characters I have met on the written page. They are indeed a complex bunch of folk, especially the killer. The narrative is richly textured - beautifully written. At time I would pause and read descriptions over again, just for the pleasure of doing so and visualizing the scene in my mind's eye. And the story resonates long after the novel is completed. It is a tale of Vietnam and of lost innocence - themes which are not at all contradictory. Highly recommended!
JANA
Rating: 
Summary: Koko Nuts
Review: Peter Straub is one of those gifted writers who tends to over-write his books, and this is one of his prime examples. While "Koko" has a riveting plot and some sharp characterizations, it wanders on so aimlessly that it's easy to lose interest about halfway through. As some reviewers noted, the identity of Koko is spotted easily early on, and even though it doesn't totally eliminate the suspense, it makes it harder to get involved in the book. A couple of riveting scenes are truly frightening, but overall, this is a vastly overrated novel. The lack of a resolution in the end is disappointing too, although I understand this is the first in a trilogy of novels that includes "Mystery," and "The Throat." I will have to reserve final judgment until I read those two. I recommend "Ghost Story" and "Floating Dragon" over this clunker.
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Summary: The scariest ghost story I have ever read!
Review: Read this book if you want to have nightmares in broad day light. I hope they make this one into a movie. John Carpenter should direct
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing but Confusing
Review: The book disturbs but what the exactly happened in that cave? Now, while I'd like to hear some conjecture, I'd rather see some reference to the text which explains what went down. The book does begin to seem kind of plotless at some point, like a series of vignettes, but man oh man Straub can deliver a chill.
Rating: 
Summary: Deer Hunter Redux
Review: The first of Straub's "Blue Rose" murder mysteries, and my least favorite, though it is - like all Straub's novels - very well written. Koko is often reminiscent of The Deer Hunter, a film I frankly didn't care for at all, and is all about the Viet Nam war, which I care for even less. The book is far too long for the simple serial killer story it is, and isn't terribly involving if you're not into the military or Viet Nam.I liked Straub's other "Blue Rose" books, but this one took me years to finish and I wasn't glad I did - in fact, I didn't read another Straub book for years, afterward - however, if you're into Viet Nam or military matters, you might enjoy Koko a great deal.
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Summary: Over long and heavy handed.
Review: The identity to the 'mystery' killer is far too apparent way too early on.
Rating:
Summary: His second best novel
Review: The only other book by Peter Straub to even come close to GHOST STORY. An excellant read. Don't pass it up.
Rating:
Summary: pretty good
Review: This book would have a five star rating if it weren't for the lacklustre ending. As well, some of the so-called good guys in this book are awful and much of the time I found myself hoping they would get killed. Don't even get me started on the utterly incomprehensible plot twists.
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