Rating: Summary: Good, Silly Fun Review: If you're a fan of the Saturday morning Jackie Chan cartoon - and I am - you'll love this really silly, over-the-top cartoon of a book. I think Koontz had simply written so many of the same variety formula thrillers, that he just couldn't resist sending himself up.Pretty well nothing in this book is believable, but it isn't intended to be. It's a single-night odyssey adventure of oddball characters fleeing from an indestructible, growing puppet-killer-thingie, something like an alien voodoo doll. It's Koontz's usual boy-meets-girl flee-the-evil story, done as an absurdist comedy. The lead characters are a Vietnamese crime novelist (you thought I was kidding with the Jackie Chan reference, right?), some of his assorted off-the-wall relatives, and a millionaire heiress who may or may not be quite human, herself. It's not as smooth as I think Koontz intended it to be, nor that much of a laugh riot, but it's pretty amusing. Koontz's fans will enjoy it most, since it parodies his own work, but even those who don't usually read this author might get a kick out of it - if they're in the mood for this sort of thing.
Rating: Summary: Dean Koontz At His Absolute Terrifying Greatest Review: There is only one author that I can think of that freezes your blood and makes you feel as though your heart as actually stopped. His name is Dean Koontz, and with "Ticktock", these feelings are quite real. I first read this book when I was about 14. At that age I was obsessed with ordering books from Double Day, and as I penned in the number for Dean Koontz's "Ticktock", I never knew I would be taken on a ride on a rain-heavy, lightning-sticken night. This is THE best Dean Koontz. If you want to know the two best Dean Koontz books...They are "Ticktock" and "The Door to December".
Rating: Summary: Your time to read Tick Tock is running out. Review: Detail and precision in a work of art bring the piece to life. In this particular novel, these factors of quality entice each page to crawl with existence, gripping the reader and forcing the mind to read on. As the numbers on the pages grow larger, the techniques used by Dean Koontz in Tick Tock persevere into a realm of superior writing aesthetics. Tommy Phan, the role character in Tick Tock, is portrayed as a detective novelist. Along with the 'doll snake rat-quick little monster thing' that is chasing him, a girl named Del also has a mysterious control over Tommy. Her almost telepathic ways solve the problems that the two encounter before Tommy knows why the problems even began. Throughout Tick Tock, Koontz uses a variety of techniques that grip the reader's imagination, drawing the person deeper as they read more and more inside the novel. Metaphors, personification, run-ons, one word sentences, and explicitly descriptive paragraphs entice the reader to continue his or her journey until dawn...that is when time runs out for Tommy. The following is a great example of some of the structures Koontz uses in Tick Tock: 'swayed but did not drop, did not drop. Did. Not. Drop.' One-word sentences add emphasis, along with descriptions like the following: 'Where each eye should have been, two crossed stitches of coarse black thread dimpled the white cloth. Five sets of crossed black stitches marked the mouth, and another pair formed an X over the heart.' These are examples of all the sentences in Tick Tock: meticulous writing that is anything but boring. The true precision of Tick Tock can be experienced in only one-way: by reading it. I leave you to think about my favorite quote from Tick Tock: "Everything is more than it seems, but nothing is as mysterious as it appears to be."
Rating: Summary: every kind of bad Review: The characters in this book were just terrible. The protagonist is neurotic, uptight, and way too slow on the uptake. His love interest is a self-satisfied new age hippie chick whom we're supposed to admire but who is just irritating as all get-out. Their dialogue is ineptly smartassed the whole way through. Don't look for the plot to save the day. While it admittedly made me want at times to know what would happen next (which is why I gave 2 stars instead of 1), it was very disappointing in its resolution. I listened to the audiobook, so I will give Mr. Koontz the benefit of the doubt that maybe something was lost in the abridgement. But I doubt it, as the pace was fairly slow. This was my first and last Koontz experience. The narrator was good but that's cold comfort all things considered.
Rating: Summary: A Very Entertaining Read!! Review: I have only read a few of Koontz's books. The ones I read were great but Tommy, Del, and Scootie kept me up until 2 in the morning reading. I thought it was a nice change of pace for Konntz. I mean all his books have a humerous quality to them, but this one was by far the funniest. It would make a good movie. I would pay $7.50 to see it.
Rating: Summary: Typical Koontz Review: This story primarily revolves around a Vietnamese detective story writer, the odd waitress he encounters, and the rat-like thing trying to kill them. It involves several Dean Koontz staples (California, rain, most character's names end with an "ee" sound, the dog saves the day, etc.). I liked this story for the almost nonstop action and suspense, but it contained some major flaws. The love interest for the main character, a woman named Del, was intended to be somewhere between wonderful and infuriating. I felt she landed strongly on the infuriating side; in fact, I kept wishing our hero would throttle her and move on. The other problem was the ending nearly ruined the story. It seemed to turn from horror to fairy tale and the author's explanation of some minor discrepancies was so huge it dwarfed the rest of the story, and was somewhat silly. I don't want to spoil anything, so let me just say that this time the dog saves the day in a really huge way. Overall, it was a good tale, but could be made better by dropping the final chapter altogether.
Rating: Summary: Classic B- horror movie type book Review: I love this book because it doesn't take itself seriously. It reads like a B horror movie (which I love). The story is over the top, and very comical. This book is meant to be taken light heartedly. I've read lots of reviews on this book , and most people write reviews like it is to be compared to Koontz's other books. If you are looking for great escapism, this is definitely the book for you. If you want Koontz books with more content try Fear nothing, seize the night, false memory, Sole survivor, Dark Rivers of the Heart, The Watchers, and etc. But if you are looking for a great fun read, Ticktock is what you are looking for. I recommend this book. Buy it now and enjoy!!!
Rating: Summary: In the end,'Tick Tock' more than just time filler Review: It reads like a slick slice-of-life pulp fix, but 'Tick Tock', in the hands of master horror wriiter Dean (what happened to'R'?) Koontz, delivers something more. Although it seems to move at the snappy pace most readers will recognize as the domain of many cheap potboiler-like thrillers, that sell off the rack cheap and are devored in a day or two by people with breif attention spans (or four to six lenghty stays in the can), 'Tick Tock' surpises. Tradition, family responsibility and having the courage to change and accept new ideas are deceptively (and expertly) threaded through a standard supernatural chase story that ties up all of the hanging mysteries quite nicely. As I neared the last forty pages, I began to realize what can be done, even with these timeworn ingredients, in the hands of an artist the caliber of Koontz. I've never been a big reader of his work, but I can see that his name and rep are well earned. Spend some time with 'Tick Tock'.
Rating: Summary: Disappointing and not very Koontz like Review: This attempt was more like a Creepshow or Tales From the Crypt episode and not a deep and involved Dean Koontz book. It might entertain 13 year olds, but it is much too light and fluffy with some cheesy humor in it. I love Koontz and still read all of his work, but I will not read this one a second time.
Rating: Summary: Great audio book Review: I've never read a Dean Koontz book, so I didn't have any particular expectations for this story. It was a wonderful surprise. B. D. Wong does a terrific job of bringing all the eccentric characters to life. The story reminded me of another favorite book of mine, "Cold Dog Soup." I had to keep reminding myself that one person was reading all the dialog, the characterizations were so vivid.
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