By the Light of the Moon

Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 stars for me
Review: Two strangers, Jilly and Dylan, become linked when a mad scientist knocks them out and injects them with a strange serum while mumbling about the fact that they'll either go mad or be very much improved by his "stuff". He warns them that sinister killers will soon be after them if they don't hit the road asap. When Jilly discovers that her car, stolen by "Frankenstein" (as they dub him), has been torched with "Frankenstein" still inside she begins to take the dire warnings seriously. Dylan, an artist traveling around the country with his autistic brother Shephard, advises Jilly to join them on a mad ride away from the ominous, as yet unseen, baddies. And thus begins their life altering road trip.

The book, although a suspenseful road trip into the darkest corners of hell, shines because of its characters. Thirty year old Dylan has been the sole caretaker of his younger autistic brother Shep ever since their mother died tragically ten years earlier. Dylan is a kind soul who is eternally patient with his sometimes difficult brother and loves him unconditionally. His life has been shaped around caring for Shep and initially he's almost too good, too patient, and too kind to be believed but as the book progresses he becomes less of a saint. His transformation will change him in ways that shock, appall and amaze him. I found his character the most emotionally compelling. Jilly is a quirky comedian whose good humor hides a dark. She travels with a houseplant named Fred (I kid you not) in lieu of a man. She and Fred have many enjoyable one-sided conversations and Jilly prefers his company to that of a real man. And then Dylan, a panicked and very bossy Dylan, comes into her life and instantly gets on her last nerve. Their initial sparring adds a bit of lightness to the tense plot but once they realize they've been altered by the "serum" and that they're truly on the run for their lives they learn to get along (and begin to like and respect each other) and the plot takes on a much more somber tone.

The story takes place over the span of what I believe is little more than 24 hours. But in that short time span these three characters lives will forever be changed. The "serum" gives them strange, awe and fear inspiring abilities and forces Dylan and Shep to face a very dark moment in their past that they've done their best to put behind them. It's creepy, and moving and continually takes unexpected twists into dark corners. The pace is fast though Koontz has a tendency to be a little too long winded and overly descriptive but I've come to expect this when I pick up a Koontz novel and it's sort of comical and comforting all at the same time.

I read this as an unabridged audiobook and the actor did a fine job. He had a strong, compelling voice that didn't set me to snoozing and he didn't do any of those cringe-worthy falsetto female voice performances that grate on my nerves. I always knew when Jilly or Dylan or Shep were speaking. The only downer? There's no famous Koontz dog character here! Instead we get Fred the plant. And Fred has about as much personality as, well, a houseplant. About halfway thru the story he's stuffed in the trunk never to be heard from again. Poor Fred, we hardly knew ye.

By the Light of the Moon was interesting, suspenseful and filled with characters I enjoyed and it made my stressful ride to work something I *almost* looked forward to. 4 ½ stars.

Rating:
Summary: More of the same
Review: It's Arizona. At night. In a motel. Something whacks Dylan O'Connor over the head and when he comes to he's duct taped to a chair, being injected by a crazy doctor/scientist who informs him that the fluid in this syringe is his life's work and has a different effect on every individual, and sometimes the effect is even positive. The doctor warns Dylan to flee before he is hunted down and killed. Then the doctor himself flees. But not fast enough. By the time Dylan has worked his way free, gotten together his things and his high functioning autistic brother, Shepherd, made his way outside the motel and encountered Jilly Jackson, who has also been injected; by the time all this has happened, the enemies have already arrived in black SUVs and blow the doctor to bits in Julie's car. Dylan, Jilly, and Shepherd run for their lives. It doesn't take long for the effects of the unknown substance to manifest themselves, and the three are soon caught up in a wild web of seeing visions, preventing crimes, and folding from here to there.

I didn't have high hopes for BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON so I can't say I was disappointed. I found the writing style immature, the conversations truly laughable, and the characters more like two dimensional cutouts than real people. The beginning was slow, with Koontz taking whole chapters to say what he could have expressed in a couple of paragraphs. I have never much appreciated his brand of horror, in which he tries to make far out situations scary by continually mentioning blood, crosses, snakes, guillotines, darkness, eyeballs, death, doves, fire, etc., rather than creating ordinary situations gone wrong that I can identify with and therefore find truly terrifying. And I am tired of his personification of animals, although this time I have to give him credit -- in BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON it's not a dog but a jade plant named Fred. Why Fred gets almost a whole chapter to himself at the beginning of the book, I'll never know, since he disappears somewhere in the narrative never to be seen again.

The pace does pick up near the middle of the book, with the suspense increasing once teleportation comes into play. Shepherd is also very well portrayed within the confines of his autism; of all the characters, he behaves the most realistically. And while the nanotechnology was a bit lost on me and therefore I can't form an opinion of its plausibility one way or the other, it did serve as an interesting explanation for the effects of the "stuff," as the mad doctor called it. About the ending? Let's put it this way: It didn't seem much worse than the rest of the book.

If you're looking for a serious scientific novel about nanotechnology, I don't think this is it, but BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON certainly contains plenty of hallmark Koontz and will probably satisfy fans.

Rating:
Summary: Wierd, awesome, and keeps the reader wondering
Review: Dean Koontz is one of the most unique writers in the world today. The characters in his books are so psychologically advanced to the point of the reader knowing how they will react to a situation. His latest book is no exception. By the light of the moon was an excellent book with the suspense starting early and never taking its foot off of the accelerator. It is a book that is easy to read yet has a very intricate plot to it. I recommend this book for anyone who likes suspense novels because they will not be dissapointed here.

Rating:
Summary: interesting
Review: Easy read, interesting topic. Mr Koontz will there be a part two??

Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: This was the first book I've read by Dean Koontz, so I can't compare it to his other works. However, I did enjoy reading this books. The characters were very real and likeable. There were certain things in the book that could have been changed to make the story more believable, but overall this book was enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of $ and paper
Review: Dean Koontz has never been my favorite author; same characters, same plot, same ending. However, lately his stories and characters seemed to be improving and showing a little diversity. What a dissapointment this book was. I was really aggravated when I realized I was halfway through it and nothing more had happened then was told in the descriptive blurb and reviews of the book.

The characters of Dylan and Jilly were sterotypes of philosophical male artist and angry female comedian. There was nothing unique about them and the use of similes/metaphors in their thoughts and feelings was overdone like a steak left on a flaming grill until it becomes a blackend lump of nothing that resembles the soul of a depraved lunatic. At least Shep was unique in that he was not a typical autistic. His situation and autism may not have been based in reality, but at least they were interesting.

The climax of the story was only a platform for Koontz to preach a little sermon. If I want to hear preaching, I will go to church.

I read pretty much for the entertainment of a good story. If I happen to be educated along the way, that is a plus. Unfortunately, this book did not provide either entertainment or an education.

Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: I bought this Koontz book on audio (to listen to as I drove back and forth to work) It is truly one of his best novels to date. when I left the car I could not wait to get back into it to listen. When I would arrive home, I would stay in my car to listen to more.
Koontz weaves a very intricate story, using the lifestyles of three very different characters in his fabric. I was amazed by the intricasy of the plot, and the depth of the story design. This novel is just begging for a sequel, and I hope Koontz delivers

Rating:
Summary: Just like Fred Astaire
Review: Dean Koontz has a way with words, doesn't he? He is so deft that I laughed out loud several times in this book at the way he describes the most mundane of everyday things. A fast food restaurant, the clashing colors of hotel room decor, the blazing heat of a desert afternoon, all become perfectly realized in just a few dancing words.

Jillian Jackson is an unlikable, prickly woman who takes everything the wrong way. Instead of a pliant, lovely heroine who falls into the hero's arms, she argues with Dylan O'Conner and accuses him of being a potential serial killer. She insults him, tries to get Dylan to abandon his autistic brother, and implies that O'Conner is mentally unstable for not placing Shep in an institution.

Of course there is a tender and wonderous creature under all these scales and thorns, but it takes a while for Dylan, Shep, and the circumstances of the novel to bring her out.

Shepherd, an autistic, is another character destined to defy the hellish Peter Singer and his followers of eugenics. Disabled, imperfect, and spectacular, Shepherd reminds us all to treasure every human being no matter what.

The plot is relentless, the characters live in your heart, the deeper themes are beautifully evoked, Dean Koontz is simply the master. Don't miss this one.

Rating:
Summary: No Zero Star Rating? Bummer
Review: I'm so thrilled to be able to write my review because it means that the book is over and I can now donate it to my local library. B-O-R-I-N-G.

Also, thank God, Jilly's plant Fred vanished somewhere in the chase. I guess Koontz's editors weren't all THAT bad.

Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing!!!
Review: I am at awe of Dean Koontz. His stories never cease to continually meet and surpass my expectations. The beauty of his written word is awe-inspiring. "The expired day lay buried in the earth, in the asphalt. Unseen but felt, its ghost haunted the Arizona night..."
As with his last novel "One Door Away From Heaven," Koontz has taken us on a spiritual journey wrapped inside a fast paced, page turner that leaves you with hope for the human race. It introduces us to three unlikely travelers. Dillon O'Connor, an artist who believes there is beauty in everything; his autistic brother, Shepard, who loves puzzles and Charles Dickens; and, Jillian Jackson, a struggling stand-up comedian who believed hope and hard work could win everything she wanted.

The trio are thrown together by a set of circumstances that are as terrifying as they are bizarre. They are all infected with an unknown substance that leaves then struggling to understand new and often times scary "powers." Now they must out run a group of highly trained and deadly assailants as they search for the nature and creator of the unknown substance ruling their lives.

I wish that I had Mr. Koontz's talent with the written word so that I can convey the impact his novels have on me. I think that the new direction his stories are taking is a breath of fresh air.

I hope you too, will love "By The Light Of The Moon." I certainly did!!