From the Corner of His Eye

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book...
Review: Bartholomew Lampton is born with the most beautiful eyes that anyone has ever seen. Unfortunately, it is also a day of tragedy and terror that will mark his family forever. On this same day, a man named Junior Cain commits his first act of murder by killing his fiance, and making it look like an accident. A cop named Thomas Vanadium is the only one who believes Junior is guilty, and sets out to proove it. Shortly after, Junior becomes convinced that he has a mortal enemy named Bartholomew. Junior begins to embark on a relentless search that will consume his whole life, and he now has the taste for murder to stop anyone who gets in his way. A girl named Angel is also born from a brutal rape, and her destiny is mysteriously linked to Bart and the man who stalks him. At the age of three, Bart gets cancer in his eyes, and is blinded when they are removed. As he deals with being blind, he proves to be a child prodigy with high intelligence. At age thirteen Bart regains his sight. How he regains it, and why he regains it, leads us on a journey filled with love, suspense, and terror.

From the Corner of His Eye is a suspenseful and terrifying chase novel The story itself is written brilliantly. We follow the story through two different perspectives. One being the life of Bartholomew and the other following the killer Junior Cain. Koontz does an amazing job at developing both sides of the story equally. The other reason the story is great overall, is because it scans over the course of many years. Junior's hunt for Bart is one that unfolds slowly, which really builds suspense. I cannot get enough of Koontz's character development. Bart is probably one of Koontz's most memorable characters because of everything he is forced to go through. Koontz's description really puts that into perspective. The reason Bart is so likeable is because despite the fact that he has a very hard life to lead, he keeps an upbeat attitude. His intelligence is amazing as well. Junior Cain is the perfect villan. He is cold, calculating, and slowly goes out of his mind. His obsession of finding Bart really makes him menacing. Thomas Vanadium is my favorite character. His determination to take Junior down is amazing, and I love the fact that he never gives up and spends years trying to do it. He is intelligent, funny, and is a great magician. He uses his magic skills to mess with Junior's head. Angel is a nice character as well, and you will enjoy the bond that she eventually forms with Bart.

Overall, I loved this book and I still feel that it is one of Koontz's best. Some people have crticized this book for being too long and drawn out. As you can see from this website, the overall rating for this book is not even at 4 stars. However, From the Corner of His Eye is a suspenseful and action packed chase novel filled with great characters and a satisfying ending. If you are a fan of Dean Koontz, you should definately give this book a shot.

Rating:
Summary: The Ending Negates Everything Else Good About It
Review: In one sense I enjoyed this book - Dean Koontz is a terrific writer and he was able to write at a level to keep you reading for 700+ pages. The main villian is a joy: well-rounded and interesting. I especially liked the chapters dealing with him. However, my main problem is the anti-climatic ending. Not to spoil anything, but Dean sets it up so you're expecting a huge confrontation between two of the characters. Guess what? The confrontation is over in a blink of an eye and it isn't even between who he's set you up to believe it will be between. (You don't even really find out what happens to the villian!) It's almost like waiting months for a particular Mike Tyson fight and then Mike Tyson knocking out his opponent in the first minute while you're in the bathroom. So much time anticipating and then nothing to show for it...

Rating:
Summary: My humble opinion-Painful to read
Review: In my humble opinion, this book is one of the worst I've ever read. The book starts out with a young, married couple on a hike. The reader is given the impression that these two are madly in love, but all of a sudden the husband decides to push his wife off a lookout tower that their on. The husband's name is Junior Cain. Junior decides that his wife is really just holding him back in life, and he wants to get out and experience new things.

A boy, Barty, is born under unfortunate circumstances after an auto accident on the way to the hospital. This boy is special. He can read 8th grade level at age 3 and is surprisingly aware of how the world really is (people's feelings, perceptions, etc...) A girl, Angel, is also born under unfortunate circumstances as well. Her very young mother was violently raped at 15. Angel is very similar to Barty. Barty and Angel become objects of Junior Cain's wrath.

Junior is questioned and grilled by a detective who suspects Junior's guilt. This detective keeps an eye on Junior the rest of the book but isn't able to stop Junior's rediculous murdering spree.

Personally, I think Junior Cain is the worst serial killer imaginable. He's not scary. Cain dreams he has an enemy named Bartholemew who could stop him someday. Killing this Bartholemew becomes an obsession of his for the rest of the book. Cain tries to go through an entire phonebook to find and then check on every Bartholemew. Cain also underlines every address that has a "B" listed for the first name. Right there, I can't take this villain seriously. Unless this guy is Rainman, he's pathetic. Koontz cleverly lets the reader perceive how Cain thinks women are irresistibly attracted to him. Cain even thinks that the women he killed, if given another life, would still want to be with him because he's the man. Junior Cain's thinking is so warped that it's just hard for me to take him seriously. Some people might like it though. The rest of the book is just Cain going after Barty letting no one get in his way. The conclusion is alright but the book was hard for me to finish.

The only reason I gave this book more than one star is because the two Rainman-like brothers are hilarious. These two "special" brothers live with Barty's mother, their sister. One constantly alludes to past natural disasters giving the exact date, location, and number of people killed; while his brother prefers to scare his listeners with examples of how human beings have savagely destroyed their own kind also giving exact date, location, and # killed. They try to one-up each other constantly. The only problem is that these are two minor chatacters.

Rating:
Summary: Suspense
Review: I have never read a Dean Koontz book before - but I know there is a huge following for this successful author. "From the Corner of His Eye" left me both excited at the powerful page turning suspense, and baffled at the rapid summary style conclusion that included everything from obvious attempts to evoke tears and joy (both of which fall flat).

The rich first 600 pages (of the paperback) contain a tapestry of human experiences that you know are going to eventually form something recognizable and intriguing. There are quite a few characters to follow, which I found fun as it added to the suspense and mystery of the novel.

None of the characters are as well dealt with as the story's villain - Junior Cain. And poor Junior, who believes in nothing religious and spiritual, somehow allows a mysterious spiritual premonition at the hospital after killing his wife to become the literal focus of his life. He learns, by a force outside himself as it were, that his future doom shall come in the form of a baby named Bartholomew. With new wealth and good looks, he delves into a life of petty self-improvement and the relentless hunt, via the phone book no less, of this monstrous Bartholomew.

The suspense that is created through the Junior character is gripping at times and even kept me up until past 3:00 am one night. Yet it is sad that now that I have finished the book, I feel like I know the murderer and villain the best of all the sorted characters. And the constant attention that is drawn towards one Bartholomew is like carefully opening a beautifully wrapped Christmas present only to find nothing in the box.

There are disappointments in the failings of certain characters who you are lead to believe in - especially a cop/detective named Tom. And when it's all said and done, the mystery and religious like hints end up in nothing very shattering or truly inspirational at all. It just ends in such a hollow way (especially how the villain is disposed of) that you wonder what happened to all the wonderful build-up.

Having said all that, I will probably read more of Koontz's work, because half of the fun I have with books is the suspense - which he is obviously excellent at writing. Enjoy the better parts of this book, but look past the limp ending.

Rating:
Summary: A let down
Review: First time reading a book from this author...and I have to say...I will probably never read him again. The first 3/4 of the book was great. Very much a "page turner", but when it came to the ending it just kind of fizzled out. I was very disappointed on how neutral the ending was, there was no great climax. No sad ending. It just ended. I was sitting there thinking...that's it, that's all he could come up with. A total let down.

Rating:
Summary: one of koontz's worst
Review: In my opinion this is koontz's worst book. It seems to follow a pattern as with all of his later books (that I have read). He trys to put to much into this book. It tells the story of Bartholemew (sorry if I mispelled that) who lost his sight early in his life due to cancer, I think. He is chased by some psycho guy named Junior, who kills his wife and has already raped woman. Junior is chased by some idiot cop. The woman that Junior had raped has a daughter named Angel. The woman dies during birth and her sister takes in angel. A minister (who is the raped woman's father) gave a sermon on the disiple of Jesus named Bartholemew, which is supposedly where Bartholemew got his name. Also a guy whos wife died starts walking all over California to tell the minister of Bartholemew. Apparently Barlolemew, Angel, and the idiot cop have the ability to travel to other diminsions. I won't give away all of the ending so don't worry, but there is no point because it sucks!

The ending sucks because after they deal with Junior it goes on at least 50 pages of mindless, boring talk of events after where the ending should have been. Even how they get rid of Junior sucks. You want something really bad to happen to him, but we are left with him in another world with giant insects. He could survive or die. And guess what Angel and Bartholemew get married! Predictable isn't it. If you have to read everything Koontz had read it, read. If you're looking for a GOOD Koontz book read Phantoms, Watchers, or Mindight or some of his earlier work.

All in all the book itself was too long, when it could have been shortened. Most of the talk is boring and pointless and not even relative to the story that covers 20 pages of the book! It gets confusing when each chapter jumps to a different one of the 2,000,000 characters. Save your money and buy some of his earlier work. You will more satified. But, if you have time to waste and can stand reading 600+ pages of boring crap, then go ahead and read it.

Rating:
Summary: An inspiration
Review: I have perused the various reviews of this book and find it amazing how varied they seem to be. Apparently this is one of those books (that are few and far between these days) that just does not fit the usual mold. I happen to have loved the book, I have read it so many times the cover is ragged. It speaks to me of hope in the face of adversity and reminds me that I have a responsiblity to give back good in this world. I know a bit preachy but it is what I feel. I loved every character in this book, even the bad guy. He was such a narcisistic fool. He made me laugh more than once. There are quirky characters that even though their roles were minor have a major impact on the "big picture". This book brought forth tears and laughter, smiles... It was one of the few books that I own that I actually have loaned out. And I only did this because I knew that it brightened my view of the world and reminded me that there is always hope.

Rating:
Summary: It's a bit much
Review: "From the Corner of His Eye" by Dean Koontz certainly wasn't his greatest. In fact, it's pretty far from it. A young man, Bartholomew (Bart for short), is born in Los Angles. At the same time, a man hundreds of miles away murders his wife. Later the man has a vision that a child has been born, and that child will kill him. Is this coincedense? Well, yes, actually, it is. There are many subplots that are connected by coincedense (I mean there must be a dozen side stories!). But Coincedense (yes, with a capital C) plays such a huge role in this book that it is almost a personification, like the Fates of Greek Mythology. By the way, Irony and Luck place second. The psychsamatic illnesses that the killer, Junior Cain (What a name, huh), endures are completely laughable. The book is too long and takes way forever to get where it's going, and it's just a rediculous plot to start with. Is there any redeming value, well, the way the Cain dies is intersting. Good luck, guys, you'll need it to get through this tree killing paper weight.

Rating:
Summary: Hmmm...
Review: I looked at the other reviews and I was quite surprised. This book was the first one I picked up probably since high school... was never much of a reader. But this book got me back into it. (I've read several since.) I hadn't read a book (besides Hop On Pop) in such a long time that I found it very refreshing. I enjoyed this book a great deal. Sure, I've since read better, but I'd still recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Selfless Vs. Selfish
Review: If you've ever lived close to a major retailer, then you know how eerie it can be that there are constantly cars driving in and out of the parking lot, making you wonder if people in this society really do just live to accumulate junk. Those who have suffered the brutal realities of life outside a pretty package of marketing ploys will appreciate the need to SERVE and live for OTHERS in order to get the most out of life. Hence, Koontz's character of The Pie Lady, a courageous woman who survives an abusive childhood with a religious father but does not become embittered toward life, humanity, or God; instead, her faith grows stronger and she is able to give some hope to her weaker and sadly warped twin brothers. At the heart of the novel is the old Good vs. Evil drama, with Pie Lady Agnes Lampion on the side of Good along with her three-year-old son, a less-than-tragic (because of her as well as his optimism) blind boy with weird abilities. They go through life shining their little lights and giving selflessly even as The Boy, Bartholemew, becomes the object of intense hatred and obsession of a total stranger whose life is intertwined with his in a very metaphysical way. The stranger plays out Evil as he lives only for himself and cares nothing about anyone else, even people he supposedly loves (such as his wife). He accumulates junk art, takes up numerous hobbies and classes to "better himself" and generally forsakes the worship of any god but himself.
In the end, you may wonder how a book labeled as horror could be so mushy, quasi-religious and uplifting but whatever drawbacks there are seemed to be worth it to me because I sped through the book, spurred on by the suspense Koontz built not only around the stalking of Bartholemew by the evil Junior Cain but even by the long-held-back explanation of a priest-detective of his own and Barty's abilities to control portals to parallel universes.
Honestly, all the Twilight Zone stuff felt thrown together, not really a part of the book, but it can read well as a straightforward mystery, though, granted, it wouldn't be the same without it.
There are Biblical references thrown in for the informed reader that were interesting, besides the obvious Cain reference. This may be Koontz's way to evangelize, except his pamphlet is about 700 pages long.