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From the Corner of His Eye

From the Corner of His Eye

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Deja Vu, The Whole Way Through
Review: Well I must say that this book has an amazing beginning. The first chapters or so keep you completely enthralled and riveted. Charachters are very real and life like.

Now here is where the book goes haywire..

About half way through you begin to feel like you have to read TOO MUCH to get to the point of each event. Many times I found myself almost 'skimming' to get to there. I love Dean Koontz novels, but this one is a bit wordy..not only that, this is VERY similar to many other novels that he has written..the symbolism, super natural "events", the amazing child prodigy, someone out to kill him, etc. In other words, you kind of know what is going to happen at most turns because it's happened in a previous novel.

Anyway, a great novel, sure to hit some top lists - BUT, certainly not one of his most original works.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good start but quickly thrown away ...
Review: I don't think I've ever read a D.Koontz book which had a more intriguing premise or started out with more promise. The first few chapters were riveting, especially as I found it impossible to predict what would happen next, and I was genuinely surprised at a few of the plot developments. However about half way through the book loses its way and becomes a meandering mess. The villain (I won't name him) starts off as a truly menacing and unpredictable character - but as the book progresses he becomes more of a comic character. He is also killed off far too soon - I lost interest in the book after this point. The 'children with miraculous powers' are familiar from 'Sole Survivor' and needless to say play a 'deus ex machina' role when required to do so.

Dean also makes the mistake of introducing too many minor characters who are of no interest in themselves and distract from the action. The reason 'Intensity', for example works so well is that all the action revolves around the two major characters and this intensifies the reader's involvement. The book is also far too long and could have been cut down to half the size without sacrificing any important plot elements. What DK needs is a good editor though I suppose at this stage of his career there isn't much chance of that! What a waste to see a talented author producing self indulgent stuff like this.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A surprise from Koontz
Review: From the corner of His Eye is very different from any other novel that I've read by Dean Koontz before.Usally his work is a fast thill ride, this is more of an epic tale. I have to say I really enjoyed it,however it was kinda long. I think he could have edited some of the chapters. Some of the events didn't really add anything to the story. I did liked the fact that this novel got me thinking about topics I haven't before. This would make a excellent book club book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: He's Back, He's Koontz and He's Wonderful!
Review: With much misgiving I approached this new Koontz, since the last few were disappointing. Well, this one more than makes up for the gap. In this book Koontz uses his skill with characterization and gives us a jumble of characters, all realistically drawn, yet just a touch of fantastical, even magical realism to some of them.

It's a genuine book, not an "bad Army" or "bad government" book, and is quite definitely a 625 page page-turner. When the book ended I wanted more.

The only negative for this book is his scrunched ending chapters. We have come to care for these people, and he jumps ten years in about 15 pages. Even though most of the ending is pre-ordained, it would have been nice to see the characters grow.

Warning -- do NOT read the blurb on the book jacket, or it spoils a pivotal surprise. It's still exciting when it happens, but it would hae been nice to have the surprise tickle my soul.

BUY THIS BOOK! It is as wonderful as Strangers and Lightning, in a totally different sort of way, but reminiscent as strangers come together and build their community, the Koontz way.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: slow start can't wait to get to the finish
Review: As with his last book this is a slow starter,hopefully not a trend. But once the action starts it's quite a thrilling ride to the very end. There are quite a few people to keep straight, but over all you feel you get to know them quite well. Another fine book by one of the best.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A future classic
Review: Dean Koontz's "From the Corner of His Eye" is probably the best book ever written by a man who has had more than his share of great reads. Rare is the storyteller who excels not only at spooking us, but also at making us realize how beautiful the world and its inhabitants can be. I recommend this book whole-heartedly. Much like his other steller works, such as "Intensity" and "Lightning," Koontz takes us into the mind of an absolutely diabolical madman. However, at the other end, there are characters whose goodness makes them impossible not cheer for and care about. This novel ultimately deals with good versus evil, but other themes are present as well: dealing with loss and rediscovering faith just to name two. This may seem like too much for one novel, but Koontz weaves the story in a way that ties all ends together in a unique and interesting way. There is also a neat bit of science fiction in the novel dealing with quantum machanics. This should come as no surprise to longtime Koontz fans, as his novels have dealt with time travel in the past. ("Seize the Night" for example). However, here there are no headaches from trying to understand any theory. Koontz explans the theory in a simple and easily understandable way, as much of the explaning comes from the precocious three year olds in the novel. Again, it seems like alot, but Koontz's touch is brilliant. As I finished the book, I thought about how amazing it was that someone could think of, much less write, such a complicated story and make it smooth and endearing. Koontz quite simply has a beautiful mind. Many critics call Koontz "a poor man's King," referring to Stephen King. It should be noted that King reads and adores Koontz's work. This book shows why.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A return to the Koontz you know and love
Review: From the Corner of His Eye is more in the style of Koontz's best loved books. There is wonderful characterization and some genuine emotion in this novel. The novel is original and despite seeming to speed to its conclusion in the last 70 or so pages, the pace will keep you reading. The only quibble I have is with the publisher's blurbs and jacket copy which do not accurately describe the full story of the book. Definitely worth reading and enjoying.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: FANTASTIC!
Review: I am a devoted Dean Koontz fan and have read EVERY book the man has written so far. In my opinion, I think he has outdone himself this time. I was enthralled by the first page! Barty is the most loveable (and interesting) character and his mother as well. Junior has to be the most psycopathic person I have every had the pleasure of reading about. I laughed aloud a few times and had to get out the "hankies" at least a couple of times. All thats left to say is "Bravo"!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Although I was slightly exasperated that this book came out before the final volume of the ongoing Christopher Snow trilogy (Fear Nothing; Sieze the Night), which I have enjoyed immensely, I must say that it is one of the top four or five Koontz novels written thus far.

Leave it to Dean Koontz to create a fiction story based on the bizarre oddities of quantum physics. Although many other authors who attempted this would surely wind up creating a mess, Koontz creates an interesting and compelling story. In fact, once you are about 100 pages from the end, it becomes physically impossible to stop reading.

As in several other of his novels, this story is an intricate intertwining of several individual stories that ultimately come together in the end. In this case, however, the interlocking stories actually lend support to the overall (quantum) theme of the book.

Enoch "Junior" Cain is one of the most twisted, self-deluded Koontz villians since Roy Miro (Dark Rivers of the Heart). Junior, the pathologically vain and self-centered result of reading a few too many idiotic self-help books, is on a quest to find someone named Bartholomew, and he isn't exactly sure why. Standing in his way are first of all, Tom Vanadium, a mysterious ex-priest turned homicide detective - who suspects Junior murdered his own wife; second, Agnes - the resourceful and strong mother of the child prodigy Bartholomew; and finally Junior's own extreme and humiliating physical reactions to his own ever increasing violence. Note: The descriptions of Junior's flattering self-assessments alone are almost worth the price of the book. Koontz has a wickedly biting sense of humor, and I laughed so hard several times that my stomach hurt. Having worked in a bookstore that sold numerous inane self-help books, I recognize character traits of Junior in a lot of people I have met. Hopefully, I'll never meet anybody with all of his character traits.

Bartholomew and his mother Agnes are the heart of optimism in a world that can sometimes be amazingly violent and cruel. The descriptions of their reactions to discovering his eye cancer and the subsequent surgery to remove his eyes are extremely moving. Their love for each other is obvious, and her generosity towards strangers is inspiring. As the sermon (yes, sermon) that ties this book together indicates, every act of kindness sends ripples outward that affect countless others in unknown ways.

Self-help or other-help. Hmmmm? I think we could use a few more Agneses and a few less Juniors.

Kudos Dean. Now...I'm still waiting for Christopher Snow, Orson, and Mungojerrie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Savor it!
Review: If you're going to read one book this month, or this year, this would be an excellent choice! Relax with it, read every word, savor it, put it down only to pick it up again. This book, at over 600 pages, ends much too quickly. Dean Koontz always leaves the reader wanting more. And more.


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