Hardcover, 352 pages
English language
Published June 7, 2008 by Bantam Books.
Only a handful of fictional characters are recognized by first name alone. Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas is one of those rare literary heroes who have come alive in readers' imaginations as he explores the greatest mysteries of this world and the next with his inimitable wit, heart, and quiet gallantry. Now Koontz follows Odd as he is irresistibly drawn onward to a destiny he cannot imagine and to undreamed of places where the perils he will face and the stakes for which he fights will eclipse all that he has known. The legend began in the obscure little town of Pico Mundo. A fry cook named Odd was rumored to have the extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. Through tragedy and triumph, exhilaration and heartbreak, word of Odd Thomas's gifts filtered far beyond Pico Mundo, attracting unforgettable new friends--and enemies of implacable evil. With great gifts comes the responsibility …
Only a handful of fictional characters are recognized by first name alone. Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas is one of those rare literary heroes who have come alive in readers' imaginations as he explores the greatest mysteries of this world and the next with his inimitable wit, heart, and quiet gallantry. Now Koontz follows Odd as he is irresistibly drawn onward to a destiny he cannot imagine and to undreamed of places where the perils he will face and the stakes for which he fights will eclipse all that he has known. The legend began in the obscure little town of Pico Mundo. A fry cook named Odd was rumored to have the extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. Through tragedy and triumph, exhilaration and heartbreak, word of Odd Thomas's gifts filtered far beyond Pico Mundo, attracting unforgettable new friends--and enemies of implacable evil. With great gifts comes the responsibility to meet great challenges. But no mere human being was ever meant to face the darkness that now stalks the world--not even one as oddly special as Odd Thomas. After grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil that separates him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two otherworldly sidekicks--his dog Boo and a new companion, one of the few who might rival his old pal Elvis. But a true hero, however humble, must persevere. Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems. Now the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority...and in this dark night of the soul dawn will come only after the most shattering revelations of all.Burnishing Dean Koontz's stature as a master of suspense and one of our most innovative and gifted storytellers, Odd Hours illuminates a legacy of mystery and hope that will shine on long after the final page.From the Hardcover edition.
I read this on an airplane and found it moderately interesting and entertaining. It was not spooky or thrilling. I'll try the next in the series to see if that perks up a bit and makes the series worth investing more time in.
How bizarre. A remarkably enjoyable book, despite an utterly implausible plot (four or five random men managing to broken a multinational deal to have four nuclear warheads delivered via a little boat?) and what must be the most irritating supporting character in the world.
The whole thing is saved by the almost dreamlike quality of the writing. Time was fluid, everything was odd.
It was just weird.
Easily the second best of the (so far) 4-novel Odd Thomas series. Second only to the original Odd Thomas book.
It had lingering dead, famous spirits (although not enough Frank, IMHO), drama, tension, loss, and unanswered questions. Everything that made the first one great, minus the predictability of the 3rd novel, [book:Brother Odd].
HIGHLY recommended to Dean Koontz and Odd Thomas fans.
Because I aim for rational, critical thinking in so much of the rest of my life, I enjoy my fiction, my TV and my movies with a strong dose of the impossible. In the case of Dean Koontz, that doesn't mean futuristic sci-fi, but often does mean granting some rule of nature being bent or broken, bringing a bit of the supernatural to otherwise modern stories.
The "Odd" series is one of my favorites (and clearly one that others like too, given the sales figures). The latest isn't quite as enjoyable as the last couple have been, but was still enjoyable, nonetheless. If you haven't read any of this series, featuring Odd Thomas, the fry cook who sees dead people and hangs out with the ghost of Elvis in Pico Mundo, CA, you should definitely read at least the first one.
If you have been following the series, this one …
Because I aim for rational, critical thinking in so much of the rest of my life, I enjoy my fiction, my TV and my movies with a strong dose of the impossible. In the case of Dean Koontz, that doesn't mean futuristic sci-fi, but often does mean granting some rule of nature being bent or broken, bringing a bit of the supernatural to otherwise modern stories.
The "Odd" series is one of my favorites (and clearly one that others like too, given the sales figures). The latest isn't quite as enjoyable as the last couple have been, but was still enjoyable, nonetheless. If you haven't read any of this series, featuring Odd Thomas, the fry cook who sees dead people and hangs out with the ghost of Elvis in Pico Mundo, CA, you should definitely read at least the first one.
If you have been following the series, this one follows a similar story to the others, with Odd falling into the middle of a big mess, relying on his supernatural gifts and the guidance of the silent ghost of Frank Sinatra to work things out.
It's also worth noting that the audiobooks in the "Odd" series are particularly well done as well.
