mass market paperback, 397 pages
English language
Published Aug. 7, 2009 by Bantam Books.
Haunted by dreams of a powerful red tide, Odd Thomas, accompanied by two otherworldly sidekicks--his dog Boo and the Chairman of the Board--is drawn to a small California coastal town, where nothing is at it appears and where he confronts overwhelming and sinister forces out to stop his quest.
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.
