Dean Koontz - Dead and Alive

Finally after three years of waiting I have wrapped up the Dean Koontz Frankenstein trilogy!

For those who don't know the third book was due to be released a couple of years back but Koontz' writing about the world coming to an end in New Orleans co-incided with Hurricane Katrina. He decided that it would be a little tastelesss to release the conclusive book so it was held back.

For those who don't know the background to the series, Koontz provides his own take on the Frankenstein tale. Victor Helios - aka Frankenstein - is alive and well and busy building a super "New" Race to replace humanity. However his plans go awry as his creations begin to suffer a series of "malfunctions" and he rapidly begins to lose control.

New Orleans is on the brink of collapse and the only thing standing between the pending havoc are two police detectives and Helios' first creation who has come back to extract revenge.

The book itself was very readable and I got through it quite quickly but I felt it lacked some of the intrigue and punch of the first two books. The conclusion wasn't bad but felt a bit disjointed in getting there. I almost got the sense that Koontz had put in too many characters (presumably to emphasise the havoc) and it all fell apart a bit.

I was almost expecting a tale of running gun battles in the street as the Old Race defended themselves against the New Race but it didn't quite build up enough urgency to get to that point.

Title: Dead or Alive - Book 3
Author: Dean Koontz
ISBN: 978-0-00-720311-6

Rated the book a 3 out of 5 but the first two books are essential reading.

You can buy the book online for R95 or follow the Loot banners on the right hand side of the blog.

In Odd we Trust - Dean Koontz

Upfront I bought this book by accident.... well sort of.

I am an avid Dean Koontz fan and will buy any of his books when they hit the shelves - I just wasn't counting on a comic (or as they term it a "graphic novel") when I bought it.

The idea of reading a comic was something that I thought I was passed and it turned out I was right - the format holds no appeal for me as a title and I'll definately have to double check the next Dean Koontz I buy is not a comic.

Having said that I am sure there are probably many young teenagers who have yet to experience the brilliance of Koontz and might find this a good way to check out whether or not they like the author and the genre.

"In Odd We Trust" features the brilliant Odd Thomas character - a teenager who can see the dead - including the ghost of Elvis Presley. Odd Thomas is probably one of the best characters I have ever come across (in the other Koontz novels not the comic type).

Title: In Odd We Trust
Author: Dean Koontz

Synopsis
When the sad specter of a very frightened boy finds its way to him, Odd vows to root out the evil suddenly infecting the sunny streets of Pico Mundo. But even with his exceptional ability-plus the local police and his pistol-packing girlfriend, Stormy, backing him-is Odd any match for a faceless stalker who's always a step ahead . . . and determined to kill again?

You can buy this book online from retailer Loot (follow URL or banner right) for R85

Rated the book (Comic?!) a 2 out of 5

Bestsellers

As usual on a Sunday we take a look at the best-selling books on the various online retail platforms:

Two noticeable titles stood out for me this week:

First up was the third book in the Dean Koontz Frankenstein series which has been eagerly awaited after its release date was held back.

Secondly with Edward Kennedy departing the planet earlier this week, I see his memoirs were popular on Amazon

Take2
1. New Moon - Meyer, Stephenie
2. Eclipse - Meyer, Stephenie
3. Twilight - Meyer, Stephenie
4. Breaking Dawn - Meyer, Stephenie
5. Girl Who Played with Fire - Larsson, Stieg
6. Faefever - Moning, Karen Marie
7. Bengal's Heart - Leigh, Lora
8. Twilight - Meyer, Stephenie
9. Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book 3 - Koontz, Dean R.
10. Hidden Currents - Feehan, Christine

Exclusive Books
1. Architects of Poverty
2. Spud - Learning to Fly
3. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
4. New Moon
5. Breaking Dawn
6. Eclipse
7. Outliers
8. Twilight
9. Roadside Crosses
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Amazon.com
1. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
2. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association - American Psychological Association
3. Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One (1) (Vol 1) - Julia Child
4. True Compass: A Memoir - Edward M.Kennedy
5. Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government - Glenn Beck
6. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
7. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
8. Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies - Michelle Malkin
9. The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships - Jerry Hicks
10. Sookie Stackhouse, Books 1-7 - Charlaine Harris

Kalahari.Net
1. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
2. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
3. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
4. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
5. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
6. Spud Learning to Fly - John Van de Ruit
7. Bittersoet - Natasha Sutherland
8. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
9. Thula-thula - Annelie Botes
10. Now, Discover Your Strengths: How to Develop Your Talents and Those of the People You Manage: How to Develop Your Talents and Those of the People You Manage - Donald O. Clifton; Marcus Buckingham

Dean Koontz - Your heart belongs to me

The latest offering from Dean Koontz is an absolute cracker...

One word for you - SUBTEXT - you'll have to read the book to understand what I mean but I promise you it is well worth the read.

As Koontz has gone along, he's moved more away from the macabre horror stories to the psychological thrillers with a twist and this one was no different. Let's put it this way - I started reading the book about 7:30 this morning and three hours later I was wrapping it up - it was just that damn engrossing and arguably one of the best books of his I have ever read....

... One of those books that leaves you thinking about the world as a whole and not just escaping into fiction for a while.

The story itself involves a multi-millionaire with everything to live for. He suddenly learns that he has less than a year to live unless he receives a vital heart transplant.

Out of the blue a heart becomes available and everything goes smoothly until he starts getting threatening letter and warnings - somebody wants their heart back....

After that you're sucked along on a fantastic read that will leave you gasping for breath... Wow!

Author: Dean Koontz
Title: Your Heart Belongs to me
ISBN-13: 978-0-00-726756-9
Loot price: R279.00 (see banner right)

A cracking book - rated it four and half out of five.

Odd Hours

Odd Hours is the fourth book featuring the Dean Koontz character "Odd Thomas" and to be honest, I got the impression it was a book too far...

At least for the moment.

For those who haven't read the previous three books, Odd Thomas is a young man who has the ability to see the lingering spirits of the dead and is "telephathically" drawn to trouble or people in need.

Don't get me wrong - Odd Thomas is a great (colourful) character and Koontz has continued his ability to come up with witty one-liners and tongue in cheek dialogue, but I just got the feeling that something was missing in this book.

In a nutshell, Thomas is drawn to the town of Magic Beach off the California coast where he finds work as an assistant to a once-famous film star.

Odd has some unusual dreams that has left him trying to work out what he is seeing and how it ties into some rather shady characters he keeps running into.

Anyway the reader gets pulled along for an entertaining but not earth shattering story as Thomas slowly starts to unravel a very dodgy plot. If I had not known the Thomas character or that it was written by Koontz I suspect I would have been less disappointed.

Title: Odd Hours
Author: Dean Koontz
ISBN: 978-0-00-726754-5

We rated it a 3.5 out of 5 and while it was entertaining it wasn't necessarily the kick ass line we expected from Koontz.