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

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.