I laughed so much on page 124 :)

I am about 160 pages into this book. I read a handful of Koontz books about 10 years ago and really like them. This one…um, I don’t know. It seems a bit silly to me. I was expecting a good suspense novel but this one just isn’t doing it for me so far. Some of the dialog is downright hilarious but as a whole I don’t think this book is giving me what I wanted. I’ll continue on and finish the book and hopefully find some redeeming qualities in the process.

I happened to like this book. There were many bits of repartee between Jimmy and Lorrie that made this story so fun to read. The story is bit preposterous with murderous clowns but it was scary and I couldn’t put it down. This was my first Dean Koontz novel and now I’m hooked!

This is my first encounter with Dean Koontz, an author I’ve always been wary of because of his popularity as well as his prolificness. If his other books are anything like this one, I feel completely justified for my hesitation.

I couldn’t put this book down, which says a lot more about Koontz’s use of cheap literary tricks than it does the quality of the writing. This is disappointing, because the premise is interesting – a baby’s grandfather dies on the same night the baby is born, and predicts five dates in the baby’s life that will be terrible. These five days are made a living nightmare by a family of circus clowns. Really, how can you go wrong with that as your plot?

Koontz manages to do it.

The people who forced this book on me swore up and down that it was hilarious. One of the reviews in the front of the book compared it to Dave Barry. However, I think they’re confusing random with funny. I didn’t laugh a single time, and trust me, I have a sense of humor. I’m reduced to giggles on a regular basis, but breaking the narrative to define words and make cultural references aren’t enough to make me laugh, I’m sorry.

What really drove this mediocre book into two-star territory, however, were the last few chapters. There’s a disconcerting shift at the end, and the book concludes by trying to make a gooey, sugary point about how to live your life.

I don’t think I’ll be taking life advice from the same book that features homicidal circus performers and shamelessly manipulates its readers. Thanks, but no thanks.

I have read a lot of books by Dean Koontz but this is by far my favorite. I couldn’t stop laughing – the book is so random and comical you just can’t help it. The situations and characters reaction to them is so much fun, but it still maintains a serious feel throughout. Even if you didn’t like other Koontz novels, try this one – you won’t regret it!