Odd Hours
Published: 20, May 2008
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: American, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Psychic, Suspense, Thriller
Book 4 of 7: Odd Thomas
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Odd Hours is the fourth novel in horror suspense writer Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series, and it, like the others Odd Thomas, Forever Odd, and Brother Odd, doesn't waste time immersing the reader in the heart and soul of a young man who's both a fantastic short-order cook and a gifted psychic who can see the dead as well as horrifying events that are about to occur.
This is not Odd Thomas from the first three volumes. Looking for the humble, amusing explorer who travels around California confronted by aliens, ghosts, and insane scientists? That is not the case in this narrative.
Odd has matured and gained a sense of self-awareness. Yes, his sense of humor and trust in kindness remain, but this tiny fry chef has learned to use more than a spatula.
Odd is living in Magic Beach, bored of the winter in the California Mountains, cooking, until the fog arrives, along with a peculiar group of human evil men.
He meets Annamaria, who we never really understand, and attempts to save America from nuclear devastation with a motley crew of supernaturally endowed folks. But it's a little over the top, and, like Koontz's manner Your Heart Belongs to Me, there are a lot of loose ends in the plot.
If you appreciate Koontz's writing, especially his more philosophical open-ended stuff, you'll enjoy it a lot. Otherwise, it's an excellent read, maybe the finest sequel yet, with some fascinating characters, tension, and a conclusion that definitely has to be handled in the next Odd book.
Since reading Koontz's Watchers years ago, I've been a fan. I'm an animal lover, which immediately makes me a dog person as well, therefore the particular bond in that narrative was hard not to enjoy.
When I first met Odd Thomas on a cross-country vacation, I thought his narrative was one of the greatest Dean Koontz has written, and I absolutely agree with other readers who like the story and character and say exactly what I just stated.
Odd prides himself on being a simple man. His abilities, on the other hand, make him extremely complicated. He is drawn to exactly what he is seeking for, or in other situations, precisely what he is attempting to escape.
I was engrossed in each of Odd's four volumes, waiting to see what would happen next. What I liked about the last three Odd Thomas tales was that they all had a satisfying conclusion. It was a full-fledged narrative.
Without giving anything away, this novel begins to connect the other three together. The finale, on the other hand, raises more questions than it answers.
This would be a wonderful marketing tactic if you weren't already a die-hard Odd Thomas fan. This finale, on the other hand, felt flat for those readers who pre-ordered these novels because they knew they'll be fantastic.
If you read this when it originally came out, chances are you were looking forward to the next one, which you'd want to see come out tomorrow if it were feasible at the time (luckily next book is already out for many years at this moment and you can buy it as soon as you are done with this book or much better you order now.)
There was no cliffhanger in this story. Instead, we're left with an unfinished stanza from lovely poetry. It's unclear whether we're supposed to make up our own finale or wait for the next Odd adventure, which I knew was coming since I discovered hints in this book and even near the end of it also.
Whatever the case may be with the flat finish. This is a nice read. The characters are intriguing and engaging. I wouldn't call this one of Koontz's finest works compared to the first book in the series, but I'm giving it to my brother, who is now reading the second installment in the series and he is not even a book lover.
I'm excited about another Odd Thomas novel, and I'm going to pre-order it since Odd is such a nice guy with unique methods of getting out of sticky situations. I've already finished the series (there are seven in all at the moment of posting this review), but I'm hoping for more.
Odd is wearing a sweater with the words MYSTERY TRAIN on it at the opening of the book. He afterwards changes into a T-shirt with the word WYVERN on the front. These are all allusions to the Moonlight Bay Trilogy, implying a probable connection between the two.
The author has developed maybe the finest character of his career in Odd Thomas. Millions of readers, like myself, can't get enough of this magnificent protagonist with his kind nature and compassion, who chooses to combat evil in order to defend the innocent.
Odd is a fictitious character, yet he brings hope to everyone who reads his stories. However, the reader should be aware that in this story, Odd is forced to take matters into his own hands, calculating the cost of a few lives against the cost of millions.
Final Thoughts
If you're searching for something to read on a rainy day, this is the book for you. You don't need to have read the first three books in the series to enjoy this one. As he tells the narrative, Koontz fills in the gaps in the reader's knowledge of the past, but I don't believe it's a smart idea to start with this book.
It's far preferable to start with Odd Thomas, the first novel in the series. This review may not make sense to people who have not read the other three books because this one is kind of a standalone novel.
However, after reading the other three volumes, I'm left with a lot of questions concerning Annamaria, the baby, the lightning grate, and, of course, Stormy's role in it all.
This is one of my favorite of the sequels to the original novel. Sure, there are a lot of unanswered concerns and strange events, but I'm hopeful these will be addressed in upcoming novels (maybe not, given Dean Koontz's narrative style).
This book brings a slew of new personalities and situations for Odd to deal with, all delivered with his characteristic candor.
When you think about the plots of the Odd novels, they generally take place over a single day or a maximum of two and not much truly occurs.
Dean Koontz doesn't feel the need to rush things. Odd's internal monologue and Dean Koontz's descriptions of Odd's surroundings provide the most fun. The action moves quickly. The surrounding features are sketched out. A fantastic read that comes highly recommended!
Synopsis
"#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City.
Only a handful of fictional characters are recognized by first name alone. Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas is one such literary hero, who has 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 drawn onward, to a destiny he cannot imagine. 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."
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Bad Guys, Frank Sinatra, Fry Cook, Ghost Dog, Good Read, Highly Recommend, Looking Forward, Magic Beach, Pico Mundo, Story Line, Thomas Series
Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
Buy the Kindle Version Here
Free With Free Audible Trial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
Buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/namsu
Help me grow into a global force: https://www.patreon.com/namsu
Support with crypto coins/tokens: https://cointr.ee/namsu
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
No comments:
Post a Comment