Intensity
Published: Nov 1995 (UK) - Jan 1996 (US)
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: American, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Mystery, Psychological, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Dean Koontz's novel Intensity is a best-selling work. According to Koontz, he created the novel to challenge the popularly accepted belief that thrillers must have intervals of low action to keep the pace moving, instead deciding to maintain the tension high throughout the novel and continuing from crisis to conflict without moments of relieved stress.
The title "Intensity" is accurate, and this novel is Intense from start to finish. Chyna Shepherd is one of my favorite female heroines, second only to Lillith from Octavia Butler's "Lillith's Brood" series, which I also suggest if you enjoy a strong female lead and science fiction.
I've probably read it twice, once in audio and once in print. It's the type of book you can read once a year and appreciate it just as much each time. If you're a fan of Koontz, you won't be disappointed. You will not be disappointed if you appreciate suspense. If you like thrillers, you won't... well, you get the idea. I seriously encourage you to read the first 25 pages of this book, after which you will be unable to put it down.
The adversary is a result of existential nihilism whose life ambition is fulfilling his "reptilian" cravings, whereas the protagonist is a classic moralist who sees a world of human responsibility, hope, and meaning.
I could go on about symbolism and irony, but I don't want to give anything away. I try not to include these connotations or my ideas, such as talking about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein's Monster and stating that he is a victim rather than a monster or a villain, but I find that I start talking or typing and my hands just keep typing, much like one of my favorite authors Stephen King. I understand that some people find it uninteresting, but others enjoy it and want to learn more and compare their own opinions and judgments on a book and its content.
This has to be one of the scariest, most terrifying, most evil books I've ever read. If I could, I'd give it 1000 points or stars! The plot captivated me from the start, and I remained in Koontz's grasp until the shocking conclusion!
My only qualm was Chyna's inability to keep her distance. I wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her on several instances! Some of her decisions were just absurd. But I doubt we'd have had such an exciting narrative without them, would we?
I'm sick of the stubborn heroine who believes no one else can fix problems and puts herself and others in jeopardy. There were a few possibilities she passed up. I get it; if she'd been completely reasonable, there wouldn't have been much of a tale left. I simply hope that our trusted authors would steer clear of this sort of heroin but as I mention before an author has to introduce characters like that or the story will die and not move even one page.
Aside from that, it's still a 1000 star, as you'd expect from Dean Koontz. It can't be anything less than well-thought-out, well-written, and unrelenting. Even though the novels are unrelated, this reminds me of Velocity. If you haven't read Velocity, you should since I like it better.
This book has a very good rating in my opinion. I went into this book with extremely high expectations, which were fulfilled and exceeded. I was promised a terrifying, gut-wrenching, emotional read, and I got it.
This novel does an excellent job of conveying the emotions of the characters and frequently shifts perspectives. You spend two-thirds of the book with Chyna and the other third with Vess, for example.
This explains why the decisions of the characters are so accurate since I can understand their mental processes. Some books fail to achieve this by having characters make spontaneous judgments that I am expected to accept as a reader. This novel does not allow for a ridiculous narrative and never leaves you wondering why a character would do something.
Although this is one of the finest novels I've ever read, I have a few minor quibbles. To begin with, the author can go into these extensive description sessions with our characters at various moments in the narrative. For example, Chyna enters an automobile that appears only once in the whole novel. The author then describes the automobile for three to five minutes of reading time.
Don't get me wrong, I love descriptive writing, but this book pushed it to a whole new level several times. This, along with a few other minor problems, is all I have to say about this book. This is a must-read for me, and one of the greatest books by this author I've read.
I strongly advise everybody who can get their hands on it to read it. It will captivate you for hours on end and make you fearfully check behind your back. I recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a scary and suspenseful journey. This book is not for the faint of heart and is intended for a more adult audience. Overall, this is one of the finest books I've ever read, and the intensity is real.
In 1997, Intensity was converted into a two-part TV movie that was broadcast on the Fox Network in the United States. Molly Parker, John C. McGinley, and Tori Paul appeared in it.
Several moviegoers pointed out strong parallels between the plots of High Tension and Intensity. When asked about the parallels at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004, director Alexandre Aja said that he had read the novel and was aware of them.
According to his website, Koontz was aware of the parallel but would not sue "because he regarded the picture so puerile, repulsive, and intellectually bankrupt that he didn't want the association with it that would certainly arise if he filed a case against the filmmaker."
I was unable to obtain a decent and trustworthy source for paid movie downloads or online sales, but as soon as I do, I will include the links on this page. If anyone has a source, please share it with me.
Final Thoughts
I had a great time reading about Vess. He was the maniacal serial murderer who was torturing Chyna. His character was one of the most intriguing aspects of the novel for me, and he kept the book in my hands.
The topic in the book isn't precisely realistic, but it depicted the thoughts and sentiments I would have if I were in the same circumstance.
I feel like the main character in a lot of stories makes terrible judgments that I would never make, but Chyna is a really good decision-maker in this narrative. The characters are also fairly trustworthy. She had a difficult background, and that upbringing might sometimes hold her back in adulthood. This may be incredibly relatable to someone who has had a similar childhood.
It's neither the best nor worst narrative I've ever read and it depends on who is reading, but it's interesting and gets the message through.
One of the most captivating novels I've ever read! It keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way to the finish. The writing is fantastic, the characters are wonderfully developed, and the action will take your breath away. The author does an excellent job of providing the reader with a realistic and often horrifying image of events.
This narrative will take you by the soul and twist and pull at your basic beliefs till you want to scream.... or stop the adventure... but you can't. Then the trek downhill begins again..... And this time it will terrify the heck out of you.
This is how I would characterize the book in a nutshell; it was really nicely written. Suspenseful and heavy. Captivating main characters—you won't be able to put it down, even if your stomach is tightened and you need to take a break from the book to breathe. Simply awesome!
Synopsis
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This ebook edition contains a special preview of Dean Koontz’s The Silent Corner.
Past midnight, Chyna Shepard, twenty-six, gazes out a moonlit window, unable to sleep on her first night in the Napa Valley home of her best friend’s family. Instinct proves reliable. A murderous sociopath, Edgler Foreman Vess, has entered the house, intent on killing everyone inside. A self-proclaimed “homicidal adventurer,” Vess lives only to satisfy all appetites as they arise, to immerse himself in sensation, to live without fear, remorse, or limits, to live with intensity. Chyna is trapped in his deadly orbit.
Chyna is a survivor, toughened by a lifelong struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. At first her sole aim is to get out alive—until, by chance, she learns the identity of Vess’s next intended victim, a faraway innocent only she can save. Driven by a newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every inner resource she has to save an endangered girl . . . as moment by moment, the terrifying threat of Edgler Foreman Vess intensifies.
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Alexandre Aja, Bad Guy, Chyna Shepard, Chyna Shepherd, Edge Of Your Seat, Edgler Foreman, Edgler Vess, Ever Read, Fast Paced, Fox Network, Hard To Put, John C. McGinley, Koontz Books, Molly Parker, Page Turner, Serial Killer, Tori Paul, Years Ago
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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