Ticktock
Published: July 1996
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: American, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Literature, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Ticktock is a novel by Dean Koontz that deviates dramatically from his usual genre: after a traditional horror introduction, the tone of the tale shifts to screwball comedy, with the humor increasing progressively until the finish. The subplot involving protagonist Tommy Phan's attempt to reconcile his family's strong grasp on their Vietnamese heritage with his personal ambition to be totally American is crucial to story development.
I've read and re-read this book several times since its first publication years ago, and it never fails to keep me on the tip of my seat. It's thrilling, funny, and magical, and each time I read it, I discover something new. It is still one of my all-time favorite of Dean Koontz's novels.
Unlike much of Koontz's writing, this is a screwball comedy/horror novel in which the "funny" progressively surpasses the terror. Serious themes of pagan magic and family disputes between ancestral Vietnamese tradition and the "American Dream" are offset by madcap humor reminiscent of 1930s classics like "Bringing Up Baby."
In the Afterword, Koontz states that he wrote the novel partly as a relief from the darker aspects of his work, particularly Dark Rivers of the Heart, and partly for the challenge of writing a good screwball comedy, and he truly succeeded in making something that made me grin, and it is really difficult to make me smile, much alone laugh out loud. However, he was successful on a few occasions to do that also.
I've been a Koontz fan for years, and just hearing his name is enough to get me to buy a book. I approached Ticktock with the same mentality.
This isn't your usual Koontz tale. It contains some magical themes and a few stressful sequences, but it's a lot lighter and (I must add) more comic than any of his previous works I've read.
Tommy is a fantastic character, a Vietnamese-American struggling novelist attempting to get through each day before being drawn into circumstances beyond his comprehension or control. He's the quintessential everyday hero with such a charming demeanor that you can't help but cheer for him.
Odd Thomas is one of my favorite Dean Koontz novels. I appreciate how he humanizes every one of the characters I've read so far. I like how they are silly but cool, with just the right amount of mystery about them.
I don't usually read romance novels, but I appreciate love tales like this one. Honestly, I don't think this was all about the doll in the first place. I enjoyed the narrative that Tommy and Del presented. Koontz, in my opinion, is a hopeless romantic, and many of his leads are suggestive of his earlier writings. Of course, all writers eventually return to their earlier work.
In any case, I definitely suggest this book. If you can get beyond the ridiculousness of the doll, you get a fantastic love tale; I really like how he incorporates E.T. references. I enjoy how he's not afraid to go in any direction when discussing something spiritual, biblical, or unknown.
Take a look for yourself, and you'll see that it's not quite as horrible as some claim. I've explained in length later in the review why some readers didn't appreciate the book, despite its greatness. Just read the beginning of "Final Thoughts" to understand what I mean.
I adored both mothers and Deliverance's character design. The narrative and ultimate reveal were so unique, inventive, ridiculous, thrilling, amusing, and dramatic.
The beginning can be a little slow due to the long explanations and the usual detailed stuff that the author does, so just keep up for about twenty-five pages in the start and you won't be able to stop reading, basically, when Del enters the story, she injects it with high octane fuel that makes our brain run super fast as well as the words on the pages.
I adored the characters and the plot. I was heartbroken when the narrative ended and still miss the characters as I write this review. I was anticipating for further novels that told about Tommy and Deliverance's exploits and those of their families, but I'm still waiting.
Final Thoughts
Yes, a handful of my reader friends and other readers did not enjoy it, and I discovered two reasons for this. One reason is that they are just racists, and the second is that we have high expectations of particular authors, and we want them to write what we want rather than what they want.
This is an excellent use of your time. Is it frightening? Not at all. Is it a light read that will keep you entertained? Definitely.
The intensity remained, but the humorous relief had me flipping pages late into the night. If you like this genre, I highly suggest it! "Dark Rivers of the Heart" is one of my ultimate favorites; this came close, but for very different reasons!
I've been a Dean Koontz fan for a very long time. Phantoms and Watchers are a few of starter novels that I can recommend, and sure, you may attempt many more if you've never read him before, but some of his books can be complex and may cause you to stop at the first book, so start with higher-rated books to acclimate to his style.
This one was ideal. I liked each character and appreciated the backstory if it was provided. This novel made me want to delve into their exploits, wishing the book didn't end, as it always does with Koontz works, and grateful that my imagination refused to image the rag doll rat speedy demon thing.
Once again, I must advise horror-thriller enthusiasts not to buy this book expecting it to be like many other Koontz works. It's a terrific narrative, but it's not what you'd expect from him.
The characters are one of the nicest aspects of this narrative; the way they respond to one another is amusing, and I found myself smiling as I read some of the exchanges. I liked how Koontz injected some levity into the 'bad drama' that is hunting them. Which was the story's magic.
The ending was cliché, but it was still entertaining. I prefer scientific explanations of how things work in a novel. This one was more Sci-Fi, certainly, but it was still adequate.
Synopsis
“Tommy Phan is a 30-year-old Vietnamese-American detective and novelist living in Southern California, and a chaser of the American Dream. He drives home his brand-new Corvette one day to discover a strange doll on his doorstep. It's a rag doll made entirely of white cloth, with no face or hair or clothes. Where the eyes should be, there are two crossed stitches of black thread. Five sets of crossed black stitches mark the mouth, and another pair form an X over the heart.
He brings it into the house. That night, he hears an odd little popping sound and looks up to see the crossed stitches over the doll's heart breaking apart. When he picks up the doll, he feels something pulsing in its chest. Another thread unravels to reveal a reptilian green eye --and not a doll's eye, because it blinks.
Tommy Phan pursues the thing as it scrambles away into his house -- and then is pursued by it as it evolves from a terrifying and vicious minikin into a hulking and formidable opponent bent on killing him.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City.”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Deliverance Payne, Edge Of My Seat, Fast Paced, Highly Recommend, Koontz Books, Page Turner, Rag Doll, Really Enjoyed, Screwball Comedy, Tick Tock, Tommy Phan, Years Ago
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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