House of Odd Review

House of Odd

Published: 20, March 2012

Author: Dean Koontz, Landry Q. Walker, Queenie Chan

Genre: Comic, Crime, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Horror, Manga, Mystery, Thriller

Odd Thomas Graphic Novels Book 3

Check the summary of this book here:

House of Odd Summary

The Review

House of Odd is Dean Koontz's third graphic novel featuring Odd Thomas. Landry Walker and Koontz wrote it, while Queenie Chan illustrated it in Manga style. House of Odd is a must-read for fans of Odd Thomas and his admirers, as well as a fantastic introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the series. 

Don't pass it up! This was a delightful and intriguing prequel to the events of Odd Thomas' first novel. These graphic books are an excellent introduction to the character and are lighter in tone and scope than the novels, but they are no less engaging. 

We get a glimpse of what came before and the history of Odd and Stormy in the comic books. House of Odd is a pleasant and easy one-sitting read for those who have followed Odd from the beginning to newcomers who came across the title while browsing graphic novel selections.

It's fantastic as a science fiction/fantasy mash-up. The characters are fantastic, the universe is colorful, and the tale is rich, especially for such a short story.

Time to highlight that this is a comic book and not a novel with only text in it, and the main information that some readers need to understand is that a graphic novel does not mean a scary or violent novel, but rather a comic book, so please do not buy this book or any book in this series if you do not like comics, and do not blame me or the author if you do. 

I know a lot of people who were upset and disappointed when they purchased the book online and then opened it to read it. Because they assumed it was a novel, but when it turned out to be a comic book, they blamed Dean Koontz and gave the book negative ratings and reviews without even reading the material, but in reality, these readers were the ones who made a mistake and had no knowledge that a graphic novel meant a comic.

Once again, Koontz and his comic colleagues provide another fantastic Odd Thomas Manga. As previously stated, I believe you would like them a lot more if you read at least the first novel before diving in, to get a sense of the characters. 

This one takes a somewhat different approach in that it is framed as Odd writing down more of his exploits sometime after Odd Hours—it is still set before the events of the first novel but is told from a later point in time and Odd is dealing with something new.

I absolutely liked this book. The first was excellent, whereas the second was only OK. But this one has truly pushed the boundaries. The artwork is wonderful and properly reflects Odd Thomas' world!

This is what will happen in a few lines... You either like graphic books or you don't, and some readers may not. But having these 'early' stories, with Stormy, and others from the main gang was fantastic for me. You can read them in around ten minutes but feel delighted he did it with the artists.

If you don't mind reading comic books, this is a must-read. Another fantastic addition to the Odd series, and the more you read, the more you want, and I've been waiting a long time for a new book or comic in the Odd saga.

I adored Queenie Chan's artwork, as well as the other two in this series In Odd We Trust and Odd Is on Our Side. She is a fantastic artist, and I believe she has captured Odd precisely. I also bought and read her Manga series 'The Dreaming,' which was inspired by her work on the Odd Thomas series, and I really enjoyed it.

The tale is, as is typical for a graphic book, more of a short story than a novel, but it's far from horrible. I adore receiving these tiny Odd vignettes outside of Koontz's works! In this one, Odd is asked to assist a buddy in determining what is causing workers to flee a construction site and never return.

Odd Thomas is one of the greatest and most distinctive literary characters to appear in a long time, and Queenie Chan's interpretation of the character is excellent. Stormy is alive, well, and kicking behinds in the graphic novels, which are set before the events in the first Odd Thomas novel.

This is the final and, in my opinion, best of the original graphic novels in this series, and I hope there will be more soon.

Even with the occasional Manga eyes in the picture, I really enjoyed this book. Overall, I liked it.

Final Thoughts

This is the third installment of Dean Koontz's graphic novel series. See my previous reviews, where I discuss Dean Koontz's works in general, as well as Odd Thomas and these graphic novels. Landry Q. Walker collaborated with Dean Koontz on the series for the first time. It's a better tale with more humor than the previous two volumes.

Odd Thomas' acquaintance invites him to assist a movie director who has purchased a mansion that appears to be haunted. However, she believes Odd and his pistol-wielding girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn are inexperienced and incapable of assisting her, despite the fact that, as we all know, they are. 

Odd has the gift of seeing the dead. She recruits a squad of three ghost-busters, three imposters who execute absurd deeds that contribute to the story's hilarity. Both adults and children will love this book and, perhaps, be motivated to read more of Koontz's writings.

These Odd Thomas comic books are incredible. And rather fascinating. The artwork is superb. However, I feel that the graphic books are a step down from the regular Odd Thomas tales in that it is not a full-length novel and may be considered a short story or novella if you count the text, but it is still not awful because the art can convey the plot.

A wonderfully enjoyable book that comes highly recommended. Excellent artwork and an entertaining plot in the vein of Koontz's Odd series. I appreciate the concept and would want to see and learn more about it.

Synopsis

“Could there really be such a thing as hell on earth? Odd only knows.

#1 New York Times bestselling maestro of macabre suspense Dean Koontz plunges everyone’s favorite spirit-spotting fry cook into his most frightening encounter yet, in the thrill-packed third Odd Thomas graphic novel.

Transforming a ramshackle mansion into a dream house has become a nightmare for onetime Hollywood producer Nedra Nolan, whose newly purchased fixer-upper in Pico Mundo has sent a string of spooked contractors scurrying off the job, claiming the place is haunted. Who’s she gonna call? Her friend recommends Odd Thomas, the mild-mannered young man with a gift for communing with ghosts who won’t rest in peace. With his soul mate and sidekick, Stormy Llewellyn, in tow, Odd agrees to investigate the eerie incidents. But his spirit-seeking style is cramped by the obnoxious TV ghost hunters Nedra hires to flush out the troublesome phantoms with elaborate gadgets . . . and a psychic cat.

As night falls and a raging storm traps them all in the maze like manse, Odd tries in vain to scare up some lost souls. But instead, something more terrifying than any apparition—something with flesh, blood, and teeth—makes its sinister presence known. And with nowhere to hide, Odd and his fellow hunters suddenly become the prey.”

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Koontz And The Odd, Like A Comic, Much Better, Odd Books, Odd Series, Regular Books, Thomas Series, Wait For The Next

Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

https://rebrand.ly/House-of-Odd-Kindle

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Odd Is on Our Side Review

Odd Is on Our Side

Published: October 2010

Author: Dean Koontz, Fred Van Lente, Queenie Chan

Genre: Comics, Fiction, Ghost, Graphic Novel, Manga, Mystery

Odd Thomas Graphic Novels Book 2

Check the summary of this book here:

Odd Is on Our Side Summary

The Review

Odd Is on Our Side is Dean Koontz's second graphic novel featuring Odd Thomas. It's written by Fred Van Lente and Koontz, with manga-style artwork by Queenie Chan. The narrative of this book revolves around Odd's premonition that something terrible would occur during his town's Halloween festival. Elvis Presley's spirit wants to help Odd and gestures wildly, but because he can't talk, Odd has difficulties determining what will happen and who is involved.

You must understand that graphic novel means comic book and not a gory or scary book, so it is just a comic and if you buy it, you must understand that it is not a textbook, it has comic book style art that has text with it as a story, so if you buy it, don't blame me or the authors for cheating you into buying it because it clearly says it is a graphic novel! And I am going to remind this to you many times in this review.

I had read all of Odd Thomas books and decided to attempt the graphic novel, which I quite enjoyed. Text that is clean and simple to read. Excellent work of art. The plot is simple to follow. I adore the fact that he can see ghosts and other supernatural beings. Elvis, in particular!

While I appreciate Dean Koontz's novels and the comedy in his Odd Tales, I don't think this story has much depth and the humor is kind of poor. Children, on the other hand, may appreciate the book and be inspired to read his Odd Thomas non-graphic novels, which are a treat.

Dean Koontz wrote several comedic novels about the eccentric yet endearing Odd Thomas, who claims he earned his name Odd because his mother misspelled Todd. However, it is descriptive since Odd is exceedingly intelligent, courteous, and odd; he employs the titles "sir" and "ma'am" even to individuals who are focused on killing him most horrifically. His moniker is also descriptive since, unlike other people, he sees deceased men and women, such as Elvis Presley. The deceased can and frequently do gestures to Odd, but they are unable to talk. Koontz has also collaborated with others on three Odd Thomas graphic books.

Are you new to the franchise? Don't be concerned! This and the other graphic novels will bring you up to speed with the characters without giving too much away about what is to come in the books. 

Odd Is On Our Side is a terrific one-sitting read for younger readers, as well as a must-read for both die-hard Odd fans and newcomers. Examine them out! Without these, your collection is incomplete!

It was an enjoyable read. Of course, it lacks the richness and length of a whole novel, but it is a terrific self-contained narrative worth reading if you like the author and his creation.

I'll say it again: don't buy this if you don't enjoy comic books. I and other comic book fans will be pleased, but if you don't enjoy comics, this might be the worst waste of money for you. 

In the words of a number of my friends, "I had no idea this was even a comic book kind of book. I anticipated a conventional book, like the other weird novels. Was I ever incorrect? I'm not even going to read it since I can't get beyond the 'comic book' element. Those of you who enjoy comic books may be happy with it. I simply wish it said clearly that it is in comic book style." 

Okay time for my reply to these friends... One thing I must clarify is that when you see Graphic Novel printed on a book, it implies it is essentially a Comic Book, thus it was already on the book cover, and it is not the author's responsibility that you are unaware of this.

Odd Thomas is introduced to a new audience of readers. If you're not familiar with "graphic novels," have a look before purchasing this. It's essentially a comic book. However, Manga is much more than a comic book, and if you don't respect that, this is not the book for you.

Queenie Chan, a Hong Kong-born Manga artist living in Australia, drew the book. She is well-known in the Manga community and has a distinct creative flair. She gets interested in Manga projects because she likes the tale and wants to play a part in conveying it. And she demonstrates through her artwork that she likes this book and series, according to her rule of only drawing when she enjoys a story.

As stated before, the narrative was written by Fred Van Lente and Dean Koontz. Soon into the book, the reader will notice Koontz's characters are written by someone else. 

Odd is already recognizable if you've read any of Koontz's Odd novels. Odd is younger in this prequel than he is in the novels. Odd and his lover Stormy Llewellyn are among the well-written characters. There are a number of minor characters who feature in later Odd Thomas works.

The plot is straightforward, including missing children, Halloween, and maybe some poison. Odd is the only one that sees some ghostly characters along the road.

Final Thoughts

This is a traditional Odd Thomas story, and I enjoyed it as always. The art, on the other hand, was not entirely horrible because I like Manga and it was to my liking, but if you don't like Manga, you won't like it as much as I did. 

I thought the artwork had too much Manga in it, especially on the features of the female figures, and you have to see it to realize what I mean.

Odd Thomas's subsequent experiences, or perhaps his former ones, are described in a short, Manga-Esque, graphic novel manner. These volumes are essential reading for lovers of Koontz's main hero, Odd Thomas.

We explore what happened before Odd Thomas in Odd is On Our Side, and we follow Odd and Stormy on their adventures in and around Pico Mundo, California. Look for regulars you've grown to know and love over the course of the Odd Thomas novels.

Once again, all of the Odd novels are fantastic. Good for all ages and any Koontz lover. These are fantastic if you enjoy graphic novels.

This is a classic Koontz novel. It's in a format that most readers aren't used to, or, dare I say, are even interested in. Be cautious before making a purchase! This is a well-written, well-illustrated book for young readers, reluctant readers, anyone with a short attention span, aficionados of the supernatural, or Manga fans.

I read the paperback edition, and the font and images are standard sizes. According to my understanding, the Kindle edition may be more difficult to read. But still, it is worth it if you are into it.

Synopsis

“When things get scary, it’s nice to know that Odd is on our side.

The one and only Odd Thomas is back—in his second edgy and enthralling graphic-novel adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling suspense master Dean Koontz.

It’s Halloween in Pico Mundo, California, and there’s a whiff of something wicked in the autumn air. While the town prepares for its annual festivities, young fry cook Odd Thomas can’t shake the feeling that make-believe goblins and ghouls aren’t the only things on the prowl. And he should know, since he can see what others cannot: the spirits of the restless dead. But even his frequent visitor, the specter of Elvis Presley, can’t seem to point Odd in the right direction.

With the help of his gun-toting girlfriend, Stormy, Odd is out to uncover the terrible truth. Is something sinister afoot in the remote barn guarded by devilish masked men? Has All Hallows Eve mischief taken a malevolent turn? Or is the pleading ghost of a trick-or-treater a frightening omen of doom?”

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Comic Books, Dead People, Fred Van, Like A Comic, Pico Mundo, Story Line, Van Lente, Waste Of Money

Rating: 80/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

https://rebrand.ly/Odd-Is-on-Our-Side-Kindle

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