Dark Rivers of the Heart
Published: 1994
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: Conspiracy, Espionage, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Political, Spy, Supernatural, Suspense, Technothriller, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Dean Koontz's novel Dark Rivers of the Heart is an espionage thriller. No one can match Koontz's ability to build great characters, from horribly flawed yet unapologetically entirely decent to sophisticated and unthinkably wicked, and to design for them intriguing scenarios that are both absolutely ridiculous and terrifyingly plausible. And no one can match Koontz's command of the discourse. This work exemplifies his mastery of the art, and, as has been his custom, contains a dog as a complete character. For me, if I don't encounter a dog in a Dean Koontz work, I believe it's incomplete, another thing I mentioned is that he is unrivaled… it is not entirely accurate if you are including other greats such as Stephen King.
In this book, Koontz focuses on one of our greatest threats: the world's growing fascist governments, particularly at the federal level, but to a lesser extent at other levels. The more authority governments give themselves, the more appealing "service" becomes to bad people, and the more power these terrible individuals wield over innocent people, the less appealing "service" becomes to good people.
Over the last few years, the government's attention has shifted from predators to those who resist the government's growing authority. Murderers sentenced to life in jail without the possibility of parole have been freed by the same "authorities" who aggressively arrest company owners for refusing to obey and bankrupting themselves at the government's whim. Almost everything Koontz prophesied has come true. This book was astonishingly foresighted.
I read this many years ago, but a few years after it was published in 1994, and it has stood the test of time well. Remember, this was written when we were only finding Windows 95 and computer technology was just getting started, so considering what Koontz had to deal with, I'd think he did an excellent job.
This big brother is watching story begins with a fortuitous encounter between a guy and a woman at a bar and leads the reader on a journey to hell and back. Dean Koontz gives us one of his best thrillers, only this time there's no supernatural element, just a great story of conspiracy and greed with a little romance.
From power-mad secret governmental agencies run by insane killers to two people and a dog in a pedal to the metal flight across the country to avoid capture and certain death. This work clearly displays what Koontz can achieve with a genre other than horror.
Go ahead and read it if you haven't already. And if you've previously read it and appreciated it, you might want to read it again in light of today's social networking media-crazed world.
His most recent novels, according to some, have not lived up to this standard. But I think he was and still is a terrific writer, and all of his works are enjoyable to read.
I loved the extensively researched facts, which ranged from L.A.'s gum trees to high-tech monitoring tactics and computer hacking.
I particularly like Koontz's brilliance in connecting the past and present and employing dream sequences in an un-clumsy manner. Any backstory that was inserted was captivating rather than ponderous. And I'm a sucker for conspiracies, so the shadow government worked for me. He made it credible and terrifying.
One of my all-time favorite novels. Intrigue, advanced tech (for the period), espionage, stealth, and pursuit all contribute to a fascinating narrative. I wish Koontz will write more like this, maybe with modern, super-tech in mind. The technology described in the book was not even available at the time it was published. This is one of his few non-mystical or otherworldly novels.
This was a thrilling ride that I thoroughly liked. The finale had some delicious justice, but it left things a little jumbled. I hoped Koontz had flipped the script on the assassin and let the monster murder the creator. If you've read the book, you'll understand what I mean.
The irony would have been delightful, and I was sorry that he didn't pull the trigger. Also, Valerie makes a point of saying she'll have to kill whoever is chasing her, yet that encounter never occurs in the novel. I was duped into thinking it would appear near the conclusion of the novel and was disappointed when it didn't. But that's all I'll say to protect new readers from spoilers.
Overall, I loved the narrative, although I wish the ending had been a little more neat and gratifying. It may have been different if Koontz had done things differently.
Despite the fact that this novel is profoundly dark, terrifying, and so beautifully described that it frequently seems to represent current events, Dean Koontz manages to nurture hope for a better future. It was difficult to put down the book to go about my daily activities, but finishing the novel was well worth the effort.
Final Thoughts
One of my favorite author's is Dean Koontz. This is without a doubt one of his greatest novels, right up there with "Watchers." It's fast-paced, with an engaging and thought-provoking plot about a corrupt government that's probably closer to the truth than any of us like to think about too hard.
By the end of this fantastic adventure, you'll feel like you know the characters personally. Mr. Koontz, you've done it again and again! I wish I had your enthusiasm for life. Please do not slow down and continue to publish books.
Dark Rivers of the Heart released many years ago, depicts the social and political attitudes of 2015 and many years following. In comparison to Dan Brown's Digital Fortress, which examines the impact of technology on society, Koontz strikes all the appropriate notes with the location and people in this novel.
As with most of Koontz's works, he strikes a balance between descriptive mood and action. Dark Rivers of the Heart is a fantastic work in its genre.
Check it out if you're looking for a well-researched novel with rounded characters, a gripping narrative with beautifully interwoven strands of past and present, and a great dog who eventually gets his day to be a hero.
Everyone gushes over the Watchers and other stories, and deservedly so. But Dark Rivers of the Heart is maybe one of my favorites. It is one of his larger works, and it incorporates more underground government agency material than others.
The struggle of the main characters is prominent, and you are cheering for them to catch up to each other. Their adversary is the most powerful and merciless undercover government spy you'll ever read about, with infinite finance and human resources to fulfill his goals. Not to add his terrible peculiarities/hobbies as a warped personality. Dark Rivers of the Heart is highly recommended.
Synopsis
“BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City.
A man and a woman meet by chance in a bar. Suddenly they are fleeing the long arm of a clandestine and increasingly powerful renegade government agency -- the woman hunted for the information she possesses, the man mistaken as her comrade in a burgeoning resistance movement.
The architect of the chase is a man of uncommon madness and cruelty -- ruthless, possibly psychotic, and equipped with a vast technological arsenal. He is the brazen face of an insidiously fascistic future. And he is virtually unstoppable. But he has never before come up against the likes of his current quarry. Both of them are survivors of singularly horrific pasts. Both have long been emboldened by their experiences to fight with reckless courage for their own freedom. Now they are plunged into a struggle for the freedom of their country, and for the sanctity of their own lives.
Dark Rivers of the Heart is an electrifying thriller that steers us along the razor edge of a familiar, terrifying reality.”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Asset Forfeiture, Dark Rivers, Edge Of Your Seat, Forfeiture Laws, Government Agency, Koontz Books, Roy Miro, Spencer Grant, Valerie Keene, Years Ago
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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