Whispers Review

Whispers

Published: April 1980

Author: Dean Koontz

Genre: Adult, American, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Mystery, Parenting, psychological, Serial Killer, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:

Whispers Summary

The Review

Dean Koontz's novel Whispers is a suspense thriller. It was the first of Koontz's novels to reach the New York Times Best Seller list, and it is largely regarded as the book that launched his career as a best-selling novelist. The novel was also turned into a film of the same name in 1990. The film was bizarre. Unlike the book. I like the book, but it terrified me. The film was simply bizarre. The acting was mediocre. It lacked belief, emotion, and realism. They could have done so much better than the finished outcome. Still, the film was passable. Unfortunately, the youngster in the film performed poorly. But then, so were the grownups, and even the bugs were bad actors. 

Despite being scheduled for a theatrical release, the picture was released direct to video in the United States via Live Home Video. In 2012, the film was re-released on DVD under the label Scorpion. I've included a link to the movie at the conclusion of the review, but it may not be available in all countries, so double-check the information on the website you'll arrive at after clicking the link.

Unfortunately, I cannot suggest it to young readers since numerous extended adult paragraphs, scenes, and explanatory passages, particularly in the second half, make for difficult reading.

Though if like me, you enjoy being a witness to the development of a good writer into a great one, and you enjoy the intimacy of that experience, even if it is shared with millions of other readers, you should read "Whispers." The narrative is fascinating intellectually, but the clumsy language makes it less pleasant than many other Koontz stories.

It's not a good introduction for anyone who hasn’t yet learned to enjoy the fantastic rides that his later works provide. I'd want to see a revised and re-edited edition of the book. 

The narrative line is highly intriguing, and the two major protagonists were beautifully done. However, the conversation and explicit scenes had me practically shouting to myself as to why Koontz was writing such ridiculous dialect and too detailed adult material that was characterized as a cheap paperback one would buy in an adult book store. 

Regardless of how original and intriguing the narrative was, these two factors seriously undermined the work. Perhaps the author was doing it for the purpose of the plot, as an experiment, or simply to attract new readers to his novels. I'm not sure, but I believe it hurts more when someone is unable to publicly discuss a book, even if it was excellent, but, it contained adult content.

However, even after saying these things, I must state that they are solely meant for novice readers and/or non-fans; otherwise, it was a fantastic work for fans and readers who enjoy reading large volumes.

Hilary struck me as a fairly strong character. She understands what she wants and how to care for herself, but this is also her weakness.

Minor imperfections were there, but they did not detract from the action. The ancient mansion was situated on a somewhat inaccessible position, so how did they transport workers and goods up there? 

Regardless of Katherine's intricate narrative, in a small town, there would always be one or two nosy neighbors with suspicions, and there would have to be some chatter. 

I'm also not certain that an experienced detective would have allowed himself and two civilians to stroll into a potentially violent scenario or enter a property where there was possible evidence in a live crime investigation, even only to air it out.

Nonetheless, these did not distract from the story's overall suspense. It was a suspense novel, not a study of police procedures or actual crime.

It was amusing, if readers viewed the movie first, the novel will fill up many gaps. and many aspects from the film that brought the tale together.

It's not as fantastic as some of Koontz's later works like my favorites The Key To Midnight and Intensity, but it's still highly fascinating, twisted, dark, strange, and intriguing.

Dean Koontz has us on the edge of our seats, chewing our nails yet again. The suspense builds until I can't take it anymore. Nonetheless, he manages to construct a villain who is so shattered that I end up feeling sad for him.

The first third of the book moved slowly and took me a few days to finish. When it finally began moving, it accelerated. The narrative was fairly predictable, and I recognized how everything was going to play out around the time the speed picked up. 

Even though it was predictable, it kept my attention to the conclusion. There was too much explicit content for my tastes, but that's just my opinion. I don't like romance in thrillers, but this was far too graphic for me, and if I wanted that, I'd read a corny romance novel. As previously stated, I still recommend this book.

Final Thoughts

Only a few authors, like Dean Koontz, can make you sympathize with a nasty serial murderer. Everyone has a history, and for many people, child abuse had a role in shaping who they are. A variation on the divided personality.

Only around three pages into the narrative did it start to get very interesting! Needless to say, this was not your typical stalker tale!!! It began with a more spooky and sci-fi vibe and quickly took off! This one's storyline was right up there with the greatest! This was fantastic and, after all, classic Koontz! It did take a couple of chapters for things to pick up, which is NOT usual of Koontz! 

He usually has you hooked inside the first two pages! "What's going on here?" I kept asking myself throughout the story. What is he up to? 

He was creating an odd, bizarre, and captivating plot. This one is both innovative and intriguing. This is classic Koontz, who, as his admirers know, is extraordinary!!!! 

So, what can I say about this book that is appropriate? To begin with, it boasts one of the finest villains I've ever read about. He's not just psychotic and nasty, but in the end, you understand he's also a victim. You genuinely feel bad for him.

The other characters are equally excellent. They're all of them. It's unusual not to dislike a single character in a novel.

The narrative follows. Simply said, it's a fantastic narrative. Very nicely told and written. Add in a fantastic cast of characters, and you have one heck of a novel.

I've read practically everything Koontz has written, and this is by far one of his greatest. The others, Shattered and Watchers, were not awful; in fact, they were pretty good as well, but not on the same level as this magnificent work. Simply said, this is a must-read.

Synopsis

“#1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz “pulls out all the stops” (Publishers Weekly) in this haunting psychological thriller...

For thirty-five years, Bruno Frye has lived in the shadow of the adopted mother who made his heart beat with constant fear. And even though she died five years ago, the whispers still haunt him in the dark...enough to make him kill—and kill again.

Hilary Thomas is one of his intended victims. And she’s about to learn that even death can’t keep a bad man down...”

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Bruno Frye, Don Carmody, Douglas Jackson, Edge Of My Seat, Even Though, Ever Read, Filmrise, Great Book, Hilary Thomas, Jean Leclerc, John Dunning, Koontz Books, Main Characters, Second Time, Victoria Tennant, Well Written, Years Ago

Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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Whispers (1990) (R)

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The Funhouse Review

The Funhouse

Published: 1980

Author: Dean Koontz (written as Owen West)

Genre: American, Contemporary, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:

The Funhouse Summary

The Review

The Funhouse is a novelization by American author Dean Koontz based on a screenplay written by Larry Block alias Lawrence J. Block and adapted into the 1981 film The Funhouse, directed by Tobe Hooper. The book was released before the film since the film's production took longer than planned. Koontz first published the work under the pen name Owen West.

I initially read this book many years ago and truly enjoyed it. I've read it several times over the years since it's always excellent for a nice shock! However, the film adaptation fell flat and did not adequately convey the tale. 

The audiobook edition was fantastic. Giving the characters voices brought this narrative to life. Although the story focused mostly on Amy, I appreciated how the author introduced you to Gina, Joey, and Liz. Their experiences all fit together nicely, and the backdrop leading up to Amy's ordeal was effectively handled. 

The only thing I would have preferred is a bit more towards the end. It concluded with Liz doing what she thought was best for her circumstances, but I would have wanted to see Amy confront her mother Gina about the actual story behind the funhouse.

It's weird because the first time I read it, I related with the daughter because of her troubles with her mother, which were far more extreme than my own experiences with the individuals I met, and the second time I can't help but identify with the mother and genuinely feel empathy for her. 

Overall, a nice novel. More for the story-telling component than for the shock value. Who knows, maybe I'll pick it up again in ten years. And, in my opinion, if you want to re-read and re-purchase the same book more than once, it says a lot. It has to be good.

I find that Koontz's characters must change and become more than they were when they were introduced, and there is usually a good reason for this. This work, on the other hand, appears to believe that character growth, as shallow as it appears to be, should please us despite of its lack of advancement.

The only slightly developed character in the entire novel is the two-dimensional daughter of a rigid religious mother, who becomes into the person she most feared: her mother, therefore degrading her own daughter with even more fervor and enthusiasm, albeit there is a good explanation for this. Even this character fades as the pages pass since there is no development, understanding, redemption, or even hope.

Mr. Koontz's best guess is that this woman periodically questions who she has become. There were a few times when I believed the light would alter this woman, as the real Dean Koontz could be seen molding her, but he immediately reverted to pen speed and lost any pretense of bringing this character forward.

This novel appears to have been put together from a succession of plot boards that may have appeared coherent but were just slapped together. Points of interest? Quite predictable. 

Finally, an ancient and worn brush is used to paint the "Religious" woman. Novelists nowadays are either unfamiliar with actual spiritual characters or just refuse to depict any religious person as a three-dimensional, sane, reasonable, or even joyous individual.

I see why this lack of "normalcy" is associated with the characters of both religious ladies, but a little more investigation may have given this novel a true story point: salvation. 

In a few words, I'll explain why it seems this way: it's a screenplay that Dean Koontz turned into a novel, so keep that in mind when reading this book, and don't blame him for its flaws.

This was a pleasant read, but it left me wanting much more, perhaps a hundred more pages. I desperately wanted the youngsters to inform their mother what had occurred. I was curious about what occurred as they grew up and had their own children. I sought to know if they will have regular children. 

It took me three days to read it the first time when I was reading around ten other novels, but on the third day, I just proceeded from the hundredth page to the last page. I simply wish the finale continued through Amy and her brother exiting the funhouse. And I'd love to see a sequel to this novel, for which I've been waiting for years.

The narrative seemed to finish abruptly, leaving me wanting more. We seemed to end in the middle of the narrative rather than at the end. However, the reason for this sort of sentiment and tale is because it was taken from a script for a movie that was released after the novel rather than before it.

Final Thoughts

I agree with many of my friends that a better-developed finale might have been achieved with an additional 100 pages, but it remains one of my favorite Koontz readings. 

The fact that it takes place in fictitious Coal County, PA makes you question if it's intended to be Coal Township in the Shamokin region or southwestern Pennsylvania. In any case, the characters are typical of small-town rural Pennsylvania, which adds to the amusement.

This is a fantastic book. I read it once when I was younger, then many times over the years, and now I'm listening to the audio version before writing the review. I didn't recall much about it back then, except that I enjoyed it. Reading it again, I see why I enjoyed it so much. 

The tale is fine albeit a little predictable, but what I truly appreciated was the characters' well-developed depth. You have access to each of the primary characters' brains and consequently the motivation behind their acts.

Dean Koontz will send shivers down your spine. If a horror/paranormal writer can scare you to that extent, believe me when I say it's a truly terrifying read. As seen by his primary characters, Koontz is a superb storyteller and character developer. 

Amy was conflicted until the very end when she matured and could distinguish between evil and everyday life. From beginning to end, The Funhouse is a captivating, enthralling novel that was impossible to put down for such boring duties as earning a livelihood.

I really suggest this book to any horror/paranormal readers. Congratulations, Mr. Koontz. Even with all of its imperfections, it is a fantastic story that I am proud to recommend to all Koontz aficionados and other readers.

Synopsis

“Evil comes in frightening and familiar forms in this terrifying novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.

Once there was a girl who ran away and joined a traveling carnival. She married a man she grew to hate—and gave birth to a child she could never love. A child so monstrous that she killed it with her own hands...

Twenty-five years later, Ellen Harper has a new life, a new husband, and two normal children—Joey loves monster movies and Amy is about to graduate from high school. But their mother drowns her secret guilt in alcohol and prayer. The time has come for Amy and Joey to pay for her sins, because the carnival is coming back to town... “

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

AMC Plus Horror, Amy And Joey, Character Development, Derek Power, Derek Powers, Edge Of Your Seat, Funhouse Loose Ends, Good Read, Jack McDermott, Koontz Books, Largo Woodruff, Long Time, Miles Chapin, Odd Thomas, Owen West, Shawn Carson, Stephen King, Steven Bernhardt, Tobe Hooper, Years Later

Rating: 80/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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The Funhouse (1981) (R)

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The Vision Review

The Vision

Published: 1977

Author: Dean Koontz

Genre: American, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Mystery, Murder, Psychic, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:

The Vision Summary

The Review

Dean Koontz's novel The Vision is a horror mystery. Suspense, anticipation, intrigue, and mystique are all synonyms for suspense. Dean Koontz is at his most creative. His works are usually simple to read and keep you turning the pages, and this one is no exception. It was rather nice for such an early effort. You can see where later efforts that were far more sophisticated came from. I hope Mr. Koontz will return to the early subjects that drew me in as a reader. It appealed to me. What I enjoyed best was that I thought I knew how it would end and that it was predictable but nice... only to discover that it wasn't that predictable and was better than expected... and wonderfully written. 

I just find Koontz to be an entertaining read in general. The Vision is still a lot of fun and distinctly Dean Koontz. It begins slowly and builds to a thrilling finale in the second half.

Koontz's writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, and he always ties up the ends without leaving you with a million questions.

Even while there is an epic surprise in the novel that will make you think about life in a different manner, it was one you could see coming from miles away and I genuinely felt it nearly from the start. There were just too many red herrings in the book to mention. They were there the moment you read them. The only reason I'm not labeling this as a major blunder is because of this amazing twist, which some readers may miss, making it an epic twist for them.

Except for the obviousness of who the killer is, the plot is how it should be and is the greatest portion of the book here. I'm not going to give too much away because of the surprise, but just know that this is the finest tale he's written so far. The storytelling of Dean Koontz's writing career was already strong at the time, but it improved over the years.

You can tell this is one of Koontz's earlier works since it's a little predictable, bordering on clichéd at moments. Despite this, I absolutely loved the book. It's short for a Koontz novel and pretty fast-paced, making it a quick read. 

I was very confident I figured out whodunit inside the first 100 pages, but the (why) was considerably more difficult. Overall, I believe this novel has enough twists and turns to keep most readers entertained.

I am a fan of almost anything written, even murder mysteries with class that are well written, and this one, in my view, is a fantastic mystery that includes both class and writing.

For the most part, I adore Koontz's novels. For me, this one was a touch too predictable. But it had me guessing on the evil guy a number of times. If you were unfamiliar with Koontz's writings, I believe you would have enjoyed it more and it would not have been as predictable. 

Also, the thing I generally adore about his novels, which is his amazing ability to develop his characters, was mildly absent in this one and the reason for this is that I read a lot and sometimes forget that I am trying to keep my standards very high, which is not good for a new author. 

When readers start to keep very high standards and very high hopes, we forget we need to give chance and keep our expectations at a level so we can actually enjoy the books and help the authors by encouraging them.

However, I believe it is more true of his older novels. The Vision was an easy read. And a generally nice plot. It just doesn't have the same depth as his latest work, which is my fave. But still it's well worth reading.

The problem with this book is that it gradually reveals to the reader who the primary villain is, but in cryptic ways, and if you read a lot of books, you will discover who it is. In murder stories, there are basically two styles: one in which the reader knows who the culprit is from the start, and one in which it is completely hidden until the last few pages...but this book is neither of the two because it never tells us who it is and instead gives us hints and we can guess who it is, which is why many readers disliked it.

Yes, it appears that a new author wrote this novel and it worked out well, but when you learn that the author is Dean Koontz, you may be disappointed, but keep in mind that it was one of his early works and it is not as horrible as you believe or hear about it. 

I truly loved this novel in both the book and audio version, and if you give it a chance, I am confident you will appreciate it as well. Aside from that, it's a fantastic mystery and thriller novel! It's also a short and simple read.

Final Thoughts

You turn the pages, anticipating the conclusion, which is once again concealed in a different chapter. Koontz is a true master. He understands how to interact with his readers. It's not his finest novel, but when it comes to best books, everyone has an opinion. 

The Vision kept me engaged for a long time. A necessity for Dean Koontz's admirers - a method for strangers to see what this man is capable of doing to your evenings.

With her tremendous ESP talents and fearless nature, I fell in love with Mary immediately. Max is the ideal match for her, with his powerful arms and even deeper feelings for her. 

The narrative unfolds quickly and provides a terrific trip. It was nearly difficult to put it down to sleep. This is a must-read for every mystery/thriller aficionado. Congratulations, Mr. Koontz for writing this amazing story.

When the storyline slowed down, the characters maintained my attention. I enjoyed the concepts offered and loved the talks that brought the heroine's problems forward.

The Vision is a typical Koontz novel, and that is what I appreciate most about his work. He keeps the reader guessing until the very end when he discloses the true perpetrator, who is not at all who the reader (not myself) suspects. 

The Vision, like many of his stories, has a happy conclusion. I would strongly suggest this book to anyone who likes Dean Koontz's work.

Synopsis

"In this terrifying novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz reveals the darkness in a woman's mind—and the killer lurking there...

Mary Bergen aids the police in solving crimes, those that have happened and those that are about to. Now this gifted clairvoyant is using her psychic gift to help track a serial killer. But something terrible from Mary's past has been invading her dreams and she is haunted by the sound of leathery wings. The killer knows secrets even she has locked away. Knows about the torture she was administered at the hands of a psycho when she was a little girl. And he is coming for her next."

Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Bad Guy, Edge Of Your Seat, Even Though, Good Read, Koontz At His Best, Koontz Books, Koontz Earlier, Love Dean, Mary Bergen, Serial Killer, Twists And Turns

Rating: 90/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

https://rebrand.ly/The-Vision-Kindle

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