Midnight
Published: 1989
Author: Dean Koontz
Genre: American, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Horror, Literature, Political, Science Fiction, Spy, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Midnight is a cross-genre novel written by Dean Koontz. Suspense, science fiction, a love tale, and horror are all present. Midnight, like many other Koontz works, is separated into sections. Part One: Along the Night Coast covers chapters one through fifty-seven. Part Two: Daybreak in Hades has 37 chapters but, like Part One, opens with its own 'Chapter One.' Part Three: The Night Belongs to Them, which opens with its own Chapter One and comprises forty-one chapters.
Midnight was Dean Koontz's first No. 1 hardback on the New York Times bestseller list. Even though I only intended to read a chapter or ten pages like I typically do with most novels, the day I got it and began reading it, that night became another amazing all-night read for me. Started at ten o'clock at night and was completed at five a.m. I was useless the next day since I was so sleepy, but I still read other novels because it is what I enjoy doing, so I was content.
Having said that, revisiting the novel many years later is still as fascinating and delightful as the first time. Because it's 4 a.m., my reading pace has also increased. This book introduced me to Dean Koontz in a new way, and it is still one of my favorites.
Midnight combines two classic plots: the excellent 1950s picture Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. And, fact, Koontz discusses both of them later in the narrative.
This book initially appeared in 1989. It went on to become a huge hit. It has an allegorical sense, as do many of the author's writings. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating horror story that combines several themes: technology, isolation, man's primal human desires, and the moral compass that most of us have. It's a classic horror story about good vs. evil.
It was impossible to put down! Excellent character development and tension, especially at the conclusion. It may even be worth a sequel.
A complicated narrative, with a wide range of characters, each with their own distinct personality, and a wonderful backdrop theme. It discusses human and humane principles, as well as what makes us human and what dehumanizes us. I rejoiced in the triumphs of the "non-converted" characters while fearing for their fate. I think it would make an excellent film with Dakota Fanning as the little girl! One of the greatest fiction (fiction?) novels I've ever read.
Moonlight Cove, a little coastal California community, is experiencing a rebirth in, of all things, murder. It appears that an unusually large number of its residents are being slaughtered and burned. Why is this the case? What exactly is going on? Sam Booker, an undercover FBI agent, is desperate to find out. What he discovers is beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
Because so much of the tale is fairly predictive in terms of technology, the book contains a plethora of awful situations that give the reader pause. The book takes the deterioration and desensitization of humanity through time and through nanotechnology to its logical conclusion.
The author definitely delivers enough food for thought, as well as some memorable characters and terrifying scenes. Fans of the author will undoubtedly like his new Afterword.
Midnight is both the start of evil and the end of hopelessness. This contradiction is seen in all of Koontz's writings, and as clichéd as it may seem, it is pleasant to leave the book feeling, as Koontz does, that kindness will win and love will triumph in the end.
The plot appears to foreshadow the fears expressed by other writers, that the creation of nanobots will be or maybe something that will destroy their creator (think of the TV series "Revolution") but not before causing actual physical changes in man, causing him to lose his "humanness" and become capable of terrifying things.
The presence of a "disabled" and unusual "hero" as well as a great, clever dog/ friend adds to the appeal and serves as a recurring central feature in later works. As a result, the narrative is no longer innovative, but it goes quickly and is an easy read, with characters that are both believable and, as a result, either terrifying (the evil guys) or lovable (the hero and heroines). This is suggested for horror fans who enjoy their horror with a hearty dosage of heart!
Final Thoughts
I was pleased that inside a thriller or horror story, there could be such a good message for people who take the time to reflect between the action sections.
Without giving too much away, the story revolves around the idea that people could be perfected if they were freed of many of their emotions, becoming more like machines.
However, when humans are engineered in this way, their bodies and minds begin to physically fight back and fall into a more animalistic state where desires rule them completely.
Liberal Arts majors will recognize the Romantic response to the Rational Enlightenment, and those of a certain age will notice parallels to the film Altered States. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) advances and some of its supporters refer to humans as "wet robots," this book reminds us of the worth of life in all its defects and urges us not to worship the creature while ignoring the creator.
A fantastically well-crafted work of fiction. Amazing in today's technology, but who knows what the future holds? It is evident that Koontz has a solid handle on today's advancements in cyber technology, and he is confident that there will be future gains, as well as some setbacks as in Midnight.
I get the impression that Dean Koontz, particularly in Midnight, is writing a lot about himself: his views of life's purpose, his philosophy of religion, and philosophy in general. Both or and in opposition to his ideas he does this by what he makes his characters do and say.
It's simple to see why Midnight debuted at the top of the best-seller list when it was first released. I would suggest it to everyone since it was the greatest of Dean Koontz's work that I had read.
Synopsis
“Dean Koontz, the bestselling master of suspense, invites you into the shocking world of Moonlight Cove—where four unlikely survivors confront the darkest realms of human nature.
The citizens of Moonlight Cove, California, are changing. Some are losing touch with their deepest emotions. Others are surrendering to their wildest urges. And the few who remain unchanged are absolutely terrified—if not brutally murdered in the dead of night...”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
FBI Agent, Island Of Dr Moreau, Koontz Books, Love Dean, Moonlight Cove, Page Turner, Sam Booker, Small Town, Stephen King, Strange Things, Vietnam Vet, Years Ago
Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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