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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I really like the way the Koontz builds suspense and I don't read nearly enough of his books. Picked this up because of the Great American Read and devoured it in 4 days. Einstein was well built out and the side plots (there were 3 other plots going on) did not distract, but enhanced the drama. Well read!
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Abandoned on page 79.
I kept waiting for the stories to converge or something. The story that interested me the most, the assassin, turned sour for me when he killed the teen. I have a 15 year old son and it was too close to home for me.
Can't say Koontz wasn't building out his characters but I think I needed some more action for this book to hold my attention.
I am a fan of the Odd Thomas series so I will definitely read more Koontz. I also really loved "Phantoms" but I believe I've been told that his other single works are hit and miss. We'll see - not counting him out completely.
I kept waiting for the stories to converge or something. The story that interested me the most, the assassin, turned sour for me when he killed the teen. I have a 15 year old son and it was too close to home for me.
Can't say Koontz wasn't building out his characters but I think I needed some more action for this book to hold my attention.
I am a fan of the Odd Thomas series so I will definitely read more Koontz. I also really loved "Phantoms" but I believe I've been told that his other single works are hit and miss. We'll see - not counting him out completely.
A really timeless tale of friendship and sacrifice. A couple of problems though. First, the novel can be cut down drastically. I felt that a lot of the characterization was repetitive. Almost every character had to "discover" on their own about Travis's past, and every time their thoughts or dialogue recast him as the loner with a persecution complex....10 times throughout the novel - it's too much. The same thing goes for characterizations of Vince. I think Koontz could have benefitted from King's formula for editing down his work making it a tighter more gripping thriller. The other problem I had with the book was that there really wasn't a whole lot of gripping suspense. I felt like the most page-turning moment in the book was when Streck was stalking Nora. It was creepy and scary. After that.... nothing that I would really call "gripping."
That said, the appeal of finding an intellectual equal in man's best friend is just too much darned fun to just skip. Koontz hits the nail right on the head when he comments how communicating with your dog is like every kid's fantasy. There were some really poignant moments when I couldn't help but recall the past with my childhood friend Cookie (who, by the way, is the smartest and most loyal dog that has ever existed). For that alone, I think I'd shelve this and reread sometime in the future.
Good recommendation Amanda. Thanks!
That said, the appeal of finding an intellectual equal in man's best friend is just too much darned fun to just skip. Koontz hits the nail right on the head when he comments how communicating with your dog is like every kid's fantasy. There were some really poignant moments when I couldn't help but recall the past with my childhood friend Cookie (who, by the way, is the smartest and most loyal dog that has ever existed). For that alone, I think I'd shelve this and reread sometime in the future.
Good recommendation Amanda. Thanks!
My favorite Koontz book of all time. This is his best work and comes close to approaching the (mostly) genious of Stephen King, but without sacrificing Koontz's particular style.
2019 update
I still enjoyed this novel. An interesting premise mixed with a fast paced plot make this book a quick and entertaining read.
2019 update
I still enjoyed this novel. An interesting premise mixed with a fast paced plot make this book a quick and entertaining read.
I'm not sure if this one classifies as horror or sci-fi. But it definitely stressed me out.
Banodyne labs is a government contractor. They have successfully created a super intelligent golden retriever who can spy on enemies and bring back info. They have also succeeded in creating a highly intelligent abomination of a killing machine. Both of their creations have escaped.
This one was hard for me because I was afraid for the dog the whole time. I understood the horror of The Outsider and felt for the innocents that were killed by it. But, as usual, it was the dog I was worried about.
This book was good. It's been around for awhile and is still getting recommended for a reason. For me, while being a scary story, it was more of a love letter to our pets. The things we do for them. And how amazing it would be if we could communicate with them. I recommend!
Banodyne labs is a government contractor. They have successfully created a super intelligent golden retriever who can spy on enemies and bring back info. They have also succeeded in creating a highly intelligent abomination of a killing machine. Both of their creations have escaped.
This one was hard for me because I was afraid for the dog the whole time. I understood the horror of The Outsider and felt for the innocents that were killed by it. But, as usual, it was the dog I was worried about.
This book was good. It's been around for awhile and is still getting recommended for a reason. For me, while being a scary story, it was more of a love letter to our pets. The things we do for them. And how amazing it would be if we could communicate with them. I recommend!
Such a touching story. Read this in the fall of 2006, and it made me yearn for a dog. (Even one of normal intelligence.)
I desperately needed to know more about The Outsider. There were answers missing to why The Outsider spared the life of Einstein. In fact, I was more in love and pity with The Outsider than the dog.
The book style is so 80s but the themes are so timeless and I loved every minute of it.