You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I am not really a fan of Dean Koontz in general, but Odd Thomas was the exception. I read it because it came highly recommended and immediately became a fan of the wry, tortured protagonist. I also enjoyed the world of quirky characters, dead and living, that Koontz populates this series with. Unfortunately none of the subsequent novels have lived up to the original in character development or plot line and fall far short of the charm that made Odd Thomas such a hit. This installment no exception.
It did manage to leave us with even more unanswered questions leaving little doubt of more "Odd" novels to come. My gut feeling is this series has run it's course and it's time to put our poor tortured Oddie out of his misery. I hope Koontz uses the next novel to wrap up our unanswered questions and put this series to rest. It's getting a bit tired to me.
It did manage to leave us with even more unanswered questions leaving little doubt of more "Odd" novels to come. My gut feeling is this series has run it's course and it's time to put our poor tortured Oddie out of his misery. I hope Koontz uses the next novel to wrap up our unanswered questions and put this series to rest. It's getting a bit tired to me.
This book bored me to death! I couldn't even bring myself to suffer through to the end. This is the first time I have ever stopped reading a book. The fact that it is part of a series and I made it through the 3 previous books, just to give up on it in the 4th should tell you something.
This book was such shit. Worst one of the series. I hope the next one is better. Ugh.
Warning: review contains spoilers
This Odd Thomas novel feels more like a member of a series? Although it's clear that Koontz tries to make them read-alone's (evident to me in the incessant explanation of his name and references boarding on re telling to the previous books), and although Odd diverts the main tragedy in this novel, the set up with Annamarie (also called The Lady of the Bell in the next novel) could leave the reader more unsatisfied than begging for the next book. I mostly did not have that experience. I of course want to know what if anything came to pass nationally as a result of Odds diversion of the nuclear weapons apparently arranged by a senator seeking a coup. Though we hear no more of it in this novel, I again imagine this is a growing story and not an incomplete ending.
I miss Stormy and Ozzie but am glad to see that Odd will be taking a couple of characters from this book with him into the next.
This Odd Thomas novel feels more like a member of a series? Although it's clear that Koontz tries to make them read-alone's (evident to me in the incessant explanation of his name and references boarding on re telling to the previous books), and although Odd diverts the main tragedy in this novel, the set up with Annamarie (also called The Lady of the Bell in the next novel) could leave the reader more unsatisfied than begging for the next book. I mostly did not have that experience. I of course want to know what if anything came to pass nationally as a result of Odds diversion of the nuclear weapons apparently arranged by a senator seeking a coup. Though we hear no more of it in this novel, I again imagine this is a growing story and not an incomplete ending.
I miss Stormy and Ozzie but am glad to see that Odd will be taking a couple of characters from this book with him into the next.
Första boken om Odd Thomas som jag inte orkar eller vill sträckläsa. Känns som om hela boken bara är en introduktion till nästa. Nu känner vi personerna så nu kan det börja. Tog sig lite på slutet men inte särskilt bra. En liten paus från Odd innsn nästs som jag verkligen hoppas är bättre.
I thought the book was good! I am guilty of comparing each novel to the first one because Odd Thomas is my favourite out of the series so far, even though each book has a different setting and new characters. I find it interesting that Odd’s companion changes from the spirit of Elvis Presley to Frank Sinatra. Odd encouraged Elvis to move on to the other side instead of continuing to linger in the in between. Once he crosses over to the other side, Frank Sinatra randomly appears on his journey to Magic Beach. I am still unaware of the significance of these musical icons other than the fact that they are “stuck” and need Odd’s word of encouragement in order to move on. Maybe their whole purpose is to accompany Odd on his adventures. Who knows?!
The part that bothered me was Annamaria. She says a number of men want to kill her and has Odd promise to die for her, but that’s it. Her character is mysterious, which is crucial to the story, but she provides very little information when Odd probes her. We don’t know her last name, who the baby’s father is, where she comes from, and why bad men are after her. She seems to know a lot of things about Odd, even things only Stormy knows (his girlfriend in the first novel who died). Clearly, Annamaria has some kind of gift or ability similar to Odd, but Dean Koontz leaves it to our imagination to put the pieces of the puzzle together. There’s something about her that I just don’t like!
The part that bothered me was Annamaria. She says a number of men want to kill her and has Odd promise to die for her, but that’s it. Her character is mysterious, which is crucial to the story, but she provides very little information when Odd probes her. We don’t know her last name, who the baby’s father is, where she comes from, and why bad men are after her. She seems to know a lot of things about Odd, even things only Stormy knows (his girlfriend in the first novel who died). Clearly, Annamaria has some kind of gift or ability similar to Odd, but Dean Koontz leaves it to our imagination to put the pieces of the puzzle together. There’s something about her that I just don’t like!
Eh, this series is becoming less and less charming as it goes on. I'm sort of debating whether to keep going or not. I sort of accidentally-not-really read reviews of the final book to make a judgement call, and am now thinking maybe I won't. I might skip ahead and read the last few chapters of the series just to get that final bit of closure, but don't think I'll slog through 2.9 books to do so. Sorry, Odd.
In this installment Odd has to stop an ugly group of people from wreaking devastating havoc with some extremely powerful weapons, and along the way he has to protect an enigmatic, pregnant young woman.
Annamaria, the young woman, is a walking fortune cookie. She answers every question Odd Thomas throws at her with vague philosophical cliches. She doesn’t even turn out to have all that much to do with the plot of the book, despite appearing prominently in Odd’s prophetic dreams of disaster. She’s more annoying than enigmatic, and Odd’s inability to get information out of her feels artificially prolonged.
Much like book three, Brother Odd, this installment starts out slow. Unlike that book it doesn’t pick up halfway through–it waits until much later in the narrative to evince any real tension and quick pacing. As before, the dull pacing matches up with a greatly reduced quotability. The whimsical, endearing nature of Odd’s previous tales is lacking.
Added to the annoying character and dull pacing is a distinct carelessness with regard to the details of previous novels in the series. Early on in the book Odd says that he has no birthmarks. Except, you know, for the distinct birthmark that is so central to his relationship with Stormy in the first book, Odd Thomas. Said birthmark even comes back into the picture on page 300 of this installment itself.
At one point Odd mentions that previously, other people haven’t been able to see the supernatural themselves–only his psychic abilities have enabled him to see oddities. That ignores the fact that the monsters in book three (Brother Odd) were notably visible to everyone. Odd comments that in his experience only “deeply malevolent” spirits are able to be poltergeists (spirits with the ability to affect the world of the living), yet again, in book three there’s a spirit that exhibits poltergeist abilities that wasn’t at all evil. It comes across as sheer carelessness.
Books one and two (Odd Thomas and Forever Odd) were flat-out delightful, and the second half of book three (Brother Odd) was at least engrossing and engaging. Odd Hours doesn’t pick up until the very end, lacks a colorful supporting cast, and contains continuity errors that make it seem like Koontz was phoning it in. It’s a real shame.
For a longer review visit my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2014/07/review-odd-hours-dean-koontz/
Annamaria, the young woman, is a walking fortune cookie. She answers every question Odd Thomas throws at her with vague philosophical cliches. She doesn’t even turn out to have all that much to do with the plot of the book, despite appearing prominently in Odd’s prophetic dreams of disaster. She’s more annoying than enigmatic, and Odd’s inability to get information out of her feels artificially prolonged.
Much like book three, Brother Odd, this installment starts out slow. Unlike that book it doesn’t pick up halfway through–it waits until much later in the narrative to evince any real tension and quick pacing. As before, the dull pacing matches up with a greatly reduced quotability. The whimsical, endearing nature of Odd’s previous tales is lacking.
Added to the annoying character and dull pacing is a distinct carelessness with regard to the details of previous novels in the series. Early on in the book Odd says that he has no birthmarks. Except, you know, for the distinct birthmark that is so central to his relationship with Stormy in the first book, Odd Thomas. Said birthmark even comes back into the picture on page 300 of this installment itself.
At one point Odd mentions that previously, other people haven’t been able to see the supernatural themselves–only his psychic abilities have enabled him to see oddities. That ignores the fact that the monsters in book three (Brother Odd) were notably visible to everyone. Odd comments that in his experience only “deeply malevolent” spirits are able to be poltergeists (spirits with the ability to affect the world of the living), yet again, in book three there’s a spirit that exhibits poltergeist abilities that wasn’t at all evil. It comes across as sheer carelessness.
Books one and two (Odd Thomas and Forever Odd) were flat-out delightful, and the second half of book three (Brother Odd) was at least engrossing and engaging. Odd Hours doesn’t pick up until the very end, lacks a colorful supporting cast, and contains continuity errors that make it seem like Koontz was phoning it in. It’s a real shame.
For a longer review visit my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2014/07/review-odd-hours-dean-koontz/
4 Stars for Narration by David Aaron Baker, 3 Stars for Story
Mini-Review:
I liked all of the characters that were introduced in this story but the plot sucked. This is the most awkward Odd story by far. Noticeable changes are happening with Odd and there's a much more forceful presence of Fate/God/etc.
I'm waiting for Odd to break and lose his shit. =P
Mini-Review:
I liked all of the characters that were introduced in this story but the plot sucked. This is the most awkward Odd story by far. Noticeable changes are happening with Odd and there's a much more forceful presence of Fate/God/etc.
I'm waiting for Odd to break and lose his shit. =P