Scan barcode
inkedstoryteller's review
5.0
Great story, as usual. This book contains many thought provoking ideas that express some possibilities that match my personal beliefs. This novel could easily have been much longer, so I could see it becoming a great series. Mr. Koontz manages to share some of his personal spirituality without being heavy handed. I think any fan of speculative fiction will love this.
natalier3's review
3.0
After hearing great things about some of Koontz' previous novels, I was so excited to receive this one through NetGalley.
I got hooked in from the start, but as the science fiction got more introduced, it slowly let me go.
The premise was fascinating, the idea of parallel universes accessible by 'the key to everything' and cleverly connected the father and daughter duo with their missing wife/mother. This storyline definitely made the science fiction angle more accessible to me and kept me engaged, even when the scifi information went a little over my head at times.
I got hooked in from the start, but as the science fiction got more introduced, it slowly let me go.
The premise was fascinating, the idea of parallel universes accessible by 'the key to everything' and cleverly connected the father and daughter duo with their missing wife/mother. This storyline definitely made the science fiction angle more accessible to me and kept me engaged, even when the scifi information went a little over my head at times.
austiwesty's review
4.0
Parallel universe novels are my favorite sub-genre, and this one was well done. Like most Koontz books, this was a fast-paced, quick read. I think it could have been improved with some additional depth for the characters or more backstory into the villains, but overall it was an enjoyable read.
loki_v's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
redza984's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Mediocre and not very interesting
trixie_reads's review
3.0
This is cataloged as horror, but I think it's more science fiction or fantasy. There wasn't any graphic scene that made me cringe, as horror sometimes does, which was a bonus. It was a quick read that really kept me interested.
tboofy's review
5.0
You've gotta like Dean Koontz books to enjoy this as much as I did. He's quirky with some sci-fi plots, but I love him!
bickleyhouse's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a while since I read a Dean Koontz book. Not because I quit liking his writing; I don't really have a good reason. So when I sawt his new book available on Audible, I used one of my monthly credits to get it.
It did not disappoint, at least not story-wise.
The concept of parallel universes is not new, and not even to Koontz, as I seem to remember an older title that dealt with a similar concept. However, the idea of using a technological device called "The Key to Everything" is a new idea, at least to me.
The character development was good in this tale, and the subtle differences between the same people in their alternate universes was really good. The old, genius, homeless guy, Ed, was charming, even if he was a little bit arrogant.
I will confess that, being a "Jeff/Jeffrey" myself, it was a little disconcerting to have a main protagonist named "Jeffy." But I grew to love him and his daughter, Amity. The "NSA" agent (I was never sure if that was truly what he was) was well-written, and obsessive person, and quite the pyschopath.
In typical Koontz fashion, there were plenty of very tense moments, which is not always a good thing when driving to or from work. Hah!
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and most especially enjoyed the short "Parlor Trick" that was featured after the main novel was over. It was sort of an epilogue to the main story, with a variety of different readers/characters in a sort of interview setting.
My only criticism of the book was that I didn't care for the person reading as Amity. While she did a good job of sounding like an eleven-year-old girl (I believe the actual person is around thirty-five), the performance was poor. Enunciation was not good (I see that another reviewer pointed out that at least half the time, it sounded like she was saying "Aminy," rather than "Amity"), and pronunciation was also bad, at some points. I distinctly recall her saying "expecially," at least one time. This narrator made it hard to listen to.
Otherwise, I loved the book, the audio as well as the story.
It did not disappoint, at least not story-wise.
The concept of parallel universes is not new, and not even to Koontz, as I seem to remember an older title that dealt with a similar concept. However, the idea of using a technological device called "The Key to Everything" is a new idea, at least to me.
The character development was good in this tale, and the subtle differences between the same people in their alternate universes was really good. The old, genius, homeless guy, Ed, was charming, even if he was a little bit arrogant.
I will confess that, being a "Jeff/Jeffrey" myself, it was a little disconcerting to have a main protagonist named "Jeffy." But I grew to love him and his daughter, Amity. The "NSA" agent (I was never sure if that was truly what he was) was well-written, and obsessive person, and quite the pyschopath.
In typical Koontz fashion, there were plenty of very tense moments, which is not always a good thing when driving to or from work. Hah!
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and most especially enjoyed the short "Parlor Trick" that was featured after the main novel was over. It was sort of an epilogue to the main story, with a variety of different readers/characters in a sort of interview setting.
My only criticism of the book was that I didn't care for the person reading as Amity. While she did a good job of sounding like an eleven-year-old girl (I believe the actual person is around thirty-five), the performance was poor. Enunciation was not good (I see that another reviewer pointed out that at least half the time, it sounded like she was saying "Aminy," rather than "Amity"), and pronunciation was also bad, at some points. I distinctly recall her saying "expecially," at least one time. This narrator made it hard to listen to.
Otherwise, I loved the book, the audio as well as the story.
horsie9000's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
un4getabullreads's review against another edition
3.0
Third person just doesn't do it for me I guess...overall the book wasn't terrible, I liked the audiobook version