Reviews

Phantoms by Dean Koontz

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nicoletetreault's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This was my first Dean Koontz read and to say I wasn't prepared for how weird this book was is an understatement. But I don't mean that in a bad way whatsoever. The book started off pretty normal, like a typical suspense/thriller might. Somehow, massive chunks of a small mountain town in CA are being wiped out very quickly, and the main characters investigating the phenomenon are trying to get to the bottom of it. It does take a very slow start, and it's a while before you start to get into the details of what is happening here. But once the reason for the mass-wipeouts is revealed, it hooks you on and you simply have to finish. I will say, though, that even once the book gets more interesting and the investigators start to learn more and figure things out, it's still a bit slow in parts. I don't think there was a need for the book to be as long as it was. I really thing it could have been equally impactful and much more fast paced had we not had so much of the fluff in the middle and gotten to the point quicker. Still a great read nonetheless, and will definitely not be my last Dean Koontz read.

bigboibarry's review against another edition

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tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

madskbae's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

amber2976's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

killyourdarlings105's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

mistressviolet's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Exciting, tense, and mysterious. This book held me spellbound. A great blending of science and fantasy. I was thoroughly invested in the mysterious force that had left people dead and missing—my mind in constant wonder, “Is the cause scientific or fantastical?”

Interesting characters in a setting that felt very northern California.

A fun and creepy read.