Reviews

Intensity by Dean Koontz

tonis's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

saraheb311's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

starghouls's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Chyna is a great protagonist I found her interactions with the killer interesting and wish there had been a bit more of it. Especially since the book is light on actual spoken dialogue. The plot is gripping, I felt like I had to keep listening until I got to the ending, which did make me shed a tear. Intensity is like the better thought through version of the movie High Tension. 

nickiep's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

kendallpenn's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

amarettto's review against another edition

2.0

Eh, it was alright. I expected much more from an author who produced the masterpiece that was 'Watchers'. The entire novel's plotline could've been covered in approximately three pages. The 'character development' was fun for about a chapter, and then I couldn't read anymore about how he enjoyed intense experiences, was a sadist, and how Chyna just had to be a hero and put herself in incredibly stupid positions. The descriptions of her actions were drawn out just way too long and I skimmed through most of it.

Overall, just really disappointing for me.

marco5599's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

<i>Nietzsche</i> good. <i>Seuss</i> bad. For a one-on-one thriller like this that is. It has everything to be a formidable nailbiter, but also too much of something. Words. Koontz is lengthy on occasion, even sounds a bit pretentious at times. It breaks the tension. Happened a little too often for my taste. Points for the clean, calm and calculated demeanor of the, eh, homicidal adventurer. I also liked the parts about Chyna's (savage) childhood, no victim mentality for this gal, but I wish it was told in separate chapters. Would have made it a smoother read, I think. Now these big chapters only add to the feeling of long-windedness. A good Koontz, but no top tier Koontz for me.

dj68's review against another edition

5.0

This book IS intense. I won't go into any details here, hundreds of others have done so, but let me just say, if you don't get pulled into this book by the very first page, well, then you must lead a rather horrifying life!!

grumpymonday's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Coming off reading Yumi and Nightmare painter may color the rating somewhat as they are pretty much totally opposite in terms of mood and other aspects.. However, there was still something I enjoyed here quite a bit.

I've read Koontz before with middling feelings but here I think the characters and the plot were good. Even the despicable antagonist was interesting in its sick depiction. Also the main character and their background and struggles were interesting to me. It got very claustrophobic at times with varying degrees of stakes on the line. 

Something about the flow of his writing here also worked for me.

The overall package was quite tight. Few somewhat overly descriptive scenes but nothing to bring it down too much.

beelo268's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.75