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asourceoffiction's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really loved this premise: Jim Ironheart goes about his day, when he involuntary says the words "life line". At which point he is on a mission to save a stranger's life. He doesn't know where they are or what he saves them from, but he follows each step of the journey, learning as he goes that it's the right one.
This is the third Koontz book I've read and I'll be honest, they are all kind of merging into one in my brain. There's a mystery to be solved that involves the protagonist, we're not sure what side he's on, he's haunted by horrifying memories. But for all that I did really enjoy this one, I'm just not sure if his other books will ever offer me something new!
I really liked speculating about where the story was going, the purpose of Jim's mission and what caused it. I got a bit worried a few times that it was taking a completely ridiculous direction that I wouldn't enjoy, but I actually think that was done on purpose at various points to worry me.
Ultimately I can't tell if I found the ending really clever, or a bit too abrupt and anticlimactic. It ramped up the tension brilliantly (one of Koontz's real strengths) and I was frantically turning pages late into the night to reach the end. But then that's all it did; end. I'd have liked a bit more meat to it, especially as there was so much new information to process in the last couple of chapters. And the tension didn't so much conclude as just kind of fizzle out. I did like where the stort finished, I just wonder if it could have got there with a bit more bang.
This is the third Koontz book I've read and I'll be honest, they are all kind of merging into one in my brain. There's a mystery to be solved that involves the protagonist, we're not sure what side he's on, he's haunted by horrifying memories. But for all that I did really enjoy this one, I'm just not sure if his other books will ever offer me something new!
I really liked speculating about where the story was going, the purpose of Jim's mission and what caused it. I got a bit worried a few times that it was taking a completely ridiculous direction that I wouldn't enjoy, but I actually think that was done on purpose at various points to worry me.
Ultimately I can't tell if I found the ending really clever, or a bit too abrupt and anticlimactic. It ramped up the tension brilliantly (one of Koontz's real strengths) and I was frantically turning pages late into the night to reach the end. But then that's all it did; end. I'd have liked a bit more meat to it, especially as there was so much new information to process in the last couple of chapters. And the tension didn't so much conclude as just kind of fizzle out. I did like where the stort finished, I just wonder if it could have got there with a bit more bang.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gun violence, and Gore
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