According to Amazon, this sequel to Odd Thomas was released today. So... heads up! I'll be picking it up later in the week probably once I finish my other book.

My copy should be arriving any day.

Is he still a very formulaic writer? I used to love his books until I could no longer really tell/remember one from the other. I think I read everything up to Mr. Murder so I guess I've missed a lot in the mean time. Is it worth going back and reintroducing myself.

I would say it is worth a reintroduction. He has written some great books the past few years (surprised me actually).

3 of his newer books that I enjoyed:

Life Expectancy
Velocity
The Face

Formulaic is probably the last term I would use to describe Koontz's work. I could identify certain themes that he uses in his work, but his plots are varied enough to make them fresh from book to book.

Maybe some of the earlier stuff was formulaic (I haven't read his older stuff, so I can't comment), but his books in recent years have been wonderful. The quality of his storytelling surpasses anyone else currently writing that I can think of. He really is that good.

For anyone looking to read Forever Odd, I would definitely recommend you read Odd Thomas first. You'll appreciate it a lot more if you do.

Yeah I stumbled across it in Sam's Club today and picked it up. I need a good read.

Good call, I agree. And he doesn't have a dog in every book any more.

Although he's pigeonholed as a horror writer, very few of his books are really horror. He's done many genres and handled them all well.

I thought Odd Thomas was good but Life Expectancy was his best book in almost a decade (since Dark Rivers of the Heart, my all-time Koontz favorite). Looking forward to Forever Odd.

Picked this up today. I loved Odd Thomas so I can't wait to read this one. I'll have to wait until finals are over to read it though. Way too many deadlines.

I REALLY wish Koontz would do more of the Christopher Snow novels.

He's currently writing the 3rd Christopher Snow book (to be titled Ride The Storm), but last I heard he didn't know when it would be finished. (There will also be a third Odd Thomas book.)

His next book, though, will be a Velocity-like thriller called The Husband.

Koontz is an odd case as writers go. Usually, an author's best work is in his early years and then he declines. But I find Koontz's early work to be relatively rough and more formulaic, while his most recent work has been full of creativity.

On another subject, while he has had little success with movies, he might want to consider making a TV series out of the Christopher Snow and Odd Thomas series, as they seem well-suited for the medium. Although he failed to get his Frankenstein series on the air, so that might put him off TV!

Intensity, Mr. Murder and Sole Survivor have been made into TV miniseries.

I did mean more ongoing TV series, but now that I think about it, Frankenstein probably was meant as a miniseries. And an Odd Thomas ongoing series would probably be judged too close in premise to Medium and The Ghost Whisperer to go on the air anytime soon.

I agree, have read all his stuff and Christopher Snow is bay far my favorite of his characters. I got the Odd Thomas and plan to read it while I am on vacation this week, its a little thin though I have to say. I was pissed earlier this year he put the first two of the Frankenstein's out fast then a year till #3, that sucks.

It will be released 5/30/2006.

Well, the good news is that the third installment will not be co-authored.

I agree. The Bad Place, Servants of Twilight, Strangers, Trapped, and The Face of Fear were great. Shattered was pretty good, too. Ticktock and Dragon Tears were too different from his normal style for me to enjoy.

Life Expectancy is probably one of my top 5 fave books now. I loved it. Does anyone know why the Koontz TV miniseries haven't ever been release on home video? I really wanted to see Sole Survivor because I liked the book alot, but it never even re-aired. It was like a one time deal... so sad

I've seen the TV mini series of Intensity, that was very good

I've read: Intensity and Strangers, and am currently reading False Memory.

For my bday and xmas gifts i got: The Taking, Velocity, Dragon Tears, and Frankenstein Book 2 (apparently she couldnt find Book 1.... so ill have to get that myself in the new year)

I was in my local Waterstones last Weds, went straight to the horror/thriller section to look at some other Koontz books.... the Odd Thomas one sounds good! So might have to get that, as well as the Forever Odd ^___^

Might as well get Life Expectancy whilst I'm at it eh!? heheh

G x

I've seen the TV mini series of Intensity, that was very good

I've read: Intensity and Strangers, and am currently reading False Memory.

For my bday and xmas gifts i got: The Taking, Velocity, Dragon Tears, and Frankenstein Book 2 (apparently she couldnt find Book 1.... so ill have to get that myself in the new year)

I was in my local Waterstones last Weds, went straight to the horror/thriller section to look at some other Koontz books.... the Odd Thomas one sounds good! So might have to get that, as well as the Forever Odd ^___^

Might as well get Life Expectancy whilst I'm at it eh!? heheh

G x

Read a blurb on Koontz' site that the third Odd installment will be coming Fall 06 titled Brother Odd.

Nice! Although I didn't find Forever Odd as good as Odd Thomas, it was still enjoyable and I'll be sure to pick up Brother Odd. Thanks for the heads up!

Dean Koontz is Bill Maher's guest on Amazon's Fishbowl video series right now. I've never heard him interviewed before (the guy writes 10 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Check it out.

I hate to disagree with everybody here but I was bored to death by Odd Thomas. I thought the idea was solid and the character was interesting enough but the story was written at a teenage reading level.
I loved INTENSITY, VELOCITY, DARK RIVERS and LIFE EXPECTANCY. All were pageturners IMHO.

Russ

Read Life Expectancy and loved it. Then I read The Taking and Light by the Moon. That ruined it for me, not quite sure if I should give his other books a chance