I think I’m to the point where I’ll read any novel Dean Koontz puts out. That means next up is FOREVER ODD, so to prepare I had to catch up with 2003’s bestselling ODD THOMAS, from which it is sequelized.
Odd – yep, that’s his real name – is a fry cook whose gifts extend beyond slinging hash: He sees dead people. (THE SIXTH SENSE wishes its story was half as compelling as this, though.) Odd’s secret is known to a scant few people – his girlfriend and the local police chief among them – and he uses it only for good, like hunting down murderers when he’s tipped off by the ghosts of their victims. He also can anticipate acts of great violence or terror when he sees faceless spirits – which he terms “bodachs” – surround passersby.
And that forms the crux of Odd’s story, as a strange-looking customer he nicknames Fungus Man enters his diner accompanied by several of them. When evidence suggests Fungus Man’s actions will hit too close to home for comfort, Odd sees if he can’t use his second sight to stop him.
ODD THOMAS is immediately charming, but its true power sneaks up on you. Narrated by Odd – a perfectly affable hero – Koontz’s novel begins casually, marked by whimsical humor. Then as we learn the depths of Odd’s powers and the level of evil he encounters, it fits neatly within Koontz’s usual brand of supernatural suspense. Finally, as Odd faces a situation that’s definitely not the stuff of fiction, the terror is palpable and disturbing, and its aftermath heartbreaking.
Koontz has created quite a character in Odd, and it’s easy to see why readers have responded so favorably to him. He’s a saint without a halo, an Average Joe who lives a life of “pancakes and poltergeists.” He may be Koontz’s strongest character ever; the book is every bit as solid, with a touch of magic about it.
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i have read odd thomas myself and forever odd and loved both. dean koontz is one of the greatest writes of all times. he is up there with stephan king!