He's Hollywoods most dazzling star, who inspires the worship of millions and the hatred of one twisted soul. His perfectly ordered existence is under siege as a series of terrifying "messages" penetrates the security of his legendary estate. All that stands between him and an insidious killer is a weary ex-cop who has already seen his own death.
Likeable characters that at first seem disjointed but they all come together nicely in a well wrapped up ending. Wonderful story line that brings out the human side of all of us even those of whom have made mistakes and perhaps have felt destroyed by life's stresses, twists and death etc. Dean Koontz NEVER fails to make me lose sleep in anticipation of the endings. He is vastly superior to Steven King.
For once, the commercial blurb really tells it like it is! Chills down the back, goosebumps, the skin tightening between your shoulderblades... What's that? I think I hear something at the window! ...
Commercial blurb:
Hes Hollywoods most dazzling star, whose flawless countenance inspires the worship of millions and fires the hatred of one twisted soul. His perfectly ordered existence is under siege as a series of terrifying, enigmatic messages breaches the exquisitely calibrated security systems of his legendary Bel Air estate.
The boxes arrive mysteriously, one by one, at Channing Manheims fortified compound. The threat implicit in their bizarre, disturbing contents seems to escalate with each new delivery. Manheims security chief, ex-cop Ethan Truman, is used to looking beneath the surface of things. But until he entered the orbit of a Hollywood icon, he had no idea just how slippery reality could be. Now this good man is all that stands in the way of an insidious killerand forces that eclipse the most fevered fantasies of a city where dreams and nightmares are the stuff of daily life. As a seemingly endless and ominous rain falls over southern California, Ethan will test the limits of perception and endurance in a world where the truth is as thin as celluloid and answers can be found only in the illusory intersection of shadow and light.
Enter a world of marvelous invention, enchantment, and implacable intent, populated by murderous actors and the walking dead, hit men and heroes, long-buried dreams and never-dying hope.
Here a magnificent mansion is presided over by a Scottish force of nature known as Mrs. McBee, before whom all men tremble. A mad French chef concocts feasts for the mighty and the malicious. Ming du Lac, spiritual adviser to the stars, has a direct line to the dead. An aptly named cop called Hazard will become Ethans ally, an anarchist will sow discord and despair, and a young boy named Fric, imprisoned by celebrity and loneliness, will hear a voice telling him of the approach of something unimaginably evil. Traversing this extraordinary landscape, Ethan will face the secrets of his own tragic past and the unmistakable premonition of his impending violent death as he races against time to solve the macabre riddles of a modern-day beast.
Good read. Wordsmith Koontz does it again. Full of mayhem and bad guys, the good guy wins, and this is a very good, interesting book. If you like Dean Koontz, you will enjoy this book.
Another interesting evening with Mr. Koontz!!
I must say this is not one of my favorites. With most of Koontz's books they grab ahold of you and don't let go. You tend to lose many of nights sleep. This one did not do that to me. Even though it was a good read, it wasn't an "exciting" one until the last few chapters.
Not my type, but I know of many that really enjoy Koontz books.
