Helpful Score: 2
I know that some people don't like this book. I, however, really enjoyed Koontz's step away from the norm in this novel. The characters are original, and the story keeps you guessing about their connections until the end. The main character reflects on his life throughout the book, but I feel that most of this introspect adds to the storyline. The main characters both guard their emotions and histories until the end, so the added information is essential to understanding. This book is not a contemporary detective novel or the standard spook novel. This book kind of reminds me of a cross between the Phantom of the Opera and Neverland but darker. This book also speaks volumns about mankind and our quest for power. If you're looking for classic Koontz, you won't find it here. I'll give the book four and a half stars. I read the book in two days; it kept my interest. I hope to see more like this from Koontz.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a wonderful story! It reminded me of the older books Koontz had written that made me a fan of his. It was interesting in the beginning but it didn't pull me in right away. The story is told by Addison, who is living his life hidden beneath the city and it unfolds in the present and glimpses of the past leading up to how he came to be there. I was curious to know the answers, but then on page 68, it scared me so much that I didn't want to read it alone in a room at night! It has some genuinely creepy elements, but in the end is beautifully written and has wondrous elements, as well. I loved it!
Helpful Score: 1
I used to really like and looked forward to Koontz books but it's been years now that his had a really good book!
This book is just narrative, very very little dialogue at all and just didn't make much sense to me.
I didn't get far because a book has to offer something in the first 50 pages and this one doesn't!
This book is just narrative, very very little dialogue at all and just didn't make much sense to me.
I didn't get far because a book has to offer something in the first 50 pages and this one doesn't!
This book was really not what I expected...it was much more! The story is told by Addison Goodheart, who calls himself one of the hidden. He must hide his appearance from everyone because if he doesn't, he will be attacked and possibly killed by people who cannot bear to gaze upon his face. His adopted father is a similar being with the same repulsiveness. The two of them also have the ability to see strange and/or evil beings that Addison calls the fogs and the clears. One of the fogs appeared to have inhabited a marionette that plays a key role in the story. Then during a night visit to the library Addison meets Gwyneth, a girl who is a social phobic and cannot stand to be touched. However, Gwyneth seems to know that she and Addison belong together and they possess a uniqueness that is vital to the survival of mankind. The book is in essence a tragic love story given that Addison must stay hidden beneath a ski mask and Gwyneth cannot be touched. But all is not as it seems, the novel goes into a different direction than expected and the ending is quite hopeful and profound. Koontz tells the story in very eloquent and spell-binding prose. I would highly recommend this one!
This book was odder then some of other books. The ending is a real eye opener. You will love it.
This was an interesting story line, but it had parts that got too long winded for my taste. The run on sentences and overly descriptive parts made it hard to read. I had to go back and reread pages several times. I did enjoy the "story" part of the book once I got through all the filler parts. I understand that the idea was to get inside Addison's head, but again there were descriptions of scenes that used words I didn't even know the meaning of and I do have a vast vocabulary. If it was easier to read and decipher the descriptions I would have given it 5 stars.
