Helpful Score: 11
By far, Koontz's best work. This is one of the few books I've read in the realm of science fiction that effectively, and more importantly - correctly, deals with time travel and paradox. Koontz doesn't make mistakes with this one and ties up his loose ends, creating a pleasing and satisfying action story, time travel story, alternate history story, and love story. You get more than you bargain for if you pick up this little gem.
Helpful Score: 5
Laura Shane has been a haunted woman all her life. From a violent delivery in a stunning thunderstorm, to her mortifying days in the orphanage. Someone has been looking out for her, keeping her safe and out of danger, from the womb...but what are these stranger's intentions? Does he really mean her well? Just where does he come from, and why doesn't he seem to age?
Now, Laura is a happily married woman with a somewhat happy life. But that's all about to change, because now someone has come to kill her...and the stranger, her guardian angel, will expose himself for who he really is. Will Laura believe him? Can she trust him? Will he actually keep her safe this time?
Dean Koontz scores yet again. "Lightning" is a science fiction/suspense/romance thriller to top all others. No one writes like Koontz, no one can hope to write like Koontz, and "Lightning" is a perfect example of his craftsmanship. A rivetting novel that'll leave you glued to the pages and wanting more.
Now, Laura is a happily married woman with a somewhat happy life. But that's all about to change, because now someone has come to kill her...and the stranger, her guardian angel, will expose himself for who he really is. Will Laura believe him? Can she trust him? Will he actually keep her safe this time?
Dean Koontz scores yet again. "Lightning" is a science fiction/suspense/romance thriller to top all others. No one writes like Koontz, no one can hope to write like Koontz, and "Lightning" is a perfect example of his craftsmanship. A rivetting novel that'll leave you glued to the pages and wanting more.
Helpful Score: 4
This is another one of my favorite Koontz books - in my top 10 overall! It's about time travel, although that's kind of a spoiler - you don't really get to the time traveling until about halfway through the book. Then it picks up the sci-fi edge very quickly and, as one reviewer already mentioned, is as tightly logical as the idea of time travel can be. Excellent read - couldn't put it down!
Helpful Score: 3
Dean Koontz is not my favorite author, but this book does have it's good points. Quite interesting and different.
Helpful Score: 1
As is typical of many of Koontz novels, this one starts out with mysterious men conducting experiments of a nefarious nature. A baby named Laura is born, her mother dies in childbirth and she's raised by her loving dad and watched over by a mysterious "guardian angel", a big blond man who saves her life on more than one occasion. Also, making an appearance is a man who wants both the guardian angel and Laura dead.
The first part of the book is spent getting to know Laura and grieving with her when her world falls apart. The thing that struck me most about this book was the length of time Koontz was allowed to develop his main characters. This is something I find incredibly lacking with many of the horror novels by newer authors I've attempted to read lately (Bryan Smith comes to mind). Koontz completely immerses you in Laura's world and allows you to care deeply for her and to care about the people she loves. As much as character study as it is a fast paced time-travel, suspense filled read, Lightning managed to capture my attention throughout most of it (and it was long!). My attention only began to wane near the end of the book when the adventure bit and war talk took center stage.
The first part of the book is spent getting to know Laura and grieving with her when her world falls apart. The thing that struck me most about this book was the length of time Koontz was allowed to develop his main characters. This is something I find incredibly lacking with many of the horror novels by newer authors I've attempted to read lately (Bryan Smith comes to mind). Koontz completely immerses you in Laura's world and allows you to care deeply for her and to care about the people she loves. As much as character study as it is a fast paced time-travel, suspense filled read, Lightning managed to capture my attention throughout most of it (and it was long!). My attention only began to wane near the end of the book when the adventure bit and war talk took center stage.
