Promotional Information

Key title The new thriller from Dean Koontz is a novel of stunning suspense and visceral terror as doomsday dawns. ODD THOMAS was a Top Ten bestseller in paperback and hardback THE FACE shot to No 2 in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller list THE FACE hit No 3 on the Sunday Times paperback bestseller list Dean Koontz has sold 225 million books already and currently sells 17 million books a year Major advertising campaign on publication to include outdoor and print media Competition: Stephen King

About the Author

Dean Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He is the author of eight New York Times #1 hardcover bestsellers and eleven paperback #1 bestsellers. He lives with his wife Gerda and their dog Trixie in Southern California.

Reviews

'Dean Koontz straddles the genres, and pretty successfully, too ! Odd Thomas is a short-order cook in a restaurant in Pico Mundo, a small town in the Mohave Desert. He also has an instinct for people who are going to cause mayhem. And when one of them turns up and orders breakfast, the novel kicks into gear ! Odd Thomas is certainly a page-turner -- this is a read-at-a-sitting novel -- with a terrific final twist' The Observer on Odd Thomas 'Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler' The Times 'Koontz has near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match' Los Angeles Times 'Dean Koontz is probably, right now, the most underestimated writer at work in the field of fantastic literature ... a fine novel by anybody's standards' Infinity Plus

Once in a very great while, an author does everything right-as Koontz has in this marvelous novel. Odd Thomas, who narrates, is odd indeed: only 20, he works contentedly as a fry cook in a small fictional California town, despite a talent for writing. The reason for his lack of ambition? A much rarer talent: Odd sees and converses with ghosts, the lingering dead who have yet to pass on, a secret he has kept from nearly everyone but his girlfriend, an eccentric author friend and the local police chief, whom he occasionally helps solve terrible crimes. Odd also has the ability to see bodachs, malevolent spirits that feast on pain and whose presence signifies a likelihood of imminent violence. The proximity of bodachs to a weird-looking stranger in town, whom Odd dubs "Fungus Man," alerts Odd that trouble is brewing; breaking into Fungus Man's house, Odd discovers not only hundreds of bodachs but a shrine to serial killers that helps him deduce that somehow Fungus Man will wreak widespread havoc very soon-so Odd is caught in a classic race against time to deter catastrophe. As with Koontz's best novels, this one features electrifying tension and suspense, plus a few walloping surprises. But Koontz fans know that the author has recently added humor to his arsenal of effects, and this thriller also stands out for its brilliant tightrope walk between the amusing and the macabre; one of the dead with whom Odd interacts frequently, for instance, is Elvis, still pining for his long-dead mother, Gladys. Above all, the story, like most great stories, runs on character-and here Koontz has created a hero whose honest, humble voice will resonate with many. In some recent books, Koontz has tended to overwrite, but not here: the narrative is as simple and clear as a newborn's gaze. This is Koontz working at his pinnacle, providing terrific entertainment that deals seriously with some of the deepest themes of human existence: the nature of evil, the grip of fate and the power of love. (Dec. 9) Forecast: Koontz novels always fly up bestseller lists, and this one will, too, but there's potential for additional sales here. Of all of Koontz's many adult novels, this one, despite some rough scenes, can be, because of its warm, direct voice and inherent moralism, recommended to a mature YA readership, who will love it. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Odd Thomas has a unique and frightening gift: he can commune with the ghosts of local residents who have been the victims of violent deaths. He is also able to see supernatural visitors shortly before a tragic event, thereby enabling him to predict those deaths. Uniquely Koontz, this psychological drama and eerie thriller includes enough 20th- and 21st-century references to be readily believable. Modern-day allusions include references to the PT Cruiser; 9/11/01; serial killers Manson, Bundy, and Gacey; E.T.; and occasional visits from Elvis Presley. Literary allusions include The Narnia Chronicles, Andromeda, and quotes from Mark Twain. David Aaron Baker provides an excellent reading with accent-free speech and distinctive tonal variations to differentiate among characters. While the professionally produced cassettes are noise-free, they do not indicate tape or side changes nor is there any sentence repetition at the beginning and end of a side change to assist the listener with continuity. This will be in demand by Koontz fans; purchase where needed. Laurie Selwyn, Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.