I started reading Dean Koontz when I was about 14 years old and I only started reading his books because he came across as a horror writer with the odd novel of suspense thrown in for good keeping. I started out reading Tick Tock and although a small novel, I loved it. There was no waffle or long drawn out descriptions. Just plain story. So what about the latest book, Breathless?
Well, it's the story of Grady Adams, the novels primary character, who one days goes for a stroll and comes across furry animals unlike anything he has ever seen before. Already there's nothing out of the ordinary here. This isn't a storyline that will blow your mind or keep you up at night wishing the book never ended. Far from it. The story goes on with Grady trying to get closer and closer to the furry animals not realising that he is also being watched. In comes to government. The area sectioned off by Homeland Security. Army Biologists. Does it all seem a bit serious for a couple of furry animals even though they may be an alien species? I think so. I could understand it if they were a couple of carnivores but that's not the case. If the government really wanted to study these animals all they would have to do is send in a couple of nuns to gain the furry animals' confidence, capture them and turn them over. One reviewer on Amazon even noted that he couldn't understand why the book was called Breathless unless it was describing how you felt after running back to the shop for a refund. I can see exactly where he's coming from and it even pains me to say it. I loved Dean Koontz's books but his later books like The Good Guy, The Husband, The Darkest Evening of the Year etc etc are falling way short of the mark.
Does anybody else think that Koontz has lost his mojo? It seems to me that he's just knocking out book after book maybe to stay at the top of the bestsellers list but if all his future books mirror the quality of Breathless he won't be on the bestsellers list. The dialogue between characters has gone from genuine to sarcastic like he just wants to beef up the book. I'd much rather he wrote one book every two years rather than two or three a year if it meant the quality of the story soared. Right now, he's sinking.
Being a Koontz fan I hope he makes a decent comeback. If you're new to Koontz then start with something like Phantoms, Whispers or even Fear Nothing, one of my personal favourites.
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