Brother Odd

[Suineg]

New book by Dean Koontz in the "Odd" series comes out today.

Those picking it up give me your opinions. I fly back to the states tomorrow and will pick it up and read it overnight but I love the series and have a feeling I am not the only one so lets see some opinions.

[love/hammer]

I dont know about "Brother Odd" but I just got "Forever Odd" and am currently reading through it.

My first impression is that its "Necroscope". My second impression is that its really short, 3-4 hours of reading.

So far I dont like it too much, its not as much a complete fiction novel as it is a collection of Koontz's cute philosophical banter as told through a bunch of unusually (and equally) witty and eloquent charactors. Datura is pretty interesting, though. I get the feeling that he wrote the book around her and made everything else ancillary. Unfortunate, because the reveal is two hundred pages after a bunch of rather boring filler.

Other things I dont like, Koontz can really bog things down with unecessary details, much like Stephen King. One reason why I never liked Stephen King. "I put on a shirt, because I wasnt wearing one. I had a few black shirts, but most were white. I also had some pants." This was on page three, after reading that I had to put it down out of sheer incredulity.

Theres also no sense of urgency, suspense, or action. It goes from a potentially life threatening situation to about a hundred pages of him chilling under a tree, cruising around with the police chief, eating waffles with some fat guy, and having tender moments with the ghost of Elvis. I dont know about you but if my friend was kidnapped and my mystical powers were the only things that could save him then I would be in more of a hurry.

When we do get back to the chase its three chapters getting from one end of the sewers to the other, and nothing interesting happens. "I turn left, I turn right, I went up a bit, oh theres a dead body but whatever, I go up a bit more. My pants are all dirty now but thats ok because I have extra pants at home. They're mostly blue, to go with my mostly white shirts, but I have a few chinos as well." Alright thats not exactly how it went but thats essentially the feeling I got from the scene.

In any case, its not my favorite, it doesnt really make we want to read any other Koontz. I do enjoy saying "Koontz" with childish innuendo though.

[Suineg]

I read both Odd Thomas and Forever Odd and will be picking up Brother Odd and I think he did alright with them but yeah I can see the fast read thing.

I like Koontz way more then King for sure because of the amount of details. King can spend pages rattling on about a shit weasel and that just doesn't do it for me.

The Odd behavior of umm Odd is why I like the series. He does things at his pace and everything works out not because he has any real skills but just because he perseveres through it.

[Vorph]

Odd Thomas was by far my favorite Koontz book. Forever Odd I put down about a third of the way through because it was ruining everything I liked about the first one.

[Suineg]

Just finished it and it took a little longer then expected.

I liked it and there will be a 4th the way this ends.

Not as many spirits in this one. His enemy is very tangible and very odd.

The book ends abruptly.

[Seventh]

Read this in one sitting on a particularly long plane flight. Typical Koontz plowfest, loved it, wish the ending wasn't so abrupt, as Suineg said. Good read though, superbly likeable character.

If you guys like Odd, Sieze the Night/Fear Nothing is the same deal, same character over two books (Christopher Snow) and is (imo of course) the best stuff he's written. Really great reads.

[Seventh]

Originally Posted by love/hammer

I dont know about "Brother Odd" but I just got "Forever Odd" and am currently reading through it.

My first impression is that its "Necroscope".

Old post, and OT, but Necroscope was fucking awesome. I've been meaning to read the rest of them.

[Brand]

After a while Necroscope felt a little like Dragon Ball Z to me...

Oh, the Whampyre are getting too strong! Time for Harry to hit Super Necroscope level 2!!!

[Nenai]

Originally Posted by Vorph

Odd Thomas was by far my favorite Koontz book. Forever Odd I put down about a third of the way through because it was ruining everything I liked about the first one.

Have you read Strangers? Was my favorite of all time by Koontz.



Odd Thomas was ok, but not so good as I could pick up more and keep going. If you haven't read strangers, I HIGHLY recommend it.

[Vorph]

Yeah, I've read most of his stuff and I thought Strangers was good--maybe a step or two above the rest, but still basically in the same category as all his other horror/suspense novels. I found Odd Thomas to be like nothing else he's ever written. For a writer like Koontz who is prolific to a fault, that's a good thing and it's also what made me hate Brother Odd as much as I did.

[Brand]

The Odd books didn't seem that different to the Snow books...Isolated, weird main character who does his own thing at his own pace....yet saves the day.

They are fine for the airplane, but nothing special.

[Gaereth]

I enjoyed the Odd books. There is a rhythm and a pacing to them that is strangely zen like.