Scribblings

Velocity

I was so disappointed in this book! I started complaining about it not long after I began reading it. Velocity, written by Dean Koontz, should have been a suspenseful thriller. TB thought it was a great story. We went back and forth about it for the last three or four days. I kept complaining about the things I didn't like and he kept suggesting I just enjoy it as a good yarn, that it didn't have to make sense. It definitely didn't do that ... make sense, I mean.

So what was it I didn't like? The "hero" of the story is a bartender named Billy Wiles. He's singled out by a serial killer and forced to decide who will be the next victim. Deciding not to choose also results in someone being killed. When I read the book jacket, I thought, wow this could be a really good story! Almost from the get-go, though, there were problems with the story that irritated me and stretched the bounds of my belief. The reason poor Billy was singled out didn't make sense even when the truth came out.

And why is it that your average run-of-the-mill bartender can suddenly act like a calculating sleuth, knowing exactly how to cover up his tracks and manipulate a crime scene?

A petty annoyance: the killer is referred to over and over and over as "the freak". Freak? Considering all the evil this guy perpetrates, "freak" is a mild term!

On the other hand, there were lots of little clues planted in the beginning of the story that seemed pretty innocent ... the thing is, I thought it all started to come together really late in the story.

So why did I keep reading it? Because this was Dean Koontz and I really kept hoping it would get better. We won an autographed copy of this book and I really wanted his signature to be on one of his best books ever. Oh well...

Now Kristin is going to read the book and see what she thinks. She listened to TB and I going on about it and wants to see if it rings true to her. I'm looking forward to hearing what she thinks.

Are you more...

01) Someone who is likely to sue or someone who is likely to be sued? Not that I can picture myself doing it but I'd probably be more likely to sue
02) Apt to see David Hasselhoff in concert or apt to see John Tesh in concert? Barf! Neither!
03) Likely to wait for an opportunity to say 'no thanks' to a telemarketer or likely to just hang up on them? I say "No thanks" right away and then hang up
04) Apt to see Madonna in concert or apt to see Celine Dion in concert? Celine Dion
05) Green beer or corned beef? Corned beef
06) Apt to see Bryan Adams in concert or apt to see Billy Joel in concert? Billy Joel!
07) Loving home made pizza (for the cost savings) or loving delivery pizza (for the professional taste)? Delivery pizza
08) Apt to see Duran Duran in concert or apt to see INXS in concert? Who?
09) One who believes that the RIAA/MPAA are properly and rightfully protecting their content or one who believes they are scum-sucking, litigation-happy bastards? They are scum sucking litigation happy bastards!
10) Apt to see Bono in concert or apt to see Sting in concert? I really like them both but I think I'd be more apt to see Sting