February 28, 2007
Forever Odd & Wednesday Mind Hump
What a nice coincidence that I finish reading a book and one of my favorite memes is about that very topic.
I know that a lot of people loved reading Forever Odd by Dean Koontz. This book is the second in a series about a strange loveable young man named Odd Thomas. Odd is cursed or blessed with the ability to see dead people but, unfortunately, they don't talk. Usually he can figure out what it is that they want. Most are victims of crimes and so Odd helps the local police catch the bad guy and the traumatized spirit move on. Odd himself was traumatized in the first book in a real twist of an ending. I guess I was expecting more from this book because unlike everyone else, I was pretty disappointed.
There's lots of fast paced action and there are twists. What I missed are characters I care about. There's Odd, of course, and maybe it should have been enough that he was the star of the book. I found myself missing his friends, though, the ones who helped him through his emotional crisis: the sheriff, sheriff's wife, the fat writer, and the kind hearted boss lady. I was introduced to a new friend, one who suffers from brittle bones (Osteogenesis imperfecta). Koontz goes into great detail about the disease and Odd talks about how much his friend Danny has suffered...and I just didn't care. It didn't hook me.
Danny's been kidnapped by 3 psychos led by a particularly sick and twisted sister named Datura. I totally detested her and her two goons. There was absolutely nothing redeemable about them and so I was totally turned off by some of the banter between Odd and Datura. Ugh. I cheered at Datura's bloody end but the end of the book didn't come soon enough for me. There was an iterminable and mind boggling chase before the end of the story finally came. I kept wondering, why doesn't this bad guy just give up? What's the point? Is he driven by some kind of implied voodooism? I don't know.
It was an okay book. Maybe it's just me. I hope I enjoy the next one more. Personally, I give this one a 5.
What is the last book you read? Wow, see above!
Who is your favorite character in the book? Odd Thomas
Did you enjoy the book? To be honest, not that much
Would you recommend the book to others? No
Awwww! I liked the book sweetie. But to each their own. The next one, "Brother Odd" is good as well, but I think you might not like it either.
I love you,
