Saint Odd by Dean Koontz

Saint Odd by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 7

Publisher: Bantam (January 2015)

354 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $9.79)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Odd has finally come back home to Pico Mundo, but with the knowledge that his home and the people who live there are threatened by the satanic cultist dark forces that he’s come up against before. An entertaining final adventure of Odd, with glimpses of many of his friends from previous books. A nice ending to the series. I especially liked the hopeful collective sentiment expressed at the end.

You are Destined to be Together Forever by Dean Koontz

You are Destined to be Together Forever by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Prequel

Publisher: Bantam (December 2014)

38 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

This is a short adventure that Odd Thomas and Stormy shared before going to the carnival where the mummy gypsy gave them the fortune that gave this story its title, and to which Odd Thomas refers to throughout the series. A nice little refresher about where things all started before we launch into the final chapter of Odd. Looking forward to Saint Odd, due out later this week!

Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz

Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 6

Publisher: Bantam (May 2013)

354 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $13.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

In this manuscript, Odd details his adventure involving some kidnapped children and a satanic cult, among other dark entities. Annamaria and Hitchcock, along with a few new acquaintances help Odd along the way, but largely, once again, Odd is on his own to sort things out for much of the story. I confess I’m more than a little disappointed in the direction this series has taken, seeming to value sensationalism over being true to the simple things that made the first couple books great. I love Odd’s character so much, that I feel compelled to continue reading the books, just to see what he’s been made to suffer this time, but Odd seems increasingly ill-prepared for the horror contained in each new book, and yet has no option other than to deal with it. If only he could return to his simple life as a fry cook in Pico Mundo and help the everyday lingering spirits of his small town, instead of being forced to solve the problems of the world at large. I look forward to reading  the next and last book in the Odd series, Saint Odd, hoping it sees Odd returned home and reunited with Stormy at last.

Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz

Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 5

Publisher: Bantam (July 2012)

368 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $9.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Following his adventures with the plottings of a nuclear threat and the ill-advised experimentation with aliens, Odd is drawn to a large Victorian estate called Roseland where there seems to be more out of place than the murdered young woman and her horse that Odd keeps seeing. I found this much more compelling than the last book. The murder mystery was intriguing and flowed into something much larger and more sinister in some ways, but I felt once again that the murder mystery with the ghost would have been enough for me with out the sensational hoopla piled on top of it. I also noticed a bitter, sniping edge now and then to the narration, which seemed new and directed toward highlighting a displeasure with both government and pop culture, and though I didn't disagree with much of it, I thought it seemed misplaced and out of character, given it was Odd that is supposedly writing these manuscripts. Never the less, I enjoyed the story and thought it came to a satisfying end. Odd never takes the easy way out! I look forward to reading Odd's next adventure in Deeply Odd, due out later this month.

Odd Interlude by Dean Koontz

Odd Interlude by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Novella

Publisher: Bantam (July 2012)

306 pages, eBook (purchased myself in three parts for $5.97)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

This novella follows Odd Hours. Odd and Annamaria, on their journey toward the unknown, take a brief detour to a little place called Harmony Corner, essentially a family-owned truck stop with a diner and motel of sorts. Both Odd and Annamaria believe Odd’s services are needed there and it doesn’t take long to confirm that it is so. As with Odd Hours, this was just a bit too much for me. Odd’s gifts are of little use to him here, no dead people are beckoning, and yet he must wade through the darkness anyway. At least with this adventure he had the help of a young girl and a computer as he sorts out the evil that has contaminated the place from a nearby government research facility. This novella is followed by Odd Apocalypse.

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 4

Publisher: Bantam (April 2012)

370 pages, eBook (purchased myself in a four-book bundle for $31.99)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Losing Elvis, and gaining the much less comforting presence of Sinatra, Odd is led into an anarchical nuclear conspiracy centered in a small coastal town, among other things inhabited by packs of ferocious coyotes. This was a bit too much for me. Too removed from the ordinary and too much left unexplained. Annamaria gave me the creeps, and Odd being just naive enough to fall into some horrid trap, meant I was worried about him even more than usual, since he didn't have anyone else to lean on through this other than her enigmatic statements. I'm not looking forward to Annamaria continuing with us to the next book in this series, Odd Apocalypse, but I'll survive it, because I do still care about what happens to Odd, poor guy. He better not become romantically involved with her EVER, because she isn't half as engaging as Stormy was and it would feel like a huge betrayal to Stormy after all he's said and done. And I hope at some point Odd gets to go back home to Pico Mundo, sans Annamaria, and resume fry cooking, the mundane ghosts are much more interesting then these barely escaped epic disasters. Anyway . . . moving on.

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 3

Publisher: Bantam (April 2012)

450 pages, eBook (purchased myself in a four-book bundle for $31.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Following the death of the love of his life and a horrific encounter with a crazy voodoo woman, Odd feels he needs a time-out of sorts and decides to seek the simple life by taking his respite at a monastery in the Sierra Nevada mountains, knowing that if fate is to allow him a reprieve at all, it will not last forever. As he expected fate eventually catches up to him, despite his seemingly innocuous surroundings. Only in an Odd Thomas novel would circumstances lead to storm-suited monk commandoes that are entirely believable in such a role. One hardly thinks of nuns and monks having any other life before they entered the church, but the interesting backgrounds of the nuns and monks Odd comes to know was my favorite aspect of this book. I was a bit worried about cheese factor upon the appearance of the snow beast, but things worked out to a happily logical conclusion. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Odd Hours.

Forever Odd by Dean Koontz

Forever Odd by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 2

Publisher: Bantam (April 2012)

352 pages, eBook (purchased myself in a four-book bundle for $31.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Once again Odd Thomas is pulled into the dark affairs of others by the force of his paranormal gifts. When the stepfather of his friend turns up in his bedroom, Odd is propelled into a race to use his gifts to do what he can to save his friend. The same adorable, sometimes rambling, chatter accompanies the flow of action in this second, first-person manuscript of Odd, and though his friends make appearances here and there, this is mostly a solo journey displaying a bit more of the intricacies of his gifts, which I found fascinating. Great read and I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Brother Odd.

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas Series, Book 1

Publisher: Bantam (April 2012)

466 pages, eBook (purchased myself in a four-book bundle for $31.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Odd Thomas is a quirky short order cook with the ability to see and interact with the paranormal, and though he keeps his gift a secret from most, he tries to use it for the greater good. This book is written in first person and I loved the strange ramblings of the aptly named main character, his voice filled with dry/dark humor and an eccentric kind of insight about the world that was irresistible. His adventures are numerous and constant, and you never know what impossible situation he will find himself in next, or how he will get out of it. Great read and I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Forever Odd.

Movie Adaptations/Modern Retellings/Related Works:

Odd Thomas (2013)

Anton Yelchin, Addison Timlin, Leonor Varela

Movie Rating: NR