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53 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
An Ego Second Only to Helios, September 10, 2009
This review is from: Frankenstein: Dead and Alive: A Novel (Dean Koontz's Frankenstein) (Mass Market Paperback)
Here's the short version of this review: This book was an incredible disappointment. Fans of the series thus far will no doubt be compelled to read this. And WHEN you hate it, please take solace in the fact that you're NOT ALONE.
Like everyone else, I waited patiently for Frankenstein Book 3. When I saw it in the store, I was shocked and overjoyed, as its appearance was completely unexpected. I violated speed laws to drive home, whereupon I immediately dug out books 1 and 2 and began to reread them. Now, I'd read Koontz's "admission of inability to collaborate", and it seemed very... defensive with a belligerent spin. When I saw he'd re-released the originals, sans the co-writers' credits, I was dismayed. Seemed like a real egotistical move. But hey, he's Koontz. I loved the guy. And then I read the first... what was it? 20 pages of the book? Paragraph upon paragraph of "Acclaim for Dean Koontz". The dude actually felt it necessary to reprint every good thing anyone has ever said about him, as if to say "Those co-writers were beneath me, and how DARE you rabble harass me for this book? Well now after 20 pages of accolades, you know with whom you're dealing. So here's your %$#!ing book; I hope you choke on it. Now I can get back to Odd Thomas 6" I felt kinda like an Erika, put in my place and crying on the floor.
Halfway through the book, I realized that the protagonists had spent half the book DRIVING AROUND TOWN. Literally, the fate of the world is ostensibly in their hands, and they're cruising Nawlins in a Honda. They weren't looking for anything or going anywhere in particular... not even evading the assassins who were secretly on their trail. They were just... cruisin'. It seemed as if the Desert Eagles and Urban Snipers received more character development. And Deucalion? He doesn't live up to the dazzling potential we all hoped for. In fact the major accomplishment that he, O'Connor, and Madison contributed was... they watched. Whilst armed with Deagles and Urban Snipers, who also looked on.
Koontz used Hurricane Katrina as an excuse to not write the book. So... he makes it rain in the book. "A storm is brewing", sure. But... I dunno. Sounds very excusey to me.
And JOCKO??? Are your SERIOUS?? Take the homeliness of Gollum, mix in the self esteem issues of Dobby from Harry Potter, and wrap it up in a Jar Jar Binks likeability factor. Horrible. And the Mother of All Deus Ex Machinas? Just... just... COME ON, DEAN?!!?! Really??
Koontz has long been my favorite writer. Lately, quite the opposite. He's churning out SO MANY BOOKS... and none that I've read in the past 10 years or so (save Frankenstein 1 and 2) entertained me in any meaningful way, or better yet, made me THINK like his older books used to. He's begun writing for the sake of writing. Quantity over any semblance of quality. I read one a while back (name escapes me) where they go through this whole hardcover saga, only to find out the Everyman Protagonist is actually an undercover Special Forces dude. it's like he said "Wow... we're at page 462... guess I better start wrapping this up". But I'm getting away from Frankenstein 3. Bitter, bitter disappointment. So incredibly sad and depressing for a lifelong Koontz fan.
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19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Insulting?, August 31, 2009
This review is from: Frankenstein: Dead and Alive: A Novel (Dean Koontz's Frankenstein) (Mass Market Paperback)
This book was a disappointment.
Why are the detectives still here? They seem to be nothing more than a loose string. A string Koontz toys with solely because it was already there. They've been getting ready for the apocalypse and get... something much less interesting.
There are so many ridiculous plot devices used that it is beyond infuriating. It seems like Koontz couldn't figure out how to end the series. So, he decided to find the simplest way out. He gave up on interesting plot threads, he came up with new characters that were disappointments, and other characters became shadows of their previous self. Then he left us with an ending that wasn't an ending at all.
The book was also highly repetitive. How many times do we have to hear that the lighting made Deucalion something more than a monster? How many times do we need an inventory of his criminal origins? How many times do we need to hear about the pulse of illumination in his eyes? How many times do we have to hear about Carson's dead father? How long could this list be? Trust me it could be much longer. Definitely a bad trait. Especially for a book that isn't even 400 pages.
It honestly felt like Koontz intentionally insulted his fans for pressuring him. We wanted the book because we loved the first two. We were upset because it was promised and never delivered. Now Koontz has insulted his readers and many are beyond upset. I personally will think long and hard before buying another Koontz book.
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30 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dismal Disappointment, August 12, 2009
I have been an avid reader/fan of Koontz for years. I waited patiently and impatiently for book 3. The first 2 books were brilliant. This 3rd was a total disappointment in the book, the characters and in Koontz. It's clear from reading book 3 that he was irritated at his fans for having to write it- several parts felt just like a slap in the face to his fans. Apparently he intended to slap us in the face and punish us for wanting him to write a book that he didn't want to write. The characters fell apart- they were barely recognizable from the first two books- had they been as shallow in the first two books, he wouldn't have gotten any requests for the third. The only part of the book that tried to come up to par was the mother of all gone wrongs.. that part hinted at koontz.. but he just blew that off in a rush to end the book. In retrospect- he SHOULD have collaborated on this book. When an author gets mad at his fans for wanting more, it's the end of the road. No more Dean Koontz books for me.
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