Customer Reviews

By the Light of the Moon

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3 star:		(37)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(41)

 

 

Ever since the Christopher Snow novels (Fear Nothing and Seize the Night), Dean Koontz has been perfecting his own sub-genre, the spiritual thriller. His work has fully come to fruition in his two latest books, One Door Away from Heaven and By the Light of the Moon.

It's interesting to compare the latter with Michael Crichton's Prey. Both deal with nanotechnology. Both are in the thriller genre. That's where the similarity ends. Crichton is a Cassandra. Koontz is a prophet of the good news (not really the Christian gospel, but something very close). The thing that most clearly separates Koontz from Crichton is the former's deep concern for people, especially those who would generally be considered the dregs of society-trailer park denizens, kids with terminal illnesses, dead-end divorcees. These are the people through whom salvation comes, not the scientists, not the theologians, not the cultural arbiters.

By the Light of the Moon, perhaps Koontz' most accomplished novel to date, concerns three misfits, Dylan O'Conner and his adult autistic brother, Shep, and Jillian Jackson, a third-rate stand-up comic. These three share a common, albeit bizarre, thread of recent personal history: each has been infected with an unknown substance, administered by a benign-looking although ego-maniacally demented mad scientist, that will either destroy them or endow them with remarkable powers-or perhaps both. They find themselves thrown together and on the run, from mysterious forces who want nothing less that their termination, with extreme prejudice.

What happens is a series a serio-comic chase scenes, personal revelations, and general Koontz-inspired mayhem and high jinks, all ending in a remarkable turn-around-is-fair-play denouement, featuring the most memorable minor character, apparent UFO-obsessed radio-talk-show-host Parish Lantern (great name, btw), since Kilgore Trout.

By perfecting the relational-friendly spiritual thriller, Koontz has done us all a great service: He has figured out how to insinuate deep messages into the most unlikely set of story circumstances, all the while entertaining our socks off. For that, I believe he has become the most important novelist of his generation.

On a personal note, I am the father of an autistic son approximately Shep's age, and I must say I was very moved by Koontz' conception and portrayal of an individual suffering from this condition. My son, Christopher (his name means "Christ-bearer"), is about at the same functioning level, and Koontz has exactly caught the mystery and much of the nuance of autism. Except, perhaps, for the depiction of autism by Dustin Hoffman in "The Rain Man" (based on the son of famous autism researcher, Bernard Rimland), Shep O'Conner is the most accurately rendered fictional autistic character I have seen.

Thank you, Dean Koontz, for your quirky, idiosyncratic vision. May it ensue in many more such inspired creations.

As a long time reader of Dean Koontz books, I have been somewhat disappointed with his most recent novels. Although by most standards they are very readable, they lack much of what has made Dean Koontz a solid best-selling author for so many years - strong characters, tight storytelling. I found the author's recent books to be overly descriptive and somewhat flowery (sorry, but it's hard to describe the exact nature of the problem - also note, I still read them all!).
I am very pleased then to say that his most recent novel, By The Light of the Moon is not only his best in recent years but may be his best since Dark Rivers of the Heart.
The characters - Dylan, Shepherd and Jilly - are brought together after they have been injected with nanobots, microscopic biological machines, which bring about unique changes in our characters. Dylan is able to identify events already happened or yet to come in the residue left by a person's touch on various objects. Jilly develops precognition. Shep, Dylan's autistic brother, develops the most exciting ability. He can "fold" from "here" to "there". He seems to be able to grasp the edge of reality where he is and fold it out of the way while folding into another location. While this "folding" can be accomplished in either space or time, the ability to "fold" into other dimensions is hinted at, creating exciting possibilities for these characters in the future. The author describes this process so eloquently that it reminds one of Stephen King and Peter Straub's young Jack Sawyer "Flipping" into the Territories in The Talisman and Dark House.
The author follows these character's actions with little interruption by the band of black Suburbans following them (full of thug golfers (you'll see!)). This is somewhat unusual for Dean Koontz who usually keeps the tension up by moving frequently from one cast of characters to another. Not so in this book. It works very well, however. The action is fast paced and "can't put it down" exciting.
Some might be disappointed by the ending which sets us up for additional stories, but I loved these characters so much that I can't wait for more.
Dean Koontz has with this novel created a new band of superheroes, but done so in a way that we care greatly about them and look forward to getting together with them in the (hopefully, near) future.

Shame on me. Despite my father's encouragement, I've taken this long to read a Koontz novel. It was worth the wait.

"By the Light of the Moon" leaps forward from the first few pages. Clearly, Koontz is one of those writers who knows how to start the story at the right spot--in the middle of the action. Within twenty pages, he thrusts us into an otherworldly and suspenseful setting, where three young people will be altered forever.

The story begins when Jilly, Dylan, and Shep's lives collide in a motel where a mad-scientist type character injects them with "stuff" and promises that "it does something different to everyone." Indeed, Dylan begins to feel psychic spoors on objects he touches, Jilly sees visions/mirages, and Shep learns how to "fold" the world around him (read the book to find out more). As they focus their abilities, the characters are bound together in a race to save lives and divert heartache and pain.

Koontz masterfully draws his characters, causing us to care for them and their predicament. Shep is an autistic boy, Dylan is the brother committed to caring for him, and Jilly is the stand-up comedian who stumbles into their path. Koontz lets his characters be themselves. He lets us see into their pasts and into their hearts with effective timing and skill. He keeps surprises up his sleeve, and divvies them out at appropriate moments. Although he spices his writing with rich similes and metaphors that add to the mood and direction of the story, I did find the sheer volume of them distracting at times.

The climax of the book was my only disappointment. The story moved from fringe characters in a predicament to "The Matrix" meets "X-Men." The scenes are handled deftly, and the bigger issues of fate and free-will are intriguing to contemplate, but Koontz's comic book ending undermined my enjoyment of the themes he explored.

The newest series in the new and improved and enlightened Dean Koontz at first disappointed me because it took about one half of the book for the plot to come together and make us feel connected to the characters.
Nanotechnology is the latest and greatest science written by the best writers out there (the best being Prey and The Eighth Day), and Koontz puts his touch in a tale of redemption.
The novel sets itself up for a sequel of two and that will be great - now that a premise is set, let's run from the get-to, please? A definite read - just have a little more patience - this is no From the Corner of His Eye, but to me that is the tops he's done in a long time.
(where is the guy who can only get around in the dark?)what happened to those novels? Any more coming?

Having read 98% of Koontz' books, I feel a little sad in having to say I find this book one of his worst. For me, the fault lies in the overworking of the autistic young man, Shepherd. So many scenes are drawn out to unreasonable lengths by the redundancy of not only Shep's dialogue, but you know that each scene will go on for a couple of pages and ultimately brother Dylan and friend Jilly will get what they want out of them. Dean has come to be a writer who is getting too involved in his own skills. He overwrites, not only his usual descriptive blabber, but in much of the dialogue. There ARE some wonderful scenes, though: Shep and Dylan revisiting the murder of their mother; Dylan helping out an old cowboy locate his long-missing daughter, and the climactic wedding scene. They're very well done and if the rest of the book had matched this kind of writing, I would have been impressed. Needless to say, it looks like "The Moonlight Club" may be coming? If he can focus a little more on making a tighter narrative and not overdoing his characterization (as with Shep), he may return to his higher level of writing.

By the Light of the Moon was one of the few Koontz books I'd had yet to read. And over all, compared to his other works, I was still quite impressed with By the Light of the Moon. While it's not my absolute favorite of his, as I reached the ending I found myself quite pleased with the whole of this book.

We find Dylan and his autistic brother Shep in the middle of an average day of their lives, in a hotel room, in town for Dylan's art show. Quickly, an average day turns into the strangest, scariest day of their lives- as Shep stands by helpless as Dylan is accousted and injected with an unknown substance by a seemingly crazy man. Minutes later in another part of the hotel another random victim (Jilly) is injected as well. The three of these people find themselves in the middle of a strange nightmare- fighting for their lives and trying to figure out what has happened to them and what's to come.

When I read Koontz it often times comes down to whether I enjoyed the characters and their lives. And in that regard, this book did not disappoint- I would certainly enjoy a sequel- which I don't say often. Shep, Jilly and Dylan were all well-developed, unique and "real".

As for the plot itself...I realize some readers do not like books that are about either the supernatural, or other topics that are seemingly unusual, possibly unrealistic and definitely "out there". However, this IS one of Koontz's books that I felt was NOT too out-there, not too corny or unrealistic. The story kept me turning the pages, dying to know what was going to happen next. As for the final chapters and ending- those were the best part to me! This was one of Koontz's more recent stories that I did enjoy, there have been a few that did disappoint (Tick Tock, Winter Moon). If you're looking for other books of his that are newer are worth the read, add these to your reading list: The Face, Odd Thomas, One Door Away From Heaven. And as for some classic Koontz, try: House of Thunder, Hideaway, The Bad Place, Key to Midnight & Watchers!

What I like about Dean Koontz is that no matter what he writes about, whether it's evil bioethicists or your everyday sociopath, he manages to imbue his stories with his own unique style and spirit. You know his hero and heroine are going to be thrust into a life-threatening situation. You know you're in for a roller-coaster ride, but you also know that along the way you're going to laugh, cry and express every emotion known to man. The action in BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON is rapid-fire. Everything happens within the space of twenty-four hours. Reminiscent of INTENSITY, another favorite of mine. Dylan, Jilly and Shep are injected with a mysterious golden serum and, almost immediately, begin exhibiting strange powers like precognition, and the ability to fold space and time. Wow! As a science buff, AND a science fiction buff, I was thrilled when I learned WHY Dylan, Jilly, and Shep were suddenly blessed with superhero powers. And the scene in the church, toward the end of the book, when the three try to prevent a terrorist attack,is one of the best Mr. Koontz has ever written. Astonishing. I loved every minute of this book. I didn't want it to end, and when I finished it I was sorry I'd read it as quickly as I did. I'm looking forward to his next book with high expectations. It's going to take a lot to top this one. But, you know, I have a feeling that he can do it with the third installment of the Christopher Snow series. I miss Chris. Hint, hint...:o)

I read all the bad reviews of this book and I have to wonder ... what book were these people reading? I loved the characters - Shep being my favorite. I thought Jilly was completely realistic and I know several people like her. Yes, initially, she seems like a b%@#$, but if you take the time to get to know her and give her a chance, she grows on you. I thought the premise of the story was very interesting, and the inclusion of the Art Bell-like character was humorous. I read it in two days during a cruise and it was a great choice.

With this outing, Dean Koontz proves yet again why he is the most influential popular fiction writer of our time. Koontz has a mind that delves deep into the American psyche, and there he deftly engages our greatest questions and our deepest fears in a way that effects change. There is no more dynamic way to influence culture than through a riveting story with three dimensional characters who walk off the page and into our minds, bearing questions and challenges that resonate with our own.

Many writers can spin an interesting yarn, but precious few can thrill and influence - yet Koontz is the master of both. There are times when his expansive imagination may prove burdensome to the dullest of minds (he wields simile and metaphor like a master magician wields a deck of cards) but his colorful description never detracts from the plot's through line. I won't slow you down with yet one more synopsis of this powerful story, suffice it to say that injecting the protagonist's arm with "stuff," and forcing him to run for his life with a witty love interest at his side and savant brother in tow makes for a fascinating premise which Koontz rides brilliantly to the climax.

Have I said that Koontz is brilliant?

As readers, all we can do is hope this storyteller continues to stomach the pain that surely accompanies the birthing of such wonderful if stretching novels. Please, Mr. Koontz, populate the world with more of your stories. May they be fruitful and multiply.

BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON will keep you turning its pages to find out where the plot takes you, but it isn't Dean Koontz at his best. I felt the story was a little too reminiscent of Koontz's earlier book, THE BAD PLACE.

BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON is about a young man and his autistic brother who run afoul of a deranged scientist versed in the cutting-edge field of nanotechnology. After the two brothers are injected with a serum containing microscopic robots that give them unpredictably strange new powers, they soon team up with a young woman who has also been turned into a human guinea pig by the same madman.

Although BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON mainly sticks to the same "innocents on the run from powerful evil forces" formula that Koontz has used many times over, he should be credited with attempting to break some new ground here. His last couple novels, although not wholly successful, have at least been showing that he's moving in some new directions.

My main problem with BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON, aside from its similarities to THE BAD PLACE, is that it tends to get a little preachy. The characters wind up a little more goody-goody than is easily palatable.

There are some redeeming qualities to the novel as well, however. Koontz's trademark individualistic humor is readily on display, and despite its shortcomings, the novel manages to be more or less entertaining. When I read a new book by Dean Koontz, I always feel like I'm catching up with an old friend, and I guess that's why I'll always keep reading them.