Strangers [Paperback]

Dean Koontz (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 24, 2009

THEY WERE STRANGERS. A handful of people. From different backgrounds, living in different towns and cities across America, they had nothing in common - except fear. THEY WERE VICTIMS. Cold and stark, an unknown terror gripped their dreams and turned their days into living nightmares. THEY WERE CHOSEN. And they could not escape. Deep in the heart of a sprawling desert, a dark memory called out to them drawing them to the Tranquility Motel - where the terrifying truth was waiting...

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of Phantoms, Whispers and other thrillers takes an unconscionable time to tell his latest story. The "strangers" are thousands of miles apart when they begin to suffer inexplicable terrors. In California, Dom Corvaisis sleepwalks, fleeing from an unseen menace. In Massachusetts, gifted young Dr. Ginger Weiss's panic attacks threaten her career. A priest in the Midwest loses his faith suddenly, then finds he can heal fatally injured people. And, in Elko, Nevada, the owner of a motela tough ex-Marinebecomes paralyzed by fears of the dark. Mysterious clues bring these characters and others, similarly afflicted, to the motel, where apparently they had met long before. As they compare experiences, the victims realize they've been brainwashed and determine to find out why. That means facing death at the hands of a maniac in a scene that finally induces frissons of terror in the reader. But it's too late; Koontz has vitiated suspense throughout the narrative with numbing repetitions and long explanations of such matters as Jewish cooking, the baldachin over the altar at St. Patrick's Cathedral, a weaver's tools, etc. 75,000 first printing; $75,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild dual selection.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Six strangers are unaccountably seized by nightmares, attacks of fear, and bouts of uncharacteristic behavior. The six begin to seek each other out as puzzling photographs and messages arrive, indicating that the cause may lie in a forgotten weekend stay at an isolated Nevada motel. Koontz has topped a fine roster of horror and suspense novels with an almost unbearably suspenseful page-turner. His ability to maintain the mystery through several plot twists is impressive, as is his array of believable and sympathetic characters. With its masterful blend of elements of espionage, terror, and even some science fiction, Strangers may be the suspense novel of the year. Recommended for popular collections. Literary Guild dual main selection. Eric W. Johnson, Univ. of Bridgeport Lib . , Conn.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 579 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Reprint edition (November 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425233596
• ISBN-13: 978-0425233597
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (210 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born and raised in Pennsylvania where I graduated from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University). When I was a senior in college, I won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition and have been writing ever since. My first job after graduation was with the Appalachian Poverty Program, where I was expected to counsel and tutor underprivileged children on a one-to-one basis. During my first day on the job, I discovered that the previous occupier of my position had been beaten up by the very kids he had been trying to help and had landed in the hospital for several weeks. The following year was filled with challenge but also tension, and I was more highly motivated than ever to build a career as a writer. I wrote nights and weekends, which I continued to do after leaving the poverty program and going to work as an English teacher in a suburban school district outside Harrisburg. After a year and a half in that position, my wife, Gerda, made me an offer I couldn't refuse: "I'll support you for five years," she said, "and if you can't make it as a writer in that time, you'll never make it." By the end of those five years, Gerda had quit her job to run the business end of my writing career. Gerda and I, along with our dog, Trixie, live in southern California.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#65 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#2 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Horror

#10 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#11 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#14 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#15 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers

#2 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Horror

#10 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#11 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#14 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#15 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 71 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I've read this book FOUR times! April 7, 2003

By Janice Sims VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I've just finished reading STRANGERS for the fourth time. And, undoubtedly, I'll read it again and again. When I checked out some of the other reviews I was astounded that some readers didn't like this story. They thought it was too long! Good Lord, it wasn't long enough! Or the ending wasn't feasible. Maybe it's because I love science fiction that I could appreciate the ending, and find it thoroughly believable. What happens in this story, dear ones, is that several people from varied backgrounds, who all come from different places, start manifesting strange symptoms that eventually draw them to a motel in the desert where they all stayed last summer. You see, something happened to them at the motel. And someone has erased their memories. However, like a bad penny, the memories start resurfacing and begin to affect each person: sometimes positively, sometimes negatively. I think Dean Koontz is at the top of his game with this story. His power of description is magnificent. And his ability to make you care for his characters is on the money. I just loved Ginger, the young Jewish surgeon who goes into a fugue state whenever something reminds her subconscious of the night her memory was erased. And Jorja, the Vegas waitress whose daughter is obsessed with the moon. Once again, Koontz's female characters show strength and resilience. His male characters aren't bad either. There's Dom, the writer, who wakes in the middle of the night in the closet and doesn't know how he got there, nor what he's so afraid of that he nails his windows shut while sleep-walking! And there's Jack, the thief, who just makes your heart ache when he has to say goodbye to his wife who has been in a coma for many years. I could go on and on about this thrilling story. But I won't because I want you to read it for yourself. If you like a story that grabs you by the seat of your pants and takes you for the ride of your life, a story that's written by a master of suspense who knows how to get your heart pumping, then this book is for you. I'm truly baffled by those negative reviews.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent January 1, 2000

By "the_hero_factor"

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I love this book. I've read many of Koontz's books, but this is by far and away his best. It is the story of a group of people spread out over the country who all start experiencing strange things: a grown man becomes deathly afraid of the dark; another starts sleepwalking; a priest loses his faith; a young doctor has attacks that cause her to flee from she doesn't know what; and there are others. As they try to figure out what is causing these things they are drawn together, and to a motel in the Nevada desert. Koontz leaves the reader as much in the dark as the characters in the book, and it is a pleasure to try and solve the mystery along with them. A very interesting, involving, and exciting book, I highly recommend it to all.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Klassic Koontz October 16, 2004

By Will Culp

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Strangers(1986). A Novel By Suspense/Horror Author Dean Koontz.

Dean Koontz. His name is synonymous with things that go bump in the night and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, and is often compared to the King of Macabre, Stephen King. While his books usually are easily comprehendible and "to-the-point," with 'Strangers', Dean Koontz has produced his "epic". Almost every author has an "epic," or, in the case of Charles Dickens, sometimes 4 or 5. A novel huge in size and thought, with in-depth characters, profound messages and morals, massive and interweaving plots and sub-plots, it's most easily defined as a novel that "makes you think"! 'Strangers', weighing in at 681 pages, is a tale of government intrigue, with a massive cover-up that included brainwashing the memories of over 30 people who stayed at The Tranquility Motel in rural Nevada to make them forget the horrors of July 6th, 1984. After experiencing disturbing nightmares and odd disorders like sleepwalking and phobias, Ginger Weiss, Dominick Corvaisis, Brendan Cronin, Jack Twist, Sandy and Ned Sarver, and Faye and Ernie Block slowly are drawn back to The Tranquility Motel, where fate and destiny awaits... Did I enjoy 'Strangers' or not? Read on to find out!

Plot- As Ginger, Brendan, Dom, Faye, Jack, Ernie, Ned, and Sandy return to The Tranquility Motel, they seem to know each other like friends, even though they've never met. As the character's memory blocks slowly start to disappear, they slowly begin to remember the occurrence on July 6th, yet before they can determine what happen, the government decides to apprehend them and sanction them. Later, Brendan and Dom discover they have supernatural powers, able to lift things at will and heal injured people, and they believe it's related to what happened to them on that night. As miraculous healings and supernatural events begin happening all over the world, the government soon realizes its cover-up is fading, and they must either admit what happened or destroy the evidence and make up something. As the government prepares to wipe out the evidence of the mysterious event, they methodically capture the witnesses to the event and sanction them in a nearby base, Thunder Hill Depository, where the secret lays hundreds of miles underground. As the characters fight for their lives, they will have to learn to band together and help each other, and learn to face the truth of that horrifying night...

Opinions/Writing/Etc.-

Dean Koontz is a writer, who, unlike a large number of his contemporaries(Grisham, Ludlum), thinks up original, suspenseful, and delightful plots with each novel, and he never scrapes the surface of being generic or repetitive. With 'Strangers', Koontz tries his hand at a novel of immense proportions, carefully building up each of his characters personas and developing them throughout the novel, until each character seems like a close friend. This is important, because when the characters are in trouble or in danger, the reader feels and pities them, giving 'Strangers' a stronger depth and emotion. Throughout, Koontz explores many themes such as love, faith, friendship, and determination, and by the novel's end, you will piece together the morals and messages Koontz has interlaid within his writing. 'Strangers' moves along slowly at first, introducing the numerous characters and unearthing the controversial mystery, but as the novel nears its end, you'll be on the edge of your seat and the pages will fly by. Koontz's writing isn't fancy or overly descriptive like most classic novels, yet he's straight-forward and to-the-point, almost as if he's telling the story around a campfire to a group of enrapt listeners. The only thing that hurts the novel is that the "mystery" behind the suspense of 'Strangers' is fairly predictable and lackluster, yet, it's not as bad as it could have been. My opinion? A great novel!

Overall, 'Strangers' is a great thriller, full of mystery and suspense that will keep the reader guessing until the end. The plot is very epic, so, young readers, beware! The sheer amount of characters and plot twists will go right over your head. For those willing to take that extra leap and read 'Strangers', be prepared for an epic novel, full of mystery and hopeful themes that will definitely be a highlight in anyone's bookshelf.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO FANS OF SUSPENSE, MYSTERIES, THRILLERS, AND DEAN KOONTZ! I STRESS THAT ONLY ADVANCED READERS, SUCH AS OLDER TEENS AND ADULTS, SHOULD GET 'STRANGERS'!

Also Recommended-

Phantoms- Dean Koontz

The Stand- Stephen King

Ghost Story- Peter Straub

Thanks For Reading!