Customer Reviews

Watchers

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This is Dean Koontz at his finest. The man is first and foremost a storyteller par excellence, and "Watchers" reels you in just-like-that---zip! All of his favorite elements are in play: the hulking government-sponsored lab, the super dog, the pathetic monster, the burnt out protagonist and redemption. It may be a formula, but then so is the chef's masterpiece. When it's done right, it's a work of art. The dialogue is Koontzian stiff (the dog has the best lines), but with such strong characterizations, it is but of small moment.

Travis Connell is a man in bleak despair. He has lost everyone who meant anything to him and is convinced he is a jinx. With great serendipity he meets an extraordinary golden retriever and one of life's misfits, Nora Devon. The dog and Travis meet and mutually support one another in a wilderness area where something unknown is threatening them. They in turn meet the sheltered, totally repressed Nora and save her from a sexual predator who is insinuating himself into her life. The three are inexorably drawn to one another and each almost miraculously strengthens the others.

The story shifts among the trio, a workaholic NSA agent, and a particularly repellent professional hit man with a God complex. The hit man Vince is wonderfully rendered and, unfortunately for the reader, we understand all too well his skewed logic. Lemuel Johnson, the NSA agent, has too much personal baggage and sometimes retards the story. The golden retriever, subsequently named Einstein, is a perfect realization of a dog that has been genetically engineered for high intelligence. He thinks, he reasons, he communicates (no, he can't talk, thank God!), but he remains very much a dog with all the traits we human dog lovers treasure. Somehow the author keeps him from ever being cute or a circus wonder; he has dignity and gravitas.

This is a great, fast read that will leave you with something to think about and makes the reader face some moral ambiguities. Mr. Koontz flawlessly pushes all our buttons in this, possibly his best, novel.

This is the first novel I ever read written by Koontz, and to this day I must confess that it is still my favorite. Indeed, it may very well be my favorite book of all time.

The strength of the story, of course, lies with "Einstein", and his interaction with the other characters in the story. I'm not a dog lover by any stretch of the imagination, but I fell for this dog deeply. Koontz does a brilliant job of describing Einstein's feelings (read the book and this statment will make more sense, I assure you), so as you begin to view the dog as a human. It happens so gradually through the novel that you don't even realize it till it's too late.

The main theme of this book is LOYALTY. Not just with Einstein and the other characters, but more so with the humans he comes into contact with. I'm not sure if Koontz is a dog lover or not, but he sure made one out of me!

I have read this book more times than I care to mention, and each time I am still filled with the same emotions at the same incerpts on the same pages...This novel is indeed THAT powerful. Regardless of whether you enjoy pets or not, do yourself a favor, and read this novel.

In WATCHERS, Dean Koontz weaves some of his most powerful, recurring themes into a story so compelling it demands to be read again--and again! Dangerous government experiments run amok; characters tortured by terrible childhoods and fears of losing those they love most; and the redemptive power of love and hope. These themes serve to give this novel an emotional punch that few thrillers can match these days.

Perhaps Koontz's greatest accomplishment with this novel is that the story succeeds on so many levels. Readers who appreciate finely-tuned phrases and scalpel-clean, lyrical prose can delight in the prowess of a master wordsmith. Other readers, seeking only a story that delivers an entertaining plot, will be riveted by the twists and turns and "Oh, My God" moments that this story delivers. Lastly, those readers who have followed Koontz's career for many years can read WATCHERS simply to appreciate the spectacular progression of this author's skill.

I've read WATCHERS many times, and every time, I pick up a technique that I can apply to my own suspense novels. Needless to say, this book has gained the "must read, then re-read" status on my personal reading list!

You have not read a book until you have read Watchers by Dean Koontz. Why? I will try to be brief.. no book can ever match the powerful beginning of this novel. It was gripping, thrilling, from page 3. There is a lot of description, but Dean has a way of making every description useful and enjoyoyable - unlike some authors who bore you to death with totally irrelevant paragraphs. His characters may be extreme in some ways, nevertheless, they were painted into realistic people that can indeed exist in real life. For the first few chapters.. you will be intrigued at how different incidents can be connected.. then slowly and with a lot of mystery, the story begins to connect and become clearer.

Travis, Nora, Einstein, and Vince are the main characters in the book. Dean allows you to see the world from their eyes, which can be fascinating because they are fascinating characters!

Einstein, the dog, will capture your heart. Even the evil presence in the story will have you sympathize with it. The plot is structured so well that there is no spot where the action slows down. Given the long time within which the story takes place, this novel is very fast paced and will leave you at the edge of your seat.

And I have to confess that Koontz does not leave you unsatisfied or frustrated at any point. The characters will ask the questions that you have in your mind, and the action will keep you fully aware of the current situation. The suspense will leave you shuddering, and the romance will warm your heart. This is a story that is full of emotion.. where there is a lesson at the end for mankind. It will stay in my heart to the end of my life.

There were 4 movies based on this book and not one was a good adaption. Some day I hope a movie is made that does the book justice. The movies that were made are B-Movies. The book is about a dog named Einstein that given special abilities in a lab. He escaped and a monster called the Outsider that was also created in the lab and is just as smart as him also escaped. The Outsider thinks he's ugly and rips the eyes out of his victims. He can sense where Einstein is and Einstein can tell when he's close by.

Einstein befriends a depressed and lonely man named Travis who's used to his loved ones dieing and who's afraid of losing Einstein as well. Travis quickly learns how smart he is. Together they meet an anti-social and self-conscious woman named Nora who's being stalked by a pervert bully who's obsessed with making himself a part of her life. He was never in any of the movies, nor was the crazy assassin who thinks he obtains the life energy of the people he kills. He thinks he killed so many people that he's close to being immortal.

While in the movies the agent Lem who's trying to find both the Outsider and Einstein is always bad. So the movies didn't get anything right since in the book, he's not that bad. Hell, he's such a good guy that he even feels sorry for the Outsider for ever being created. If it sounds like I gave a lot away, I really didn't. This book is packed with suspense and twist and turns. It can be extremely violent and even disturbing, but since Travis, Nora and Einstein are so likable it's hard to put the book down. You want to know their fate and how they can possibly escape all the dangers that are following them. It's a good read while the movies are barely watchable.

Dean Koontz has made me into a midnight novel reading addict! "The Watchers" is a heart-warming, suspense-filled, science-based adventure story and romantic novel. It has enormous appeal due to the many intriguing, imaginative and spell-binding elements drawn from diverse sources. The story literally jumps off each page. One could argue who is the real hero in this book, Travis Cornell and his partner/wife, Nora Devon or Einstein, the genetically altered Golden Retriever, dog genius ...

The enticing story and creative plot draw ideas from many sources: science, in the form of genetic experimentation with the best and worst outcomes, a hired assassin who has ghoulish creepy psychotic tendencies that make one's skin crawl, two National Security Agents, Lemuel Johnson and Walter Gaines who chase down the hero and heroine in the story and in the end demonstrate an unexpected compassionate and human side to their natures. And most importantly, Travis Cornell, the strong handsome former undercover operations soldier who goes hunting in the Santiago Canyon of Orange County California and unexpectedly discovers a golden retriever that he adopts or who adopts him ... which changes his life forever. The beauty of this story is how it blends science, horror, romance and heart warming elements in an intriguing and surprising whole.

As Einstein gradually reveals his unique traits to Travis, the heart of every animal lover will melt. Numerous times while reading this book, this reader's eyes teared up in empathy during critical moments when the outcomes were uncertain ... Along with this wonderful dog, the reader becomes fond of Travis who comes to the rescue of Nora Devon, a beautiful recluse in her late 30s. She inherited an old style mansion and had a plain and simple upbringing by a strict and eccentric Aunt. These three characters are a dynamic trio possessing chemistry which makes the story explode with energy ... the reader is thrilled at their abilities to evade capture and cringes each time The Outsider comes closer ... The challenges thrown in their path are major as they seek to save Einstein from capture or death. The hero, heroine and dog manage to outsmart government agents, an assassin, and a genetically altered monster. The climax and ending are completely satisfying. The entire book is nonstop adventure filled with frequent unexpected cliff hangers that are jaw-dropping but which keep the adrenaline pumping ... wanting to read more.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

I 've never been really too interested in Dean Koontz books but this book made me realize what I was missing. It starts out kind of slow with vivid details and descriptions of every little thing to set the mood just right. After about 100 pages into the book, I was hooked. This book is full of romance and action. It made me feel sorry for the dog and the monster. I felt as if I were there and they were talking and interacting with me. The main character, Einstien (a golden retriever) is a geniuos dog and he really touched my heart. Even the most dreadful character in the book gives you feelings of sadness, thanks to Koontz. Nora and Travis (the owners) had to overcome many obstacles to fight for what they believed and in the end, they did thier best. The ending leads you to start to think one thing and then, a final surprise. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who can read.

Watchers is about love, loneliness, fear, tragedy, the wrongs of genetic engineering/humans playing God, and, of course, horror and suspense. Watchers is about a man who has had a horrible past, Travis Cornell, who thinks that anybody he gets close to dies. It is also about Nora Devon, a woman who has been kept isolated from the world by Aunt Violet, a character we learn to hate. Also in the cast are a superintelligent dog, a deadly human-made beast, a hitman, a lawyer, and two NSA agents. Watchers is by far one of the finest pieces of work ever printed. Dean Koontz shows us that he is much more than a horror/suspense writer. While keeping suspense at a maximum, Koontz tells us a gripping tale about friendship. Some of the characters are so charming that we wish they were real, while some are just the scum of the earth. Watchers pulses and overflows with Koontz's God-given talent for suspense, humor, and flat-out great storylines. Read it as soon as possible!

Dean Koontz can be brilliant, medicocre, and occasionally pretty bad. (I couldn't even finish "Your Heart Belongs to Me"). But when he gets it right, he gets is really, really right. This book is a joy on every level. The characters are engaging people the reader would love to know, the plot is compelling, and the narrative is top-of-his game Koontz. This story is one of gripping ideas, told in a setting of the transcendance of love and courage over evil and misfortune.

If you don't have a dog when you read this, go buy some Alpo. You'll want to get a diog when you are done.

Since this is one of Koontz's early and very popular novels, the basic plot is probably well known to most readers so I will only provide a relatively brief summary. (In addition, there are already hundreds of other reviews available for readers who prefer a more detailed discussion of the book.) This review will hopefully be of more interest and more value to potential readers of WATCHERS by providing a discussion of my reactions to the story and by describing my reasons for recommending that anyone with the time available should strongly consider listening to the unabridged audio CD version rather than reading the book. (Warning: it consists of 13 CD's and is approximately 15 hours in length.)

Travis Cornell is a man in the throes of despair; he has been unsuccessful in his search to instill some purpose in his life following the horrible tragedy which has befallen him. The reader meet Travis walking through the woods and contemplating his past and future; suddenly a golden retriever appears and the agitated dog surprisingly insists on Travis immediately leaving the area. Travis' feeling of unease is gradually replaced by an increasingly preternatural dread; they safely return to Travis' car and Travis speeds away taking the dog with him. The dog's anxiety gradually lessens but never disappears; several incidents cause Travis to realize that the dog seems very intelligent, and the dog (presciently named Einstein) causes Travis to focus on something other than himself. A chance encounter soon changes their lives; they meet Nora Devon, a withdrawn and very self-critical woman who is soon saved by Einstein's seeming sixth sense. As you undoubtedly will surmise, this story is much more complex and sinister than simply a boy meets dog meets girl romance novel.

As Travis and Nora soon learn, there is another main character in this drama, "The Outsider", a sinister yet pathetic bioengineered beast (as intelligent as Einstein) who has escaped from the same top secret lab as Einstein and who seems intent on horribly mutilating whatever victims happen to cross his path as he single mindedly stalks Einstein across the countryside. The supporting cast is also well drawn and integral to the plot - among them, Vince, the really weird mob hit man who is pursing eternal life; Lemuel Johnson, the NSA operative who is tasked with retrieving the escapees and keeping the truth hidden from the public; and Walt Gaines, the local sheriff and Lem's long time friend who is increasingly frustrated by Lem's secrecy regarding the truth behind the horrific murders occurring in his jurisdiction. The story is long with several unpredictable twists but the plot is quite simple; it is Koontz' skill as a storyteller and the philosophical questions which it addresses which make it a compelling tale.

I was caught up as soon as I listened to the first chapter; my reactions ranged from tension to excitement to tears to pure joy. The interaction and development of the three main characters - Travis, Einstein, and Nora - is wonderfully handled even if predictable in many respects. This is truly a story where the details matter, a totally faithful summary of the complete storyline would probably only take a few pages but in no way do it justice, as is true of many of Koontz' works. As the story unfolded, I felt that I was participating in the action and cheering for my new friends to all safely reach the end of the novel alive and together as an intact family despite the great odds which they would have to overcome. The transformation of each of them and the bond which gradually joined them together as their adventure proceeded provided many pleasant hours of listening.

I have read many of Koontz' recent novels and enjoyed them tremendously, and thus decided to read some of his earlier works. This book was on a par in terms of my enjoyment with my previous favorite - LIFE EXPECTANCY - despite the very different construction and tone. I had not previously listened to audio books, but was planning to be doing a lot traveling by myself and searched for something in which I could become completely absorbed in order to pass the time quickly. This so completely captivated me that on a few occasions I hated the trip segment to end and could scarcely wait to move the CD from my car to my portable player so that I could resume listening to the story.

I thought the rendition was excellent; the narrator J. Charles faithfully captured the changes in mood as the story progressed as well as successfully differentiating among the characters through very distinct and individual intonations. Especially compelling was Einstein's progressively intelligent and loveable "WOOF". In effect, listening to this book rather than looking at the printed page allowed me to visualize the story as it proceeded, the word pictures were often so vivid and dramatic that I frequently felt as if I were at the movies. So, if you are either an habitual user of audio books or simply an avid reader with an inclination to listen to a story instead of reading a book, I recommend this production. (As an aside, the technique adopted by Brilliance Audio of having seamless tracks averaging less a minute each was incredibly useful both when I had to interrupt my listening or change CD players for some reason or if my attention was momentarily diverted and I wanted to replay a short segment without having to listen to a several minute interval.)

This is a story of many moods - from the terror of gruesome killings to the great joy of self-discovery, friendship and love. Among the many wonderful elements, the two which will always stick in my mind are the concluding few chapters together with the scenes where Nora and Travis gradually improve their methodology for communicating with Einstein. Maybe it is because I feel a strong bond to our family's golden retriever, but the those seemed pitch perfect to me and the use of the "communication machine" which they eventually designed was wonderful to contemplate. But I refuse to divulge any further details, so you'll have to read the book both to discover their secret and to learn the derivation of the title.

Tucker Andersen