The Odd Struggle

I have been reading the book Odd Thomas for over a month.   I’ve been dying to read this book for quite a long time and when I got a gift certificate from work for the big book store in town, I went out and bought it.   I also bought the next book in the series, I was that sure I was going to like it.

I’m quite a fan of Dean Koontz, having read a number of his books in the past.   So when I saw the reviews for this new series of his, I absolutely HAD to read it.

Here is the synopsis from Amazon:

The dead don’t talk, but Odd Thomas has the ability to see their troubled, unquiet spirits. And their appearance invariably precedes some terrifying and cataclysmic event. Usually gruesome, multiple deaths. More terrifying are the shadows – or bodachs – which sometimes surround the people who are about to become victims of brutal killings. These inky forms move in packs, hovering above their prey as if drawn by the promise of bloodshed. Violence and terror attracts them. They are surrounding ‘Fungus Man’, a stranger who has come to Pico Mundo. A man who, Odd discovers, has a penchant for sickening crimes, a lust for violence. But is he a lone assassin or does he have associates bent on slaughter? Time is running out for the people of this little southern Californian town. Can Odd, with his special psychic powers, avert disaster?

It sounds like something I’d plow through, because I love these kinds of books.  The whole slightly paranormal thriller type of books.  Here is an example of the kind of reviews it was given:

ODD THOMAS is by far one of the best books I have read in my twenty two years of existence. This book doesn’t start off on a mundane path to boredom.. NO! it sets an exciting pace from the word go. From ghosts, ghouls and god damn scarey bad guys this book will keep you up all night to the point where you are just to frightened to turn off the lights. Highley recommended for any thrill seeker.

By Claire Ellis “celo” (Liverpool, England)

That’s me!! I’m the thrill seeker!!  I want god damn scarey scary bad guys keeping me up all night!

That’s so not happening.  The book started out really good, with the main character helping a dead young girl get back at her murderer… but after that… SNORE!!  I’m a little over halfway through now and I have literally had to force myself to get that far.   I read about 2-3 pages per night before falling asleep and for some reason am hellbent on finishing it.   I’m convinced it must get better at some point and that just a few pages down the road it’s gonna excite my socks off!

There are other books I’m DYING to start, like Seven Up by Janet Evanovich, from the Stephanie Plum series (which is ONLY the best series I have ever read, by the way)… but I can’t until I finish this one! argh!

I am going to finish this book, and it had better get good soon!