books 2011 // # 23 - Twilight Eyes by Dean Koontz
Title: Twilight Eyes
Author: Dean Koontz (* 1945)
Publication Date: 1985.
Genre: Horror. Suspense.
Page Count: 510.
Summary: Slim MacKenzie is no ordinary man. With eyes the color of twilight, he's been blessed with a psychic gift: premonitions. He's also been cursed, for Slim can see the monsters hiding among us, feeding on our suffering.
And when Slim joins a traveling carnival seeking sanctuary, what he'll find is a hunting ground-with humanity as the prey. [Source].
Review in 5 words or less: Great suspense & action | Very bad characterization for main protagonist, but likable supporting characters | Story not plausible | Good depiction of life in a traveling carnival |
Personal Rating: ◊ ◊ of 5.
Review:
Twilight Eyes starts with a bang and the start is symptomatic for the book: great action and suspense but a bit of a "what's going on here? Care to waste a little time on characterization and a believable backstory?"-feeling remains. The plot, too, isn't too convincing but Koontz definitely uses some very great mental images. So I think this could be summarized as little substance but great execution thereof.
For instance our hero, Slim, is seventeen as he likes to remind the reader. He is, despite no special training whatsoever, able to defeat monsters again and again, he's an amazing psychic with a great talent for sports who smart and mature and did I mention the beautiful woman with a tragic past falls for him of all people? Do I really need to write more about the characterization in this book?
Amusingly, I do, because as soon as we get to the supporting characters, things look better. Here Koontz does a great job describing the life and the people of the traveling carnival Slim hides out with. Add to that the really great action and suspense (just forget about plausibility, please) and you get a good, relaxing read that doesn't strain the brain too much. Or at all. Recommended for those times when you're so tired that you can barely think straight and need light but suspenseful reading.
Links: official website, @ wikipedia
Other books I've read by this author: Night Chills (1976). The Mask (1980). The House of Thunder (1980). Phantoms (1983). The Servants of Twilight (1984). Darkfall (1984). Fear Nothing (1998). Velocity (2005).