Book Review - Darkfall by Dean Koontz
Category Book Review Dean Koontz Darkfall
I've been keeping a reading log since the mid-90's so I can figure out if I've read all the works of a particular author before spending time with the "this looks vaguely familiar" syndrome. Darkfall by Dean Koontz is one of his earlier works written originally under the pen name of Owen West. It came available at our library, and I didn't see it on my log. But, given the original date of the novel, it *was* before I started keeping track. Fortunately for me, I think this was truly one of his that I missed, and it was enjoyable getting back to the "old" Koontz style of supernatural horror thriller.
Jack Dawson, a New York cop, arrives at a crime scene with his partner Rebecca Chandler to find a dead crime boss inside a locked room. The body shows horrible signs of mutilation, and it's a mystery as to how someone could have gotten into the room to commit the murder. But that body is only the first of a number that start showing up... all linked to an organized crime family, and all graphically disfigured. Dawson has a lead that could point to the practice of voodoo, but Chandler wants to pin the killings on something more rational and believable. Meanwhile, Dawson's daughter is starting to get visited by rat-like creatures that have her spooked. She doesn't want to tell anyone, as she's afraid that no one would believe her. But these creatures are very real, and their growing presence and menace in the lives of the Dawson family could put them at the same risk as the rapidly disappearing mobsters...
I forgot how much I enjoyed Koontz's original style of writing when he was still using pen names. The evil/supernatural element was much more graphic than his current fare, and I was always reluctant to recommend his books to someone unless I knew they liked books on the far end of that genre. Dawson's history as a single parent along with his developing interest in Chandler as more than just a coworker mesh nicely, and the war between good and evil draws you in and doesn't let go. The daughter seemed to be a bit too mature and wise for her years, but it worked for me given the storyline.
If you run across this book thinking it's going to be like Koontz's current bestseller work, you'll be rather shocked. Koontz has mellowed a lot since his early days. But if you somehow missed this one and enjoy his earlier work, then by all means clear out some time on your schedule and dive in.
I've been keeping a reading log since the mid-90's so I can figure out if I've read all the works of a particular author before spending time with the "this looks vaguely familiar" syndrome. Darkfall by Dean Koontz is one of his earlier works written originally under the pen name of Owen West. It came available at our library, and I didn't see it on my log. But, given the original date of the novel, it *was* before I started keeping track. Fortunately for me, I think this was truly one of his that I missed, and it was enjoyable getting back to the "old" Koontz style of supernatural horror thriller.
Jack Dawson, a New York cop, arrives at a crime scene with his partner Rebecca Chandler to find a dead crime boss inside a locked room. The body shows horrible signs of mutilation, and it's a mystery as to how someone could have gotten into the room to commit the murder. But that body is only the first of a number that start showing up... all linked to an organized crime family, and all graphically disfigured. Dawson has a lead that could point to the practice of voodoo, but Chandler wants to pin the killings on something more rational and believable. Meanwhile, Dawson's daughter is starting to get visited by rat-like creatures that have her spooked. She doesn't want to tell anyone, as she's afraid that no one would believe her. But these creatures are very real, and their growing presence and menace in the lives of the Dawson family could put them at the same risk as the rapidly disappearing mobsters...
I forgot how much I enjoyed Koontz's original style of writing when he was still using pen names. The evil/supernatural element was much more graphic than his current fare, and I was always reluctant to recommend his books to someone unless I knew they liked books on the far end of that genre. Dawson's history as a single parent along with his developing interest in Chandler as more than just a coworker mesh nicely, and the war between good and evil draws you in and doesn't let go. The daughter seemed to be a bit too mature and wise for her years, but it worked for me given the storyline.
If you run across this book thinking it's going to be like Koontz's current bestseller work, you'll be rather shocked. Koontz has mellowed a lot since his early days. But if you somehow missed this one and enjoy his earlier work, then by all means clear out some time on your schedule and dive in.
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