What the Night Knows (with bonus novella Darkness Under the Sun): A Novel [Formato Kindle]

Whatever happened to the Dean Koontz who wrote such excellent books as Watchers, Intensity, Dark Rivers Of The Heart, From The Corner Of His Eye, and Velocity -- just to name a few? It's sad to see when an author goes from being "can't miss" to "don't bother." For me, this has been the situation with Koontz's books over the past several years.

I was hoping, however, based on the description in Amazon Vine, that What The Night Knows was going to be like Koontz's books from yesteryear -- i.e., edge-of-the-seat excitement, fully developed credible characters, realistic dialogue, and non-stop suspense. The plot is described as involving a Homicide detective who believes that his wife and children are being marked for murder in the same way his parents and sisters were brutally killed twently years earlier by a crazed murdered out on a killing spree. A killing spree that ended when the detective, then fourteen years of age, killed the murderer of his family.

Unfortunately, virtually none of what I hoped for turned out to be the case. While What The Night Knows has its moments of suspense, there are not enough of them nor are they of the caliber of suspense Koontz used to be able to create; suspense that used to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end.

Even more disappointing to me was Koontz's inability to create believable, fully developed characters as well as realistic dialogue. For me, this was particularly true about the child characters in What The Night Knows. These children, pre-teens, are so poorly developed and speak such unrealistic dialogue that I often had to stop reading in order to get my eyes to stop from rolling around in my head in astonishment. I know that Koontz doesn't have children of his own, but I am amazed that he could be so clueless as to how young children behave,think and speak.

As a result of my disappointments with this book I considered giving up on the book at various times. Instead, out of a sense of respect for an author that used to be one of my favorites, I decided to read on -- but I could only get to the end by skimming through several passages.

Based on my above comments, it is obvious that I don't recommend this book. I know my one-star rating is perhaps going to upset some Koontz fans who want to read his latest work, and result in them giving my review a "no/not helpful" vote. Hopefully, other potential readers will view my review as helpful, in that it provides "food for thought" that differs from the majority opinion expressed to-date.

What the Night Knows is my first exposure to Dean Koontz. While I am not a fan of books and movies that scare the life out of me, Koontz may be the exception.

This author really knows how to tell a story that grabs the reader and does not let go until the book ends. Further, he is a master of pace, suspense and thrilling action that is visual to the point that chills the reader to the bone.

Alton Turner Blackwood is the product of repeated inbreeding from 3 generations. He is the epitome of evil. He graduates from killing animals to torturing and murdering entire families.

One such family was that of now detective John Calvino who at the age of 14 was the lone survivor of Blackwood's evil quest, having shot and killed Blackwood in order to live on.

Unfortunately, early on we learn that Blackwood's ghost also lives on to enter the bodies of others to continue his evil quest that will reach John Calvino's home and family.

This is a book that is nearly impossible to put down and will keep the reader thinking about it for days to come. Enjoy!

Once upon a time Koontz was one of my favorite writers, what happened to him?... anyway I do own all of his greats twilight eyes, watchers, lightening etc. My advice to new or young readers of his work is to start at the beginning and work your way forward. I cannot be the only person who has become disenchanted with this writer. I sincerely long for the koontz of the years past.