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False Memory

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 24,055 ratings · 643 reviews

It's a fear more paralyzing than falling. More terrifying than absolute darkness. More horrifying than anything you can imagine. It's the one fear you cannot escape, no matter where you run...no matter where you hide. It's the fear of yourself. It's real. It can happen to you. And facing it can be deadly.

Fear for your mind.

Paperback, 751 pages

Published November 28th 2000 by Bantam Books (first published June 1st 1999)

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Aug 21, 2007 Lasairfiona Smith rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: dontbother

Yes, Koontz has come up with a really cool idea. This is a serious psychological thriller. A woman has a friend who has a bad case of agoraphobia. Wait, now she has a crazy phobia. And now her husband too!

Koontz delves into phobias and how they might affect a person. The character's journeys are intense and seemingly real. The antagonist is horrible and evil. The writing is really interesting...

Until the end. Koontz couldn't write himself out of a paper bag. As good as the character's trials are...more

9 likes · like · see review

Mar 31, 2008 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 Karen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: utter-bollocks

What a steaming pile of unfiltered ordure this travesty of a novel is. I am amazed, and rather proud, that I fought my way through nearly 800 pages of this woeful nonsense that has almost zero characterisation, a dubious and scientifically improbable plot, and one of the most frustrating writing styles I have ever encountered.

I hated it from the word go, but yeah, I somehow completed it. Part of me wishes I hadn't bothered. Another part is delighted, because I can now legitimately scathe about t...more

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 10, 2009 Angel Meyer rated it 4 of 5 stars

** SPOILER ALERT ** My review has a bare outline of the plot, but you need to read it to really get it.

I love Dean Koontz, but this one took me a year to read; not because it was bad but because of the content.

The story is about fear. Fear that is implanted into the subconscious mind by an unscrupulous Pshycologist/Doctor who is protected by a government agency due to his research in behavior control.

In exchange for implanting thoughts and unquestioned obedience in chosen persons, the Doctor is...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 09, 2009 Michaela rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been reading this book for about 3 months...finally finished it last night. Dean Koontz is one of my favorite authors because his books are always so incredibly suspenseful. False Memory is yet another example of suspense and bone chilling imagery. Koontz' characters are developed so well and are so realistic that you often forget they are fictional. He even finds ways to bring subtle humor into the most disturbing of events, for example "Dusty was thinking so hard that the wax would have...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Geoff rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooked

After reading some biographical information about Koontz, I wanted to check him out, so I cross-referenced some "Best Of" lists with the audiobook availability at my library and I'm severely underwhelmed by this book. I couldn't even finish it, I just wanted it to be over. I have a compulsion to finish books I've started, which even causes me to start a book again that I dropped several years prior, but life is too short to give time to this book. I made an exception for this.

It was some of the...more

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Jun 10, 2010 Morgan Ives rated it 3 of 5 stars

My favorite part of Dean Koontz's books is not knowing what to expect. Sometimes, the stories have perfectly logical and scientific explanations. Sometimes, everything is driven by something supernatural. Most times, it's a delightful blend of the two. Part of what keeps me reading is to find out which it will be: logic or supernatural.

A portion of my disappointment with this novel was he reveals that mystery so early in the book. There was some nice minor surprises throughout, but I figured out...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 08, 2008 Cherie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Whoa! I'll start by saying the bad guy is a super-sociopath. The book is about what it says in the title: false memory. The main characters have lapses in their memory and start coming down with weird psychoses. The plot and events that happen in the book are a little frustrating, that's probably why it takes some people months to years to read it. But when you're at the middle to the end of the book, you can't put it down because you so badly want to see the bad guy go down.

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2011 Lucy Morton-smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Kim, Bayard and the People of the Universe :)

A brilliant book for fast paced action, suspense, amazing plot twists, lovable characters and amazing villains. The description of this book does NOT do it justice, however I wouldnt be able to describe it without a few slight spoilers. Just read it. It's the only way to appreciate the awesomeness that is this book. The plot is amazing. It has the most plot twists of any book that I can remember. The characters are both amuzing in their humour and lovable. It's the kind of book that has you scre...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Fiza Pathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

On the cover of my copy of ‘False Memory’ is a quote about the author by The Times which states that the author Dean Koontz is :
“ Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler”
This is according to me the perfect analysis of not only the authors works in general but also with regard to the book ‘False Memory’. The novel wraps the reader in a web of literature which makes the reader tense & agog with the happenings……I won’t be exaggerating by saying that, the novel felt a...more On the cover of my copy of ‘False Memory’ is a quote about the author by The Times which states that the author Dean Koontz is :
“ Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler”
This is according to me the perfect analysis of not only the authors works in general but also with regard to the book ‘False Memory’. The novel wraps the reader in a web of literature which makes the reader tense & agog with the happenings……I won’t be exaggerating by saying that, the novel felt a lot like a 3D Film with all the special effects courtesy of Dean Koontz who makes the scenario so impressively real &….’happening’. It’s a fast paced thriller with enough of shocking material to make it a must read for any reader interested in a good mystery. What is more however, is the dark recesses of the human mind that Koontz allows his reader to get his or her teeth into. Koontz actually through this novel, has given us a glimpse of a very morbid side of the human brain which can stoop to the most gross business possible, just to feel POWERFUL or in control……the deep dark desire inherent in all of us to control & manipulate is seen in ‘False Memory’ & …….it is seriously frightening.
Dean Koontz has done something equal to an exorcist. He has managed to make the evil side of the imagination ‘talk’. The sordid nature of men in power who we trust with our lives at times (if not all the time) taking us for a ride…..turning us into puppets for their own disgusting pleasurable purposes is gruesome………but, it is real…….IT HAPPENS…….IT HAPPENED………..IT WILL KEEP ON HAPPENING ! As long as men are power hungry & human life is treated like a mere commodity, ‘False Memory’ can take place over & over again, across borders……….into the very depths of the human brain.
The story puts the reader on target at the very beginning itself in the usual Dean Koontz way, & an ardent Dean Koontz reader will know, the action always begins in the first chapter itself. In the story, we have four people who are connected in a very intricate way. There is Martie who is a well-balanced & great human being, until out of the blue she is diagnosed with autophobia (fear of oneself) ; there is her best friend Susan, who apparently also suffers from a serious phobia called agoraphobia (the fear of open places) & feels that she is being mysteriously sexually violated in her sleep….when there is no one in the house & the doors are bolted ; there is Dusty who is Martie’s ever caring & alert husband who is always out to help people, but who cannot get over the fact that he has been having some memory lapses ; then there is Skeet, Dusty’s wayward 23 year old brother who is an addict to drugs & suddenly one day plans on finishing himself by jumping off someone’s roof. All these incidents are neatly warped up in a maze of deceit & violence beyond ones imagination.
The characterization is excellent but, the character in the book that most intrigued me was the psychiatrist Dr. Mark Ahriman. He is shrouded in mystery although he is the real central character of this whole story & appears in every chapter after the first few three initial chapters. What I appreciate is the way Koontz brings out the terrible side of this man of medicine which results in dire consequences. The doctor himself was a child prodigy but who had a warped sense of living life that clouded his humanity & unleashed his thirst not only for the tears of his victims but also the power to control them. This character brought to my mind the various influential people in today’s modern world who have power in their hands…….but do we really know what’s really going on in their minds, its eerie & so is Dr. Ahriman.
The novel also brings to light corruption in the medical field where people with influence get away with murder or even child molestation……….or worse! (as in the case of the novel) Such practitioners instead of being on the edge, rather, enjoy themselves in style without the slightest trace of a conscience ; of course, sometimes insanity & warped mentalities does aid to obliterate all reason just like in the book ‘False Memory’.
There is a contrast of conscience however seen in the character of the ruthless doctor & in Martie , Dusty, Skeet & Susan ; the later four although not highly intellectual, are much better humans than not only Dr. Ahriman but also Dusty’s step father whose half crazed world of ‘ideas’ got the whole lot of characters into the mess in the first place. This novel proves that, what the world needs is not intelligent personalities, but people with hearts big enough to save even one life.
The way the author unravels the mystery through the person of the astute Dusty is pure genius & his descriptions are spooky enough to drive the reader into a frenzy if read at night.
Altogether, a very interesting thriller to possess in one’s library.
(less)

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Jul 09, 2010 Johnny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “False Memory” feels like the culmination of decades’ worth of Koontz’s stories. Even though everything sounds very familiar, there’s such a depth to this story that makes it more than just another brainwashing tale.

Martie Rhodes, helping out a friend with agoraphobia by driving her to her therapist, suddenly finds herself victim of a phobia of her own: autophobia, fear of one self. Meanwhile, her husband Dusty discovers something peculiar with his half brother Skeet. Together they stumble on a...more “False Memory” feels like the culmination of decades’ worth of Koontz’s stories. Even though everything sounds very familiar, there’s such a depth to this story that makes it more than just another brainwashing tale.

Martie Rhodes, helping out a friend with agoraphobia by driving her to her therapist, suddenly finds herself victim of a phobia of her own: autophobia, fear of one self. Meanwhile, her husband Dusty discovers something peculiar with his half brother Skeet. Together they stumble on a brainwashing conspiracy by a villain who wants some payback for some nasty stuff Dusty’s parents did to him

Lots of characters in this novel, lots of dialogue both internal as external. Everybody we meet has an aura of realness around them. The main characters we get to know through and through, with particular attention of course to their experiences with the phobias. “Strangers” already had very good descriptive scenes of the panic attacks, but “False Memory” takes it not one, but several steps further.

However, if you have already encountered the subject of brainwashing or its varieties in books like “Night Chills”, “Strangers”, “The Key to Midnight”, “The Door to December” and “The House of Thunder”, then the story lacks that extra touch of terror. It’s not completely unkown terrain and you can grasp what’s happening pretty early on. I imagine that for someone who hasn’t read those older books, “False Memory” will be genuinely terrifying.

The characters experiencing missing time reminded me of that scene in “Dragon Tears”, where the villain stops time and puts a gun barrel in Harry Lyon’s mouth over and over again. The whole brainwashing situation and Mark Ahriman taking advantage of Susan is close to a carbon copy of Ogden Salsbury’s plans in “Night Chills”. “False Memory” was written more than twenty years later, and thus is more sophisticated in its execution. The more global scheme in “Night Chills”, taking possession of the entire town of Black River, the conspiracy with the scientist and his financial benefactor, has been minimalized for “False Memory”, and the concept works far better and is more believable in this compact form.

Mark Ahriman himself is the most colorful character. As a villain he’s simply repulsive in all regards. I hated him the most when he takes on the role of sexy beast, rolling up his sleeves to display his muscular and hairy forearms, swinging his coat over his back … Ugh … Of course his other actions speak for themselves; he’s not a man but a large teenage boy playing games and taking everything he can get his hands on, an educated Roy Borden not so much with an obsession to kill, but to overpower his fellow human beings. He sees the rest of the world as objects, not as real persons, and he’s totally pushed off balance when they do something he hasn’t expected.

The most annoying characters are Dusty’s mother, stepfather and stepbrother. They are so otherworldy, completely lacking a grasp of reality. They sit in their ivory tower thinking they rule the world and that who they are is enough to make them untouchable.

The Keanuphobe is kind of like a deux-ex-machina key figure. There’s no saying what would’ve happened if she hadn’t shown up. Probably Skeet would be dead, and the following shootout between Ahriman and the Rhodes’ could have had any outcome.

“False Memory” is a well-rounded story that kinda closes off an era of Koontz books. After this, Koontz goes in totally different directions with more religiously flavored books on the one hand and high concept thrillers in the other.(less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Kaitlyn Gilpin rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dean Koontz lovers, thriller lovers

"False Memory" by Dean Koontz places regular characters in an outrageous storyline. The protagonist is Martie Rhodes, who is a video game designer. Her husband, Dustin (Dusty) Rhodes, is a house painter. The only thing out of the ordinary in their lives is Martie's friend Susan, who is an agoraphobic and Dusty's brother-in-law Skeet, who is a drug addict. Due to these characters, you think it'd be a boring story, but it's quite intriging. It starts off with going to Susan's therapy session and D...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Marina Dubois rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a Dean Koontz fans I must say that this is one of his best books. It might be confusing to someone who is new to this kind of writing, because it can be quite jumpy and sometimes absurd. But that is what I love about him. For beginners I suggest to read his books "Intensity" or "The Servants of Twilight" (the latter is also a movie)because they are easier.
It was easy to read and so exciting that I could not put it down. His way of decsrbing the events and surroundings, as well as the characte...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Roberto Guerra rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. And to be perfectly honest, it had been quite a while since I read a Dean Koontz novel that I actually liked.

The premise is interesting, and even though it may seem far fetched, it is an equally terrifying thought, the notion that one could be so easily brainwashed by a genius psychiatrist and ordered to commit horrific crimes without ever remembering having done so.

Additionally, I love the way Koontz gets the reader into the mind of the villain, in some ways allowing you t...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 17, 2009 Readermouse rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Readermouse by: Dustpancrazy

The false half of the book was more coherent and, in general, better written than the latter half. I enjoyed the role of the dog (a very realistic and incidental one) in solving this complex and evil crime. The villain is a particularly despicable and creepy poser of good and I found very disturbing.

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 13, 2011 Peter added it · review of another edition

Slow to get going, but once it does....: This is the first DK novel that I have read. It has been on my bookshelf for years and to be honest, the length has put me off several times. However, I made a pact with myself to read all the books on my shelves before I bought any new ones and this one was one of them.

The first few chapters were slow to get going and I was daunted at the prospect of the next 1,000 pages - I am cursed with the afflication that once I start a book, I must finish it regar...more

4 likes · like · see review

May 16, 2012 Jodie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was my very first Dean Koontz book and it's the reason I got addicted to his writing. I think I was in high school at the time and it made me feel very smart to read a story with so much psychological jargon...not only could I read it but i could actually understand it, too! That's what I like about Koontz: he dumbs everything down for you enough that you can follow the storyline but not so much that you feel like a kindergartener reading your first chapter book. When I was older I re-read...more

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Apr 13, 2009 Mitch rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Mitch by: Heather

Shelves: koontz-dean

Sat on the edge of my seat! Actually, I got half way through it then purchased it on audio CD because I couldn't spend as much time as I wanted reading and I wanted to know the outcome. I caught myself telling the characters what to do while I'm cruising down the highway.

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Jan 25, 2008 Megan is currently reading it

Ok so it's been like a year and half and I have still not managed to get even half way through this book. But so far so good. I actually think everytime I start to read it I start over because it's been so long and I can't remember what it was about in the first place...

1 like · like · see review

Jun 23, 2010 Maciek rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books, own-in-paperback, big-tomes, thriller-mystery-suspense, read-in-2010, reviewed

False Memory is a disturbing book.

In one of the scenes in the beginning of the book, Martie Rhodes (the main heroine) is walking her dog and suddenly some mysterious disturbance falls upon her. What does Martie do ?

"When she realized that the dog had finished his toilet, Martie slipped her right hand into a plastic petcleanup
bag, using it as a glove. Being a good neighbor, she neatly collected Valet’s gift, turned the bright blue bag inside out, twisted it shut, and tied a double knot in the nec...more

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 07, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-horror

This was my very first encounter with Dean Koontz, and man I was freaked out by this book. I'm defiantly switching from King to Koontz. This was a physiological thriller that gave me the heebie-jeebies that same way King's Misery did when I read years ago. False Memory involves a psychiatrist who sneaks into his patient’s homes at night and through hypnosis, sexually abuses and assaults them, then plants false memories in their minds so they have no memory of the encounters.

If you like a book t...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 22, 2008 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Its not fair! Some people were just born to write...This book made me experience so many emotions i thought i was going to puke. What a scary thought to be trapped inside yourself and not be in control of the decisions you make.

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Feb 08, 2013 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Dean Koontz and I go way back. We have spent many thrilling evenings together. And by thrilling, I mean terror filled. However books like False Memory are the reason I gave him up for a while. When my hairdresser told me that she had a few nights of terror with this, and at one point couldn't even see the book on her nightstand without shivering in fear, I of-course thought I'd give it a try, who wouldn't?. I put the books I was just about to start aside and prepared to be very spooked. Sadly it...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Jo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointments, read-in-2010, horror

I've read a few of his more recent books and enjoyed them, but this was too long, the baddie was revealed far too early, and having so much of the story told from his point of view made for uncomfortable reading. There were lots of elements that seem to be common to most of his books - an every-man hero perfect husband, thrown into an impossible situation, nasty sadistic violence, a golden retriever... but unlike many of his books there was no supernatural element. In this case this was a flaw,...more

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Jan 23, 2011 B.t rated it 4 of 5 stars

With Koontz it's always a dice roll. After seeing mixed reviews for False Memory, I decided to take a chance on it. And, I have to say, it came out 7s for the most part (hopefully 7s are good--I don't know a damn thing about craps).

Anyway, False Memory's big hooks involve an interesting antagonist (Dr. Ahriman, a deceptively charming yet sociopathic ethical egoist) and, yes, good writing. Dean Koontz can write believe it or not.

The biggest faults of the book: 1.) it takes about 200 pages to get...more

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Feb 02, 2009 Hava Buchanan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

Let me preface this by saying that I used to read quite a few Dean Koontz books when I was a kid. I hadn't picked one up since high school, and since this particular book had been sitting on my shelf since the late 90's, I felt obligated to read it. I was also curious to see how how his writing had held up since I was a child. I don't remember Koontz's books as being particularly well written, but they were entertaining and involving as far as plot went.

Well, Koontz is a fairly awful writer. Th...more

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Sep 05, 2011 Brooke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dean Koontz has long been one of my favorite writers, but this book made me truly grateful that I don't have to live with a mind like his! This book was so amazingly written and yet so deeply disturbing that it almost left me with a sick feeling. He has a way of drawing you into the story to such an extent that you couldn't stop reading if you wanted to...not that I really wanted to. I had to see how it was going to end. It's been a while since I read this book, and while I don't remember a lot...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Al rated it 3 of 5 stars

Martie Rhodes is a successful young computer games designer with a loving husband, Dusty, and a seemingly normal life. Her best friend, Susan, however, suffers from agoraphobia, or a fear of open spaces, and relies on Martie to take her to weekly therapy sessions. Suddenly and inexplicably, Martie herself begins exhibiting worrying signs of a mental disorder, fearing herself capable of inflicting great harm on her loved ones. At the same time, Dusty's brother Skeet also succumbs to irrational me...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Jason Stadtlander rated it 4 of 5 stars

Although I really enjoyed the book, I gave it only four stars because I had a really hard time trying to maintain interest in it. I think that I got a little lost in all of the over abundent details in this novel.

Don't get me wrong, Koontz normally does a very good job with details where you need them, but I just had to step away from the story about four times because I got tired of having to skim over so much of the guts of the story.

I would still recommend it, but be prepared to do some ski...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paperback, fiction, 2013-reads, borrowed, mystery, thriller

So far, I've only read two novels by Dean Koontz (the other is "77 Shadow Street"), and I have not been able to read these books at night.

Koontz uses a very plausible scenario in this book that creates a very real feeling of horror in the reader. It is a fiction book, but the topic that is included is based on reality, and this adds to the horror feeling of the story.

The description of the book is very vague, but the title depicts the story very well. The term "False Memories" is an actual ter...more

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About Dean Koontz

Acknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.

Dean R. Koontz has also published under the na...more

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