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1st out of 63 books
—
523 voters
Watchers
by
Dean Koontz
From a top secret government laboratory come two genetically altered life forms. One is a magnificent dog of astonishing intelligence. The other, a hybrid monster of a brutally violent nature. And both are on the loose…Bestselling author Dean Koontz presents his most terrifying, dramatic and moving novel: The explosive story of a man and a woman, caught in a relentless sto...more
Paperback, 624 pages
Published
January 28th 2003
by Berkley
(first published 1987)
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Unputdownable, with surprisingly deep characterization, and a super-smart dog that runs around adorably.
+ a nightmarish monster that escapes a laboratory and starts munching on the peaceful population of modern suburbia.
An immaculate mix of horror, romance, and action.
+ a nightmarish monster that escapes a laboratory and starts munching on the peaceful population of modern suburbia.
An immaculate mix of horror, romance, and action.
blah.... Now, I know that when someone writes a book it doesn't have to reflect real life, but does that mean that they couldn't at least try to make it seem real? Like whatever is going on in the book could really happen in the 'real' world?
Do you think that Dean Koontz could have wrote a book that wasn't so drippy with sentimentality towards his favorite breed of dog, that other people could actually get through it?
Well, I did - barely. It was soooo dang painful too. All his annoying story rec...more
Do you think that Dean Koontz could have wrote a book that wasn't so drippy with sentimentality towards his favorite breed of dog, that other people could actually get through it?
Well, I did - barely. It was soooo dang painful too. All his annoying story rec...more
12 likes · like · see review
Mar 04, 2008
Bianca
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Mark and anyone else who enjoys reading about dogs..
I totally enjoyed Watchers. Honestly? it is what it is, and, yes, some of the characterizations and descriptions were a bit, well, heavy handed. But--the dog, Einstein, is completely irresistible. Mostly is a real page turner. It was my before bed reading, and most nights it gave me nightmares, but I couldn't stop reading. And did I mention the dog?
In the first chapter, Travis Cornell is hiking in Santiago Canyon, and he finds (or perhaps is found by?) a stray dog, who seems to be warning him a...more
In the first chapter, Travis Cornell is hiking in Santiago Canyon, and he finds (or perhaps is found by?) a stray dog, who seems to be warning him a...more
11 likes · like · see review
Very overrated...I had high expectations for the book, because of the almost universal applause it gets...and it turned out to be yet another Koontz dog novel.
The characters in this novel are shallow and cardboard - the ex delta force soldier, a widower, falls in love with an abused woman. Of course despite her abuse lasting for years she gets out of the shell in several months and gets pregnant, drives a car, even uses weapons !
The scene when they have weapons hidden all over their house is qui...more
The characters in this novel are shallow and cardboard - the ex delta force soldier, a widower, falls in love with an abused woman. Of course despite her abuse lasting for years she gets out of the shell in several months and gets pregnant, drives a car, even uses weapons !
The scene when they have weapons hidden all over their house is qui...more
15 likes · like · see review
Watchers is as good as Dean Koontz gets and it is pretty damn good. There are all the hallmarks of what put Koontz on the top of his game, which he was in the late 80s. There non-stop storytelling. There's a believable and likable protagonist. There's a terrible but fascinating villain (Koontz writes some of the best villains in modern horror). And, of course, there is a really cool dog...Golden retriever of course. It is this intellectually enhanced dog that really carries the tale and makes it...more
I read this book way back in high school when I didn't do a whole lot of reading.
The story revolves around a man and a woman who both happen to own super-intelligent golden retrievers who can communicate with their humans. I loved the idea and tried for weeks (in vane) to get Robin, our resident golden retriever, to give me a glimpse of her hidden genius. She chased her tail and humped a pillow. Darn.
Oops! I stand corrected - t'was only one genius dog. One dog, bringing people together - saving...more
The story revolves around a man and a woman who both happen to own super-intelligent golden retrievers who can communicate with their humans. I loved the idea and tried for weeks (in vane) to get Robin, our resident golden retriever, to give me a glimpse of her hidden genius. She chased her tail and humped a pillow. Darn.
Oops! I stand corrected - t'was only one genius dog. One dog, bringing people together - saving...more
6 likes · like · see review
I read this book because of all of the love for Dean Koontz and because this book seemed to be one of his most popular. I needed a distinct change of subject after reading Kershaw's magnificent but extremely long biography 'Hitler'.
Well blow me down, I detested most of 'Watchers'. It was so mind numbingly amateurish, predictable, benign and grossly unbelievable. You know 50 pages ahead exactly where Koontz is heading and how the different stories will eventually mesh. What concerns me most, how...more
Well blow me down, I detested most of 'Watchers'. It was so mind numbingly amateurish, predictable, benign and grossly unbelievable. You know 50 pages ahead exactly where Koontz is heading and how the different stories will eventually mesh. What concerns me most, how...more
1 like · like · see review
I have read this book several times over the years, but it has been a while since the last time I read it.
One of the things that amazes me about Koontz is his ability to create characters that pull you into the story and root for them. The main characters, Travis and Nora, overcome difficulty early on in the book and it is clear that Koontz wants us to be on their side. Additionally, there is the absolutely pure character of Einstein (the Golden Retriever) who it is nearly impossible NOT to like...more
One of the things that amazes me about Koontz is his ability to create characters that pull you into the story and root for them. The main characters, Travis and Nora, overcome difficulty early on in the book and it is clear that Koontz wants us to be on their side. Additionally, there is the absolutely pure character of Einstein (the Golden Retriever) who it is nearly impossible NOT to like...more
4 likes · like · see review
Classic Koontz. Interesting concept. Well executed.
On the other hand, nothing much new, though.
There's a wonderfully horrific dark being that you almost have to take pity on in the end.
There's a dog. A really smart dog. Basically a human confined within a dog. But still a lovely dog.
There's an assassin. There's a person that's not quite square with the world around him. There are interesting main characters and well rounded sub-characters. There's romance. Albeit not much, but it's there.
There a...more
On the other hand, nothing much new, though.
There's a wonderfully horrific dark being that you almost have to take pity on in the end.
There's a dog. A really smart dog. Basically a human confined within a dog. But still a lovely dog.
There's an assassin. There's a person that's not quite square with the world around him. There are interesting main characters and well rounded sub-characters. There's romance. Albeit not much, but it's there.
There a...more
3 likes · like · see review
I absolutely LOVED this book!!!! I bought it because it had a Golden Retriever on the cover and since I love Dogs I was hoping I would enjoy it. I have to say that this book is probably one of my most favorites books I have ever read!!! I laughed, I cried, I was scared (which is rare) and I was very intrigued through the whole book! Great characters and the story was very believing. I couldn't believe that this book came out 20 years ago. I highly recommend it!
Jan 23, 2008
Mano (Leslie)
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of horror, and hybrid genres.
NEVER see a movie based on this book, because they aren't anywhere close to the actual content of this story. They failed to touch on the heart of another excellent Koontz take on good vs evil, and genetic engineering gone right and horribly wrong. I actually cried a lot when I read this, lol. I read it over and over when I was a youngin'...along with everything else he wrote-- that is largely my dad's accessible collections' fault. If you enjoy this I also recommend his books The House of Thund...more
5 likes · like · see review
Watchers. Easily one of my favourite books of all time. Each time I revisit it the characters feel like coming home to old friends.
I won't write a synopsis of the book but I hold it in very high regard. Dean Koontz has a way of writing characters that show the moral conflicts we face everyday but places it in remarkable circumstances.
Travis, Nora, Einstein, Lemuel, Walt and the rest of the cast are well thought out. They are conflicted, not always right, but their internal dialogue shows the d...more
I won't write a synopsis of the book but I hold it in very high regard. Dean Koontz has a way of writing characters that show the moral conflicts we face everyday but places it in remarkable circumstances.
Travis, Nora, Einstein, Lemuel, Walt and the rest of the cast are well thought out. They are conflicted, not always right, but their internal dialogue shows the d...more
I once went through a Dean Koontz phase, which involved me going to the bookstore and completely clearing an entire shelf's worth of Koontz paperbacks. I voraciously devoured (not literally, of course) them all in a relatively short span. (I'm pretty sure I missed a few meals and a shower or two.) What Koontz lacks in literary depth, he more than makes up for in readability, suspense, and just plain, old-fashioned good storytelling. "Watchers" was, hands down, my favorite of his mainly because t...more
Whether it’s Dan Brown or Dan Koontz, you read >3 books (across franchises) of theirs, and you recognize plot points, even characterizations that’re gonna pop up, before they're supposed to be completely revealed. ..so after the Odd Thomas franchise, this book, well executed as it is, didn’t really surprise per se. Yes, it’s well executed. No, it’s not new Koontz material unless this is your first Koontz book.
Has to be, somebody must’ve noticed, that our author’s got a thing for government fu...more
Has to be, somebody must’ve noticed, that our author’s got a thing for government fu...more
I've long said that my favorite Koontz book ever is One Door Away from Heaven.
But this one comes a close 2nd. In fact, I'm re-reading One Door again just to be sure it really is my favorite. I suspect it will remain so, if only because I read it first.
The one thing I've always liked Koontz more than King is his abiding themes of hope and love. Not to get too Disney, but the optimist in me finds more to relate with in Koontz's writing than King many times.
What's not to like? Edge of seat tension...more
But this one comes a close 2nd. In fact, I'm re-reading One Door again just to be sure it really is my favorite. I suspect it will remain so, if only because I read it first.
The one thing I've always liked Koontz more than King is his abiding themes of hope and love. Not to get too Disney, but the optimist in me finds more to relate with in Koontz's writing than King many times.
What's not to like? Edge of seat tension...more
3 likes · like · see review
A top secret lab in California has created two new weapons for the US government – a gentle golden retriever and a savage best, both astonishingly intelligent. One night they both escape and the NSA mounts a search, but before either can be found one is taken in by a lonely man and one begins killing at will.
Cursed Travis Cornell was looking for some happiness and found the golden retriever, who he named Einstein because of his human-like intelligence. Through Einstein he found an equally lonely...more
Cursed Travis Cornell was looking for some happiness and found the golden retriever, who he named Einstein because of his human-like intelligence. Through Einstein he found an equally lonely...more
Well done story about a dog with human intelligence. Good suspense.
The intelligent dog and a beast escape from a genetic research lab. The beast kills animals and humans. The beast is obsessed with killing the dog. The authorities, the beast, and a mafia hit man are all searching for the dog which provides suspense, danger, planning, fighting, and escape. The dog forms bonds with humans. There is also a romance. I compare this to three other Koontz books. “Intensity” had me afraid for most of th...more
The intelligent dog and a beast escape from a genetic research lab. The beast kills animals and humans. The beast is obsessed with killing the dog. The authorities, the beast, and a mafia hit man are all searching for the dog which provides suspense, danger, planning, fighting, and escape. The dog forms bonds with humans. There is also a romance. I compare this to three other Koontz books. “Intensity” had me afraid for most of th...more
This was the first Dean Koontz novel I ever read. By the end of Chapter 1, I was hooked, and it's been a love story between me and Koontz books ever since.
At the heart of many Koontz novels is an amazing, special dog - usually a golden retriever. This book is no exception. In true futuristically scientific fashion, Koontz has created a lab that specializes in genetic engineering for military purposes. The lab has successfully created two amazing creatures. One is a dog with the intelligence of a...more
At the heart of many Koontz novels is an amazing, special dog - usually a golden retriever. This book is no exception. In true futuristically scientific fashion, Koontz has created a lab that specializes in genetic engineering for military purposes. The lab has successfully created two amazing creatures. One is a dog with the intelligence of a...more
This is probably the dumbest book I ever liked.
When your this dumb as often as this book gets. Usually I start day dreaming about being a hit man and taking the author out free of charge. But there is something about Koontz who just has a talent for writing stories that have a Good Pace and are very easy to read that the torture doesn't last to terribly long.
Smart Dog Saves Man, Man Friends Dog, Creature hates dog chases Dog and Kill both, Hit Man thinks he can make lots of money with smart dog/...more
When your this dumb as often as this book gets. Usually I start day dreaming about being a hit man and taking the author out free of charge. But there is something about Koontz who just has a talent for writing stories that have a Good Pace and are very easy to read that the torture doesn't last to terribly long.
Smart Dog Saves Man, Man Friends Dog, Creature hates dog chases Dog and Kill both, Hit Man thinks he can make lots of money with smart dog/...more
I'm listening to this on CD, and crap is the reader super bad! His pronounciations are weird (Los An-jell-ease, un-no-win, etc.) and his enunciations are off ... he rushes through clauses with lightning speed and dawdles over mundate details. His characterizations suck, too. Good thing the book is interesting!
Update: The reader didn't improve, but I did guiltily enjoy the work. Considering it's 20 years old and presented so poorly, I think that says a lot for the author, whose books I've never...more
Update: The reader didn't improve, but I did guiltily enjoy the work. Considering it's 20 years old and presented so poorly, I think that says a lot for the author, whose books I've never...more
This book is about a secret scientific experiment where two living things were genetically altered. One, a beutiful golden retriever enhanced with a really high IQ. And the other, the Outsider, a terrible, horrifying creature that since its creation has always hated the dog for being beutiful and loved. The two experiments both escape from the lab and the dog narrowly escapes the other creature and meets a lonely man named Travis who takes him back to his house far away from the other creature....more
This book takes off at a rapid clip and doesn't let up. The main focus of the story is on two lab creations -- a super-intelligent (and super sweet) golden retreiver who could put Lassie to shame, and a creature, known as The Outsider, which is just as smart but made to kill -- and it was created a little too well. Travis is a man who has lost everyone close to him, and is convinced he is a jinx. He's gone back to the trails he knew growing up when he encounters the retreiver, who saves his life...more
Jul 27, 2011
John
added it
I don't give many five-star reviews, but this book was simply awesome. I've not read any other Dean Koontz, so I can't tell you how it compares with his other bountiful output (though the author himself says in the recently written afterward that people STILL tell him after all these years that "Watchers" is the best thing he's every written). I will tell you that the only reason I read this book was because Amazon dropped the price to $1.90 for the Kindle edition. What a bargain. This book had...more
I was a little worried about reading a Dean Koontz. I read one of his in high school and it gave me nightmares so I never picked up another. However, I must say that I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a remarkable story, it was well written and I enjoyed the development of the plot and the characters. I like a story where the characters are real, believable and grow.
The only issue I had with the book was with the hitman Vince. I thought he was sadistic and was a little grossed out at first re...more
The only issue I had with the book was with the hitman Vince. I thought he was sadistic and was a little grossed out at first re...more
"The story begins in Santa Barbara, California. Travis Cornell, a former Delta Force operative feels that his life has grown pointless, is exploring a canyon near his home when he encounters two genetically engineered creatures that have escaped from a top-secret government lab. One, a golden retriever with extraordinarily enhanced intelligence, befriends Travis; the other, a terrifying creature known as the Outsider, appears to be trying to kill the dog. After eluding the Outsider, Travis takes...more
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I just finished up rereading this book which I had read nearly 20 years ago. Surprisingly enough, I managed to enjoy most of it despite the fact that I've become much pickier and crabbier about my reading choices as I've, eh, matured.
This is Koontz's famous tale about genetically engineered animals which is probably much more probable and frightening now than it was in 1987! Political bigwigs have managed to fund and create "The Other", an intelligent killer who lives for the thrill of the kill....more
This is Koontz's famous tale about genetically engineered animals which is probably much more probable and frightening now than it was in 1987! Political bigwigs have managed to fund and create "The Other", an intelligent killer who lives for the thrill of the kill....more
2 likes · like · see review
Watchers was a great thriller and extremely well written.
Two beings were created in a lab with near human intelligence. One is a golden retriever normal in every way other than his intelligence. The other is called The Outsider. A frightful being resembling no animal or man. Both beings escape from the lab and are free in the wild.
A man named Travis finds the dog and soon learns of its secret, however he is unaware that the dog still has more secrets to reveal to it. Along the way, Travis and th...more
Two beings were created in a lab with near human intelligence. One is a golden retriever normal in every way other than his intelligence. The other is called The Outsider. A frightful being resembling no animal or man. Both beings escape from the lab and are free in the wild.
A man named Travis finds the dog and soon learns of its secret, however he is unaware that the dog still has more secrets to reveal to it. Along the way, Travis and th...more
This is one of Koontz's early works, but it's also one of his finest. If you're a dog enthusiast, you will love this novel. As with most Koontz works, there are elements of either horror, science fiction, psychological thriller, mystery novel, or a combination of all/some of these that keep the novel chugging along. This is one of those that pack all of these elements into its pages.
Not to spoil the plot, it is about mankind's tampering with science, without realizing the consequences. It's abo...more
Not to spoil the plot, it is about mankind's tampering with science, without realizing the consequences. It's abo...more
3 likes · like · see review
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen King/Dean Koontz | 68 | 298 | May 15, 2013 10:03am | |
| Movie? | 6 | 62 | Apr 09, 2013 02:07pm | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Should be listed as an eBook | 3 | 34 | Apr 17, 2012 07:07am |
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
More about Dean Koontz...
Dean R. Koontz has also published under the na...more
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“You've taught me that we're all needed, even those who sometimes think we're worthless, plain and dull. If we love and allow ourselves to be loved...well, a person who loves is the most precious thing in the world, worth all the fortunes that ever were. That's what you've taught me, fur face,and because of you I'll never be the same.”
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11 people liked it
“the worst happens when you least expect it”
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