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Relentless

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 8,688 ratings · 878 reviews

Literary critic Shearman Waxx can kill a good book with just a few acidly worded bon mots. And as one unlucky author is about to discover, that’s not all he’s prepared to kill. . . .

From #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz comes a mesmerizing thriller about the battle of wills that ensues when a successful author and likable family man confronts a...more

Paperback, 464 pages

Published April 27th 2010 by Bantam (first published January 1st 2009)

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Apr 14, 2010 Maciek rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Masochists ?

Shelves: owned-books, crap, own-in-paperback, read-in-2010, reviewed

RELENTLESSLY IDIOTIC. 0 STARS.
UTTER RUBBISH - AN INSULT TO THE READER.

I find it hard to believe it got published. It sells only because of the name recognition. The publishing company advertises it with the praise Koontz received ages ago for his earlier, better novels and voila ! We have a new $20 harcdover, the cash flows in and everyone is happy. Except for the readers.

Cubby Greenwich is a writer of bestselling books, and his latest title (One O� Clock Jump) got the attention of a famous and...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Dustin Crazy little brown owl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009, read-in-2010, amazing, worth-reading-again-and-again, challenge, group-reads, read-in-2012, disturbing

Relentless is filled with humor, suspense and intensity making it a fast paced thriller and a speedy read. For me, reading Relentless was By the Light of the Moon meets Life Expectancy - these are two of my most favorite by Dean Koontz and so naturally, I really like this book! I must say, my expectations were pretty low after reading Your Heart Belongs to Me (2008), but with this one Koontz has redeemed himself.

In a way, Relentless is similar to Velocity but I prefer Relentless. When I was read...more Relentless is filled with humor, suspense and intensity making it a fast paced thriller and a speedy read. For me, reading Relentless was By the Light of the Moon meets Life Expectancy - these are two of my most favorite by Dean Koontz and so naturally, I really like this book! I must say, my expectations were pretty low after reading Your Heart Belongs to Me (2008), but with this one Koontz has redeemed himself.

In a way, Relentless is similar to Velocity but I prefer Relentless. When I was reading Velocity, I was annoyed because it really wasn't clear whether it was all in the main character's head and I was also annoyed that he did not go to the police. In Relentless, it was explained why the family could not go to the police and with the three characters sharing their experience, it was clear the acts of Shearmann Waxx were not just imagined. I did find myself yelling at the characters in Relentless a few times, saying things like "tell your son, let him help you", "don't open that door, sheriff!" or "Just shoot him while you've got the chance!".

As the story opened it seemed to me that Dean had used himself and his wife Gerda in the main roles of Cubby and Penny. I loved all the characters that were created for this story the Booms were dynamite and Mr. Waxx, well he was simply an enema.

I don't read fast but it only took me 4 days to get through the 356 pages of Relentless. While (view spoiler) I would definitely rank Relentless as one of Koontz best.

Some of my favorite passages/quotes from Relentless include:

"I'm small, I'm young - and I'm so different. You've always respected that difference, and you've always trusted it. Trust me now. There's a reason I am the way I am, and there's a reason I was born to you. There's always a reason. We belong together." - Milo

"If the three of us don't know what we're looking for and we look for it together, we'll find it or we won't find it quicker than you would or wouldn't find it on your own." - Penny

"I'm going in, and I'm going to pretend you came with me, while you can sit here and pretend I stayed with you, so then we'll have gone in an not gone in together." - Milo

"In spite of where we were, how we had gotten here, and why we had come, I felt that at this moment of our lives, this was exactly where we belonged. We were not drifting but rising, rising toward something right and of significance." - Cubby

"That was interesting, riding in the trunk," Milo said, "but I wouldn't want to do it again."

"Fire, ice, asteroids and pole shifts are bogeymen with which we distract ourselves from the real threat of our time. In an age when everyone invents his own truth, there is no community, only factions. Without community, there can be no consensus to resist the greedy, the envious, the power-mad narcissists who seize control and turn the institutions of civilization into a series of doom machines."(less)

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Jun 29, 2009 Michael rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009

When it comes to reading novels by Dean Koontz, I always have the same issue. I'll pick one up and within 20 pages I find myself with a remarkable sense of deja vu. Koontz's novels are all so remarkably similar in style and writing voice that it's hard to really remember details about them, even moments after you've put them down. I refer to Koontz as the bubble-gum writer--his books are memorable while you chew them but the flavor fades quickly and you'll forget them within a few minutes of spi...more When it comes to reading novels by Dean Koontz, I always have the same issue. I'll pick one up and within 20 pages I find myself with a remarkable sense of deja vu. Koontz's novels are all so remarkably similar in style and writing voice that it's hard to really remember details about them, even moments after you've put them down. I refer to Koontz as the bubble-gum writer--his books are memorable while you chew them but the flavor fades quickly and you'll forget them within a few minutes of spitting them out.

So, when I saw the premise for "Relentless," and read the first few pages, I was happy to see that while there were several standard Koontz cliches at work in the book (a smarter than average dog, the everyman narrator, the guy who out-kicked his coverage in marriage), I became more and more annoyed that he'd wasted all that creative effort on this novel.

To say that "Relentless" requires a big time suspension of disbelief is an understatement. Our narrator is Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich is a best-selling author and regular guy. He's got the requisite great wife, a precious son and they've got a hyper-intelligent dog. Greenwich's latest novel is reviewed by reclusive and acerbic book critic Shearman Waxx. The review is less than favorable and Cubby begins to obsess about it. To the point that he discovers the critic eats at a local restaurant and he heads there to get a look at the guy. An incident in the restroom where his son accidentally pees near the critic leads to Waxx telling the family the word "Doom," and then leaving.

The set-up along requires such a huge suspension of disbelief alone due to a series of coincidences. Waxx's column appears in a national paper, published in another city but he happens to live near our hero. Not only that, but he goes to a restaurant our hero knows and can visit and the waiter has tipped our hero off on when to see him.

Then things take a turn for the stranger. Cubby begins to see Waxx around his house. Apparently Waxx has some kind of superpowers because he can sneak in a house with an alarm system and not wake said dog that is repeatedly talked about as this great protector. He tazers our hero and his wife and then blows up their house. At this point, I was rolling my eyes and wondering how much more insane the book could get. It also made me wonder if Koontz has had one too many negative reviews and if "Relentless" is meant as some kind of purge of the negative feelings he has toward those critics. Maybe so, but next time he should leave the book with his therapist and not inflict it upon the rest of the reading world.

From there, the novel continues to have one baffling turn after the next as Koontz piles onto this already outrageously unbelievable story. You may keep reading, hoping that it will all somehow make sense in the end, but you're going to be disappointed.

"Relentless" is a terrible book that will sell well based on name recognition. I suppose every writer is entitled to publish one bad novel. But this one really sets a new standard for bad books. (less)

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Aug 18, 2011 Sam Brownjohn rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This has been my first encounter with a Dean Koontz novel. Coincidently it has also been the first time i have been compelled to actually voice my disgust in such a bad book. This book literally made me want to rip the pages out it was so bad. Koontz has a very limited vocabulary using the same words repeatedly (syntax), someone give this man a thesaurus. Sadly having a wild imagination does not counteract the problem of bad story telling. The storyline was hideously unbelievable and idiotic, i...more

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Jun 22, 2010 David rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book started out with a great and frightening premise. The hero, a bestselling author, publishes his latest and the nation's premiere literary critic rips it to shreds. Obsessed with the critic's hatred of his latest work he contrives to see this critic and manages an odd encounter in a restaurant where the critic says one word to him, "doom" and then sets out to dismantle and destroy his life.

The author discovers that this critic is a madman, who has left a path of murder and mayhem across...more This book started out with a great and frightening premise. The hero, a bestselling author, publishes his latest and the nation's premiere literary critic rips it to shreds. Obsessed with the critic's hatred of his latest work he contrives to see this critic and manages an odd encounter in a restaurant where the critic says one word to him, "doom" and then sets out to dismantle and destroy his life.

The author discovers that this critic is a madman, who has left a path of murder and mayhem across the path of the other authors he has panned in previous columns. Soon, he is on the run and this insane nutjob of a critic just keeps coming.

This makes for compelling reading through the first 90% of the novel. The reader wants to know why this madman is so intent on this destruction and how he is accomplishing it. HOWEVER--

This is a Dean Koontz novel-- and he has to introduce some supernatural or unbelieveable element. Enter the author's son, a little Einstein and a special collie named Lassie who keeps getting into odd places. Koontz total wrecks the tension of the novel by creating an unbelieveable climax that makes the reader beg for his money back.

This conclusion was so awful and ridiculous I threw my copy in the trash. I will not trade it in to another bookstore, I will not give it away, I will not donate it to a thrift store, I will not make it available for another living soul to read.

I've read and enjoyed some Dean Koontz novels.. and this one was enjoyable, though he kept hinting that the kid was going to do something amazing at the end.. Then, the novel went off the rails in what had to have been the WORST and SILLIEST plot twist in history. This was even more absurd than an episode of the A-Team (the television show, not the movie) with all of its bullets flying around and nobody ever getting wounded.... Sorry, Mr. Koontz, I doubt you will sucker me in again.

******* SPOILER ALERT!!!!********************

The kid invents a way to turn back time. The baddie is working with a secret organization that is trying to control the direction of art and culture. The dog doesn't just get into odd places.. she teleports-- because of something the kid invented, etc.

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Oct 14, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dean-koontz

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

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Aug 01, 2010 Meave rated it 1 of 5 stars

Look I was without my enormous Christie omnibus database for a day, so I had nothing to read, and I'm housesitting, and this was literally the only book in the house that wasn't by Susan Powter/about raising golden retrievers/the bible/the encyclopedia of Popular Mechanics. I've never read Dean Koontz before but he's so popular and there's nothing on television ever so I thought, ok, I'll read it.

My GOD what a waste. It's just terrible. It can't even follow its own logic. It's a not-at-all-veile...more

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Jun 13, 2009 Corey Blake rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Koontz stunned me with this novel. It's only the third of his that I have read, but I was shocked that he chose to break a cardinal rule of creative writing. The first 95% of this book leads the reader to believe that the world of the story is that of the present day. Though the 6 year old child in the book is described by his father as advanced for his years, we buy his mathematical and technological prowess as that of a young prodigy. We buy into the insane world of a mass murderer on the hunt...more

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Jun 13, 2009 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, suspense

I've been a fan of Dean Koontz for about 17 years now, and he is, by far, one of my favorite authors. I enjoyed reading 'Relentless', but I feel that something is missing that made me love his books. With the exception of the Odd Thomas novels, his last several books have been just quick fun reads, about a man or woman going up against an extremely evil person or group of people. I miss his longer novels like 'From the Corner of His Eye', 'By the Light of the Moon', 'Watchers' and my all time fa...more

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Jun 14, 2010 F.R. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A list of writers name-checked by Dean Koontz’s ‘Relentless’:

Dostoyevsky; Ballard; Chesterton; Flaubert; Dr Seuss; Flannery O’Connor; Dickens; Capote; Hemmingway; Fitzgerald; Robert Heinlein; Zane Grey; Chandler; Edgar Rice Burroughs; Virginia Woolf; Somerset Maugham; Spillane; Longfellow; Aristophanes; Aristotle; Plato; Euripides; Plutarch; Herodotus; Hippocrates; Euclid; Archimedes; Dante; Chaucer; Thomas Aquinas; Shakespeare; Boswell; Johnson; Conrad; Bellow; Churchill; Orwell; Pasternak; Ev...more A list of writers name-checked by Dean Koontz’s ‘Relentless’:

Dostoyevsky; Ballard; Chesterton; Flaubert; Dr Seuss; Flannery O’Connor; Dickens; Capote; Hemmingway; Fitzgerald; Robert Heinlein; Zane Grey; Chandler; Edgar Rice Burroughs; Virginia Woolf; Somerset Maugham; Spillane; Longfellow; Aristophanes; Aristotle; Plato; Euripides; Plutarch; Herodotus; Hippocrates; Euclid; Archimedes; Dante; Chaucer; Thomas Aquinas; Shakespeare; Boswell; Johnson; Conrad; Bellow; Churchill; Orwell; Pasternak; Evelyn Waugh; Bertrand Russell; Rousseau; Shelley; Marx; Freud; Nietzsche; Tolstoy; Sartre; Jack London.

The plot of this bizarre thriller sees an author receive a scathing review from an influential critic, and then almost immediately afterwards the same critic attempts to kill him and his family. This is an odd and preposterous read (which at times doesn’t just rely on coincidence, but actual science fiction), where the main interest is held by trying to work out just what point Dean Koontz is striving to make.

Is he saying that a scathing review can be likened to a murderous assault? Does he believe that people who give bad reviews have rage and hatred in their hearts? As an author who rarely even gets the kind of grudging respect given to Stephen King, does he feel hard done by? Look at that list of authors again. In the main they’re critically respected in their fields and have eased their way – to some degree – into the Canon (okay, not Rice Burroughs). Is Dean Koontz pressing his nose forlornly against the glass and wishing he was there too?

Towards the end of the book, a number of those writers – Shelley, Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, Tolstoy, Russell, Sartre – are described thus: “Geniuses, yes, and some of them fine artists. But madmen. And their contributions to the world were irrationality, chaos, excuses for mass murder, despair.” (It’s a while since I’ve read Shelley’s poetry, but really? It offers excuses for mass murder and despair?) I think the reader is supposed to see that because the narrator is a decent man and good to his family, he is better than them and his work more positive even if it isn’t as long lasting (although its innate quality may be recognised after his death). But it’s difficult to really appreciate this point as we never really get a sense of what kind of books this author writes (except they’re not thrillers). Nor do we even get to read the review which starts this book in motion.

In fact, if the point of this novel is hitting back at any critic who has ever dared criticise the Koontz, then it really isn’t the best weapon. Prosaically written and poorly plotted, it assumes foreshadowing means just announcing something is going to happen a few chapters down the road, and has an ending which relies on pulling something incredible out of a hat to round things off neatly. There are one or two strong chapters, but not nearly enough to wade through the whole book for.

And if I’m honest it left something of a bitter taste in my mouth. A globally successfully writer jumping up and proclaiming: “WRITE WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT ME, I DON’T CARE – I’M A GOOD PERSON ANYWAY AND THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS!” before flouncing dramatically from the room. I think we can all agree that the sight of multi-millionaires lecturing the rest of us because of the lack of respect they get is never an edifying one.

Two stars.

(And Dean, if you do happen to read this, don’t worry – I’m not going to try and kill you. I might not have liked your book very much, but I’m still one of the good guys.)(less)

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May 02, 2010 Stephen Michaleson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Relentless was a huge page turner. Let me get that out of the way. Every page just kept you begging for more. This was the first Dean Koontz novel I ever read and I was surprised at how much I was impressed with it. The writing was fantastic and excitement pumped my raced my heart beat. The summary makes it sound really stupid. A critic that stalks and tries to kill a guy becuase he didn't like his book? Come on! But when you actually pick the book up and read it, it's a really great book. 5 sta...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Chad Cantrell rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think Koontz is to modern-day American novels what Hollywood is to modern-day American films. Flashy, over-the-top, and entertaining, but also very hit-or-miss, even from scene to scene. When I started Relentless, I honestly wasn't sure that I could finish it. Koontz tries so desperately to be funny and to show us how playful and carefree his three main characters are at the beginning of the novel that it's actually a little bit sad...and a lot annoying. (Seriously, does anyone find it funny t...more

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May 15, 2011 Kasia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel is strange, different, not at all what you are expecting but it's wonderful in ways that even I dont understand yet. I think so very often in this digital age we get overly saturated with every person's oppinion before experiencing the item in question, I try not to let them sway me and still have my own saying, wether it's good or bad, I want to have my own feeling on the item, especially when it's a book. After reading "Relentless" new impressions and conclusions are still popping i...more This novel is strange, different, not at all what you are expecting but it's wonderful in ways that even I dont understand yet. I think so very often in this digital age we get overly saturated with every person's oppinion before experiencing the item in question, I try not to let them sway me and still have my own saying, wether it's good or bad, I want to have my own feeling on the item, especially when it's a book. After reading "Relentless" new impressions and conclusions are still popping into my head, like a good meal it's enjoyed even after the last crumb has been consumed. It's a furiously fast read in the beginning and it gets gooey and the eccentric ias it probes deeper, and the enigmatic character of Shearman Waxx adds a lot of excitiement to the whole ordeal. He's like a beast in horror movies, glimpess of terror here and there, the less is known and shown then scarier he is, in the end the truth comes out but even more quetions open up. I enjoyed this novel, it was a fun read, that's what books are about, the journey itself, we get to read the complex thoughts and scenratios that someone else's whole body created, their mind, soul and outlook on life are the pages itself with a plot which carries thier word out into the open world.

I dore books and reading, so this was a special treat, a book all about a writer and his aggrevating nemesis, the mean old reviewer who spews out and effluvia of insults and stabs, black words about his latest creation. I'm sure an angry reviewer can be any author's nightmare, the boogey man that shouldn't really matter but who stil manages to haunt and occpy some of their mind's time. This novel isnt' about constuctive criticism but about something deepr, a hungry need to eradicate something that Waxx doesnt like, and that something is the main protagonist, Cullen 'Cubby' Greenwich. His latest work gets a review so bad that the author of it not only rattles Cubby but turns his wholesome life upside down. An attack in the dark, in the middle of the night shakes the whole family and changes their lives forever. They realize that Waxx is not as harmless as he seems, his words aren't his only weapons, there are authors out there who lost their loved ones and the gossip says that Waxx was the one who did it...the man is unstoppable, mean, evil, and worst of all relentless..the battle begins, as insane as it seem it's as real as their wish to keep on living. Cubby, his wife Penny and son Milo are on a journey that will literally flip their world upside down. Elements of sci-fi, creepy horror and grotesque mutilations peak in and out, making this a riveting read.

Koontz has been a staple on my bookshelves ever since I was twelve, and every time he churns out a new book I get excited, one more to add, one more for my collection of delectable reads that keep me up at night and chase my thoughts during the day, reading is fantastic and he certainly adds to it. Some will love his new stuff and some won't, regardless his books are fun and exciting, with cool themes, and I especially love the supernatural element he often weaves through, you never know if the book has it or not, but it adds a bit of spice that I enjoy.
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Aug 05, 2009 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a book that I stumbled upon. I was given a copy of this book on CD (the Brilliance Audio version, read by Dan John Miller), and I've been listening to it for a few weeks. The other Dean Koontz book I read was very enjoyable. I like how he adds just enough humor into the character's daily interactions to make horror books palatable for someone, like myself, who tends to be a wimp where the angst meter is concerned.

Relentless is about an author who received a bad review for his newest boo...more

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Aug 02, 2009 Matt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Simply, this is Koontz's best book to date. Granted, I'm in the "I just finished this book and I love it more than any book I've ever read" mentality, which usually subsides with time. But, that's how I feel right now about it.
Koontz, unlike horror contemporary Stephen King, whose style really hasn't changed much in 35 years, has grown as a writer. Deadly serious in his prose early on, he's now added humor-- some of it subtle and black, of course, but also some of it hysterically obvious and alm...more Simply, this is Koontz's best book to date. Granted, I'm in the "I just finished this book and I love it more than any book I've ever read" mentality, which usually subsides with time. But, that's how I feel right now about it.
Koontz, unlike horror contemporary Stephen King, whose style really hasn't changed much in 35 years, has grown as a writer. Deadly serious in his prose early on, he's now added humor-- some of it subtle and black, of course, but also some of it hysterically obvious and almost slapstick-- to his thriller/horror stories. How he's able to mix both is incredible to me. But, now, as with RELENTLESS, his books make you laugh while you keep the light on all night to ward off the bogeyman. Sort of like if a roller coaster ride went through a Funhouse with a monitor at your seat showing Will Ferrell, Mel Brooks, and Woody Allen movies.
After the thrills, chills and humorous moments subside, though, you end up realizing what Koontz's point is in writing this book. Maybe most folks would pick up on it in the first few pages, but it took me to the very last paragraph to "get it." Without giving away the plot and events, Koontz is writing about the forces, some of them seemingly beyond our control, that try to dictate how you should live your life. It is about the restrictions some would like to place on our dreams, our ambitions, our loves, our passions, and, from an artist's point of view, the things he or she tries to express through whatever medium they use. In this case, it's an author's views as expressed through his characters and plot line in a book, but it's really about ALL art, and, ultimately, ALL of us.

This is my favorite passage from "Relentless:"
'As long as I can remember, novelists and filmmakers and cult leaders have been depicting and predicting the end of the world by fire or ice, by asteroid or magnetic-pole shift, and they have always found a large audience for their visions.
In the hearts of modern men and women, there is an inescapable awareness that something is wrong with this slice of history they have inherited, that in spite of the towering cities and the might armies and the scinece-fiction techonology made real, the moment is fragile, the foundation undermined...
...But if disaster came, it would be the collapse of civilation, not the end of the world. This blue transparant sky, the sea, the shore, the land, the dark evergreens ever rising-- all would endure, unaffected by human misery...
...Fire, ice, asteroids and pole shifts are bogeymen with which we distract ourselves from the real threat of out time. In an age when everyone invents his own truth, there is no community, only factions. Without community, there can be no consensus to resist the greedy, the envious, the power-mad narcissists who seize control and turn the institutions of civilization into a series of doom machines.
Have a nice day.'

And on that note, I conclude my review!(less)

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Jul 05, 2009 Becky rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book and literally couldn't wait to read it - HUGE Dean Koontz fan and this book sounded like it would follow along the lines of "Life Expectancy" which I adored. However, within the first chapter I began to realize that as much as I wanted to love this book and laugh out loud like I normally do, it wasn't going to happen.

This book almost seems like it's trying way too hard to be funny, whereas with Koontz's other books the humor was effortless. The amount of adjectives alone almo...more

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Jul 13, 2009 Brenda rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Oct 26, 2012 Bandit rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dean Koontz writes of a marvelous world, world so simple, so incredibly black and white with absolutely nothing in between, world where you can tell an evil person from a mile away (hint, they actually look it), but it doesn't even matter cause good will always triumph over evil anyway, where characters start out one way or another (good or evil) and remain so for the rest of the book with no arc or character development whatsoever. Here are some sample cardboard characters...genius kid, uber su...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although this book is catagorized as "Horror", it probably fits better into the area of mystery/science fiction. I know there is no such category, but "Relentless" fits best as a mystery with a little science fiction thrown in at the end. This book is nothing like the previous Koontz books, except maybe for "The Husband". Again, "The Husband" fits more into the mystery category than horror. Both books have little if any horror in them.

"Cubby" Greenwich is a successful writer and is married to Pe...more

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Sep 21, 2010 Bookworm rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Relentless is about an insane book critic, it caught my interest right away.

34 year old writer Cullen Greenwich is married to Penny Bloom, has a 6 year old six-year-old prodigy son named Milo and a dog named Lassie. Literary critic Shearman Waxx gives Cullen's latest book a bad review. Cullen is really upset by this, even though his wife keeps telling him to just let it go. When Cullen finds out what restaurant the book critic frequents, he goes there for lunch with his son, and runs into Waxx....more Relentless is about an insane book critic, it caught my interest right away.

34 year old writer Cullen Greenwich is married to Penny Bloom, has a 6 year old six-year-old prodigy son named Milo and a dog named Lassie. Literary critic Shearman Waxx gives Cullen's latest book a bad review. Cullen is really upset by this, even though his wife keeps telling him to just let it go. When Cullen finds out what restaurant the book critic frequents, he goes there for lunch with his son, and runs into Waxx. After an odd run-in in the men's room, Waxx takes notice of Cullen and says one word to him on his way out...'Doom'.

Soon after Cullen spots an intruder in his home, and identifies him as being the book critic. What ensues afterward is an all out terrorizing of Cullen and his family by this book reviewer. The family ends up on the run, not wanting to inform the police because of the media circus that would develop. With the help of friends and various connections, they are able to stay at different homes, but somehow Waxx keeps finding them.

You do need to be willing to suspend disbelief for this read. I just didn't feel like this book critic had enough motive to become hell bent on killing Cullen and his family.
Before you know it, Waxx is after the family, there's explosions and shootings and it's all kind of 'over the top'. Authorities don't notice all this mayhem?
I felt like the methods Waxx was using were just plain absurd. He was almost like a larger than life villain finding Cullen and his family no matter where they went.

It's been a while since I last read a Koontz book. Years actually. And I've been meaning to pick him up again. Koontz is a favorite of mine, I tend to feel like he won't disappoint.
I'm really, really sorry to say I didn't really enjoy this one more. I was curious as to what would happen next, and at 428 pages, I'm surprised I finished reading it. I kept putting it away and considered making it a DNF. I was set on finishing it though, because I hoped it would get better. He did make me laugh a few times while reading.

I still love Koontz anyway and will continue to read his work. This is my first time reading this author where I've been disappointed.

I think Koontz puts his heart and soul into his writing and I did find a few passages I enjoyed. As I read, I would find him throwing glimmers of hope into the storyline.

read my full review here
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/201...(less)

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Dec 13, 2010 wally rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: koontz

this was a joy to read for the second time. the story grabs you and won't let go...though i did let go...heh heh...and went to bed last night, taking it up again today, after my neighbor threatened to kill me...i wasn't going to work today, anyway...and i'm still trying to overcome the jitters.

this story helped.

"in an age when everyone invents his own truth, there is no community, only factions. w/o community, there can be no consensus to resist the greedy, the envious, the power-mad narcissists...more this was a joy to read for the second time. the story grabs you and won't let go...though i did let go...heh heh...and went to bed last night, taking it up again today, after my neighbor threatened to kill me...i wasn't going to work today, anyway...and i'm still trying to overcome the jitters.

this story helped.

"in an age when everyone invents his own truth, there is no community, only factions. w/o community, there can be no consensus to resist the greedy, the envious, the power-mad narcissists who seize control and turn the institutions of civilizations into a series of doom machines."

there is a good dog in this story. lassie. a female. i believe she is an australian shepherd mix. not all of koontz's stories have dogs in them, but i do enjoy those that do. anyone who has been blessed with a dog or dogs (cats, too, goldfish, hampsters, gerbils, those dragon thingies...people have them, too?) anyway. those people understand.

course, i spose there is the neighborhood dog who threatens to tear to shreds all who come near...must be those power-mad folk again, badly handling pet responsibilities...

shearman waxx is not relentless. other things are. say true and thank god, big big.

shearman waxx is this "book critic"...but he's more than that, a red-fisted cog in this utopian wheel that is so easy to believe exists in some form or another....

"are the victims so committed to a reasoned disbelief in the existence of Evil that, when face-fo-face with its agent, they are incapable of acknowledging their error?"

"or are they capable of recognizing Evil but unable to believe there is a power opposed to it that stands ready to give them the strength--and a reason--to survive?"

there's more.

i enjoy how koontz makes use of time. so many of his stories take place over the course of a few hours, a few days. this story was a joy yo read. this guy, a novelist, cullen "cubby" greenwich gets some bad press from this nutcase, shearman waxx...he doesn't let it go...gets curious about it....things happens. married to this gal, penny, whose family is a hoot...milo's babysitters, too...she's a hoot. lassie a hoot.

this was a blast to read. (less)

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Apr 28, 2010 Stacy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My rating for this book is based solely on the end of the book. Dean Koontz, you have disappointed me once again. I first started reading Dean Koontz's books in the late 80's when I learned that Corey Haim had been in the movie version of "Watchers." My adolescent hunger for anything having to do with Corey Haim caused me to pick up the book at the library, and I became thereafter hooked on Dean Koontz books. However, I remember complaining over and over starting more than TWENTY YEARS AGO that...more

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Jan 12, 2010 D.M. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers

There's lots of things one can count on per annum like Christmas and birthdays and one more is the latest thriller by Koontz. They are the sort of novels that one can pick up on a Friday night and have read by Monday, with the storyline stringing the reader along in page-turning fashion.

I've read a number of this author's novels, including several of his "Odd" novels, which I've found entertaining as a weekend read, but this one 'Relentless' proved more curious than all previous.

Koontz seems com...more There's lots of things one can count on per annum like Christmas and birthdays and one more is the latest thriller by Koontz. They are the sort of novels that one can pick up on a Friday night and have read by Monday, with the storyline stringing the reader along in page-turning fashion.

I've read a number of this author's novels, including several of his "Odd" novels, which I've found entertaining as a weekend read, but this one 'Relentless' proved more curious than all previous.

Koontz seems comfortable in his narrative, the meanderings of his main character's mind and showing that openly with his readership as he might be to putting on a pair of comfortable old slippers and slopping around in pyjamas. His first person character Cullen, nicknamed 'Cubby' I thought was a bit twee, as the shorter version 'Cully' could have sufficed.

Also, this book brings an almost autobiographical air - especially considering that his latest publication, a non-fiction work with the subject matter of the family dog, deals with his etheral thoughts of his own family's 'angel' dog "Trixie", and the main character of 'Relentless' owns such a 'special' dog - with more than a twist in its tail.

The novel is a curious mix of comedy and some very descriptive murders with the main characters, Cubby, his wife and child exchanging quips while being chased by a particularly sadistic murderer. The novel is therefore, 'colourful' with many of the colours dark ones.

If as a reader, you can excuse the roller-coaster of it all, you may appreciated the smatterings of philosophies that I found interesting. Here's a quote from page 94:

"...for every thousand solemn novels that thud into bookstores, there's just one that is both meaningful and frolicsome, that has a sense of wonder, that is astonished by the universe and life, that knows regardless of the vicissitudes of existence, we were born for freedom, and for joy, and for laughter."

...in the context of the novel these words are apt.

As I said, there's a number of this author's perculiar insights, which might one day, as this author is so prolific, be placed inside of his autobiography. He might even excell at it.

Anyway, for some peculiar entertainment, this novel is fine for readers of thrillers of the sort this this author is used to writing. There's quite a lot packed inside, which I thought was better than the previous one I read: 'Your Heart Belongs to Me'.(less)

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Dec 05, 2009 Blackbead Sanders rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For many years now, I have had the pleasure of reading Mr. Koontz's work. I find that his books fall into two different categories, both of which I adore. The first is told in the voice of a straight-edge - a hard-bitten, reality style that drives the reader forward at the edge of the rollercoaster seat. I love these books.

The second voice is the rollicking, death-before-pessimism, joking-in-the-face-of-danger, Devil-may-care humorous narrative that leads me on through the book like the most del...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Wayne Wilson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What a disappointment! The book has all the makings of a great story and for 7/8 of the book I am thinking that Koontz has hit it out of the park with this one. A great little family, an evil foe with ties to the covert side of our government and I was thinking sequel since it seemed impossible for Mr. Koontz to wrap up all the loose ends in such a short time. Instead everything is wrapped up in a little neat bundle and everyone lives happily ever after.

I personally could have come up with a be...more What a disappointment! The book has all the makings of a great story and for 7/8 of the book I am thinking that Koontz has hit it out of the park with this one. A great little family, an evil foe with ties to the covert side of our government and I was thinking sequel since it seemed impossible for Mr. Koontz to wrap up all the loose ends in such a short time. Instead everything is wrapped up in a little neat bundle and everyone lives happily ever after.

I personally could have come up with a better ending and I have just been thinking about it for an hour. I figure with Mr. Koontz's fertile imagination we could have a classic 2 book sequel with reader's like me left begging for more and counting the days before the sequel was released. I was thinking of Koontz's Frankenstein series and that he finally finished Frankenstein and he has jumped into the next generation. He could have even tied the two together with the hunchback son of Sherman Wax with the evil folks in his Frankenstein redux.

I love Dean Koontz as an author. He is my very favorite author and I look forward to every book he writes. Throughout the first 7/8 of the book I am totally wrapped up with the tension of the story. Cubby (the voice of the narration of the 1st person perspective) has a great back story that is revealed, his wife Pennie seems to be the perfect match for our hero, and their son Milo is just too precious as the little 6 year old wunderkind. Throw in a teleporting dog named Lassie and I think to myself this is the Super Hero family that can go up against the evil that has so forcefully entered this little family's life. I actually thought of the balance of evil verses good as I read the first 7/8 of the book. I am thinking there existed such powerful evil that God raised up a family to fight this evil, that God was balancing the scales of justice with Cubby Milo and Pennie as the super heroes to battle this implacable foe.

In other words I am transported into this book. I bought into the characters and I truly cared for them. There is a specific foreshadowing by the narrator that one of the 3 will die and I am torn apart worrying about which one it will be. The question is answered but in such a way that I felt cheated about my worry. I felt cheated by the whole ending. I think Mr. Koontz needs a new editor and I would be happy to volunteer for the job. If I would have read the first draft I would have sent Mr. Koontz back to his fertile imagination and challenged him to come up with a more satisfying and worthy ending.

In the end I am wondering if this is just a rip off piece that Mr. Koontz thought of as a way of flipping off book and art critics. The main evil doer here Sherman Wax is a book critic and under another name an art critic. To make Was the villain and then to not flesh out this villain but rather wipe him out in some way that leaves the heroes without blood on their hands is just way too easy. The easy wrap up just makes me so angry I could scream.

Still there is much too love, I read this book as an audio book. One of the side characters in the book loves to read audio books. The narrator is great in the audio book. He does great characters with his voice. I just worry that Mr. Koontz is just writing these books for the money. Maybe Mr. Koontz should take more time between books. Take as least a year to write a book. Maybe with a little more time spent writing the books we might have a classic instead of pulp fiction.(less)

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Oct 18, 2009 Donald rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009

I pick this one up at BJ’s for fourteen bucks after much rumination. For the most part, I like Koontz. But after years of novels with a golden retriever in each and every one, it gets old. In the Odd series, it’s a white dog. In this novel he switched to a dog from the shelter. Not all of us have dogs or appreciate them (I have three dogs and love them all dearly; I’m just saying...). Some people have cats. There are other people out there besides writers and dog owners.

Relentless moves quickly....more

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Jul 11, 2009 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I doubt I will never not read a Koontz book, but I have quit buying them simply because the last few have disappointed me. With the exception of the Odd Thomas series.

I picked up Relentless from the library because the book cover revealed a plot that seemed just as bad as the previous books. Color me pleasantly surprised! And completely creeped out.

Relentless follows author Cubby and his wife Penny and brilliant son Milo as they try to avoid a homicidal, psychopathic killer who happens to be a b...more

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Jun 10, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich’s newest novel is a big hit, skyrocketing the charts and everyone loves it. Everyone, that is, but a reclusive, yet renowned critic, Shearman Waxx. Waxx’s critique of the novel is filled with vicious and inaccurate statements, and it bugs Cubby to no end. His wife Penny, a successful author and illustrator of children’s book, tells him to let it go. His brilliant son, Milo, also known as “Spooky”, tells him to let it go. Even his dog, Lassie, seems to be telling him to l...more Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich’s newest novel is a big hit, skyrocketing the charts and everyone loves it. Everyone, that is, but a reclusive, yet renowned critic, Shearman Waxx. Waxx’s critique of the novel is filled with vicious and inaccurate statements, and it bugs Cubby to no end. His wife Penny, a successful author and illustrator of children’s book, tells him to let it go. His brilliant son, Milo, also known as “Spooky”, tells him to let it go. Even his dog, Lassie, seems to be telling him to let it go. But Cubby just really wants to get a look at Waxx, just one quick peek, to see the face of the man whose words can make or break a career. That quick look will trigger the sociopathic Waxx to go after Cubby and his family. Soon the Greenwich’s are running for their lives, certain that Shearman Waxx personifies evil. But they ain’t seen nuthin’ yet, just wait till they meet up with Shearman’s mom, she’ll make Shearman look like your average TV cop show garden variety psycho of the week.

First, a disclaimer, I'm a huge Dean Koontz fan, so its no surprise that I loved this book! If you've not read any of his, or it’s been years since you have, you should pick up a copy. Koontz is the only author I've read that can write a suspenseful, terror filled book that can make you laugh out loud! I loved this book! Only in a Dean Koontz novel, in the midst of terror and fear, do you find descriptive passages in the narration such as this:

“Beyond the service-island overhang, in the windless night, the rain came down in such straight skeins that the rigorous lines should have proved the law of gravity to any disbeliever, of which I’m sure there are multitudes, considering we live in an age of enthusiastic ignorance, when anything well-known for centuries is not only suspect but also considered worthy of being rejected in favor of a new theory more appealing to movie stars and deep-thinking rock musicians.”

Koontz always manages to endear us readers to his protagonists, blending horror and humor, love and fear, loyalty and danger, adding a big dose of compassion and common sense. In short, his characters are not only the people we want to meet and befriend, but also they’re the kind of people we’d like to be. (Cubby and Penny, that is…. not Shearman, unless you’re sort of the sociopathic, cuckoo type. Then I guess that old Shearman would be your hero,huh?)

The lightheartedness and humor that Cubby and Penny fill their lives with comes shining through in this story. Filled with fascinating, eccentric, lovable characters, Relentless is aptly named. The Greenwich’s dogged determination to keep their family safe, loved and happy contrasts with Shearman Waxx’s relentless intention to destroy them. And we readers are taken for a thrilling and “relentless” ride.
(less)

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Jan 28, 2011 Marvin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

The one thing you can count on in a Koontz novel is that there will be a cool dog.

I liked the premise of this novel. Surly book critic goes all psycho when novelist seeks him out. If it stayed with that, this may have been a great thriller. But Koontz goes off with lots of other ideas, none of which I can reveal without spoiling the story. The result is a good tense tale ruined by too many weird odds and ends. Weird odds and ends usually isn't a problem for Koontz but he seems in a hurry with th...more

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Aug 18, 2009 Peter Hollings rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For me this was Dean Koontz best book - which is saying a lot because all of his nearly 50 books are really good.

For DK, the ordinary is just a cover-up of the 'real', always somewhat weird and sometimes extremely weird, world. In Relentless he makes a book critic into a demonic culture-killing fiend. This would be a hopeless scenario for any writer other than DK - but DK manages to make it so real that you are right there with him and his loved ones (including the ever-present golden of course....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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Quotes from Relentless

“I'm sure, you'll never again have a problem with a tool or a machine. No more hammered thumbs, no vacuum-cleaner catastrophes." "That'll take a second miracle." "Because all that clumsiness was never anything but an elaborate excuse not to have a gun, not to learn how to use one.” — 1 person liked it

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