Best Read of 2004!!! Wow! What a way to start a new year. This is the first book I've read by Dean Koontz and I'm kicking myself in the behind for overlooking the man for some many years! After this review, I will make it a point to get my hands on a copy of everything the man has ever written.

I first mentioned this book to my ex-husband after coming across it in the bookstore early December. Back cover seemed interesting enough but, not being a fan of Koontz, I decided to put it on my "wish list". A few days later, my husband handed me the book (God Bless The Man! *grin)and with the first words ("My name is Odd Thomas...") - I was hooked!

There are no simple words to describe this book - it is a literary masterpiece. There were times when I forgot that I was reading a book and felt as if I were reading a memoir of sorts (in fact, it is from this view that Odd presents his story to the reader). You not only get to know each of the different characters Odd encounters in his life (each unique in their own ways) but you begin to care about what happens to these people. Many times I held my breath, struggling to keep my eyes from leaping to the paragraph below to see what fate awaited a member of Odd's "family".

I've read some pretty good books in '04 but one of my biggest complaints have been that the books start off very well but I find myself rushing through the ending. I clung to every word in this book, sometimes stopping to savor a particular phrase delivered by the narrator. And the ending delivered! Man, the writing is nothing less than awesome! So simplistic and yet so genius!

Hats off to Mr. Dean Koontz for a magnificent job!