Odd Thomas has never really lived up to his original adventure. Where his perennial good humour and dogged optimism were winning character virtues in Pico Mundo, in "Odd Apocalypse" he seems almost apathetic and dull, disconnected from the events occurring around him.

When the fiction is a complicated mixed metaphor of supernatural horror, science-fiction, and high fantasy, without a solid character arc to tie it all together, it's just a lot of fluff that makes suspension of disbelief difficult to maintain.

Odd Thomas is a fantastic character who unfortunately continues to be wrapped in more and more complicated metaphysical scenarios that smother the appeal of his personality.

Koontz should return to the simple (plausible) supernatural character drama which he does so well. All of this high concept stuff is, quite frankly, pompous and preachy and ultimately utterly shallow because our vehicle through the mess of bizarre imagery - Odd Thomas - starts and ends in more or less exactly the same place.

This is an okay book. I didn't hate it. But as with other recent Odd Thomas adventures (and Koontz's recent novels in general) I'm left feeling like I just read a poor mimicry of classic Koontz.