Koontzland - Dean Koontz discussion
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The Taking
Stand Alone Novels 2000-2007
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The Taking (Group Read - March 2017)
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Mary, the first time I read the Taking I was very depressed by it too; by the setting of all the rain and darkness. I missed a lot of the story because of that. I liked to believe there was a power of good present but the "aliens" would have destroyed even the good people like Molly if possible. They only wanted the children.P.S. what "storybook" did you go to. I often have to do that ... go to something lighter and fun for me after reading one that gets me going emotionally.
Thanks Karen.Maybe you could suggest a light book to read...I just checked my kindle and it is full of mysteries (unpleasant ones), Jonathan Kellerman, John Sanford and Koontz. A few history type books are there too. But the one I was planning to read next was Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly. (I think that is the war and what led up to dropping the 2 atom bombs.) Not a light storybook by any means.
So, any suggestions? Maybe I will look for one of the Bridget Jones type book.
I love my cozies; especially animal cozies. I also like some YA books. Have you re-read any children's books? I don't have a problem re-reading books because I have such a bad memory and so they're like new books for me.
Karen B. wrote: "I love my cozies; especially animal cozies. I also like some YA books. Have you re-read any children's books? I don't have a problem re-reading books because I have such a bad memory and so they're..."That's a good idea. I was a big reader even as a kid.
You made me laugh, my mother used to say that about her memory "every day is a new day..." It actually made me smile when she had Alzheimers and I could tell a day from her past was on her mind "a new day". :-)
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Which narrator is that? I use audiobooks a lot so I'm curious if we like the same narrator :-)
Interesting ... I went back over all of them and it turns out the narrator I like is the one who did the Odd Thomas books and it turns out those are the only ones. David Aaron Baker. I also like Christopher Lane. And Steven Weber.
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The narrator makes a big difference & I'm glad there are so many talented people to bring the Koontz Universe to life.
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Dustin, as you mention May 24th, I often use audiobooks with book when I can, the benefit is the tones of people talking, men & woman, secure, fear, villains, etc. I finished The Taken & this is a example where it's good. The aliens chase the town characters & aliens tones express why to stay -or- leave after their victory.
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Just finished this one yesterday . . . I did not care for it much. Looks like the group did,though. As I mention in my review, for some reason it seems like 1 in 3 Koontz books just do not work for me.My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I really liked The Taking.....it was so different from Dean!!
This book is a "like" not a "love" for me. It's been a few years since I read or reread this one but I think my issue was that I didn't find the protagonists terribly interesting. Likeable enough, but not interesting. I DO have a question that's been bugging me for a long time...I don't remember the name of the creature glimpsed at the end of the book. I THINK it was a flying demon--i recall description of scales and a tail--but I don't remember what it was called. Anyone know?
Just a second, Matthew. I am dusting off my copy.
Quick dark figures capered across the roofs... The size of monkeys... Heads too large for their bodies, which were covered in scales rather than fur, and from a distance their asymmetric faces appeared to have been half melted in a fire. Was this what you were thinking of? They weren't named.
Elizabeth wrote: "Quick dark figures capered across the roofs... The size of monkeys... Heads too large for their bodies, which were covered in scales rather than fur, and from a distance their asymmetric faces appe..."When the other Matthew mentioned it, I pictured the main final baddie faced right before everything stopped (view spoiler)
Hi Matthew. That's what I thought too. I wasn't completely sure, so I read a few chapters prior. I was serious about dusting off my paperback. I read quite a bit before I remembered the story. I thought to mystery 'oh, this is the one that starts with the rain.'
Elizabeth wrote: "Hi Matthew. That's what I thought too. I wasn't completely sure, so I read a few chapters prior. I was serious about dusting off my paperback. I read quite a bit before I remembered the story. I th..."Ha! I understand that! I have been doing some rereads recently and needed the dust buster before I could begin! 🤣
Thank you for the assistance, Elizabeth and Matthew! Matthew...the creature I am speaking of is the one you mentioned, I believe. I know it appears right at the end!
OK. This was my THIRD reading of this book. I had different interpretations of what and why certain things were happening and happened. I think on earlier readings I sort of blocked the sheer horror of what I was reading. While blocking that, I lost some of the story as well. (I did that some this time too)
First, the luminescent rain had a purpose...washing the earth clean.
Perhaps the fungi and other growth was to get in the nooks and crannies?
People that were evil or lived their lives promoting negative were "taken" in unbelievably horrible ways, presumably to hell. In other words no redemption for them.
Some good people or at least redeemable witnessed the horror but were peaceful or happy to be "taken". (The grandmother and women with the broken bottle who went peacefully)
There were some who were used to temporarily save the innocent ie. the men in the church. I assume the children arrived at the church first and so the bad man were sent in to protect them until Molly or another like her arrived.
The saving of dogs and children were easy to understand. Innocent. But the treatment of (the children), Molly and the others who saved them was a bit of a puzzle for me. Why did they have to suffer and experience the horror? Koontz explained that the truly innocent (children) did not remember any of it As if that meant they hadn't really experienced it.
But what of Molly and the other adults? I can see that they were needed to establish a new world but I am confused that they had to witness and experience so much. The WHY confuses me (as many spiritual things do). All I can think of is that Molly, as a child, had shot her father BUT that confused me as well. Why did a little girl have a gun in a classroom. It seems that could have been explained more. Even so, wouldn't that put Molly in the good category for attempting to destroy the ultimate evil? (made me wonder if this book was written before Koontz 's father died) Or maybe I missed the details because the rain, humidity and darkness were weighing so much on my brain.
Her husband was not explained much BUT like Molly he had exposed evil and then quit the priesthood rather than staying and making things better.
I have been pondering this a couple of days. I must stop now and go on to a storybook. :-)
Any other thought are welcome.
One more thing...in the religion that I was raised in, we were taught that if you repented even the moment before death then you were forgiven. So, why did the people in the space station scream Save Me but still seemed to die horrible deaths?
Oh man, gotta stop.