Dark Rivers of The Heart (Group Read - May 2017)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Dark Rivers of The Heart will be featured as a Group Read during the month of May.

[Mary]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Patrick]

Looking forward to this one

[Fred]

Thanks, Fred

[Charissa]

It's always a good read, can't wait for the discussion.

[Karen B.]

Wish we were all reading the same book first. I will probably read this first.

[Mary]

Oh, I did not see there are two. Already paid for Dark Rivers...so will read that first.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I could read Dark Rivers of the Heart first as well :-) I am currently still reading Midnight.

[Julia]

I just noticed we have 2 group read books for May :) I have both but haven't read either of them yet.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Julia wrote: "I just noticed we have 2 group read books for May :) I have both but haven't read either of them yet."

Can you read Dark Rivers of the Heart with us first?
All the cool people are doing it.

[Mary]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Julia wrote: "I just noticed we have 2 group read books for May :) I have both but haven't read either of them yet."

Can you read Dark Rivers of the Heart with us first?
All the cool people are d..."
Yeah, I"M so cool...HA HA...Oh which is first? Yeah, I'm so cool.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

May starts on Monday, so get your Dark Hearts ready! :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I mean Dark Rivers :-)

[Patrick]

Can't wait for Monday to start this book

[Mary]

I have started.. Either memory is poor or I have not read this one. Old type...love the action.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I am finishing Midnight this weekend so I'll plan to start DARK RIVERS Monday :-) It will be good to be starting at the beginning of the month this time - too many times I am way behind trying to keep up.

I remember Dark Rivers not being a particular favorite of mine so it's always interesting to re-visit & see how perceptions change.

[Mary]

I really liked how this book started with a bang...almost literally. The anti-government theme is one I love. The offshoot government agent is as sick as they come! And Spencer is smart and kind to a damaged and abused dog...how can you not like that?
Very curious about the mysterious Valerie :-)

The scar on Spencer's face is curious as I am pretty sure Koontz has similar scar.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Enjoying the book so far :-)

[Fred]

I have started the read. Spencer(detective) is looking for a dream girl, Valerie Keene(waitress). He stalks her & goes to her sparsely furnished house with a "cockroach" wall-photo? He narrowly escapes a "police" SWAT attack. What has she done?

[Mary]

Fred wrote: "I have started the read. Spencer(detective) is looking for a dream girl, Valerie Keene(waitress). He stalks her & goes to her sparsely furnished house with a "cockroach" wall-photo? He narrowly esc..."

She is definitely a mystery. I have a phobia about cockroaches so when I read that I was like--Oh Koontzman, don't do this please. No cockroaches!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Cockroaches & Beatles :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

There is a character in Dark Rivers named Roy who reminds me of Corky Laputa in The Face - including the yellow Singin' in The Rain slicker.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I met a hobo in Dark Rivers who reminded me of Dragon Tears. Anyone else notice him? Anyone else find it interesting that Dean uses story elements in Dark Rivers that appear in later novels?

[Mary]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Cockroaches & Beatles :-)"
The walk down memory lane with the beetles was a strange backdrop for Roy and his dastardly deeds. Sort of took the edge off. Ha

[Mary]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "There is a character in Dark Rivers named Roy who reminds me of Corky Laputa in The Face - including the yellow Singin' in The Rain slicker."

Roy is an enigma. It seems he really believes he is helping these sad, unfulfilled, perhaps lonely people. And if one psychopath is not enough, well here comes Eva...

[Mary]

"Never lie to a dog." Why would you ever need to lie to a dog? This dog is a different sort for koontz.

[Fred]

Do we agree Spencer is warned of people tracking him by Mr.Louis Lee (Vietnamese) - of fake "FBI" visit (special agent group Roy Miro & Wertz & David Davis) asking questions of him & Valerie.

[Mary]

Fred wrote: "Do we agree Spencer is warned of people tracking him by Mr.Louis Lee (Vietnamese) - of fake "FBI" visit (special agent group Roy Miro & Wertz & David Davis) asking questions of him & Valerie."

I think Spencer already knew...after he escaped the explosions of Valerie's house, He would know. But. yes I think Mr. Lee warned him and offered him a talisman for protection.

[Matthew]

Mary wrote: "Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "There is a character in Dark Rivers named Roy who reminds me of Corky Laputa in The Face - including the yellow Singin' in The Rain slicker."

Roy is an enigma..."

This book has a trifecta of villains…Roy is the main antagonist, of course, and there's Eva…and I don't event want to say who the third individual is. It would spoil the fun.

[Mary]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I met a hobo in Dark Rivers who reminded me of Dragon Tears. Anyone else notice him? Anyone else find it interesting that Dean uses story elements in Dark Rivers that appear in later novels?"
Yeah, maybe he felt he hadn't totally flushed out those elements.

[Mary]

I haven't recognized a third villain yet.
*******SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER********
I have to say that I thought the car chase and subsequent car stuff in the desert was almost self indulgent. Geez, how many pages was that and why did it have to go on and on? For me it gets pretty monotonous and I start reading with glazed over eyes. It didn't seem to move the story along and I started thinking nasty thoughts about my favorite writer...like, is he getting some sort of kickback from Ford for going on and on about the indestructible Ford Explorer. :-)
Somewhat like the show "24" was sponsored by Ford and only Ford cars were driven in it.


I was sort of surprised at the erotic stuff with Eva and Roy, strange stuff. I don't remember ever reading that sort of thing in a Koontz book? Or have I? Maybe in False Memory (don't quite remember) ?

[Mary]

I feel sad when there is no discussion on the discussion boards....

Another car chase through the desert except this time with helicopters vs. cars. Yawn. Truly, maybe i am just reading too late at night.

[Charissa]

Honestly, I'm usually a lurker. Think I need a trip to Introverts Anonymous? I was creeped out by this novel. And why is 'creeped' considered not a word?

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Mary wrote: "I feel sad when there is no discussion on the discussion boards....

Another car chase through the desert except this time with helicopters vs. cars. Yawn. Truly, maybe i am just reading too late a..."

It all depends on who is participating & how they choose to participate.

This is the third time reading this book - actually I think I might have given up on the second reading. For some reason I've always had a hard time with Dark Rivers of the Heart. I just see so many pieces of this story that were used better in later Dean Koontz books: Dragon Tears, The Face and even Dean's latest book The Silent Corner.

[Mary]

Charissa wrote: "Honestly, I'm usually a lurker. Think I need a trip to Introverts Anonymous? I was creeped out by this novel. And why is 'creeped' considered not a word?"

I am good at lurking too Clarissa and really only read about a fourth of the monthly reads anyway. No finger pointing intended. This book is rotating from boring me to the point of skipping pages and then "creeping" me out. I am sure creeped is a word, a good one when none other will do.
:-)

[Mary]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Mary wrote: "I feel sad when there is no discussion on the discussion boards....

Another car chase through the desert except this time with helicopters vs. cars. Yawn. Truly, maybe i am just readi..."

I still don't remember if I have read this before but I think I am going to give up on it. Like Clarissa said it has me bored or creeped me out. I always feel terrible to quit a book but this one I will.

BUT, I was continuing because someone mentioned a third villain...I was going to read until I found out who it was. I give up. Dean, Dean, Dean.

[Mary]

Matthew wrote: "Mary wrote: "Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "There is a character in Dark Rivers named Roy who reminds me of Corky Laputa in The Face - including the yellow Singin' in The Rain slicker."

Roy..."

SPOILER
Matthew, I just can't finish this book. If you will , please tellme the 3rd villain. I am desperate to know...could you mean Spencer and Eva's dads? Thanks

[Barbara]

Dark Rivers creeped me out too much also for it to be a favorite Koontz book 😞

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I haven't been creeped out - I think False Memory, The Voice of the Night, Whispers, Intensity etc. are much more creepy.

I just get lost in Dark Rivers . . . but I'm gonna keep trying this time.

[Matthew]

Dark Rivers has one of Koontz's strongest endings. Yes, it is easy to get bogged down in the middle as the pacing slows down but it's totally worth it to keep on keepin' on. The best paced lengthy book Koontz has written (500 pages or longer) in my opinion is The Face but Dark Rivers gets points for effort.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Thanks for the encouragement Matthew :-)

[Bruce]

I was amazed this book was published in 1995. It seemed very applicable to current day happenings.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

If you like Dark Rivers, you will likely enjoy The Silent Corner :-) I am reading both books at the same time and I'll come to a part and ask "Didn't I already read about that?" then I will answer myself "Oh yeah, that was the other book. "

[Matthew]

So, this is kind of funny and/or disurbing...I had CNN on in the background while reading Dark Rivers and, all the sudden, I imagined Donald Trump as Roy Miro. May not be much of,a strectch.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Thanks Matthew :-)

[Matthew]

You're welcome! (sung like The Rock in Moana)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Wow! You are clearly a well-cultured individual Matthew :-)

[Mary]

Matthew wrote: "So, this is kind of funny and/or disurbing...I had CNN on in the background while reading Dark Rivers and, all the sudden, I imagined Donald Trump as Roy Miro. May not be much of,a strectch."

Please, please...no politics on goodreads..

[Matthew]

Agreed, Mary...I apologize. I promise to keep this a safe space. Honest!

[Mary]

Matthew wrote: "Agreed, Mary...I apologize. I promise to keep this a safe space. Honest!"

HAHA I almost said that goodreads was my safe space! Then I realized I was kind of old to think there is such a thing. :-)
:-) :-)
BTW I am coming to the ending. Quit early last night so I can savor it in one full dose.