Stand Alone Novels 2008-2020: Breathless (Group Read - September 2018)

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

The story of a world where good itself is an endangered species and one man will risk his life - and more - to save it from extinction.

Breathless will be featured as a Group Read during the month of September.

Breathless was last featured as a Group Read in December 2009 - at that time Breathless was a new release and the Koontzland - Dean Koontz Group had just been created.

Please consider joining us this September as we revisit Breathless.

[Charissa]

I remember this one. Just don't know where exactly my copy is. I'll at least lurk on the discussion.

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

Thanks Charissa. Breathless is considered one of Dean's wrakest novels by most Dean Koontz readers 🙃

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

* weakest 🙃

[Charissa]

Really? It's in my top 5. Will have to respectfully disagree then.

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

I'm glad you liked it 🙃

[Susan]

Is this the one with the outer space aliens or am I thinking about a different book?

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

Susan wrote: "Is this the one with the outer space aliens or am I thinking about a different book?"

Possibly. Breathless features furry creatures that appear with no explanation. More specific space alien adventures can be found in Winter Moon, Strangers, One Door Away From Heaven, The Taking etc.

[Matthew]

I think I have easy access to an audio version - I might just have to listen in September!

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

Matthew wrote: "I think I have easy access to an audio version - I might just have to listen in September!"

I think that's an excellent idea :-) I will also be having a Breathless Audiobook Experience!

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

Breathless will be featured during the month of September as a Group Read (in addition to The Forbidden Door, new release). I fully intend to participate this month :-)

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

I'm currently re-reading Breathless. Anyone else reading?

[Charissa]

If I can find the book, maybe. I will discuss it with you though.

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

Thanks Charissa 🦉

[Matthew]

Still thinking I will listen - have two other audiobooks to finish first, though.

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

Breathless isn't very long. Audiobook is approximately 8 hours, so you really should join in on the fun! 😍

[Coleen]

I loved Breathless. I think I’d like to reread it.

[Kaye]

Just found it as an ebook at the library. Downloaded it to my Kindle.

[Fred]

Started a Audiobook. 2 major characters start... the "good" mountaineer Grady Adams & the "bad" Henry Rowrey....

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

Henry is paranoid and delusional 🙃

[Elizabeth]

Borrowed a copy from my local library today. Count me in.

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

Elizabeth wrote: "Borrowed a copy from my local library today. Count me in."

Thanks Elizabeth!

[Kaye]

Just finished reading Breathless for the first time. Loved how the individual stories were so fully drawn. Loved how they were woven together so satisfyingly for the reader. Loved the feeling of hope that prevailed, despite the darkness of Henry and the elected kleptocrats and the sinister people hired to ensure our security!

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

I have also finished reading Breathless. The feeling on wonderment was well established, as well as Koontz's trademark distrust for government. I still wish the novel would have been expanded a bit. The ending came too abruptly for me. I've read Breathless 3 or 4 times now. I don't count this novel among my favorites.

[Kaye]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I have also finished reading Breathless. The feeling on wonderment was well established, as well as Koontz's trademark distrust for government. I still wish the novel would have been expanded a bit..."

You make a good point about the abrupt ending. I hadn't read a Dean Koontz novel since Night Chills, maybe 20 years ago, until last fall when I received an ARC of the first Jane Hawk book. I've since read all four in the series to date, and have become a Jane Hawk and Dean Koontz fan (belatedly), I saw a lot of precursors to the Hawk series in Breathless, which perhaps triggered my affection for it.

[Susan]

I'm halfway through the book, and it is not the one I thought I would be reading. These strange creatures aren't the aliens I was expecting, who were forward scouts of an invasion that were defeated finally by bugs and ants that got into their spaceship and ate enough of it so that it was no longer spaceworthy and blew up, saving Earth.(Anybody have an idea of that book's title?) These animals, and it think they are highly intelligent animals, are very charming. I haven't yet reached the point where all these storylines meet, so it is still confusing. As I said, only halfway through.

[Susan]

I am now finished with the book, and I've had a few days to think about what I read. This is not a 5 star book for me. It felt a bit like a deadline book and a fleshed out novella. The parts with Henry had very little to do with the main story and feel like a short story that was added to bulk up the book and make it novel length. They could have been removed without changing anything else in the book. For the rest of the characters, their involvement with the main event, the mystery of Puzzle and Riddle, makes their presence acceptable. But, for me, this book is a collection of short stories and character sketches shuffled together.

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

Susan wrote: "I am now finished with the book, and I've had a few days to think about what I read. This is not a 5 star book for me. It felt a bit like a deadline book and a fleshed out novella. The parts with H..."

Thanks Susan, your views are shared by many Koontz readers. I was extremely disappointed when I first read Breathless as it reads like an unfinished work.