TICK TOCK (Group Read - November 2014)

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

Tick Tock has been chosen as a Koontzland Group Read for the month of November 2014. Here is a brand new thread for discussing the book as you are reading or after you have finished (however you like). Please use spoiler alerts as needed.

For older discussions on Tick Tock, previously featured as a group read in October 2012, you may want to visit the other Tick Tock thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[E.]

I'm happy the choice was Tick Tock. Now I just have to hide the book til November so I don't pick it up too soon. Currently reading Nos4a2 by Joe Hill. It's awesome!

[Shawn]

I'm looking forward to re-reading this one. I read it when it came out but I can't really remember it. My memory sucks.

[Syd]

E. wrote: "I'm happy the choice was Tick Tock. Now I just have to hide the book til November so I don't pick it up too soon. Currently reading Nos4a2 by Joe Hill. It's awesome!"

I just got Nos4a2 from the library and am looking forward to reading it. I'm glad to hear it's awesome.

[Jim]

I was going to read it this week but I will hold off until November. I am looking forward to re-reading this one. I remember that I didn't care for it way back when but at the time I just discovered Koontz and I was reading back to back to back books by him.

[Sara]

I've read Tick TOck a couple of times now, but I'm looking forward to re-reading it.

[E.]

I've taken a long break from any Koontz books. Tick Tock will be the first in a while. I keep picking it up and setting it down....
I'm afraid I'll blow through it in one day! But, I'll try to make it last so I can intelligently discuss it with the group. Discipline. Argh

[Tracy]

Yeah E, I have none. Discipline that is.

[Barbara]

Me either

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

I am currently reading Tick Tock :-)

[E.]

Did I miss November?
Discipline, self control.... Oh, to heck with it. I'll probably start Tick Tock tomorrow night.
Looking forward to discussion.

[E.]

Since 24 days ago, when I was reading Nos4a2, I've read Horns, Heart Shaped Box, Boys Life, Swan Song, Bag of Bones and almost finished with 20th Century Ghosts. I had a personal reading challenge of 54 books this year but I didn't start keeping track until the year was half way through. 18 left. Any suggestions?
(btw my favorite of the above was Boys Life)

[Barbara]

E......my favorites from your list above are SWAN SONG!!!!! Lol. I love that book sooooo much!!! Bag of Bones was scary good too!! Joe Hill.....Stephen King's son....has an interesting style all his own.....I liked his vampire story better than Horns.......so many books.....so little time!!! Lol

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

E. wrote: "Did I miss November?
Discipline, self control.... Oh, to heck with it. I'll probably start Tick Tock tomorrow night.
Looking forward to discussion."

I have to get an early start because I am also going to read Phantoms which is quite a bit longer than Tick Tock :-)

[Tracy]

I loved Tick Tock.

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

I love Deliverance Payne!

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

I am wondering if Del's dog Scootie could be a descendent of Einstein. Having recently finished Watchers again this month, it brings the question to my mind. (view spoiler)[ In Tick Tock, Scootie is described as a Labrador. In the end of Watchers, it only seems to specify that Minnie, Einstein's mate, is a Retriever. (hide spoiler)] It is possible. Everything seems to be connected in some way in the Koontz universe (and the universe outside of the Koontz literary world as well).

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

Scootie is a Black Labrador so I don't know if he can be a descendent of a Golden Retriever. Probably not, he is probably another stand-alone gifted dog like in Relentless.

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

Dominic wrote: "E.
I'm going to recommend my 2 favourite Dean Koontz books if you haven't already read them. 1) From The Corner Of His Eye. 2) The Bad Place. Oh and Odd Thomas (but I'd imagine most Koontz ..."

Nice Recommendations :-)

[E.]

Dominic I have read those, and it was Odd Thomas that started my
Koontz-a-thon reading list over the past few years. My faves of his are Intensity (because it was...intense) Innocence (because it was beautiful and sad) The Taking (I found it funny and creepy) and so many more. Oh, and the Moonlight Bay series (just because).
I started Tick Tock and I like it so far. The fact of the main character being Viet-American is something different and interesting. I like Del and Scootie, the way she talks to him all baby-waby like, then is so straight forward yet vague with Tommy. Something's up with her for sure.

::::possible spoiler::::

I like the way the "thing" was first referred to as "the doll" then "minikin" then "demon" then "the Samaritan" then "the fat man". It helps my imagination keep up with it all.

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

I have always noticed Dean guiding us into what he wants to call monsters in his books.

I love Deliverance Payne & her mother too.

Family Bakers can be found in Tick Tock and Life Expectancy.

[E.]

"Nice to meet you Mr. Tofu". lol. Tommy's frustration can be humorous.

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

Finished today. Fun book :-)

[Betsy]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Dominic wrote: "E.
I'm going to recommend my 2 favourite Dean Koontz books if you haven't already read them. 1) From The Corner Of His Eye. 2) The Bad Place. Oh and Odd Thomas (but I'd imag..."

Dominic, I heartily second your two favorites. I loved Both !

[Jim]

Dominic wrote: "Hi betsy,
This is where Dean Koontz somewhat confuses me. In both The Bad Place and From The Corner Of His Eye, he excels in emotions, feelings, and personas of his characters.....almost as a re..."

I think Dean's characters is what makes his books my favorite. There are some books that his characters affect me more than others. Dean does a wonderful job making you think his character is an everyday Joe that is put into extraordinary events. I always feel like his character could be someone sitting next to me in bar.

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

Jim wrote: "I always feel like his character could be someone sitting next to me in bar."

Velocity :-)

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

Did you know that Dean Koontz originally published Tick Tock in Paperback because he didn't think the page count warranted Hardcover release?

Dean started Tick Tock as a light-hearted story after finishing Dark Rivers of the Heart, then he set the story aside. After finishing Intensity, he once again needed some lighter writing for balance, took up Tick Tock again, finishing the novel.

[Jim]

I just finished this and I really enjoyed it. This was a reread for me and I enjoyed the reread better than my original reading (weird how sometimes that happens). I enjoyed the characters Del, Scootie and her mother so much. I wonder if Dean wrote this today if he would also write a short story ebook companion for Del and her family. You know they have some amazing stories to tell. I would love to see a prequel to Tick Tock with just Del and Scootie.

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

Glad you enjoyed the book so much Jim :-) I also liked the book better upon re-reading than originally. You are right on!

[E.]

Finished Tick Tock several days ago. It was a fun read. Short and witty with some action and spookiness thrown in for Koontz-iness. I guess the spookiest part for me was the doll changing into minikin, and when Tommy was looking around the room not seeing it, then looked up....
I did like Del's attitude, and her relationship to Scootie. Her baby talk with him, then her matter-of-fact interaction with Tommy.
Koontz was right in that if Tommy had been average Joe-white-guy it wouldn't have had the same strength in story. The Viet twist gave it more dimension and direction, even though those characters weren't as endearing as the girl and the dog.