The Mask (Group Read - April 2020)

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

Extreme terror gives us back the gestures of our childhood.
-Chazal

First published in 1981, using the pen name Owen West, The Mask is among Dean's oldest novels still in print. Unlike some of his early novels still in print (Icebound/Prisoner of Ice, Demon Seed, Invasion/Winter Moon), The Mask has not been updated or revised.

The Mask will be featured as a Koontzland - Dean Koontz Group Read during the month of April.

[Charissa]

Interesting one, I can see why Mr. Koontz might not have renewed it.

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

April is nearly here. I'll be reading THE MASK. Who else is planning to read this one?

[Charissa]

It's gardening season. I'll catch the discussion.

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

Charissa wrote: "It's gardening season. I'll catch the discussion."

Thanks Charissa :-) Right now it's just you and I in this discussion thread. I'll probably start re-reading The Mask this weekend. I've got lots of Koontz titles going at once right now. Trying to catch up on all the Group Reads I missed last year. So soon I'm going to be reading all of the following Koontz titles at once:

One Door Away From Heaven (almost finished re-reading this one)
Phantoms
The City
Innocence
The Door to December
The Mask
A Big Little Life
and just to throw in for current events:
The Eyes of Darkness

[Charissa]

I think most of these were on my e-reader, and while I've been gathering the actual books, haven't quite gotten there yet. I'm reading Hercule Poirot right now. A chapter or two, when I can.

[Mary]

This definitely looks like Dean Koontz's month for me! I am so glad I knocked out my Netgalley books before April 1.

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

Got some extra time for reading all of a suden? We've got you covered in Koontzland!
I'll send out a Group Message this weekend letting everyone know about all the books currently featured. The Poll for June Group Read is also active.

[Mary]

The Mask will always stay with me because of the first chapter. I could not believe that I was only reading what was happening in the first chapter, it felt quite real... It was Horror at its best...not gory, blood and guts but true horror. And the calm childish narration only made it more terrible.

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

Are you referring to the Prologue? There is this creepy prologue that the book opens with and I think there is a girl in the basement. That opening really sticks with me too. I think the narration shifts in Chapter One. I'll find out soon enough. Haven't started my reread, just going off memory.

[Mary]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Are you referring to the Prologue? There is this creepy prologue that the book opens with and I think there is a girl in the basement. That opening really sticks with me too. I think the narration ..."

Yes, it must have been the prologue. And yes, a girl who is stuck in a basement. Perfect writing!

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

I'm currently reading this for the third time and really enjoying the book. I'd highly recommend The Mask to anyone who is on the fence about giving this classic Koontz title a try :-)

[Mary]

This repeat read was pretty much the same as the first for me. I liked it a lot and 4 stars again.

The writing and descriptions of characters, action, and the supernatural are all first-rate. The first chapter had me holding my breath, disbelieving that I was actually feeling what the child was. Absolutely amazing and the second chapter did the same. Really loved this book...the story, setting, ambiance, characters--all of it. It was spooky without being over the top. And, this is one where Koontz obviously took the utmost care with each and every word.

[Susan]

Thought I had written at the end of April, but that must have been my imagination. I did finish during the first week of May. I thought it was good until it just sort of stopped. I turned the page after no spiders thinking there would be an epilogue or something. But no. The words just stopped. I wasn't done with the story.

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

Susan wrote: "Thought I had written at the end of April, but that must have been my imagination. I did finish during the first week of May. I thought it was good until it just sort of stopped. I turned the page ..."

Was this your first time reading The Mask?
I think that abruptness gets everyone the first time. It's like we all start looking for missing pages :-)

[Susan]

Yes, first time on this one. I'm getting behind on the others. So many books to read, so little time.

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

I fell behind on these Dean Koontz group reads last year and didn't catch up until this Spring.
I still haven't even read Devoted.
The focus through February 2021 will be the Odd Thomas Group Read. Also, Dean has a new release this Fall called Elsewhere.
If monthly group reads are too much, we could consider cutting it back. Maybe spend two months on one title, featuring a new stand alone every other month in most cases.
I know it's not just you and me and I know people have other books to read besides Dean Koontz. Plus the participation has gone down in recent years. New Releases always get people excited as is the current Odd Thomas Group Read.
I only got caught up (will finally read Devoted in July), because of this worldwide pandemic. Working less, I suddenly had a lot more time for reading. I'm on track to break a personal record this year by reading 180 books.

[Susan]

That might be a discussion for the whole group. I'm only aiming at 80 books for the year, and Goodreads says I'm on track to get that done. The pandemic hasn't really changed my reading rhythm owning to the fact I'm retired and the quarantine didn't change much for me.