1- i don't like meeting characters after the plot is in full on swing, so that was frustrating a bit. i put the book down for a few hours. then picked it back up and promptly finished- well, as fast as a mother of 8 can finish a book.
2- here is yet another book in which dean koontz trumpets the right to life. i especially liked these words(they speak so aptly of our society today- where we care more about the economy than we do about the lives of the most vulberable). bolding is my favorite part.
those who kill in self-defense may treasure life, but those who kill to change the world wish to change it not only because they hate the world as it is but also because they hate themselves, hate the very idea that they might be exceptional and possess a profound purpose that they are meant to discover and pursue. although they often kill in the name of one ideology or another, they cannot value their principles if they do not value life. it has been said that hitler and all other jew-haters in history wish to kill the jewish people because by doing so they also destroy the God who otherwise can't be killed. but this is not only the purpose of those bent on extinguishing the jews, but also the underlying purpose, conscious or unconscious, of everyone who kills other than in defense of self or clan
3- i think dean koontz is intrigued by autism. of his recent books, more of them have autistic characters than do not.
4- (SOMEWHAT OF A SPOILER BUT NOT TOTALLY ALERT)his character, dr. kirby ignis, could totally be played by bill gates. ugh. the man is a genius and thinks he can solve the world's problems by reducing the population to more manageable levels. and even when all the other characters are trying to tell him that his solution is going to screw up the world he thinks he still thinks he's right. and because his intelligence so far surpasses that of the other characters he maintains that his ideas must be correct- that they just aren't thinking it through.
every now and again he inserts a little mini-chapter. like an epistle to our now from the artificial intelligence of the future. from the mind of the post-human earth...
if you could see the power of my creation...you would stand in awe of the brute strength and the exquisite regimentation of this new world. then you would know that it is worthy of your vision, that you alone among the human herd- you alone in all of human history- not only saw what must be done to make things right but took the correct steps to bring about the ultimate revolution. you did not expect me to redesign nature. you would have been satisfied if i had only trimmed back the cancerous mass of humanity. but i know your heart, as i know the hearts of all men, and i am certain that if you could see what i have done, you would approve.
5- and last but most definitely NOT least- after the story ended the last page of the book announced (drum roll please)... the next odd thomas book. called odd apocalypse- due out summer 2012!!! his odd thomas series was what first attracted me to koontz. i had read an article on him in the national catholic register. he is catholic- and in one form or fashion works aspects of catholicism or catholic theology into his books. i still have yet to read his frankenstein series. i hear it's fabulous but i'm waiting for some long uninterrupted silence to come to me. one of those silences where you sit thinking "man, i wish i hadn't read all of dean koontz's books- then i'd have something new to read here now."
that won't happen any time soon. but delayed gratification is sweet.
1 comment:
Oh - I love Odd Thomas! Makes me want to read this book too, but right now I've just started the triology, the Deed of Paksenarrion - over a 1000 pages of tiny print - that I have to write a review on! Too few hours in the day!
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