Rating: 
Summary: A solid Koontz read
Review: As the title would suggest, Odd Thomas is a novel about a man of that same name. Odd (which is his real name, not a nickname), is a 20 year old, short-order cook with a peculiar talent: he sees dead people. And, just like in the movie which made that line famous, the dead don't speak, yet they usually want Odd's help. It is not the dead who concern Odd, however, it is the bodachs: evil spirits which hover around the site of future death. When Odd sees a large group of bodachs hanging around a strange-looking man who comes into his grill one morning, he makes it his mission to find out exactly what this man is up to in hopes avoiding the tragedy foretold by the appearance of the bodachs.This book is a bit different than much of Koontz's other work, namely because it is written in the first person (Odd actually begins by saying that he is writing his memoirs) and because it is a shorter, quicker read. However, Koontz's usual, witty prose is evident, and this book is mostly consistent with his usual style. I did have some minor problems with the plot--for example, some of the supernatural natural occurrences aren't fully explained, and the conclusion didn't seem to match the level of build-up. Overall however, I enjoyed the book, and Koontz fans like myself are not likely to be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Captivating!
Review: I agree with the reviewer who said, "Back With A Bang." I've read all books by Dean Koontz, and was a little disappointed at the drawn-out, repetitive direction his last couple of books have taken. Odd Thomas kept me captivated from page one. I, too, would like to see more of this protagonist. I'm very stingy with my five star ratings, but this book is definitely a must read!
Rating:
Summary: I would Welcome More Stories From Odd Thomas
Review: Odd Thomas works as a short-order cook at the Pico Mundo Grille in the southern California desert. He is blessed (or cursed) with the ability to see dead people and evil ghost shadows (bodachs). This story is fast paced and full of great characters. About halfway through the book, some of the dialog between Odd and his girlfriend, Stormy, struck me as a little silly which was surprising because the writing in the rest of the book was so well done. Some of the phrasing was really exceptional. For instance: Odd is trying to fathom why some people get caught up in Satanism..."Certain fourteen-year-old boys, yes, because some of them were washed half loose from reason by shifting tides of hormones". It's phrasing like this that makes the journey through this story so enjoyable. The descriptions included, especially of the bodachs, are so vivid, it's almost like watching a movie. I do hope a movie is made from this book...it would be a glorious visual experience. As this story neared it's conclusion it was so intense, it was difficult to resist peeking ahead to check out the resolution. I don't know if Koontz has ever brought back any of his characters for an encore, but I would certainly be interested in any book in the future that features Odd Thomas. This was an excellent read.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting read
Review: Some Koontz books are super, some stink - this one is fairly good. A new idea and approach plus the book really races off to a quick start. If you love Koontz, you will like or love this one.
Rating: 
Summary: This form does not play to Koontz's strengths.
Review: Odd Thomas is a very jarring novel to read. Koontz has chosen to write in the first person, trying to give a voice to a 20 year old high school graduate with supernatural powers. The problem is that Koontz has no skill at approximating the speach of a 20 year old. At times the character sounds like he's 12, at times 40, at times like he is from another planet. Some of this can be defended by the weird experiences of the character, particularly those involving his psychic powers. But even so, he should sound at least somewhat like a real person. The dialogue of his girlfriend is just as bad. The awkwardness of was so great that I found the book hard to finish. The plot is also predictable. There was only one plot twist I did not see coming, and since it doesn't occur until two thirds of the way through the book, it was hard to stay interested. The evil of the villains is just assumed -- you hardly get to know them and so their motivation is described in a couple of paragraphs at the end of the book. Given the enormity of what they try to do, and their ability to plan so long to carry out their goals, you would expect to know more about them. But then Koontz may not have anything to say -- fleshing these characters out may have been too difficult. Finally, Odd Thomas's psychic powers seem arranged to avoid thinking of ways around plot difficulties. Whenever Thomas needs to know something, he has a power that allows him to do so. When it is important that he be in the dark, he finds his powers limited. Koontz does deserve some credit for trying something new. While I felt that the form of the book doesn't work, Koontz is trying to stretch himself and not write the same book over and over. Also, Thomas mostly gets by on his psychic powers; although he uses physical force on two occasions, he doesn't do anything that remarkable in either case and thus is believable. In other words, he is not, in addition to being psychic, an action hero. For those of you who agree with the generally favorable reviews of this book, it looks to me that this could be the start of a series. So if you like this sort of thing, you may see more of it.
Rating:
Summary: dean, you make reading divine
Review: I never cease to be amazed at the humor I find in dean koontz's books. Inspite of the frightful encounters these characters get themselves into; I find myself laughing with delight at absolutely marvelous thoughts of elvis(failing to move on), morality opinions(regarding the phone booth), normally mundane shopping experiences(ice cream and tires), and such. Keep up the good work. I can hardly wait for another book.
Rating: 
Summary: Semi-spoiler alert (in review)
Review: First, I'm a huge fan and have read more books of his than I can even remember. And I loved this book until the end, but then I felt like I got a quick knee to the groin. I've always considered Dean Koontz to be the optimistic Stephen King. King often has dark and unhappy endings to his novels, but I've tended to count on Koontz as generally having the main characters come out okay in his book. This was not the case this time around and I sorta felt betrayed by that. He's an excellent writer, and it does not change my opinion of his books and I'll keep reading them. However, I was very disappointed in the ending this time around.
Rating:
Summary: Wow...
Review: Great job, once again. Dean Koontz manages to open the book with a bang and grip his audience to the very end. I couldn't put the book down until I had turned the very last page. Koontz brings his cross-genre writing style out very well. With the subtle love-story plot tied in with horror, suspense, and a touch of what one might venture to call "sci-fi" with the introduction of the paranormal and otherworldly. Each character seems to speak to you and captivate you with each turn of the page. Great reading for the experienced Dean Koontz, especially if you enjoyed hits like Dark Rivers of the Heart, and the Chris Snow books. Awesome reading for the beginner who might be looking for something gripping and suspensful without gore and obscenities. Once again, AWESOME JOB!! I look forward to the next release in May!
Rating:
Summary: BACK WITH A BANG!!!
Review: Having been a Dean Koontz fan in the past, I've not read a book of his in years as they seemed to be moving into the realm of scifi, of which I am not a fan. This novel, however, is the Dean Koontz that I've loved from years past. Meet Odd Thomas. He is a likable young man, in his early twenties, who is considered somewhat an anomaly amongst the townfolk of Pico Mundo. Odd can see and communicate with the dead. Not everyone knows of his powers, though everyone sees him as being "different." The only folks privy to this information are those closest to Odd; one being Stormy Llewellyn, the love of his life, and another being the Chief of police of the small town, who is somewhat of a surrogate father to Odd. This special relationship forged between the Chief and Odd was born out of Odd's desire to use his powers for good; he is often able to stop acts of violence before they occur. Sometimes the deceased lead Odd to the offender, so that they may move on to the Other Side. Until now, Odd has been comfortable with his powers, and how he uses them; and then the stranger arrives. He blends into the crowds easily and nothing about him is remarkable in the physical sense--save for the large number of bodachs that seem to follow him everywhere in Pico Mundo. Of course, only Odd can see the bodachs--and he knows that they only appear when violence and death are imminent, and typically frolic around the perpetrator prior to the act. Odd has never seen so many bodachs around one person. Concerned, he contacts the Chief and tell him what he knows, and what he fears may come to pass. What follows are a series of events that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat....all the way to the shocking conclusion. This novel to me demonstrates a return of Koontz to his horror genre roots...showing all that he is still a master of the occult. DYB
Rating:
Summary: One of Koontz's Best
Review: I have read about a dozen of Koontz's book and Odd Thomas was my favoite. It is well written, and unlike some of the other reviews, I thought this had one of his best and well thought out endings. I always felt that one of Koontz's weaknesses was the poor endings of his books, but Odd Thomas is an all-around excellent book. If you like Koontz, you'll find Odd Thomas an excellent read.
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