The Good Guy by Dean Koontz Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Good Guy
Book Review: OK but not gripping read
Summary: 3 Stars
Koontz grabs your attention in the opening scene when the hero of the story Tim Carrier is mistaken for a hitman and is given an evenlope with money and a picture of the proposed victim. He decides to insert himself into the situation and begins a wild race to keep Linda Paquette away from those chasing her. There are no supernatural creatures but plenty of evil in the book. The book keeps your interest and is entertaining but offers no deeper insight into characters or causes. The novel ends with an unocnvincing closeBook Review: Of all the gin joints in all the world.....
Summary: 3 Stars
Tim Carrier is in the wrong place at the wrong time when, at his local watering hole, he stumbles into the middle of a kill-for-hire against an innocent woman Tim has never met. Tim is compelled to try to assist the woman, Linda, against a killer that seems almost supernaturally skilled and forces almost too powerful to overcome. This book is sort of a horror fairy tale. I say that because the characters bear little resemblance to reality and the plot turns on shadowy conspiracy-theory power players controlling the world behind the scenes and yet, everything turns out okay in the end. If you are willing to completely suspend disbelief, you will probably enjoy it.Book Review: One of Koontz's BEST!
Summary: 4 Stars
I completely agree with K. Corn from Indianapolis that this is definitely the best SUSPENSE novel that I've read in a long time...and for me it comes close to topping INTENSITY.
This book frequently propels you to the edge of your seat while you watch the hero and heroine helplessly try to evade a seemingly unstoppable killer who does seem to be psychic. However, in the chapters from the murderer's viewpoint, it's obvious, that he's just adept at anticipating what most people will do--a master of common sense clairvoyance, if you will.
And I think what makes this book awesome is that the killer DOESN'T have any supernatural attributes. The killer, alias, Krait (one of his many names) is a sociopath. He has no conscience and enjoys killing people-often in bizarre ways. Whereupon their flaws - as he sees them, are part of their tortuous deaths. Not a new idea, but what our killer finds offensive is truly unique. Makes ya wonder...what are you doing, Mr. Koontz, when you're not writing? Moonlighting as Krait's partner in crime? (BIG GRIN)...
And the big REVEAL in the end, which I won't spoil for you, of course, as to WHY the killer was hired to kill this beautiful and also fascinating, multi-dimensional woman, is also really interesting and absolutely MAKES YOU THINK about life in America these days...which I'm sure was part of Mr. K's plan. The urban paranoia that has swept our land for decades truly is played out in black and white (print, that is) for us in this book.
A MUST READ FOR KOONTZ fans...take it to the beach, make it your companion in the loo..whichever...but either way...it's a book that will keep you up into the wee hours to see how this ordinary guy and the beautiful artist will or won't survive their evil pursuer.
I would LOVE to see this one as a movie some day...so KUDOS TO MR. KOONTZ again.
Lynne Logan
Author of The Crime Chronicles of Decker Zane
Columbus, OH 43123
Book Review: Over the top
Summary: 2 Stars
As far as I can remember, this is my first Koontz novel. My wife and I listen to books on tapes when we travel. "The Good Guy" is admittedly interesting and held our attention but the plot was absurd, the main protagonist unbelievable if not ridiculously contrived. The hero, is of course, larger than life and the damsel in distress has deep inner strength founded in an injustice to her family. Cookie Cutter plot. Life is too short and there are too many equally entertaining novels out there that have a lot more to offer than this one.
Book Review: PLEASE, PEOPLE, TELL ME YOU ARE JOKING!!!
Summary: 2 Stars
I have no idea why this book or many of Koontz' novels get so good reviews. Are you all good friends of his, grew up with him, are on his payroll or live in the same neighbourhood? Or do you secretly dislike his stories? - because a long time ago you had put Koontz on a pedestal and now you just don't want to admit you're wrong. 4 Stars, 5 stars. Tell me you're joking, please, 5 stars is like a TEN. Get real. Buyers want to read serious reviews, grounded criticism.
Okay then.
Pageturning excitement, sharp dialogues, riveting storylines - none of this you'll experience in Koontz' latest injection of trash. This thriller story gets off the ground, like all his stories, with a small inventive idea that promises a wide range of possibilities. Beyond lies the unknown, the danger, excitement. We start anticipating. Our blood rushes. This could be so so good. The hero of the story is mistaken for the wrong man - a contract killer - left with money and a job to do. We can see it all, instantly. His dangerous moblike enemy. The damsel in distress he's supposed to save. How is he going to defeat his pursuer? How is he going to save the love-interest? - because, surely, that is what she will be in this story, she just has to be!! How is Koontz going to make our heart race till it blows in our chest?
He isn't. Koontz sidetracks us into an overly familiar territory to the generic extreme - a chase, a beautiful well-spoken lady, a hero with hidden talents but with faults, and, of COURSE sir, immediately sir, one one-dimensional psycho-killer coming up! In the end we're not even suprised that yet another climax has bombed. Let's not shame Koontz further by discussing the implausibility of the story development.
Koontz doesn't stop with using only the antagonist's selfcentered sadistic profile he used two dozen times before, no no, his other main characters are only too happy to lend him aid by jumping from his other novels. He doesn't think of creating completely original characters, no, says Koontz challegingly, you think I don't dare using the same profiles again and again and again? - no? - watch me. Here we go... ah, Intensity... mm, antagonist Edgler Vess (the sociopath from Koontz' Intensity)... let me see, yeah, that profile worked in many of my novels, great, let's call him... Krait. Then Koontz smiles proudly: man, I can do this for another two decades AT LEAST.
Sure, mr Koontz, we'll turn a blind eye, we pretend we don't notice. Perhaps the story and dialogue will make us forget this unsulting plagiarism of your own work (surely you can make us forget THAT, how else could you be selling 300 million copies worldwide, right?). Wrong, we don't forget, we can't because there goes Koontz again, the obviously obligatory cocky-funny getting-to-know-the-love-interest dialogue, almost completely ripped from his previous novels, with the exception of it being even less funny, and even more forced, as if he's still experimenting in the hope he gets it right one day. Sure, mr Koontz, I'll play the guinea pig once more, even though I can almost figure out what the next line in the dialogue is gonna be before I read it (you know, like the next lyric in an average country song).
Seriously though, let's stop pretending, Koontz' books have not changed for the last twenty years. Sure, his stories vary on occasion, but it's like finding a needle in a haystack looking for an original plotline. With approx. three novels a year, you think he'd catch on. Problem is, he probably has, he knows, but he's not going to change it, or quit. When a writer produces three novels a year, there must be something wrong with him. Does he only write first drafts and let the editor take it from there? I dare wager that 80% of his books wouldn't have been published if it was offered a publishing house by a new writer longing to debut. Pity for this new writer, who might really be much better than the established Koontz who doesn't have to defend his crap anymore.
I'm not a Koontz hater, I actually read, with a few exceptions, every single one of his books. I only immensely enjoyed "Watchers", "Strangers" and "Lightning" with which he proved to be a very good writer. He is still a good writer, but unfortunately one that now only writes lousy generic stories which we all read, saw and heard before. After almost twenty years of mediocrity, as far as I'm concerned, he needs to prove himself all over again. Start from scratch, mr Koontz, and like for any new writer, with enough passion, you'll get there.