After Death

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

A modern-day Lazarus is humanity’s last hope in a breathtaking novel about the absolute powers of good and evil by Dean Koontz, the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.

Michael Mace, head of security at a top-secret research facility, opens his eyes in a makeshift morgue twenty-four hours following an event in which everyone perished—including him and his best friend, Shelby Shrewsberry.

Having awakened with an extraordinary ability unlike anything he—or anyone else—has ever imagined, Michael is capable of being as elusive as a ghost. He sets out to honor his late friend by helping Nina Dozier and her son, John, whom Shelby greatly admired. Although what Michael does for Nina is life changing, his actions also evoke the wrath of John’s father, a member of one of the most violent street gangs in Los Angeles.

But an even greater threat is descending: the Internal Security Agency’s most vicious assassin, Durand Calaphas. Calaphas will stop at nothing to get his man. If Michael dies twice, he will not live a third time.

From the tarnished glamour of Beverly Hills to the streets of South Central to a walled estate in Rancho Santa Fe, only Michael can protect Nina and John—and ensure that light survives in a rapidly darkening world.

©2023 The Koontz Living Trust. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Koontz's latest thriller is superbly narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.… Narrating largely from Mace's point of view, Ballerini portrays him as an unflappable, stoic loner who helps a single mother and her son escape the grasp of the boy's father, a vicious L.A. gangbanger…. Ballerini's performance of the cat-and-mouse game between Mace and Calaphas is riveting.”—AudioFile Magazine, Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award

“A master of the suspense thriller genre, After Death is still another brilliant, original, memorable, and entertaining novel [from] master storyteller Dean Koontz. Deftly narrated by voice actor Edoardo Ballierini, …[this] will have a special appeal for fans of conspiracy thrillers and science fiction adventures.”—Midwest Book Review

“Koontz has always had near-Dickensian powers of description and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match.”—Los Angeles Times

Too heavy handed

It felt like there were a couple basic points of view that were prominently displayed and then just hammered flat. It was unnecessary and off-putting.

The main antagonist seemed to be made up of characters from three of Mr. Koontz's previous books. It was distracting to draw such a clear parallel to these other characters while listening to this.

The narrator did a decent job, but the way he voiced some of the characters and voiced their method of speech was eyebrow raising.

I've read and now listened to many of Mr. Koontz's books, and I've enjoyed the majority of them. This one fell flat for me.

So Righteous!

Wow, how the world needs a singularity! Wouldn’t it be nice if only truth could be conveyed!
In a world filled with strife I was able to listen, dream, and rest for a few hours.
Excellent narration! Vintage Koontz storytelling, more please!

Still thrilling me

I have read or listened to all of Dean Koontz's work I could find. No other author has inspired such an addiction and I have dozens of other "preferred" writers I also enjoy. This book caught me off balance and eager for more to the end. Ballerini performed the piece with his usual excellent feel for the work. I want more.

Loved it.

Your characters always have a good heart. You must be a very good man. Loved your book very much!

Loved it.

What a beautiful great story. He’s a little more poetic in this one. But I truly liked it.

Intriguing Premise

I loved it. so happy that it ended well. A view of the future? Who knows. I enjoyed Michael, Nina, and John.

Excellent

I listened two times consecutively to this story! Enjoyed it so much I will surely listen to it again as I do many of DK’s books!😘

GENIUS

Koontz hit this one out of the park.
Riveting.
Incredible story line.
Great Character Creation.

I cannot wait for his Next One.

Listen to the book in just one day.

This was a very compelling story. Well, there is a slight dystopian theme, it certainly doesn’t feel like we are too far away from what the author describes. I think anyone interested in thrillers, conspiracy, theory, and realistic dystopian would enjoy this book.

Very Disappointing

it could and should have been a very good book, BUT it wasn't!
The idea for the storyline was promising; however, neither the characters nor the story was developed. It seems to me like a fair introduction to a book. I kept waiting for the main plot of the story, convinced I was hearing subplots. I was flabbergasted when it ended & what a soppy dreadful ending indeed! I actually went back through to find the hours i must have missed! Unfortunately, I'd listened to all of it! The same phrases and ideas are repeated throughout, most in 3rd person. I want my money & time back.