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Phantoms  By  cover art

Phantoms

By: Dean Koontz
Narrated by: Buck Schirner
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Publisher's summary

Closer...
They found the town silent, apparently abandoned. Then they found the first body strangely swollen and still warm. One hundred fifty were dead, 350 missing. But the terror had only begun in the tiny mountain town of Snowfield, California.

...and closer...
At first, they thought it was the work of a maniac. Or terrorists. Or toxic contamination. Or a bizarre new disease.

...and closer...
But then they found the truth. And they saw it in the flesh. And it was worse than anything any of them had ever imagined.

©2008 Dean Koontz (P)2008 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

"First-rate suspense, scary and stylish." ( Los Angeles Times)
"Schirner's pacing and pitch respond to the story's context, and his characterizations of female characters are impressive." ( AudioFile)

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What listeners say about Phantoms

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Fun!!

I'm a big fan of Dean Koontz who writes imaginative, fast paced stories about compelling characters (likeable or not) who are often forced to re-think their world and their lives during the course of the action. "Phantoms" is one of those books. I like to listen to my audible books while I knit but I made the mistake of trying to listen to this book while knitting a very complicated sock pattern with four double pointed needles. Not a good idea. I was so involved with the story I was halfway done with a sock when I realized I totally messed up the pattern, had to rip it out and start over. Next time I knit and listen to a Dean Koontz book I think I'll stick with a simple "no brainer" knitting project, like a basic dishcloth.

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87 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

GREAT story. HORRIBLE narrator!

Phantoms is one of Koontz better stories, scary and it keeps you wanting to listen more. HOWEVER! Buck Schirner is probably on of the WORST narrators I've ever heard. One person said he sounded like Daffy Duck. I'll go so far as to say that he sounds like a cross between Daffy Duck and Barry White. Quite annoying! But since Phantoms is such a great story, I will tolerate it. If you can handle the Daffy/Barry voice, you will be pleased.

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62 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Shape Changers, Demons, Mythological Beasts ...

In our history there have been several Mass Vanishings and this is Koontz spin on that.

Like in most Koontz books, I am amazed on how much and many different things he throws into one book. This story as aspects of John Carpenter's The Thing, The Blob, Ghost Busters and Sphere in it. You will meet Prehistoric Animals, Demons, shape shifters, Mythological Beasts, bloated corpses, mutilations, etc. There are discussions on Mass Vanishings, Religion, First Encounters, Mythology, Biological Warfare, Poltergeists, The Ancient Enemy, Genetics, The Bermuda Triangle, Voodoo, and Devil Worship.

I liked the book and would recommend it as good entertainment. What kept it from getting five stars was that there got to be too much shape shifting and finding of bodies. That got a little old and there was one really stupid part in the book, which he should have cleaned up. This giant evil moth the size of an eagle attacks the window of a house they are in and then minutes later they decided to go outside and of course it attacks and kills a man.

Some have complained about the narrator, but I thought he was very good and did not notice what they were complaining about.

My favorite Koontz books are: The Bad Place, Lightning, Dragon Tears, By the light Of The Moon, Life Expectancy, Forever Odd and Frankenstein: Lost Souls.

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53 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Terrifying

One of the scariest Koontz novels I've listened to recently. Not a lot of psychological nuance (as in some of Koontz' later works), but downright chilling to listen to on a dark night when you're all alone. . .

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53 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

great book..odd reader

I really love this book and was really looking forward to listening to it. Sadly, the narrator does this weird breathy thing every time he talks for a female...and it's just annoying as hell. When two of the main characters are female, it's important to get a narrator that can do female voices.

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

True Horror!!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Phantoms to be better than the print version?

My preference is the audible form for all books, dumb question to ask and does not pertain to whether a book is good or bad. Anyway.... This is my first Koontz book and will NOT BE MY LAST. The talent for details, character development, plots, and undeniable horror is amazing. I first saw the movie so I knew the basic story. I thought the movie was pretty creepy and thought the book really wouldn't add much to whether the story was scary or not.....I WAS WRONG! The book was the concentrated horror i saw in the the movie. The most intense part to me was the sisters first appearance in town discovering the creepy and morbid remains of what is left of their isolated and quaint home. As the story intensifies and the government is called in the SH** really hits the fan. FEAR, ANXIETY, and HORROR will have you turning on the lights and pulling the blanket over your head to hide from the possibilities running through your head.

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Better than expected.

If you could sum up Phantoms in three words, what would they be?

Wild ass story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Phantom(s)

What about Buck Schirner’s performance did you like?

Very good, at times I thought there was more than one person. He does a very good job changing his tone and pitch.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, but it was a very interesting story.

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Scary!

Would you listen to Phantoms again? Why?

I found myself turning on all the lights! I have never been so scared by a book before.

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37 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

If you don't figure it out, it'll get you!

What did you love best about Phantoms?

It took a long time to figure out what the monster was, and how to try and defeat it. Koontz gave clues, but not obvious ones. Made the story more interesting.

What did you like best about this story?

The pace at which it developed.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the were talking to the monster via computer terminals.

If you could take any character from Phantoms out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I'd take the English guy who wrote the book (book title "The Ancient Enemy")

Any additional comments?

Good, solid Koontz book. You can't go wrong.

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Koontz

Great Dean Koontz book! Very entertaining! Well worth the credit! This is my 4th Dean Koontz book, and it is my second favorite next to Twilight eyes.

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14 people found this helpful