Forever Odd

An Odd Thomas Novel

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Every so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of listeners that he seems to take on a life of his own long after the final chapter. For such a character, one book is not enough—listeners must know what happens next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the novel his fans have been demanding. With the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks, Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and mystery—and altogether irresistibly odd.

We’re all a little odd beneath the surface. He’s the most unlikely hero you’ll ever meet—an ordinary guy with a modest job you might never look at twice. But there’s so much more to any of us than meets the eye—and that goes triple for Odd Thomas. For Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead—it’s something that just happened. But as the unofficial goodwill ambassador between our world and theirs, he’s got a duty to do the right thing. That’s the way Odd sees it and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death.

A childhood friend of Odd’s has disappeared. The worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror. Once again Odd will stand against our worst fears. Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some not. For in the battle to come, there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope. Whether you’re meeting Odd Thomas for the first time or he’s already an old friend, you’ll be led on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder and delight—to a revelation that can change your life. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.

©2005 Dean Koontz (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Forever Odd is a fast and exciting read.... [the climactic scenes are] fraught with tension."—Rocky Mountain News

"The nice young fry cook with the occult powers is [Dean Koontz's] most likable creation. ... candid, upright, amusing and sometimes withering, especially when thinking about the state of contemporary popular culture."—The New York Times

"Inventive.... It's refreshing to come across a character as good-hearted as Odd.... [Dean Koontz is] an interesting writer with a voice all his own."—Washington Post

AMAZING

This was well read and it kept me enthralled. The narrator had different voice for each character that really helped drive my imagination.

Great overall

I love this series and this is one of my favorites. It does have its downsides though. Dean's old white guy perspective on Native Americans & the changing of sports team names to respect their cultures is predictably bad, along with a couple other similar views.

One of the greatest characters in literature.

I enjoyed every minute of this one. I've read the whole series including the three graphic novels. I'm happy that I can enjoy them again while at work or wherever I may be.

tedious but well written

Having read the 1st novel about odd Thomas I was disappointed by the story line in this novel . I marvel at the ability of Mr. Koontz but I found the book tedious and I could not relate or sympathize with the characters. There were no surprises.

Amazing

Love Koontz and love his books! Odd Thomas is a great series and I can't wait to start book 3!

Not as good as OddThomas

I guess after "Odd Thomas", I had big expectations. A found a lot of the descriptions of Odd's surroundings boring and not quite easy to picture in the mind's eye. I was hoping for the "Bodocks" and other interesting characters that was in "Odd Thomas."

This is the first Dean Koontz book that I've listened to that I didn't like.

Not one of my favorites

I read these out of order but I can say I didn't really like this one. I fast forwarded through the parts where the female killer was speaking. She was annoying, or maybe it was the narrator? I liked the other two though. I could actually read further adventures of Odd Thomas.

Great Sequel

This novel is a continuation of the Odd Thomas character developed in Koontz's "Odd Thomas". I found it fun to listen to, and the narator's skill kept my interest. I am still able to see the pictures in my head because of Koontz's skill as a writer.

A sequel worth reading

After Odd Thomas, I wasn't sure if Koontz could really take the character any further. However, in this suspenseful trek to find his kidnapped friend, Koontz gives the reader even more depth to Odd as well as creating a true villain, Datura (the meaning of that name, you'll have to read to find out). And as always, Koontz is prepared to shock and break hearts.

Odd is irresistable

Unbelievable plot points but who cares. Odd is a delightful character.