Life Expectancy

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: John Bedford Lloyd

Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

With his bestselling blend of nail-biting intensity, daring artistry, and storytelling magic, Dean Koontz returns with an emotional roller coaster of a tale filled with enough twists, turns, shocks, and surprises for ten ordinary novels. Here is the story of five days in the life of an ordinary man born to an extraordinary legacy—a story that will challenge the way you look at good and evil, life and death, and everything in between.

Jimmy Tock comes into the world on the very night his grandfather leaves it. As a violent storm rages outside the hospital, Rudy Tock spends long hours walking the corridors between the expectant fathers' waiting room and his dying father's bedside. It's a strange vigil made all the stranger when, at the very height of the storm's fury, Josef Tock suddenly sits up in bed and speaks coherently for the frist and last time since his stroke.

What he says before he dies is that there will be five dark days in the life of his grandson—five dates whose terrible events Jimmy will have to prepare himself to face. The first is to occur in his twentieth year; the second in his twent-third year; the third in his twenty-eighth; the fourth in his twenty-ninth; the fifth in his thirtieth.

Rudy is all too ready to discount his father's last words as a dying man's delusional rambling. But then he discovers that Josef also predicted the time of his grandson's birth to the minute, as well as his exact height and weight, and the fact that Jimmy would be born with syndactyly—the unexplained anomal of fused digits—on his left foot. Suddenly the old man's predictions take on a chilling significance.

What terrifying events await Jimmy on these five dark days? What nightmares will he face? What challenges must he survive? As the novel unfolds, picking up Jimmy's story at each of these crisis points, the path he must follow will defy every expectation. And with each crisis he faces, he will move closer to a fate he could never have imagined. For who Jimmy Tock is and what he must accomplish on the five days when his world turns is a mystery as dangerous as it is wondrous—a struggle against an evil so dark and pervasive, only the most extraordinary of human spirits can shine through.

©2004 Dean Koontz (P)2004 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Emotionally powerful and thought-provoking."—Booklist

"A master storyteller and a daring writer... he gives readers bright hope in a dark world.... Life Expectancy pits good versus evil and carries a persuasive message, about the power of love and family and the miracle of existence... Koontz is a true original and this novel, one of his most unusual yet, will leave readers aglow."—Publishers Weekly, starred review.

"Mr. Koontz is a skillful storyteller....His new Life Expectancy offers a clear illustration of what he does right."—The New York Times

Entertaining

While the plot is a little far fetched this book was nonetheless very entertaining. Written to capture your attention from the beginning it draws out many emotions - fear, laughter, sorrow, anger. The reader was wonderful. His many voices and accents created a rather believable set of characters. He made the book even more enjoyable. I would have give this book a five if the plot and action were a little more believable. However, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Koontz style of suspense.

This is one of the best books I have read!!

Dean Koontz really knows how to keep you interested, as well as throw you a few curve balls, twists, and surprises. Just when you think you have figured what will happen next... BAM, surprise!!!
This is book is sweet, thrilling, funny, full of humorous, wonderful, and exciting moments and well worth the read!!

incredible

I loved the story and the surprises and the anxious sitting at the edge of your seat feeling that some scenes brought. I love the twist and turns of the ending. but mostly I loved the insights to the universe and how they were just offered up like as if we were having coffee.

Narrator

This narrator, John Bedford Lloyd, is especially good. I truly enjoy listening to him. Thank you.

Very Enjoyable

Great story. Dean Koontz does not disappoint. Very enjoyable and very entertaining. The narrator did an excellent job and was easy to listen to.

Wow

I could not turn this book off. I enjoyed the humor and suspense. This was a great read and something I'd listen to multiple times

great book

kept me interested the entire way through.
would definately recommend this classic type, Dean Koontz story

Favorite BOOK OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where does Life Expectancy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This has to be my favorite over all.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jimmy Tock all because of his love for his family, his heroism even if they were accidents, and his humor just made the book.

Have you listened to any of John Bedford Lloyd’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't think I had the pleasure prior to this book, but this narrator aided in making this book my favorite of all time.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Dying relatives premonition transforms a man's life into something amazingly tragic yet wonderful!

To slow

To drawn out. Love most of his books but this is not a favorite of mine at all

great book

loved this book. it kept me needing to know what happens next. total page turner