Relentless

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Dan John Miller

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling novelist Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich is a lucky man and he knows it. He makes a handsome living doing what he enjoys. His wife, Penny, a children's book author and illustrator, is the love of his life. Together they have a brilliant six-year-old, Milo, affectionately dubbed "Spooky", nd a non-collie named Lassie, who's all but part of the family.

So Cubby knows he shouldn't let one bad review of his otherwise triumphant new book get to him - even if it does appear in the nation's premier newspaper and is penned by the much-feared, seldom-seen critic Shearman Waxx. Cubby knows that the best thing to do is ignore the gratuitously vicious, insulting, and inaccurate comments. Penny knows it; even little Milo knows it. If Lassie could talk, she'd tell Cubby to ignore them, too.
Ignore Shearman Waxx and his poison pen is just what Cubby intends to do. Until he happens to learn where the great man is taking his lunch. Cubby just wants to get a look at the mysterious recluse whose mere opinion can make or break a career - or a life.

But Shearman Waxx isn't what Cubby expects, and neither is the escalating terror that follows what seemsto be an innocent encounter. For Waxx gives criticism; he doesn't take it. He has ways of dealing with those who cross him that Cubby is only beginning to fathom. Soon Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a relentless sociopath, facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life.

Fearless, funny, utterly compelling, Relentless is Dean Koontz at his riveting best, an unforgettable tale of the fragile bonds that hold together all that we most cherish - and of those who would tear those bonds asunder.

©2009 Dean Koontz (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved

Critic reviews

"Koontz is a master of the edge-of-your-seat, paranoid thriller and perhaps the leading American practitioner of the form." ( Newark Star-Ledger)
"Koontz is working at his pinnacle, providing terrific entertainment that deals seriously with some of the deepest themes of human existence: the nature of evil, the grip of fate and the power of love." ( Publishers Weekly)

Quick and Contrived Ending

Builds plot well with increasing suspense that holds your attention and is quite entertaining. A sudden change in rules in which the physical laws of the universe are suspended, allows the author a very quick, and for this reader, totally unsatisfying contrived exit. None of the underlying plot elements are resolved. Very disappointing.

It was OK

This story was a bit more of the same, similar tone of the last few Koontz books. It was entertaining, the characters cute and funny, but then as others have said, unbelievable. I am still glad I listened.

Typical Dean Koontz

I love Dean Koontz, but his books seem to be formula. As usual, there's a strong woman, a dog and guns. With that said, I was glued to it. Very good and a cute qirky ending.

Classic Bad Guy Good Guy Koontz

Classic, back to his roots of the thriller pursuit novel, and in my opinion his best style.

Light hearted and enjoyable with the same flavor as Intensity and others. GET IT.

Sci-Fi suspense

Never read Koontz before and not sure if I will again..ok book, kept me listening but didn't care for way-out plot and weird sub-plots (5 y.o genuis makes time machine out of salt shaker). Didn't care much for gruesome murder details either. YUK.

Loved this book

One of the best Koontz books in a while. Captivating from the beginning, interesting and unique characters, wrapped in a good story.

not one of his best

I love the Odd Thomas series from Dean Koontz, but this book is not one of his best. It's just okay. The narrator is also just okay. He was kind of irritating in the beginning, but I got used to his style after a while.

Full of what I love and expect from Koontz

A genius child, a loving dog with super powers, bad guys are bad but good prevails over evil every time.

Well Done DK!

For a while I have not been too keen to get a Dean Koontz novel as I have been disappointed by the last few (not the Odd books), but I must say that I was impressed with this book. I liked that this was 1st person narration; I loved that he balances the darkness and terror of the villains with lots humor, love and light (as seen in the main character, his family and friends). If you enjoyed Koontz's early books, you will love this one. If you have never read a Koontz book, get this. Just allow yourself to fully open up to the "what if" and enjoy the ride!

Scary but good

Relentless is typical Dean Koontz..scary in part, because you keep thinking "this could be real" The characters are believable, the good guys are likable and the bad guys are really, really bad. As always for Dean Koontz, there is a smart dog, which I always look forward to. Some of the scary parts are kind of bloody and made me flinch, I prefer only bad guys to be tortured. But the awful parts are balanced by the thought of "what would I do?" and the ending is poetic and a tribute to good over evil which I prefer.

Overall, if you are already a Dean Koontz fan, you will like this book. If this is your first Dean Koontz book, keep in mind that the others are not quite so graphic when it comes to the murders. I liked it because it made me think.

I really liked the narrator, Dan John Miller. He did a great job with all the voices and was very animated. His voice had humor during the funny parts and serious during the dramatic parts. It was easy to listen to and imagine all the characters.