The Face

A Novel

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Length: 19 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Acknowledged as “America’s most popular suspense novelist”(Rolling Stone ) and as one of today’s most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers and listeners around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human. Now he delivers the thriller of the season, an unforgettable journey to the heart of darkness and to the pinnacle of grace, at once chilling and wickedly funny, a brilliantly observed chronicle of good and evil in our time, of illusion and everlasting truth. He’s Hollywood’s most dazzling star, whose flawless countenance inspires the worship of millions and fires the hatred of one twisted soul. His perfectly ordered existence is under siege as a series of terrifying, enigmatic “messages” breaches the exquisitely calibrated security systems of his legendary Bel Air estate.

The boxes arrive mysteriously, one by one, at Channing Manheim’s fortified compound. The threat implicit in their bizarre, disturbing contents seems to escalate with each new delivery. Manheim’s security chief, ex-cop Ethan Truman, is used to looking beneath the surface of things. But until he entered the orbit of a Hollywood icon, he had no idea just how slippery reality could be. Now this good man is all that stands in the way of an insidious killer—and forces that eclipse the most fevered fantasies of a city where dreams and nightmares are the stuff of daily life. As a seemingly endless and ominous rain falls over southern California, Ethan will test the limits of perception and endurance in a world where the truth is as thin as celluloid and answers can be found only in the illusory intersection of shadow and light.

Enter a world of marvelous invention, enchantment, and implacable intent, populated by murderous actors and the walking dead, hit men and heroes, long-buried dreams and never-dying hope. Here a magnificent mansion is presided over by a Scottish force of nature known as Mrs. McBee, before whom all men tremble. A mad French chef concocts feasts for the mighty and the malicious. Ming du Lac, spiritual adviser to the stars, has a direct line to the dead. An aptly named cop called Hazard will become Ethan’s ally, an anarchist will sow discord and despair, and a young boy named Fric, imprisoned by celebrity and loneliness, will hear a voice telling him of the approach of something unimaginably evil. Traversing this extraordinary landscape, Ethan will face the secrets of his own tragic past and the unmistakable premonition of his impending violent death as he races against time to solve the macabre riddles of a modern-day beast.

A riveting tour de force of suspense, mystery, and miraculous revelation, The Face is that rare novel that entertains, provokes, and uplifts at the same time. It will make you laugh. It will give you chills. It will fill you with hope.

©2003 Dean Koontz (P)2003 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"...The suspense builds smoothly and steadily in [narrator Dylan] Baker's hands." —AudioFile

“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

"Both terrifying and amusing, The Face is classic Dean Koontz—a blend of murder, mystery and wit...Koontz's dialogue is sharp, his characters multidimensional, and the plot is tight."—New York Daily News

Koontz at his best

Great story, very enjoyable narrator. Highly recommended!

Good story but some parts were boring

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I really enjoyed the story as a whole, and the little boy in the book is my favorite. There were some parts of the story that were slow and kind of boring; at times I found my self not paying attention and having to backtrack in order to following the story.

Which character – as performed by Dylan Baker – was your favorite?

Frick, the little boy, was the best. He had a great imagination and was very funny.

Excellent!

The story, the narrator, the writing ... everything was superb! This was my second listen of this glorious novel and it won’t be my last either.

too much filler

normally love DK. but this one seems to not flow well. really struggled to finish. honestly still have not. not for lakck of trying but there seems to be so many side stories and filler that I just zone out.

Good but . . .

I liked the story and I like the narrator but it was kind of overly detailed at times. It was easy to tune out. However, I am glad I got the book .

great read/ listen

As always Dean koontz done a brilliant job. The fellow reading was done absolutely marvelous

The Face

So far my single favorite stand alone book by Koontz.
Narrator did a really good job.
Koontz Delivered in all aspects. Did not feel let down on anything and there were a few nice surprises.

Very good

I have to remember to stop judging these stories by their first couple of words. Dean Koontz is my favorite writer but unfortunately it took me a while to get into this book. Possibly because it's wordy? But after a couple of chapters I started to get the feel for it.

Dylan Baker did an excellent job and at times I even questioned if it was just him or did he have help?

I ended up liking the story as I do all Dean's work. I guess my warning would be that it is a slow starter,

I love him

I’m a big fan of his! This one I read a hundred times. I’ll probably read it another hundred times!!

Absolutely enthralling.

Complex plot woven together perfectly by Mr. Koontz. The narrator performed the characters superbly, as usual.