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

One of my favorite Koontz novels

I have listened to this novel several times now.

Everything about this novel is enjoable.

The villian, the hero, the child, and all the other characters are wonderful. And the plot and pace entertaining.

This long novel is an easy listen and does not become dry. The narrator was an excellent choice and captures all the feelings in the story.

I totally recommend this to all Koontz fans.

It's OK, but please...

I enjoyed the book; I really did. However, it's like Hollywood where they take an enjoyable story and then they just have to throw in the graffic sex, body part descriptions, and strange sexual fantacies. I wish that these writers would just stick to what they are good at; writing stories. I don't like to skip fast forward through these types of descriptions. Expecially when they have nothing to do with the overall flow of the story.

book good, reader not nearly so

Interesting, suspenseful, almost finished. Don't want to get to where I'm going and stop the book! This reader, however, has been the least appealing of all the books I've purchased. His voice tends to lull me to sleep- not good when driving!

Great!

I’m not a huge Dean Koontz fan. Not my preferred genre. Yet this book really pulled me in. The characters; both primary and peripheral are very well developed. The story is captivating. As well, the narrator, Dylan Baker, is a rock star. He did a masterful job with the story. Most narrators are so monotone that falling asleep at the wheel is a real concern. Dylan does an inspired job.

Great Book

This book keeps you in suspense for the entire time!

A great thriller!

Loved it! Toward the end, I couksnt sit still!! On the edge of my seat yo see what happened!!

Narration Distracting

As with all Dean Koontz books, the writing is outstanding. Both my husband and I loved the story. We always make it a habit to listen to an entire book before having an in-depth discussion about it, so as not to bias each other's enjoyment. We prefer to immerse ourselves entirely in the experience, 'living' the story. However, Dylan Baker's voice struck us both as a bit too nasal and his delivery distracting. He speaks clearly and his pronunciation is fine, but it seems that he has not familiarized himself with the beauty and comprehension of the chapters before he reads. It was particularly jarring when he read " ... sentence ... However ... (comma) ... next sentence ... ". He read the 'however' as if it was a sentence all by itself. It made no sense and pulled us out of any immersion into the fascinating story. Examples of this type happen frequently throughout the book. I hate to give any Dean Koontz book less than the maximum five stars, but the narration of this one definitely interfered with our total experience. We would absolutely recommend this book, but not without a caveat about the narrator.

loved this book by my favorite author.

This is a long story but with that you can really get the feeling if being there. it's not so much scary like a lot if his books. still a lot of twists and turns. a predictable ending but still good.

A great listen from a great author and narrator.

A great book is what I would expect from Koontz and that's what you get. The narrator, Dylan Baker, delivers a excellent performance that makes this 19 hour book worth it.

One of my favorites!

I have listened to The Face 4 or 5 times over the years. I love the story, the wonderful characters, the suspense! I recommend this book.