Deeply Odd

Odd Thomas, Book 6

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

The pistol appeared in his hand the way a dove appears in the hand of a good magician, as if it materialized out of thin air. "You think I won’t do it right here in the open. But you’d be surprised.... You’ll drop before you get the breath to scream." The truck driver is decked out like a rhinestone cowboy, only instead of a guitar he’s slinging a gun - and Odd Thomas is on the wrong end of the barrel. Though he narrowly dodges a bullet, Odd can’t outrun the shocking vision burned into his mind...or the destiny that will drive him into a harrowing showdown with absolute evil.

How do you make sure a crime that hasn’t happened yet, never does? That’s the critical question facing Odd Thomas, the young man with a unique ability to commune with restless spirits and help them find justice and peace. But this time, it’s the living who desperately need Odd on their side. Three helpless innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can intervene in time. Who the potential victims are and where they can be found remain a mystery. The only thing Odd knows for sure is who the killer will be: the homicidal stranger who tried to shoot him dead in a small-town parking lot.

With the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock riding shotgun and a network of unlikely allies providing help along the way, Odd embarks on an interstate game of cat and mouse with his sinister quarry. He will soon learn that his adversary possesses abilities that may surpass his own and operates in service to infinitely more formidable foes, with murder a mere prelude to much deeper designs. Traveling across a landscape haunted by portents of impending catastrophe, Odd will do what he must and go where his path leads him, drawing ever closer to the dark heart of his long journey - and, perhaps, to the bright light beyond.

©2013 Dean Koontz (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Koontz gives his character wit, good humor, a familiarity with the dark side of humanity - and moral outrage." ( USA Today)

Odd Once Again

Odd Thomas is back for the sixth time in what is supposed to be a seven part series; and the end seams near.
“Deeply Odd” begins with Odd and Annamaria together in a small cottage along the California coastline; but Odd must leave to follow his instincts. Soon after leaving the small cottage he runs into a physcopathic, rhinestone wearing, cowboy truck driver that immediately tries to kill him. During the struggle Odd has a vision of this man committing a horrible act.
Odd gets away from the man but then must track him down to try and stop his vision from coming true. Along the way he meets a very interesting elderly woman, Edie, that helps him on his journey. There is also a cameo appearance from Alfred Hitchcock again.
As is with all of the Odd series, this is a disturbing look into the darker side of humanity and Odd will be pushed into becoming something he does not want to become, a killer; but he must kill in order to protect the innocent. Odd is changing and like many I miss the Odd in previous books but also realize characters do change.
The end is coming as Odd’s path seems to be headed back to Pico Mundo and a reunion with Stormy Llewellyn, and with a few twists and hints of a parallel universe the ending should be epic.
I would not recommend this book if you have not listened/read the previous ones as there are references to the past as the series winds down.
A word about David Aaron Baker; I have read a few of the Odd books and found with David doing the narration just reading this story falls short of the experience the audio version offers. Mr., Koontz obviously is a gifted writer but David Aaron Baker is Odd; no pun intended.

DIMPLES, ARE A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD

WE MIGHT AS WELL EAT
This is a character driven series and a character driven book. Koontz is one of the best at creating a character and making you care. CALL ME, EDIE. YES MA'AM. Odd is the most famous fry cook in the world and we have watched him grow over six books. His elderly employer in this book is a hoot and even though we never meet him, ONE EARED BOB seems most interesting. Even though this is book six, I believe you can enjoy it without reading the previous books. If you liked this you will want to go back and read the rest. I did get a little tired of the never answering a question routine. Cute at first, annoying the hundredth time.

DON'T DOUBLE THINK YOURSELF
So, your wondering why three stars. I love Odd and the first seven chapters were fantastic. The rest of the book is one lecture after another. We are preached at about morals, bravery and various other personal attributes. There is a tremendous amount of psychology. I go to church once a week, I don't need to be preached at in the books I read for entertainment, especially when I pay for the book, for it's entertainment value. If I want psychology, there are hundreds of books out there for that. Just because Koontz sells millions of books, doesn't make him a know it all in morals. If he is so knowledgeable, he should write some non-fiction books. Or instead of out and out preaching, show us, don't preach it. I tried very hard to stay with this, but with just a little over two hours to go and it was obvious the preaching was not going to stop, I called it quits.

THE WORLD IS GOING MAD
In this book we are continually told how awful the world is today. Koontz is old enough to know that we have made great strides just in the last 50 years, not counting over the centuries. I can remember when kids were ostracized for having divorced parents. Blacks were not allowed to date whites. A girl who got pregnant out of wedlock had to leave town. I guess it was great if you were rich, went to the right church and belonged the country club? Yes, we have Isis and other bad guys, but we had Attila the Hun, Hitler, Stalin and others. Jesus was crucified, cause that was a painful way to die a slow death and be humiliated. That was not invented for Christ, it was common practice. Slavery, child labor, women's rights, civil rights, etc... The world has a long way to go, but it has also come a long way.


The narrator was great.

GOLDIE HAWN, I had a huge crush on her as a kid.

Oddly Excellent!

What does an exploding cantaloupe and a simile equating perfect hash browns to driving speed have to do with the new Odd Thomas installment? You’ll have to listen to find out. The plot is laid quickly, Odd finds himself going head-to-head with a maniacal trucker who tries to kill him not ten minutes in and the vision of what he is bound to do is grizzly. Even though the mission is somber, like all adventures, Odd is full of metaphors and witticisms as usual. Odd keeps collecting folks and Edie will charm your shocks off.

The great thing about the Odd Thomas stories is how deeply sincere and amusing the character is. I love how self-effacing and humble he is; and, with each story we learn more and more about him and his journey. You would think that this would get old given we’ve been we Odd through heartbreak and triumph and pretty much think we know him. But Koontz continues to unravel us a little more each time as he writes another one of these stories. He not a FBI agent of a Forensic Scientist from a Lincoln Child or Patricia Cornwell – he is simple Fry Cook, a very, very interesting Fry Cook.

This is book seven for David Aaron Baker who is now the voice off Odd Thomas. His narration fits the quirky nature of Odd Thomas and very much like his easy going narration.

I love these series! My heart still aches for him and Stormy Llewellyn way back from book one. Koontz has managed to tap into a vein with the Odd Thomas stories that keep you reading and wanting more. Perhaps it is the simplicity that surrounds the deeply complex Odd Thomas as his enigmatic cast. I highly recommend this installment of Deeply Odd – please give it a listen.

Might be the best Odd Thomas book!

In most Odd Thomas book's reviews, besides the first one, I'm never sure if a review is needed because odd fans know what to expect. This one is different, a review is needed! Until now the first book was hands down the best and I was shocked when I started liking Deeply Odd more. The characters, mostly the old woman, are one thing that stood out for me. That woman is a great character! A magical, gun carrying, filthy rich, kind and helpful, funny old woman who always knows someone who can help her and Odd, and a woman who drives over 100 mph almost anywhere she goes, is someone to keep writing about. There is so much to write about here, but I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL SUCH A TREAT FOR ANY OF YOU!!! If you liked the other books then I am pretty sure you will love this one, it is special in my view.

Best Odd Since #1

This is not quite as good as the first Odd Thomas book, but it is better than all the others. Deeply Odd captures the best aspects of Koontz and Odd Thomas. After the loss of Stormy, books 2-5 had the humor and quirkiness of the first book, but were missing some of the family feeling that I enjoy in most Koontz books. This book may have the best human ghost of the series (Alfred Hitchcock), a great eccentric spontaneous family, a good dog, and a nice story that does not over do it. Annamaria makes only a cameo appearance in this book (which was OK with me).

The narration is just about perfect, capturing the Oddness of all the characters (and he does a respectable Hitchcock).

Oddly Disappointed

Oh I was hoping Mr Koontz would bring back the magic of our beloved Oddy. Although this book was an improvement on the last two in my opinion, the overall charm and cohesion was still missing a bit.
There is a cult of supernatural (some are) bad guys who have kidnapped a group of young children for reasons that are super creepy, the spirits that Oddy sees, a darling hot rod wealthy granny with lovely charm and plenty of dogs, what's not to like?
This all makes for a pretty good Odd book, however because the earlier ones were so good I can't help feeling this disappointment.
And I can't write this review without a mention of the ever pregnant Annmarie character who once again is dangled in front of the listener without any connection to the story. This one pony trick is wearing; doesn't Mr. Koontz realize that there is no need for this ploy? We are loyal reader/listeners and we do not need the "enigmatic ever pregnant woman" to keep us interested in your books. I have the opposite reaction personally.
So of course I look forward to the next Odd book and perhaps the baby will finally arrive and the annoying Annemarie will fade away into the past. Happy listening!

the best book of the series

great performance and the best book of the series. lots of twists and turns.

Second time through Odd, still just as fresh

In this episode, Dean Koontz illustrates that even if man could control the temporal world, man would not be God, nor even divine. Evil is kept from further decay because good people do good without complaining and timely. it is the way.

Ummmm...Huh?

Overall, I really did like it; however, there were just too many questions, comments, statements, etc. that were left to figure out---but, not enough info was given to suss out the answer! As w the "strange" doorway/room in the 1st book, it's/they're just left unexplained.

Excellent performance. Left me wanting more overall...

The best Koontz book ever

I really enjoyed listening to this Odd Thomas story. I think it's the best one I so far. Can't wait to listen to the next one. The Narrator also did an excellent job.

worktime

very well narrated and a very good story with a nice ending for a change cheered me up on many shifts

Enjoyable entry in the sequence

Enjoyed this book, the continuation off off Thomas story. Nothing amazingly different about it though it does feel more like it's heading somewhere than the last two which didn't seem to have much of an arc. Hoping it all pays off in book five or might be disappointed!

Odd Thomas

I love with these books. Very addictive ,I am listening to all in one go.

Very Odd yet very good.

I have always enjoyed Odd Thomas stories and this is typically Odd.
It has its usual twists and turns as Odd rescues people and spirits alike.

Good story

Good story, well read, always kept me wanting to know to would happen next in this world of Odd Thomas.

As excellent as the books that have gone before this

These are my among my favourite of Dean Koontz novels and I loved this - if only for the wonderful introduction of Edie Fischer. You really ought to listen to these in order for them to make perfect sense and so you are able to understand how Odd has come this far in his journey. Now settling down to listen to the last installment

Really enjoyed it

Interesting, thought provoking as well as exciting and at times very tense. Looking forward to the next book.

An excellent addition to the series

Another brilliant Dean Koontz Odd Thomas tale. David Aaron Baker's voice captures Odd and the other characters layers and quirks. Deeply Koontz, deeply addictive.

Opened up a lot of questions?

Enjoyed it of course? but who is Edy Fisher? Side series maybe?
Book was very much Odd Thomas, we find out a little more about him and we pick up a couple more friends along the way, some of them mysterious. Found myself wanting to know more about the side characters than was revealed.


*possible spoiler alert *
The Rhinestone Cowboy was a good bad guy, but did not get the reason that reality warped? Wasn't explained in Saint Odd either?

Not the usual .

What did you like best about Deeply Odd? What did you like least?

I have read the Odd Series and enjoyed them. This seemed to be lacking something to ensure you were on the same wavelength as Odd.

Would you recommend Deeply Odd to your friends? Why or why not?

No. Not the best.

What does David Aaron Baker bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I enjoyed the narration.

Do you think Deeply Odd needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

If there is a follow up it needs more kick to it other wise they are to predictable and monotonous.

Any additional comments?

Not one of the better ones.