77 Shadow Street

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 14 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Enter the world of the Pendleton: The original owner became a recluse - and was rumored to be more than half mad - after his wife and two children were kidnapped in 1896 and never found. The second owner suffered a worse tragedy in 1935, when his house manager murdered him, his family, and the entire live-in staff....

Craftsmen and laborers working on renovations disappear or go mad....

For years, the Pendleton is a happy place, until a bad turn comes again....

Voices in unknown languages are heard in deserted rooms, everywhere and nowhere....

Disturbing shadows move along walls but have no source....

Images on security monitors show strange places that exist nowhere in the building or its grounds....

A young boy talks of an imaginary playmate - who turns out to be terrifyingly real....

A figure like a man but clearly inhuman is glimpsed in the courtyard gardens at night and in other locales, perhaps a hoaxer of some kind, seemingly oblivious of those who see it - until it suddenly takes an interest in one of them....

©2011 Dean Koontz (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

hit or miss

Would you listen to 77 Shadow Street again? Why?

As with most Dean Koontz books they are hit or miss this is a hit, not a 5 star but a solid 3 plus so i gave it a 4, some parts are pretty funny, in that D.K sort of way.

What other book might you compare 77 Shadow Street to and why?

sort of like the Langoliers by s. King

Any additional comments?

If you are a fan you will like the book,

I wasted my credit

What disappointed you about 77 Shadow Street?

The story just goes on and on about the same thing with a number of characters - I just wanted to go

Has 77 Shadow Street turned you off from other books in this genre?

I've been a Dean Koontz fan for years but it seems this story was something he threw together just because his editors told him it was time for another book.

I wasted my credit

What disappointed you about 77 Shadow Street?

The story just goes on and on about the same thing with a number of characters - I just wanted to go

Has 77 Shadow Street turned you off from other books in this genre?

I've been a Dean Koontz fan for years but it seems this story was something he threw together just because his editors told him it was time for another book.

one of the worst I have ever read

Would you try another book from Dean Koontz and/or Peter Berkrot?

I will try another book by Dean Koontz. I have read all his previous ones

What could Dean Koontz have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

He could have at least tried to follow some kind of a story line

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Peter Berkrot?

Dick Hill

What character would you cut from 77 Shadow Street?

I would cut nearly all of them because they added nothing to the storyline.

Any additional comments?

The best I can tell this is totally worthless. I can hardly believe Dean Koontz even wrote this!!

Not his best work

I'm admittedly, a huge Koontz fan, readily downloading his latest books as soon as they're available. 77 Shadow Street, however, fails to live up to his normal edge of your seat style. There are far too many characters, a strange scientific twist that's all too reminiscent of Michael Crichton's "Prey" and in the end, the book labors over description with far too much detail.

Sure, it's got some great lines and the normal Koontz morality about good and evil. Sadly missing was a canine protagonist. All in all, fairly disappointing. Sorry Dean!

Bad and boring!

What would have made 77 Shadow Street better?

This book was so boring that I could not finish it. Usually, Koontz's books, although not amazing books (except for a few select titles), are still fun to read and often really funny. Not this one. After about two hours, I decided that I have beeter things to do with my limited time. Disappointing!

There are no dogs to save you this time!

Dean Koontz spins a horror story that does not require a dog to save the world!

The poor (well, not too poor) residents of an old building encounter odd goings on. Are they hallucinating when the building appears to change? Have alien beings descended? Are those other-worldly ghosts or tricks of the mind?

77 Shadow Street is a book for the masses and will likely shovel in quite a few new Koontz readers. The book seems reminiscent of another Koontz titled The Taking but it is certainly not a re-hash. Sadly though, I kept comparing 77 Shadow to The Taking and it started getting on my nerves because so many strange things happen in this book that were just enough alike for me to keep doing a comparison.

Likely Koontz wanted people to be more scared and unnerved by the goings-on in the building and while I did get that eery claustrophobic feeling a few times it did not scare me as much as I would have liked.

Peter Berkrot read for the audiobook and was not the right choice as he did not bring that sense of forboding required to bring 77 Shadow Street to life. This is one of those books where I wonder "If I read it would I like it more?". Likely I would have liked it more but it's too late now.

If you are a Dean Koontz fan, you will like it. It has all the trimmings with unique characters, some fun evil people, a fast-paced storyline and a very unique plot. Trixie fans will still like the book with the lack of dogs since the cats are naturally quite evil, proving Labrador Retrievers are still the best companion when all hell is breaking loose.

-Bill

Disappointing, a total let-down.

Would you try another book from Dean Koontz and/or Peter Berkrot?

If I saw decent reviews. I've always liked his work, with the exception of the Odd Thomas books. This one had not yet been reviewed when I got it. Big Mistake.....Looks like he threw something together just to have something to release.It was long, repetitive and boring...I just kept hoping it would end soon. I finally just quit without finishing it.

What was most disappointing about Dean Koontz???s story?

Everything. I'm not sure he really wrote this sad attempt.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment.

Any additional comments?

Until now, I've always bought Dean Koontz books with no second thought. Will think twice (or more) in the future before wasting a credit on him.

Dean Koontz - 77 Shadow St.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A story that could make you shiver.

Would you ever listen to anything by Dean Koontz again?

Definitely.

What didn’t you like about Peter Berkrot’s performance?

There was no problem with his performance. The problem lies with the story.

What character would you cut from 77 Shadow Street?

The One,

Any additional comments?

How many times can mold, mildew, fungi be described before the only emotion left is one of repulsion. It's hard to believe that anyone would find this story remotely scary. Dean Koontz should stick to wraiths and the spiritual realm rather than depicting monsters and ghouls. The only redeeming features are the experience through a child's eyes and the final chapter with its benign insanity.

Dean Koontz should be ashamed.

I have been a fan since his first book. Twilight Eyes in particular is excellent and I am pleased it is now on Audible. This book is so bad I find it hard to believe a writer of his calibre would risk his reputation ... Dean, do you have no shame ... do you need a buck. Boringly simular to many plotlines of haunted homes and houses, not an original concept in it.