Life Expectancy

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: John Bedford Lloyd

Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

With his bestselling blend of nail-biting intensity, daring artistry, and storytelling magic, Dean Koontz returns with an emotional roller coaster of a tale filled with enough twists, turns, shocks, and surprises for ten ordinary novels. Here is the story of five days in the life of an ordinary man born to an extraordinary legacy—a story that will challenge the way you look at good and evil, life and death, and everything in between.

Jimmy Tock comes into the world on the very night his grandfather leaves it. As a violent storm rages outside the hospital, Rudy Tock spends long hours walking the corridors between the expectant fathers' waiting room and his dying father's bedside. It's a strange vigil made all the stranger when, at the very height of the storm's fury, Josef Tock suddenly sits up in bed and speaks coherently for the frist and last time since his stroke.

What he says before he dies is that there will be five dark days in the life of his grandson—five dates whose terrible events Jimmy will have to prepare himself to face. The first is to occur in his twentieth year; the second in his twent-third year; the third in his twenty-eighth; the fourth in his twenty-ninth; the fifth in his thirtieth.

Rudy is all too ready to discount his father's last words as a dying man's delusional rambling. But then he discovers that Josef also predicted the time of his grandson's birth to the minute, as well as his exact height and weight, and the fact that Jimmy would be born with syndactyly—the unexplained anomal of fused digits—on his left foot. Suddenly the old man's predictions take on a chilling significance.

What terrifying events await Jimmy on these five dark days? What nightmares will he face? What challenges must he survive? As the novel unfolds, picking up Jimmy's story at each of these crisis points, the path he must follow will defy every expectation. And with each crisis he faces, he will move closer to a fate he could never have imagined. For who Jimmy Tock is and what he must accomplish on the five days when his world turns is a mystery as dangerous as it is wondrous—a struggle against an evil so dark and pervasive, only the most extraordinary of human spirits can shine through.

©2004 Dean Koontz (P)2004 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Emotionally powerful and thought-provoking."—Booklist

"A master storyteller and a daring writer... he gives readers bright hope in a dark world.... Life Expectancy pits good versus evil and carries a persuasive message, about the power of love and family and the miracle of existence... Koontz is a true original and this novel, one of his most unusual yet, will leave readers aglow."—Publishers Weekly, starred review.

"Mr. Koontz is a skillful storyteller....His new Life Expectancy offers a clear illustration of what he does right."—The New York Times

Good

Nice story very funny in spots. Enjoyed it immensely. Narrating was very good.
Worth it…..

GREAT READ/LISTEN

I read this book in hardback and thought it was a very good book, very entertaining while still being suspenseful. When I LISTENED to the book on Audible, I WAS HOOKED. This became my favorite Dean Koontz novel ever. The narrator was excellent and added so much more to the book itself. I plan on listening to more books read by John Bedford Lloyd. If you are unsure whether you want to spend a credit on this book or not, I suggest you go for it. You won't be sorry.

Koonz's Best

Of all the books I have read by Dean Koonz, this is the best of the best. While some of his books I have not enjoyed as much, this book left you thirsty for more. The story of Jimmy Toc and Laurie Toc, and the Toc clan, and the mirthless existence of Punchinello Bezo, all combine to make a novel rich with detail and satisfying in scope.
But even that doesn't adequately convey what is so great about this book. The theme of the book is uplifting and inspiring, while at the same time, entertaining. Koonz doesn't lecture, he just tells a story, and you wind up lecturing yourself. I thought Odd Thomas was great, and The Taking Better, but this is just outstanding. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone.

Just plain good

Dean Koontz fans seem hesitant to give this book a full five, although most say they liked it. I liked the life attitude--sure, some believability had to be suspended, but isn't it always when you read fiction? If I wanted dramatization, I'd listen to David McCullough.
Any book that is so good that it keeps you up two nights straight deserves five stars. Any book that is so good it delays my morning coffee is also worth five stars. This book is that good.

Classic Koontz

Definatly one of my favorite Koontz books. The characters were great and the story had enough twists and turns to keep me interested.

KOONTZ DOES IT AGAIN

This book has tongue-in-cheek humor, sumptuous language and imagery and suspense. His joy of writing will awe you. I am never disappointed by Koontz's style and content, and the narration is terrific. I highly recommend Life Expectancy to both neophyte and Koontz regular readers. It's a fun read and/or listen.

SLOW

THE BOOK STARTED REAL SLOW, I THOUGHT I HAD MADE A MISTAKE, BUT IT THEN REALLY TAKES OFF. ALL IN ALL IT WAS ONE GOOD READ.

I love 💘 this story.

This is by far one of my top 5 Favorite Dean Koontz Books, everybody should read it. Everybody will love it.

You like Koontz or you don't - I do

If you like Koontz or you like things that could be possible but never would be or if you happen to like things well said with a lot of words - you will like this book. If Odd Thomas and By the Light of the Moon are your thing, this is for you.

Good story

This is a good book and I enjoyed the reader as well. I find Dean Koontz to follow a similar style and formula for many of his books, yet they are still entertaining. This wasn't quite as good as "Odd Thomas," but still enjoyable. I found myself rooting for the main character and his family on many occassions.