Oddkins

A Fable for All Ages

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's Summary

Blockbuster author Dean Koontz's first novel for young listeners, a beautifully illustrated and visually stunning story about a magical band of living toys who learn to overcome the fears we all face in the dark

Toymaker Isaac Bodkins created the Oddkins, a group of living toys, for very special children who face difficulties in life and need true friends. There's Amos, the brave stuffed bear; Skippy, the rabbit who dreams of being a superstar; Butterscotch, the gentle, floppy-eared pup; Burl the elephant; the wise and scholarly Gibbons; and Patch the cat. The Oddkins are given to children to inspire, support, and love them, especially during times of adversity. Only now, the toys themselves are the ones who need help. Before he dies, Mr. Bodkins delivers a dire warning to Amos the bear: Watch out for an evil toymaker and his dangerous creations! Locked up in the dark sub-basement, another group of toys is climbing out of boxes and crates and coming to life as well. These bad toys - like Rex and Lizzie, the puppets with no strings; Gear, the vicious robot; and Stinger, the horrid buzzing bumblebee with his knife-sharp stinger - were made to hurt children, not help them.

Leering, laughing, and deadly, they are let loose into the world by a terrifying force. Frightening as it may be, the Oddkins must go on a journey to find Colleen Shannon, Mr. Bodkins's chosen successor as a life-giving toymaker and the only person who can save them. The stormy night is perilous and the Oddkins face a danger that threatens not only their magic...but the magic in us all.

©1988 NKUI, Inc., Airtight Graphics, and The Land of the Enchantment (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

IN A BATTLE OF WITS YOU WOULD BE UNARMED

Michael from California, gets it correct. Sometimes a book which tries to be all things to all people, can end up being nothing to all people. For the life of me, I could not get interested in this. The good stuffed animals were cute, but not to the point like Pinocchio, where I truly cared about them. The evil toys, talked about being evil, but were not evil enough for an adult.

Luke Daniels, does a great job, as he always does.

New Fairy Tale from Dean Koontz

What did you love best about Oddkins?

I've always like fairy tales but as anyone that really knows fairy tales, they were never meant for children until they were sanitized with happily ever after endings. Dean Koontz has done much the same thing with this tale of fantasy and fairytales for all ages beginning with a story of magical toys. These toys are made specifically for children that are good and destined to do great things when they get older, the toys will be their guides until they too loose the innocence of youth. But after the good toymaker dies before passing on his special magic they toys must find the one person that can inherit the good magic and will help them and their kind before the evil toys take over. Their mission/adventure is immense when you think about it; leaving the safety of the toy shop, the only world they have ever known, to cross a city in the dark on a stormy night and all the while must not be seen by any adults. They have no map, no knowledge of the world outside but they have job to do and they have faith. A bear, Amos, who was tasked with this job and his companions, a Rabbit that wants to be a stand up comedian, a Cat that fancies himself a dashing swashbuckler, a Dog who is so sweet and innocent it will make your heart ache, and an elephant that dreams of one day walking the grasslands of Africa with his much larger cousins. And last but not least a toy that resembles a prehistoric creature that we can only guess at but is older than the other toys and wiser in many ways. And behind them are evil toys who have awakened and whose only mission is to stop them. Lead by an evil Jack in the box, a Lolita with a cigarette that can burn, a very large and nasty bee with a huge stinger and a robot that can tear things apart with its metallic spinster like arms. In the mix is an ex con who has just been released from prison and HATES everyone and everything and is also tapped to be the next evil toymaker and the nephew of the now deceased good toymaker who has trouble believing in anything he can not explain. It is a journey through darkness that will have the toys confronting each other in, of all things, a toy store. Leave your logic behind and enter the world that Dean Koontz has made for us and enjoy the fairytale. I would certainly play it for my grandchildren even as old as they are for magical toys are something everyone can relate to, I know I had a stuffed toy that I told all my secrets to, my hopes and dreams and my heartaches. She was the best friend I ever had. This brings back good memories of my special friend always with me, knowing I was safe as long as she was there. And I've found a new fairytale for my younger nieces and nephews and some day my great grand kids.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Amos because he never gave up no matter how afraid he was.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

I liked the way he voiced the characters

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me smile as I fondly remembered my special friend

Any additional comments?

I think it is a new fairy tale for the next generation

Too Evil for Kids

This is a very unusual Koontz, although this has some classic Koontz elements, it seems like it was targeted to kids, and much of the book is quite kid appropriate, particularly the beginning (which is good) and the end (which is very good). Unfortunately the rest of the book is, well, at bit odd. One problem with this as a kid’s story is the nature of the antagonist. The bad guys are just plain evil. Literally, direct toy & human minions of Satan. For adults this simplistic evil is somewhat boring, for a kid it is somewhat beyond comprehension. This same story, with a non-Satanic yet challenging adventure, could have been a pleasant family classic. The narration was good, but not exceptional.

all I can say is ..wow.

this is a great story! maybe a little scary for younger kids but good!! loved it

a wonderful fable

Oddkins: a Fable for All Ages --- I enjoyed this fable immensely. First, I commend the narrator of the audible book who did a wonderful job with all of the different voices. To read this only as a children's book would be a shame. For me Oddkins rates up there with The Velveteen Rabbit and The Little Prince in the underlying message about doing the right thing. One of my favorite parts was where Koontz paraphrases one of my favorite quotes when he says that to avoid evil one can't just be good, one has to do good. (All that's necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing). And these little "good toys" take the message to heart. They are brave and they are respectful of each other ... even to the point of listening to what they consider horrible poetry that has been written by one of their own. My favorite character was Butterscotch, the dog who managed to talk a real dog into slinking away rather than bother the toys on the journey to find the new toymaker. I liked the transformation of Victor Boddkin from a money-loving brother anxious to get rid of his brother's toyshop and unwilling to believe in the magic of toys into the helper of the good little toys. If you can, listen to the audible version while reading.

ODDKINS ! SUCH A CUTE STORY

This is one story I would let my grandchildren listen to. It is such a cute book. Didn't know Koontz had such a cute side to him. Wonderful book.

I saw Koontz and Odd and assumed... Opps,

On a quick glance I saw Oddkins, and Dean Koontz... I read no further and assumed it was an Odd Thomas short story. I grabbed it up excited. As soon as I pressed play I knew my mistake but tried to give it a chance anyway. I am really struggling here its a good verses evil toy doll war that is really hard for me to focus on or get into.
The reader is good though.

my son and I loved it

My son and I really got into this story listening to it together. I liked some of the morals that it taught, they were good talking points.

I also made sure that my son knew to take a baseball bat to any toy that came alive and was evil. LOL

Loved it great for children ages 10 to 99!

Magical triumph for good over evil. This says, Move over Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.

definitely a different Koontz

I did not expect a children's story when I started listening to a Koontz book. it was good and not sad I listened.

Great

I really enjoyed this grown up fairy story. I hope it’s made into a film on the future!

Children’s short story

Enjoyable feel good tale of magical toys. I accidentally clicked hoping for an adult horror but it as pleasantly surprised and happily listened t this entertaining feel good tale.

Disappointing

Great narration but I just couldn’t get along with the story. Previous reviews were fairly positive which influenced my reason to purchase (it was also in the 2 for 1 sale). I’m glad that I didn’t use a full credit.

Wonderful!

I simply loved everything about this story and the narration. I cannot recommend it enough! xx

Brilliant

Even my husband commented on the story so well written loved ever bit of it. Lot of fun as well

It is not for kids!

As an adult person, who loves dogs, I was absolutely disgusted with this book. Couldn't even finish it after violence inflicted upon a dog. If you are trying to scare a child, try to imagine something else except animal torture.

Excellent book.

I love Dean Koontz stories and this was as good as his others. It isn’t suitable for little ones, (parts scared me and I’m 72!).
It was so well narrated. Luke Daniels was great. His voices were brilliant. He is very talented.
A great audio book.

a scary book for children.

Characterisations of 'nasty' toys lends them nightmare qualities, offset by the heroes friendship and bravery.

The oddkins

Great story, the small animals adventure through hard times and triumphs, great story, narration is good, would have to look out for a follow up story for this one I feel.

cute

Good little story, with good narration. Worth a listen to people of all ages.