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Our group read lead for Odd Thomas is Anne. Look forward to an intro to the books and the author, and to a cracking discussion.

As usual please not we discuss all aspects of the books we read - the plots, the characters, the settings and so on - on our discussions threads. Hence the discussion threads will contain spoilers from the start. if you haven't finished the book yet be careful not to read others' posts until the end.






Summary:

“The dead don’t talk. I don’t know why.� But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Meet Odd Thomas, the unassuming young hero of Dean Koontz’s dazzling New York Times bestseller, a gallant sentinel at the crossroads of life and death who offers up his heart in these pages and will forever capture yours.

Sometimes the silent souls who seek out Odd want justice. Occasionally their otherworldly tips help him prevent a crime. But this time it’s different. A stranger comes to Pico Mundo, accompanied by a horde of hyena-like shades who herald an imminent catastrophe. Aided by his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock ’n� Roll, Odd will race against time to thwart the gathering evil. His account of these shattering hours, in which past and present, fate and destiny, converge, is a testament by which to live—an unforgettable fable for our time destined to rank among Dean Koontz’s most enduring works.

What an unorthodox character. I thought the quirky first person narrative would drive me nuts at first. After a couple of chapters it grew on me. The acceptance by the character which drove the quirkiness was somehow endearing. I am going to have to read it again just to be able to adequately discuss the book with the group.

Such a different kind of character that Odd Thomas is. Some say the he doesn't act or think like a typical 20 year old. But, he is not like any other 20 year old. He communicates with the dead.
Odd's story is...well, odd. I fell in love with him years ago and I have read almost all of the Odd Thomas series.
What do you think about his relationships with the other characters in the book?

I'm not sure how to characterize his "relationships." Except for Stormy he does not seek or need relationships. Rather people, if they can handle his personality, revolve around him and his destiny. If they can't handle him he does not seek after their approval. The question is interesting I am going to run that through my mental processes a bit more. My answer isn't as coherent as I would like.

I am excited to start this book - luckily it was available online through my local library and I just downloaded it!

Couldn't put it down!
Strange presentation of character that's also totally enchanting. By the end I grasped that this is the start of a series. AND I'M THRILLED!

I am intrigued by the thought that lack of ambition and reluctant heroism/notoriety are actually super powers. True counters to ambition and power seekers. That one is going to keep me up.

I loved Odd Thomas. I knew I would want the second one before I finshed the first. You have to love a character that isn't your typical super hero but manages to use his guft for good. I never got bored and I couldn't seem to get enough.

Read and finished in a day, wonderful book. Reading the second one now.

Loved it. Wasn't happy when it was a selection but decided to give it a try. I loved the offbeat, paranormal story. It was an amazing find! I was worried it would be more horror story but the mystery was decent. I liked his relationships with townsfolk and his sincerity. I can't wait to move to second book.

My sister has this and has been trying to get me to read this forever. I think I am going to have to make time for it in the near future. Glad you guys are enjoying it.

I'll be the "odd" one here - I didn't care for the book at all. The first 4-5 chapters I wanted to quit reading it. I warmed up to it in the middle, but then, it was so disjointed there at the end... It did not flow at all and it had a very predictable ending. Too many other good series out there, won't be reading any more of this one. Sorry.

This was my first Dean Koontz book and I really enjoyed it. Loved all the characters and the ending was a complete surprise. Thanks, Anne.

This was my first Dean Koontz book. How does this compare to his other books? My favorite part of the book was the relationship of the townsfolk and Thomas. It was sweet how they rallied around him and supported him.

I have only read the Odd Thomas stories from Dean Koontz. I will be reading some of his other stuff later on. I'm glad you enjoyed the book Francie!

I actually picked this book up earlier in the fall and I read it twice. I believe I may even have a review here on good reads. I was an avid reader of Koontz in the 90's and I read most of his older books (The Watchers, Whispers, The Face of Fear, Twilight Eyes, etc) but I got bored with his formula. Aside from his formula, like Stephen King, the man is a very skilled writer. He tells a great story and his characters are likable and easy to identify with. I have recently decided to read him again. One thing Koontz is great at is laying out the suspense for the reader. He gives you a little crumb at a time, and before you know it, you're thirsty for more. He is a master at this. And in terms of Odd Thomas, I thought he was gonna be a serial killer or something, and I just love him. He's a good person, and I am amazed that he's as well adjusted as he is with the parents he had. The scene about his mother had me in tears. I cannot imagine anyone treating their child that way - obviously she had some serious mental issues. This book is not interesting if you don't like Odd and I loved him. I especially love the police chief, and his obese friend who encourages him to write (his name escapes me). I kept picturing a very overweight John Lithgow. I believe they are making a film out of this story. The ending really got to me. I loved this story. I love odd Thomas. I grew up in California, and I'm not fond of it as a setting, because I think there are more interesting places, but I think the desert is just perfect for him. And I love the recurring Elvis scenes. I hope we get to see more of Terry, his boss at th diner. I really like her a lot. Although it seems like he doesn't have a lot of close friends, he sure has people on his side. I look forward to reading more!

I love your comments. I didn't expect to find such likable characters. I also thought the mom must have other issues besides seeing things. I liked the movie. It isn't going to win any awards but again, the characters were likable. It is on DirecTV currently.

I have read the series and I am always glad when a new book arrives. I love the idea that Odd Thomas is a simple fry cook, yet he has this huge role to play in the universe. I enjoy the idea of unseen currents that are moving through the universe. Odd makes me feel positive about the future.

Diane wrote: "I have read the series and I am always glad when a new book arrives. I love the idea that Odd Thomas is a simple fry cook, yet he has this huge role to play in the universe. I enjoy the idea of u..."

Funny you should mention the effect Odd has on you. He makes me feel good about the future as well. This character is just one in a million.

I read Odd Thomas years ago and loved it. I'm a big Dean Koontz fan and enjoy most of his books, but Odd is my favourite character of all. Odd was my first experience with "an unreliable narrator", something DK is particularly known for... It means you can't trust him (in a sense) but that keeps you guessing (positive)

For those who are interested in reading more of DK, you should know that he is very diverse in subject matter, though they are generally suspenseful in one way or another.

xD

Read Odd Thomas a few years ago. Liked it and decided to continue the series. So, I got another one from the library. Don't remember which one it was, but, that should give you some inclination of how much I liked it. Found a little ways into it, that I really didn't care what was happening in the book. Gave it back to the library and haven't regretted doing so, one bit.

Read Velocity, by Dean Koontz and really liked it. Loved how it turned out and if you saw that coming, you're a more careful reader than I. Several of us in the family read the book on a vacation trip for a wedding in the family. My daughter and I loved it. Her husband, hated it as who would have caught that that person did it as he was hardly even mentioned until the end. I pretty much told him, my point exactly! Who, indeed, could see that one coming.

This was a great book! I just couldn't put it down. Obviously, I am a bit behind on the group reads but I am glad that I acquired this book to read it.

It is certainly not a happy book, but very well written and I could so feel for that poor man!

Just finished his second Odd book. Satisfying ending and closer to happy than the first.

Leslie wrote: "Just finished his second Odd book. Satisfying ending and closer to happy than the first."

That's good to know. I'm hoping to read the second one this month and am really looking forward to it.

I too am looking forward to reading the second book. I hope to have it in my hand to read by the end of this week. I had forgotten how well written his books are.