#odd interlude

[briabooknerd]

[apesoformythoughts]

“Well then, Oddie, if the hope that drives you is the truth of that card, might not the acceleration that frightens you be what you actually want? Might you be quickening toward the fulfillment of that prediction? Could it be that the avalanche coming at you is nothing more than Stormy?”

[shadowsingingsassenach]

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas is a series written by Dean Koontz. This series really meant a lot to me, as a good friend (basically my godfather, even though he was technically my sister’s godfather and not mine) had sent me his copy of the first book, Odd Thomas, and said I would love it. This was around the time he was diagnosed with cancer. The day I learned he died, I went to the book and right there in the bargain priced shelf was a single copy of the final book, Saint Odd, signed by the author. Naturally I bought it. 

The series is made of 7 novels and 2 novellas. They follow the story of a strange young man named Odd Thomas, who has a bizarre gift. He can see and feel the dead. To him the dead feel as solid and warm as a living person. He also has very strong intuition, knowing when something or someone isn’t right. He uses this for good, helping the local chief in his hometown solve murders. And throughout the whole series, all Odd wants is to be  a fry cook or a tire salesman and marry his girlfriend. But the world seems to want to get in the way. 

I love this series. I don’t want to spoil it too much for anyone, but it’s one of those series that just flows beautifully. And Dean Koontz makes it so realistic compared to other books. Even as he faces cults and Satanists, serial killers and terrorists, he struggles and stumbles and most things that happen are all very possible events. Odd is witty, sarcastic, and has a somewhat dark sense of human. He can find the good in any situation. 

I highly suggest this series. There are no cons to it that I can find. I look forward to reading more of Dean Koontz work soon!!

[darklingichor]

Odd Interlude; Odd Apocalypse, by Dean Koontz

*Deep Breath*

Odd Interlude

From Magic Beach, Odd and Annamaria stop in the small town of Hamony Corners. What follows is a story that is closely connected to the Moonlight Bay books and makes my skin crawl.

So last year I tried to read John Dies at the End and couldn't because of bugs and mind control elements.

Odd Interlude has both of these in icky detail, and the only reason I made it through it the first time, years ago, is because it's a short story and I was stubbornly determined to read all the books in this series. It also made me roll my eyes because the addition of sentient computer that doesn't spend most of its time talking to a toaster, is just cheesy.

The whole of the town is under the intermittent mind control of a scientist that escaped Moonlight Bay. He occupies each person's mind in turn and holds the whole town hostige because he can also force groups of them to act against their will and kill or maime those that resist.

Odd is somehow immune to this entity and he, a little girl and the watered down Hal are the only ones that can save the people of Harmony Corners.

Annamaria spends the story peacefully locked in a motel room.

It's not a bad story, just freaks me out and it's a little boring because the action is a little subdued through most of it.

I will say I don't think I had the right reaction to Odd being immune to the mind powers.

Whatever it is that allows for Odd to do all that he does makes his mind impenetrable. An benefit of his special ability.

However, I watched Futurama long before I read Dean Knootz and all I can think about is Fry being immune to the flying brains making everyone stupid because his brain is cobbled together out of the brainwave equivalent of carpet remnants.

Odd Apocalypse

After Harmony Corners Annamaria somehow talks a rich finance guy , Noah Wolflaw, into letting she and Odd stay at his estate - a beautiful but unsettling place - called Roseland.

Odd sees the ghost of a blonde woman and her Friesen horse. The spirit seems to be worried for her child that is at Roseland. A child that Odd has not seen and no one on the -strangely small - staff have mentioned.

The staff and Wolflaw are hostile to Odd and even Wolflaw is confused as to why he let Annamaria talk him into having guests. Through wondering around the estate Odd discovers all sorts of weirdness and must battle foes, to save the innocent.

*spoilers*

This one... okay... um...

There are violent caveman like mutant pigs that shift in and out of Roseland from a future where nuclear wars and nanoswarms have been problems.

Which is the most unhinged sentence I have written in a while, and I've been reading Discworld, which is deliberately ridiculous.

Turns out that Roseland is a sort of time bubble. Created by Nikola Tesla, who was not meaning to make a place where Animal Farm could meet Lex Luthor in his mad scientist phase.

Wolflaw and staff are actually a group of friends who have been immortal since the early 1900's. They started out sick and twisted and have gotten worse over time.

Odd must bring justice to the ghost woman, bring the eternal people down, and save the child

While dodging the pig people who have axes and a thirst for blood.

The child, Timothy - is kinda immortal but also kinda dead and had been 9 years old for 80 or so years. And it would take way too long to make that make sense. As well as being kinda immortal and kinda dead, he's also kinda annoying.

Annamaria is out there outsmarting pigs and using her inscrutable way to confuse the Roselanders along with Odd, every step of the way.

Just kidding!

She spends the whole book locked in her guest rooms. Odd checks on her a couple of times, she talks in circles and sends him out to risk his life and get his ass kicked.

This book is bonkers, makes absolutely no sense in the theme of the series and brings in Tim who will end up doing less than Annamaria.

However, in comparison to the last two books in the series, it's at least entertaining.

Odd, spends most of his time alone which leaves him to muse on the absurd. He let's himself be more of a smartass which is always fun. He also has a couple of run ins with a character named Kenny who is such an unlikely and surprisingly likeable ally that he is my favorite part of the whole thing.

Off the rails and on fire, the Odd Apocalypse train may be, but it's a hell of a show.

[apesoformythoughts]

“Only through time can time be conquered, and the way forward is the only way back to my girl.”

— Odd Interlude

[persephones-journey]

Book Review: Odd Interlude

This book is by Dean Koontz and it is the fifth installment of his Odd Thomas Series. This book was originally released as three short e-books. 

So here we rejoin Odd Thomas as he is driving away from his last adventure with Annamaria, who we met in the fourth book. So, as Odd is driving the highway he gets pulled to this small out of the way town called Harmony’s Corner. All there really is there is a trunk stop, cabins and a garage. And yet, Odd can sense something, well, odd, pun intended. He just knows that there is more going on in this place than what he can see. He is not even there a day when he is proven right; there is something wrong with Harmony’s Corner. Along the way he meets Jolie a young girl who is meant to die according to all those who Odd speaks too, including the girl herself. Odd throws himself in this fight to save one girl and along the way all of Harmony’s Corner as well. 

This was a short book, but a very entertaining one. Every page has something new and great so you keep want to flipping pages and reading. One thing that was different this time, is part of the story is written from Jolie’s point of view, which I liked. Don’t get me wrong, I like Odd, love Odd, but it is nice to actually have the point of view of someone who is interacting with him. You know, to make sure that they don’t think he is as crazy as he sounds sometimes, which at times, he can sound crazy. 

I loved this book and just wished it was longer. I finished it way too soon and quickly. *sigh* Well, on to the next one. 

[looomein]

I finished my favorite book series today.

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it's really bittersweet. It was such a fantastic end to a wonderful series. I'd been reading the books since 2008, and it had become such a big part of my life. Looking forward to the new titles was such a treat. Now that it's all over, I'm kind of sitting here with wistful tears of joy forming in the corners of my eyes. I'm happy that I got to read these books, I'm sad that it's over, I'm amazed at how well they were put together. I'm still angry about how terrible the movie wound up being. All in all, My favorite book series of all time ended on such a wonderful note. Everything came together rather nicely, actually.

I'm serious, if you're in the market for a new book series to read, pick up Odd Thomas. Everything about it is simply wonderful, and I will never stop recommending it to people, ever.

[colbythelateone]

My favorite thing about books is reading what isn't there. Not what's between the lines, simply not there at all. I had read a book a few years ago where the main character was, for lack of a better word, still when it came to emotions. He never laughed, or smiled, or yelled. Reading one of the other books in the series now, I realize he laughs when I laugh, smiles when I smile. I love it when authors leave out these things because after realizing it, it creates a deep connection between the characters and myself.