In Odd We Trust is the prequel to the Odd Thomas series. It starts right before the first book, with Odd being nineteen and a fry cook at a local diner in Pico Mundo, California. Odd already has the ability to literally see dead people at the opening of the book and he is sought out by a murdered young boy to prevent any further murders in their home town.

If I had read this as my first graphic novel, I would have not liked the genre as much as I do. While I did not think all the plots in the Odd Thomas series were great, I loved Odd in all of them. In this book, Odd was just okay. Some of the verbiage was right on, but some of it was not, making Odd . . . well, odd.

The reasons for the occasional awkwardness, I'm assuming, is from Koontz's collaborative writing with the illustrator, Queenie Chan. Another reason for my disappointment is that the depth was missing. I have now read many graphic novels where depth has been accomplished in spades. I know it can be done. So, this graphic novel resides below just okay, because I know Koontz is capable of much more - especially with Odd. He's proved it over and over. (2.75/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )

In Odd We Trust is a stand-alone prequel to the Odd Thomas series in Manga format. The artwork was very simply drawn (honestly too simple for my taste) but I did enjoy the way Odd & Stormy looked. Stormy Llewellyn is in this book where it was a prequel and it's both nice & sad to see her again. The story is also very quick & simple- this may serve as a good introduction to the series for those who haven't read any of the series (by Dean Koontz ). The book was very faithful to the series. ( )

The popular novels in Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series tell the story of small-town fry-cook and medium Thomas, who becomes embroiled in various eerie exploits thanks to his unusual psychic gifts. Koontz assisted in the creation of this original graphic novel installment, which requires no foreknowledge of the cast or situations, and could easily serve as an introduction to the Odd Thomas novels. Thomas, driven by his ability to communicate with the deceased, joins with his gun-toting, take-no-prisoners girlfriend, Stormy, to track down a child murderer who has chalked up one death and promises several more. The bright, high-energy manga style and sunny, small-town setting are at odds with the creepy (and occasionally grisly) subject matter, and the sometimes stilted dialogue can be distracting. The story moves fast, however, and the stalker himself proves disturbing in a genuinely Koontzian way. For larger collections, this book is a light, diverting read that has the advantage of being a manga that isn't a part of a multivolume series. -- Karp, Jesse (Reviewed 07-01-2008) (Booklist, vol 104, number 21, p54) ( )

Odd Thomas, who makes the worlds greatest pancakes, and has the ability to see ghosts, is drawn into the murder investigation of a young boy.

I liked this book much more than I expected to. I have not read any of Koontz's Odd Thomas books previously, and I think that worked against me fully appreciating this book. However, Chan's clean artwork went a long way to making the characters familiar and accessable. I do think the "mystery" at the heart of this book could have been fleshed out a little more, it was still a fun, quick read. ( )

Odd Thomas does indeed live up to his name. He sees dead people. As if that wasn't peculiar enough, he also has psychic magnetism - he can sometimes find people by thinking about their faces. However, he prefers to maintain a low-key profile as a fry cook; therefore, few people - one of those people including his girlfriend, Stormy - know about his abilities. He puts his intuitive psychic gifts to good use; he doesn't just keep the dead company, he also helps them obtain justice. In this way, he is somewhat of a superhero to the dead. Therefore, when he encounters the ghost of a murdered boy, he is determined to find the killer before someone else becomes a victim. This case becomes even more complicated when it involves Stormy's friend Sherry and her sinister, anonymous stalker.

After hearing a plethora of good things about Dean Koontz, I decided that I wanted to read something by him. Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be a graphic novel. Despite the limitations of manga-style books, I found myself enjoying it all the same. Odd's character and charisma really shone through. I love Odd's chemistry with the other characters - he's humble, reliable, and easily likeable. The dialogue was simple and didn't require too much thinking, but it was a pleasant read, even if it was slightly predictable. Although the subject matters - lingering spirits, murders, and creepy stalkers - are dark, this was a light read, as many graphic novels are.

Note: This was also reviewed for Book Divas - CollectiveX. ( )