Shattered

A quick, easy read. The plot itself is not very compelling, but the novel is shored up by the relationship between its two main characters, who are depicted with a level of depth not usually found in horror fiction.

A really good short novel -- one of Koontz' early works. Maybe not quite as polished as his later stuff, but displays all the suspense and tension that he further developed later on. The relationship between the two "boys" is exceptional and it also does a good job of defining the times -- the long-haired hippie in the back woods town.

The story to shattered is nothing out of the ordinary, not cunning or fantastic in any way. It's just an ordinary tale like many others. What makes this book good, is the way that an ordinary tale has been told.

Koontz writes in a very natural way. There's no pretentious sentences, no attempt to be smart or brilliant, no corny people or events, he just tells you the story - plain and simple. The characters and story are so down to earth and believable that you don't even have to try to believe in them - you just do.

It's hard to see, just by staring at the words, why Koontz's prose are so natural and flowing, but they are. This is a good entertaining read.

Alex Doyle is journeying from Philadelphia the San Francisco in his new Thunderbird to join Courtney, his recent bride, and start a new life. Travelling with him is Colin, Courtney's eleven year old brother, who being orphaned will be living with them, making the trip together seemed like a good opportunity to get to know one another.

But someone is following them, they notice the van soon after they leave Philadelphia, they make jokes about it, but soon the jokes turn to horror as they realise the driver of the van really is after them, and not with good intentions.

This early novel by Dean Koontz dating from 1972 orginally published under the pen name K R Dwyer, is a relatively short read, but it is not short on tension or drama, and it show more will have you flipping the pages as fast as you can turn them. Both Alex and Colin are well drawn characters, and Colin especially will win hearts as the slightly frail but very intelligent bespectacled boy trying hard to grow up. The interaction between Alex and Colin is every bit as much part of the story as the chase. show less

A re-read for me. This one is probably the first in order of publication that gives a hint into some excellent pacing and tension of which Koontz is capable. He says in the introduction he wanted to create the aura of paranoia that was taking place at the time in of the story setting and he certainly does that.

2485 Shattered, by Dean R. Koontz (read 18 Jan 1993) This was published in 1973 under Koontz's pseudonym K. R. Dwyer. It tells of a man and boy going from Philadelphia to San Francisco stalked by a madman. It is not well-written nor very well plotted but it is fast-paced and keeps one turning pages. I did not like the hero, who apparently looked like a hippie, and the straight guys are drawn as bigots. The ending is gory. I never heard of Koontz till I saw him mentioned in a newpaper article this month. I am not saying I won't read another of his books.

Again, one of his older, more simple stories, characters arrent as good and all, but the action is non-stop, plus its always fun trying to guess who the villian is.