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Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, No 2) Review

Since I did not enjoy the first book in this series, until its very end, I surprised myself by picking up this one and realizing that I enjoyed it quite a bit more.

Odd really endeared himself to me in this one. From the beginning with his story about Elvis to the end where he will do what it takes, even if it is his own life, to help a friend. That is what Odd does, and with the help of his loved ones in the town of Pico Mundo, Odd will forever be treasured by his band of friends and the readers of this series.

Odd Thomas does not consider himself a hero, he just has the ability to communicate with the dead and has a built in magnet that draws people, whether alive or dead, to him. Odd's a good person so when his childhood friend disappears, Odd uses his ability to find him, not realizing that this journey will take him to an old abandoned casino and the evil Datura, who is determined to use Odd's gifts to further her own wicked goals.

The ending leads right into what appears to be the third installment of the Odd Thomas story. That in itself looks very interesting. Just imagine Odd as a Lay member of a religious order with Elvis along, since Elvis knows that this is his way home to his beloved mother.

I am glad that this series is starting to grow on me, I had been a fan of Dean Koontz with his original books, and I am glad that I can once again look forward to reading more.

Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, No 2) Overview

Every so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of readers that he seems to take on a life of his own long after the final page is turned. For such a character, one book is not enough—readers must know what happens next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the novel his fans have been demanding. With the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks, Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and mystery—and altogether irresistibly odd.

We’re all a little odd beneath the surface. He’s the most unlikely hero you’ll ever meet—an ordinary guy with a modest job you might never look at twice. But there’s so much more to any of us than meets the eye—and that goes triple for Odd Thomas. For Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead—it’s something that just happened. But as the unofficial goodwill ambassador between our world and theirs, he’s got a duty to do the right thing. That’s the way Odd sees it and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death.

A childhood friend of Odd’s has disappeared. The worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror. Once again Odd will stand against our worst fears. Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some not. For in the battle to come, there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope. Whether you’re meeting Odd Thomas for the first time or he’s already an old friend, you’ll be led on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder and delight—to a revelation that can change your life. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.

From the Hardcover edition.

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Customer Reviews

Enjoyable, but no Odd Thomas - crinklecuts -
Forever Odd is a bit of a disappointment after the spectacular first book of the series Odd Thomas. The protagonist is as witty and peculiar as ever, but the antagonist, Datura, is more boring than menacing. At no point in the novel did I experience the growing sense of dread or heebie jeebies as in the first book of the series. The plot here has Odd wandering alone for most of the story, and while Koontz is a gifted writer, I found myself wishing for something else to read other that Odd's inner dialogue for two-thirds of the story. Still, Koontz's style and wit are enjoyable to read and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

A Disappointing Sequel - K. Thalheimer - Long Island, NY
As a sequel to the original "Odd Thomas" & second in the series, this story just plain misses. It starts off pretty well, then spirals downward.
Dean Koontz is one of the most prolific writers out there with a huge following. One has to wonder what happened here.
Koontz has created one of the most likable characters anywhere in the original book. In this book, all the characters are thin. The book suffers from spreading it's main characters too thinly.
We have almost none of the bodachs Odd normally sees since there is no mayhem on a large scale.
Odd has a best friend Danny with a disease of extremely brittle bones. Firstly, how is Danny Odd's best friend? Where did he come from? He's Dr. Jessup's son, but a dear best friend to Odd? That's a new one on the reader. Danny, with his affliction survives a kidnapping to the upper reaches of a burned out hotel by three brutal kidnappers. Pretty much nonsense.
The main villain, Datura, meets her demise in a most ridiculous way.
The saving graces are the writer's description of the surroundings much of the book takes place in. That's very nicely done.

The weakest point should be the books strong point. It's characters. They just don't make it here. Not even Elvis
The last chapter sets the reader up very well for the next in the series, "Brother Odd." Mercifully "Brother Odd" is much better

Given Koontz's history of some excellent work, I'll cut him a bit of slack & go with 3 stars. As a stand alone book, only 2 stars

Starts great, but loses steam - Nicole N. Pellegrini - Philadelphia, PA
To get a few things out of the way first: I've read some of Dean Koontz's work before but wouldn't call myself a big fan. And I had not read "Odd Thomas" before reading this book on a recommendation from a friend. I see now in reading other reviews of "Forever Odd" that many who loved the first book found this sequel lacking, and I can certainly understand why on many levels. Still, at first I was quite engaged as I found the main character so interesting and the setting easy to fall into. For me it was a "first discovery" of Odd, so even though I knew I was missing the backstory on the other characters and his earlier adventures, I was eager to keep reading.

I found myself struggling to keep up my enthusiasm once the main action really kicked into gear, however. And I'm using the term "action" loosely as the endless pages devoted to Odd's underground tunnel journey was difficult to plod through. The burned-out hotel setting was a bit more interesting, but then we are introduced to a trio of very cartoonish villains and again my enthusiasm was waning.

The main disappointment, however, was the rather ludicrous final confrontation with the main "Big Bad". It's a complete let-down of a Deus Ex Machina that's practically an insult to the readers who have made it so far, expecting something more dramatic and satisfying.

Still, I can't rate the book too poorly as I did enjoy Odd as a character and I liked his narrative voice. I was left absolutely wanting to read more of Odd - just hopefully with some better plotting to match what such a great character deserves.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 03, 2010 22:31:06

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