By Wayne C. Rogers
Every book Dean Koontz has written since publication From the corner of his eye Published in 2000, Love Redeems has a rather unique message about the power of love and compassion that humans are able to show one another. I should also add that dogs are included in this equation. A dog will give its owner everything it has just to get a pat on the head and a belly rub. So yes, dogs have to be included. All of this means that Mr. Koontz wants to give readers not only a well-written novel filled with strong, believable characters and hair-raising suspense, but also to leave readers with a sense of hope for humanity and our ability to persevere against evil and bring justice and love to our world.
No one of Mr. Koontz’s fictional characters embodies this better than Odd Thomas, a young cook in a small California desert town who has the power to see the dead and know when disaster is about to strike. When I think of Odd Thomas, the image of Elijah Wood comes to mind, with his sad eyes and hopeful smile. You see, having the gift of second “sight” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Odd Thomas has no fame or fortune. He’s a young man who’s lost the only woman he’s ever loved, and he has only a handful of close friends who know of his powers and try to protect him to the best of their ability. But, as Odd knows, there’s no hiding from death and the evil that often lurks beside it. Though he’s only one man, he does what he can to help others and bring a sense of goodness to our world, especially with his fluffy pancakes.
In the third book in the series, Chico, The journey of our tortured soul continues as he seeks refuge at a monastery located in the high Sierra mountains of California. All he wants is to find a little solace in life after the ordeal he has endured over the past eighteen months (read Odd Thomas and Always Strange) However, life has a way of throwing you curveballs when you least expect it. That’s what happens when Odd unexpectedly sees a dark entity he calls “The Evil.” Bodaquesrevolves around special children living in the monastery.
Based on past experience, Odd knows Bodaques A symbol of impending death and disaster. For him, the only question is when and from which direction the disaster will come. Odd doesn’t know how long he will have to prepare to be fully defended, but he intends to do everything he can to save the children and the others in the monastery.
This time, however, he’ll need more than just strength and intuition to fight the incarnation of evil hiding in the blizzard outside the monastery. He’ll need help, but who to turn to and how much to tell them poses almost as many problems as the terrifying monsters that can’t wait to get to him.
Like the first two novels in the series, Chico It is a pure pleasure to read. Not only is it filled with suspense and horror, it is also full of humor and insights into the nature of reality. Can science really know God? Or is this something that can only be accepted on faith? These are the questions raised in this brilliantly written novel.
Mr. Koontz certainly has a keen interest in quantum mechanics and the duality of order and chaos in the universe, which he touches on in his story. What really intrigued me was that he theorized that beneath all the layers of chaos and order, deeper than the realm of subatomic particles, is a form of energy that scientists believe is actually idea. I don’t know if this has anything to do with “superstring” theory, but it implies that, since all matter is made of energy, and all thought is energy, a person should be able to create matter with their thoughts alone.
This idea dates back to the teachings of Jesus, when he created fish and bread from nothing in order to feed the masses. In fact, all the great teachers and mystics have been telling us this important fact for thousands of years. Scientists are only now catching up with them. Regardless, the idea plays a big part in the story, and Odd Thomas has to figure out what this possibility means and what it means for the monastery.
I don’t want you to think this novel is a scientific treatise on molecular structure. It’s not. It’s a fast-paced thrill ride that will make you laugh out loud at times and shake you with fear at others. This is perhaps one of Dean Koontz’s best novels to date, and that’s saying a lot considering how many great novels he has written over the past thirty-five years.
If there is one thing I would say I don’t like, it would be the ending. I hated being left hanging in the air, not knowing what the future holds for Odd. If you get this book and read the last two pages, you’ll know what I mean. I don’t care how many times the author sings “I did it my way,” it still irritates me. Fortunately, more Odd Thomas novels have come out since this one was published. There will be more to come as the author carefully completes this wonderful series about hope and compassion. I’m still hoping that Odd and Stormy get back together, rather than it ending in death. Otherwise, it’s going to be very frustrating for this wonderful character.
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grade:5/5
