Book Description
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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (210)

The Oddities of Forever Odd
Dean Koontz's Forever Odd is the second in his three novel mini-series about Odd Thomas, a young man who shares his life with assorted living and dead beings, some human but many not.The book opens as Odd (supposed to have been named "Todd," but for a typo on his birth certificate) awakens to find long-dead Elvis Presley with him as usual but also Dr. Wilbur Jessup, a kindly radiologist, who is anguished but cannot speak, only wringing his hands and attempting to express his dual grief: first at having been recently murdered and second for the future of his seriously disabled adopted son.From there, the tale becomes increasingly bizarre with the genuine intermixed with the unbelievable in both events and characters.However, after trials and tribulations with both living and dead characters (mostly human, but not always), and equally strange settings, the plot, having been knotted, sorts itself out and the conclusion is more or less normal.The reader has a better concept of what happened and how it occurred, but nothing absolutely certain.Read Odd Thomas for pleasure, for surprise, for amazement.It's just plain a good read.

Another MUST Read
Ok, well it wasn't ODD THOMAS, but it wasn't what Ms. Persnickity said it was either. If your looking for the Golden Globe of books every time you read your in for a surprise. The Storyline had good meat, imagination and just enough cliff hangers to want me to continue on and on. I 4stared it because it was just not the read Odd Thomas was, but nor was it a 3star either.

Odd Thomas had one thing Forever didn't and that's ODD moved around a lot more with various things happening that kept adding to the plot.Not that Forever NOT having those was the reason for it being any less of a story, I'm just stating that that is an apparent difference, at least to me.

Still, as usual, I was captured by the storyline and enjoyed the read enough to be proud to keep it in my hardback Koontz Collection. (not that I don't keep any of his books, I've kept anything of his I get my hands on... especially my personnally autographed versions..thanks Dean)

Forever Odd Thomas
Odd Thomas is an ever capturing person of your attention.
Koontz has another intriguing character to add to his
collection of lesson tellers.
The lesson from Odd Thomas is for me to keep an open mind.
How about you?

not so good
The first ODD book was good.This one, not good.The writing was sloppy.I felt that most of the book was a description of the old hotel and of the underground tunnels.I hope the next book is a good one.

Mr. Koontz... not so good on this one.But I still like you :)

Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
The second book in the Odd trilogy and another Great one by the master. It carries on from Odd Thomas and does not lose any momentum from the first book. Great Book and a must read. ... Read more

Book Description
No one could have imagined Odd Thomas ever leaving the perfect quirky comfort of Pico Mundo, least of all Odd himself. The little desert town that nurtured Odd all his life is the locus of everything he holds dear–his loyal friends, his ghostly confidants, and the place where he loved and lost his soul mate, the irreplaceable Stormy Llewellyn. Yet leave it he has, to embrace the solitude and peace of an isolated monastery high in the western mountains as he tries to find a way to live fully again.
But Odd has a knack for finding himself in the path of trouble no matter where he goes–even among the eccentric monks in their sanctuary and with the King of Rock ’n’ Roll at his side. For a killer is stalking the ancient holy halls, and Odd is about to encounter an enemy who eclipses any he has yet encountered….

... Read more

Customer Reviews (188)

GOOD FINISH
I enjoy reading Brother Odd due to the fact I enjoy the character Odd Thomas and in this book you never expect the individuals who are at play. I also enjoy to see him grow as a person and still keep the same wonderful and sweet personality no matter what.

Love Oddy
Great series by Dean Koontz.All three are worth reading.Inventive plots and good character development.

Brother Odd
Dean Koontz does it again! Absolutely wonderful. He draws you completely in to the story and when it's over all you can do is want more! I can hardly wait for Odd Hours to be released.

Have to agree with...
I have to agree with DYB's "... Oh Sigh ..." review, and others who feel that this latest (third) installment in the 'Odd Thomas' saga just doesn't hold up very well to the original.Although I DO think it was decidedly better than the second ("Forever Odd").Like the second, it builds to a climax that is a bit sudden... Not disappointing exactly, but it leaves the reader shaking his or her head and thinking "is that all there is?"I guess that just sets the hook for the next in the series...
As I've said before:Average for Koontz is still a fine read for those of us looking to escape into a world of mystery, supernaturalism and engaging characters (including Dogs!).
Keep 'em coming, Dean.:-)

Brother Odd
I enjoy Dean Koontz's writing but the actual book could have used another look...one page was turned over with excess paper attatched, while another had the side cut off.
Dean Koontz is a splendid writer who has a the knack of telling a story to keep your interest better than others. ... Read more

Book Description
“The dead don't talk. I don't know why.”But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn.Maybe he has a gift, maybe it’s a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd’s otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different.

A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd’s deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.

Today is August 14.

In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe.As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (448)

Marvelous characters and original plot !
Odd Thomas is a simple guy with a very few needs in life but love and faith. He has a unique gift... he can see ghosts (dead people) and he uses this ability to lead his small town sheriff to murderers. He communicates in some way with deads and he can anticipate incoming crimes from dreams and special ghosts called borachs.

At first I did not have a big interest for this story setting and main character, as I generally hate "too much" paranormal in plots, especially with ghosts! But I had heard so many great comments about the book that I gave it a try.

I was really surprised! Odd Thomas is a really well-built and lovely but simple character. The main quality of this book is the unique "first person" writing style. I was taken away by the intrigue and could not put it down. Usually I hate book endings, but I loved this one for its originality. I highly recommend this book, my second Koontz novel (have a look at THE HUSBAND, almost as good and very different!)

The Best Mystery Yet
This book has to be the best thriller of his yet. He is always putting in new twists to make the most unexpected happen. This is a wonderful series that I would recommend to the people who love to see what a true master piece will be like. You have to read this book.

Loved it!
I recieved the 2nd two Odd Thomas books from a friend, and therefore, I actually read this one last.It was great!Dean Koontz has a knack for inserting a little black humor into his works that I find almost as engaging as his characters.I have not read one book of his that I have not liked, and this one is definitely no exception.I hope that Odd has a long "life" in the writings of Mr. Koontz.

Goodplot, great character
What I find very positive in this novel is the deft command the author has to handle the relationships and transitions between the physical and the spiritual worlds. Unlike other fiction horror novels where the plot unfolds by means of far fetched magic or supernatural ingredients, herein you can believe the gift that Thomas has (the inborn ability to see evil ghosts (bodachs)that slither and hang around a particular setting in anticipation of a grisly murder), as something conceivable. So, as I gradually got immersed in the plot, I considered that Thomas gift is an odd skill any sensible normal human being could posess. Why not?, and in a way I wondered why not our best friend or the guy next door. I think that Thomas is a great character that can actualize its potential in future plots. For the most part the novel as a whole is a fine read with strikingly carefully placed twists and turns to make it fascinating from beginning to end

See...Elvis is dead!
By far one of the best books Koontz has written. The whole premise was extremely captivating. I just loved Odds interaction with the non-living. ... Read more

Book Description
It's Slob versus Neatnik as poker buddies Felix and Oscar suddenly find themselves bachelors again and innocently decide to share an apartment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Original "Odd Couple"
Being a huge fan of "The Odd Couple" television series, I finally decided to read the play on which the TV show is based. THE ODD COUPLE, which premiered in 1965, was Neil Simon's first big success. His writing is consistently amusing and often flat-out hilarious; I laughed especially hard during the first scene, in which Oscar Madison and his poker-playing friends are trying to prevent Felix Unger, just thrown out of his home by his wife, from committing suicide! This "episode" was, of course, the starting point for the TV series, but unlike the show, the play has a single plot: Felix and Oscar get together, quarrel, date the Pigeon sisters, quarrel again, and ultimately "break up." Though the play is a comedy, there are interesting parallels to A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE in Oscar's poker games, particularly the one in the last scene during which Felix leaves. THE ODD COUPLE is an excellent example of Simon's wit. Next, I would love to see it onstage!

Classic American Comedy.
Before the movie, before the television series, before all the spin offs, there was just the play. The story is a classic spin on the buddy plot. Oscar Madison is a successful sports writer who happens to be best friends with Felix Unger, a newswriter for CBS. Each week Oscar has five of his buddies over for a Friday night game of poker. However, on one fateful night Felix fails to appear in time for the game. It turns out Felix has just been thrown out by his wife and has no place to go. Feeling sorry for his old friend, Oscar invites Felix to stay with him and be his roommate.What ensues is a classic Neil Simon look at friendship that will endure for ages.

Odd Couple
When you pair David Paymer and Nathan Lane as Felix and Oscar in the OddCouple, you are in for a comic tour de force that over stretches itsmaterial.With a supporting cast which includes Dan Castellaneta andYeardley Smith (both from The Simpsons) and Linda Purl, the cast is almostperfect. This production is a little too visual in a few of its jokes.However, on the whole, it unscrupulously grabs the audio listener by hisears and shakes him with laughter.

I love Nathan Lane!
Nathan Lane is delightful as Oscar Madison. I also enjoyed hearing Dan Castellanata ("Homer Simpson") as Murray, and Yeardley Smith ("Lisa Simpson") as Cecily Pigeon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

entertainment
Stuart McLean is the Canadain version of Garrison Keiller, only funnier.I've taken his cds on all my latest trips--find myself laughing out loud. ... Read more

Product Description
This DVD contains original footage and material from an international conference held in 2000 in Asmara, Eritrea on African languages and linguistics. The conference brought together over 250 writers, scholars, academics, cultural activists, artists and publishers from all regions of Africa, Europe and North America. It takes up the legacy of the famous African writers conference held at Makerere University in 1962, and culminates with the formulation and ratification of the Asmara Declaration on African Languages and Literatures , a declaration of linguistic independence for the continent. This film brings together a star line up and of literary writers and scholars intervening in the language debate from all parts of the African continent and the diaspora, including Ngugi wa Thiong o, Nawal al Saadawi (co-chair), Kofi Anyidoho, Abena Busia and Kassahun Checole. Much of the conference was conducted in African languages, including Hausa Fulani, Kiswahili, Zulu and Tigrinya. All African language texts are sub-titled in English. The film includes footage of a Tigrinya translation of the play by Ngugi wa Thiong o, I Will Marry When I Want. The contributors contend that African languages, oral and written, are the continent s most valuable cultural asset and resource, challenging the notion of there being no languages in Africa . On the contrary, they advocate for African languages what intellectuals the world over have done for their languages ; for an understanding of languages as a key link in development and democratisation processes, imperative to literary expression, cultural confidence and popular use. The material presented remains unpublished elsewhere; the production of this CD hoping to make it accessible to a wider audience. ... Read more

Product Description
DVD ... Read more

Book Description
Rusty Withers began studying the application of astrological techniques to sporting events in 1973, and has compiled statistical research and historical data on team sports since 1980. Perhaps the best known sports astrologer in the United States, Rusty has published extensively and made numerous media appearances, including regular appearances on ESPN.

In this book, which focuses on American football, the author presents the most comprehensive collection of sports data and sports astrology techniques ever assembled in one place. The book provides extensive historical data for all NFL teams, researched and verified from a wide variety of official sources, including:

- data for the awarding of each team's franchise
- data for each team's first game
- data for ownership changes
- data for moves to new cities
- data for the opening of new stadiums
- data for key team players and coaches
and much, much more!

In addition, the book contains a comprehensive, step-by-step explanation of how to use astrological techniques to predict the outcome of sporting events, including making predictions against the Las Vegas point spread. The author has developed these techniques (some of which go against the "standard" astrological thinking about event and electional charts) over nearly 30 years of extensive research and observation.

Rusty explains how to incorporate team birth charts, the game chart, team "loss points," coach and key player birth charts, and other factors into an overall analysis that points to a winner up to 80% of the time.

For anyone who is interested in sports and astrology, this is the book to have! ... Read more