| And we're off... Dean Koontz has never been a | | | | Characters that are given the mark of great |
| consistent writer. Sometimes his prose is | | | | importance, such as Angel, seem somehow, |
| good. Sometimes it leaves a great deal to be | | | | remarkably, absent from necessity, as if they |
| desired. Sometimes I get so involved in his | | | | could have been left out completely, without |
| intricately woven plots that I forget the | | | | real damage to the storyline. That is a mark |
| world I'm supposed to be living in. Sometimes | | | | of a carelessly told story.Carelessly |
| I get so hung up on his repetitions (think: | | | | toldYes, in the end, "From the Corner of His |
| "sodium vapor lights"), that I am time and | | | | Eye" is a carelessly told story. Koontz does |
| again prematurely expelled from his creation. | | | | just fine -- wonderful, in fact -- until it's |
| But usually, writing style aside, Dean Koontz | | | | time to wrap it up. Until about page 480, I |
| is a master of suspense, building tension to | | | | was holding my breath, waiting for that |
| the breaking point, and then dropping the | | | | breathtaking climax that just had to be |
| bombshell.With this in mind, I had high hopes | | | | coming. It just had to.Well, my friends, it |
| for "From the Corner of His Eye". At over | | | | never materialized.Koontz weaves and weaves |
| five hundred pages, it was a tome that I was | | | | until his story is so complex that you can't |
| sure I could sink my teeth into. And surely, | | | | help but wonder what marvelous ending he has |
| no matter the style, once I got into it, I | | | | in store, and in this, he falls so far short |
| knew I'd just be holding my breath through to | | | | that the story goes from sixty to zero in a |
| the conclusion....and I was.And who are these | | | | matter of seconds.When the hero and the |
| characters you've set upon your stage? "From | | | | villain meet -- and this time it is for the |
| the Corner of His Eye" is an ambitious work, | | | | first and last time -- there should be |
| even by Koontz standards. He brings a | | | | fireworks. There should be earthquakes (a la |
| multitude of characters to the page, both | | | | the twin uncles) and meteor strikes and |
| likable and heinous, breathing life into them | | | | heaven and earth colliding.Instead, there is |
| and then setting them on their way.Characters | | | | nothing...nothing, but an ending so |
| in a Koontz novel are always interesting. | | | | anticlimactic that I wanted to take the book |
| Very rarely does he fall into the death trap | | | | and drop it into a hole in the earth."From |
| of stereotypes, and "From the Corner of His | | | | the Corner of His Eye" is nothing but |
| Eye" doesn't disappoint in this. Bartholomew | | | | self-indulgent mumbo jumbo. Koontz took a |
| and his nemesis, Junior, though easily | | | | wonderful concept (with some interesting |
| defined as "good" and, accordingly, "evil," | | | | forays into advanced theoretical physics), |
| are both interesting characters, with likes, | | | | built it up to critical mass, and then dumped |
| dislikes, emotions, and idiosyncrasies that | | | | an ocean full of water on it.There is no |
| set them apart.In fact, one of the highlights | | | | climax to this novel. It goes straight from |
| of "From the Corner of His Eye" is the | | | | building suspension to denouement.Koontz may |
| running commentary from Bartholomew's | | | | have wanted to indulge in a happy ending for |
| disaster-fearing twin uncles. From train | | | | once, and that's fine, but it seemed entirely |
| wrecks to tornadoes, from fires to firing | | | | too much effort for naught.When I read a five |
| squads, the twins have a horror story for all | | | | hundred page novel, I'm investing a great |
| occasions. There was a satisfying | | | | deal of time, energy, and emotional |
| cohesiveness to the thread the twins brought | | | | attachment into it. I don't like to be |
| to the story, and they even brought | | | | disappointed, and "From the Corner of His |
| much-needed comic relief.Oh what a tangled | | | | Eye" was a monumental disappointment on all |
| web... The trouble -- oh, and there is | | | | levels. If I knew at page 1 what I knew at |
| trouble -- starts with the plotline. | | | | page 500, I never would have given this novel |
| Inevitably, when an author's plotlines get | | | | the time of day.If you're a sucker for a |
| complex, they are going to get tangled. I can | | | | happy ending, then maybe that's enough to |
| live with that. But when ends are left loose, | | | | make up for the Swiss cheese-like plot holes, |
| stories unravel accordingly, and such is the | | | | but beware: the ending may be happy, but it's |
| case with "From the Corner of His Eye". | | | | so sappy happy that you'd better not forget |
| Characters who seem somehow potentially | | | | your bucket.Lisa is an author on which is a |
| relevant are left to fade away from neglect. | | | | site for Poetry. |