Too Odd!!

Did I expect too much? Dean Koontz, in this third book about a young man with the ability to speak with, see, and intercede with supernatural forces and beings, did not deliver what I had anticipated. Brother Odd, Koontz’s 2006 bestselling novel, continues the story of 21-year-old Odd Thomas. IMO, not one of his best. In fact, this one just possibly could convince me that Joe Schreiber (author of Chasing the Dead) has the potential of attaining Mr. Koontz current writing capabilities. Honestly, if that be the case, the literary world would have nothing to cheer.



Oddness does Not Always have its Privileges

When I first started writing stories for young people, I realized my characters had to appeal to my target audience. To do that, I sensed I’d have to make my major characters, incidents, settings, and events attractive to this audience; therefore, they all had to be recognizable to this youthful group of readers. I began to observe this demographic faction, coming up with scenarios and characters that had great promise; I could be relatively certain to grab their attention, evoke their sympathies, to engage their senses and interests. Odd “Oddie” Thomas as characterized in Brother Odd strikes me as not being one that will interest the younger crowd ... nor even those die-hard Koontz fans, I’m afraid.

Oddie watches from his guestroom window in the solitary stone edifice of St. Bartholomew Monastery high in the California Sierra Mountain range as Boo, the abbey’s free-agent, snow-white 𣺦-pound German-shepherd mix, perhaps part Labrador retriever prowls the yard three stories below. It’s before dawn and Oddie, transplant from the desert environs of Pico Mundo, was awake with the excitement and anticipation of witnessing his very first snow storm.

Both canine and young man are rewarded with not the delightfully expected falling snow, but rather discovery of an uninvited—and most certainly, unwelcome—guest: an alarming, frightful intruder which turned out to be neither alive nor the spirit of the departed, but rather a being or phantom. Oddie calls this terrifying menace a bodach—an apparition who can “enter houses by chimneys—by keyholes, chinks in window frames, as protean as smoke…” whose appearance foretells a critically doom-filled future since “they are drawn to places where violence or fiery catastrophe is destined to erupt, as if they feed on human suffering.” How spooky is that?

Before taking refuge in the safe, secure confines of St. Bart’s, Odd Thomas had been instrumental in saving a disastrous number of people from perishing. Although he’d been unable to save some 19 innocents—including Bronwen ”Stormy” Llewellyn, his 16 year-old girlfriend—sixteen months earlier, he had been able to prevent the death of so many more during a shooting incident that had occurred at the mall in his desert hometown. For that reason, among many other similar type instances which threatened those unknown subjects around him, Wyatt Porter--the chief of police of Pico Mundo—becomes an eternal supporter, bringing him to this fortress of peace and silence for recovery. It is also due to this reason that Odd recognizes the ethereal figure that breaches the abbey’s strong-hold this winter early morning while a raging storm approaches. They’ve always shown up just prior to the occurrence of previous disasters and mass deaths in Odd’s young life. The reason for his ensuing, foreboding, and heightening fear becomes apparent, all things considered, right?


The Oddness of ODD Thomas

First, his name: Odd. It was explained in this sequel as perhaps a typographical error on his birth certificate; what had been intended to be Todd, originally, had become mistyped to become Odd, instead. I don’t know about Odd’s parents, however, no son of mine would legally be christened as Odd, to be burdened with such an epitaph for the rest of his life by not only foes, but family, friends and strangers, alike. Would you?

Then, there’s the fact that this twenty-one year old, drop-out from society finds a welcome place in a convent/monastery. Why would he want to; why would the monks, nuns and clerics in this secluded mountain retreat virtually cut off from civilization and protection of law enforcement want him there? At 21, this former fry cook from the dry desert climate of Pico Mundo, had been deposited on their doorstep by Chief Porter seven months prior to our story’s opening. How many officers of the law in today’s world of troubled youths will put so much stock in someone who’s been in the thick of what appears to have been a disaster—homicidical—in his own jurisdiction?

Initially, I had the feeling Brother Odd would be another Medium or Ghost Whisperer, only in print instead of primetime tv media format. I was close… but, not close enough. What “Oddie”—as those closest to him at the convent endearingly address him—does makes both psychics/mediums seem normal and quite rational. In other words, Melinda Gordon’s chats with the dead and Allison Dubois’ psychic voyeurism are much more believable than Odd Thomas’ counsel with Elvis and the ghost of a monk thought to have committed suicide in the convent bell tower long before Odd became the guest and resident sleuth of the monastery.



Character Development

In Odd Thomas, I found it nearly impossible to believe. Contrary to the lack of development of the characters in the previous two books I’ve reviewed, Mr. Koontz’ characters are definitely filled out. Even the dearly (and, the not so dearly) departed have been highly described. Their histories and credentials vetted to lend them authenticity, laying the foundations to make them 3-dimensional and complete. Still, the unanchored ‘claims’ suspend my belief: from the 21-year-old protagonist to the former-Jersey-mob-hit man-converted-monk Brother “Knuckles” Salvatore; from Sister Miriam (one-time Los Angeles social worker who had her inner lip tattooed to save her teenage female inner-city ‘clients’ and which led, eventually, to her conversion and St. Bart’s) to the Russian librarian, himself also a guest seeking sanctuary at the arid monastery and the hospitality of the brotherhood (and sisterhood) within.


My Conclusions

”Some days I feel as if I have always been twenty-one, but the truth is that I was once young.”

‘Spoken’ in the ‘voice’ of one so young, these words seem incongruent. Again, this makes the reader question the credibility of the character. And, the phantoms, ‘malevolent’ spirits, and other ‘spooky’ antagonistic ‘personage’? So much less impressive than in any other Koontz novel to date!!!

However, even if Odd ‘spoke’ in a ‘voice’ that was moreover ‘odder’ than himself, sometimes the sheer wisdom in the anecdote was well worth the ‘oddness.’ For example when Oddie was ‘found’ musing over ’absolute guarantees’… ‘foolproof’… ‘unsinkable’… ‘uncrashable’… ‘peace in our time’ claims made to the unwary over the past, his ‘thoughts’ on the topic were amusing but most enlightening: ”Human beings not only can’t bear too much reality, we flee from reality when someone doesn’t force us close enough to the fire to feel the heat on our faces.” ^^@@Wow! Just how profound is That??

I suppose it was also just a matter of time before someone would tap the novel territory of the physical and mentally challenged children: the uniqueness of their existence, their education, and their preparation for the years past their childhood as the subject of a novel for popular readership consumption. As a teacher with more than four years’ experience teaching students which included those with a variety of disabilities similar to those in Koontz’ story, I can say his models were depicted with a respectable level of accuracy.

After the first 50-75 pages I tired of the tongue-in-cheek wit. It gave one the sense that Odd Thomas was dangerously close to having an unstable personality which he covered by spouting whimsical, somewhat smart-*ssed inanities wherever he felt threatened or overwhelmed. Perhaps that was Mr. Koontz’ concession to Oddie’s youth? I was annoyed by the frequent celebrity name-dropping and constant reminiscences to stars from the past, as well. Personalities, stars, movies, events, performers and performances whether current or past can be entertaining… but, in moderation—not continuously throughout the work. And, consider the source for all these archaic recollections is a modern-day male barely old enough to vote. Again, the credibility issue is strained.

There we go. My take on Koontz’ 364 page novel, Brother Odd. I give this 3rd of 3 books in the Odd Thomas series a rating of 1 and a half (or 2) out of 5 stars. I will admit that if perhaps I’d read the preceding 2 books in the series (Forever Odd and Odd Thomas), my familiarity with our main character might have made a difference in how I perceived him and his persona, thus positively affecting my recommendations and rating. However, as a stand alone, Brother Odd obviously did not impress me. That, for me—a Dean Koontz fan who loved such greats as False Memory, Mr. Murder, Watchers, Demon Seed and Intensity to name just a few among so many I’ve enjoyed over the years—would be sad. Anytime we stand to lose any one of the masters is unthinkable. And as was the case with Kellerman, I sincerely hope not.


As always, thanks to all for reading.