You Don't Have to be an Einstein to Enjoy Watchers

Why write the 36th review of a book? Because it's worth it.

Dean Koontz writes another book full of possibilities that are not beyond the capabilities of mankind. Genetic splicing and the secrets that government agencies keep, even from each other, are realities. How far we have gone in the genetic splicing and how deep the secrets are is the mystery.

Watchers
Travis Cornell is a former Special Forces man. He knows how to survive in harsh conditions, yet surviving is all he is doing. In a depression he heads to his childhood playground, Santiago Canyon. He hopes physical exertion, killing a few rattlesnakes, and fresh air will help him feel somewhat better. His plans, and life, are altered drastically when a ragtag golden retriever appears and prevents him from going any further down a mountain path. The dog, while friendly, growls and pulls him back when he attempts to pass it. With a chill, Travis realizes there is something evil below that is coming for him and the dog.

Nora Devon has lived her life under the thumb of her overbearing, strange aunt. At the age of 30, with her aunt having passed on, Nora is a recluse who is scared of the world. Schooled at home by the aunt and having no outside friends, she is a timid mouse of a woman that must come out of her shell to save herself against a stalker. Luckily, Travis and the golden retriever are able to help during an attack at a park.

The golden retriever has escaped from Banodyne, a research center. He has been genetically altered into an intelligent being that knows he is being hunted. The hunter, named The Outsider, has escaped, also. This animal has been made into a killing machine. What it wants more than anything is to kill the dog. The Outsider will slash his way to finding the dog... no matter how far it has to go. Everyone that worked on the Banodyne project is being killed off and evidence of their work destroyed. The Russians want to be the leaders of the genetic splicing field and will stop at nothing to get there. Using an American hitman, who has his own twisted agenda, is their means of getting to the top of the field.

Travis, Nora, and the dog, now named Einstein, try to outrun government agencies, a hitman, and the Outsider in a journey that includes love, hate, life, and death.

Not Just Another Koontz Novel
Watchers reels you in with the first pages as the golden retriever is trying to warn Travis about The Outsider. Even though Travis has just met the dog it is obvious it needs a home, is trying to help him, and is going to be his pet. Who doesn't want to think that their dog would save them in a time of danger? Koontz plays on every pet owners thoughts. We, also, like to think our pets are especially smart. While, I won't give away just how intelligent Einstein is...I will say he has a good sense of human fears, wants, and needs. He is a well written main character that I was happy to cheer on and root for.

Travis is a man haunted by his past demons. Everyone he has cared for has died...his wife of 10 months...the 9 other members of his elite team...his mother. His determination to keep Nora and Einstein alive is what makes him one of the more interesting characters in a Koontz novel. Strong and efficient, he is a man than can be counted on to do the right thing...even if it wasn't legally right. While not condoning crossing the line of written laws, Koontz allowed me to explore the sometimes more important unwritten moral issues.

I liked that Nora didn't come out of her shell in a day or two. This 483 page book spans several months, without losing the action factor. At first I was in disbelief that someone could be as backwards and emotionally stifled, yet extremely intelligent, as Nora was. Several times I wanted to yell at her to quit being so stupid. As she mentally and emotionally evolved, and the months passed, so did my feelings for her. By the end of the story I was proud of who she had become.

The Outsider, while a killer, is allowed moments of despair and pain. This genetically altered specimen is what humans have made it. Koontz did a good job of allowing us to despise what The Outsider does, while maintaining a small level of sympathy for it.

The one thing that slightly bothered me, was the old standby "the Russians are the bad guys" theme. After thinking about it for a while...I got over it. Americans engineered these animals and it is an American hitman killing the Banodyne employees. So, now I'm struggling with my countrymen being the bad guys. Whether he means to or not Koontz created an awareness of there's more than any ordinary citizen will ever know going on in every major country.

Watchers is what an action/thriller book should be. It never loses the storyline to other trivial subplots and kept me interested in the outcome of everyone involved. There isn't non stop action, but there is an edge of tension that I felt through out the entire book. While it is fiction, it makes you think about what things mankind is creating and whether or not we should be doing so. This story and it's characters stayed with me long past finishing it. Evidence of a well written book.