Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Another A-plus thriller from a writer on a serious winning streak.” ―Booklist (starred review)
“A twisty, mystifying, suspenseful, expansive and, ultimately, entertaining read.” ―CultureFly
About the Author
International bestselling author Dean Koontz was only a senior in college when he won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition. He has never stopped writing since. Koontz is the author of Quicksilver, Elsewhere, The Other Emily, Devoted, and seventy-nine New York Times bestsellers, fourteen of which were #1, including One Door Away from Heaven, From the Corner of His Eye, Midnight, Cold Fire, The Bad Place, Hideaway, Dragon Tears, Intensity, Sole Survivor, The Husband, Odd Hours, Relentless, What the Night Knows, and 77 Shadow Street. He’s been hailed by Rolling Stone as “America’s most popular suspense novelist,” and his books have been published in thirty-eight languages and have sold over five hundred million copies worldwide. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he now lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirits of their goldens Trixie and Anna. For more information, visit his website at www.deankoontz.com.
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story
Even though this story realistically couldn’t happen, Dean Koontz has you believing it could. The many characters in it are what make it fun and entertaining!!
4.0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of Mr Koontz's earlier works but doesn't quiet live up to its potential
I have read books by Dean Koontz for a (very) long time now, and ‘The Big Dark Sky’ reminds me a lot of those earlier books of his that I grew up with: ‘Watchers’, ‘Lightning’, ‘Midnight’, ‘Phantoms’, ‘Strangers’, ‘Cold Fire’, etc. We have different groups of hero’s who must overcome obstacles but eventually end up together to fight the big bad. However, unlike Mr Koontz’s earlier books, ‘The Big Dark Sky’ is lacking somewhat in world-building, characterisations and plot and I found that it just didn’t captivate and engage me like his earlier works. I still enjoyed reading ‘The Big Dark Sky’ and several of the characters did jump out at me but overall, it’s not something I will likely revisit unlike his earlier works which I find myself returning to time and time again.Our main character is Joanna ‘Jojo’ Chase who we meet when she is 9 years old and grieving the loss of her mother who recently died. Jojo lives on Rustling Willows ranch in rural Montana. She is a child of stories and dreams having grown up with her mother, Emelia, teaching Jojo how to read and encouraging her love of books and her wild imagination. It is an almost idyllic childhood up until the tragedy that ripped Jojo’s world apart with the loss of her mother. Whilst curled up watching home videos one night, Jojo hears her mother’s voice through the TV.‘ “You will soon be going away, Jojo, going away to grow up elsewhere. I might reach out to you many years from now and ask you to come home.”Four days later, she was taken to Santa Fe to live with her aunt Katherine, her mother’s sister.“I might reach out to you many years from now and ask you to come home.” ’We jump twenty-four years ahead and Jojo has grown up and discarded her nickname, now going by Joanna. She has embraced her love of literature and become a successful author living in Santa Fe, close to her aunt but happy in her own house. The episode of her mother’s voice talking to her from the TV has faded and been relegated to the fantasy of her overwhelming grief. One night as Joanna is making dinner, she hears her car engine start. More puzzled than worried she investigates to find her car idling in the garage but no other person around. She turns off the car and thinks no more of it apart from dropping it off at the dealership to get checked out. As the days unfold, more mysterious events start happening around Joanna. Strange dreams of Rustling Willows, phone calls from the unknown, and the remembrance of her past on the ranch and the people who lived there. Driven to uncover the truth of her childhood, she heads back to Montana.At the same time, Wyatt Rider, a private investigator, is meeting with Liam O’Hara in Seattle. Liam is a self-made billionaire and friend of Wyatt’s who has been buying up large tracts of land in Montana to try and preserve the pristine beauty of the area. As part of Liam’s purchases, he bought Rustling Willows ranch and he and his family had decided to vacation for a week there ‘roughing’ it and spending time together as a family. They arrived on a Friday and by Monday they fled the property after several incidents that were at first magical turned increasingly darker and terrifying. Liam asks Wyatt to investigate the property and find out what is going on, so Wyatt travels to Rustling Willows.Whilst these events are being set in motion we are also introduced to the main protagonist, Asher Optime. Asher is insane. He thinks he is here to usher in the end of days by killing off the entire human race. Before he is introduced, he has kidnapped and killed several people in his effort to rid the world of humanity and recently kidnapped Ophelia Poole. There is not one thing likeable or relatable to Asher and yet I still found myself intrigued by his characterisation. Mr Koontz is a maestro at writing a character that is truly repulsive and yet you eagerly read along just to make sure he gets his comeuppance.The book is narrated by several different characters including Joanna, Wyatt, Asher, Ophelia etc. It can get slightly confusing at times, but the changing perspective keeps the storyline moving. I don’t think Joanna and Wyatt are strong main characters. They are likeable enough, but I didn’t feel like they were in danger at any time, so their chapters became filler for me rather than driving towards the finale. The conclusion itself was too easy and rushed. We spent so much time bringing all the different characters / groups together for the showdown and then it was just over without any twists or turns or edge of your seat suspense.Overall, I enjoyed reading ‘The Big Dark Sky’ by Dean Koontz. I felt like it was reminiscence of his early masterpieces but didn’t quiet reach the same level. The overall story kept me interested in the outcome, but I never went into 'Ignore the world mode'. The protagonist characters were all likeable, and the antagonist characters were suitably repugnant. The world building was satisfying, if a little too overblown in the description of Montana and the big dark sky. If you have liked other books by Dean Koontz or appreciate a good sci fi / mystery / suspense, then I recommend this book for you.4 out of 5 stars!
5.0 out of 5 stars The concept of the book was great
The book jumped around to quickly for me. I will probably not reread it as I do many books . Excellent book I will recommend it to all my sci Fi loving friends. As always I wonder after reading a Koontz book, I think this could be fictional?
5.0 out of 5 stars Did not want to put this one down, even to make dinner.
Excellent read. Just excellent. Dean Koontz has always surprised me. I started reading Koontz when he and Stephen King were so very young and just becoming household names. Then I would have to tell the stories to my preteen daughter when we were traveling or on an outing, because she didn't understand why I was so engrossed in their books when I should have been working on my own stuff. My co-workers and I would run to the bookstores when these authors released a new novel...and THAT was the subject of our water cooler conversations. After the traumatic events of 2001, I stopped reading their books and now I'm thinking......it's time to back-track and binge read the delicious stories I've missed from these master storytellers. If you haven't read any of the first several books Dean Koontz published then you should definitely order them now. Forget the movies. Reading the books are so much better. I ordered 'The Big Dark Sky' on Kindle and let it sit for a long time. Now I'm sorry I waited so long to read the first chapter. I couldn't put it down. Well done Dean Koontz, well done....and at this particular time in our history...very fitting.
3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected
I will say that he is a good writer. The book was good. The downside? This book is not a good introduction to Dean Koontz. At least not for me. I was trying to expand my horizons on the reading front, but this left a bad taste in my mouth. I could not wait for the book to end. The psychology was sound. The environmentalist propaganda wasn't too annoying, but I just wasn't invested. I could put it down and read another book just to take a break. Not something that I want to come back to.
4.0 out of 5 stars Another winner by Dean Koontz
I always enjoy Mr. Koontz books. One of the finest detail oriented writers, Mr. Koontz in The Big Dark Sky never fails to provide his characters with genuine feelings whether good or bad. Just when you think The Big Dark Sky is becoming more than just another character story, something happens to display Koontz characters in feelings of dispair, helplessness, and suddenly Dark before the wicked are provoked into survival mode.The Big Dark Sky provokes the characters to figure out how to move past destruction and death. Survival is never as easy as it looks!
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
It was a fantastic book. Of course, all Dean Koontzs books are great reads. I would recommend this to all my friends.
5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar!
Dean Koontz is my absolute favorite author of all time. He is such a uniquely talented author, weaving complex mysteries into something magical. Every book has a thread of realistic probability to it that makes you think about so many facets of life. The Big Dark Sky was no exception; a tale full of dark mystery and fantasy woven with eerie realism. Poetic prose and characters that you fall in love with and villains that make you cheer for their downfall. Compared to a lot of his early works, this was a very fast paced quick read but lacked for nothing. I HIGHLY recommend!
Sincronicità, coincidenze, suspense, ironia
Ultima fatica letteraria di Dean Koontz, dove suspense e ironia si intrecciano con la teoria junghiana della sincronicità.
Multiple points of view, intriguing, and thrilling in parts
This is the first novel by Dean Koontz I’ve read. I had this author on my list for quite a while, and when I saw this book on offer and read a sample, I was suitably intrigued.The book is classed as dystopian science fiction, and it is a label that works. I can’t think of a better one, although there are elements of horror, thriller, speculative fiction, and more.I cannot compare it with other novels by the author, and this is a pretty recent one (from 2022), in case you’re wondering. I have checked out some reviews, and many of the fans say this is not one of his best, but as I am new to him, all I can say is that he writes well and the story is interesting and even gripping in parts, although I found it a bit disconnected, the pacing somewhat irregular, and the ending slightly underwhelming (with an interesting hint of more menace to come).This is a complex novel, with multiple narrators and points of view. If I had to choose, I’d say that what attracted me to the story was Joanna Chase (known as JoJo when she was a little girl), and the strange events she starts to experience. Things around her (cars, TV, phones) start to do pretty weird things, she receives strange messages, and she realises that she suffers from a very bizarre memory gap. Although she remembers with affection her childhood at a Montana ranch (despite two major tragedies that turned her into an orphan and totally changed her life), she discovers that there is an important part of that experience that has completely disappeared from her mind, and she cannot work out why. She is a writer, but the strange events have affected her writing, and she decides to investigate further.As I said, there are many narrators, and although Joanna is pretty likeable and easy to identify with, there are others that are not. We have what appears to be a pretty deranged serial killer, convinced he is on a mission to improve the world. There is a private detective who is sent by the new owner of the ranch to investigate some bizarre happenings. There are some random people who are victims of somebody or something beyond usual understanding. There are members of a secret organization/government agency who are trying to figure out who is behind everything that is happening. There is a young boy on an excursion with his father who meets a woman whose sister died many years back, and they join forces to try and save themselves and the world from the maniac. There is an IT expert whose simple mission to check what is going on with the communications at the range gets him and his female friend into trouble. There is even an AI working for the same agency, trying to decide what she feels… And some local characters who are also affected by the events.Although the story follows (roughly) a chronological order, there are moments akin to flashbacks and memories of things that have happened before, and there is a fair amount of speculation, discussions of interesting philosophical concepts, and a lot of talk of synchronicity, because people come together under pretty strange but auspicious circumstances.The book touches upon a lot of themes: loss; megalomania; obsession; synchronicity: cults; conspiracy theories; history and its versions and interpretations; loss, grief; friendship; artificial intelligence, its ethics and possible roles; Carl Jung and his theories; technology and its uses; nature and the way humans have exploited it… Of course, I won’t mention everything and won’t go into a lot of detail to avoid spoilers.The writing is beautifully descriptive at times, with gorgeous imagery of the lake, the natural environment, and some deep insights into the psychology of the characters and the way their brains work. Although the story is told in the third person (in the present tense for the ‘philosopher/killer’, in the past for all the rest of the characters), the author does a great job of putting us inside the minds of the characters and making us feel their unease, fear, doubts, confusion, and determination. Despite the seriousness of most of the themes, there are plenty of touches of humour, with references to other books by the author, popular culture, and comments about Agatha Christie and the way the characters all end up coming together for the big reveal.This novel kept me reading as I wanted to know, at first, what the connection might be between all the characters, and later out of my curiosity to know how the author would solve the plot and bring the novel to a conclusion. As I have already mentioned, I wasn’t totally convinced by the pacing of the story or by the ending, but overall, I enjoyed the read, and it has convinced me that I should try to check out some of Koontz’s previous novels in the future.
A modern, thrilling take on Dean's old-school sci-fi/speculative fiction style
Synchronicity is the idea that seemingly unrelated events or experiences are somehow related, intertwined in ways that defy mere cause-and-effect. Effect can occur before cause, as crazy as that sounds. Our collective thoughts in the here-and-now connect us all in a complex web of future-making, shaping it towards our shared vision. If we all want and expect war, we get war. If you spread peace and positivity, you're but one cog in the machine to help stave off dark futures. Synchronicity.This book—THE BIG DARK SKY, written by the legendary wordsmith Dean Koontz and released on July 19th, 2022, ten days after the man's 77th birthday—is built upon that concept. If you've scoured all avenues of the internet (even the dark and shady ones) to find new video interviews with the man because your fandom borders on obsession—like I have—then you know he's spoken about synchronicity before. Dean expressed his excitement for this then-upcoming book by saying something akin to: "I've thought about synchronicity many times before, and I've touched upon it in previous books, but I've never been able to do a book deeply rooted in the concept. I've never had the right idea. And then I was working on *insert book* and it suddenly came to me. It was such a brilliant start that I had to keep going."Now I could dig up that YouTube video—or maybe it was on PornHub—or you could just take my word for it. Synchronicity.I adored this book, and I was often left in awe at how Dean was laying out the story, weaving together all the different narratives, everything spiralling to a central point. I don't want to spoil the twists, because there are many. The final twists and the ending I both saw coming, but it's very prescient. To release a book so good this late in the game is impressive. But I've been mostly impressed with Dean's output since switching over to Bolo.Four thoughts came to mind constantly while reading THE BIG DARK SKY:1. This dude can write a sentence. Flip to any page in the book, point anywhere, read and enjoy. And I say this consistently with his novels, even when they're not really blowing me away on the story frontier. He has a masterful way with words, which is overshadowed by his popularity and propensity towards genre-blending. Dean Koontz's prose is beautiful. There, I said it.2. There's something King-like about the writing I can't put my finger on. But I'll try. Don't get me wrong—the book contains many of the usual Dean Koontz tropes. I've read enough of his books to know them when I see them. But I've also read nearly all of King's books, and something about this one feels different from Dean's usual output since maybe ASHLEY BELL, taking some of King's gumption. Maybe it's how rich and detailed many of the characters are? And there are many characters. The first ten chapters I swear introduces eight or nine of them for you to follow. And Dean spends time going into their backstories, their way of thinking. It's impressive to analyse if you're a writer. Maybe it's the conversational tone possessed by many of the characters? I dunno.3. This is very much a modern take on old-school sci-fi/spec-fic. A modern take on old-school Dean Koontz—as in the old science-fiction paperbacks he's taken out of circulation. Yes, it's a thriller. Yes, it's a mystery. But it will throw concepts at you that take you for a ride. If you don't like soft sci-fi or speculative fiction, maybe avoid this one.4. I'm currently writing a comedic mystery novel. There were numerous moments in the book that touched on writing concepts I had either tackled while writing my own novel, was in the process of tackling, or was thinking about how to tackle. It was kinda synchronistic, people.In closing, THE BIG DARK SKY is a spectacular read and highly recommended. There's an underlying reflection on writing throughout the novel, especially in Joanna Chase (the novelist)'s chapters, which I think would be of benefit to any would-be writers. Fingers crossed his next one is just as good!
Som förväntat! Mycket bra.
Koontz är alltid Koontz, m.a.o. väldigt bra. Mycket mycket bättre generellt än King som är för mycket "ordbajsare" - (utom i novellform där HAN kommer till sin rätt).Koontz håller högre nivå på allt - t.o.m. hans gamla tidiga alster under olika pseudonymer.
Great descriptive author and story teller.
Great book. Dean writes great stories, and his brilliant descriptive ability makes it very easy to be "in" the story.
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The Big Dark Sky
AED8987
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
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Visit the Thomas & Mercer Store
The Big Dark Sky
AED8987
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Another A-plus thriller from a writer on a serious winning streak.” ―Booklist (starred review)
“A twisty, mystifying, suspenseful, expansive and, ultimately, entertaining read.” ―CultureFly
About the Author
International bestselling author Dean Koontz was only a senior in college when he won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition. He has never stopped writing since. Koontz is the author of Quicksilver, Elsewhere, The Other Emily, Devoted, and seventy-nine New York Times bestsellers, fourteen of which were #1, including One Door Away from Heaven, From the Corner of His Eye, Midnight, Cold Fire, The Bad Place, Hideaway, Dragon Tears, Intensity, Sole Survivor, The Husband, Odd Hours, Relentless, What the Night Knows, and 77 Shadow Street. He’s been hailed by Rolling Stone as “America’s most popular suspense novelist,” and his books have been published in thirty-eight languages and have sold over five hundred million copies worldwide. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he now lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirits of their goldens Trixie and Anna. For more information, visit his website at www.deankoontz.com.
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story
Even though this story realistically couldn’t happen, Dean Koontz has you believing it could. The many characters in it are what make it fun and entertaining!!
4.0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of Mr Koontz's earlier works but doesn't quiet live up to its potential
I have read books by Dean Koontz for a (very) long time now, and ‘The Big Dark Sky’ reminds me a lot of those earlier books of his that I grew up with: ‘Watchers’, ‘Lightning’, ‘Midnight’, ‘Phantoms’, ‘Strangers’, ‘Cold Fire’, etc. We have different groups of hero’s who must overcome obstacles but eventually end up together to fight the big bad. However, unlike Mr Koontz’s earlier books, ‘The Big Dark Sky’ is lacking somewhat in world-building, characterisations and plot and I found that it just didn’t captivate and engage me like his earlier works. I still enjoyed reading ‘The Big Dark Sky’ and several of the characters did jump out at me but overall, it’s not something I will likely revisit unlike his earlier works which I find myself returning to time and time again.Our main character is Joanna ‘Jojo’ Chase who we meet when she is 9 years old and grieving the loss of her mother who recently died. Jojo lives on Rustling Willows ranch in rural Montana. She is a child of stories and dreams having grown up with her mother, Emelia, teaching Jojo how to read and encouraging her love of books and her wild imagination. It is an almost idyllic childhood up until the tragedy that ripped Jojo’s world apart with the loss of her mother. Whilst curled up watching home videos one night, Jojo hears her mother’s voice through the TV.‘ “You will soon be going away, Jojo, going away to grow up elsewhere. I might reach out to you many years from now and ask you to come home.”Four days later, she was taken to Santa Fe to live with her aunt Katherine, her mother’s sister.“I might reach out to you many years from now and ask you to come home.” ’We jump twenty-four years ahead and Jojo has grown up and discarded her nickname, now going by Joanna. She has embraced her love of literature and become a successful author living in Santa Fe, close to her aunt but happy in her own house. The episode of her mother’s voice talking to her from the TV has faded and been relegated to the fantasy of her overwhelming grief. One night as Joanna is making dinner, she hears her car engine start. More puzzled than worried she investigates to find her car idling in the garage but no other person around. She turns off the car and thinks no more of it apart from dropping it off at the dealership to get checked out. As the days unfold, more mysterious events start happening around Joanna. Strange dreams of Rustling Willows, phone calls from the unknown, and the remembrance of her past on the ranch and the people who lived there. Driven to uncover the truth of her childhood, she heads back to Montana.At the same time, Wyatt Rider, a private investigator, is meeting with Liam O’Hara in Seattle. Liam is a self-made billionaire and friend of Wyatt’s who has been buying up large tracts of land in Montana to try and preserve the pristine beauty of the area. As part of Liam’s purchases, he bought Rustling Willows ranch and he and his family had decided to vacation for a week there ‘roughing’ it and spending time together as a family. They arrived on a Friday and by Monday they fled the property after several incidents that were at first magical turned increasingly darker and terrifying. Liam asks Wyatt to investigate the property and find out what is going on, so Wyatt travels to Rustling Willows.Whilst these events are being set in motion we are also introduced to the main protagonist, Asher Optime. Asher is insane. He thinks he is here to usher in the end of days by killing off the entire human race. Before he is introduced, he has kidnapped and killed several people in his effort to rid the world of humanity and recently kidnapped Ophelia Poole. There is not one thing likeable or relatable to Asher and yet I still found myself intrigued by his characterisation. Mr Koontz is a maestro at writing a character that is truly repulsive and yet you eagerly read along just to make sure he gets his comeuppance.The book is narrated by several different characters including Joanna, Wyatt, Asher, Ophelia etc. It can get slightly confusing at times, but the changing perspective keeps the storyline moving. I don’t think Joanna and Wyatt are strong main characters. They are likeable enough, but I didn’t feel like they were in danger at any time, so their chapters became filler for me rather than driving towards the finale. The conclusion itself was too easy and rushed. We spent so much time bringing all the different characters / groups together for the showdown and then it was just over without any twists or turns or edge of your seat suspense.Overall, I enjoyed reading ‘The Big Dark Sky’ by Dean Koontz. I felt like it was reminiscence of his early masterpieces but didn’t quiet reach the same level. The overall story kept me interested in the outcome, but I never went into 'Ignore the world mode'. The protagonist characters were all likeable, and the antagonist characters were suitably repugnant. The world building was satisfying, if a little too overblown in the description of Montana and the big dark sky. If you have liked other books by Dean Koontz or appreciate a good sci fi / mystery / suspense, then I recommend this book for you.4 out of 5 stars!
5.0 out of 5 stars The concept of the book was great
The book jumped around to quickly for me. I will probably not reread it as I do many books . Excellent book I will recommend it to all my sci Fi loving friends. As always I wonder after reading a Koontz book, I think this could be fictional?
5.0 out of 5 stars Did not want to put this one down, even to make dinner.
Excellent read. Just excellent. Dean Koontz has always surprised me. I started reading Koontz when he and Stephen King were so very young and just becoming household names. Then I would have to tell the stories to my preteen daughter when we were traveling or on an outing, because she didn't understand why I was so engrossed in their books when I should have been working on my own stuff. My co-workers and I would run to the bookstores when these authors released a new novel...and THAT was the subject of our water cooler conversations. After the traumatic events of 2001, I stopped reading their books and now I'm thinking......it's time to back-track and binge read the delicious stories I've missed from these master storytellers. If you haven't read any of the first several books Dean Koontz published then you should definitely order them now. Forget the movies. Reading the books are so much better. I ordered 'The Big Dark Sky' on Kindle and let it sit for a long time. Now I'm sorry I waited so long to read the first chapter. I couldn't put it down. Well done Dean Koontz, well done....and at this particular time in our history...very fitting.
3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected
I will say that he is a good writer. The book was good. The downside? This book is not a good introduction to Dean Koontz. At least not for me. I was trying to expand my horizons on the reading front, but this left a bad taste in my mouth. I could not wait for the book to end. The psychology was sound. The environmentalist propaganda wasn't too annoying, but I just wasn't invested. I could put it down and read another book just to take a break. Not something that I want to come back to.
4.0 out of 5 stars Another winner by Dean Koontz
I always enjoy Mr. Koontz books. One of the finest detail oriented writers, Mr. Koontz in The Big Dark Sky never fails to provide his characters with genuine feelings whether good or bad. Just when you think The Big Dark Sky is becoming more than just another character story, something happens to display Koontz characters in feelings of dispair, helplessness, and suddenly Dark before the wicked are provoked into survival mode.The Big Dark Sky provokes the characters to figure out how to move past destruction and death. Survival is never as easy as it looks!
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
It was a fantastic book. Of course, all Dean Koontzs books are great reads. I would recommend this to all my friends.
5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar!
Dean Koontz is my absolute favorite author of all time. He is such a uniquely talented author, weaving complex mysteries into something magical. Every book has a thread of realistic probability to it that makes you think about so many facets of life. The Big Dark Sky was no exception; a tale full of dark mystery and fantasy woven with eerie realism. Poetic prose and characters that you fall in love with and villains that make you cheer for their downfall. Compared to a lot of his early works, this was a very fast paced quick read but lacked for nothing. I HIGHLY recommend!
Sincronicità, coincidenze, suspense, ironia
Ultima fatica letteraria di Dean Koontz, dove suspense e ironia si intrecciano con la teoria junghiana della sincronicità.
Multiple points of view, intriguing, and thrilling in parts
This is the first novel by Dean Koontz I’ve read. I had this author on my list for quite a while, and when I saw this book on offer and read a sample, I was suitably intrigued.The book is classed as dystopian science fiction, and it is a label that works. I can’t think of a better one, although there are elements of horror, thriller, speculative fiction, and more.I cannot compare it with other novels by the author, and this is a pretty recent one (from 2022), in case you’re wondering. I have checked out some reviews, and many of the fans say this is not one of his best, but as I am new to him, all I can say is that he writes well and the story is interesting and even gripping in parts, although I found it a bit disconnected, the pacing somewhat irregular, and the ending slightly underwhelming (with an interesting hint of more menace to come).This is a complex novel, with multiple narrators and points of view. If I had to choose, I’d say that what attracted me to the story was Joanna Chase (known as JoJo when she was a little girl), and the strange events she starts to experience. Things around her (cars, TV, phones) start to do pretty weird things, she receives strange messages, and she realises that she suffers from a very bizarre memory gap. Although she remembers with affection her childhood at a Montana ranch (despite two major tragedies that turned her into an orphan and totally changed her life), she discovers that there is an important part of that experience that has completely disappeared from her mind, and she cannot work out why. She is a writer, but the strange events have affected her writing, and she decides to investigate further.As I said, there are many narrators, and although Joanna is pretty likeable and easy to identify with, there are others that are not. We have what appears to be a pretty deranged serial killer, convinced he is on a mission to improve the world. There is a private detective who is sent by the new owner of the ranch to investigate some bizarre happenings. There are some random people who are victims of somebody or something beyond usual understanding. There are members of a secret organization/government agency who are trying to figure out who is behind everything that is happening. There is a young boy on an excursion with his father who meets a woman whose sister died many years back, and they join forces to try and save themselves and the world from the maniac. There is an IT expert whose simple mission to check what is going on with the communications at the range gets him and his female friend into trouble. There is even an AI working for the same agency, trying to decide what she feels… And some local characters who are also affected by the events.Although the story follows (roughly) a chronological order, there are moments akin to flashbacks and memories of things that have happened before, and there is a fair amount of speculation, discussions of interesting philosophical concepts, and a lot of talk of synchronicity, because people come together under pretty strange but auspicious circumstances.The book touches upon a lot of themes: loss; megalomania; obsession; synchronicity: cults; conspiracy theories; history and its versions and interpretations; loss, grief; friendship; artificial intelligence, its ethics and possible roles; Carl Jung and his theories; technology and its uses; nature and the way humans have exploited it… Of course, I won’t mention everything and won’t go into a lot of detail to avoid spoilers.The writing is beautifully descriptive at times, with gorgeous imagery of the lake, the natural environment, and some deep insights into the psychology of the characters and the way their brains work. Although the story is told in the third person (in the present tense for the ‘philosopher/killer’, in the past for all the rest of the characters), the author does a great job of putting us inside the minds of the characters and making us feel their unease, fear, doubts, confusion, and determination. Despite the seriousness of most of the themes, there are plenty of touches of humour, with references to other books by the author, popular culture, and comments about Agatha Christie and the way the characters all end up coming together for the big reveal.This novel kept me reading as I wanted to know, at first, what the connection might be between all the characters, and later out of my curiosity to know how the author would solve the plot and bring the novel to a conclusion. As I have already mentioned, I wasn’t totally convinced by the pacing of the story or by the ending, but overall, I enjoyed the read, and it has convinced me that I should try to check out some of Koontz’s previous novels in the future.
A modern, thrilling take on Dean's old-school sci-fi/speculative fiction style
Synchronicity is the idea that seemingly unrelated events or experiences are somehow related, intertwined in ways that defy mere cause-and-effect. Effect can occur before cause, as crazy as that sounds. Our collective thoughts in the here-and-now connect us all in a complex web of future-making, shaping it towards our shared vision. If we all want and expect war, we get war. If you spread peace and positivity, you're but one cog in the machine to help stave off dark futures. Synchronicity.This book—THE BIG DARK SKY, written by the legendary wordsmith Dean Koontz and released on July 19th, 2022, ten days after the man's 77th birthday—is built upon that concept. If you've scoured all avenues of the internet (even the dark and shady ones) to find new video interviews with the man because your fandom borders on obsession—like I have—then you know he's spoken about synchronicity before. Dean expressed his excitement for this then-upcoming book by saying something akin to: "I've thought about synchronicity many times before, and I've touched upon it in previous books, but I've never been able to do a book deeply rooted in the concept. I've never had the right idea. And then I was working on *insert book* and it suddenly came to me. It was such a brilliant start that I had to keep going."Now I could dig up that YouTube video—or maybe it was on PornHub—or you could just take my word for it. Synchronicity.I adored this book, and I was often left in awe at how Dean was laying out the story, weaving together all the different narratives, everything spiralling to a central point. I don't want to spoil the twists, because there are many. The final twists and the ending I both saw coming, but it's very prescient. To release a book so good this late in the game is impressive. But I've been mostly impressed with Dean's output since switching over to Bolo.Four thoughts came to mind constantly while reading THE BIG DARK SKY:1. This dude can write a sentence. Flip to any page in the book, point anywhere, read and enjoy. And I say this consistently with his novels, even when they're not really blowing me away on the story frontier. He has a masterful way with words, which is overshadowed by his popularity and propensity towards genre-blending. Dean Koontz's prose is beautiful. There, I said it.2. There's something King-like about the writing I can't put my finger on. But I'll try. Don't get me wrong—the book contains many of the usual Dean Koontz tropes. I've read enough of his books to know them when I see them. But I've also read nearly all of King's books, and something about this one feels different from Dean's usual output since maybe ASHLEY BELL, taking some of King's gumption. Maybe it's how rich and detailed many of the characters are? And there are many characters. The first ten chapters I swear introduces eight or nine of them for you to follow. And Dean spends time going into their backstories, their way of thinking. It's impressive to analyse if you're a writer. Maybe it's the conversational tone possessed by many of the characters? I dunno.3. This is very much a modern take on old-school sci-fi/spec-fic. A modern take on old-school Dean Koontz—as in the old science-fiction paperbacks he's taken out of circulation. Yes, it's a thriller. Yes, it's a mystery. But it will throw concepts at you that take you for a ride. If you don't like soft sci-fi or speculative fiction, maybe avoid this one.4. I'm currently writing a comedic mystery novel. There were numerous moments in the book that touched on writing concepts I had either tackled while writing my own novel, was in the process of tackling, or was thinking about how to tackle. It was kinda synchronistic, people.In closing, THE BIG DARK SKY is a spectacular read and highly recommended. There's an underlying reflection on writing throughout the novel, especially in Joanna Chase (the novelist)'s chapters, which I think would be of benefit to any would-be writers. Fingers crossed his next one is just as good!
Som förväntat! Mycket bra.
Koontz är alltid Koontz, m.a.o. väldigt bra. Mycket mycket bättre generellt än King som är för mycket "ordbajsare" - (utom i novellform där HAN kommer till sin rätt).Koontz håller högre nivå på allt - t.o.m. hans gamla tidiga alster under olika pseudonymer.
Great descriptive author and story teller.
Great book. Dean writes great stories, and his brilliant descriptive ability makes it very easy to be "in" the story.
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