Innocence: A Novel Author: Dean Koontz | Language: English | ISBN:
B00CQZ653S | Format: PDF
Innocence: A Novel Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn
Innocence, Dean Koontz blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever.
He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen.
She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found.
But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching.
Praise for Innocence “A thriller that’s both chilling and fulfilling.”
—People (four stars)“Laced with fantastical mysticism, it’s an allegory of nonviolence, acceptance and love in the face of adversity. . . . The narrative is intense, with an old-fashioned ominousness and artistically crafted descriptions. . . . An optimistic and unexpected conclusion [mirrors] his theme. Something different this way comes from Mr. Koontz’s imagination. Enjoy.”
—Kirkus Reviews “Mystery and terror, the paranormal and romance—all combine to make
Innocence a challenging and emotional experience.”
—New York Journal of Books “This novel really is something special. . . . This may just be the book Dean Koontz was born to write.”
—Thriller Books Journal“Entrancing . . . as speedy a chase-thriller as any Koontz . . . has ever constructed. Written in Koontz’ late mellifluent and reflective manner . . . [
Innocence is] fueled by deep disgust with the world’s evils [and] hope for redemption.”
—Booklist (starred review) “[An] imaginative, mystical thriller from bestseller Koontz . . . This is the most satisfying Koontz standalone in a while.”
—Publishers Weekly “Masterful storyteller Koontz delivers perhaps his most eerie and unusual tale to date. The timeline in this amazing story is compact, and readers will be swept along as they try to unravel hints and clues as to the true nature of both the protagonists and the unfolding drama. Unpredictably spine-chilling and terrifying, this is a story readers won’t soon forget.”
—RT Book Reviews “Elegant . . . Fans of Koontz’s previous series will be left hoping that Addison and Gwyneth, too, will return.”
—Library JournalFrom the Hardcover edition.- File Size: 1975 KB
- Print Length: 354 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0553808036
- Publisher: Bantam (December 10, 2013)
- Sold by: Random House LLC
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00CQZ653S
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray:
- Lending: Not Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #1
in Books > Romance > Fantasy - #3
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Suspense > Horror - #3
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Horror > United States
- #1
in Books > Romance > Fantasy - #3
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Suspense > Horror - #3
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Horror > United States
When I heard Dean mention this was his favorite of all the books he had written, I thought he might be stretching it a bit. I was wrong. This book combines elements of some of his best books like "Odd Thomas", "Fear Nothing", and "Tick Tock" into one amazing story that will completely blow you away with the ending. The plot twists he threw into one of the last chapters had me turning pages back to see where the clues had been right in my face but I had been missing them the whole time.
Addison Goodheart is an outsider who must hide his appearance from everyone lest he be brutally attacked and killed by those repulsed by his face. During a night excursion into the library he meets Gwyneth, a girl who cannot stand to be touched. Together, this couple must face the most terrifying night of their lives and possibly see the end of the world by dawn. It is a tragic love story, as Addison must stay wrapped up in a ski mask and hoodie so she can never see him no matter how he feels about her, and as they begin to grow closer there is this aching sadness as you know he can never hold her as he longs to because of her phobia. And yet, somehow, their story grows deeper by the moment.
In the end, we are taken from this tragic story into a place of hope. Everything is not tied up nicely in a bow, but the story is satisfying. Though I would love to see a sequel, I doubt Dean ever tries to write one as the story feels complete as it is and it's hard to imagine a way to continue Addison's adventures.
The only thing I really disliked about the story was the jarring way Dean would write one chapter in the present, and the next in Addison's past. It seemed like every important plot point somehow demanded a flashback to explain why it was significant.
SPOILER ALERT: Some feel that I have put a spoiler in the review, so please be aware of this.
In a world that is spinning out of control with a plague that is possibly going to end civilization as we know it we come across some humans who are so different that they frighten those who come in contact with them. Well, OK, frighten is to soft of a word, they scare to death anyone who sets their eyes on them, so much so that they turn people so violent that they attack with the intent to kill and sometimes they succeed.
In contrast to the human being there are "others" whom appear as either they are "clear" or "fog." These beings that are clear and fog seem to be from another world. They are not able to be seen by most humans, as a matter of fact there are only a few "Special" humans that can see them. Even fewer understand who they are and what their purpose is.
In the woods, away from any city a baby is born, Addison. On the occurrence of his birth he is so hideous that the mid-wife and her daughter want to kill the child immediately. But Addison's mother stops them. Even so, Addison is doomed to live a life of solitude. Anyone who sees him or gazes into his eyes is driven to want to immediately kill him.
Then eight years later a young girl, Gwyneth is born. She is not hideous, she in fact is perfect, beautiful, wondrous. But her mother dies in child birth and her father finds that there is something different about her. She is driven to a life of solitude just like Addison, but not because she is hideous.
In eighteen years the two will stumble upon each other and discover something that they didn't think would ever be possible for them, Love!
But what is interesting is that they are both born of innocence.
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