Odd Thomas

Dean R. Koontz

His name is Odd Thomas. He lives in Pico Mundo, a small town in the desert region of southeast California. He is a morning grill cook at the diner. His parents live in the same town but have emotionally abandoned him. Fortunately he has Stormy Llewellyn. She has been his friend and love for a number of years now. She is the only person who knows his secrets, including the biggest one. Odd has a sixth sense - he sees dead people - or at least their ghosts.

Odd has two other friends who know about his unusual ability. One is a famous author, Little Ozzie Boone, and the other is Police Chief Porter. Chief Porter is in a position where Odd can help with potential murders yet keep Odd's secret. On the morning of August 14th, a girl leads Odd to her murderer. But later in the day Odd sees a man who frightens. The man is being followed by evil spirits who gather when there is going to be a death. There are so many Odd is certain that there will be multiple deaths.

Odd visists the man's home to find a shrine to mass murderers. And the calendar is missing August 15th. Something big is going to happen the next day, Odd is sure. Chief Porter, Little Ozzie, and Stormy all believe him. Now they just have to figure out what, when, where, how, and who. Odd tells the story of what happens on those fateful days.

This is an excellent first person narrative novel. Odd Thomas is an immediately likeable character who has had things hard in his life even without his extra sense. Seeing ghosts is one added problem in his life. With them he can at times make a difference. He can't change his past. Instead he has a future with Stormy that he can build upon. She isn't going to let a thing like ghosts bother them.

I don't know whether Dean Koontz wrote this book before the movie The Sixth Sense, although it was published a few years after the movie was released. They deal with a similar theme, but Odd's goes further. At times he can see spirits before someone dies and has a chance to change things. Koontz keeps an even tone for Odd's narrative, at times leaning towards poignant, at other towards frightening. But Odd keeps reminding the reader that Little Ozzie told him to keep the narrative light as he talks about an event that turns a nice little town into a catastrophe that becomes national news. Koontz hits just the right tone for Odd Thomas in this narrative.

This is a good suspense novel that has chills that are not overwhelming. Odd is almost, but not quite, apologetic as he draws nearer to the event. It is no wonder Koontz has written a couple more novels featuring Odd. I want to visit his world again.

Odd Thomas
Forever Odd
Brother Odd
Odd Hours
Odd Apocalypse

Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz