Memories of Tomorrow (Nameless #6) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis

What strange science made Nameless who he is? What catastrophes have been erased from his memories? In the stunning conclusion of this series, the dark past comes flooding back, and Nameless must decide how much he really wants to know.

In Indiana, a murderous psycho has kidnapped his own six-year-old stepson, Jamie, and secreted him away in a subterranean cave. It’s become their bunker. For Nameless, the case is breaking down his defenses, and it may force him to face his memories.

I have to be honest and say that I was really sad to get to the end of this series. Nameless is such an interesting character, and the stories felt complete – even if they were all bite-sized. Nameless is a well-written series that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. It’s fun and quick, and that’s how it should be digested. 

While I may have been sad to get to the end of the series, I was delighted with how the 6th installment wrapped the story up. This one really gripped me from beginning to end. I needed to know what happened to each character. It had a much darker feel to it than the others, so I was really hoping something terrible wasn’t going to happen to Nameless. 

I won’t spoil it one way or the other. But, I will say that it was a fitting conclusion to the series. I’m glad I read through it. I enjoyed going through all 6 of these novellas. Highly recommend for any fans of Dean Koontz – or if you’re looking to get your feet wet with his work. 

5/5 stars

Memorable Quotes: “On waking, he knew that his destiny was henceforth to be a defender of the innocent who are ill served—or not served at all—by the current justice system, especially when their tormentors are among the empowered.”

“It’s not about the money, it’s the kindness, the way it makes the recipient feel special. Life is hard and lonely for many people. If all of us would just make one another feel special now and then—not just with money, but however we can—wouldn’t that be lovely?”

“Southern Indiana is a land of disappearing streams. They follow carved courses through fields and forests, only to drop suddenly out of sight, into a flue, down into darkness, chuckling like evil spirits homeward bound after working their wickedness in the upper world.”

“Killing even a murderer is never exhilarating. In this case no less than others, death is still death—and solemn.”

“He is not an agent of justice, for there can be little or no real justice in this broken world, where culture and politics are forever redefining the word.”

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The Mercy of Snakes (Nameless #5) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis

A series of suspicious deaths in a retirement home draws Nameless into the confidence of a terrified former resident—and into the dark heart of a shocking conspiracy. In part five of the Nameless series, it’s time to hunt.

Oakshore Park is Michigan’s most exclusive assisted-living community. Presided over by two killer angels of mercy, it’s also the go-to facility in assisted dying. For a cut, they make impatient heirs happy. Nameless must concoct a scheme just as cunning. But righteous retribution stirs disquiet in the avenger as light starts to shine on the black hole of his past. Should he welcome it or keep running?

This was the weakest novella in the Nameless series. Maybe there were too many moving parts, a lack of chapters involving Nameless, or maybe I’ve listened to too many true crime stories about “Angels of Mercy”. Either way, it was just bland to me. 

That isn’t really the vibe I was hoping for going into the final novella in the series. I was definitely left hoping #6 redeems The Mercy of Snakes and ends the series strong. 

3/5 Stars

Memorable Quote: “In a world sick with envy that leads to coveting that leads to greed that too often results in violence, it wouldn’t seem that something as small as excellent muffins could lift a man’s spirits, even during talk of murder. But that is the way of the world: sadness and delight, anger and forbearance, hatred and love—all woven together in every inch of the tapestry.”

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Red Rain (Nameless #4) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis

In a town where the corrupt are protected, a bereaved mother seeks retribution for an arsonist’s deadly crimes. Only Nameless can help ease the burden of her grief—and satisfy her rage—in part four of this thrilling series.

After a suspicious house fire, Regina Belmont lost her two children, was left disfigured, and was abandoned by her gutless husband. Brokenhearted and bullied into silence by corrupt officials, Regina’s only recourse for truth and justice is Nameless. There’s something about this case that’s breaking Nameless’s heart as well. But can he bear to remember why?

This is the second bad guy in the series who thinks he can play God. Well, the God of Fire . . . so, maybe the Devil. Either way, sometimes the most charming people can be the most heartless. But, Nameless and crew don’t buy into the act. 

They know what he’s done, and now he has to pay. This one was also pretty creative in that they had to go after more than one guy, but Nameless only had to take out one himself. 

Red Rain may have been the easiest novella in the series to read. Don’t get me wrong, this guy has done truly evil things that make you angry. But, it’s not as sickly disturbing as some of the others. 

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “’Justice is a human concept, as flawed as any. There is no reliable justice in this world and, given human nature, never can be. Politics, bigotry, envy, ignorance . . . Those forces and others redefine justice day by day, until it means something different to everyone—until it means nothing at all.’”

“’There’s hope, though not in justice. There’s hope in truth. A sea of lies can’t wash away a single grain of truth. Truth is what it is.’”

“To be fair to himself, perhaps he should accept that some fates are sewn into the fabric of time with tighter stitches than others. The possibility exists that no one, even if possessing greater powers than his, can strip the future of all hardships, threats, and tragedies. Utopias, after all, are sought mostly by great fools, though also by dangerous charlatans, and more death and pain has been brought down on humanity by the pursuit of a perfect world than by all other crime combined.”

“Humble goals and modest expectations are more likely to be fulfilled than are utopian dreams.”

“Truth. There is no one truth. Everyone has his own truth. It’s all about point of view.”

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Photographing the Dead (Nameless #2) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis

A self-styled artist is getting away with murder in Death Valley. If all goes well, so will Nameless. In part two of the Nameless series, the relentless avenger is haunted by nightmares of the past and visions of what’s to come.

Palmer Oxenwald’s hunting ground is the Mojave wasteland. His victims are random tourists and hikers. His trophies are cherished photographs of the damage he’s done. His greatest threat is Nameless. Two men with one thing in common: memories of the dead. For a psychopath like Palmer, they’re a clear rush in black and white. For Nameless, they’re visions of violence buried and erased. But for how long?

Nameless is back in this second installment to carry out another mission for the mysterious Ace. This time, they are going after a truly evil photographer. 

Just like the first novella, some of the details about the bad guy were truly horrific and just made me feel sick. That seems to be a theme with the kinds of people Nameless is sent to go after. 

The series is a fun, short read about vigilantism by a man who has no idea who he is. It may be non-believable at times, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be super realistic. If you go into it ready for an interesting journey, you’ll enjoy it. 

Plus, they have creative ways of taking care of the person they’re after. 

4/5 stars. Not perfect, but an enjoyable sequel

Memorable Quotes: “Death cannot die. Death and Death alone is immortal.”

“He is not fearful. He is never fearful. He is an avatar of Death, Death incarnate, and Death fears nothing.”

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In the Heart of the Fire (Nameless #1) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis

A bloodthirsty sheriff is terrorizing a small Texas town where justice has been buried with his victims. Until Nameless arrives—a vigilante whose past is a mystery and whose future is written in blood.

Anyone who crosses Sheriff Russell Soakes is dead, missing, or warned. One of them is a single mother trying to protect her children but bracing herself for the worst. Nameless fears the outcome. He’s seen it in his visions. Now it’s time to teach the depraved Soakes a lesson in fear. But in turning predators into prey, will Nameless unearth a few secrets of his own?

This read sure was . . . something. 

‘In the Heart of Fire’ is the first in a series of short stories about a character who is nameless and is sent on jobs to act as a vigilante of sorts. I am all about this. 

But . . .

The plot in this first story just made me feel ill. It’s about pedophilia, and some of the things the horrible people say made me want to throw up. 

Nameless is an intriguing character, and it was easy to read. I was certainly happy when I was done with this one though. I look forward to reading the rest of them and hope they are less vomit-inducing. 

4/5 Stars

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The Night Window by Dean Koontz (Jane Hawk #5)

Synopsis:

Since her sensational debut in The Silent Corner, readers have been riveted by Jane Hawk's resolute quest to take down the influential architects of an accelerating operation to control every level of society via an army of mind-altered citizens. At first, only Jane stood against the "Arcadian" conspirators, but slowly others have emerged to stand with her, even as there are troubling signs that the "adjusted" people are beginning to spin viciously out of control. Now, in the thrilling, climactic showdown that will decide America's future, Jane will require all her resources--and more--as she confronts those at the malevolent, impregnable center of power.

So we’ve come to what I can only imagine is the conclusion of the Jane Hawk series. I’m both happy and sad about this. I’m sad because Jane Hawk was one hell of a protagonist. She was a badass woman, and it was fun to read about her being pretty invincible due to her brain and instincts.

I’m happy it’s over because reading each book filled me with such a huge sense of dread hoping that nothing would happen to Jane and/or Travis. I became very attached to them over five books. I don’t think I could handle getting this deep into it only for her to not succeed.

That said (SPOILERS AHEAD)

With the help of Vikram, one of her pals from the FBI,

She DOES succeed! She is finally able to take down the horrendously evil Techno Arcandians and reunite with her son to try to live somewhat of a normal life.

The ending did seem a bit rushed and half-baked. I expected there to be more of a focus on the takedown. But, it is what it is. Their revolution was so widespread and far-reaching. They were gaining on her. But, she launched her counterstrike just in time and got to see them come crashing down.

The Jane Hawk series was a ride from start to finish. I’m glad it had a happy ending. I would have been beyond bummed out if it were any other way.

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “Art made life in a dark world tolerable, but when a declining culture arrived at critical depth, Art alone was insufficient either to restore that culture or to prevent its further descent into an abyss.”

“Life of a tapestry of tragedy and comedy, terror and fortitude, despair and joy, and it’s routinely more colorful and crazy than anything I —or anyone— could invent.”

“The highway before them was smooth and open. Historically, however, the road to every utopia was paved with blood and bones, leading not to the dreamed-of perfection of humanity and society, but to mass murder, madness, and for a while the death of hope.”

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Odd Interlude by Dean Koontz (Odd Thomas 4.5)

Synopsis

Nestled on a lonely stretch along the Pacific coast, quaint roadside outpost Harmony Corner offers everything a weary traveler needs—a cozy diner, a handy service station, a cluster of cottages . . . and the Harmony family homestead presiding over it all. But when Odd Thomas and company stop to spend the night, they discover that there’s more to this secluded haven than meets the eye—and that between life and death, there is something more frightening than either. 

Having read books 3 & 4 of the Odd Thomas series out of order, I had to call back to when I read Odd Hours upon picking this one up. It wasn’t too hard. The worst part was that Odd Hours was my least favorite book in the series so far. Because of that, I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to get into Odd Interlude.

I’m sure glad Mr. Koontz proved me very wrong.

Interlude in a shorter book and initially was released in 3 small parts. What I loved about it was it never really slowed down. It was pretty action-packed right from the beginning, and the mystery behind the town he was in was rather intriguing. Then, for the fans of Dean Koontz’s monsters, there’s a pretty epic monster that Odd Thomas has to meet up with at the end.

For being so short, it really had a little bit of everything. Odd being Odd, a great new character, a strong mystery, and a wild monster.

Odd Interlude definitely redeemed the series from Odd Hours which kind of bored me. I can’t wait to read the next one.

5/5 Stars

Memorable quotes: “This broken world, however, breaks most of us, grinding relentlessly on its metaled tracks.”

“Darkness has its charms, and even in our own hometowns, the world at night can be as enchanting as any foreign port with its exotic architectures. Between dusk and dawn, the commonplace is full of visual delights that only the moon, the stars, and richly textured shadows can provide.”

“No doubt misery, like happiness and hope, is found throughout the stars.” 

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Brother Odd by Dean Koontz (Odd Thomas #3)

Synopsis:

Loop me in, odd one.

The words, spoken in the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her. For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love, and Stormy is dead, gone forever from this world. In the haunted halls of the isolated monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an infinitely darker nature. 

Through two New York Times bestselling novels Odd Thomas has established himself as one of the most beloved and unique fictional heroes of our time. Now, wielding all the power and magic of a master storyteller at the pinnacle of his craft, Dean Koontz follows Odd into a singular new world where he hopes to make a fresh beginning—but where he will meet an adversary as old and inexorable as time itself. 

St. Bartholomew’s Abbey sits in majestic solitude amid the wild peaks of California’s high Sierra, a haven for children otherwise abandoned, and a sanctuary for those seeking insight. Odd Thomas has come here to learn to live fully again, and among the eccentric monks, their other guests, and the nuns and young students of the attached convent school, he has begun to find his way. The silent spirits of the dead who visited him in his earlier life are mercifully absent, save for the bell-ringing Brother Constantine and Odd’s steady companion, the King of Rock 'n' Roll. 

But trouble has a way of finding Odd Thomas, and it slinks back onto his path in the form of the sinister bodachs he has met previously, the black shades who herald death and disaster, and who come late one December night to hover above the abbey’s most precious charges. For Odd is about to face an enemy who eclipses any he has yet encountered, as he embarks on a journey of mystery, wonder, and sheer suspense that surpasses all that has come before.

Odd Thomas cannot seem to escape harm no matter where he goes – even a monastery in the mountains. This was maybe one of the more mysterious books in the series so far, but maybe that had more to do with the setting or the weather. Either way, it was interesting to dig into.

With the fantasy and science fiction elements aside, it was interesting how Brother Odd touched on how powerful the brain can be. It’s a mysterious computer that has more power than any of us really know. This book touched on that in its own way.

The supporting cast of Brother Odd were also interesting characters. I enjoyed reading about each of them and seeing how they played into the story. The monster creature itself was also rather intriguing as it definitely left a lot to the imagination.

I accidentally read the 4^th book before reading this one, so I was a little out of order, but I worked it out in my head.

A solid installment in the Odd Thomas series.

4/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes:

“I have less to live for than I once did, but my life still has purpose, and I struggle to find meaning in the days.”

“The only thing I know for sure is how much I do not know. Maybe there is wisdom in that recognition. Unfortunately, I have found no comfort in it.”

“When we hope, we usually hope for the wrong thing. We yearn for tomorrow and the progress that it represents. But yesterday was once tomorrow, and where was the progress in it? Or we yearn for yesterday, for what was or what might have been. But as we are yearning, the present is becoming the past, so the past is nothing but our yearning for second chances.”

“Life you can evade; death you cannot.”

“To know grief, we must be in the river of time, because grief thrives in the present and promises to be with us in the future until the end point. Only time conquers time and its burdens. There is no grief before or after time, which is all the consolation we should need.”

“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.”

“Money and beauty are defenses against the sorrows of this world, but neither can undo the past. Only time will conquer time. The way forward is the only way back to innocence and to peace.”

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The Forbidden Door (Jane Hawk #4) by Dean Koontz

Synopsis:

She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed, but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal. 

But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden . . . for now.

As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door.

If you’ve been keeping up with my reviews, you know I’ve been attached to this series. So, imagine my disappointment when I felt like this installment wasn’t necessary to the series. There were a few bits a pieces that definitely added to the series, but this book could have been cut in half, and I would have been totally fine with it.

It was slow-moving. There was not nearly enough Jane in this one. I really don’t care about getting full character arcs for characters that just end up dying – not at the hand of Jane. Maybe the first three books were just too good that getting a mediocre one made me seem worse than it was.

There was a steady building sense of dread while I read the first three. I had that sense of dread going into this one, but nothing really . . . happened. It kept building up like something was going to, and it just didn’t. Here is where I feel conflicted. I usually enjoy books more when my favorite characters make it out safe and alive. I still wanted that in this book, but I could have used some more action too.

I will say, The Forbidden Door which the title of the book references is very interesting, and I would like to hear more about how it happened all of a sudden.

On to the next one. . .

2.5/5 stars

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The Crooked Staircase by Dean Koontz (Jane Hawk #3)

Synopsis:

Jane Hawk -- who dazzled readers in The Silent Corner and The Whispering Room -- faces the fight of her life, against the threat of a lifetime in this electrifying new thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling suspense master Dean Koontz. "I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead." Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she's breathing, she'll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom--and free will--of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane's husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane's enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was. Jane's ruthless pursuers can't stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.

This was a truly creepy edition to the series and also massively heartbreaking.

I almost felt like I never knew what was actually happening while reading this book. It seemed like it was being set up for a dramatic turn, and while it did have that, it wasn’t the one I was expecting.

Then, there was the building dread around Jane’s son and the Washingtons.

I always enjoy finding out what the cryptic names of the books in this series mean. This one didn’t disappoint. It’s definitely nothing I would have guessed.

Finishing this one really makes you need to start the next one immediately.

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “When you loved enough important qualities of a person, then you loved him or her, and you had better say it while time remained.”

“There was always a moment when iron will and a determined heart could no longer compensate for the fatigue of mind and muscle.”

“The sky was a sea of suns afloat in the eternal dark that only their light relented. The nearest sun of all, which warmed the earth, was hours below the eastern horizon. When it rose, it would reveal a world of wonders, a world on which had been lavished such natural beauty of such astonishing depth and complexity that an honest heart perceived meaning in it and yearned to know. In the night as it was now and in the morning light, there were men and women making music, writing poetry and novels, researching new medicines, fighting wars against malevolent forces, doing hard and honest work, raising families, loving, caring, hoping.”

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The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz (Jane Hawk #2)

Synopsis:

"No time to delay. Do what you were born to do. Fame will be yours when you do this."

These are the words that ring in the mind of mild-mannered, beloved schoolteacher Cora Gundersun—just before she takes her own life, and many others', in a shocking act of carnage. When the disturbing contents of her secret journal are discovered, it seems certain that she must have been insane. But Jane Hawk knows better.

In the wake of her husband's inexplicable suicide—and the equally mysterious deaths of scores of other exemplary individuals—Jane picks up the trail of a secret cabal of powerful players who think themselves above the law and beyond punishment. But these ruthless people bent on hijacking America's future for their own monstrous ends never banked on a highly trained FBI agent willing to go rogue—and become the nation's most wanted fugitive—in order to derail their insidious plans to gain absolute power with a terrifying technological breakthrough.

Driven by love for her lost husband and by fear for the five-year-old son she has sent into hiding, Jane Hawk has become an unstoppable predator. Those she is hunting will have nowhere to run when her shadow falls across them.

It’s official. I’m addicted to this series. I thought it may have just been a fluke with the first book – The Silent Corner. But, nope. This one fully hooked me in as well. I had to put it out of sight and ignore it while trying to get work done or I would have just picked it back up and finished it all immediately.

This was a good follow up novel to The Silent Corner. Jane Hawk is still on the run, but she’s getting closer to the top of the mystery she seeks to solve.

There were so many new characters introduced in this book, but it was done really well I thought. As you get deeper into the book, there are just layers upon layers added to the story and it all builds up to another totally unbearable ending. But, if you read my last review, you know that the end was only unbearable because of how anxiety-provoking it is.

I find myself rooting so hard for the good guys in these two books that when any of them are in danger, I want to just physically close the book and ignore it and hope that if I don’t read any further it just means that they’re okay.

I have a lot of favorite protagonists and they all seem to be badass women, but Jane Hawk is definitely near the top of that list as well. I’m glad that I have the third book on hand so I don’t have to wait to start it. I don’t think I could handle waiting.

There’s something about the plot of these novels that is just so twisted and believably unbelievable that makes them so addicting and so hard to put down. It’s hard, in a way, to imagine a world that it outlined by Koontz in these books. But, at the same time, it’s not all that hard to imagine. It’s a whirlwind.

Also – the meaning behind The Whispering Room is absolutely wild. But, that’s all I will say.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes suspense/mystery novels.

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes: “Every human being was a mystery, each mind a maze of passages and secret rooms. No one ever really knew anyone or what they might be capable of doing.”

“The trouble with the what-if game was that once you began to play it, you couldn’t just quit whenever you wanted. From one what-if grew another.”

“Controlled paranoia was a survival mechanism. Unrelieved paranoia was a greased chute into madness.”

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