This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: 77 Shadow Street
Series: ----------
Author: Dean Koontz
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Pages: 722
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis: Spoilers

The Pendleton. Built back in the late 1800's, it was the biggest mansion of its kind to date. Throughout the years, strange things have happened to those who lived there. Murders, kidnappings, disappearances, suicides, mental breakdowns. Now the Pendleton has been turned into a bunch of luxury condos. Now the residents are starting to see some really weird things. Now one old man who has done his research knows he must get everybody out of the building if any of them want to survive the next 24hrs.

A disparate group are brought together and through the mystery of Scyenze, are swept into the future to a world that is post-human. Post-anything in fact, except for The One. The One rules All, The One Knows All, The One IS All. Among the group is revealed the creator of The One and The One sows the seeds for its own birth, thus making sure of its own survival and the destruction of humanity.

The One hower, is NO match for 2 kids, an ex-Marine, a Honky-tonk song writer, a brilliant novelist, a blind man, 2 old ladies and their cats, a Scyenzist who swears he WON'T create The One and some others. Oh yeah, and one insane murdering hitman. The group survives and puts paid to the Scyenzist and some shadowy figure kills the other Scyenzist who could do the same.

The World is Safe. For Now.

My Thoughts:

Despite the tone of my Synopsis, I rather enjoyed this. I called this a Horror/Thriller because while it had elements of Horror, they weren't supernatural. However, when creatures shove black goop down your throat and turn you into more of them, what else do you call that? It sure isn't slapstick comedy.

Having read the Frankenstein novels and the Odd Thomas series, I can see so many ideas that Koontz uses over and over. I think that would/will be a problem if I read a bunch of Koontz back to back or even with just a month of each other. I think with the spacing I have though it should be ok.

The Good Guys Win. That knocked my rating up a half star easily. It is refreshing. Obviously not everybody makes it and there is a big enough group that no particular outcome is telegraphed in terms of survival so I never felt like any particular character was safe (except for the 2 kids, especially the autistic girl). That bit of tension is nice and made the story have a bit of “snap” to it.

I have no desire to ever re-read this book but that is pretty much how I've felt about all of Koontz's books. With the amount he's turned out though, that really isn't a problem. A solid fun read that was just scary enough for me but not really scary (which is how I like my scary books).

★★★☆½ ( )

This book was ok. Not sure I would read it again tho. ( )

The characters were well thought out and the story line had just enough twists to leave you unable to guess the ending. ( )

I have read every single book Koontz has written except for the Frankenstein series and my wife has read those. I was excited that this book was longer and not about anyone named Thomas. Usually within the first few pages I sink into Koontz' familiar voice and cadence. Not so with this book. I guess Koontz was trying something new which I'm not opposed to as I haven't thought his offerings over the last few years were his best efforts. But if this is something new - I didn't enjoy it at all. I did not enjoy the rapid switching between many different characters or the lack of a clear protagonist. If you are just starting Koontz or not a crazy fan compelled to read everything he writes I would not read this one. Try Fear Nothing/Seize the Night, Twilight, Dark Rivers of the Heart, Intensity or Strangers. Really anything else by him is better than this.... ( )

First-rate thriller with a science fiction and horror plot where the stakes couldn't be higher. And it all starts out with the people in the Pendleton, a classy apartment building whose inhabitants include a range of unusual characters such as the serial killer on the third floor. And something else. Excellent plot and the usual superb writing skills draw the reader through the story effortlessly. A worthy ending, as well. Highly recommended.