Dean Koontz. The Review.
The past and the future are equally unredeemable, and the only time of consequence is the moment. Now, where life occurs, where choices are made for reasons practical and philosophical.
- Chapter 56, page 363, Lines 14-17.
On the 12th of January, 2008 at 7:07pm, I finished reading a book that I will undoubtedly remember for the rest of my life. A book I can imagine my self re-reading on countless occasions, to take something new from it on each. It is full of metaphors that give you goose bumps, carefully selected quotes to make you think, and parallels to society to prove just how relevant it actually is.
The Taking, by Dean Koontz, is not a book that can be described in a sentence, in a paragraph, but in a singular word.
Unforgetable.
So what is it about??
Hard to explain really.
This is what the blurb has to say on the subject.
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Neil Sloan wake to find an eerily luminous downpour drenching their small Californian mountain town. As the rain continues to fall, TV pictures relay disturbing news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe.
With the evening comes a ghostly fog. Their sense of isolation is complete when first TV and radio, then the internet and phone lines go dead. Molly and Neil gather with their neighbours, senseing an awful danger approaching with the night… It’s like scary movie made real. But what is really happening? Is it science gone wrong or a technology beyond human understanding?
Or something deeper, more fundamental. Something to do with fear and purpose.
Something that won’t have a Hollywood ending.
Though, personally, that is just shy of a pitiful description of this magnificent novel, and it merely makes the book sound cliché and boring. That description does not fit this novel, and barely scratches the surface of the unexpected depth and meaning of this spectacular work of fiction.
I was surprised to find the wide range of topics covered in this, from global warming right down to basic human beliefs. Some of the propositions and subtleties in this novel directly question the fundamental structure of society and scrutinises the faults, and flaws that can make a singular personality or a mass of characters taint the human race.
Pay-Per-View pornography – to which they had not subscribed, and which therefore, they should not have been able to receive – filled the screen with an explicit scene of violent gang rape. The victim was shown to be enjoying her vicious brutalisation.
Shrill comedians telling mean jokes drew meaner laughter from braying audiences.
No crafted piece of propaganda could have mocked the pretensions of humanity more effectively than this apparently random selection of cruel entertainment.
Neil pressed the POWER button on the remote, but the TV did not switch off. He tried again, without success.
Under the control of dome taunting entity, the screen swarmed with rapidly changing scenes of violent sex and horrendous murder. Here unspooled a chilling montage of humanity in its most debased and savage condition.
“This is a lie” Neil said through half clenched teeth.
“This isn’t what we are. It isn’t all we are.”
The unseen master of the airwaves chose to disagree, and the images of primitive lust and blood hunger surged across the screen, tides of cinematic sewage.
- Chapter 8, Page 69, Lines 8-28
Not only does Koontz take a long probing stare at the state of humanity in this novel, but he also questioned some of the “concrete” aspects of civilisation. I’m truly glad that I did indeed buy this book for Six Dollars Fifty, instead of putting it down after reading the blurb.
I’m also glad that the blurb didn’t go into what was in the book as deeply as some do, otherwise, this book may not have proved to be so outstanding. I too have avoided the main subject of the book and focused merely on what i believe to be an underlying theme or extended metaphor, in the sincere hope that I can persuade at least one person to read this amazing novel, I have not expressed how truley breath taking it is.
______________________
Please read it, and If you ever do, PM me and let me know what you thought of it.
All our Knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance. All our ignorance brings us nearer to death.
- T.S Eliot.
- Chapter 56, page 363, Lines 14-17.
On the 12th of January, 2008 at 7:07pm, I finished reading a book that I will undoubtedly remember for the rest of my life. A book I can imagine my self re-reading on countless occasions, to take something new from it on each. It is full of metaphors that give you goose bumps, carefully selected quotes to make you think, and parallels to society to prove just how relevant it actually is.
The Taking, by Dean Koontz, is not a book that can be described in a sentence, in a paragraph, but in a singular word.
Unforgetable.
So what is it about??
Hard to explain really.
This is what the blurb has to say on the subject.
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Neil Sloan wake to find an eerily luminous downpour drenching their small Californian mountain town. As the rain continues to fall, TV pictures relay disturbing news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe.
With the evening comes a ghostly fog. Their sense of isolation is complete when first TV and radio, then the internet and phone lines go dead. Molly and Neil gather with their neighbours, senseing an awful danger approaching with the night… It’s like scary movie made real. But what is really happening? Is it science gone wrong or a technology beyond human understanding?
Or something deeper, more fundamental. Something to do with fear and purpose.
Something that won’t have a Hollywood ending.
Though, personally, that is just shy of a pitiful description of this magnificent novel, and it merely makes the book sound cliché and boring. That description does not fit this novel, and barely scratches the surface of the unexpected depth and meaning of this spectacular work of fiction.
I was surprised to find the wide range of topics covered in this, from global warming right down to basic human beliefs. Some of the propositions and subtleties in this novel directly question the fundamental structure of society and scrutinises the faults, and flaws that can make a singular personality or a mass of characters taint the human race.
Pay-Per-View pornography – to which they had not subscribed, and which therefore, they should not have been able to receive – filled the screen with an explicit scene of violent gang rape. The victim was shown to be enjoying her vicious brutalisation.
Shrill comedians telling mean jokes drew meaner laughter from braying audiences.
No crafted piece of propaganda could have mocked the pretensions of humanity more effectively than this apparently random selection of cruel entertainment.
Neil pressed the POWER button on the remote, but the TV did not switch off. He tried again, without success.
Under the control of dome taunting entity, the screen swarmed with rapidly changing scenes of violent sex and horrendous murder. Here unspooled a chilling montage of humanity in its most debased and savage condition.
“This is a lie” Neil said through half clenched teeth.
“This isn’t what we are. It isn’t all we are.”
The unseen master of the airwaves chose to disagree, and the images of primitive lust and blood hunger surged across the screen, tides of cinematic sewage.
- Chapter 8, Page 69, Lines 8-28
Not only does Koontz take a long probing stare at the state of humanity in this novel, but he also questioned some of the “concrete” aspects of civilisation. I’m truly glad that I did indeed buy this book for Six Dollars Fifty, instead of putting it down after reading the blurb.
I’m also glad that the blurb didn’t go into what was in the book as deeply as some do, otherwise, this book may not have proved to be so outstanding. I too have avoided the main subject of the book and focused merely on what i believe to be an underlying theme or extended metaphor, in the sincere hope that I can persuade at least one person to read this amazing novel, I have not expressed how truley breath taking it is.
______________________
Please read it, and If you ever do, PM me and let me know what you thought of it.
All our Knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance. All our ignorance brings us nearer to death.
- T.S Eliot.
T.S Eliot is mentioned in this book a lot.
Which Is why I used that quote. But I must admit, I do like him. =D
Emily D*ckinson's mentioned here too.
Skippy - If you like, I'll swap you this for Feather Boy in the mail? But Of course I'll give it back.
Walt., January 13th, 2008 at 11:58:11am
Sounds like a good book. I might read it when I get older, so I can understand it better. I'm going to send your letter soon, with Feather Boy in it, so you can borrow.
Jamie Bell., January 13th, 2008 at 10:48:24am
It sounds really good. I'll keep an eye out for it.
*points at the T.S Eliot quote* He be awesome.
BTW, you might like Emily d*ckinson's quotes.
ZootSuitRiot, January 13th, 2008 at 01:30:33am