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    Odd Apocalypse
    Odd Apocalypse
    Odd Apocalypse
    Audiobook10 hours

    Odd Apocalypse

    Written by Dean Koontz

    Narrated by David Aaron Baker

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Audie Award Nominee, Best Thriller/Suspense Category, 2013

    “Koontz gives [Odd Thomas] wit, good humor, a familiarity with the dark side of humanity—and moral outrage.”—USA Today

    Once presided over by a Roaring ’20s Hollywood mogul, the magnificent West Coast estate known as Roseland now harbors a reclusive billionaire financier and his faithful servants—and their guests: Odd Thomas, the young fry cook who sees the dead and tries to help them, and Annamaria, his inscrutably charming traveling companion. Fresh from a harrowing clash with lethal adversaries, they welcome their host’s hospitality. But Odd’s extraordinary eye for the uncanny detects disturbing secrets that could make Roseland more hell than haven.

    Soon enough the house serves up a taste of its terrors, as Odd begins to unravel the darkest mystery of his curious career. What consequences await those who confront evil at its most profound? Odd only knows.

    “Odd Thomas is the greatest character Dean Koontz has ever created. He’s funny, humble, immensely likable, courageous, and just a joy to read about.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

    “[Odd Thomas is] one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in current fiction.”—The Virginian-Pilot

    “Supernatural thrills with a side of laughs.”—The Denver Post

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJul 31, 2012
    ISBN9781455832842
    Odd Apocalypse
    Author

    Dean Koontz

    Dean Koontz is the author of more than a dozen New York Times No. 1 bestsellers. His books have sold over 450 million copies worldwide, and his work is published in 38 languages. He was born and raised in Pennsylvania and lives with his wife Gerda and their dog Anna in southern California.

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    Reviews for Odd Apocalypse

    4/5

    522 ratings35 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Thoroughly enjoyed this story of Odd Thomas. As with the others, it is filled with the paranormal that you would expect.
    • 3/5
      3.5 Stars.Read it because I'm an Odd Thomas fan. Was entertaining, but without Stormy it's just not the same.The time traveling/immortality idea was interesting and creatively executed, but not exactly my thing.Too much science...
    • 5/5
      Another great. I really like this series! (All his books are great!)
    • 3/5
      There are some aspects of Odd Apocalypse that I really love, namely the humor, and others which bother me in a way I can't quite put into words. Odd is still a character who I deeply enjoy but the settings he finds himself in are becoming more bizarre than I feel is necessary. While this book is fairly quick-paced and with no shortage of things to ponder, it still lacks something — something I can't put my finger on. This is a really good standalone book, but I think one of the problems I have is that this story feels out of place to me; it does not quote flow with the overall story and I feel like it has overreached in some way.

      So, while part of me really enjoyed the eccentric characters and the crazy plot, at the end of it I really just feel kind of "meh" about the whole thing.
    • 2/5
      This was very hard for me to rate, 2.5 is probably better. I love the way Koontz writes and uses language, but this just had too much stuff in it. It was like he used a random generator to develop the plot. I think it went something like this: Odd walks into the barn. What should he find? Press the button on the randomness generator. Answer is....mutant pigs. And yet I will probably finish the series....
    • 2/5
      This book was a little hard to follow--don't know why, it just didn't gel in my mind. The writing was good and colorful and Odd Thomas is a fine character with fun experiences. The weirdos just did not connect. I think that the book might be part Steven King and part time traveler. Oh well, maybe next time, Odd Thomas.
    • 3/5
      Odd Apocalypse is the fifth book in the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz and follows directly on from Odd Interlude.Odd and his pregnant companion Annamaria, are staying at Roseland Estate by invitation of the billionaire owner. Staying in the guest tower Odd gets the feeling that something isn't right and soon discovers a boy who needs his help.With less horror and more science fiction, Odd Apocalypse is a good story, but I can't help but feel (as Odd does) the inevitable pull to the end of the series; and possibly Odd's life.My favourite quote from the book which demonstrates the Koontz style and sense of humour is an excerpt as follows:"The chef was intent upon adding to a pile of eyes on the cutting board beside the sink, where he was blinding several pounds of potatoes before peeling them."With the final book in the series - Saint Odd - due out in December 2014, I've been making good progress through the series this year. To be honest though, I would only recommend reading Odd Apocalypse if you've been following the series. It would be unsatisfying to read it in isolation.
    • 3/5
      I am quite in love with the character of Odd Thomas, but I wish that Koontz would use him more gently. At every turn we find Odd Thomas up against the most horrible, inhuman, dastardly villains imaginable, it's all end-the-world-unless-we-save it stuff.

      Couldn't he, just once, go on a picnic? How come Stormy had to get killed off in the first volume?

      As dissatisfying as most of the Odd Thomas are, I still read them. Like the elderly woman visiting a Catskill resort that Woody Allen tells of -- she complains that the food's no good, and such small portions! That's my problem with this series in a nutshell.
    • 4/5
      I NEVER like books with ghosts and strange pig-like ghouls attacking... but I LOVE ODD THOMAS. He's a great character, even if he's just a fry cook on a mission. Can't wait for the next one!
    • 4/5
      Always a joy to read Koontz books. Full of surprises and insight into humanity at its best and worst. Go Odd! I fall into his stories and feel a part of them. King of suspense!
    • 3/5


      Oddie is truly one of my all-time fave characters. Enjoyed the Lost-like allusion to time/space hiccup very much. Spent first 15 chaps feeling as though I was in Dean Koontz's head, as opposed to the protagonist's POV. Then again, what writer wouldn't want to spend time in Koontz's "hideaway?" Recommended for any Odd Thomas fan.
    • 4/5
      I was looking forward to another book in the Odd series, and I wasn't disappointed. This book captures all the wonder of the Mystery Train and the lovable, unflappable Odd Thomas himself, a stalwart character of self-sacrificing "rightness" in the face of some pretty nasty protagonists. He's just a fry cook with enough magnetism to draw the strangest of stories that make me want more.

      Note: This ain't a book for kids. There's a dark side of humanity shown here that their tender minds should be exposed to until they're jaded adults.
    • 3/5
      This series started out odd and just got odder. I really liked the others in the series but this one just didn't do it for me. Three stars because I liked it for what it was and who wrote it.
    • 3/5
      Typical Koontz and Odd Thomas fare. Nothing spectacular. Too many "clever" asides by Odd (one of the reasons I could never finish the Frankenstein series was the awful light-hearted chatter between the two heros). Caricaturish bad guys. I am not sure why I keep reading his books, except I get hooked and want to find out how the hero of the plot gets out of trouble. That plus the fact I love Koontz's gift for assembling words into word pictures.
    • 3/5
      Although I've enjoyed this series, this book didn't appeal as much. There were a couple too many unlikely, extremely timely rescues.
      Annamaria, Odd's very mysterious companion, was only there as a way of introducing Odd into a place that would otherwise have been totally inaccessible.
      Roselands, an estate that is inhabited by very weird people and dominated by the master of the house, is examined bit by bit and its secrets revealed to a still naive, innocent Odd.
    • 3/5
      Odd’s new friend Annamaria has used her unusual charm to convince the current and reclusive owner of Roseland to allow them an extended stay in the guest-house of his estate. Despite its name there is nary a rose to be found, but there are numerous goings on that can only be described as thorny. Of course with Odd’s ability to see ghosts, the action in this book begins with a ghostly horse and rider. But that is only the tip of the iceberg … throw in some unusual beings, some suspicious architecture, strange inhabitants with even stranger habits, a little science and a bit of history and you have a really good Odd Thomas Book.

      Personally, I have found Mr. Koontz (one of my long time favourite authors) to be a bit “hit and miss” lately (I really hated 77 Shadow Street) so I was a little apprehensive about picking up the Odd Thomas instalment. I enjoy Odd because he is quirky and, well, odd. As I started reading I could feel myself beginning to cringe as I turned each page because it seemed Odd’s self-deprecating wit and sarcasm had been lost. But I didn’t give up and sure enough, in a perilous scene Odd did a very Odd-like thing and with that I chuckled and we were off to the races. Mr. Koontz had found Odd’s voice again. A definite “should-read” for Odd Thomas fans.
    • 3/5
      I love Odd. And I really wanted to love this book. I still liked his character, except maybe he had a little too much righteous indignation for my tastes in this book. And the story, while imaginative, was confusing.
    • 3/5
      How apt. I finished Odd Apocalypse on the day the world was supposed to end. I'm glad we didn't all suffer some horrible fate though, because if this book had been the last piece of literature I'd read, I'd have been pissed.

      This book... what can I say. Almost nothing. Unfortunately all the stuff I disliked, if mentioned, would be spoilers. Sigh... Still, I have to say something.

      This one is only slightly better than Brother Odd. I had a really hard time finishing this one. There are no likable characters, no fun interactions, in fact the one new character I did kind of like disappears halfway through the book never to be mentioned again.

      Annamarie (Annamaria, whichever, as I can't be bothered to even remember her name) is barely in this one, so that was a big plus. I can't stand her character. Loathe her, actually. There is absolutely no reason for her vagueness. She's not mysterious. She's frakkin' annoying. Now, if we found out the meanings to her riddles at the end of every book, sure, I could see them serving a purpose, but we don't. Sorry if you consider that a spoiler.

      I loved Odd Interlude #1, 2 and 3. There was a freshness and urgency to Odd's side quest. I'm pretty sure Dean Koontz doesn't read these reviews, but I would ask him to stop putting Odd in situations where he has to meander about for a hundred pages before getting back to the action.

      As with Brother Odd, when the action does strike in Odd Apocalypse, it's banal and short. I read another review of this book where the reviewer said he though Dean was running out of ideas. I disagree, but only slightly. I believe that Mr. Koontz has a notebook full of ideas for stories and he is simply delving into it, adding Odd Thomas as the main character and pressing forward.

      Oh, and the second half of the book is a lecture on Nikola Tesla. That's not a spoiler. That's just depressingly boring, given that I knew about everything mentioned. If you don't know who Tesla is, look him up, as his life was fascinating, but it doesn't work here because Odd takes on the role of Professor Thomas, and Professor Thomas drones on and on excessively. Professor Thomas literally sits down at a computer and researches Tesla. I felt as if I were reading a person's account of a wikipedia page. Sorry, Professor Thomas, I fell asleep in class. Twice. This book was better than a pack of Quaaludes down with a gallon of Nyquil.

      I am still looking forward to Deeply Odd (Coming in March 2013) because, so far, I have liked more books in the series than I have not.

      I give Odd Apocalypse three stars because, while it is boring, it's still better than Brother Odd, which I gave two stars simply for the fact that I was able to finish it.

      Until next time,

      E.
    • 2/5
      This was one of those books where I kept turning the pages not because it was a great page-turner, but because it always verged on the point of being great, but never quite achieved it. It was the same from beginning to end. Very little was explained, and none of the things I needed explained were explained. It was unsatisfactory in that respect. The first three Odd Thomas books were wonderful. This second trilogy is frustrating.
    • 5/5
      This is the fifth in the Odd Thomas series. Koontz hadn’t intended on continuing the series, but readers demanded more. The result was well worth it.Odd arrives at a reclusive estate, Roseland, with a character from the last novel: a very pregnant and prescient Annamaria, who was drawn there by undisclosed forces to confront an unholy terror. But Annamaria is absent through much of the novel, having served as the impetus for their arrival at Roseland and plays a small part in the dramatic, time shattering conclusion.The owner of the estate and his erstwhile staff, hide a dark secret built around a creation of Nikola Tesla, whom the owner of the estate, Noah Wolflaw, knew personally when he was a Hollywood movie star in the 30s. It is a tale of how immense wealth and the power that comes with it, coupled with an advanced technology unknown to the world, descends into depravity and fear of discovery.This is a tight, well written and wholly engaging tale of horror and psychic intervention and a fitting sequel to the other four novels in the series.I felt the only drawback was in the opening pages where Koontz explains a bit about Odd instead of weaving these particulars into the novel, allowing the reader to discover this rather than having it handed to him.Koontz has a manner of writing that mirrors many of the greats while still retaining an air of uniqueness that makes his writing sheer pleasure. I think the quality of his products easily surpasses that of the extremely popular James Patterson.If you are a fan of psychic horror, than the Odd Thomas series is just right for you.
    • 5/5
      I had an Odd Thomas marathon this weekend and read both this title and Deeply Odd in the course of two days. I have great affection for "Oddie" and love his unique voice, and Koontz's willingness to address spiritual issues. This one was a bit of a departure because some of the usual weird events were caused by science instead of the supernatural, but there was enough good versus evil and discussion of morality, mortality, and the afterlife to keep it in tune with the rest of the series. Loved it!
    • 1/5
      What the heck was that?Never has a book made me feel so stupid. I felt like the entire thing went over my head. I'm an avid reader and I consider myself above average intelligence and I could not follow this thing for the life of me.My issue is I went purely off the title. I adore apocalypse scenarios, and I thought reading about an "Odd Apocalypse" would be right up my alley. WRONG!First of all, Odd is the of the lead character. His name is Odd Thomas. I think he's a twenty-something guy who can see and talk to the dead. I don't know, and I don't care. He's insufferable and pretentious. This is a novel where farts are cliffhangers to chapter ends and swear words have been removed in lieu of telling the reader to "imagine the worst kind of swear word" or "[expletive deleted]".I just have no real idea what happened. Scary house, Odd is there with some pregnant woman who we're told repeatedly is plain as plain could be. She's so plain, and so not pretty, yet she manages to get people to do things for her which is a complete mystery to the men in the novel. They ruminate repeatedly, every time they speak of her, that "she is SO PLAIN! How does she get me to do these things?". So if she was attractive you'd have no problems? I found it hard not to be offended by it. They are so shocked that they want to do help this plain, nothing of a woman.I don't know how it ended, something happened and Odd wound up in a capsule that he refers to as an egg. Ugh, it's horrendous and stupid and I will never read this author again. Avoid!
    • 4/5
      I love Odd Thomas and this was a good story from another season of his life. I deducted 1 star because the beginning was extra long-winded, even for a Dean Koontz book, and confusing and slow. The 2nd half of the book really picked up the pace though and I became enthralled. I hope some day we get to find out Annamarie's story.
    • 3/5
      There are some aspects of Odd Apocalypse that I really love, namely the humor, and others which bother me in a way I can't quite put into words. Odd is still a character who I deeply enjoy but the settings he finds himself in are becoming more bizarre than I feel is necessary. While this book is fairly quick-paced and with no shortage of things to ponder, it still lacks something — something I can't put my finger on. This is a really good standalone book, but I think one of the problems I have is that this story feels out of place to me; it does not quote flow with the overall story and I feel like it has overreached in some way.

      So, while part of me really enjoyed the eccentric characters and the crazy plot, at the end of it I really just feel kind of "meh" about the whole thing.
    • 4/5
      This book was similar to the last one, in terms of how Koontz has let loose with any pretense of reality from the series. I think I enjoyed reading this one more, though. In trying to determine why that was, the only thing I can come up with is either I'm more "accustomed" to the lack of realism after the shock of the changes in the previous title, or else in making those changes his writing slipped a little and now he has found his pace again in this new world of Odd's. In any case, I did like it, but not nearly so much as the first three, and I'm not in any rush to go find the next one that my library does not have.
    • 5/5
      I was undecided between 4 and 5 stars on this one. I was going to take off a star for inconclusive ending and a few minor things that are beginning to bug me about Dean Koontz, but then I'd have to add it back for a very suspenseful plot and memorable characters. So... back to 5 stars. Unlike most people, I liked the previous installment a lot, and this one continues kind of in the same vein. Odd is once again a darker character, and he uses guns in a way I haven't expected from him. Admittedly, spending time in Odd's head, we know he's not entirely comfortable with these new character developments. The ending gets surprisingly tear-jerkey, and considering the character's history, I found this turn welcome rather than manipulative. This is a book sure to invite discussion and more speculation as to what's to come.
    • 4/5
      A good entry, but Odd's wandering doesn't have a direction. He is picking up a family of strays that could prove to be interesting.
    • 3/5
      Like Harry Potter, the Odd books are getting darker and darker AND like Stephen King, the books are starting to become more sci-fi/fantasy. I enjoyed Oddy, but I don't like this turn that Koontz is making in the books. It's just too out there!
    • 4/5
      as a big fan of Odd Thomas i felt i got in over my head with the sci-fi parts of this novel I found it confusing at parts. still a fan and still wondering who annamaria is.
    • 3/5
      Strange entry in the Odd Thomas series from Dean Koontz. He combines time travel and ghosts and psychics and strange, apocalyptic bloodthirsty creatures from the future. An interesting read, but I'm still not sure I understood it all.