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El acoso
Dean R. Koontz se ha convertido en uno de los más destacados autores de terror y de suspense del mundo. En El acoso nos narra la angustiosa historia de un peligroso psicópata que persigue a dos personas que se trasladan por carretera de Filadelfia a San Francisco. Alex y Colin van en busca de Courtney, esposa del primero y hermana del segundo. George, el psicópata, urde un plan terroríficopara eliminar a Alex y a Colin, al tiempo que pretende apoderarse de Courtney. El clímax y la tensión aumentan en cada página, hasta llegar al terrible desenlace.
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
200 people are currently reading
8229 people want to read
About the author
Dean Koontz
906 books39.6k followersAcknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
April 2, 2020
A quick, eerie and suspenseful read
January 4, 2023
Shattered is my first Dean Koontz novel, and was published in 1973, suspiciously close to Steven Spielberg's 1971 film Duel, which has a similar premise. In this story, Alex Doyle lives in Philadelphia (if I remember correctly) and recently married his new wife Courtney. They bought a new house across the country in San Francisco, and Courtney flew ahead to the new house so she could deal with things like movers, getting carpeting installed, buying and having furniture delivered to the new house, etc. For a somewhat flimsy reason that I can't recall, Alex and Courtney's eleven-year-old brother Colin were left behind in Philly, and will instead drive across the country to the new house a few days after Courtney flies there.
Right after Alex and Colin set out in Alex's Thunderbird, they notice a moving van behind them on the otherwise empty streets, and Colin jokes that they're being followed by an FBI agent who has mistaken them for someone else. As the drive goes on, however, and they pass through more states, the van is still behind them, and they eventually figure out this isn't just one of Colin's games and is in fact a real threat. The man in the van eventually takes things to the next level, and the story becomes a race for survival as Alex and Colin try to outrun the madman and get to San Francisco alive.
There were some things I liked about this book. I really liked the father-son relationship that Koontz develops between Alex and Colin, and they're both pretty good characters, along with George Leland, the madman. The ending of the book is also pretty great; I thought it was better than the entire rest of the book combined, though aside from minor details it's a very predictable ending. There's only one way this story could have ended, basically. I also like the adventurous setting of a cross country trip, staying in hotels, getting to see America, etc.
Unfortunately, there was far more that I didn't like about this book.
It takes forever to get going. Alex doesn't accept that the van is really following them until page sixty-eight, and the book is only two hundred and fifteen pages long. A decent amount of its pages are blanks between chapters as well, or pages with just the chapter number on them, so it's really not even that long; this book is really under two hundred pages, in terms of actual content. So the real cat-and-mouse aspect of the chase the entire story is based around doesn't start until about a third of the way into the book.
Though I like the cross country setting, a lot of the book is also comprised of boring scenes where Alex and Colin are just driving and talking, with things like the flatness of the landscape and the fields on both sides of the road mentioned repeatedly. Though these scenes did somewhat serve as character development and helped to build the relationship between Alex and Colin, I couldn't help thinking that some of them could have been cut out or at least shortened, and maybe as a result that the story should have been done as a novella instead of a full-length novel.
Koontz also bizarrely focuses on certain things and repeatedly mentions them, like descriptions of the air: The night air was chilly, he breathed in the fresh spring air, he opened the car door to let the stale air out, he put his hand over the car vent and felt the chill air-conditioned air. Things like that. And the constant focus on Colin and how he hates his seatbelt, doesn't want to wear it, and is always trying to find lame excuses to unbuckle it. These things became annoying as the story went on.
The book is generally really overwritten, despite its short length. For example, Koontz spends 2-3 entire pages, spread across two or three small chapters halfway through the book, describing a massive rainstorm while Alex and Colin are at the hotel, where he must have described twenty or thirty surfaces the rain was beating down on, running down, running along, pooling on, etc. Flagstones, the hotel courtyard, the hotel swimming pool, the downspouts, the rain gutters in the street, etc.
Another example of this is a series of scenes slightly (but not much) later in the book, where Alex is looking around the hotel premises for the killer and checks for him in two different rooms, a room of vending machines and a hotel maintenance and supply room. For the vending machine room, Koontz describes all twelve vending machines in the room over an entire page: what they dispense, what they look like, what's painted on them, how many flavours of soda pop they have, etc.
And for the maintenance room, he spends another page tediously listing off every single item in the room: tools, lawn mowers, drums of cleaning chemical compounds, etc. And these aren't the only examples; similar scenes occur again later on in the book as well. It's a completely unnecessary and exhaustive level of surface level detail that does nothing to enhance the reader's "experience" of the setting in a deeper and more meaningful way. It's like a sci-fi author trying to world-build by just blandly listing off the thirty different types of grass that grow on an alien world. It's clumsy, tedious, and superficial, and it really doesn't serve much of a purpose other than to pad the book's word count, in my opinion.
And the logic and reasons for them not calling 911 became ridiculous and it became more and more obvious as time went on that they really only weren't doing it to keep the story going. At one point Alex is confronted by the killer at a hotel he and the boy Colin are staying at, and Alex sees the killer up close and later even describes him to Colin. The killer viciously tries to kill Alex during their confrontation and injures him, though he manages to escape. When he gets back to Colin in their hotel room, Alex decides they'll spend the rest of the night in the hotel! Lol! And they don't even call the police, despite Alex now having a physical description of the killer that they could give to the police!
Its ridiculous, and completely unrealistic. If someone tried to kill me with an ax at a hotel and injured me, and I managed to escape, and the killer was still out there, AND HE KNEW WHAT ROOM I WAS STAYING IN (which the killer in this book does), there is no way in hell I would be staying the rest of the night there. Are you kidding me? I would have called the police the second I got back to the room, waited for them to arrive, given them the killer's description, and then taken Colin and gotten the hell out of there. I think that's what anyone would have done, and the fact that the complete opposite happened in this story is absurd.
The book also didn't have a lot of suspense, which you would expect in heavy doses, given Koontz' reputation as "the master of suspense". Alex and Colin both constantly downplay the seriousness of the killer, even after he tried to kill and injured Alex, and this took a lot of the suspense out of the story, making the whole thing seem ridiculous and making the killer seem clumsy and buffoonish. I mean, how can Colin say everything's going to be fine and that he's worrying "less and less" about the killer? He just tried to kill Alex only a few short hours before, and nearly succeeded. Alex barely escaped with his life. I mean, am I missing something here? This child should be literally shaking himself apart from sheer terror, but he's not worried about a thing. WTF? It just didn't make sense, and it totally killed any suspense the story would have otherwise had.
In the end, the only things shattered here are the high expectations I had for this book. It's not very suspenseful, which is a hard requirement for a story like this, the killer is clumsy and oafish when he should be scary and formidable, and the logic throughout the story is completely absurd. It's unrealistic and boring, and as a result is ultimately disappointing. Some good characters, an interesting setting, and a great (though predictable/inevitable) ending help this one avoid a worse star rating, but I feel like there must be far better Koontz novels out there. He's clearly a skilled writer, and I think if he could increase the suspense and produce a more believable story than he did here, he'd be an author I really enjoy.
On to the next book of his that I recently bought: Demon Seed!
CAWPILE rating:
Characters: 8.0
Atmosphere / Setting: 7.5
Writing Style: 6.5
Plot: 6.5
Intrigue: 7.0
Logic / Relationships: 5.5
Enjoyment: 6.5
= 47.5 total
÷ 7 categories = 6.78 out of 10
= 3 stars
Right after Alex and Colin set out in Alex's Thunderbird, they notice a moving van behind them on the otherwise empty streets, and Colin jokes that they're being followed by an FBI agent who has mistaken them for someone else. As the drive goes on, however, and they pass through more states, the van is still behind them, and they eventually figure out this isn't just one of Colin's games and is in fact a real threat. The man in the van eventually takes things to the next level, and the story becomes a race for survival as Alex and Colin try to outrun the madman and get to San Francisco alive.
There were some things I liked about this book. I really liked the father-son relationship that Koontz develops between Alex and Colin, and they're both pretty good characters, along with George Leland, the madman. The ending of the book is also pretty great; I thought it was better than the entire rest of the book combined, though aside from minor details it's a very predictable ending. There's only one way this story could have ended, basically. I also like the adventurous setting of a cross country trip, staying in hotels, getting to see America, etc.
Unfortunately, there was far more that I didn't like about this book.
It takes forever to get going. Alex doesn't accept that the van is really following them until page sixty-eight, and the book is only two hundred and fifteen pages long. A decent amount of its pages are blanks between chapters as well, or pages with just the chapter number on them, so it's really not even that long; this book is really under two hundred pages, in terms of actual content. So the real cat-and-mouse aspect of the chase the entire story is based around doesn't start until about a third of the way into the book.
Though I like the cross country setting, a lot of the book is also comprised of boring scenes where Alex and Colin are just driving and talking, with things like the flatness of the landscape and the fields on both sides of the road mentioned repeatedly. Though these scenes did somewhat serve as character development and helped to build the relationship between Alex and Colin, I couldn't help thinking that some of them could have been cut out or at least shortened, and maybe as a result that the story should have been done as a novella instead of a full-length novel.
Koontz also bizarrely focuses on certain things and repeatedly mentions them, like descriptions of the air: The night air was chilly, he breathed in the fresh spring air, he opened the car door to let the stale air out, he put his hand over the car vent and felt the chill air-conditioned air. Things like that. And the constant focus on Colin and how he hates his seatbelt, doesn't want to wear it, and is always trying to find lame excuses to unbuckle it. These things became annoying as the story went on.
The book is generally really overwritten, despite its short length. For example, Koontz spends 2-3 entire pages, spread across two or three small chapters halfway through the book, describing a massive rainstorm while Alex and Colin are at the hotel, where he must have described twenty or thirty surfaces the rain was beating down on, running down, running along, pooling on, etc. Flagstones, the hotel courtyard, the hotel swimming pool, the downspouts, the rain gutters in the street, etc.
Another example of this is a series of scenes slightly (but not much) later in the book, where Alex is looking around the hotel premises for the killer and checks for him in two different rooms, a room of vending machines and a hotel maintenance and supply room. For the vending machine room, Koontz describes all twelve vending machines in the room over an entire page: what they dispense, what they look like, what's painted on them, how many flavours of soda pop they have, etc.
And for the maintenance room, he spends another page tediously listing off every single item in the room: tools, lawn mowers, drums of cleaning chemical compounds, etc. And these aren't the only examples; similar scenes occur again later on in the book as well. It's a completely unnecessary and exhaustive level of surface level detail that does nothing to enhance the reader's "experience" of the setting in a deeper and more meaningful way. It's like a sci-fi author trying to world-build by just blandly listing off the thirty different types of grass that grow on an alien world. It's clumsy, tedious, and superficial, and it really doesn't serve much of a purpose other than to pad the book's word count, in my opinion.
And the logic and reasons for them not calling 911 became ridiculous and it became more and more obvious as time went on that they really only weren't doing it to keep the story going. At one point Alex is confronted by the killer at a hotel he and the boy Colin are staying at, and Alex sees the killer up close and later even describes him to Colin. The killer viciously tries to kill Alex during their confrontation and injures him, though he manages to escape. When he gets back to Colin in their hotel room, Alex decides they'll spend the rest of the night in the hotel! Lol! And they don't even call the police, despite Alex now having a physical description of the killer that they could give to the police!
Its ridiculous, and completely unrealistic. If someone tried to kill me with an ax at a hotel and injured me, and I managed to escape, and the killer was still out there, AND HE KNEW WHAT ROOM I WAS STAYING IN (which the killer in this book does), there is no way in hell I would be staying the rest of the night there. Are you kidding me? I would have called the police the second I got back to the room, waited for them to arrive, given them the killer's description, and then taken Colin and gotten the hell out of there. I think that's what anyone would have done, and the fact that the complete opposite happened in this story is absurd.
The book also didn't have a lot of suspense, which you would expect in heavy doses, given Koontz' reputation as "the master of suspense". Alex and Colin both constantly downplay the seriousness of the killer, even after he tried to kill and injured Alex, and this took a lot of the suspense out of the story, making the whole thing seem ridiculous and making the killer seem clumsy and buffoonish. I mean, how can Colin say everything's going to be fine and that he's worrying "less and less" about the killer? He just tried to kill Alex only a few short hours before, and nearly succeeded. Alex barely escaped with his life. I mean, am I missing something here? This child should be literally shaking himself apart from sheer terror, but he's not worried about a thing. WTF? It just didn't make sense, and it totally killed any suspense the story would have otherwise had.
In the end, the only things shattered here are the high expectations I had for this book. It's not very suspenseful, which is a hard requirement for a story like this, the killer is clumsy and oafish when he should be scary and formidable, and the logic throughout the story is completely absurd. It's unrealistic and boring, and as a result is ultimately disappointing. Some good characters, an interesting setting, and a great (though predictable/inevitable) ending help this one avoid a worse star rating, but I feel like there must be far better Koontz novels out there. He's clearly a skilled writer, and I think if he could increase the suspense and produce a more believable story than he did here, he'd be an author I really enjoy.
On to the next book of his that I recently bought: Demon Seed!
CAWPILE rating:
Characters: 8.0
Atmosphere / Setting: 7.5
Writing Style: 6.5
Plot: 6.5
Intrigue: 7.0
Logic / Relationships: 5.5
Enjoyment: 6.5
= 47.5 total
÷ 7 categories = 6.78 out of 10
= 3 stars
August 25, 2024
This is definitely an early Dean Koontz thriller read in one sitting the first time I borrowed it from the library when I was ten or eleven years old. I remember my little brother pestering me to play with him that Saturday, and I told him I was busy. Since he was one year younger than me, he noticed how swept away I had been and borrowed it when I was done. He handed it back to me the very next day having finished it himself.
Shattered is a quick paced, amazingly short, Koontz, horror, thriller, stalker-slasher novel. The story basically involves a road trip from Philadelphia to California. Alex Doyle married Courtney who is the big sister, and guardian of Colin. Courtney flew to California in order to prepare the house that they are moving into, so she is really ancillary, but for one little thing. Her ex-boyfriend has decided to pursue her husband and brother to kill them on the road.
The man and boy are bonding throughout the character-study, when the stalker shows up. There are a few moments that are like the horror movies "Duel" and "Joy Ride", but those are too fleeting, if you ask me. The road trip could have had more instances of stalking and slashing, but like I said earlier, this is a quick-paced novel light on the meandering.
I really enjoyed the story, back then and even more now, but I still would have preferred more. I almost always do. I really believe that this is one of the books that Koontz built his thriller book reputation on. You don't want to miss this one. Available on YouTube as a free audio book.
Shattered is a quick paced, amazingly short, Koontz, horror, thriller, stalker-slasher novel. The story basically involves a road trip from Philadelphia to California. Alex Doyle married Courtney who is the big sister, and guardian of Colin. Courtney flew to California in order to prepare the house that they are moving into, so she is really ancillary, but for one little thing. Her ex-boyfriend has decided to pursue her husband and brother to kill them on the road.
The man and boy are bonding throughout the character-study, when the stalker shows up. There are a few moments that are like the horror movies "Duel" and "Joy Ride", but those are too fleeting, if you ask me. The road trip could have had more instances of stalking and slashing, but like I said earlier, this is a quick-paced novel light on the meandering.
I really enjoyed the story, back then and even more now, but I still would have preferred more. I almost always do. I really believe that this is one of the books that Koontz built his thriller book reputation on. You don't want to miss this one. Available on YouTube as a free audio book.
December 4, 2020
August 2018 group read
Would the problem not occurred if the entire Doyle family - Cortney(wife), Alex(dad) & Colin(11 - Cortney's brother) travelled together in Alex's Thunderbird to San Francisco & avoid the problem with the Chevolet van tracking them?
-or- would George Leland just be there anyway?
September 2014 read
Courtney (wife) was already in San Francisco. Alex(husband) & Colin(Courtney's young brother) travels in his Thunderbird from Philadelphia to San Francisco to bond closer.
Colin sees a Chevrolet Van (George Lehand) following them. After Colin seeing George with an axe, fear effects Alex in the cross-country chase too & he buys a gun in Carson City.
George was a killer of a State Trooper in his travels. But when they meet in the end... Was his purpose to kill Alex & get Courtney's love back? Find & punish Countney for her betrayal of "love" to him?
The end of this Dean Koontz book has unexpected "love" scenes unusual in his books, he is my favorite author.
Would the problem not occurred if the entire Doyle family - Cortney(wife), Alex(dad) & Colin(11 - Cortney's brother) travelled together in Alex's Thunderbird to San Francisco & avoid the problem with the Chevolet van tracking them?
-or- would George Leland just be there anyway?
September 2014 read
Courtney (wife) was already in San Francisco. Alex(husband) & Colin(Courtney's young brother) travels in his Thunderbird from Philadelphia to San Francisco to bond closer.
Colin sees a Chevrolet Van (George Lehand) following them. After Colin seeing George with an axe, fear effects Alex in the cross-country chase too & he buys a gun in Carson City.
George was a killer of a State Trooper in his travels. But when they meet in the end... Was his purpose to kill Alex & get Courtney's love back? Find & punish Countney for her betrayal of "love" to him?
The end of this Dean Koontz book has unexpected "love" scenes unusual in his books, he is my favorite author.
April 2, 2013
A decent, suspensful, quick read. Koontz usually doesn't get too cerebral. This story is just raw thrills with the good guys versus a madman from start to finish. Koontz is pretty darn good at creating madmen straight from your nightmares.
July 14, 2023
1973 novel about artist Alex Doyle and his new family. His wife Courtney flies off to San Francisco from Philadelphia to set up their new house while Alex drives with Courtney’s 11-year brother Colin
.
During their long drive they see someone tailing them in a van…😨
.
Short gripping novel!
.
During their long drive they see someone tailing them in a van…😨
.
Short gripping novel!
September 3, 2020
Decided to read a few Koontz novels. In my youth I enjoyed his books. This story reminded me a bit of Duel and The Hitcher. The plot is that newly married Alex is driving with his stepson from Philadelphia to San Francisco. He is driving his Thunderbird across America to join his wife who is setting up house for their arrival.
Unbeknownst to them is Courtney’s ex George is stalking them and has gone insane due to what is likely a tumor on his brain. He has periods if amnesia and headaches as well as hallucinations about Courtney.
We have a cat and mouse game of him following them on the road in a hire van and knowing their route. The story is set in the early 1970s with civil unrest and incompetent police. How the police can be so unhelpful is stretching credibility. A further problem I have with the story is the axe attack and not reporting it then and there at the motel where it took place. It beggars belief.
The ends is particularly brutal and Alex a pacifist comes out of his shell. Overall easy to read but some of the events are unbelievable.
Unbeknownst to them is Courtney’s ex George is stalking them and has gone insane due to what is likely a tumor on his brain. He has periods if amnesia and headaches as well as hallucinations about Courtney.
We have a cat and mouse game of him following them on the road in a hire van and knowing their route. The story is set in the early 1970s with civil unrest and incompetent police. How the police can be so unhelpful is stretching credibility. A further problem I have with the story is the axe attack and not reporting it then and there at the motel where it took place. It beggars belief.
The ends is particularly brutal and Alex a pacifist comes out of his shell. Overall easy to read but some of the events are unbelievable.
June 18, 2022
Shattered is a suspense/thriller that was first published in 1973 under the pseudonym K.R. Dwyer. It didn't draw much attention at the time but was reprinted in paperback under Koontz's real name a dozen years later and fared much better. There's no supernatural element to the story, which is essentially a cross-country chase similar to the Matheson/Spielberg Duel and other such. It's a fast-paced character study (which is interesting), but the ending is a bit of a disappointment. (Koontz also published three novels in 1972 under the pseudonym of Deanna Dwyer... I wonder if they were related?)
August 31, 2024
Shattered by Dean Koontz was published in 1973 with the pen name K.R. Dwyer. He had many different pen names early in his career, so he could explore different genres.
This horror/suspense novel was published two years after the movie Duel was produced. Even though the plot sounds similar, it really isn't, even though Koontz maybe was inspired by the movie somehow.
Shattered is about Alex and eleven year old Colin. Alex is married to Courtney and Colin is her brother. They are moving from Philadelphia to San Francisco. Courtney is already there to fix things in the house while she waits for them to arrive. She hopes Alex and Colin will bond and get along. Colin is young but is described as a prodigy and being "older" than he is.
Colin discovers they are being chased. Everytime they lose sight of the van, it always finds them. Who is following them and why?
This is a short read and the book has just a few characters. Alex name is Alex Doyle so it was a bit confusing that he sometimes was called Alex and sometimes Doyle. The same thing happens all the time with another character.
Colin is, like mentioned earlier, some sort of a prodigy, but to me I read him as a kid. Nothing told me he was smarter than other kids at his age. He just seemed ordinary.
The phone calls between Alex and Courtney at every stop when Alex and Colin needed to rest from driving, was pretty corny and childish instead of sweet.
But all in all, even though the book didn't have the same tension as the movie Duel, it was enjoyable and fun. Since this is an old book, some words are being used that we are not allowed to use today. But other than that it was a book worth reading.
Koontz always manage to keep the interest and is good at creating a certain ambience.
This horror/suspense novel was published two years after the movie Duel was produced. Even though the plot sounds similar, it really isn't, even though Koontz maybe was inspired by the movie somehow.
Shattered is about Alex and eleven year old Colin. Alex is married to Courtney and Colin is her brother. They are moving from Philadelphia to San Francisco. Courtney is already there to fix things in the house while she waits for them to arrive. She hopes Alex and Colin will bond and get along. Colin is young but is described as a prodigy and being "older" than he is.
Colin discovers they are being chased. Everytime they lose sight of the van, it always finds them. Who is following them and why?
This is a short read and the book has just a few characters. Alex name is Alex Doyle so it was a bit confusing that he sometimes was called Alex and sometimes Doyle. The same thing happens all the time with another character.
Colin is, like mentioned earlier, some sort of a prodigy, but to me I read him as a kid. Nothing told me he was smarter than other kids at his age. He just seemed ordinary.
The phone calls between Alex and Courtney at every stop when Alex and Colin needed to rest from driving, was pretty corny and childish instead of sweet.
But all in all, even though the book didn't have the same tension as the movie Duel, it was enjoyable and fun. Since this is an old book, some words are being used that we are not allowed to use today. But other than that it was a book worth reading.
Koontz always manage to keep the interest and is good at creating a certain ambience.
October 5, 2015
Description: RUN... OR DIE. The van was in back of them again. Closer this time. There could be no mistake--they were being followed.
RUN... OR DIE. But why? The question kept nagging at Alex and Colin as they left Philadelphia behind and sped toward their new home in San Francisco. Courtney would be waiting for the, ready to begin a wonderful new life with her husband, her brother...
RUN... OR DIE. Now, someone else is driving cross-country to see Courtney, too. Someone whose brain is rotting inside. Someone who knows their route, their stops, even their destination.
RUN... OR DIE. He's got an ax.
A month of Halloween 2015 reads:#1: 3* Nobody True by James Herbert: fraudio
#2: TR The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard: fraudio
#3: AB Brain Child by John Saul: fraudio
#4: 3* Domain (Rats #3) by James Herbert: fraudio
#5: CR The Mourning Vessels by Peter Luther: paperback
#6: 2* The Doom of the Great City: ebook short-story
#7: 5* Long After Midnight by Ray Bradbury: fraudio
#8: 5* The Dead Zone by Stephen King: fraudio
#9: TR The Chalice: hardback
#10: TR Seven Gothic Tales: ebook
#11: TR Tales of Men and Ghosts
#12: 2* Shattered by Dean Koontz: fraudio
April 19, 2022
****WARNING SPOILERS******
I just need to vent little about this book sorry.
I've never really read Dean Koontz and decided Id give him a try. This is the second book by him the first being (The Voice of The Night) which was a better story imo then this one. I can say that I really enjoy the fast paced stories and easy reading , but do all his books leave you feeling full of questions? I just finished this one....
While it was fun and kept me reading the story had so many holes. Like the dead cop, he didn't even mention the case again it was just pointless in the story. Also why didn't George just fuck with the damn car at the hotel instead of chasing them for 200 pages. The story could of taken on a different angle like if the brakes were cut and they break down and are now being chased on foot or something. But no they all make it to their destination intact. Which has me wondering why all the middle stuff if George had the address from the beginning anyways and could of just waited at the new house until their arrival. Ugh In the end you don't even find out about Courtney's well being.
It could of been longer and more involved or a short story. Its just a lot of fluff in the middle
I just need to vent little about this book sorry.
I've never really read Dean Koontz and decided Id give him a try. This is the second book by him the first being (The Voice of The Night) which was a better story imo then this one. I can say that I really enjoy the fast paced stories and easy reading , but do all his books leave you feeling full of questions? I just finished this one....
While it was fun and kept me reading the story had so many holes. Like the dead cop, he didn't even mention the case again it was just pointless in the story. Also why didn't George just fuck with the damn car at the hotel instead of chasing them for 200 pages. The story could of taken on a different angle like if the brakes were cut and they break down and are now being chased on foot or something. But no they all make it to their destination intact. Which has me wondering why all the middle stuff if George had the address from the beginning anyways and could of just waited at the new house until their arrival. Ugh In the end you don't even find out about Courtney's well being.
It could of been longer and more involved or a short story. Its just a lot of fluff in the middle
February 14, 2010
"Shattered" is an early Koontz title (1973), originally published under a pseudonym - K.R. Dwyer. Alex and Colin are on the move to Courtney, Colin's sister - and Alex's wife. The trip from Philadeplphia and San Francisco seems to be going good, until Colin spots a van following them.
It's a short, but pleasant book. I enjoyed the setting - most of the book takes place on the road and in various motels. It's a nice book to spend 2-3 hours reading. The ending is a let-down, but it's rather common in his works.
I was surprised by racists undertones.
It's a short, but pleasant book. I enjoyed the setting - most of the book takes place on the road and in various motels. It's a nice book to spend 2-3 hours reading. The ending is a let-down, but it's rather common in his works.
I was surprised by racists undertones.
November 19, 2010
If Koontz released "Shattered" today, I don't think anyone would know the difference. I even think many people would prefer it over his new books. Here we have a true high concept story, but with an element of mystery, strangeness, occultness, … which is usually present in many a favorite Koontz novel but sadly enough missing from straightforward thrillers like “Velocity”, “The Husband” and “The Good Guy”.
The premise of this story is once again quite simple: guy and girl marry and move from Pennsylvania to California. Girl flies ahead to get the new house in order, guy drives the car across the country together with the girl’s 11 year old brother. Guy and brother are then tyrannized by girl’s old suitor along the way.
It’s kinda like Steven Spielberg’s “Duel”, except with two people in the car and an Automover van instead of a truck, and many more scenes at diners and motels.
What makes it so special, is the mental condition of said suitor. This villain suffers from some kind of disorder, presumably a brain tumor, which makes him far more dangerous than your average ex-boyfriend. Aggression, paranoia, hallucinations, amnesia, it’s all there. You almost feel sorry for the guy, because you get this feeling tht him behaving in this violent way isn’t really his conscious fault. He wasn’t born evil, he hasn’t become evil due to a bad childhood or something. If one of his fuses hadn’t blown, if his wiring hadn’t short-circuited, nothing would have happened.
The main character Alex Doyle is your average Koontz hero. A simple guy, no special skills, minding his own business, trying to live his life to the best of his abilities, until he suddenly finds himself in a situation in which he’s forced to act in ways he never imagined were in his range. Compare him to Mitch Rafferty in “The Husband”, Jimmy Tock in “Life Expectancy”, Dusty Rhodes in “False Memory” or Tommy Phan in “Ticktock”.
His comedy sidekick is his young brother in law, Colin, whose presence is good for some great dialogue. But Colin is a lot more: he works as a mirror for Alex and helps him realize that he must stop being a little kid himself and act as a grown up human being.
I think this appeals to many male readers. Once in a while we look in the mirror and are amazed by the amount of wrinkles in the face, the gray in the hair, the weariness in the eyes. Because just below the surface, we all still feel like ten year old kids running around with our toys and playing with our friends.
But which fiction do we follow? The stories that teach us to finally grow up, get over our fears and face the world? Or the stories that tell us to stop thinking all that matters in life is money or a career and make us remember our childhood?
The premise of this story is once again quite simple: guy and girl marry and move from Pennsylvania to California. Girl flies ahead to get the new house in order, guy drives the car across the country together with the girl’s 11 year old brother. Guy and brother are then tyrannized by girl’s old suitor along the way.
It’s kinda like Steven Spielberg’s “Duel”, except with two people in the car and an Automover van instead of a truck, and many more scenes at diners and motels.
What makes it so special, is the mental condition of said suitor. This villain suffers from some kind of disorder, presumably a brain tumor, which makes him far more dangerous than your average ex-boyfriend. Aggression, paranoia, hallucinations, amnesia, it’s all there. You almost feel sorry for the guy, because you get this feeling tht him behaving in this violent way isn’t really his conscious fault. He wasn’t born evil, he hasn’t become evil due to a bad childhood or something. If one of his fuses hadn’t blown, if his wiring hadn’t short-circuited, nothing would have happened.
The main character Alex Doyle is your average Koontz hero. A simple guy, no special skills, minding his own business, trying to live his life to the best of his abilities, until he suddenly finds himself in a situation in which he’s forced to act in ways he never imagined were in his range. Compare him to Mitch Rafferty in “The Husband”, Jimmy Tock in “Life Expectancy”, Dusty Rhodes in “False Memory” or Tommy Phan in “Ticktock”.
His comedy sidekick is his young brother in law, Colin, whose presence is good for some great dialogue. But Colin is a lot more: he works as a mirror for Alex and helps him realize that he must stop being a little kid himself and act as a grown up human being.
I think this appeals to many male readers. Once in a while we look in the mirror and are amazed by the amount of wrinkles in the face, the gray in the hair, the weariness in the eyes. Because just below the surface, we all still feel like ten year old kids running around with our toys and playing with our friends.
But which fiction do we follow? The stories that teach us to finally grow up, get over our fears and face the world? Or the stories that tell us to stop thinking all that matters in life is money or a career and make us remember our childhood?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2012
Fairly standard fare, but only my second Dean Koontz. Reminded me a bit of the film Hitcher. The formula for a thriller is run through pretty well. Psychotic (or possibly just physically ill) ex-boyfriend. New love in life, new start on the other side of the country, cute child (in this case eleven year old brother), who is very intelligent but "difficult" in an undefined sort of way. Why not get the girl to fly to California and let the lads do a road trip to bond. Then psycho ex-boyfriend can follow them. New boyfriend is obviouly a planner who has the route set out with all the motels on the way.This means psycho can get hold of the route and follow them in a bloody great van. Cat and mouse chase ensues with its conclusion in California. Throw in some eye-popping coincidences, some spectacularly stupid law enforcement officers and a bit of general mayhem and there you have it.
I musn't complain too much, it's sent me to sleep for the past few nights (so much for the thriller bit!)
I musn't complain too much, it's sent me to sleep for the past few nights (so much for the thriller bit!)
May 19, 2023
↣El acoso | Dean Koontz 1973 | Terror | 210 páginas.
↣𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀
Un psicópata persigue a dos personas a través de EEUU durante un viaje de un extremo al otro del país. 🚗🛺🛣️⚠️
↣𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮:
-Sin spoilers
-Solo mi opinión.
𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗼 ☻︎
-Partes de acción muy buenas.
-Personajes interesantes con personalidades únicas y bien desarrollados.
-Capítulos cortos y rápidos de leer. ✅
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗼 ☹︎
-Todos los clichés aburridos y que me estresan. POR QUÉ
-Situaciones irreales. (No en el sentido fantástico, sino que no tienen sentido que sean así)
-Muchas cosas pasan en la imaginación del personaje y cansan ya que no son REALES
-Motivaciones del villano muy típicas ❌
Resumen: me gustó la historia, los personajes y cómo está escrito el libro, pero los clichés y las cosas sin sentido son muy ñe.
↣𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼:
2,5 estrellas de 5 ⭐️
*𝚁𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚎𝚛𝚍𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚖𝚒 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘́𝚗 𝚗𝚘 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚊𝚍𝚊. 𝚂𝚒 𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚘... 𝙷𝙰𝚉𝙻𝙾.
↣𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀
Un psicópata persigue a dos personas a través de EEUU durante un viaje de un extremo al otro del país. 🚗🛺🛣️⚠️
↣𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮:
-Sin spoilers
-Solo mi opinión.
𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗼 ☻︎
-Partes de acción muy buenas.
-Personajes interesantes con personalidades únicas y bien desarrollados.
-Capítulos cortos y rápidos de leer. ✅
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗼 ☹︎
-Todos los clichés aburridos y que me estresan. POR QUÉ
-Situaciones irreales. (No en el sentido fantástico, sino que no tienen sentido que sean así)
-Muchas cosas pasan en la imaginación del personaje y cansan ya que no son REALES
-Motivaciones del villano muy típicas ❌
Resumen: me gustó la historia, los personajes y cómo está escrito el libro, pero los clichés y las cosas sin sentido son muy ñe.
↣𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼:
2,5 estrellas de 5 ⭐️
*𝚁𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚎𝚛𝚍𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚖𝚒 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘́𝚗 𝚗𝚘 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚊𝚍𝚊. 𝚂𝚒 𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚘... 𝙷𝙰𝚉𝙻𝙾.
March 12, 2017
Good, simple story.
November 15, 2023
I believe this book was written in 1973 under a pen name, and it does feel dated. But, I enjoyed reliving some of the things from my childhood with it having taken place during this time period.
Alex and 11-year old Colin are driving across the country from Pennsylvania to San Fransisco to their new home with Colin’s older sister and Alex’s new wife, Courtney. They are being followed by George, a severely disturbed individual who is clearly very mentally ill. This man is someone from Courtney’s past and he’s hell bent on killing Alex and Colin along the way and rekindling things with her.
I think back in 1973, Shattered would have seemed very frightening for the reader, but these days it just seems like something that is in the news every day. This book actually reminded me of one of my favorite movies, 80s flick The Hitcher, with Rutger Hauer. Difference is that movie was much better. Maybe I should have pictured George as Hauer. Anyway, an early look into an author who certainly came into his own not too long after writing this one.
Alex and 11-year old Colin are driving across the country from Pennsylvania to San Fransisco to their new home with Colin’s older sister and Alex’s new wife, Courtney. They are being followed by George, a severely disturbed individual who is clearly very mentally ill. This man is someone from Courtney’s past and he’s hell bent on killing Alex and Colin along the way and rekindling things with her.
I think back in 1973, Shattered would have seemed very frightening for the reader, but these days it just seems like something that is in the news every day. This book actually reminded me of one of my favorite movies, 80s flick The Hitcher, with Rutger Hauer. Difference is that movie was much better. Maybe I should have pictured George as Hauer. Anyway, an early look into an author who certainly came into his own not too long after writing this one.
June 24, 2022
Shattered, Dean Koontz, 1973 (originally published under the pseudonym K.R. Dwyer -- which is just one of several pen names Dean Koontz used in the early days)
My favorite quote: “The things we regret most in life are the things we don’t do.”
Notable characters: Alex Doyle, the new groom; Courtney, his bride; Colin, her little brother
Most memorable scene: The ax attack (even though they really, really should have reported it and saved themselves a lot of trouble -- but it’s like they say: If characters made good decisions we wouldn’t have great stories, so YAY for bad choices!)
Greatest strengths: George Leland, the villain. Unlike many of Dean Koontz’s baddies, this guy isn’t terribly over-the-top. He also kind of creeped me out -- something very few of Dean Koontz’s villains manage to do
Standout achievements: Dean Koontz did a bang-up job portraying the deranged mental state of the bad guy (that’s George Leland, the guy we were just talking about). I want to know more about him but so far, Dean Koontz has ignored my emails pleading for a series that’s all about George. Like a silly little restraining order is gonna stop me …
Fun Facts: Because Dean Koontz’s early novels didn’t make much profit, he wrote several per year, which prompted his publisher to encourage the use of pseudonyms (the theory being that too much material too fast will compromise the attention of each release.) And this is why Dean Koontz wrote under so many different names.
Other media: In 1977, Shattered was made into a movie I don’t think anyone ever saw. It was called The Passengers and until this very moment, I’ve never even heard of it
What it taught me: Sometimes, simple is better. In writing, it’s really easy to overcomplicate and let things spiral out of control and get too messy. Sometimes, you have to go back to the basics -- and I think Dean Koontz really stuck to them here. Shattered isn’t fancy and twisty and convoluted -- it’s a simple story about a deranged stalker with strange motivations that are all his own. Simple enough premise, but it works
How it inspired me: One of these days, you mark my words, I am going to write a cross-country car-chase thriller. I dig that shit …
Additional thoughts: Shattered is a short novel (just over 200 pages) with a super simple plot (people being stalked on a cross-country road trip, in case you missed that part) and yet it remains a personal favorite -- especially when compared to some of Dean Koontz’s later efforts. That’s when things get tricky between Dean Koontz and me. But that’s another story for a later book review. The point is, although a little generic, Shattered is simple, straightforward, and doesn’t wear out its welcome. So again … sometimes, simple is better
Hit or miss: Hit
Haunt me: alistaircross.com
Read Shattered: https://tinyurl.com/2p85yt5w
My favorite quote: “The things we regret most in life are the things we don’t do.”
Notable characters: Alex Doyle, the new groom; Courtney, his bride; Colin, her little brother
Most memorable scene: The ax attack (even though they really, really should have reported it and saved themselves a lot of trouble -- but it’s like they say: If characters made good decisions we wouldn’t have great stories, so YAY for bad choices!)
Greatest strengths: George Leland, the villain. Unlike many of Dean Koontz’s baddies, this guy isn’t terribly over-the-top. He also kind of creeped me out -- something very few of Dean Koontz’s villains manage to do
Standout achievements: Dean Koontz did a bang-up job portraying the deranged mental state of the bad guy (that’s George Leland, the guy we were just talking about). I want to know more about him but so far, Dean Koontz has ignored my emails pleading for a series that’s all about George. Like a silly little restraining order is gonna stop me …
Fun Facts: Because Dean Koontz’s early novels didn’t make much profit, he wrote several per year, which prompted his publisher to encourage the use of pseudonyms (the theory being that too much material too fast will compromise the attention of each release.) And this is why Dean Koontz wrote under so many different names.
Other media: In 1977, Shattered was made into a movie I don’t think anyone ever saw. It was called The Passengers and until this very moment, I’ve never even heard of it
What it taught me: Sometimes, simple is better. In writing, it’s really easy to overcomplicate and let things spiral out of control and get too messy. Sometimes, you have to go back to the basics -- and I think Dean Koontz really stuck to them here. Shattered isn’t fancy and twisty and convoluted -- it’s a simple story about a deranged stalker with strange motivations that are all his own. Simple enough premise, but it works
How it inspired me: One of these days, you mark my words, I am going to write a cross-country car-chase thriller. I dig that shit …
Additional thoughts: Shattered is a short novel (just over 200 pages) with a super simple plot (people being stalked on a cross-country road trip, in case you missed that part) and yet it remains a personal favorite -- especially when compared to some of Dean Koontz’s later efforts. That’s when things get tricky between Dean Koontz and me. But that’s another story for a later book review. The point is, although a little generic, Shattered is simple, straightforward, and doesn’t wear out its welcome. So again … sometimes, simple is better
Hit or miss: Hit
Haunt me: alistaircross.com
Read Shattered: https://tinyurl.com/2p85yt5w
October 9, 2016
Shattered gets to the point faster than any other Koontz novel, and that's saying something. The plot here is a simple one: Alex Doyle and his young brother-in-law are traveling cross-country to San Francisco, where his wife and new home wait. A van is following them and seems to know everywhere they plan to eat and spend each night. No matter how many times they try to lose the stranger driving the van, he always ends up on their tail.
Originally published in 1973, this is a very short novel that shows a young Dean Koontz already in control of his supernatural ability to reel the reader in and not let go until he's told his tale. Granted, this book is a good deal simpler than his later work -- and it is very dated in some respects -- but that adds to its charm. It sort of reminded me of a toned-down Bachman book. Koontz plays with a deep fear of mine -- being followed. I'll admit, sometimes when I am driving late at night and the same car is behind me for miles and miles I begin to get a little paranoid. I breathe a little sigh of relief when the driver of that car finally turns off. Maybe that's just me but whatever. The point is this novel did a number on me and chilled me more than any other Koontz book to date.
As I said before, this novel is a good deal simpler than his later works. He tells us just enough about the characters to make us care about them, but not much more. This one is all about the story and that's okay -- Shattered would not be nearly as fun if it was mired in needless detail or purple prose.
The villain here is particularly note-worthy. He's not an all-knowing, all-powerful, seemingly unbeatable government baddie that seems to populate a good deal of Koontz's later work but is instead a scorned lover with an implied brain tumor and horrendous childhood. By the story's end I sort of felt bad for the guy.
Shattered was a fun read from beginning to end. It doesn't have much depth -- it's a no-frills cat-and-mouse chase story that deeply satisfied me. Koontz says a lot here by saying little. It's a short read so even if you feel disappointed by the story's end, you probably won't have wasted too much time reading. Give it a chance.
Originally published in 1973, this is a very short novel that shows a young Dean Koontz already in control of his supernatural ability to reel the reader in and not let go until he's told his tale. Granted, this book is a good deal simpler than his later work -- and it is very dated in some respects -- but that adds to its charm. It sort of reminded me of a toned-down Bachman book. Koontz plays with a deep fear of mine -- being followed. I'll admit, sometimes when I am driving late at night and the same car is behind me for miles and miles I begin to get a little paranoid. I breathe a little sigh of relief when the driver of that car finally turns off. Maybe that's just me but whatever. The point is this novel did a number on me and chilled me more than any other Koontz book to date.
As I said before, this novel is a good deal simpler than his later works. He tells us just enough about the characters to make us care about them, but not much more. This one is all about the story and that's okay -- Shattered would not be nearly as fun if it was mired in needless detail or purple prose.
The villain here is particularly note-worthy. He's not an all-knowing, all-powerful, seemingly unbeatable government baddie that seems to populate a good deal of Koontz's later work but is instead a scorned lover with an implied brain tumor and horrendous childhood. By the story's end I sort of felt bad for the guy.
Shattered was a fun read from beginning to end. It doesn't have much depth -- it's a no-frills cat-and-mouse chase story that deeply satisfied me. Koontz says a lot here by saying little. It's a short read so even if you feel disappointed by the story's end, you probably won't have wasted too much time reading. Give it a chance.
July 24, 2021
La historia es muy corta y se deja leer facilmente, pero creo que podría haber sido una mejor historia si no dejara cabos sueltos, al menos uno bastante importante que queda "sin resolver" y también hay algunas situaciones algo inverosimiles, cosas que no se explican y cosas absurdas que en dicha situación cualquier persona no haría o actuaría de esas maneras irracionales. Pero por otro lado la historia toma fuerza con ese final que aunque es algo abrupto me pareció fuerte e intenso, como debe de ser en una novela de psicópatas.
Por momentos pienso que solo esta en la media, y por momentos que es muy aceptable sin llegar a ser un libro sobre saliente.
Creo que queda debiendo el libro, me pareció bueno pero considero que tenía mas potencial para ser una muy buena obra, aun así merece ser leído.
🌟7.5/10🌟📚
Por momentos pienso que solo esta en la media, y por momentos que es muy aceptable sin llegar a ser un libro sobre saliente.
Creo que queda debiendo el libro, me pareció bueno pero considero que tenía mas potencial para ser una muy buena obra, aun así merece ser leído.
🌟7.5/10🌟📚
July 12, 2016
Not the sort of thing I would normally read and this still remains the one and only Dean Koontz book that I have read to date, with so many novels under his belt it's a case of where on earth do you begin!. This was a pretty standard attempt at a cross country road thriller and ticks all the right boxes when it comes to tense and gripping thrills and chills but at no point does it break any new ground and in the end felt lame and predictable, reminded me a little of an early Steven Spielberg film called 'Duel' and also ' The Hitcher' springs to mind, this definitely felt like reading a B movie, the sort of film you would stumble across on TV in the early hours of the morning eating re-heated pizza!.
February 16, 2014
Wow I am still reeling from the shock...but sadly the shock comes only from having just experienced such an uninspired and poorly written story.
It's bland. The whole thing feels...just dull. So dull that I actually couldn't come up with a simile that would do the dullness justice. I'm sure Stephen King would have a field day with this though being the simile addict he is.
The characters are unrealistic (especially the 11 year old boy who basically talks and acts like an adult throughout) and they are SO dumb and SO annoying that you can't help but wish for them to die...horribly.
It's bland. The whole thing feels...just dull. So dull that I actually couldn't come up with a simile that would do the dullness justice. I'm sure Stephen King would have a field day with this though being the simile addict he is.
The characters are unrealistic (especially the 11 year old boy who basically talks and acts like an adult throughout) and they are SO dumb and SO annoying that you can't help but wish for them to die...horribly.
April 16, 2020
Basic and stripped down thriller that is fairly exciting. The characters were enjoyable and I did like the killer...Dean Koontz has a penchant for getting inside the heads of his serial killers. I can definitely see how this book paved the way for the likes of intensity.
It's very quick, very fast paced. Would I read it again. Probably not. There's better books out there, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
It's very quick, very fast paced. Would I read it again. Probably not. There's better books out there, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
November 12, 2010
Early Koontz is almost solely responsible for my horror obsession. Before I found out about all the other amazing writers now gracing (weighing down to the point of bowing) my bookshelves, I read Koontz. His writing has gotten softer with age and his books now keep piling up in my TBR list, but I am a loyal fan and the man can write.
December 19, 2018
This was an older Koontz book but definitely an exciting read. Full of suspense and danger, it was one of those adventures you don't want to leave. Alex is driving from the east coast to California with his 11 year old precocious son. A van is following them and turns up wherever they go. Creepy-great!
January 10, 2023
rating: 3.5
pretty simple thriller which feels generic at times(till 30% mark) but then picks up and has enough tension filled moments and a solid ending to be entertaining.
- the antagonist was very interesting and the central relation b/w boy and alex was charming as well.
-this chase story better than the good guy or velocity by koontz.
pretty simple thriller which feels generic at times(till 30% mark) but then picks up and has enough tension filled moments and a solid ending to be entertaining.
- the antagonist was very interesting and the central relation b/w boy and alex was charming as well.
-this chase story better than the good guy or velocity by koontz.
July 5, 2017
Despite an amazingly abrupt last chapter (wherein Koontz apparently forgets the premise of his own book), Shattered delivers plenty of good old fashioned pulp thrills.
I just wish Koontz would take things a bit further. You're writing horror, mate! Don't be shy!
I just wish Koontz would take things a bit further. You're writing horror, mate! Don't be shy!
October 15, 2018
A great cross-country chase novel. Looking back after re-reading this, it feels like Koontz was getting into a good groove with characters and a basic plot he fleshed out a little at a time in his work.
January 24, 2012
Pretty good and to the point short read. It didn't go off on tangents like other Koontz novels that spend 3 pages describing a backyard or a tree or a bag blowing in the wind....
August 4, 2017
Avete presente quei thriller road movie che passano in tv in seconda serata? Sì, insomma, quelli in cui i protagonisti (solitamente una coppia o un gruppo d’amici) sono in viaggio per strade deserte e si imbattono in uno psicopatico che li seguirà per tutto il film? Ormai è un filone super-inflazionato, anche se devo dire che, in fondo, per la tensione che riesce a tenere per tutta la storia, non mi è mai dispiaciuto. Ebbene, “In un incubo di follia”, il libro più breve e più sciatto fra quelli di Koontz da me letti finora, si inserisce in questo filone. I protagonisti sono il giovane Alex e il piccolo Colin, fratellino di sua moglie, che, mentre attraversano in macchina gli Stati Uniti per arrivare a San Francisco da Courtney, moglie di Alex, si rendono conto che un pazzo li tallona con un furgone. Il pazzo in questione altro non è che un ex di Courtney, pronto a tutto (soprattutto a liberarsi dei due, appunto) pur di giungere da lei…e che, lungo il percorso, fra sinistri motels e isolati autogrills, non si fa scrupolo di lasciare qualche cadavere dietro a sé. Alex, nel frattempo, tenta di allertare la polizia, ma ovviamente non viene creduto. Questa è, a grandi linee, la storia. Storia che, in fondo, si poteva sviluppare in maniera più approfondita al di là della sua non originalità. Il ritmo incalzante e il tratto incisivo di Koontz si sentono, ma sicuramente si poteva arrivare a qualcosa di meglio. Anche il finale risulta un po’ scontato e frettoloso. Comunque, resta una valida alternativa a un thriller road movie mancante in seconda serata!
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