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The Big Dark Sky
A group of strangers bound by terrifying synchronicity becomes humankind’s hope of survival in an exhilarating, twist-filled novel by Dean Koontz, the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.
As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas—by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me. Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten.
She isn’t the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass.
Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana’s big dark sky. Their lives entwined, they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity.
As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas—by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me. Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten.
She isn’t the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass.
Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana’s big dark sky. Their lives entwined, they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity.
393 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2022
10875 people are currently reading
43564 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 1,408 reviews
May 15, 2022
My thanks to Thomas Mercer, Dean Koontz and Netgalley.
This is the most nonsensical book. Nothing really came together. I kept reading and waiting for something.
This may be the most nonsensical, idiotic thing that I've read from Koontz in a decade or two.
Not recommended.
This is the most nonsensical book. Nothing really came together. I kept reading and waiting for something.
This may be the most nonsensical, idiotic thing that I've read from Koontz in a decade or two.
Not recommended.
May 18, 2022
The Big Dark Sky is classic Koontz.
There is no way I can summarise the story but it involves many dead bodies, a mad man, alien species, hackers with extraordinary abilities and an AI with even more extraordinary abilities who identifies as a woman and is secretly in love with Ganesh, our super hero/secret services MC. That probably sounds like more than enough weird characters for one book, but there are more.
The book starts and ends brilliantly but there is an excess of padding in between. There is an evil entity living at the Rusty Willows Ranch and it attracts many of the characters to it in different ways. The book really slows down as the author rotates around each character's specific journey. I was amused when one character observes that the eventual gathering of all the characters at the house was like the end of an Agatha Christie book.
However the dénouement is speedier than a Christie novel and is in fact so quick I needed to read it twice to see what actually happened. And the AI comes back with her own unusual world view which may be Koontz setting the scene for another book, maybe one featuring Ganesh. I would certainly read it!
Four stars for this one because I have to reserve five for the really best books he has written (in my opinion!) such as Lightning, False Memory and Mr. Murder.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
There is no way I can summarise the story but it involves many dead bodies, a mad man, alien species, hackers with extraordinary abilities and an AI with even more extraordinary abilities who identifies as a woman and is secretly in love with Ganesh, our super hero/secret services MC. That probably sounds like more than enough weird characters for one book, but there are more.
The book starts and ends brilliantly but there is an excess of padding in between. There is an evil entity living at the Rusty Willows Ranch and it attracts many of the characters to it in different ways. The book really slows down as the author rotates around each character's specific journey. I was amused when one character observes that the eventual gathering of all the characters at the house was like the end of an Agatha Christie book.
However the dénouement is speedier than a Christie novel and is in fact so quick I needed to read it twice to see what actually happened. And the AI comes back with her own unusual world view which may be Koontz setting the scene for another book, maybe one featuring Ganesh. I would certainly read it!
Four stars for this one because I have to reserve five for the really best books he has written (in my opinion!) such as Lightning, False Memory and Mr. Murder.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 31, 2022
I should have known better than to read Koontz latest offering The Big Dark Sky 🌌 for me it was a whole load of nothing … nada it was confusing & I couldn’t get into it how I finished it I don’t know but I did yippee 🥳. There were to many characters to keep aged of & the ending was just average not one of his best.
May 10, 2022
The Big Dark Sky was a big dark book! Part thriller, part sci-fi, part horror/supernatural and probably a bit of other genres, it nevertheless had an underlying sense of optimism.
I hadn’t read any Dean Koontz since his Jane Hawk 5 book series a few years ago (which was outstanding by the way) so when I saw this arc I was quite excited. I cannot do better than the blurb to describe this book so you should read it. But I can tell you what I felt as I was reading it.
I was literally transfixed. Yes, it was confusing for a while as characters were introduced and really weird stuff was happening to them. Let’s talk about the characters - they were all very different and, I thought, fully formed. What an interesting bunch they were. Joanna (Jojo) Chase grew up on the Rustling Willows ranch in Montana. It was an idyllic childhood. Her friend Jimmy Two Eyes, sadly afflicted with many physical deformities was non-verbal - except with Jojo (you learn how that can be later in the book). When she is 9 years old her parents die with 2 weeks of each other and she moves to New Mexico to live with her Aunt Katherine. She eventually becomes an author. Many of her childhood experiences are forgotten until her car and her phones are hijacked and an eerie voice calls for her to come and help. She knows she needs to go back to Montana.
A whole bunch of other people are also heading to the ranch in Montana on a dark and stormy night when the future of humankind will be decided. There’s a PI, a couple of hackers, a brilliant scientist and a couple of crazy brave young people who are even angrier than the angry entity and want nothing more than to obliterate it, whatever it is!
I could go into more detail but why ruin it for prospective readers. There are many quirky characters both good and bad. There is danger lurking in every corner. An evil entity has the ability to read minds and and control animals and it’s been sucked into the nihilistic, extremist thinking of Asher Optime who wants to rid the world of all humanity - except for himself of course.
I don’t think this a book to take too seriously. It is just pure entertainment and it’s different enough from the run of the mill family drama, crime thriller, locked room mystery or what have you to keep your interest throughout. The pace was fast and there were no flat spots. Some parts may have been a little cheesy but in this case it almost added to the charm. I really enjoyed it and may go back for another dose of Koontz soon! Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
I hadn’t read any Dean Koontz since his Jane Hawk 5 book series a few years ago (which was outstanding by the way) so when I saw this arc I was quite excited. I cannot do better than the blurb to describe this book so you should read it. But I can tell you what I felt as I was reading it.
I was literally transfixed. Yes, it was confusing for a while as characters were introduced and really weird stuff was happening to them. Let’s talk about the characters - they were all very different and, I thought, fully formed. What an interesting bunch they were. Joanna (Jojo) Chase grew up on the Rustling Willows ranch in Montana. It was an idyllic childhood. Her friend Jimmy Two Eyes, sadly afflicted with many physical deformities was non-verbal - except with Jojo (you learn how that can be later in the book). When she is 9 years old her parents die with 2 weeks of each other and she moves to New Mexico to live with her Aunt Katherine. She eventually becomes an author. Many of her childhood experiences are forgotten until her car and her phones are hijacked and an eerie voice calls for her to come and help. She knows she needs to go back to Montana.
A whole bunch of other people are also heading to the ranch in Montana on a dark and stormy night when the future of humankind will be decided. There’s a PI, a couple of hackers, a brilliant scientist and a couple of crazy brave young people who are even angrier than the angry entity and want nothing more than to obliterate it, whatever it is!
I could go into more detail but why ruin it for prospective readers. There are many quirky characters both good and bad. There is danger lurking in every corner. An evil entity has the ability to read minds and and control animals and it’s been sucked into the nihilistic, extremist thinking of Asher Optime who wants to rid the world of all humanity - except for himself of course.
I don’t think this a book to take too seriously. It is just pure entertainment and it’s different enough from the run of the mill family drama, crime thriller, locked room mystery or what have you to keep your interest throughout. The pace was fast and there were no flat spots. Some parts may have been a little cheesy but in this case it almost added to the charm. I really enjoyed it and may go back for another dose of Koontz soon! Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
August 16, 2022
This book is about an author who use to live on a ranch in Montana. She moved away from this ranch when she lost both parents in two separate incidents that happened within weeks of each other. She is drawn to this ranch as well as others because mysterious events are happening there.
If you told me what this book was really about (I didn't say because of a bit of a spoiler) I would say I am all in. Unfortunately this book did not deliver and I am disappointed. The problem was this book was so incohesive. There are multiple points of view and I am still questioning why on some of them. I don't understand the purpose of some of them. Case in point is a man and woman who just met. Their exploits are their journey to the main setting of the action and that is basically it. I spent time with them for them to get there and not really contribute. If we didn't spend time with them we could have fleshed out the main story and I believe this would have been a better book. And I thought the climax was so anti climatic. I finished this last night and before writing this review I had to pick up the book to remind myself how it concluded.
There are some really nice parts to this book. The themes and messages are prevalent throughout and I can get behind them as I would be interested in reading about them. Sadly I think the execution of these themes and messages fell short. I have been wondering for awhile if Koontz has had a ghost writer helping him author books. This one felt that way. It felt like he had some great ideas and when it was time to be written they never truly translated to the written page.
If you told me what this book was really about (I didn't say because of a bit of a spoiler) I would say I am all in. Unfortunately this book did not deliver and I am disappointed. The problem was this book was so incohesive. There are multiple points of view and I am still questioning why on some of them. I don't understand the purpose of some of them. Case in point is a man and woman who just met. Their exploits are their journey to the main setting of the action and that is basically it. I spent time with them for them to get there and not really contribute. If we didn't spend time with them we could have fleshed out the main story and I believe this would have been a better book. And I thought the climax was so anti climatic. I finished this last night and before writing this review I had to pick up the book to remind myself how it concluded.
There are some really nice parts to this book. The themes and messages are prevalent throughout and I can get behind them as I would be interested in reading about them. Sadly I think the execution of these themes and messages fell short. I have been wondering for awhile if Koontz has had a ghost writer helping him author books. This one felt that way. It felt like he had some great ideas and when it was time to be written they never truly translated to the written page.
August 21, 2022
“And it’s weirdly judgmental,” Leigh Ann said. “Calls us vermin, pestilence, says we’ve got to die. It’s so not Spielberg.”
Fantastic, propulsive popcorn novel that is one of Koontz’s best in ages. He has always been a master of the multi-strand narrative, and here he throws in everything except the kitchen sink: Children, animals, aliens, monsters, hi-tech, cultish serial killers, nature, quantum mechanics, the imperilled human condition.
Key phrases: ‘Synchronicity’. And my personal favourite: ‘Testamentary necropolis’.
This is also darkly humorous and laugh-out loud funny in many places.
Plus, there are some really cool SF shout-outs. ‘Project Olivaw’ is a particular one for Asimov fans.
Fantastic, propulsive popcorn novel that is one of Koontz’s best in ages. He has always been a master of the multi-strand narrative, and here he throws in everything except the kitchen sink: Children, animals, aliens, monsters, hi-tech, cultish serial killers, nature, quantum mechanics, the imperilled human condition.
Key phrases: ‘Synchronicity’. And my personal favourite: ‘Testamentary necropolis’.
This is also darkly humorous and laugh-out loud funny in many places.
Plus, there are some really cool SF shout-outs. ‘Project Olivaw’ is a particular one for Asimov fans.
April 8, 2023
A wholesome science fiction tale of good versus evil, told in typical Dean Koontz fashion.
'Disbelief gave way to fright and incomprehension. He was terrified, his grip on reality eroding. He faced the unknown, something mysterious, maybe occult. He had no interest in the unknown, no curiosity about it.'
I'm going to keep this review relatively short. This was a real mixed bag for me, the beginning was gripping but as the book progressed things slowly became predictable and I'm sorry to say, quite cheesy. There are moments of great writing and then moments where I was left almost laughing at what I was reading.
Predictably Koontz did manage to shoehorn a few dog-related moments too, which were totally unnecessary and then there were even mentions of characters from his previous books.
“What’re you—Jane Hawk?” “Who’s Jane Hawk?” “This kick-ass rogue FBI agent in these novels my mom likes. Even if you were Jane Hawk, it won’t work the way you say. It never will.”
There were moments of beautiful writing and imagery and the concept itself was an interesting idea, along with many of the characters being well-drawn and reasonably believable. I also loved some of the scientific and philosophical ideas used within the plot.
Overall this wasn't a bad book, it had plenty of promise early on, then sadly became bang average at best.
'Yet as he’d stood in the red sunset, in the dying of the light, he had felt that he was being watched. In fact, the feeling had been so intense that, surveying the yard and willows nearest to him, he’d been overcome by the bizarre conviction that whoever watched him was right there, not concealed in the distance and using binoculars, but within a few yards, maybe even within arm’s reach, real but somehow invisible.'
'Disbelief gave way to fright and incomprehension. He was terrified, his grip on reality eroding. He faced the unknown, something mysterious, maybe occult. He had no interest in the unknown, no curiosity about it.'
I'm going to keep this review relatively short. This was a real mixed bag for me, the beginning was gripping but as the book progressed things slowly became predictable and I'm sorry to say, quite cheesy. There are moments of great writing and then moments where I was left almost laughing at what I was reading.
Predictably Koontz did manage to shoehorn a few dog-related moments too, which were totally unnecessary and then there were even mentions of characters from his previous books.
“What’re you—Jane Hawk?” “Who’s Jane Hawk?” “This kick-ass rogue FBI agent in these novels my mom likes. Even if you were Jane Hawk, it won’t work the way you say. It never will.”
There were moments of beautiful writing and imagery and the concept itself was an interesting idea, along with many of the characters being well-drawn and reasonably believable. I also loved some of the scientific and philosophical ideas used within the plot.
Overall this wasn't a bad book, it had plenty of promise early on, then sadly became bang average at best.
'Yet as he’d stood in the red sunset, in the dying of the light, he had felt that he was being watched. In fact, the feeling had been so intense that, surveying the yard and willows nearest to him, he’d been overcome by the bizarre conviction that whoever watched him was right there, not concealed in the distance and using binoculars, but within a few yards, maybe even within arm’s reach, real but somehow invisible.'
November 23, 2022
A solid and worthwhile suspense story that's well done. 8 of 10 stars
May 31, 2022
It's been a minute since I've cracked open a Dean Koontz novel, but I was excited! Imagine my surprise as I found myself either rolling my eyes or scratching my head. I wanted to like this one but, sadly, it just wasn't for me.
First, there are so many POV. I don't mind alot of POV typically but this one really muddied the waters. The characters blended a bit because a lot of the all seemed the same. The speech was odd and stilted and everyone seemed to talk like they were the smartest person the room.
I don't mind science in a story but this one seemed really far fetched. As it stretched in to the completely odd and bizarre, I was just not feeling it anymore. It just wasn't for me.
This book will definitely work for many so if it sounds good to you, scroll on over to those 5 star reviews and see all the highlights they loved!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
First, there are so many POV. I don't mind alot of POV typically but this one really muddied the waters. The characters blended a bit because a lot of the all seemed the same. The speech was odd and stilted and everyone seemed to talk like they were the smartest person the room.
I don't mind science in a story but this one seemed really far fetched. As it stretched in to the completely odd and bizarre, I was just not feeling it anymore. It just wasn't for me.
This book will definitely work for many so if it sounds good to you, scroll on over to those 5 star reviews and see all the highlights they loved!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
January 23, 2023
3.5 stars
As a child, I always looked forward to the future and what great things would take place. Flying cars, teleporting, reading minds, well you get the idea. Never in my childhood imaginings would I have thought of aliens or someone so intent on killing us off or even such things as AI. However, the clever ever spooky Dean Kootnz did, I am sure.
In this book, The Big Sky, we are taught the word synchronicity ("a causal connecting principle" in which events, both large and small, in the external world might align to the experience of the individual, perhaps mirroring or echoing personal concerns or thoughts.) It is something that has fascinated many and obviously in this story our author found it so.
One of the characters, Joanna Chase, (Jo Jo) lived happily on the Rusting Willows Ranch until a death occurred. She had a best friend, Joey, two eyes, a poor grotesquely deformed child who only spoke to Jo Jo. Her life was a good one, but as an adult living in Santa Fe, she has forgotten most of it. Then she receives a phone call, a desperate one claiming to be in a dark place, please come and help me. Joanna knows it is to the ranch that she must return and to Joey for so many years have passed.
Joanna is not alone in feeling a pull to the ranch but close to it, resides a lunatic intent on exterminating all and he has the means to do so. All those drawn go to the ranch and meet the terror that awaits there as they try to save not only themselves but the world at large.
Frightening, scary and always with a touch of things real, or possibly things that could happen, Dean Kootnz has once again written a book that will make you think that question...What if?
Thank you to Dean Kootnz, Thomas and Mercer, and NetGalley for a copy of this book which is already available.
As a child, I always looked forward to the future and what great things would take place. Flying cars, teleporting, reading minds, well you get the idea. Never in my childhood imaginings would I have thought of aliens or someone so intent on killing us off or even such things as AI. However, the clever ever spooky Dean Kootnz did, I am sure.
In this book, The Big Sky, we are taught the word synchronicity ("a causal connecting principle" in which events, both large and small, in the external world might align to the experience of the individual, perhaps mirroring or echoing personal concerns or thoughts.) It is something that has fascinated many and obviously in this story our author found it so.
One of the characters, Joanna Chase, (Jo Jo) lived happily on the Rusting Willows Ranch until a death occurred. She had a best friend, Joey, two eyes, a poor grotesquely deformed child who only spoke to Jo Jo. Her life was a good one, but as an adult living in Santa Fe, she has forgotten most of it. Then she receives a phone call, a desperate one claiming to be in a dark place, please come and help me. Joanna knows it is to the ranch that she must return and to Joey for so many years have passed.
Joanna is not alone in feeling a pull to the ranch but close to it, resides a lunatic intent on exterminating all and he has the means to do so. All those drawn go to the ranch and meet the terror that awaits there as they try to save not only themselves but the world at large.
Frightening, scary and always with a touch of things real, or possibly things that could happen, Dean Kootnz has once again written a book that will make you think that question...What if?
Thank you to Dean Kootnz, Thomas and Mercer, and NetGalley for a copy of this book which is already available.
August 1, 2022
This story takes on several genres in it's telling, but Dean Koontz can always be counted on to produces a suspenseful, action filled story. He seems to be returning to some of his earlier writing styles with stories that have more of a supernatural feel, and like those early books this one was a more than average entertaining read. There are lots of twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages, but there is also a very large cast of characters to keep up with. Our heroine, "JoJo" Chase began to have memories of her childhood when she lived in Montana...then the mysterious phone calls started. The last straw was the mysterious dreams and other strange experiences that sent her returning to her childhood home. Tied into the plot is a cult-like leader and a serial killer bomber and behind everything is a puppet master controlling it all. It starts out slow but picks up rapidly making this suspenseful read one of Dean Koontz's best.
March 30, 2022
As I look at other reviews so far, I can tell that people really like this book. That’s cool. I didn’t.
Honestly, it’s kind of a mess.
I’ve tried explaining the convoluted plot of this book, the wooden dialogue, the bizarre reason behind everything and I get exactly the same response each time: uncomfortable laughter followed by, “Are you serious?”
There were certainly a few good scenes and, in the beginning, I was very curious as to what was happening and why. But then we get paranormal temper tantrums, a couple of random Jane Hawk references, one-dimensional villains, and an ending ‘gotcha’ that just made me cringe.
This one was definitely not for me.
*ARC via Publisher
Honestly, it’s kind of a mess.
I’ve tried explaining the convoluted plot of this book, the wooden dialogue, the bizarre reason behind everything and I get exactly the same response each time: uncomfortable laughter followed by, “Are you serious?”
There were certainly a few good scenes and, in the beginning, I was very curious as to what was happening and why. But then we get paranormal temper tantrums, a couple of random Jane Hawk references, one-dimensional villains, and an ending ‘gotcha’ that just made me cringe.
This one was definitely not for me.
*ARC via Publisher
April 3, 2023
Good vs Evil supernatural narrative from Koontz again. There's many murders, aliens and an evil entity living at a Ranch attracting many of the characters to this location. And many more.
It became like a murder mystery at one point and I lost track a bit in some parts but the ending wraps up satisfactorily.
It became like a murder mystery at one point and I lost track a bit in some parts but the ending wraps up satisfactorily.
March 22, 2023
I thought was a fun read; it reminded me a lot of some of the genre science fiction novels that Koontz wrote over fifty years ago. Those books were shorter with less style or literary merit and fewer characters, but the feel and theme were similar. It's the story of eight characters who are mysteriously drawn to a ranch near an abandoned Montana town. Odd things have been happening there, and when their paths finally cross (at which point Koontz has one of them observe that it's an Agatha Christie reveal moment), we learn their fate and the cause of their adventures and get an Isaac Asimov shout-out. There's no dog or sinister government agency, but we do have the disadvantaged man and the author and the plucky and pretty sidekick and the stalwart boy (who tells the distressed damsel he's determined to rescue that she's a lot like Jane Hawk, from that series of books that his Mom likes to read), and many other Koontz tropes. I have a few reservations... the characters are either all good or all bad with few grey areas, and I wasn't convinced by the mind-reading/mind-control bit (though the elk herd was cool), and the motivation of the antagonist seemed weak... But, all-in-all, I enjoyed the read a lot and the pages kept flipping. I tell you, if this guy Koontz keeps it up, he's likely to have a future in the field someday.
March 28, 2022
Koontz’ Big Dark Sky is an exciting in-put-down-able thriller. It all centers around a ranch in Montana and Koontz beautifully captures the essence of the trees and mountains. It’s a story about dreams and lost childhoods and odd connections. It’s also a story about cults and crazed axe murderers. But, don’t forget the fantasy elements of herds if elk and grizzlies acting in odd special ways.
The story is told through several characters’ eyes. First, we get Joanne, a writer in Santa Fe, who gets mysterious calls that are impossible and dreams of her enchanted childhood that ended in tragedy and exile. We then get a narrative through the eyes of a Ted Kasinski type cult leader complete with a manifesto and a captive whose will he is trying to break. Of course, our grouping wouldn’t be complete without a pair of hackers on the wildest one-night stand and the world’s greatest genius.
It’s a thriller that gives nods to Koontz’ own Jane Hawk and another literary allusion. It often feels more like Stephen King’s horror than a techno-thriller.
Most importantly though it’s written to captivate the reader. All these mysterious things are going on and you just have to find out what’s going on. Don’t you?
The story is told through several characters’ eyes. First, we get Joanne, a writer in Santa Fe, who gets mysterious calls that are impossible and dreams of her enchanted childhood that ended in tragedy and exile. We then get a narrative through the eyes of a Ted Kasinski type cult leader complete with a manifesto and a captive whose will he is trying to break. Of course, our grouping wouldn’t be complete without a pair of hackers on the wildest one-night stand and the world’s greatest genius.
It’s a thriller that gives nods to Koontz’ own Jane Hawk and another literary allusion. It often feels more like Stephen King’s horror than a techno-thriller.
Most importantly though it’s written to captivate the reader. All these mysterious things are going on and you just have to find out what’s going on. Don’t you?
October 13, 2022
**2,5 stars**
This is my first ever Dean Koontz read and honestly, I don't know what to make of it. It was neither bad, nor particularly good in my opinion.
As I know this author to be a writer of horror, I thought Big Dark Sky might fit well into my plans of only reading creepy and scarry books this month. Yet I wasn't spooked one bit, just left wondering what the heck is going on half the time 🤔😂
This is my first ever Dean Koontz read and honestly, I don't know what to make of it. It was neither bad, nor particularly good in my opinion.
As I know this author to be a writer of horror, I thought Big Dark Sky might fit well into my plans of only reading creepy and scarry books this month. Yet I wasn't spooked one bit, just left wondering what the heck is going on half the time 🤔😂
November 4, 2022
I am a Dean Koontz fan and have high expectations of his stories. This story was well written and each character was interestingly described. The crux of this story was lacking in originality which made it disappointing in some aspects.
As far as the very last pages, you can be led to believe there could be a follow-up but of course this is not his style. It is a good read which is why I did rate it a 4.
It appears to me as though many authors are losing their edge on creativity. This is only my opinion.
As far as the very last pages, you can be led to believe there could be a follow-up but of course this is not his style. It is a good read which is why I did rate it a 4.
It appears to me as though many authors are losing their edge on creativity. This is only my opinion.
August 24, 2022
Between a 3.5 and even a 4 on this one. It’s Koontz, for better and for worse, but I found a lot to like in this book. Will definitely be back with a full review!
July 17, 2022
The Big Dark Sky is a stand-alone sci-fi/horror/suspense novel set in Montana, about a mysterious being with a plan that threatens all humanity, and the disparate group of people summoned to stop it. I hadn’t read any Koontz for at least ten years, having had very mixed results in the past. This one falls bang in the middle - I liked the premise, the characters (mostly), the beginning and the ending, but struggled through the middle, finding myself frequently distracted and frustrated by the choppiness of the story-telling and the absurdity of the writing. It’s hard to say too much without spoilers as this is a book which delays revealing what’s going on until about the last quarter, which I’ll confess added to my frustration.
Joanna Chase is a successful author who has led a life of isolation since losing both her parents in quick succession as a child. Then a voice from her past calls her back, through apparent control of her car’s electronic system, to the remote Montana ranch of her early years. Asher Optime is a man on a mission - he wants to become the last man on earth by beginning a revolution that will exterminate the human species - starting with a collection of strangers to build the necropolis he hopes will inspire others. Ganesh Patel is an extraordinary scientist at the head of a top secret project to find out who is killing specific individuals by internet, and what their objective is. When these and other unique characters converge on the idyllic lakeside homestead of Rustling Willows, will courage overcome madness to save humankind?
First off, it’s unusual to meet a Main Character who shares my given name (but please don’t call me Jojo!) Joanna, Wyatt, Ophelia, Colson and Kenny were likeable characters who were easy to root for, but they didn’t get enough time to be fully developed amongst the large cast of supports - some of whom were introduced as potential victims then never heard of again. The way each chapter moved between them was maddening, and completely disrupted the flow of the story - what I presume was meant to be mini-cliffhangers to keep you turning the pages just ended up disconnecting me from the plot. I therefore found this terribly slow for a suspense novel, until the action ramps up in the final 10% and the various players all come together for the last act.
The writing - oh my, purple doesn’t even begin to describe it! “Slowly sinking toward the great mountains in the west, the sun had for several minutes bathed the ghost town in a honeyed splendor that made some of the weathered buildings appear gilded.” gives you a taste. There are assorted pop culture references, some for the author’s own books, and others that would probably give serious sci-fi fans an early clue as to what’s going on but went over my head. You’re deliberately kept in the dark as to whether the evil antagonist is human, metaphysical, supernatural or alien - I didn’t work it out in advance. It did all make a bonkers sort of sense, and I’ll admit I did like the twist in the final sentence.
I also liked the way pompous ultra-malignant narcissist Asher Optime’s story plays out - he pretends his crusade is for the love of nature, but as one character calls him out: “your crusade is not about serving the planet or bringing a miscreated universe to an end. Instead, it’s about your ambition, your pride, your ego, your sadism.” The chapters from his hateful POV mean that you’ll cheer when his fate is revealed (maybe that’s a spoiler but you don’t expect any other outcome in this kind of book do you?) I was hoping for more of an explanation of the “synchronicities” which are repeatedly mentioned and would’ve liked a more comprehensive wrap-up than the very rushed ending we get, but them’s the breaks! All of my advance reviewing friends have rated this higher than me so I’d say if you’re a big Dean Koontz fan, go for it, but I won’t be rushing to read any more of his supernatural/sci-fi stuff - although I do plan to read the Jane Hawk books some day.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Big Dark Sky is published on July 19th.
Joanna Chase is a successful author who has led a life of isolation since losing both her parents in quick succession as a child. Then a voice from her past calls her back, through apparent control of her car’s electronic system, to the remote Montana ranch of her early years. Asher Optime is a man on a mission - he wants to become the last man on earth by beginning a revolution that will exterminate the human species - starting with a collection of strangers to build the necropolis he hopes will inspire others. Ganesh Patel is an extraordinary scientist at the head of a top secret project to find out who is killing specific individuals by internet, and what their objective is. When these and other unique characters converge on the idyllic lakeside homestead of Rustling Willows, will courage overcome madness to save humankind?
First off, it’s unusual to meet a Main Character who shares my given name (but please don’t call me Jojo!) Joanna, Wyatt, Ophelia, Colson and Kenny were likeable characters who were easy to root for, but they didn’t get enough time to be fully developed amongst the large cast of supports - some of whom were introduced as potential victims then never heard of again. The way each chapter moved between them was maddening, and completely disrupted the flow of the story - what I presume was meant to be mini-cliffhangers to keep you turning the pages just ended up disconnecting me from the plot. I therefore found this terribly slow for a suspense novel, until the action ramps up in the final 10% and the various players all come together for the last act.
The writing - oh my, purple doesn’t even begin to describe it! “Slowly sinking toward the great mountains in the west, the sun had for several minutes bathed the ghost town in a honeyed splendor that made some of the weathered buildings appear gilded.” gives you a taste. There are assorted pop culture references, some for the author’s own books, and others that would probably give serious sci-fi fans an early clue as to what’s going on but went over my head. You’re deliberately kept in the dark as to whether the evil antagonist is human, metaphysical, supernatural or alien - I didn’t work it out in advance. It did all make a bonkers sort of sense, and I’ll admit I did like the twist in the final sentence.
I also liked the way pompous ultra-malignant narcissist Asher Optime’s story plays out - he pretends his crusade is for the love of nature, but as one character calls him out: “your crusade is not about serving the planet or bringing a miscreated universe to an end. Instead, it’s about your ambition, your pride, your ego, your sadism.” The chapters from his hateful POV mean that you’ll cheer when his fate is revealed (maybe that’s a spoiler but you don’t expect any other outcome in this kind of book do you?) I was hoping for more of an explanation of the “synchronicities” which are repeatedly mentioned and would’ve liked a more comprehensive wrap-up than the very rushed ending we get, but them’s the breaks! All of my advance reviewing friends have rated this higher than me so I’d say if you’re a big Dean Koontz fan, go for it, but I won’t be rushing to read any more of his supernatural/sci-fi stuff - although I do plan to read the Jane Hawk books some day.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Big Dark Sky is published on July 19th.
July 26, 2022
"When people think their lives are without meaning, they'll seek meaning even from the creepiest of charlatans." Truer words may never have been spoken, whether it's in real life or in a work of fiction like this engaging book that reeled me in fast and kept me on the hook all the way to the last page.
While I'm in accolade mode, I'll add this: Dean Koontz is among very few writers - the other two who come to mind are J.K. Rowling and Stephen King - who never fail to make me wonder how in blazes he (or she) could even conjure up such intricate plots, much less write them down in such cohesive, delicious detail and (no small feat) make the supernatural seem, well, plausible.
This story centers around Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana, where Joanna Chase lived as a child until both her mother and father died, both thought to be accidental. Years later and living on her own as a writer, she experiences a series of strange events, the most troubling a phone message from an unknown female caller begging Joanna - in her former life nicknamed Jojo - to come help her. It takes a while and a few more bizarre experiences, but finally Joanna gets that the unknown caller wants her to return to her Montana home.
But maybe, just maybe, someone (or something) has a sinister reason to draw her to the ranch. And as readers soon learn, she's not the only one being targeted; and elsewhere, a couple of others are being "saved" by the intervention of a strange man dressed in white, while still others, shall I say, aren't quite so fortunate. Lurking out there, just waiting for a chance to get his jollies by mayhem, torture and horrific murder, is a man with a manifesto that claims human extinction is the only way to salvation. He welcomes the sight of a "big dark sky," and he'll do everything he can to make that happen.
Joanna, the man in white and the handful of characters (including a private investigator, a white hat hacker and a disfigured, nonverbal young man once befriended by Joanna) who escape his grasp are coming together as fast as they can grasp what's happening. But can they get the answers they need before the madman gets them? Well of course, I'll never say another word, except that that their trials and tribulations make for one heck of a tale. You'll have to read it for yourself to learn the details of their journey - and I highly recommend that you do (if you do, watch for the sneaky little references to a heroine in one of the author's popular series along the way). As for me, I'll just thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading a pre-release copy.
While I'm in accolade mode, I'll add this: Dean Koontz is among very few writers - the other two who come to mind are J.K. Rowling and Stephen King - who never fail to make me wonder how in blazes he (or she) could even conjure up such intricate plots, much less write them down in such cohesive, delicious detail and (no small feat) make the supernatural seem, well, plausible.
This story centers around Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana, where Joanna Chase lived as a child until both her mother and father died, both thought to be accidental. Years later and living on her own as a writer, she experiences a series of strange events, the most troubling a phone message from an unknown female caller begging Joanna - in her former life nicknamed Jojo - to come help her. It takes a while and a few more bizarre experiences, but finally Joanna gets that the unknown caller wants her to return to her Montana home.
But maybe, just maybe, someone (or something) has a sinister reason to draw her to the ranch. And as readers soon learn, she's not the only one being targeted; and elsewhere, a couple of others are being "saved" by the intervention of a strange man dressed in white, while still others, shall I say, aren't quite so fortunate. Lurking out there, just waiting for a chance to get his jollies by mayhem, torture and horrific murder, is a man with a manifesto that claims human extinction is the only way to salvation. He welcomes the sight of a "big dark sky," and he'll do everything he can to make that happen.
Joanna, the man in white and the handful of characters (including a private investigator, a white hat hacker and a disfigured, nonverbal young man once befriended by Joanna) who escape his grasp are coming together as fast as they can grasp what's happening. But can they get the answers they need before the madman gets them? Well of course, I'll never say another word, except that that their trials and tribulations make for one heck of a tale. You'll have to read it for yourself to learn the details of their journey - and I highly recommend that you do (if you do, watch for the sneaky little references to a heroine in one of the author's popular series along the way). As for me, I'll just thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading a pre-release copy.
July 13, 2022
Not my favorite Dean Koontz novel for sure, but an interesting horror/alien book. This featured an omniscent AI being that knew everything - seemed God-like. The writing style is clearly Dean Koontz with that lofty, intellectual prose that is quickly recognizable. The clues to the mystery are difficult to trace and I enjoyed following the investigation by Joanna.
Joanna was summoned back from her current life in Santa Fe to her childhood home at Rustling Willows ranch in Montana by an anonymous phone message begging for her help. She arrives once again in Montana and returns to face the strange childhood companion she had forgotten long ago.
The story is convoluted and difficult to follow so you have to pay attention. It did keep my attention, but I have to say I have enjoyed many other Dean Koontz novels much more.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published July 19, 2022.
Joanna was summoned back from her current life in Santa Fe to her childhood home at Rustling Willows ranch in Montana by an anonymous phone message begging for her help. She arrives once again in Montana and returns to face the strange childhood companion she had forgotten long ago.
The story is convoluted and difficult to follow so you have to pay attention. It did keep my attention, but I have to say I have enjoyed many other Dean Koontz novels much more.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published July 19, 2022.
June 30, 2022
The best thing about this book was the Jane Hawk reference. This was a convoluted mess. The plot was absurd and hard to understand. The chapters were too wordy with nonsense detail which made it slow to read. There were so many characters, it was hard to keep track. And when the cast gathered for the big revelation, for the solution to the mystery, it fell flat.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Dean Koontz for a copy of "The Big Dark Sky" in exchange of an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Dean Koontz for a copy of "The Big Dark Sky" in exchange of an honest review.
June 21, 2022
Finished reading: June 20th 2022
DNF at 13% (51 pages)
"Sunrise in Santa Fe, New Mexico, sometimes offered at peacock sky that opened the heart to wonder, even if the day included an appointment for a root canal procedure or, in Joanna's case, the prospect of a car mechanic issuing a diagnosis almost as unsettling as bad news from an oncologist."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
January 15, 2023
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Almost done getting through my backlog of ARC’s! I really enjoyed the plot to this story! I haven’t read much Dean Koontz in the past, but I’m sure I’ll pick up more of his books in the future! This story follows a multitude of characters all dealing with their own struggles that realize they are at the end of times from an extraterrestrial invasion. The characters are so well developed, it’s easy to fall right in to the story. I really enjoyed all the sci-fi elements and the horror was on point! I would definitely recommend if this kind of book is your cup of tea!
Almost done getting through my backlog of ARC’s! I really enjoyed the plot to this story! I haven’t read much Dean Koontz in the past, but I’m sure I’ll pick up more of his books in the future! This story follows a multitude of characters all dealing with their own struggles that realize they are at the end of times from an extraterrestrial invasion. The characters are so well developed, it’s easy to fall right in to the story. I really enjoyed all the sci-fi elements and the horror was on point! I would definitely recommend if this kind of book is your cup of tea!
August 9, 2022
Where love rules, there is no will to power;
and where power predominates, love is lacking.
The one is the shadow of the other.
-Carl Gustav Jung
A story told in five parts, The Big Dark Sky is immediately mysterious and magical. The spell of enchantment fell away for me as the truth was revealed. As with 77 Shadow Street, I felt there were too many unnecessary characters that the reader must attempt to keep track of. I was less than satisfied by the end of this Montana novel, yet cannot deny the mystery that was cast at the beginning nor that The Big Dark Sky touched on several aspects that I find intriguing.
Recommended Dean Koontz Fiction Synchronicities: Jane Hawk Series, Frankenstein Series, Moonlight Bay Series, Intensity, Winter Moon, Demon Seed, From the Corner of His Eye, Phantoms, The Key to Midnight, Innocence, Cold Fire
Recommend Related Non-Koontz Fiction: The Golden Enemy
Favorite Passages:
RUSTLING WILLOWS
Incredible coincidences without apparent cause are called synchronicities. They might better be called the stuff of life.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
The stars burn toward the heat death of the universe in however many billions of years, and the dead moon sheds cold light on the dark buildings that stand testament to the folly of the human race.
_______
The Color of Never
_______
The ancient, clouded windowpanes render the Monta morning sunshine into a bleak Antarctic dusk, and the softly hissing gas lantern radiates seance light in which spirits might be called out of the shadows, if such things as spirits existed, which they do not.
_______
"You mistake insanity for philosophy."
_______
He is a priest, not of any faith, but a priest in service in service to the whale and the wasp, the deer and the dormouse, and archbishop of seaweed and sycamores.
_______
This smart -mouthed slut isn't stupid, so she must be a little crazy . . .
_______
"What happened - it was kind of magical at first, but it got weird pretty quickly, and then it scared the shit out of me."
_______
"You know a princess?"
"I just met her," he said.
"Wow. Cool. I never knew a princess."
"I'll introduce you to yourself."
_______
"I don't know about you, but I'd rather not die today."
_______
The very complexity of his story seemed to verify it.
_______
"Wendy, have you ever heard of Carl Jung, or the word synchronicity?"
_______
"Do you think that might be meaningful? Positive synchronicity?"
_______
You are amazing, Jimmy! You're the best secret friend a girl could ever have.
_______
She believed in pursuing the truth of things rather than living in the pleasure of ignorance, and never before had a mystery as abstruse as this challenge her.
HOMECOMING
On the quantum level, reality is spookily fragile and can be manipulated. By whom? By us.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
Gradually, as cinder-gray radiance became dove gray and then pearl gray, the figure morphed into the more geometric form of a doorway, not a portal to a world after this one, but to a room beyond the back wall of the sanctuary.
_______
For whatever reason, Joanna didn't care to maintain a gallery of family photos on a wall or on the shelves of a bookcase. As a consequence, she was surprised that her mental image of her mother had faded and that the photo revealed a woman of greater beauty and grace than memory could retain.
Another aspect of the snapshot unsettled Joanna a little. In those eyes and even in the curve of the smile, there seemed to be a subtle melancholy that she had never noticed as a child. If it was not just a quirk of this one picture, if it had been there in life, her mother had hidden it well.
________
Perhaps everyone entertained a story of his or her childhood that to one extent or anther was a colorful reimagining of what had actually occurred, smoothing away the bigger fears and errors with a plaster of nostalgia. If so, they could be content with an alternate history because they believed to it be the complete and sparkling truth.
________
"On a summer night, have you ever seen a thick cloud of fireflies weave complex patterns in the air, as if performing for an audience?"
JIMMY TWO EYES
Amazing coincidences are in fact unconsciously engineered synchronicities, and we are the engineers.
- Ganesh Patel
_______
"What're you - Jane Hawk?"
"Who's Jane Hawk?"
"This kick-ass rogue FBI agent in these novels my mom likes. Even if you were Jane Hawk, it won't work the way you say. It never will."
_______
"I've never been to Montana."
"Neither have I."
She said, "I never imagined ever going to Montana."
"Neither have I."
_______
The darkness and the wind, the land and the water, the past and the future gathered here in the still point of the present, the past unredeemable, the future nothing but the past waiting to happen.
THE TRUE JIMMY
We were created to be creators, and we create ceaselessly, both consciously and unconsciously.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
Jimmy knew happy and he knew sad and he knew the place between when he wasn't happy or sad, when he just was.
_______
As a reader and writer, she liked stories in which one mystery was solved only to reveal another, in which the unknown, when known, remained to some degree mysterious, ineffable. In life, she wanted no part of such a story. She needed to know and, by knowing, take whatever action would put an end to doubt and fear.
_______
Like a miscreated child of the storm, offspring of thunder and lightning, born into the world by cataclysm, he moved through the screaming tempest.
Jimmy didn't want much. A little peace. A place to belong and someone to smile nice at him and mean it. He scared people when he smiled, so a lot of the time he smiled in a way they couldn't see.
_______
When you couldn't talk, people didn't talk to you, didn't know you liked to listen, so they left you in a long lonely quiet unless it was your father who talked until he was gone to God.
_______
"A century ago," Ganesh said, "Werner Heisenberg, a physicist perhaps as great as Einstein, finished the calculations that confirm the theory of quantum mechanics. It's the only fundamental theory of the structure of reality that has never been proven wrong. All of our advanced technology - cell phones, the internet, computers - is based on quantum mechanics. It works. Yet no one understands how it can be true or why it works. At the subatomic level, on the quantum level, nothing is certain, reality is tenuous. The particles and waves from which reality is woven don't behave by any rules. At the deepest level, all mater - reality itself - appears as fragile as a spider's web. There is even evidence - plenty of it - that reality on the quantum level behaves differently when it is studied from when it is not, suggesting that mere human observation can affect it."
From the back seat, Leigh Ann said, "Here comes Carl."
"Carl who?" Kenny asked.
"Mr. Synchronicity, "Leigh Ann said.
. . . .
"I knew the word but not where it comes from," Kenny said.
Ganesh said, "Carl Jung. He theorized, among other things, that mind and matter are entwined, that as individuals and as a community of minds, we can affect reality, even unconsciously create it."
_______
"Considering the threat we face - every man, woman, and child on the planet - we better be optimists."
_______
It's almost as if Destiny is not just a concept, but is in fact a power, and invisible agent, that watches over him and will ensure his ultimate success.
_______
As adults, we're not much less helpless than children, Wyatt thought, thought we can hold a job and pay our way. The bogeyman is still there, the thing under the bed, the worse thing in the bedroom closet at night, the even worse thing in the cellar, in the attic, except now it has names like Cancer and Stroke and Aneurysm and the Unknown.
_______
If synchronicity was more than mere coincidence, if it was evidence of meaning, then maybe they were meant to survive this night.
Oh, yes, and elephants can fly, Mickey Mouse lives in perpetual happiness with Minne, Donald Duck will always have Daisy, and the prince will never fail to find the foot that fits the glass slipper.
_______
Beyond the big windows, landscape lights relieved just enough of the darkness for him to see concatenations of wind-whipped rain and willow leaves that raged across the lawn like the shapes of strange beasts seen through a suddenly thinning veil between this world and even more hostile realm.
_______
_______
"The remarkable series of synchronicities that have brought us to this moment suggest we're approaching the resolution of contesting Jungian forces that will shape the future in a major way." He raised both arms and shook his hands as if he might shout hallelujah, but instead he said with unmistakable delight, "Tonight, no place on Earth is mor exciting to be than Rustling Willows Ranch. I am ready to levitate!"
"As a child," Leigh Ann said, "you must have been a hyper-active handful."
"My mother took refuge in yoga," Ganesh said, "but my father resorted to Prozac."
RESTORATION
By thousands of chance encounters and uncountable coincidences, people are drawn together to save a life, to save a nation, to save the world.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
The night is a dreamscape in which the only light is where absolute darkness relents to mere darkness, and shapes are defined in shades of gray.
_______
"Humanity has lived by the billions on Mars, by many millions on the moon, and you see what ruin was brought to those worlds, which are now barren, airless, and bleak. The only hope for Earth is that we smother our babies, bread without seed, and wither away."
_______
This incredible coincidence suggests that there are hidden patterns in the human experience, a structure underlying reality that implies meaning, and this further infuriates him.
_______
Joanna was past amazement, beyond astonishment, in the grip of awe, as she considered the two reasons, above all others, that she had become a writer: her mother's love of books, but also the years of fantasy -
and where power predominates, love is lacking.
The one is the shadow of the other.
-Carl Gustav Jung
A story told in five parts, The Big Dark Sky is immediately mysterious and magical. The spell of enchantment fell away for me as the truth was revealed. As with 77 Shadow Street, I felt there were too many unnecessary characters that the reader must attempt to keep track of. I was less than satisfied by the end of this Montana novel, yet cannot deny the mystery that was cast at the beginning nor that The Big Dark Sky touched on several aspects that I find intriguing.
Recommended Dean Koontz Fiction Synchronicities: Jane Hawk Series, Frankenstein Series, Moonlight Bay Series, Intensity, Winter Moon, Demon Seed, From the Corner of His Eye, Phantoms, The Key to Midnight, Innocence, Cold Fire
Recommend Related Non-Koontz Fiction: The Golden Enemy
Favorite Passages:
RUSTLING WILLOWS
Incredible coincidences without apparent cause are called synchronicities. They might better be called the stuff of life.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
The stars burn toward the heat death of the universe in however many billions of years, and the dead moon sheds cold light on the dark buildings that stand testament to the folly of the human race.
_______
The Color of Never
_______
The ancient, clouded windowpanes render the Monta morning sunshine into a bleak Antarctic dusk, and the softly hissing gas lantern radiates seance light in which spirits might be called out of the shadows, if such things as spirits existed, which they do not.
_______
"You mistake insanity for philosophy."
_______
He is a priest, not of any faith, but a priest in service in service to the whale and the wasp, the deer and the dormouse, and archbishop of seaweed and sycamores.
_______
This smart -mouthed slut isn't stupid, so she must be a little crazy . . .
_______
"What happened - it was kind of magical at first, but it got weird pretty quickly, and then it scared the shit out of me."
_______
"You know a princess?"
"I just met her," he said.
"Wow. Cool. I never knew a princess."
"I'll introduce you to yourself."
_______
"I don't know about you, but I'd rather not die today."
_______
The very complexity of his story seemed to verify it.
_______
"Wendy, have you ever heard of Carl Jung, or the word synchronicity?"
_______
"Do you think that might be meaningful? Positive synchronicity?"
_______
You are amazing, Jimmy! You're the best secret friend a girl could ever have.
_______
She believed in pursuing the truth of things rather than living in the pleasure of ignorance, and never before had a mystery as abstruse as this challenge her.
HOMECOMING
On the quantum level, reality is spookily fragile and can be manipulated. By whom? By us.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
Gradually, as cinder-gray radiance became dove gray and then pearl gray, the figure morphed into the more geometric form of a doorway, not a portal to a world after this one, but to a room beyond the back wall of the sanctuary.
_______
For whatever reason, Joanna didn't care to maintain a gallery of family photos on a wall or on the shelves of a bookcase. As a consequence, she was surprised that her mental image of her mother had faded and that the photo revealed a woman of greater beauty and grace than memory could retain.
Another aspect of the snapshot unsettled Joanna a little. In those eyes and even in the curve of the smile, there seemed to be a subtle melancholy that she had never noticed as a child. If it was not just a quirk of this one picture, if it had been there in life, her mother had hidden it well.
________
Perhaps everyone entertained a story of his or her childhood that to one extent or anther was a colorful reimagining of what had actually occurred, smoothing away the bigger fears and errors with a plaster of nostalgia. If so, they could be content with an alternate history because they believed to it be the complete and sparkling truth.
________
"On a summer night, have you ever seen a thick cloud of fireflies weave complex patterns in the air, as if performing for an audience?"
JIMMY TWO EYES
Amazing coincidences are in fact unconsciously engineered synchronicities, and we are the engineers.
- Ganesh Patel
_______
"What're you - Jane Hawk?"
"Who's Jane Hawk?"
"This kick-ass rogue FBI agent in these novels my mom likes. Even if you were Jane Hawk, it won't work the way you say. It never will."
_______
"I've never been to Montana."
"Neither have I."
She said, "I never imagined ever going to Montana."
"Neither have I."
_______
The darkness and the wind, the land and the water, the past and the future gathered here in the still point of the present, the past unredeemable, the future nothing but the past waiting to happen.
THE TRUE JIMMY
We were created to be creators, and we create ceaselessly, both consciously and unconsciously.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
Jimmy knew happy and he knew sad and he knew the place between when he wasn't happy or sad, when he just was.
_______
As a reader and writer, she liked stories in which one mystery was solved only to reveal another, in which the unknown, when known, remained to some degree mysterious, ineffable. In life, she wanted no part of such a story. She needed to know and, by knowing, take whatever action would put an end to doubt and fear.
_______
Like a miscreated child of the storm, offspring of thunder and lightning, born into the world by cataclysm, he moved through the screaming tempest.
Jimmy didn't want much. A little peace. A place to belong and someone to smile nice at him and mean it. He scared people when he smiled, so a lot of the time he smiled in a way they couldn't see.
_______
When you couldn't talk, people didn't talk to you, didn't know you liked to listen, so they left you in a long lonely quiet unless it was your father who talked until he was gone to God.
_______
"A century ago," Ganesh said, "Werner Heisenberg, a physicist perhaps as great as Einstein, finished the calculations that confirm the theory of quantum mechanics. It's the only fundamental theory of the structure of reality that has never been proven wrong. All of our advanced technology - cell phones, the internet, computers - is based on quantum mechanics. It works. Yet no one understands how it can be true or why it works. At the subatomic level, on the quantum level, nothing is certain, reality is tenuous. The particles and waves from which reality is woven don't behave by any rules. At the deepest level, all mater - reality itself - appears as fragile as a spider's web. There is even evidence - plenty of it - that reality on the quantum level behaves differently when it is studied from when it is not, suggesting that mere human observation can affect it."
From the back seat, Leigh Ann said, "Here comes Carl."
"Carl who?" Kenny asked.
"Mr. Synchronicity, "Leigh Ann said.
. . . .
"I knew the word but not where it comes from," Kenny said.
Ganesh said, "Carl Jung. He theorized, among other things, that mind and matter are entwined, that as individuals and as a community of minds, we can affect reality, even unconsciously create it."
_______
"Considering the threat we face - every man, woman, and child on the planet - we better be optimists."
_______
It's almost as if Destiny is not just a concept, but is in fact a power, and invisible agent, that watches over him and will ensure his ultimate success.
_______
As adults, we're not much less helpless than children, Wyatt thought, thought we can hold a job and pay our way. The bogeyman is still there, the thing under the bed, the worse thing in the bedroom closet at night, the even worse thing in the cellar, in the attic, except now it has names like Cancer and Stroke and Aneurysm and the Unknown.
_______
If synchronicity was more than mere coincidence, if it was evidence of meaning, then maybe they were meant to survive this night.
Oh, yes, and elephants can fly, Mickey Mouse lives in perpetual happiness with Minne, Donald Duck will always have Daisy, and the prince will never fail to find the foot that fits the glass slipper.
_______
Beyond the big windows, landscape lights relieved just enough of the darkness for him to see concatenations of wind-whipped rain and willow leaves that raged across the lawn like the shapes of strange beasts seen through a suddenly thinning veil between this world and even more hostile realm.
_______
_______
"The remarkable series of synchronicities that have brought us to this moment suggest we're approaching the resolution of contesting Jungian forces that will shape the future in a major way." He raised both arms and shook his hands as if he might shout hallelujah, but instead he said with unmistakable delight, "Tonight, no place on Earth is mor exciting to be than Rustling Willows Ranch. I am ready to levitate!"
"As a child," Leigh Ann said, "you must have been a hyper-active handful."
"My mother took refuge in yoga," Ganesh said, "but my father resorted to Prozac."
RESTORATION
By thousands of chance encounters and uncountable coincidences, people are drawn together to save a life, to save a nation, to save the world.
-Ganesh Patel
_______
The night is a dreamscape in which the only light is where absolute darkness relents to mere darkness, and shapes are defined in shades of gray.
_______
"Humanity has lived by the billions on Mars, by many millions on the moon, and you see what ruin was brought to those worlds, which are now barren, airless, and bleak. The only hope for Earth is that we smother our babies, bread without seed, and wither away."
_______
This incredible coincidence suggests that there are hidden patterns in the human experience, a structure underlying reality that implies meaning, and this further infuriates him.
_______
Joanna was past amazement, beyond astonishment, in the grip of awe, as she considered the two reasons, above all others, that she had become a writer: her mother's love of books, but also the years of fantasy -
April 7, 2022
When I was a preteen and into my early teenage years I absolutely loved Dean Koontz. Since then, I had begun to think of Koontz as kind of a second-rate Stephen King. I’m not sure what exactly led me to that way of thinking, but I stopped reading Koontz and devoured everything King wrote. Something inside me got excited, though, when I was given an advance copy of The Big Dark Sky. I honestly couldn’t wait to read it and when I started thinking back to Strangers, Watchers, Phantoms…man, I had to crack it open (figuratively speaking in the age of the e-book) and get reading. Unfortunately, this one didn’t do much to change my opinion of Koontz being Steve King Jr. I know it’s not fair to compare the two, but I can’t help it. I can’t be the only one.
The biggest problem that Dean Koontz has in his books is that he doesn’t have the knack for character development that King possesses. Sometimes, this can be blessing because King can get awfully long-winded at times and a less is more could be a blessing. But, even at his worst, King knows how to develop characters within the confines of a single story. Koontz can do it, but it often takes him several novels to do so. That’s fine when he’s writing a series like the Odd Thomas books, but in a one-off, it can be a problem. Such is the case with The Big Dark Sky. There are several characters in the book and Koontz doesn’t take the time to develop them and make you care about them. This coupled with the inexplicable happenings in the book causes issues because, by the end, you’re wondering what the hell happened and questioning whether you care. Koontz also has a habit of adding “convenience” to his stories. What I mean is that there is always a character that shows up at just the right time to save the day. There is always someone in the group who has just the right skill set or knowledge for that situation. It’s something that many (if not most) authors do, but when it’s this obvious, it gets distracting.
So, why did I give The Big Dark Sky three stars? It sounds like I hated it, huh? Actually, no, I enjoyed it. See, where Dean Koontz really shines, and the reason he’s had a decades long career with I don’t even know how many novels under his belt…it’s because he knows how to tell a story. For all his faults, Koontz can drag you into a story from the first chapter and make you sit there reading it until you hit that last sentence. He can set up a hell of a mystery and keep you going trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t, but you will be entertained along the way. You might finish a Dean Koontz novel and think that you wasted precious moments of your life, but if you really think about it, you enjoyed that time. Much like a big budget Hollywood movie, it’s not going to change your life, but it will keep you entertained for a short time and will probably have you poking around looking for something else he’s written before too long. I may not have rediscovered by love affair with Dean Koontz’ novels…that is likely gone with my childhood, I did discover that I was wrong to discount him. I’ll be reading other novels that I missed in the future, there is no doubt. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of The Big Dark Sky.
The biggest problem that Dean Koontz has in his books is that he doesn’t have the knack for character development that King possesses. Sometimes, this can be blessing because King can get awfully long-winded at times and a less is more could be a blessing. But, even at his worst, King knows how to develop characters within the confines of a single story. Koontz can do it, but it often takes him several novels to do so. That’s fine when he’s writing a series like the Odd Thomas books, but in a one-off, it can be a problem. Such is the case with The Big Dark Sky. There are several characters in the book and Koontz doesn’t take the time to develop them and make you care about them. This coupled with the inexplicable happenings in the book causes issues because, by the end, you’re wondering what the hell happened and questioning whether you care. Koontz also has a habit of adding “convenience” to his stories. What I mean is that there is always a character that shows up at just the right time to save the day. There is always someone in the group who has just the right skill set or knowledge for that situation. It’s something that many (if not most) authors do, but when it’s this obvious, it gets distracting.
So, why did I give The Big Dark Sky three stars? It sounds like I hated it, huh? Actually, no, I enjoyed it. See, where Dean Koontz really shines, and the reason he’s had a decades long career with I don’t even know how many novels under his belt…it’s because he knows how to tell a story. For all his faults, Koontz can drag you into a story from the first chapter and make you sit there reading it until you hit that last sentence. He can set up a hell of a mystery and keep you going trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t, but you will be entertained along the way. You might finish a Dean Koontz novel and think that you wasted precious moments of your life, but if you really think about it, you enjoyed that time. Much like a big budget Hollywood movie, it’s not going to change your life, but it will keep you entertained for a short time and will probably have you poking around looking for something else he’s written before too long. I may not have rediscovered by love affair with Dean Koontz’ novels…that is likely gone with my childhood, I did discover that I was wrong to discount him. I’ll be reading other novels that I missed in the future, there is no doubt. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of The Big Dark Sky.
July 20, 2022
The Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Joanna Chase loved Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana as a child, but at 9 years old, her mother died, followed by her father two weeks later. She was sent to live with her Aunt Kat in Santa Fe. Her memory of Rustling Willows is a little foggy. She has even forgotten her best friend.
She hasn't given much thought to the ranch in the last 24 years. But when she starts receiving messages by phone and through her television which plead with her to return to Montana, saying she is the only one that can help, Joanna decides to go.
She is not the only one headed to the ranch. They are coming for different reasons, but in the end, they will join together. A group of people, coming together to fight for the survival of the world.
My Opinions:
Well, Dean Koontz has once more created a rather crazy, rather complex, rather unbelievable combination of events, but which definitely entertained me. This is another one of his books where you leave your beliefs at the door, and just prepare for anything. (My own opinions of the "bad" guy ranged from a government top secret weapon, to an extra-terrestrial, to the devil himself.)
I really enjoyed the rather wild plot. The idea that everything happens for a reason and that it is much more than coincidence (synchronicity) was one of the main topics of the book. Then there is the subject of humans destroying the earth, and that it may be time to start fresh. Of course, being Koontz, you really aren't sure if he's headed toward an evil ET, or just a really bad human. Then there is the AI side. This is what he does, so if you aren't prepared for the rather far-fetched, don't read this.
The characters were wonderful, and some a little wacky! I loved them all, except of course, the ones I hated.
So, overall, I really enjoyed this ride through the unbelievable, because it's Koontz. His writing is undeniably clever.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, author information and contact details, as well as a favorite quotation or two from the book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
July 27, 2022
This book is exactly what Dean Koontz does best: A tapestry of many threads that come together in the end. I enjoyed the book very much. It isn’t one of my top Koontz favorites, but it’s well-crafted story.
Koontz goes head to head with technology and quantum mechanics. There’s violence and some gruesome descriptions which are an essential part of the plot. Bad guys have to be bad.
I like the good guys in this book. It would be nice to see them in a second book. I feel like the book maybe should have been longer. The margins are a bit large so the 380 pages might really be more like 250 pages. I felt like parts of the book were rushed when it would have added to the depth and storyline to show us more.
There’s a lot to unpack in this book. Synchronicity. Jung. The nature of reality at the subatomic level. Connection with nature. Community. Ethics. Lightning bugs.
You can’t go wrong with quantum mechanics and lightning bugs in the same book!
If you look Dean Koontz books or you love a well-crafted story that will make you afraid of the dark for a few days, this is a perfect read for you!
Also, I’d like to compliment the publishing company who made the hardcover book. The front and back endpapers are a gorgeous colorful night scene of a sea, mountains, and a big dark sky with a star cluster. The hardcover book beneath the book jacket has the same star cluster that is featured on the endpapers. The hardcover is navy blue with the star cluster imprinted in silver on the front and back of the book.
Yes. I removed the book jacket to look at the actual book. I’m almost always disappointed. This time I was thrilled. So much care and thought went into crafting this book.
Koontz goes head to head with technology and quantum mechanics. There’s violence and some gruesome descriptions which are an essential part of the plot. Bad guys have to be bad.
I like the good guys in this book. It would be nice to see them in a second book. I feel like the book maybe should have been longer. The margins are a bit large so the 380 pages might really be more like 250 pages. I felt like parts of the book were rushed when it would have added to the depth and storyline to show us more.
There’s a lot to unpack in this book. Synchronicity. Jung. The nature of reality at the subatomic level. Connection with nature. Community. Ethics. Lightning bugs.
You can’t go wrong with quantum mechanics and lightning bugs in the same book!
If you look Dean Koontz books or you love a well-crafted story that will make you afraid of the dark for a few days, this is a perfect read for you!
Also, I’d like to compliment the publishing company who made the hardcover book. The front and back endpapers are a gorgeous colorful night scene of a sea, mountains, and a big dark sky with a star cluster. The hardcover book beneath the book jacket has the same star cluster that is featured on the endpapers. The hardcover is navy blue with the star cluster imprinted in silver on the front and back of the book.
Yes. I removed the book jacket to look at the actual book. I’m almost always disappointed. This time I was thrilled. So much care and thought went into crafting this book.
August 29, 2022
This novel is a bit of a mess, and I found myself bored with it at times. Too many POV’s, a large cast I had trouble keeping straight, and then a really weirdly messy climax made for an interesting read, anyway…and what’s the deal with the Artemis character? All that was totally unneeded.
I miss the days when Koontz’s novels/writing were smooth as a satin ribbon, and made me want to read them again. Now I’m forced to buy the ebook/audiobook because libraries will no longer buy his latest novels, for whatever reason, and it’s the only way I can get ahold of one. And then I’m bummed I spent the money on them, lately.
Fajer Al-Kaisi Is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, and I haven’t run across his work before. I am surprised that this is so, as Al-Kaisi has *seven pages* of narrations done at Audible alone, so this apparently must be my mistake. It is one what I will fix, soon. Al-Kaisi’s voice is soothing and warm, and makes me want to listen to him more. His characterization of people with accents were sublime, and I’d like to hear more of this, in other works. I bet he gives good sarcasm…. 😉.
3 stars, and not really recommended to anyone but the most stalwart of Koontz fans….
I miss the days when Koontz’s novels/writing were smooth as a satin ribbon, and made me want to read them again. Now I’m forced to buy the ebook/audiobook because libraries will no longer buy his latest novels, for whatever reason, and it’s the only way I can get ahold of one. And then I’m bummed I spent the money on them, lately.
Fajer Al-Kaisi Is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, and I haven’t run across his work before. I am surprised that this is so, as Al-Kaisi has *seven pages* of narrations done at Audible alone, so this apparently must be my mistake. It is one what I will fix, soon. Al-Kaisi’s voice is soothing and warm, and makes me want to listen to him more. His characterization of people with accents were sublime, and I’d like to hear more of this, in other works. I bet he gives good sarcasm…. 😉.
3 stars, and not really recommended to anyone but the most stalwart of Koontz fans….
November 2, 2022
Another great novel by Dean Koontz!
I did enjoy it...
Nothing better than a Koontz novel for passing the time on a rainy day!
Drinking a nice cup of piping hot cocoa or tea...
A malicious and hideous entity thousands of years old, plus a psychopath mad like a canal rat embarked on a mission to extinguish the human race.
A disabled kid and a flawed young woman suffering from trauma is what humankind has to offer for stopping them...
How will this struggle turn out?
Gripping and fascinating to the end, believable characters, and a storyline flowing so smooth as it gets!
Maybe not his best, nevertheless worth the time...
Dean;)
I did enjoy it...
Nothing better than a Koontz novel for passing the time on a rainy day!
Drinking a nice cup of piping hot cocoa or tea...
A malicious and hideous entity thousands of years old, plus a psychopath mad like a canal rat embarked on a mission to extinguish the human race.
A disabled kid and a flawed young woman suffering from trauma is what humankind has to offer for stopping them...
How will this struggle turn out?
Gripping and fascinating to the end, believable characters, and a storyline flowing so smooth as it gets!
Maybe not his best, nevertheless worth the time...
Dean;)
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