Christine M. reviewed on + 46 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
The story centers around a Vietnamese author named Tommy Phan who writes detective novels. One night, Tommy receives a strange package on his porch. When he opens it, Tommy discovers that it is a rag doll. Unfortunately, things start to become deadly serious rather quickly. There is an evil demon inside the doll that breaks out and is obsessed with killing Tommy. Not only is the demon a deadly one, but it is also highly intelligent as well. It managed to leave Tommy a note on his computer that comprised of "The deadline is dawn. Tick tock... Tick tock". Now Tommy not only has to survive the night without being killed, but he also has to solve the mystery of who sent the demon to him and why they want him dead.
Over the years I have read most of Koontz's books. However, Tick Tock was always a book that I put off reading. The premise sounded like a rip off of the film "Child's Play", and I had heard some bad feedback on the book from certain people who had read the book. I finally decided to put my skepticism aside, and give Tick Tock a chance. I am so glad that I did, because it is seriously one of the best books that I have read in awhile, and that is just not limiting the criteria to Dean Koontz novels either. I am talking overall, and I read a lot of books. The book manages to hook you in from the first page and keeps you there until the very end. The suspense that this book brings is so intense, that it is almost unreal.
However, although the demon may be scary and the suspense is almost overwhelming at times, the book's real appeal comes from Koontz's character development. Tommy Phan is one of my favorite Koontz characters. Koontz portrays Tommy as a man who is constantly fighting against his heritage to become more American, and it is his battle against those beliefs that makes his war with the demon harder. Koontz also manages to create one of the best female leads he has ever written as well. Along the way, Tommy meets and eventually falls for a woman named Deliverance Payne who joins him in the fight against the demon no questions asked. Del's different philosophies on life, her twisted sense of humor, and her wild past make Del an extremely interesting and likeable character. The relationship that develops between Del and Tommy is one of Koontz's more enjoyable ones. It truly brings a new meaning to the phrase "opposites attract".
Overall, Tick Tock is now one of my favorite Koontz books. This book showcases Koontz's character development at its best, and supplies a perfect mixture of horror, suspense, humor, and romance.
Over the years I have read most of Koontz's books. However, Tick Tock was always a book that I put off reading. The premise sounded like a rip off of the film "Child's Play", and I had heard some bad feedback on the book from certain people who had read the book. I finally decided to put my skepticism aside, and give Tick Tock a chance. I am so glad that I did, because it is seriously one of the best books that I have read in awhile, and that is just not limiting the criteria to Dean Koontz novels either. I am talking overall, and I read a lot of books. The book manages to hook you in from the first page and keeps you there until the very end. The suspense that this book brings is so intense, that it is almost unreal.
However, although the demon may be scary and the suspense is almost overwhelming at times, the book's real appeal comes from Koontz's character development. Tommy Phan is one of my favorite Koontz characters. Koontz portrays Tommy as a man who is constantly fighting against his heritage to become more American, and it is his battle against those beliefs that makes his war with the demon harder. Koontz also manages to create one of the best female leads he has ever written as well. Along the way, Tommy meets and eventually falls for a woman named Deliverance Payne who joins him in the fight against the demon no questions asked. Del's different philosophies on life, her twisted sense of humor, and her wild past make Del an extremely interesting and likeable character. The relationship that develops between Del and Tommy is one of Koontz's more enjoyable ones. It truly brings a new meaning to the phrase "opposites attract".
Overall, Tick Tock is now one of my favorite Koontz books. This book showcases Koontz's character development at its best, and supplies a perfect mixture of horror, suspense, humor, and romance.
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