Relentless

Subject: Relentless Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:06 pm

Our belated September book: Relentless by Dean Koontz.

Subject: Re: Relentless Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:23 am

This book was the first time in a really long time where I didn't flip to the end to read the last page. I wanted to, simply because it is such a habit for me. But in the end I knew I would be doing myself an disservice by doing so. I mean there were sections of this book that literally took my breath away. The taser, the shoot out, Clitherow's story, Cubby's history...all of it left me breathless. So I knew that if I did flip to the end to see who lived and who didn't it would take away that breathless feeling for me so I stuck it out and just tried to get through the book as fast as I could
I loved the way that Dean Koontz wrote this book. I know that Kate feels he is at his best when he writes in first person, and the only 2 books I have read by him were both written in that style. But more than that, I love his ability to add in the humor and banter to those tense moments. I also loved that he wrote these beautiful lines that were like little pearls of wisdom but he didn't save them for the end of the book he included them through out. On page 150 which is almost right in the middle of the book he wrote...

"At decision points in life, a sane person is guided by the lessons of his past...existence is a cause for amazement and wonder, that we must seize life because we never know how much of it remains for us, that faith is the antidote to despair and that laughter is the music of faith...anger should always be watered down if not extinguished with humor..."

One thing that did kind of throw me though was some little references he would make to current events. I mean at one point he referenced "Dancing with the Stars." I don't know what it is about me that needs to have my books not be dated. I know that with every book you are usually aware of what century or decade a book is taking place in. But I do like for my books to be somewhat timeless. To the point where I can put myself in the characters shoes and believe that what they are going through could happen now. Obviously since Dancing with the Stars is a show currently airing this book isn't the perfect example for what I am tring to explain. But in 50 years Dancing with the Stars will be long gone and people will read that book and be like "What?"
I loved the dynamic between the family. I loved Cubby and Penny. Loved the part in the beginning when he says that he believes that he has this quardian angel named Ralph watching over him who at some point must have been kneeling beside Penny's bed while she slept, whispering to her that Cubby was the one. I wish my angel would do that for me!

It does kind of shock me that they were so excepting of the idea that they were being attacked. I probably wouldn't have assessed the situation as brilliantly as they did and I would have run to the police. And in which case I would have died and this is why I will never survive an alien invasion or zombie attack. But a lot of how they responded to the situation they were thrown into was a result of their trust in eachother. Which was amazing.
I loved how devoted they were to Milo. How they supported him even though they could never fully understand him. I did feel however that there were some things they shared with him that I didn't think was appropraiate no matter how special Milo was. Things that Shearman had said and the story of Clitherow.
I didn't like the ending. I felt like the story was going along with so much energy and excitment and then in the end all the wind was let out of the sails. I hated that we didn't get to see Shearman die and that they weren't the ones to kill him.
Yes, they weren't cold blooded killers but Shearman is the character who you grow to hate. He is the character that we are supposed to see as the imbodiment of pure evil. In the end of chorse, that wasn't the case, but you spend three hundred pages hating someone just for him to die behind closed doors is just so unsatisfying.
I hate that they have to be shipped off to some compound. I mean Koontz sets it up in a way where you know that for those characters it will be okay. They will thrive and be happy. But I personally would HATE it!!! I could not do it, I would be the first one running away in search of a cyanide capsule if that was what all of civilization was coming to.
I also didn't like the fact that that was the fate of civilization. That these brothers and thier society or whatever it was, was so large and had so many connections and was taking over.
But in the end, I can come to terms with these things because my hope for civilization is with Milo. Cubby was saved as a kid, and he believes that his purpose was Milo. I believe that with all of Milo's "talent" he will find a way to take the brotherhood down. And that is a book I can't wait to read!

Midnighter Posts : 101 Join date : 2008-07-14

I finished the book about an hour ago. Now I'm staying awake because it's almost 330am. And i've just read about ghosts, so it doesn't make me want to go to sleep before this time. Apparently Scarlett Johansson is a singer. Reminds me of Zooey, but I'm not sure if i like it. This book was nuts. During the home invasion I could not check my locks enough. But I also didn't want to get out of bed (for safety and because I wanted to keep reading). I kept trying to find a calm part and didn't get to one until chp 36, when I started at chp 5. Yeah, I thought the death could have been more satisfying too. And did he really have to go Prince of Persia on us with the time travel? I guess we were building up to it, but it just wasn't something that I think would actually happen. But I guess I'd just have to experience it. Oh hey, New Moon music video on mtv Smile

I'm glad that Waxx died. Oh god, now lady gaga and skarsgard. Oh god, Swedish. Okay, I'm too distracted now and will be waking up in a few hours. I'll write more later.

Subject: Re: Relentless Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:27 pm

I loved Relentless, and unlike Bittner I wasn't disappointed in the ending. I was surprised by the suddenness of Waxx's death, but I thought the anonymity of it was fitting. In the end he was a kind of pathetic momma's boy.

I want to live in an underground fortress built by the Boom family. I seriously do. I love that they collect books and artwork, along with food and weapons.

Cubby's background, which I knew was going to be tragic, was very over the top- which of course I enjoy so I have no argument with it. The human spirit can endure so much, children can go through horrific events, and still emerge stronger than ever before. Shearman Waxx and his goons picked the wrong family to take down.

I would really like to see a sequel, I'd love for Milo and Cubby and Penny to take on and defeat the rest of this evil organization. Although a good stand alone book, I think there's more to be written, more to told. Waxx and his crazy momma might have been taken out, but the mere fact that Cubby and family have to remain hidden means the bad guys ultimately won this one.

Midnighter Posts : 101 Join date : 2008-07-14

I want a time-jumping dog. I also want a strong hold, but not for the books, but for the years supply of food and ability to be self sustaining. Like "Blast from the Past" I don't know about sequels. It just seems like everything has a sequel to it. Why aren't things good enough as they are? Maybe that was a theme throughout the book. When Hud wanted a sequel to the Great Gatsby and all that. I probably would have just stayed at the first stronghold instead of taking the risk of going outside again. And right after the tazering, I was certain that the dog was going to be shot when he went to the bathroom. I thought it was weird that nothing happened to the dog.

Subject: Re: Relentless Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:06 pm

I have a hard time letting characters go. That's why I like sequels. And really, that weren't that popular until modern times. Now series and long term plots that stretch over several books are very in. And I'm okay with that as long as it keeps my interest.

Subject: Re: Relentless Thu Oct 22, 2009 12:18 pm

For where I am now, I am very irritated with all the series of books coming out so I get what Amanda is saying about how a book should be good by itself. But I think for this book I really want to see Milo take down the brotherhood so I am hungry for more.

But I know that I have said during multiple postings on other books we have read that I love to get to the end and close the book and be done with that story. I hate having to read tons of books to finally get to the end of something. But I quess with this book, for me it was just an exception.