Science news and science current events, research and discoveries.
Top science news articles and science current events stories from the past week.
Science Resources
Science RSS News Feeds
Earth, Life and Space Science RSS News Feeds.
|
 |
 |
 |
| View Larger Image | Life Expectancy
by Dean Koontz
| | List Price: | $7.99 |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 17042 | | Studio: | Bantam | | | Binding: | Mass Market Paperback | | Number Of Pages: | 496 | | Publication Date: | October 25, 2005 | | Publisher: | Bantam |
| |
EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
With his bestselling blend of nail-biting intensity, daring artistry, and storytelling magic, Dean Koontz returns with an emotional roller coaster of a tale filled with enough twists, turns, shocks, and surprises for ten ordinary novels. Here is the story of five days in the life of an ordinary man born to an extraordinary legacy—a story that will challenge the way you look at good and evil, life and death, and everything in between.
Jimmy Tock comes into the world on the very night his grandfather leaves it. As a violent storm rages outside the hospital, Rudy Tock spends long hours walking the corridors between the expectant fathers' waiting room and his dying father's bedside. It's a strange vigil made all the stranger when, at the very height of the storm's fury, Josef Tock suddenly sits up in bed and speaks coherently for the frist and last time since his stroke.
What he says before he dies is that there will be five dark days in the life of his grandson—five dates whose terrible events Jimmy will have to prepare himself to face. The first is to occur in his twentieth year; the second in his twent-third year; the third in his twenty-eighth; the fourth in his twenty-ninth; the fifth in his thirtieth.
Rudy is all too ready to discount his father's last words as a dying man's delusional rambling. But then he discovers that Josef also predicted the time of his grandson's birth to the minute, as well as his exact height and weight, and the fact that Jimmy would be born with syndactyly—the unexplained anomal of fused digits—on his left foot. Suddenly the old man's predictions take on a chilling significance.
What terrifying events await Jimmy on these five dark days? What nightmares will he face? What challenges must he survive? As the novel unfolds, picking up Jimmy's story at each of these crisis points, the path he must follow will defy every expectation. And with each crisis he faces, he will move closer to a fate he could never have imagined. For who Jimmy Tock is and what he must accomplish on the five days when his world turns is a mystery as dangerous as it is wondrous—a struggle against an evil so dark and pervasive, only the most extraordinary of human spirits can shine through. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 254 reviews)
|
Great dark humor - like the best of Koontz 
I hate clowns, too - and this one proves my fear is grounded in ratiionality. Floppy shoes, makeup and all, the first clown in Life Expectancy immediately gives the reader chills, and it continues unabated thanks to Koontz' fine detail. Not until the moment Koontz chose to reveal it did I understand the reason for the vile bitterness leading to all the violence which nearly takes Jimmy's life and does injure or kill others throughout the novel. This one is even better at that sudden surprise at the end than most of Koontz - and that's saying something.
August 24, 2008 | |
Qwirky
This story really pulled me in from the beginning and that is why I continued and with the twist & turns I committed until the end. This is my second Knoontz. I didn't fair as well with Darkest Day of the Year, which I did not complete. As strange as the story (Life Expectancy) is it has a moral lesson; eventhough, it has an element of fantasy which I think make a good combination for a great read; a little realistic but unrealistic like sweet & sour. But in the end we learn how life truly is unpredictable and unexpected, which makes the title quite appropriate for this tale. Enjoy.
August 16, 2008 | |
The best book I've ever read!
The title of my review says it all. This book reminded me of why I love Dean Koontz's style of writing. It's like a 30's movie - great dialogue and character interaction built around a simple theme. I just wanted to slow down and savor this book, but, just like eating a great meal, you can't wait to see what comes next! I would recommend this book to anyone! I passed it to my husband and he agreed that it was the best book he's ever read! If you want to read a book that will just delight you and leave you smiling - this is it!
July 18, 2008 | |
Definitely one of Dean's best
Life Expectancy is second only the original Odd Thomas as my favorite Dean Koontz novel.
You've read the description so no rehashing of the plot needs to be done. I listened this this on audiobook and was blown away that the personalities of the characters. You're dealing with a family of bakers while at the same time a circus family complete with insane clowns.
While it definitely sounds over the top (even over the "big top") this novel is suprisingly easy to keep up with. The dialogue is hilarious at times, while the plot will keep you reading long after you should've started doing something more productive.
If you are a Koontz fan and have not read this book then you must do so immediately. Even if you haven't read any other works by him this one would be a good one to pick up along with the original Odd.
July 01, 2008 | |
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz
I enjoy the character discriptions, exciting adventure, and helps me to realize that my problems are not so bad.
June 05, 2008 | |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| |
|
|
|
|
