Odd is Good (Odd Thomas by Dean R. Koontz)

I am not a fan of dying. It seems so final to me. I want to know what happens when I die. I have gone so far to find out about the final trip that I ask those who have passed away before me to come visit and fill me in. No one has ever taken me upon my offer. In Dean R. Koontz’s suspense series featuring a character aptly named Odd Thomas the dead do visit.

Odd Thomas, (yes, this is his legal name), is a 20 year old fry cook who lives in the dessert town of Pico Mundo. At the age of 7 he discovered he has an unusual gift. He sees dead people, ala “The Sixth Sense”. In Odd’s world the dead communicate with him but not through speech. It is a psychic connection with them that tells him what they need from him whether it is forgiveness or revenge. He feels it is his birthright to help them move on.

This is another book that came to me by way of a friend. Actually, Melinda gave me “Brother Odd” and when I realized it was part of a series I set it aside. I don’t like to read serial novels out of order. I hate having to backtrack to get a joke or recurring plot piece. Anyway, some weeks went by when I saw another friend reading “Forever Odd” and we got to talking about the series. He actually told me very little about the story but insisted I start at the beginning of the series. I did exactly that and I can’t wait to start the second book “Forever Odd”.

In the first book I met Odd and his girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn. According to a fortune telling robotic gypsy mummy “They are destined to be together forever”.
The other friends and fellow characters are:
· Terri Stambaug, his boss who is obsessed with Elvis.
· Little Ozzie, the celebrity author who is his friend and mentor. He is the one who convinced Odd to write down is experiences.
· Mean Chester, Little Ozzie’s cat.
· Rosalia Sanchez is Odd’s landlady. She has suffered such losses in death she is afraid she will just become invisible. Odd visits her every morning to assure her she can still be seen.
· Chief Porter is the head of the police dept. and knows of Odd’s unusual gift and has closed some tough cases with the help of Odd.
· Elvis, yes the king.

Beyond the list of characters and the basic concept of this series I can say no more because it gives too much away and I would hate to ruin it for anyone. I will tell you the end was worth the whole story and the whole story made the end happen. You will see what I mean once you read it.
Recently I answered a MEME question “What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?” I answered the question that the best book combines both. “Odd Thomas” does that.
Written in first person with spare language Dean Koontz colors a very clear picture of Odd and the life he leads. Suspense builds not with a lot of violence but with a tension in uncertainty. The ending is satisfying and shocking.

Please check this series out at soon as you get a chance!
The series includes:
Odd Thomas
Forever Odd

Brother Odd

Odd Hours

In Odd We Trust