Jan 14 - Jan 18, 2012
77 Shadow Street
Dean Koontz
Horror/Sci Fi
Published 2011
382 pages
9/10
The Pendleton is a stately old mansion that has been converted into luxury apartments for the wealthy elite. It boasts Oriental rugs, a full swimming pool, and a horrific past dredged in bloodshed and insanity. But don't be deceived, because 77 Shadow Street is no mere haunted house, and the current residents are about to be thrust into a world overseen by something far more terrifying than ghosts...
I LIKE this book.
It's totally bizarre and unpredictable, it dragged ass on occasion, and had too many characters; but I don't give a fuck. I like it.
I think the overwhelming reason why I have such affection for 77 Shadow Street is because I stepped into this thinking, "I haven't read a good haunted house story since twenty-ought-six. This will seem new and exciting, therefore I'm down." and I plunged in like there were no fucks to be given.
77 Shadow Street
Dean Koontz
Horror/Sci Fi
Published 2011
382 pages
9/10
The Pendleton is a stately old mansion that has been converted into luxury apartments for the wealthy elite. It boasts Oriental rugs, a full swimming pool, and a horrific past dredged in bloodshed and insanity. But don't be deceived, because 77 Shadow Street is no mere haunted house, and the current residents are about to be thrust into a world overseen by something far more terrifying than ghosts...
I LIKE this book.
It's totally bizarre and unpredictable, it dragged ass on occasion, and had too many characters; but I don't give a fuck. I like it.
I think the overwhelming reason why I have such affection for 77 Shadow Street is because I stepped into this thinking, "I haven't read a good haunted house story since twenty-ought-six. This will seem new and exciting, therefore I'm down." and I plunged in like there were no fucks to be given.
Swiftly I began to realize that this was no haunted house story in the traditional sense (no more than Epic Meal Time is a cooking show) but more of a super fucked up "This kitchen could really use a woman's touch." a la The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror kind of house.
And then I really got reading and realized I had NO IDEA what I had gotten myself into when I cracked this sucker.
I'll admit, I had kind of an inkling where things were headed four fifths of the way through, and was right in the broad sense. But as far as specifics? I'm STILL not quite sure exactly what happened and I don't think I got the license plate of that truck that hit me.I have to be honest; I was kind of waffling on whether I really liked all that much, or if I just thought it was OK. Like I said, there was such a profusion of characters that sometimes, when I was going through a particular set of circumstances or experiences a half dozen or a dozen times, I sort of wanted to shoot myself in the face.
I'll admit, I had kind of an inkling where things were headed four fifths of the way through, and was right in the broad sense. But as far as specifics? I'm STILL not quite sure exactly what happened and I don't think I got the license plate of that truck that hit me.I have to be honest; I was kind of waffling on whether I really liked all that much, or if I just thought it was OK. Like I said, there was such a profusion of characters that sometimes, when I was going through a particular set of circumstances or experiences a half dozen or a dozen times, I sort of wanted to shoot myself in the face.
OK, mildly melodramatic, but I was growing less than amused at some points. Also, Koontz occasionally repeats himself. Though I can live with that, as I live in a mini-enclave of stoners, and we are notorious for telling the same story over and over and over again. Hey, to be fair, it's hard to keep track of who you have and haven't told the amusing anecdote about the time...
Anyways, couple those wee irritations with a final course of schmaltz, and you get a mighty waffling Kat. But you know what did it for me? What tipped me over the edge of "Pretty Good' into straight-up "DAMN! This is fine Reading!' with an extra helping of awesome? The fact that A) Koontz gives a contact address so you can write him (He's not too good for us little peoples!) and B) He mentions his dog in the dedication, who he also wrote a book about. And yes, I know you all assumed Wikipedia was the most accurate place to score all your info:
Anyways, couple those wee irritations with a final course of schmaltz, and you get a mighty waffling Kat. But you know what did it for me? What tipped me over the edge of "Pretty Good' into straight-up "DAMN! This is fine Reading!' with an extra helping of awesome? The fact that A) Koontz gives a contact address so you can write him (He's not too good for us little peoples!) and B) He mentions his dog in the dedication, who he also wrote a book about. And yes, I know you all assumed Wikipedia was the most accurate place to score all your info:
But Koontz is the guy, not the dog.
Anyways, Trixie (his dog) passed away, but Dean hasn't forgotten her, and is keeping her name alive via dedications, books, and her own spot on his website. Hell, he's even got a spot on there so you can donate to the organization that Trixie came from, as Trixie was a retired companion animal.
Shiz, you guys. I'm tearing up a little right now. Don't judge me.
So to sum it up, Dean Koontz writes scary weird, lets his fans send him locks of their hair, and loves his passed away dog. And on this day, my Grinch heart grew three sizes, and I found just a little more love for this book.
Or I just might be ovulating. But I'd like to think it's love.
And just so you don't think I got too sappy, I'll leave you with some of my favorite Eic Meal Time videos (I made a version of the cake with girlfriends once... wait, did I already tell you that story?)
Anyways, Trixie (his dog) passed away, but Dean hasn't forgotten her, and is keeping her name alive via dedications, books, and her own spot on his website. Hell, he's even got a spot on there so you can donate to the organization that Trixie came from, as Trixie was a retired companion animal.
Shiz, you guys. I'm tearing up a little right now. Don't judge me.
So to sum it up, Dean Koontz writes scary weird, lets his fans send him locks of their hair, and loves his passed away dog. And on this day, my Grinch heart grew three sizes, and I found just a little more love for this book.
Or I just might be ovulating. But I'd like to think it's love.
And just so you don't think I got too sappy, I'll leave you with some of my favorite Eic Meal Time videos (I made a version of the cake with girlfriends once... wait, did I already tell you that story?)
And the first one I ever saw (and my all time favorite):
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