Review: Life Expectancy

In his latest novel, Dean Koontz introduces us to the Tock family. Jimmy Tock is born on the night his grandfather dies, in the same hospital. However, his grandfather dies no ordinary death. Shortly before passing on, he makes five predictions about Jimmy's life, giving the exact dates and warning that they will be dark days. He also mentions that Jimmy's toes will be fused and predicts his time of his birth down to the last minute. When these predictions are proved to be correct, the Tock family start to believe that the five dates may also be true. What has Fate got in store for Jimmy Tock?

Following the runaway success of "Odd Thomas", Koontz again opts to use a first person narrator and the story is recounted to us by Jimmy Tock. This allows Koontz to add a lot of humour to the mix. There were occasions when I was laughing out loud at some of Jimmy's wry comments and occasional witticisms. It could be argued, however, that there is too much humour in various situations. On the first of Jimmy's dark days, he ends up in serious trouble, but the threat was undercut by comedy, almost giving the idea that the story was lurching towards bathos. This is not a dark, hardboiled thriller, but one with enough humour to allow the pages to fly by.

Once again, Koontz triumphs with the voices of his characters. Jimmy Tock is warm and appealing, and his family also make for much merriment. As with most Koontz novels, romance is at the heart of the story and the reader is painted a pretty picture of a relaxed, loving couple, despite the Sword of Damocles hanging over Jimmy's head. As ever, Koontz's villains are well drawn and interesting. They are certainly not the nastiest that he has ever come up with, but they are particularly fascinating in their own sociopathic way. However, due to the humour factor, there were times when they felt more like caricatures than actual villains.

As always, Koontz's prose is rich and his musings on the human character are interesting. Certainly, Jimmy Tock makes for an excellent narrator and the reader will be gripped by the powerful story that he tells. "Life Expectancy" is a thriller, but because of its laughter, it is one that does not take itself too seriously. This is yet another triumph for Dean Koontz and one that is sure to remain a best-seller for some time to come. Fun, interesting and immensely enjoyable, the reader cannot fail to be hooked by the adventures of the Tock family, even if there is no requisite Koontzian dog!

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Book Review: Life Expectancy