BORELLI CONSULTING: Recreational Equipment Reviews

"The Good Guy" by Dean Koontz
25 June 2007

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I've been a fan of Dean Koontz's books for more than a decade now. When I first read "Midnight" I thought, "Wow; this author has an extraordinarily weird imagination." As I began to read through some of his other works I realized that his books broke down into two basic categories: 1) Bad guy is chasing good guy and something is weird, and 2) Good versus evil where science-fiction or spirituality plays a role in how good will triumph. "The Good Guy" falls into that first category - just in case the name didn't give it away.

In typical Dean Koontz fashion, the book starts out with a seemingly unexplainable event - or in this case two - that starts a threat of experiences for the main character. Speaking of the main character, Tim, he's a simple guy who doesn't seem capable of much beyond his day to day life as a stone mason. Now, from personal experience, I have great faith in the ability of stone and brick masons. My grandfather was a stone mason, but he was much more: he had earned his United States citizenship by fighting in the American Army during WWI. Family stories talk about run-ins he had with organized crime representatives (if you can believe all the family stories) and how he never backed down. But he was just a simple stone mason; a family man; a husband and father... Right?

As the story grows the simple stone mason main character is joined by another simple character writer who seems to take great delight in surreal settings. When the conversations between both main characters indicate something going on behind the scenes for both of them the reader is left trying to figure out what the "something" is and keep it in mind as the friendship (and more?) between them also grows.

In several of Dean Koontz's previous books, the antagonist (the bad guy) is super-natural in origin, or at least has super-natural powers. In this case it seems that way as well, but the fact that the bad guy is more than weird is also glaringly obvious. "Obsessive Compulsive" is a term that comes to mind - to a criminal extreme.

The two main good guy characters and the one main bad guy character are all supported by a cast of various lesser-being good guys and bad guys. While the story is essentially one long chase scene that is sometimes a long slow drive and at other times a thrill ride to challenge today's most aggressive roller coasters, it's not until the last leg of the chase that the reader actually learns the things that matter about the good guys: who they REALLY are; what they're REALLY capable of; WHY they're so capable; past experiences that have mattered for them and more. One of the best parts for me was learning that the main character really is a modern day hero complete with an appropriate level of humbleness to match his capabilities. The other good guy (writer) character has overcome a whole different set of challenges and one can't help but admire how.

In the end, while I don't consider this one of Dean Koont's greatest works - not on par with, say, "Midnight" or "Strangers" or even the Odd Thomas series, it is certainly good reading that is entertaining and plain fun. I can't help but think that Dean should team up the main character in "The Good Guy" with Odd Thomas to pool their capabilities, convictions and mixed outlooks on life. THAT may proove even greater fun.

I read "The Goody Guy" in my spare time across the three day period. It's not heavy reading but you DO have to pay attention. Sometimes details matter. Even though the reader might not think something like getting burned by a baking pan matters, it can be an interesting comment when it's a disemboded prosthetic hand that gets burned... or not. Huh? Yeah... it's like that.

If you're a Dean Koontz fan, this is a good one. If you're not, wait for the paperback and enjoy it anyway. I'm glad to have it as part of my collection and I'm looking forward to more from the good Mr. Koontz. He's due for the third book of three in his series, "Frankenstein", and he has another new novel slated for release in November. What will I read until then?

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This week's Training Article, a discussion about returning the United States to previously enjoyed levels of personal responsibility and patriotism.

For a listing of all reviews in chronological order, GO HERE.

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