What the Night Knows / Dean Koontz

What the Night Knows

category: horror, author:

Dean Koontz

original copyright 2010

read in January 2012

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10: read to pass the time

The cover of this book has Dean Koontz in big letters. So far so good. Koontz is good -- and well known.

Then there's the title: what the night knows. No argument there. A readable size font. The title does need to be on the cover.

Then, in smaller font, "[A NOVEL]".

"A novel" ? What else would it be ?!

Actually... as I read the book... that's a good question.

No, seriously, it really is a novel. No doubt about that. But what else is this book ?

Night is a positive and inspirational message... An argument for niceness, and its ability to overcome evil.

Unfortunately the message is slathered on like sweet icing on a fancy decorated cake. Far too heavy. Far too sweet.

Then there are the characters...

Have you ever met children so cute ? So sweet ? So controlled ? So unbearably stupid !

Most of their problems are due to their upbringing. Always knock -- and wait -- before entering... Always do as your parents tell you... Study hard so that you will have a great future career... Believe in magic -- but only in white magic.

Not that that's all bad.

But when it comes to the crunch -- these kids survive only because sweetness and light will always resist the horrors of the night. No, not "resist"... The kids survive because their sweetness and innocence is an automatic protection against evil.

Perhaps natural evil just has a natural fear of the artificiality of saccharine.

Oh well.

I do not like these children. The parents are similarly over-sweet. But it's not enough to make me put down the book.

At times I thought that Koontz was writing for children, a moralistic fable. But the violence is a bit strong for children. I think. Then again, the violence is mostly less (or less graphic) when it happens than when it is anticipated.

And finally... everyone is saved by the deus ex machina. Really ! Koontz actually calls it a Machina ex Deo but that's what he means: God pops out of the machine to save the good guys.

The book is easy to read. Somewhat exciting. Just a bit embarrassing.

Unless, of course, you like a good moral fable.

..o0o..

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