The Taking

I found this book to be scary intriguing page turning and uplifting all at the same time! I recommend this book to anyone who likes a really good read.

Let me just say first, I have read a lot of Koontz books and he has always been one of my favorite authors. With that being said, The Taking was not one of my favorites. I was never a big fan of the whole Alien Invasion thing but thought I'd give it a shot, hey, it's Koontz right!? well..I have to say I was a little disappointed. The story was 'ok' I wasn't feeling any of the characters, even the dogs kind of fell flat for me. A lot of the scenes were just silly to me, almost like watching a 50's B-movie at times. I'm not going to say hated it, out of respect for one of my fav authors, but I didn't care for it and it seems like it was rushed, and he just tried way too hard. Please Mr Koontz, no more Sci-Fi from you!

I think the almost perfect dichotomy in the ratings for this book is telling. As of January of 2009 there are 220-4 & 5 star ratings and 201-1 & 2 star ratings. An almost equal level of love and hate for this book. This seems very unusual. As for myself, I loved this book. I'm a Koontz fan, so you might expect me to like another of his excellent novels, but there really is a great deal to like about this story. The story itself is an alein invasion story, but not your average, overdone nasty outerspace invaders type of tale. This one is done with a twist that I haven't seen done this way before, although I'll admit to not having read a great deal of Sci-Fi. Koontz admits in a podcast that I've listened to that his inspiration for the story came from Arthur C. Clarke, who suggested that alein technology from an advanced civilization might seem somehow supernatural to us. Koontz wondered about turning ACC's idea on it's head and suggesting that a supernatural invasion might seem like advanced technology to people in a society who don't believe in magic anymore. To people who only believe in science and the material world. I found this concept fascinating and Koontz's execution of it very well done. I appreciate his use of metaphor and simile. His prose is vivid and often poetic and evokes such strong visual and auditory images in your mind as you read that you feel as if you are experiencing his created world first hand. His description of sights, sounds and smells become so real that one can feel the dark portent in the oppressive, driving rain, the bizarre behavior of the animals and the emotional response of his human characters. There is a scene early in the book where the main character, Molly, encounters a group of Coyotes in an uncharacteristic pack, frightened by the ominous falling rain onto her front porch. The description of this encounter is told so vividly and compellingly that it truly sets the tone for the otherworldiness of what is happening to the world around her. You can feel and appreciate her apprehension, her awe at being able to stand among these animals that, under ordinary circumstances, would turn on her in a heartbeat. It's a perfect scene to help set the mood of the story. And there are plenty more of them in the opening sequences of the book. Another of the aspects of this novel that I enjoyed was DK's ability to express philosophy to the reader through the story and inner dialogue of characters. "During Molly's lifetime, architects had largely championed sterility, which is order bled of purpose, and celebrated power, which is meaning stripped of grace. By rejecting the fundamentals of the very civilization that made possible it's rise, modernism and it's philosophical stepchildren offered flash in place of genuine beauty, sensation in place of hope.... All of humanity's follies seemed worth embracing if that were the price to preserve everything beautiful in civilization. Although the human heart is selfish and arr

I loved it! Fast,unusual,disturbing,suspenseful-an excellent story! I read it through over 2 days(something I never do) I did have the added advantage of reading it during bad weather which reinforced the books atmosphere. This is a story more than a book or plot orientation. It moves and keeps moving. In some ways the opposite of the Odd Thomas series which feature characters & dialogue more than action. DK evoked a wider range of thought & feeling from me than with his other books. The story does raise many interesting religious/philisophical questions about survival choices,aliens,death and heaven & hell.

Wow. There is not much else that could describe this book. I have never been a reader of thrillers but this book has kept me beging for more. As I read this book, I could not find a dull moment. It was a book that had me curling up at midnight with all the lights off and a flashlight under my sheets. The thrill of wanting to despritly pass the page you are on just to be caught up in the unexpecting twists of the next page is absolutly delightful! Never again will I walk away from the isle of the bookstore that Koontz's books are on. Never again will deny myself the exilerating feel of a thriller. While reading this book and getting closer and closer to the end, I found myself wondering: 'How will Dean finish this book with so much story still left to tell?' At the book's conclusion, I was left with a ending that satisfied my every want from a book. I can't find a flaw in this story, or the author's writing style. I recomend this book for anyone. If you've never ventured into this genre of books, do so now. This will be a great start. Enjoy!

I've been a long time reader of Koontz for some time now, and for the most part I've enjoyed most of what I've read. "The Taking", is by far my favorite Koontz book, and perhaps one of my favorite thriller novels to date. I won't rehash the entire plot, as most of my fellow reviewers have done a fine job of it already. But what I will do is completely recommend this book. I agree that I was a bit worried when I realized that with about 50 pages left to go there was still so much unresolved. To those of you who have yet to read the book, stay calm. Some have argued that they didn't like the ending. I, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised. I felt the ending was both original and thought-provoking. Bottom line, a great story. Highly recommended.

Thank you, Mr. Foxworth (also a reviewer) for ruining this book for everyone who might potentially purchase it. I'm sorry I looked at the reviews now that I know the entire story. Thanks again!