Timothy Carrier, having a beer after work at his friend's tavern, enjoys drawing eccentric customers into amusing conversations. But the jittery man who sits next to him tonight has mistaken Tim for someone very different--and passes to him a manila envelope full of cash. Ten thousand now. You get the rest when she's gone. The stranger walks out, leaving a photo of the pretty woman marked for death, and her address. But things are about to get worse. In minutes another stranger sits next to Tim. This one is a cold-blooded ...
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Timothy Carrier, having a beer after work at his friend's tavern, enjoys drawing eccentric customers into amusing conversations. But the jittery man who sits next to him tonight has mistaken Tim for someone very different--and passes to him a manila envelope full of cash. Ten thousand now. You get the rest when she's gone. The stranger walks out, leaving a photo of the pretty woman marked for death, and her address. But things are about to get worse. In minutes another stranger sits next to Tim. This one is a cold-blooded killer who believes Tim is the man who has hired him. Thinking fast, Tim says, I've had a change of heart. You get ten thousand--for doing nothing. Call it a no-kill fee. He keeps the photo and gives the money to the hired killer. And when Tim secretly follows the man out of the tavern, he gets a further shock: the hired killer is a cop. Suddenly, Tim Carrier, an ordinary guy, is at the center of a mystery of extraordinary proportions, the one man who can save an innocent life and stop a killer far more powerful than any cop...and as relentless as evil incarnate. But first Tim must discover within himself the capacity for selflessness, endurance, and courage that can turn even an ordinary man into a hero, inner resources that will transform his idea of who he is and what it takes to be The Good Guy.
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Dean Koontz is a literary marvel. He grabs your interest on the first page and it's impossible to put it down.
TheOddsR
Aug 7, 2007
Good Guy is Good, But not Best
I liked the book, and it kept me interested as all of Dean Koontz's books do. But it felt way too familiar in a lot of ways. By all means, read it, it is entertaining, but do not expect to be truely scared or surprised. I guess the ending felt too cookie-cutter to me, and maybe sometimes I would like to see a 'regular Joe' end up being just that, a regular Joe.
iluvbooks
Jul 30, 2007
I am a HUGE Dean Koontz fan, but this is not his best work. It lacks any of the supernatural elements commonly found in his fiction that I so enjoy. It also seems too similar to some of his other work. A regular guy accidentally involves himself in an evil plot to murder an attractive woman, turns out to be very humble but not-so-regular guy, defeats evil, and saves the girl all while earning her respect and love. Despite that, it is still a good book. The characters are likeable and the plot is fast-paced and entertaining. If you are a Koontz fan this is worth reading, just don?t expect anything new.
buybob
Jul 19, 2007
Not Koontz's Best Book
I am a big fan of Dean Koontz. He is a terrific writer, but this is not his best book. The character development and dialogue is very good, the story is fast paced and suspenseful, but the book comes to a rather abrupt end after the denouement. I was left feeling unsatisfied. It would not surprise me to learn that this was a manuscript that Koontz dug out of a closet, updated, and sent to his publisher to meet a publication deadline. I can only give The Good Guy 3 stars.
The plot line is one that Konntz has used successfully many times before. An ordinary guy comes to the aid of an attractive woman who he must protect from unspeakable evil. The two of them become a good team, overcome their adversary, decide they like each other, etc. etc.
The book is sprinkled with fun Koontz prose: ?Under a charcoal sky lay a soot-black sea. Like gray smoke, the froth on the low waves drifted ashore, dissipating on an ashen beach.? Unfortunately, the obligatory 4 legged (dog) character found in all of Koontz?s books only makes a cameo appearance in this one. Additionally, the villain in this piece failed to creep me out. The bad guy was definitely bad. I certainly didn?t like him, but he did not give me the chills that many of Koontz?s other antagonists have.
Buy this one is only if you already like Koontz. Don?t make it the first Koontz book you read... I recommend Watchers for your maiden voyage.