Sunday, January 10, 2010

Watchers


Watchers by Dean Koontz


It's a been a while since I've written a review here, life has taken me all sorts of crazy directions the past few months. I hadn't been reading a whole lot, but I'm picking it up again.

To break my hiatus, I went with Watchers by Dean Koontz. I've read a couple books by Kean Koontz, the most memorable being Tick Tock. I haven't written about that book here, but I will in the not to distant future because I do want to read it again.

Anyway, Watchers was a great read. I haven't read a whole lot by Dean Koontz, but it seems his stories are usually straight fiction. This one takes cues from Michael Crichton in that there is some science behind the fiction. It's a little far-fetched, but plausible.

The protagonist is Travis, a man down on himself, and on his life due to a tragic loss of his family. In the throes of despair, he happens upon a dog he names Einstein. He soon realizes that Einstein is no ordinary pooch. The dog saves his life on two levels. First from a physical threat, and second from emotional oblivion by leading him to the beautiful recluse, Nora.

The truth behind Einstein's unprecedented abilities is soon brought to light, and there is another creature out there that shares Einstein's origins, but with a malevolence to equal Einstein's benevolence. Now it is Travis' turn to protect Einstein from both this evil kin and from those that brought them into this world.

Like any good science fiction story, this one uses the science and fiction as props to tell the underlying story of relationship. Here, it is a heartwarming story of love, friendship, and loyalty between Travis, Nora, and a unique being named Einstein.

Not as fun as Koontz' Tick Tock, and not as scientifically rigorous as Crichton, but a solid feel-good read non-the-less.