Dean Koontz
Hardcover | Pages: 576 pages Rating: 3.86 | 18576 Users | 309 Reviews
Itemize Out Of Books Strange Highways
| Title | : | Strange Highways |
| Author | : | Dean Koontz |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 576 pages |
| Published | : | September 29th 2002 by Warner Books (NY) (first published May 1995) |
| Categories | : | Horror. Fiction. Thriller. Short Stories |
Interpretation Concering Books Strange Highways
A strong and solid, horror anthology!The general rating is an average sum result of the individual ratings given to each novella and short story contained in the anthology.
All stories in this anthology are written by Dean Koontz.
STRANGE HIGHWAYS (novella)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
…how can there be any redemption if I knowingly turn my back on evil and walk away from it?
This is the story who gives title to this anthology.
A man who has failed in anything that he ever tried, while his older brother has been always successful, returns to his hometown to attend his father’s funeral, however a strange road will lead him to a trip back in time, to try to avoid a bloody tragedy, however he doesn’t know how personal can become.
Formidable tale with all signature elements of the good Koontz’s stories: classic towns, male writers, wonderful female characters, car chases, etc…
THE BLACK PUMPKIN (short story)
Rating: **** ( 4 stars )
You get what you give.
One kid is good, his brother is naughty, the parents aren’t any saints, and a terrifying black carved pumpkin. A Halloween night of reckoning.
And at the end, is it possible to remain good all life?
MISS ATTILA THE HUN (short story)
Rating: *** ( 3 stars )
This going to be an interesting incarnation.
A space “seed” falls into Earth and it’s waiting its time to get control of all intelligent life there. Its first real challenge will be a school teacher. An epic battle in a small classroom between an ancient evil versus a young love.
DOWN IN THE DARKNESS (short story)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
Darkness dwells within even the best of us. In the worst of us, darkness not only dwells but reigns.
A couple buys a house, where the husband notices a strange door in the kitchen leading to a very deep and very dark cellar.
However, the house never had a cellar…
…some people and some actions deserves punishment, a merciless punishment, but who really deserve it and what actions are? And when is enough?
OLLIE’S HANDS (short story)
Rating: **** ( 4 stars )
She still did not fully understand what his talent meant, what a wall between them his hands might soon become.
This is revised version of the previously published story.
A reserved man with an extraordinary power wants to save a woman, not only her life but also her soul, her priorities, giving her a worthy purpose in life…
…even if that means not being part of her life at all.
Sometimes, good deeds are a lonely path.
SNATCHER (short story)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
…was it possible to outrun the devil?
A purse snatcher will get more than he ever thought possible when he would have the very bad idea of robbing the purse of a very strange old lady.
He will fall deeper than ever!
TRAPPED (short story)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
There’s something weird about these rats.
This is my favorite story in the anthology. I already read it several years ago in a different anthology where it appeared along with material of other authors and there, it was my favorite story too! Actually it was the first stuff that I ever read by Koontz, before reading my first full-length novel Phantoms.
A widow and his young son (with a casted leg) are trapped in their own home by insidious and highly intelligent rats, product of a research lab near of their farm.
You will feel real chills along finding the signs of the rats’ malevolent intellect.
Have you checked your doors? What was that noise? Have you checked what you're about to eat?
BRUNO (short story)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
There are some pretty weird alternate realities out there.
This is revised version of the previously published story.
A private detective and a “propability cop” from a parallel dimension formed an odd partnership with the goal of catching a slippery alien.
The meeting of those two individuals opens the imagination to dimensions where Steven Spielberg could be a revolutionary inventor, Walt Disney resulted a weapons designer, and Smith & Wesson is the best fast food restaurant franchise!
WE THREE (short story)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
He’s unborn but completely aware.
This is revised version of the previously published story.
Three siblings become so powerful that they decide that humankind is unnecesary so they exterminated it, turning to be the sole inhabitants on Earth…
…however the population’s count will increase soon and they may be seen unnecesary too.
HARDSHELL (short story)
Rating: *** ( 3 stars )
Dead men don’t bleed.
A game of cat and mouse develops in an abandoned warehouse (have you notice that in any story the warehouse always are abandoned?!) between a wounded cop and a vicious killer.
However, who is the “cat” and who is the “mouse” is still to be seen, since there are a lot beyond the evident.
KITTENS (short story)
Rating: ***** ( 5 stars )
What about the kittens?
This is revised version of the previously published story.
Also, this was the very first story that Dean Koontz ever sold.
A young girl who suffered from abuse learns that “God took her kittens to Heaven”…
No more.
That was the the final thing that she can bear, in a long line of abuses in her life…
…so she plans her insane retribution.
This isn’t a story for the faint of heart.
THE NIGHT OF THE STORM (short story)
Rating: *** ( 3 stars )
I’ve seen nothing to make me believe in myths.
In the far future, a hunting party of robots are in the middle of the woods, however those far-fetched legends about…
…humans…
…can turn into a disturbing reality for their field trip.
Those who forget history are doomed to live it again (even die for it).
TWILIGHT OF THE DAWN (short story)
Rating: **** ( 4 stars )
Innocent fantasies can lead to some that aren’t so innocent.
Every atheist is put to test of their “beliefs” (or should I say what they don’t believe?) when a close one is suffering a terminal illness.
There is more between Earth and Heaven than anybody can really get to know.
Why God is only good for a lot of people when they need something?
CHASE (novella)
Rating: *** ( 3 stars )
He knew he was lying to himself
A man who used to be a Vietnam War Hero is chasing a bloodthirsty killer…
…however things aren’t as simple as that.
Chases aren’t always straight lines.
Define Books In Pursuance Of Strange Highways
| Original Title: | Strange Highways |
| ISBN: | 0446531383 (ISBN13: 9780446531382) |
| Edition Language: | English URL http://www.deankoontz.com/strange-highways/ |
| Literary Awards: | Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Best Fiction Collection (1995) |
Rating Out Of Books Strange Highways
Ratings: 3.86 From 18576 Users | 309 ReviewsAssessment Out Of Books Strange Highways
STRANGE HIGHWAYS is Koontz's first (and only) short story collection since SOFT COME THE DRAGONS came out in 1970 when Koontz was just 25 years old. Koontz is always very hit-and-miss with me, so it's no surprise I found STRANGE HIGHWAYS a mixed bag, especially since some of these stories date back to the early 70's, when Koontz was known for writing sci-fi rather than horror.STRANGE HIGHWAYS (4 stars):The book's titular novella starts things off with a bang. Koontz is a genius at usingThis is a weird one. A mixed bag of brilliance and utter embarrassment. Koontz prevails in the opening story; a darkly religious tale with great characters and a unique setting. Of the eleven other stories, only three shine brightly. 'The Black Pumpkin,' 'Snatcher,' and the highly emotional 'Twilight of the Dawn.' The rest rank from below average to downright humiliating. Koontz is a master of plot, yet he needs more time for character development than a short story can offer him. This is why he
I just finished rereading this collection of short stories by Dean Koontz and it just reminds me of how much better I feel his earlier writing is. While some stories were better than others there wasn't a bad apple in the bunch. Kittens is still my fave, I have a deep need for justice and it was served here in a most disturbing way. I loved Chase, the Black Pumpkin, Trapped, Strange Highways, and Twilight of the Dawn. All so different. My least favorite was Ollie's Hands, I just found it
This was not what I expected when I purchased the book. It was a collection of many short stories written from years ago. Many were very strange, many were on the far side of Stephen King as far as horror goes. The first story was engaging and scary-strange-"Strange Highways". The replays reminded me of the movie "Groundhog Day". "Twilight of Dawn" was compelling. It dealt with a father's lack of faith in God. It touched my heart and stirred my emotions to the point of crying. Koontz does not
This is a collection of short stories and novelettes by Dean koontz. I must say that I enjoyed every story in it, some more than others. At first, I was puzzled by the numerous mentions of the Vietnam War until I discovered that some of the stories were written in the 60's. For those looking to experience Dean Koontz as an author, but not wanting to dive directly into a lengthier book this is a great choice.
This is Koontz's collection of short stories. They are all awesome and some are very funny. The best was a very short story of a girl and cats. A must read!
Satanism, deals with the devil, time travel, dysfunctional alcoholic - really? I was confused in the beginning of the book, and by the end dissatisfied. I won't be reading any more Dean Koontz. If I want horror (which I rarely indulge in), I'll read Stephen King.
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