"After Death" by Dean Koontz -- A REVIEW

A Non Spoiler Review of Koontz's newest novel, After Death. My review only discusses previously released info from the publisher, the set up of the story, and my critique of the overall product. No to extremely mild spoilers.
Dean Ray Koontz (born July 9, 1945) is an American author. His novels are billed as suspense thrillers, but frequently incorporate elements of horror, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and satire. Many of his books have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list, with fourteen hardcovers and sixteen paperbacks reaching the number-one position.[1][2] Koontz wrote under a number of pen names earlier in his career, including "David Axton", "Deanna Dwyer", "K.R. Dwyer", "Leigh Nichols" and "Brian Coffey". He has published over 105 novels and a number of novellas and collections of short stories, and has sold over 450 million copies of his work.
From the Publisher
A modern-day Lazarus is humanity’s last hope in a breathtaking novel about the absolute powers of good and evil by Dean Koontz, the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.
Michael Mace, head of security at a top-secret research facility, opens his eyes in a makeshift morgue twenty-four hours following an event in which everyone perished-including him and his best friend, Shelby Shrewsberry.
Having awakened with an extraordinary ability unlike anything he-or anyone else-has ever imagined, Michael is capable of being as elusive as a ghost. He sets out to honor his late friend by helping Nina Dozier and her son, John, whom Shelby greatly admired. Although what Michael does for Nina is life changing, his actions also evoke the wrath of John’s father, a member of one of the most violent street gangs in Los Angeles.
But an even greater threat is descending: the Internal Security Agency’s most vicious assassin, Durand Calaphas. Calaphas will stop at nothing to get his man. If Michael dies twice, he will not live a third time.
From the tarnished glamour of Beverly Hills to the streets of South Central to a walled estate in Rancho Santa Fe, only Michael can protect Nina and John-and ensure that light survives in a rapidly darkening world.
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Intro and exit music used with permission from Chan Redfield. Tough as Nails by Chan Redfield used with permission from Chan Redfield directly.

[@tbc9096]

Koontz fan here, haven’t read his newest yet, but I wholeheartedly agree, his stuff is derivative after awhile, and that was even true back in the day. To this day, my favorites of his are Intensity, Mr. Murder, Dragon Tears, Darkfall, Watchers, and Lightning. The Voice of the Night and Shattered are underrated.

[@thisphillipbrian]

Those are all great suggestions. I have a soft spot for Twilight Eyes too.

[@crdalton587]

I want to hear a review about a book that is in production for a film... Then review the movie.

[@thisphillipbrian]

Good idea. Sounds like a film class assignment.

[@lichy875]

Which one of his books would you recommend reading first?

[@thisphillipbrian]

The stock answer is Odd Thomas (2003) or Watchers (1987).
Both are very good, especially through the lens of when they came out. They are also very different from one another.
My personal favorites are Twilight Eyes (1988) about a young carny traveling the US literarily battling demons. It's tense and brutal... and a bit dated. It is my his best book, but it is my favorite.
Also, Lightning ⚡️(1988) is a favorite of mine. It's about a woman named Laura whose life is saved many times by a tall blond man who doesn't age a day or even an hour from the time she's a newborn til the moment her family faces its darkest day on a snowy road after she becomes a best selling author.
The Jane Hawk series (2017) is very popular and is well written. It is about a series of murder suicides at epidemic levels and Jane's quest to sold the mystery. 5 books.
I guess a lot of it depends on what genre you're looking for because he writes in several.

[@nicolaguy3048]

Not a good book. Too much backstory on characters who, pretty much, immediately die.

[@thisphillipbrian]

Yes. And the dynamic of those remaining after said deaths seemed odd.

[@supertenor2767]

This kind of ripped off the Johnny Depp movie, Transcendence.

[@thisphillipbrian]

I'll check out that film.

[@lisakraus-hg9zk]

I was bored also