Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Kin
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bantam (2007), 770 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER No fan of Dean Koontz or of psychological suspense will want to miss this extraordinary novel of the human mind�??s capacity to torment�??and destroy�??itself. It�??s a fear more paralyzing than falling. More terrifying than absolute darkness. More horrifying than anything you can imagine. It�??s the one fear you cannot escape no matter where you run . . . no matter where you hide. It�??s the fear of yourself. It�??s real. It can happen to you. And facing it can be deadly. False Memory . .
Subjects
Original publication date
1999
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User reviews
LibraryThing member JHemlock
Go see your Dr. then read this book. Leave me a message if you don't wind up in the nut house. Koontz at his best.
LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag
I read this book some time ago and I still recommend it to people. It is long but the story just drew me in and I remember that it was hard to put down. With Koontz it is either love or meh with me. This was definitely love.
LibraryThing member BrendanPMyers
So I’m not quite halfway through this book and still don’t know what to make of it. Yes, I’ve been on a bit of a Dean Koontz tear lately, and have enjoyed greatly the last few novels of his I’ve caught up on. Maybe I’m Koontzed out. But I think there’s more to it.
The book itself begins
However, I think the major problem with the book is that it’s overwritten. Not overwritten like so many authors do, to pump up the word count, making lists of things, items, objects, and substances, to enhance the situations, affairs, and concepts, that the writer is trying to impart . . . you know what I mean. Though there is plenty of that in this book.
But what Koontz does here (and maybe has done all along and I’ve just never noticed) is that he says the same thing over . . . and over . . . and over again. Honest. It was on page 298 (of 751) when I had my epiphany after reading this:
“Who would have programmed Skeet? When? How? Where? For what possible purpose? And why Skeet of all people: self-admitted feeb, druggie, sweet loser that he was?”
Fascinating he was able to get the entirety of the newspaperman’s credo (who, what, where, when, and why?) into that passage. And don’t think I didn’t notice he used three adjectives to describe Skeet. But it was the next sentence that sealed it for me:
“The whole thing smelled-smacked-reeked of paranoia.”
Ya know, as someone who has tried his hand at fiction, who often has trouble finding enough words and plot points to flesh out an entire novel (generally thought of as 50,000 words or more) I never even thought of not selecting the most precise word for what I mean to say, but simply using all of them and letting the chips fall where they may.
As noted previously, it might just be that I’m Koontzed out. Nevertheless, I’m going to move on from this book and on to something else. I only hope I can return to both this book and to Koontz someday, and not suffer for having (perhaps) glimpsed the wizard behind the curtain.
The book itself begins
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slowly, but before long you understand it has to do with hypnosis, and an evil doctor who uses his patients as playthings in some kind of gruesome game. I confess as well to being absolutely turned off by the realistic sadism revealed in parts of the book.However, I think the major problem with the book is that it’s overwritten. Not overwritten like so many authors do, to pump up the word count, making lists of things, items, objects, and substances, to enhance the situations, affairs, and concepts, that the writer is trying to impart . . . you know what I mean. Though there is plenty of that in this book.
But what Koontz does here (and maybe has done all along and I’ve just never noticed) is that he says the same thing over . . . and over . . . and over again. Honest. It was on page 298 (of 751) when I had my epiphany after reading this:
“Who would have programmed Skeet? When? How? Where? For what possible purpose? And why Skeet of all people: self-admitted feeb, druggie, sweet loser that he was?”
Fascinating he was able to get the entirety of the newspaperman’s credo (who, what, where, when, and why?) into that passage. And don’t think I didn’t notice he used three adjectives to describe Skeet. But it was the next sentence that sealed it for me:
“The whole thing smelled-smacked-reeked of paranoia.”
Ya know, as someone who has tried his hand at fiction, who often has trouble finding enough words and plot points to flesh out an entire novel (generally thought of as 50,000 words or more) I never even thought of not selecting the most precise word for what I mean to say, but simply using all of them and letting the chips fall where they may.
As noted previously, it might just be that I’m Koontzed out. Nevertheless, I’m going to move on from this book and on to something else. I only hope I can return to both this book and to Koontz someday, and not suffer for having (perhaps) glimpsed the wizard behind the curtain.
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LibraryThing member jenn88
I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!
This book is a suspenseful thriller in which the characters start to notice lapses in their memory. I’m glad it's fiction because it’s kind of freaky.
This book is a suspenseful thriller in which the characters start to notice lapses in their memory. I’m glad it's fiction because it’s kind of freaky.
LibraryThing member AnnieHidalgo
This is probably the only Dean Koontz book I like enough to read again and again. It has an interesting premise - the central character wakes up one seemingly ordinary day and discovers, as she takes her dog for a walk, that she is afraid of herself - she finds herself suddenly consumed by the
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thought of her own propensity for violence and destruction. Of course, being Koontz, the investigation of a secret mind-control conspiracy follows. It ends well, a few page-turning hours later. Better than his usual. Show Less
LibraryThing member TirzahLaughs
As most diehard Koontz readers know, his books are hit or miss. This one is a definite hit. Mix in obscure phobias, haikus, a drug addicted brother, a sociopathic psychiatrist and you have a violent and disturbing romp that will have you turning the pages slowly so as not to miss any of the good
The story centers around a loving couple named Martie and Dusty Rhodes. Martie's friend, Susan, suffers from a crippling phobia. As Susan worsens, Martie strangely begins to develop her own phobia. Her fear is a fear of herself and what she might do. Her husband, Dusty, encourages her to see Susan's therapist against his better judgement.
After watching his younger brother be destroyed by his step-father's psychological theories, Dusty harbours a distrust of psychiatrists. Despite his fears, he loves Martie enough to try anything. Dusty's attention to detail helps them start to unravel a series of dark events that expose the therapist as a twisted sadist. Yet, will they live long enough to convince anyone of this truth?
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stuff. A fine blend of thriller and horror that entertains while making the hair on your arms stand on end.The story centers around a loving couple named Martie and Dusty Rhodes. Martie's friend, Susan, suffers from a crippling phobia. As Susan worsens, Martie strangely begins to develop her own phobia. Her fear is a fear of herself and what she might do. Her husband, Dusty, encourages her to see Susan's therapist against his better judgement.
After watching his younger brother be destroyed by his step-father's psychological theories, Dusty harbours a distrust of psychiatrists. Despite his fears, he loves Martie enough to try anything. Dusty's attention to detail helps them start to unravel a series of dark events that expose the therapist as a twisted sadist. Yet, will they live long enough to convince anyone of this truth?
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LibraryThing member nm.spring08.j.smart
I thought the book was very exciting it was also very informational too though. I learned a lot about Phobias and disorders. Dean Koontz is a great author and a very creative author. The story is mainly about a young couple named Martie and Dusty Rhodes whose friends and family start to have major
If you like thrillers and suspense you will Love this piece of literature. It has some disturbing imagery in some parts but you won’t be able to put it down. Believe me it’s worth reading.
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psychiatric disorders. The wife’s friend Susan is left by her husband after she starts having panic attacks and agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) The husbands brother Skeet is a drug addict that tries to commit suicide. It gets even harder when Martie begins to have an irrational fear of herself. It turns out that all of them are part of a sick and twisted game by a deeply disturbed man who uses their own feelings and memories against them.If you like thrillers and suspense you will Love this piece of literature. It has some disturbing imagery in some parts but you won’t be able to put it down. Believe me it’s worth reading.
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LibraryThing member wispywillow
Wow, very cool, this one! And it even had a character with agoraphobia!! I could relate to a degree--though her case is MUCH more severe than mine was. Mine lasted about 3 months; hers lasted 16 months. I was able to go outside and even drive a mile or two on my good days; the character was unable
On the subject of agoraphobia--since I have personal experience with it--I'd like to point out that Koontz did a good job depicting it. Though the "what if, what if, what if" questions are usually kept inside a person's head, the fact that Susan did go through "what if" phases when her anxiety level was high shows that Koontz did his homework. Also, fear of going crazy, fear of never overcoming the agoraphobia, and great sadness and a feeling of loss at being unable to experience the world are also very accurate.
There did seem to be a point where the storyline lulled a bit... but that could just as easily been because I was tired (I got through the book in just a couple days). But the characters more than make up for any lull in plot. Fig and Skeet are great! And Martie and Dusty are just as wonderful, so is their fluffy-butt golden retriever. ^_^ And the family scene near the end makes me glad that my family isn't quite that bad. I still want to get the hell away from them as soon as I can, but at least they're not as bad as Dusty's family.
A very intriguing read, full of action and wonderful characters.
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to even LOOK out the window without having a panic attack. It really makes me appreciate the fact that I was able to overcome mine in a relatively short amount of time.On the subject of agoraphobia--since I have personal experience with it--I'd like to point out that Koontz did a good job depicting it. Though the "what if, what if, what if" questions are usually kept inside a person's head, the fact that Susan did go through "what if" phases when her anxiety level was high shows that Koontz did his homework. Also, fear of going crazy, fear of never overcoming the agoraphobia, and great sadness and a feeling of loss at being unable to experience the world are also very accurate.
There did seem to be a point where the storyline lulled a bit... but that could just as easily been because I was tired (I got through the book in just a couple days). But the characters more than make up for any lull in plot. Fig and Skeet are great! And Martie and Dusty are just as wonderful, so is their fluffy-butt golden retriever. ^_^ And the family scene near the end makes me glad that my family isn't quite that bad. I still want to get the hell away from them as soon as I can, but at least they're not as bad as Dusty's family.
A very intriguing read, full of action and wonderful characters.
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LibraryThing member fiverivers
So I scratch my head over Koontz' False Memory. I don't get it. Oh, I get the story, facile as it is. I don't get the hype around Koontz. The very first page of this novel opens with one sentence. One sentence which rambles on for an entire page.
By the third page we're asked to believe that the
If you're a Koontz fan I'm sure you'll love this novel. Plainly I'm not, and didn't.
By the third page we're asked to believe that the
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protagonist is afraid of her own shadow. Just out of the blue. No background, no premonition, and further no insight into the character herself. That alone was enough to have me casting about for something else to read.If you're a Koontz fan I'm sure you'll love this novel. Plainly I'm not, and didn't.
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LibraryThing member hjjugovic
A friend loaned me this book, since I don't usually read this genre (or best sellers usually) and I'm glad he did. The thing is a thrill ride from beginning to end, which actually slowed me down when reading it. There was only so much tension I could take at one sitting! The characters and plot
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were imaginative and gripping, and the story satisfying overall. Koontz's prose grates a bit at times (enough with the awkward metaphores!) but his storytelling is impeccable. Recommended if you don't worry about sleeping at night, lol! Show Less
LibraryThing member Aloel
It's a fear more paralyzing than falling. More terrifying than absolute darkness. More horrifying than anything you can imagine. It's the one fear you cannot escape, no matter where you run...no matter where you hide. It's the fear of yourself. It's real. It can happen to you. And facing it can be
Show More
deadly. Fear for your mind. Show Less
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
I had originally had this book tagged as a horror. It is not. It's kinda like a thriller, 'cept it's mostly psychological. Oh, and it's 300 pages too long.
It's not actually a bad story, but there's just too much background, pages and pages of it, when you really just want to get on with the story.
It's not actually a bad story, but there's just too much background, pages and pages of it, when you really just want to get on with the story.
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And the characters start out as "normal" but by the end of it, the main couple are sorta like mini super heroes. Like, if you went to a hypnotist's show and watched your spouse get hypnotized, and instead of clucking like a chicken, they pull out a gun and kidnap someone and rappel down from the 14th floor of the building to escape... exciting, but a little too ridiculous. Show Less
LibraryThing member jayne_charles
Really really couldn't get into this. Not as bad as the second Christopher Snow book, but getting there.
LibraryThing member Pam1960ca
Absolutely loved this book. Found it hard to put down. I am not sure why I haven't read this book before now since it was published 10 years ago.
LibraryThing member ct.bergeron
Marthie Rhodes is a young wife, a successful video game designer, and a compassionate woman who takes her agoraphobic friend, Susan, to therapy sessions. Susan is so afraid of leaving her apartment that even these trips to the doctor's office become ordeals for both women - but with each trip a
Then one morning Martie experience a sudden and inexplicable fear of her own, a fleeting but disquieting terror of...her own shadow. The episode is over so quickly it leaves her shaken but amused. The amusement is short-lived. For as she is about to check her makeup, she realizes that she is terrified to look in the mirror and confront the reflection of her own face. As the episode of this traumatic condition - autophobia - build, the lives of Martie and her husband, Dustin, change drastically. Desperate to discover the reasons for his wife's sudden and seemingly inevitable descent into mental chaos, Dusty takes Marie to the renowned therapist who has been treating Susan, and tries to reconstruct the events of the recent months in a frantic search for clues. As he comes closer to the shocking truth, Dusty finds himself afflicted with a condition even more bizarre and fearsome than Martie's.
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deeper emotional bond forms between them.Then one morning Martie experience a sudden and inexplicable fear of her own, a fleeting but disquieting terror of...her own shadow. The episode is over so quickly it leaves her shaken but amused. The amusement is short-lived. For as she is about to check her makeup, she realizes that she is terrified to look in the mirror and confront the reflection of her own face. As the episode of this traumatic condition - autophobia - build, the lives of Martie and her husband, Dustin, change drastically. Desperate to discover the reasons for his wife's sudden and seemingly inevitable descent into mental chaos, Dusty takes Marie to the renowned therapist who has been treating Susan, and tries to reconstruct the events of the recent months in a frantic search for clues. As he comes closer to the shocking truth, Dusty finds himself afflicted with a condition even more bizarre and fearsome than Martie's.
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LibraryThing member babyfacetiger
this was GREAT constantly kept me on my toes and guessing
LibraryThing member milti
The only Koontz I've read again and again. Somehow Skeet really makes me think.
LibraryThing member wrongwayhome
I haven't skipped pages for ages. This is the most boring and aggravating book I've encountered last 10 years. It seems that FM will be first Koontz I shall not finish. I got more interesting stuff to read.
LibraryThing member Marlene-NL
Proof that my taste has changed over the years cause back in the days I swallowed every thing Koontz gave me but. (ETA: that sounds a bit weird,book wise I mean) now I started to get annoyed at some times. For one I thought the book was very slow. After reading about 240 pages you finally find out
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what is going on. Two: I did not think the end was really credible but overall I still enjoyed it. 3.8 Show Less
LibraryThing member pathan.fiza
On the cover of my copy of ‘False Memory’ is a quote about the author by The Times which states that the author Dean Koontz is :
“ Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler”
This is according to me the perfect analysis of not only the authors works in general but
Dean Koontz has done something equal to an exorcist. He has managed to make the evil side of the imagination ‘talk’. The sordid nature of men in power who we trust with our lives at times (if not all the time) taking us for a ride…..turning us into puppets for their own disgusting pleasurable purposes is gruesome………but, it is real…….IT HAPPENS…….IT HAPPENED………..IT WILL KEEP ON HAPPENING ! As long as men are power hungry & human life is treated like a mere commodity, ‘False Memory’ can take place over & over again, across borders……….into the very depths of the human brain.
The story puts the reader on target at the very beginning itself in the usual Dean Koontz way, & an ardent Dean Koontz reader will know, the action always begins in the first chapter itself. In the story, we have four people who are connected in a very intricate way. There is Martie who is a well-balanced & great human being, until out of the blue she is diagnosed with autophobia (fear of oneself) ; there is her best friend Susan, who apparently also suffers from a serious phobia called agoraphobia (the fear of open places) & feels that she is being mysteriously sexually violated in her sleep….when there is no one in the house & the doors are bolted ; there is Dusty who is Martie’s ever caring & alert husband who is always out to help people, but who cannot get over the fact that he has been having some memory lapses ; then there is Skeet, Dusty’s wayward 23 year old brother who is an addict to drugs & suddenly one day plans on finishing himself by jumping off someone’s roof. All these incidents are neatly warped up in a maze of deceit & violence beyond ones imagination.
The characterization is excellent but, the character in the book that most intrigued me was the psychiatrist Dr. Mark Ahriman. He is shrouded in mystery although he is the real central character of this whole story & appears in every chapter after the first few three initial chapters. What I appreciate is the way Koontz brings out the terrible side of this man of medicine which results in dire consequences. The doctor himself was a child prodigy but who had a warped sense of living life that clouded his humanity & unleashed his thirst not only for the tears of his victims but also the power to control them. This character brought to my mind the various influential people in today’s modern world who have power in their hands…….but do we really know what’s really going on in their minds, its eerie & so is Dr. Ahriman.
The novel also brings to light corruption in the medical field where people with influence get away with murder or even child molestation……….or worse! (as in the case of the novel) Such practitioners instead of being on the edge, rather, enjoy themselves in style without the slightest trace of a conscience ; of course, sometimes insanity & warped mentalities does aid to obliterate all reason just like in the book ‘False Memory’.
There is a contrast of conscience however seen in the character of the ruthless doctor & in Martie , Dusty, Skeet & Susan ; the later four although not highly intellectual, are much better humans than not only Dr. Ahriman but also Dusty’s step father whose half crazed world of ‘ideas’ got the whole lot of characters into the mess in the first place. This novel proves that, what the world needs is not intelligent personalities, but people with hearts big enough to save even one life.
The way the author unravels the mystery through the person of the astute Dusty is pure genius & his descriptions are spooky enough to drive the reader into a frenzy if read at night.
Altogether, a very interesting thriller to possess in one’s library.
“ Not just a master of our darkest dreams but also a literary juggler”
This is according to me the perfect analysis of not only the authors works in general but
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also with regard to the book ‘False Memory’. The novel wraps the reader in a web of literature which makes the reader tense & agog with the happenings……I won’t be exaggerating by saying that, the novel felt a lot like a 3D Film with all the special effects courtesy of Dean Koontz who makes the scenario so impressively real &….’happening’. It’s a fast paced thriller with enough of shocking material to make it a must read for any reader interested in a good mystery. What is more however, is the dark recesses of the human mind that Koontz allows his reader to get his or her teeth into. Koontz actually through this novel, has given us a glimpse of a very morbid side of the human brain which can stoop to the most gross business possible, just to feel POWERFUL or in control……the deep dark desire inherent in all of us to control & manipulate is seen in ‘False Memory’ & …….it is seriously frightening. Dean Koontz has done something equal to an exorcist. He has managed to make the evil side of the imagination ‘talk’. The sordid nature of men in power who we trust with our lives at times (if not all the time) taking us for a ride…..turning us into puppets for their own disgusting pleasurable purposes is gruesome………but, it is real…….IT HAPPENS…….IT HAPPENED………..IT WILL KEEP ON HAPPENING ! As long as men are power hungry & human life is treated like a mere commodity, ‘False Memory’ can take place over & over again, across borders……….into the very depths of the human brain.
The story puts the reader on target at the very beginning itself in the usual Dean Koontz way, & an ardent Dean Koontz reader will know, the action always begins in the first chapter itself. In the story, we have four people who are connected in a very intricate way. There is Martie who is a well-balanced & great human being, until out of the blue she is diagnosed with autophobia (fear of oneself) ; there is her best friend Susan, who apparently also suffers from a serious phobia called agoraphobia (the fear of open places) & feels that she is being mysteriously sexually violated in her sleep….when there is no one in the house & the doors are bolted ; there is Dusty who is Martie’s ever caring & alert husband who is always out to help people, but who cannot get over the fact that he has been having some memory lapses ; then there is Skeet, Dusty’s wayward 23 year old brother who is an addict to drugs & suddenly one day plans on finishing himself by jumping off someone’s roof. All these incidents are neatly warped up in a maze of deceit & violence beyond ones imagination.
The characterization is excellent but, the character in the book that most intrigued me was the psychiatrist Dr. Mark Ahriman. He is shrouded in mystery although he is the real central character of this whole story & appears in every chapter after the first few three initial chapters. What I appreciate is the way Koontz brings out the terrible side of this man of medicine which results in dire consequences. The doctor himself was a child prodigy but who had a warped sense of living life that clouded his humanity & unleashed his thirst not only for the tears of his victims but also the power to control them. This character brought to my mind the various influential people in today’s modern world who have power in their hands…….but do we really know what’s really going on in their minds, its eerie & so is Dr. Ahriman.
The novel also brings to light corruption in the medical field where people with influence get away with murder or even child molestation……….or worse! (as in the case of the novel) Such practitioners instead of being on the edge, rather, enjoy themselves in style without the slightest trace of a conscience ; of course, sometimes insanity & warped mentalities does aid to obliterate all reason just like in the book ‘False Memory’.
There is a contrast of conscience however seen in the character of the ruthless doctor & in Martie , Dusty, Skeet & Susan ; the later four although not highly intellectual, are much better humans than not only Dr. Ahriman but also Dusty’s step father whose half crazed world of ‘ideas’ got the whole lot of characters into the mess in the first place. This novel proves that, what the world needs is not intelligent personalities, but people with hearts big enough to save even one life.
The way the author unravels the mystery through the person of the astute Dusty is pure genius & his descriptions are spooky enough to drive the reader into a frenzy if read at night.
Altogether, a very interesting thriller to possess in one’s library.
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LibraryThing member bookwormconfidential
So far, I've only read two novels by Dean Koontz (the other is "77 Shadow Street"), and I have not been able to read these books at night.
Koontz uses a very plausible scenario in this book that creates a very real feeling of horror in the reader. It is a fiction book, but the topic that is
The description of the book is very vague, but the title depicts the story very well. The term "False Memories" is an actual term in the field of psychology.
I enjoy the way that Koontz writes his characters. There is always enough backstory on them for the reader to fully know or understand the characters.
I really did not like the character of the villian in the story (which makes sense). I did skip a lot of the information dealing with this character because I didn't really want to know more about the character.
The story did have a good ending, with a nice resolution. I was very happy that there was no cliffhanger.
Koontz uses a very plausible scenario in this book that creates a very real feeling of horror in the reader. It is a fiction book, but the topic that is
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included is based on reality, and this adds to the horror feeling of the story. The description of the book is very vague, but the title depicts the story very well. The term "False Memories" is an actual term in the field of psychology.
I enjoy the way that Koontz writes his characters. There is always enough backstory on them for the reader to fully know or understand the characters.
I really did not like the character of the villian in the story (which makes sense). I did skip a lot of the information dealing with this character because I didn't really want to know more about the character.
The story did have a good ending, with a nice resolution. I was very happy that there was no cliffhanger.
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LibraryThing member brleach
It started out slow. The two hundred pages or so were quite dull, because most of the major pieces of the central drama had yet to fall into place. It picked up, though. By the end, the story was compelling and I thoroughly enjoyed it for the last two hundred or three hundred pages. The allegories
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to other famous books (Catcher in the Rye, Manchurian Candidate, etc.) made for some cool parallels. Still, this book required an outrageous suspension of disbelief in order for several of the plot points to work. Also, the sneering anti-intellectualism throughout the book irked me a little bit. In sum, a decent mystery novel once it gets going. Show Less
LibraryThing member buffalogr
This 21+ hour book just did not grab me. I listened for two hours and couldn't put the story together as it moved very slowly. Not interesting in the least. I've better way to spend my reading hours, then listening to Charlie Brown's teacher. Did not finish.
LibraryThing member ShannaRedwind
If I could separate the end of the book from the rest of it, I would have given most of the book a 4 or 5 and the end a 1.
I really enjoyed the creepy feeling of not knowing what was going on. In fact while I was reading it, I thought that it was one of the creepiest books I'd ever read. Then came
I'd still recommend this to read. The rest of the book is more than worth the rather bland ending.
I really enjoyed the creepy feeling of not knowing what was going on. In fact while I was reading it, I thought that it was one of the creepiest books I'd ever read. Then came
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the end. Blech. I was totally disappointed with it.I'd still recommend this to read. The rest of the book is more than worth the rather bland ending.
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LibraryThing member Omrythea
Ugh! Some of the images in the book were really yucky. This left a bitter taste in my mind. Still, it's Dean Koontz and it was riveting. I read it very quickly and you will too.
Pages
770