Skygger

by Dean R. Koontz

Paper Book, 1994

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Library's review

USA, Californien, Snowfield, tidligt i september 1982
Indeholder "Første del: Ofre", "1. Arresthuset", "2. Hjemkomsten", "3. Den døde kvinde", "4. Nabohuset", "5. Tre skud", "6. Terror", "7. Amtssheriffen", "8. Barrikader", "9. En bøn om hjælp", "10. Søstre og betjente", "11. Efterforskning",
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"12. Kampplads", "13. Pludselig", "14. Isolerede", "15. Noget i vinduet", "16. Som et lyn fra en klar himmel", "17. Timen før midnat", "18. London, England", "19. Nattetimer", "20. Ligrøvere", "Anden del: Arvefjenden", "21. Sensationen", "22. Morgen i Snowfield", "23. Krisestaben", "24. Terror", "25. Spørgsmål", "26. London, England", "27. Flugten", "28. Optælling", "29. På flugt", "30. Enkelte svar men flere spørgsmål", "31. Computerlege", "32. Skæbne", "33. Skygger", "34. Farvel", "35. Pandemonium", "36. Ansigt til ansigt", "37. Egoet", "38. Et glimt af håb", "39. Åbenbaringen", "40. Biologisk krigsførelse", "41. Lucifer", "42. På den anden side af Helvede", "43. Apostle", "44. Sejr?", "45. Det gode og det onde", "Efterskrift til læseren".

Jenny (Jennifer) og Lisa Paige kommer tilbage til byen Snowfield. Jenny er 31 år gammel og praktiserende læge i byen og Lisa er hendes lillesøster på 14 år. Jenny er blevet værge for Lisa efter at moderen er død for nylig. Byen virker tom, da de kører ind i den og det er højst usædvanligt. Lidt tidligere er vicesherif Paul Henderson på 24 år blevet overrasket af noget i det tomme arresthus. Jenny og Lisa kommer hjem til Jennys hus og Lisa finder husholdersken Hilda Beck på 62 år liggende død i køkkenet. For kun seks uger siden havde Lisa fundet sin mor på samme måde, så hun bliver ret chokeret. Det gør Jenny også, for Hilda ser ud som om hun har været død i flere dage, men liget lugter ikke, blot er det misfarvet som efter en voldsom trafikulykke. Jenny har aldrig set noget lignende. Pest? Næh, Hilda ser ud som om hun er død pludseligt midt i madlavningen. Telefonen er død og hvis nu faktisk Hilda er blevet slået ihjel? Jenny og Lisa lister ud og går over til naboerne, Vince og Angie Santini. Der er ingen hjemme, døren står åben og aftensmaden står på bordet og er stadig lidt lun. Det begynder at minde om Mary Celeste historien. Telefonen er ikke død, men der er kun hvid støj på linien. De fortsætter til fods ned til sherifkontoret gennem den helt stille by.
De finder Paul Henderson i samme tilstand som Hilda. Stendød uden et mærke på kroppen og med et udtryk af ubeskrivelig rædsel. Han har affyret sin revolver tre gange, men kun patronhylstrene er at finde, så han har nok ramt noget, men der er ingen blodspor eller lignende. Jenny tager revolveren, men er fornuftig nok til at indse at den jo ikke hjalp vicesheriffen. Jenny og Lisa fortsætter hen til Liebermanns bageri. Her finder de Jakob Liebermanns hænder, der er revet af ved håndleddene og et par hoveder der også er revet af. Og ingen tegn på modstand.
Næste stop er Tom og Karen Oxley. De ligger døde i et lukket rum. Hvad i alverden er gået gennem deres barrikaderede dør og har dræbt dem? Hverken sygdom eller psykopater kan den slags. Telefonen ringer og efter lang tids stilhed kommer der klartone. Jenny ringer til amtssheriffen i Santa Mira. Han hedder Bryce Hammond og han har lige sammen med sin næstkommanderende Talbert Whitman afsløret en Fletcher Kale, som har slået sin søn og kone ihjel og forsøgt at skyde skylden på konen. Fletcher har også løjet om alting overfor sin advokat Bob Robine, så oven i en mordanklage kan han også kigge sig om efter en ny forsvarer. Ovenpå en afhøring, hvor Fletcher forsøgte at stikke af, får Bryce et opkald fra Jennifer om at alle i Snowfield ser ud til at være døde. Der er ca 50 km til Snowfield og mens politiet er på vej, går alt lys i byen ud.
Bryce sender tre patruljevogne til Snowfield. Ham selv, Tal Whitman, Grady Brogan og Jake Johnson. Frank Autry, Stu Wargle i en anden bil. De kommer frem og bliver mødt af Jenny og Lisa og begynder at udforske den stille by, hvor der bor ca fem hundrede. De møder ordene "Timothy Flyte arvefjenden" skrevet med eyeliner på et spejl. Rundt omkring er der også store pytter af vand inde i husene. Lisa finder eyelineren og hånden, der holder på den. Lyset går ud og Jake Johnson er væk, da det kommer igen et halvt minut senere. Uhyggen breder sig. En stor natsværmerting forsøger at komme ind til gruppen, men uden held. Stu Wargle mener at det bare er en fugl. Bryce.får tilkaldt hjælp via guvernøren og får navnlig holdt civilforsvaret og sundhedsmyndigheder væk. En general Galen Copperfield fra CB-civilforsvaradivisionen i Dugway, Utah vil stille med en specialstyrke i løbet af 24 timer. I mellemtiden bliver Stu Wargle overfaldet af natsværmertingen og dør. Hans ansigt er ætset helt væk. Også alt blod og hjernen er væk.
Senere forsvinder hans lig, men Lisa bliver skræmt af en nøgen Stu, der svinger rundt med sjoveren og truer med at kneppe hende. Hun besvimer og bliver fundet af de andre lidt efter. Rundt om i Snowfield forsvinder ræve og andre større dyr. Pressen får et par tips fra offentligheden og zoomer ind på Snowfield. I London fortæller arkæologen Timothy Flyte om sin teori om en Arvefjende, der kan få hele populationer af mennesker eller dyr til at forsvinde.
Det bliver morgen og Copperfields gruppe kommer frem. De tænker at nervegas som den russiske T-139 godt kunne få folk til at gå amok. Den opløser hjernen i første stadie, der varer fra fire til seks timer, men dræber først efter yderligere seks til tolv timer. Copperfield og hans folk foretrækker klart at tro på nervegas og deraf følgende hallucinationer hos vidnerne. En stemme fra et kølerum lyder som Jake Johnson. En sergent Harker går ind i rummet, døren smækker i og så lyder der skud og Harker skriger. De må bryde døren op og finder Harkers dragt hængt op på en stor kødkrog. Harker selv er pist væk. Copperfield er ikke længere så sikker på sin teori om nervegas.
Han sender William Luis Velazquez og Ron Peake ned i kloaksystemet for at se om noget kan skjule sig der. De får koblet en generator på som nødstrøm og opdager en hel strøm af dyr, der kommer væltende. Hunde, katte, vaskebjørne, ræve mellem hinanden. Valazquez bliver fanget og spist af noget i kloaken. Han når at tænke på at det ligner en dæmon fra mytologien. Fletcher Kale slår en vicesherif ihjel og flygter til Jake Johnsons hus, for han ved at Jake var en af dem, der forbereder sig på dommedag ved at samle mad og våben. Gordy Brogan og Frank Autry finder et rum i et hus, hvor det ser ud til at et væsen har smidt de kugler, den er blevet ramt af. Fx de tre kugler, som Paul Henderson fyrede af. Et par af videnskabsfolkene fra Copperfields hold er nyligt bragt ind, fordi de forsker i møde med andre intelligensvæsner. Timothy Flyte bliver fløjet ind af en forlægger, der mener at hans teori kan forklare det hele. Copperfield og de fleste af hans folk bliver spist af uhyret, der begynder at meddele sig via en computerskærm. Og håne menneskene med at de er intet værd. De er som kvæg som man bare kan spise.
Arvefjenden kan åbenbart opsuge al viden fra dem, den spiser, så den kender til Timothy Flyte og hans teori fra et af ofrene, der har læst hans bog. Den lover Flyte frit lejde og endda at lade de seks tilbageværende mennesker også få frit lejde, hvis bare han kommer.
Det kan han ikke modstå, så han dukker op. Han forklarer sig for de seks, hvorefter Arvefjenden sender noget protoplasma ind i rummet via en ventilationskanal og dræber Frank Autry. Timothy Flyte gætter på at der er ret få eksemplarer tilbage af Arvefjenden. Den genner dem hen i laboratoriet og føler sig så overlegen at den giver dem en vævsprøve at lege med. Sara får kollegaer ril at brygge noget biosan-4 og bringe det ud til dem med helikopter. De hælder det over dyret og får det smittet, men det bider Flyte ihjel på grusom vis. Kale har skudt nogle flere betjente og bliver indhentet af nogle Jake Johnson kopier. Han flygter ind i hulen, hvor han møder den sataniske Jeeter Terr. Dyret taler med de to og pålægger dem at slå de fem overlevende mennesker ihjel mod til gengæld at få forplads i Helvede. Men det hele går galt. De bliver begge skudt og Kale har endda fået plettyfus, så han dør af det. Og dyret dør også og bliver skyllet ud i kloaken. Jenny og Lisa, Bryce, Tal og drengen overlever.

De ganske få overlevende glæder sig og bliver enige om at det nok var Guds vilje at de skulle overleve og at det var et mirakel og at lille Tim nok skal vågne fra sin koma en dag. Jenny og Bryce finder sammen og bliver gift og lever lykkeligt til deres dages ende.
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Publication

[Kbh.] : Cicero, 1994.

Description

They found the town silent, apparently abandoned. Then they found the first body, strangely swollen and still warm. One hundred fifty were dead, three hundred fifty missing. But the terror had only begun in the tiny mountain town of Snowfield, California. At first they thought it was the work of a maniac. Or terrorists. Or toxic contamination. Or a bizarre new disease. But then they found the truth. And they saw it in the flesh. And it was worse than anything any of them had ever imagined...

User reviews

LibraryThing member TheBooknerd
Of all the Dean Koontz books I've read, this one stands out as one of the spookiest. For the reason, I consider it among his better works. In fact, this is the kind of story that would make a good movie.
LibraryThing member csweder
This was one of my first Koontz books, and there is a reason I went on to read so many.

This book is so incredibly creepy, it was amazing. So good!
LibraryThing member Woody1881
Much better than the movie, as nearly all books are.
LibraryThing member billiemlt
my first dean koontz book and i still say it is one of the best he wrote
LibraryThing member texas659
This book is very enjoyable. It kept me on the edge of my sit!
LibraryThing member ScribbleScribe
Sci fi with a twist of horror! This is one of Dean Koontz's few books which I would lable as fitting within the horror genre.

Awesome.
LibraryThing member mausergem
A doctor and her little sister come to their town to find it deserted. They find some dead bodies which are bruised and other unexplainable incidences. Slowly discovery of a supernatural being is made an measures are taken to deal with it.

The build up to the story is fantastic. The author keeps us
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to the edge of our seats. But the end is disappointing.

I don’t know if it’s just me but I feel that horror stories should not have happy endings. The ultimate beast or devil, if he is killed or tamed, is not the ultimate beast.

Overall, good built up but tame ending
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LibraryThing member Scoshie
Town Doctor brings her sister home to live with her only to find the town oddly deserted. The local sheriff and his deputy are also finding the town a little more quiet tham normal. Then they start finding the bodies, is it a pathogen, do the have killer running loose and killing everyone in town?
LibraryThing member buffalogr
The author created a book/novel about pure evil--horror. This one seems to drag a little, but held my interest through many details. Show me another weird Koontz book.
LibraryThing member Omrythea
One of the first Dean R. Koontz books I ever read, this book kept me up late at night paranoidly looking at any pools of water... This is Dean Koontz at his best. A very fine novel. Intriguing and intense. I highly recommend it.
LibraryThing member csweder
This was one of my first Koontz books, and there is a reason I went on to read so many.

This book is so incredibly creepy, it was amazing. So good!
LibraryThing member andyray
Law enforcement finds they have more than they can handle as flying "things" raid the town at night.
LibraryThing member adam.d.woodard
Was good. A supernatural horror story, but it's all explained and based in science. An interesting take. A good suspense thriller.
LibraryThing member Jennamarie96
"Phantoms" by Dean Koontz is a wonderful book for a person looking for a truly creepy read. This book revolves around the town of Snowfield, California. The Paige sisters Jenny and Lisa have just come back to Snowfield and the town has been turned into a nightmare. Everybody is either dead or
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missing. The bodies found have been killed in bizarre manners that are unexplainable. The girls call in help and the Military's Biological Investigations Unit is called in, but this is something they have never dealt with before. The cause of all this mayhem is something truly evil that's has been around for centuries. It's intelligent and deadly. "Phantoms" is the perfect thriller mixed with enough creepiness to keep you jumping at shadows and afraid to be alone. Koontz is one of the masters at writing thriller books filled with fantasy and supernatural horror and he doesn't disappoint with this read. Trust me once you read it you'll never forget it.
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LibraryThing member gloryfindel
I read this book when I was 13 and it gave me nightmares, lol. It was my first Dean Koontz book and I waited till high school before I read anymore. However, I love his writing and this is still one of my all time favorites.
LibraryThing member williemeikle
This book shows both what I love and hate about Koontz. Great premises, but crappy endings.

For the first 70 pages or so he had me hooked. A town suddenly empty of people; Marie Celeste like food still hot on the stoves. A woman and her young sister, alone, with "something" creeping around. So far,
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so creepy, and I was loving it.

I was still with him when the cops turned up... but when the "creature" turned out to be a huge, almost omnipotent amoeba, he lost me. I stuck with it through to the end, but I had ceased to care about what happened to the characters by then.

A missed opportunity. It could have been so much better.
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LibraryThing member SharonMariaBidwell
Another reread for me as part of a possible book clearance. Dean Koontz often gets shelved in the Horror category, when his work is more one of supernatural thrillers, some with science fiction or horror sub-genres. This book covers all these in a well blended, often edge of the seat chiller. When
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death comes to a small town in several bizarre ways, it raises questions about life, various belief systems, and the nature of good and evil. I’m unsure if the sub-story featuring a murderer’s arrest worked for me or was necessary to the overall plot. And the ending also took a little longer to complete than was ideal, but this is a well-written book with an excellent story. One I dither over whether to keep.
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LibraryThing member PaulaGalvan
Over the years, hundreds of mysterious disappearances have occurred in real-life. Whole villages, towns, or outposts have vanished without a trace or explanation. There's even documentation of large quantities of fish or animals that have evaporated into thin air. There are no real explanations for
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any of these scary happenings that defy all reason. God's will? The Devil's? Aliens from outer space? In this book, Dean Koontz puts his spin on this phenomenon. When Dr. Jenny Paige and her sister, Lisa, return to the town of Snowfield, they find it abandoned. At least, that's what they think. Then they start discovering bodies. Soon, their worst nightmare comes to life in this spooky—although somewhat predictable—horror story. Phantoms is creepy and will leave you looking over your shoulder when night falls. OMG, what was that noise?
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
When Jenny, a doctor, arrives in her small town of about 500 people with her much younger sister Lisa, to whom Jenny is now guardian, the place is still like nothing she’s ever experienced. When they arrive at home, they find her housekeeper on the kitchen floor, dead. The phone is not working,
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so they head next door to use the neighbour’s phone to call the police, but the neighbours are no where to be found. And no working phone. Jenny and Lisa investigate a bit further to find people either missing or dead.

I really liked this one. A bit creepy to be reading by myself after dark, but isn’t that what horror is for!? The author has a note at the end about the writing of the book, which was also interesting.
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LibraryThing member AliceAnna
A little far-fetched. Didn't know whether it wanted to be a Satanic predicament or a biological catastrophe so it didn't really work as either. His characters are so predictable. A lot of his stuff is formulaic.
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
Classic Koontz, this is one I read for the first time back in late elementary or early middle school. I've no memory of reading it back then, beyond the fact that I enjoyed it, but without question, this is one of those works I was devouring as I cemented my love of horror. Revisiting it now, some
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thirty years later, was everything I expected. Koontz's stories are fantastic, twisting in all the right ways and places. And although his dialogue and plenty of the exposition are fairly clunky, the book is still a fun, page-turning feast of horror.

Recommended for horror lovers.
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Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1983

Physical description

437 p.; 20 cm

ISBN

8777140354 / 9788777140358

Local notes

Omslag: Ikke angivet
Omslaget viser et koldt og mørkt lan
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra amerikansk "Phantoms" af Alis Friis Caspersen
Efterskrift: Dean R. Koontz
Side 33: pestafart (sjovt ord)
Side 118: Hvem har ikke lyst til at dø stående? Han grinede sjofelt. Selv den lille er lækker.
Side 202: Jeg vil spidde din lækre lillesøster på min pik.
Side 249: Intel 412 mikromidterspanter.
The lab was a marvel of technological microminiaturization. For one. thing, its computer-based on a trio of intel 432 micro-mainframes; 690,000 transistors squeezed onto only nine silicon chips-took up no more room than a couple of suitcases, yet it was a highly sophisticated system that was capable of complex medical analyses. In fact, it was a more system-with general logic and memory capacity than could be found in most major university hospitals' pathology labs.
Side 282: tørfrosset frugt og grønt. (Mon ikke det snarere er frysetørret?)
Stacked against one wall were cases of five-pound, vacuum sealed cans of nitrogen-preserved milk powder, freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, freeze-dried soup, powdered eggs, cans of honey, drums of whole grain. An air mattress. And much more. Jake had been busy.

Pages

437

Library's rating

½

Rating

½ (833 ratings; 3.7)

DDC/MDS

813.54
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