Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
New York : Bantam, 2009.
Description
Facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life, successful family man and bestselling novelist Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich finds himself in a desperate struggle with relentless sociopath and reclusive critic Shearman Waxx.
Media reviews
If you enjoy [Koontz's] style of thriller, Relentless won't disappoint you.
The chapters are short, the dialogue is "snappy," and still things go on forever... god-awful.
Whether you’re a longtime reader of Koontz or not, if you’re looking for a sci-fi novel with a good storyline, this would be it. If you’re looking for a book with humor and angst, this would be it. If you’re looking for the perfectly crafted novel, with a totally believable plot, this might
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not be it, as some parts of the tale are a bit far-fetched and the ending is a tad weak. But, overall, this is a good story and worth the time it takes to read it. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member NovelBookworm
Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich’s newest novel is a big hit, skyrocketing the charts and everyone loves it. Everyone, that is, but a reclusive, yet renowned critic, Shearman Waxx. Waxx’s critique of the novel is filled with vicious and inaccurate statements, and it bugs Cubby to no end. His wife
First, a disclaimer, I'm a huge Dean Koontz fan, so its no surprise that I loved this book! If you've not read any of his, or it’s been years since you have, you should pick up a copy. Koontz is the only author I've read that can write a suspenseful, terror filled book that can make you laugh out loud! I loved this book! Only in a Dean Koontz novel, in the midst of terror and fear, do you find descriptive passages in the narration such as this:
“Beyond the service-island overhang, in the windless night, the rain came down in such straight skeins that the rigorous lines should have proved the law of gravity to any disbeliever, of which I’m sure there are multitudes, considering we live in an age of enthusiastic ignorance, when anything well-known for centuries is not only suspect but also considered worthy of being rejected in favor of a new theory more appealing to movie stars and deep-thinking rock musicians.”
Koontz always manages to endear us readers to his protagonists, blending horror and humor, love and fear, loyalty and danger, adding a big dose of compassion and common sense. In short, his characters are not only the people we want to meet and befriend, but also they’re the kind of people we’d like to be. (Cubby and Penny, that is…. not Shearman, unless you’re sort of the sociopathic, cuckoo type. Then I guess that old Shearman would be your hero,huh?)
The lightheartedness and humor that Cubby and Penny fill their lives with comes shining through in this story. Filled with fascinating, eccentric, lovable characters, Relentless is aptly named. The Greenwich’s dogged determination to keep their family safe, loved and happy contrasts with Shearman Waxx’s relentless intention to destroy them. And we readers are taken for a thrilling and “relentless” ride.
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Penny, a successful author and illustrator of children’s book, tells him to let it go. His brilliant son, Milo, also known as “Spooky”, tells him to let it go. Even his dog, Lassie, seems to be telling him to let it go. But Cubby just really wants to get a look at Waxx, just one quick peek, to see the face of the man whose words can make or break a career. That quick look will trigger the sociopathic Waxx to go after Cubby and his family. Soon the Greenwich’s are running for their lives, certain that Shearman Waxx personifies evil. But they ain’t seen nuthin’ yet, just wait till they meet up with Shearman’s mom, she’ll make Shearman look like your average TV cop show garden variety psycho of the week.First, a disclaimer, I'm a huge Dean Koontz fan, so its no surprise that I loved this book! If you've not read any of his, or it’s been years since you have, you should pick up a copy. Koontz is the only author I've read that can write a suspenseful, terror filled book that can make you laugh out loud! I loved this book! Only in a Dean Koontz novel, in the midst of terror and fear, do you find descriptive passages in the narration such as this:
“Beyond the service-island overhang, in the windless night, the rain came down in such straight skeins that the rigorous lines should have proved the law of gravity to any disbeliever, of which I’m sure there are multitudes, considering we live in an age of enthusiastic ignorance, when anything well-known for centuries is not only suspect but also considered worthy of being rejected in favor of a new theory more appealing to movie stars and deep-thinking rock musicians.”
Koontz always manages to endear us readers to his protagonists, blending horror and humor, love and fear, loyalty and danger, adding a big dose of compassion and common sense. In short, his characters are not only the people we want to meet and befriend, but also they’re the kind of people we’d like to be. (Cubby and Penny, that is…. not Shearman, unless you’re sort of the sociopathic, cuckoo type. Then I guess that old Shearman would be your hero,huh?)
The lightheartedness and humor that Cubby and Penny fill their lives with comes shining through in this story. Filled with fascinating, eccentric, lovable characters, Relentless is aptly named. The Greenwich’s dogged determination to keep their family safe, loved and happy contrasts with Shearman Waxx’s relentless intention to destroy them. And we readers are taken for a thrilling and “relentless” ride.
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LibraryThing member NelehW
Relentless started off slow but picked up pace quickly (relentlessly). Family man and book writer gets bad review. An encounter with the reviewer puts him and his family in fear of their lives.
Koontz manages this fight for family survival with warmth and humour despite the dark forces that are
Koontz manages this fight for family survival with warmth and humour despite the dark forces that are
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pitted against him and his family while making some pithy social comment. Stands for difference. Great writer. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tommie1
This story is much better than the last few. Still alot of metaphors but the plot holds together and kept my attention throughout. For an author who has written countless stories, Mr Koontz has again written an admirable book!
LibraryThing member KevinJoseph
Relentless started strong, seizing my attention with tantalizing foreshadowing, a really creepy villian, and a palpable sense of looming danger. I also sensed a strong personal connection between Koontz and protagonist Cubby, a fellow author tormented by a cruel reviewer who denies him admission
The main problem for me is that parts of the plot don't withstand logical scrutiny. Time and again Cubby subjects his wife and son to unnecessary risks and fails to make obvious choices that would enhance their survivability. For example, why did he hold onto his personal cell phone for so long, when we all know it allows your location to be tracked. And, given their access to the in-laws' fortress, wouldn't the logical decision be to lie low until the villians lose interest and the trail goes cold? I understand the difficulty in constructing a plot that supports the sort of chase-based structure that Koontz favors, but it has to hang together, too.
I also had trouble accepting the basic premise of the conspiracy or why it led to the gruesome violence against its targets. It seems that the objective of the conspiracy could have been achieved in a way that was less vicious and cruel.
Finally, the science fiction aspect of the story seemed rather contrived and contributed to a twist at the end that seemed gratuitous and overly manipulative.
So while this was a fast, entertaining read, and still way better than most mystery/thrillers on the market, I found it below par for my favorite author. Hoping for better next time.
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into the rarefied realm of the literary elite. Little wonder that this is one of the few times Koontz has chosen to write in the first person (the Odd Thomas series being the only other example that comes to mind). The main problem for me is that parts of the plot don't withstand logical scrutiny. Time and again Cubby subjects his wife and son to unnecessary risks and fails to make obvious choices that would enhance their survivability. For example, why did he hold onto his personal cell phone for so long, when we all know it allows your location to be tracked. And, given their access to the in-laws' fortress, wouldn't the logical decision be to lie low until the villians lose interest and the trail goes cold? I understand the difficulty in constructing a plot that supports the sort of chase-based structure that Koontz favors, but it has to hang together, too.
I also had trouble accepting the basic premise of the conspiracy or why it led to the gruesome violence against its targets. It seems that the objective of the conspiracy could have been achieved in a way that was less vicious and cruel.
Finally, the science fiction aspect of the story seemed rather contrived and contributed to a twist at the end that seemed gratuitous and overly manipulative.
So while this was a fast, entertaining read, and still way better than most mystery/thrillers on the market, I found it below par for my favorite author. Hoping for better next time.
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LibraryThing member cequillo
Koontz takes his readers on another fast-paced, turn the pages ride in this one. Similar in style and pacing to another recent novel from his pen, "The Good Guy", it keeps the suspense well tuned, and the reader involved. A family on the run from a sadistic book critic, his only devotion to kill
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them all. The story is lightened and often comical with the inclusion of a young prodigy genius, and of course, the inevitable lovable dog who carries her own mystery. Add to that a family of survivalists with all their quirks and tones, and you have what is nothing less than "a good story". Koontz fans will very likely enjoy this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Although I love Koontz, and devour almost everything he writes, I didn't love this one nearly as much as I normally do. I found the motive of the critic to be unfathomable, the ending too bizarre, and overall, I found the book to be a bit repetitive. Thank goodness there was still a dog in this one
Not recommended for children due to the disturbing violent content.
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or it might have been a total right off for me! I'll continue to be a loyal fan, but this one just wasn't worth the hardcover price. I might start waiting for the paperbacks!Not recommended for children due to the disturbing violent content.
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LibraryThing member kinisunny
Its the first time i've read Dean Koontz....the author is impressively popular and i always thought of reading one of his books and i finally got the opportunity last week. Finished the book in 3 days. It was interesting but the ending just got me...it took me some time to realize that the result
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of all that panic and running around ended in one chapter. I wasnt anticipating this kind of ending. but overall the book was great.. Show Less
LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Running from a cold blooded killer is definitely not new territory for Koontz. Nor is the protagonist with a mysterious past, the all-knowing dog, the clever child, the hint of quantum mechanics. When an author is as prolific as Koontz fresh material for every book must be hard to find and those
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familiar with his work will easily forgive him. Relentless is still a page turner, with great dialogue, well thought out characters and the blend of sharp and poignant narrative that is typical Koontz. There is nothing new in here, however that's not a reason to avoid this decent thriller. Show Less
LibraryThing member RebeccaAnn
THERE WILL BE EXTREME SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED, PLEASE DON'T READ.
Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich is a writer of popular novels. As he himself says, his worst book (many thought the dwarf was unnecessary) received 86% good reviews. However, his latest book, One O'Clock
Parts of this book were absolutely terrifying. I read this before going to bed one night and could have sworn I heard someone moving around in my room. Creeped the hell out of me. However, it soon lost it's novelty as the chase bore on and one with no explanation as to why Cubby was running for his life. When we finally found out that the organization Waxx works for is really a group of roughly twelve thousand people devoted to the post-humanity movement in art and literature, and that they are devoted to brutally killing off authors and artists of influence whose work is not that of post-humanity, things began to look a little bit too unreasonable. Not to mention, these people occupy positions high up in the government (think National Security and such) which gives them the power to more or less do anything they want to innocent people with no consequence to themselves. I don't think this abuse of power would ever be able to go unnoticed. The whole thing was just too unlikely. And I haven't even gotten into the teleporting dog or the time travel (I swear to you, I am not joking).
I did like Cubby's voice, though. Told in first person, the book reads like the mind of an author. Cubby's thoughts play on words and go off on tangents. For the most part, the book maintains a light-hearted tone which I adored. It was a joy to read and many comments had me laughing out loud. The love that Penny feels for her husband and vice versa is palpable and is the stuff ideal relationships are built upon. Milo annoyed me a little bit but that's mostly because I have a thing against prodigies. I prefer normal people. For a prodigy, though, he wasn't too bad.
All in all, it wasn't that bad of a book. It had some typical Koontzisms in it. Everything that first appeared to be supernatural was explained scientifically by the end. The good guys were very good, the bad guys were very bad, with little to no gray area in between. All the good guys lived happily ever after in the end. But I got some good thrills out of it and it left me reasonably spooked when I turned off the lights, so it wasn't all bad. I liked most of the characters (especially the Booms) but thought the plot a little too far-fetched. Recommended if you're already a fan of Koontz or are in the mood for a quick scare. Otherwise, I would avoid it. There are many, many better books out there.
Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich is a writer of popular novels. As he himself says, his worst book (many thought the dwarf was unnecessary) received 86% good reviews. However, his latest book, One O'Clock
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Jump, receives the most horrible review Cubby has ever read by a renowned critic, Shearman Waxx who, though his opinion can make or break a career, seems to be almost a shadow. There's nothing known about him and only one picture, a blurry image that reveals nothing. Not only is it completely rude and unjustified, the syntax is awful and the plot points are incorrect. Curious as to who would insult his book so blatantly, claiming to be a book critic though his grammar is horrible, Cubby finds out where Waxx dines for lunch and with his son, the six-year-old prodigy Milo, he goes to see what the man looks like. After what appears to be an innocent encounter, Cubby, his wife Penny, Milo, and their non-collie Lassie, find themselves being terrorized by Waxx and on the run for their lives.Parts of this book were absolutely terrifying. I read this before going to bed one night and could have sworn I heard someone moving around in my room. Creeped the hell out of me. However, it soon lost it's novelty as the chase bore on and one with no explanation as to why Cubby was running for his life. When we finally found out that the organization Waxx works for is really a group of roughly twelve thousand people devoted to the post-humanity movement in art and literature, and that they are devoted to brutally killing off authors and artists of influence whose work is not that of post-humanity, things began to look a little bit too unreasonable. Not to mention, these people occupy positions high up in the government (think National Security and such) which gives them the power to more or less do anything they want to innocent people with no consequence to themselves. I don't think this abuse of power would ever be able to go unnoticed. The whole thing was just too unlikely. And I haven't even gotten into the teleporting dog or the time travel (I swear to you, I am not joking).
I did like Cubby's voice, though. Told in first person, the book reads like the mind of an author. Cubby's thoughts play on words and go off on tangents. For the most part, the book maintains a light-hearted tone which I adored. It was a joy to read and many comments had me laughing out loud. The love that Penny feels for her husband and vice versa is palpable and is the stuff ideal relationships are built upon. Milo annoyed me a little bit but that's mostly because I have a thing against prodigies. I prefer normal people. For a prodigy, though, he wasn't too bad.
All in all, it wasn't that bad of a book. It had some typical Koontzisms in it. Everything that first appeared to be supernatural was explained scientifically by the end. The good guys were very good, the bad guys were very bad, with little to no gray area in between. All the good guys lived happily ever after in the end. But I got some good thrills out of it and it left me reasonably spooked when I turned off the lights, so it wasn't all bad. I liked most of the characters (especially the Booms) but thought the plot a little too far-fetched. Recommended if you're already a fan of Koontz or are in the mood for a quick scare. Otherwise, I would avoid it. There are many, many better books out there.
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LibraryThing member CutestLilBookworm
I just could not get into this book...it's the first book by Koontz that I totally abandoned. I borrowed the audio version and listened up to the 4th disc...if it was the book in print I probably wouldn't have gotten that far. The premise is that some psycho lit critic is terrorizing this writer,
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his wife, and their unbelievably smart child. The writing style reminded me of Koontz's book 'Life Expectancy' which had lots of dry humor interspersed...it was bearable there but I just couldn't take it in this book. It didn't help that I didn't particularly care for the reader's voice either. Show Less
LibraryThing member ctfrench
Bestselling author Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich, having survived a traumatic experience as a child, considers himself a lucky man. He’s married to the love of his life, has a six-year-old son who’s a genius, and a dog named Lassie Cubby suspects may have supernatural abilities. When Cubby’s
Koontz excels at providing exciting thrillers involving wholesome, very likeable characters pursued by evil. This book is reminiscent of Koontz’s earlier works, filled with breath-taking suspense and gripping scenes. Characterization is in-depth and revealing, and the plot fast-paced and intriguing.
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latest novel is given a scorching review by acclaimed reviewer Shearman Waxx, everyone advises Cubby to let it go. But Cubby’s curious about the man whose review is filled with misstated facts about his book. Cubby manages to lunch where the reviewer has a reservation, and from that point on, finds himself and his family targeted by Waxx, inexplicably intent on ending their lives. After researching Waxx and learning other authors and their families have met torturous demise at the hands of Waxx and his minions, Cubby and his family flee from a demented sociopath who is relentless in his efforts to find them.Koontz excels at providing exciting thrillers involving wholesome, very likeable characters pursued by evil. This book is reminiscent of Koontz’s earlier works, filled with breath-taking suspense and gripping scenes. Characterization is in-depth and revealing, and the plot fast-paced and intriguing.
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LibraryThing member OneMorePage
A witty best-selling author, his survivalist-raised childrens' book-author wife, his prodigy son, and his teleporting dog are stalked by a serial killer who is supported by a government agency. I know that sounds ridiculous, but this was a really good, fast read.
LibraryThing member TigerLMS
Sherman Waxx, a notorious book critic, rips the latest book by Cubby Greenwich. Despite the advice of everyone to let it go, Cubby decides to find out more about Waxx, and gets more than he bargained for. Waxx is seemingly superhuman in his ability to terrorize Greenwich, his wife, his genius young
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son, and their brilliant retriever. The book plots out over just a few days as the Greenwich family runs for their lives, only to discover other artists who have been similarly terrorized by Waxx. Fans of recent Dean Koontz books won't be disappointed; detractors of Koont's books will find similar complaints here. The first-person voice and ability for characters to shrug off life-threatening danger feels unlikely, despite the author's efforts to explain. Also, the lengthy side-bar narratives add less than they take away from the flow of the story and are distracting. But this is Koontz's style, and it's not new to his legion of fans. The action keeps the pages turning through the end, as does the wait for the payoff to the early foreshadowing that one member of Greenwich's small family will be shot to death. Show Less
LibraryThing member KAzevedo
I used to read Koontz many years ago and remember his books as being terrifically suspenseful and weird. This one came in a pile of books from a friend, and I decided to read it. The suspense was great, and it's definitely weird, but it was ruined in the last quarter by the stupid "reason" for the
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murderous events. I know, the sci fi, supernatural, elements should have been the reason it was ruined, but they were actually fun and expected. The huge, secret organization on a mission to direct world culture just didn't fit with the pure evil, grotesqueness of the crimes. They were of a highly personal nature, individually tailored to render the greatest horror and despair in the targeted victim. The humour seemed a bit off to me as well. Koontz does write entertaining and sympathetic protagonists and here's a spoiler; nothing awful happens to the dog. Show Less
LibraryThing member rolhirst
When novelist Cubby Greenwich receives a punishing review from one of the nation’s top literary critics, he tries his best to put it behind him. But critic Shearman Waxx has other ideas and soon starts terrorising the writer’s family, blowing up his home, and sending him on the run in fear for
And yet… I can’t help but admire Koontz’s continued skill at crafting breakneck-pace page turners, and his way with humour – you can almost see him winking at the reader as he piles plot twist on top of plot twist and writes his characters into one impossible scenario after another. Jack Bauer would approve. As with many of this author’s books, I wouldn’t be brave enough to recommend it for fear of ridicule… but I can’t deny I had fun.
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his life. Relentless is a book that lures you in with a plausible opening and likeable hero, then throws all credibility out the window with a series of escalating threats, a preposterous conspiracy and a villain who’s both unstoppable and untouchable. It breaks all kinds of narrative and genre rules – not least in the way it introduces elements of deus ex machina sci-fi in the final chapters that stretch our suspension of disbelief past breaking point.And yet… I can’t help but admire Koontz’s continued skill at crafting breakneck-pace page turners, and his way with humour – you can almost see him winking at the reader as he piles plot twist on top of plot twist and writes his characters into one impossible scenario after another. Jack Bauer would approve. As with many of this author’s books, I wouldn’t be brave enough to recommend it for fear of ridicule… but I can’t deny I had fun.
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LibraryThing member Scoshie
It is really hard to not like a Koontz story and this is one that starts of with a bang. I was drawn in by the humor in the first couple of chapters and then when the terror starts, and it does start very early, I had touble putting the books down. Well done and a super, great read.
LibraryThing member kysmom02
This book was not for me. I read the first 20 pages and didn't like it. Talked myself into reading 30 more pages and still didn't like it. Made myself keep going since this is Koontz, and hit the half-way point. Still didn't like it, but wanted to finish because I'm stubborn and figured there had
The best part of the book were the characters. Cubby, his wife Penny and their son Milo were interesting. I liked that they each had their own story. Cubby came from a family that was murdered when he was young, Penny from a family who prepares for Armageddon, and Milo is a 6-year old child prodigy. They are so witty and eccentric that I couldn't help but find myself interested in them.
Cubby and his family are in danger and being pursued by a mad man who has proven himself a killer. What I don't get about the whole plot and the telling of the story is that it's told from an after-the-fact point of view and in a comic manner. I didn't really get the comic angle since they are running for their lives. Then, the conclusion is just weird. In fact, the closer that I got to the end of the book, the less I even cared about what the conclusion was going to be.
Overall, I like Koontz. I won't give up reading his books just because I didn't like this one, but I can't recommend this book to anyone.
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to be a point to this book. If there was, I didn't get it.The best part of the book were the characters. Cubby, his wife Penny and their son Milo were interesting. I liked that they each had their own story. Cubby came from a family that was murdered when he was young, Penny from a family who prepares for Armageddon, and Milo is a 6-year old child prodigy. They are so witty and eccentric that I couldn't help but find myself interested in them.
Cubby and his family are in danger and being pursued by a mad man who has proven himself a killer. What I don't get about the whole plot and the telling of the story is that it's told from an after-the-fact point of view and in a comic manner. I didn't really get the comic angle since they are running for their lives. Then, the conclusion is just weird. In fact, the closer that I got to the end of the book, the less I even cared about what the conclusion was going to be.
Overall, I like Koontz. I won't give up reading his books just because I didn't like this one, but I can't recommend this book to anyone.
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LibraryThing member sibisi73
This is the first Koontz novel I've read and I was pleasantly surprised by the pace and the wicked sense of humour. It was a enuine page-turner which I read in two sittings. Unfortunately I did feel that it lost the plot about a third of the way through and although, up until that point, I'd been
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lured into the story and was prepared to be drawn into this semi-fantasy world, I did find some of the twists and turns a little too far-fetched. By the end I'd been overwhelmed by preposterousness of the highest order. Still, I would recommend it as it's a cracking read and perhaps I'm being a little too unimaginative. Show Less
LibraryThing member LouCypher
I have read a lot of Koontz and this is by far my favorite so far. I really enjoyed this story, especially the dialogue between the main character and his family. It was witty and fun with that sadistic murderous edge Koontz is known for. Looking forward to the next Koontz novel.
LibraryThing member BONS
I am such a fan of Dean Koontz that I'm going to attempt any of his books. This one is pretty far out there. The main characters are so likeable that you just keep reading beacuse of them.
LibraryThing member oldstick
Marmite. Don't read all these reviews until you have finished the book.
LibraryThing member Lindagoose
very good book...kept my attention...loved the action...could visualize a movie in my head while I was reading this book...highly recommend
LibraryThing member seldombites
This was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, with no end to the thrills. Definitely worth reading.
LibraryThing member Marlene-NL
Ah What a quick and not so good end again. I used to love his books and sometimes I still do but most of his newer books are not as good as they used to be. He is so desperately trying to be funny all the time. You also know everyone is going to be safe, the so called good people, and the grand
Even though all of the above it is a quick read but after the last page I could not help but feel disappointment again.
Read another book in between so that is why it took me so long.
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finale was a little flutter.Even though all of the above it is a quick read but after the last page I could not help but feel disappointment again.
Read another book in between so that is why it took me so long.
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LibraryThing member blush48
I've always loved Dean Koontz books, but this one felt like a comic/graphical book - - so much silliness that I could care less about any of the characters.
Language
Original publication date
2009-06-08
ISBN
9780553807141
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Koontz |