Book Review: LIGHTNING by Dean Koontz

LIGHTNING by Dean Koontz (Berkley, September 2003 - first published 1988) Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages. ISBN # 0425192032 / 9780425192030 

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

A storm struck on the night Laura Shane was born, and there was a strangeness about the weather that people would remember for years. 

     But even more mysterious was the blond-haired stranger who appeared out of nowhere – the man who saved Laura from a fatal delivery. Years later – another bolt of lightning – and the stranger returned, again to save Laura from tragedy. 

     Was he the guardian angel he seemed? The devil in disguise? Or the master of a haunting destiny beyond time and space?  

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     When I picked this up at the local library, I was under the impression LIGHTNING was a horror novel. The early chapters of the story tend to lean that way, but it soon becomes apparent that this falls more neatly into the category of a science-fiction suspense novel revolving around time travel. Not that I'm complaining -- this was a very satisfying read and an enjoyable adventure.

     I like what Koontz did here to establish his own rules regarding time-travel and what works and what won't work as far as altering fate/destiny. I don't want to spoil this for anybody who hasn't read this yet - - and I recommend that you do, especially if you haven't previously been exposed to the wonderful story-telling abilities of Dean Koontz. I'm just going to say that World War II and Nazis play a significant role. 

     The story slows down in several sections, and I would normally get impatient with authors who tell too much or think they need to include every minor detail. However, Koontz's ability to spin a compelling yarn and pull readers in kept me going. Beyond the suspense story is another story about finding love, romance, and achieving career ambitions despite stacked odds. A good one.