Forever Odd
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| Forever Odd | |
| Author | Dean Koontz |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Suspense, Psychological |
| Publisher | Bantam Publishing |
| Publication date | 2005 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 352 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-553-80416-2 |
| Preceded by | Odd Thomas |
| Followed by | Brother Odd |
Forever Odd is a 2005 novel by Dean Koontz, and the sequel to Odd Thomas.[1] The plot takes place six months after the events of Odd Thomas.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
After Odd discovers that his childhood friend Danny has been kidnapped, he assumes that Danny's father, who was recently released from prison, has kidnapped him. Therefore, Odd investigates and is led through a water tunnel and into an abandoned hotel by his "psychic magnetism syndrome" (PMS).
Inside, he finds his friend tied up and strapped to a bomb. Danny informs him that his dad did not kidnap him. Instead, Danny recounts that, because of his loneliness from a debilitating bone disease, he called a phone sex line and spoke with a woman named Datura. The woman informed Danny of her obsession with the paranormal, leading Danny to inform her about Odd's special abilities. She then kidnapped Danny in order to meet Odd.
Odd leaves Danny and finds Datura in her room with two thugs, Cheval Robert and Cheval Andre. She orders Odd to show her ghosts. Reluctantly, Odd takes her to the casino in the hotel where he previously saw many ghosts and one poltergeist. Datura insults a ghost, and the enraged poltergeist flings objects at them. At this point, Odd escapes from Datura, returns to Danny, and disarms the bomb. Odd returns to Datura's room and finds a shotgun, which he uses to kill Cheval Robert. Datura finds him by reverse psychic magnetism; as they are talking, a mountain lion attacks her from behind. An angry Cheval Andre chases Odd through the hotel, before Odd kills Cheval Andre in a sewer.
Odd dies from the experience in the sewer and a head injury and visits three of his friends. He comes back to life in front of the Blue Moon Café with no idea how he got there. Odd accompanies the Chief Porter to the hotel, where they rescue Danny. Two months later, Odd makes plans to work in a monastery in an attempt to find some peace.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Odd Thomas
Odd Thomas, the protagonist, can see dead people. He must save his friend Danny Jessup.
[edit] Danny Jessup
Danny is Odd's best friend, Datura kidnaps him after he tells her about Odd's ability to see the dead on a phone sex line. His bone disease makes him susceptible to bone fractures.
[edit] Datura
A phone sex operator obsessed with the occult. She lures Danny into her trap to draw Odd to her and take his soul.
[edit] Cheval Andre
Cheval Andre is the larger of Datura's servants and the one who shows the least emotion. He is described by Odd as a "freight train" or a "locomotive." Andre pursues Odd into the flood control system after Odd lets a mountain lion kill Datura. The two fight each other until Odd slashes into Andre's stomach with a fishing knife. As Andre dies, he wrestles the knife from Odd's hands and slashes him across the chest. He then dies, his clothing caught on the floodgate. Robert and Andre may be zombies, animated by Datura's ti bon ange. They appear to have a hunger for flesh. Also, they never speak and they disappear after being "killed".
[edit] Cheval Robert
Cheval Robert is the smaller of Datura's servants, but is still quite strong. He shows far more emotion than Andre (which still isn't much). When Odd meets Datura for the first time, Andre stands next to her at the window and observes the storm. Robert instead chooses to watch the candles with a child like intrigue. When Andre and Robert are given the job of guarding the lanterns for Odd and Datura in the casino, Andre stands firm and silent, while Robert appears to be a bit nervous. Odd encounters Robert in a hotel suite while hiding from Datura. Robert is immediately aware of Odd, but chooses to ignore him, choosing to watch the storm at the window first. Robert then turns to Odd and walks toward him, never bothering to raise his revolver. At this moment, Robert makes the only noise heard from either he or Andre. It is a low pitched groan that sounds exasperated. Robert then begins to raise his revolver hand. Odd shoots Robert four times with a shotgun, causing him to fall off the hotel balcony. His body disappears. Robert and Andre are perhaps zombies, animated by Datura's ti bon ange. They appear to have a hunger for flesh, that they never speak, and that they disappear after being "killed".
[edit] Odd Series
Forever Odd is the second of four novels about Odd Thomas; the first being Odd Thomas, the third Brother Odd, and the fourth Odd Hours.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Koontz, Dean (2005). Forever Odd. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-80416-2.
