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Description
#1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz delivers a mesmerizing new thriller that explores the razor-thin line between the best and worst of human nature—and the anarchy simmering just beneath society’s surface—as a likeable, successful family man is drawn into a confrontation with a foe of unimaginable malice….Bestselling novelist Cullen “Cubby” Greenwich is a lucky man and he knows it. He makes a handsome living doing what he enjoys. His wife, Penny, a children’s book author and illustrator, is the love of his life. Together they have a brilliant six-year-old, Milo, affectionately dubbed “Spooky,” and a non-collie named Lassie, who’s all but part of the family.So Cubby knows he shouldn’t let one bad review of his otherwise triumphant new book get to him—even if it does appear in the nation’s premier newspaper and is penned by the much-feared, seldom-seen critic, Shearman Waxx. Cubby knows the best thing to do is ignore the gratuitously vicious, insulting, and inaccurate comments. Penny knows it, even little Milo knows it. If Lassie could talk, she’d tell Cubby to ignore them, too.Ignore Shearman Waxx and his poison pen is just what Cubby intends to do. Until he happens to learn where the great man is taking his lunch. Cubby just wants to get a look at the mysterious recluse whose mere opinion can make or break a career—or a life.But Shearman Waxx isn’t what Cubby expects; and neither is the escalating terror that follows what seemed to be an innocent encounter. For Waxx gives criticism; he doesn’t take it. He has ways of dealing with those who cross him that Cubby is only beginning to fathom. Soon Cubby finds himself in a desperate struggle with a relentless sociopath, facing an inexorable assault on far more than his life. Fearless, funny, utterly compelling, Relentless is Dean Koontz at his riveting best, an unforgettable tale of the fragile bonds that hold together all that we most cherish—and of those who would tear those bonds asunder.
Features
- ISBN13: 9780553807141
- Condition: New
- Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Reviews
spellbinding
by J. Peterson from Hydaburg, Alaska United States on 2010-07-27
koontz is far better than steven king on his best day, what can i say, Koontz can tell a story
Missing the point...
by coachtim from Indiana, United States on 2010-07-24
As a veteran Koontz follower, I feel qualified to state that I must disagree with many of the reviewers that preceded mine who claim that "Relentless" missed the mark. I think I was a little skeptical myself when I was about 40-50 pages into the book, but then realized that Koontz was writing this novel with tongue planted-firmly-in-cheek. The book is intended to be as much "farce" as "thriller" and succeeds for the most part. Koontz tells the tale of a semi-successful "mainstream" author who has gotten mostly good reviews of his books, but takes offense to a scathing panning of his most recent book by critic, Shearman Waxx. When our author/hero, Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich, decides that he wants to address the review with the critic, he finds out that it's definitely the wrong move. Waxx, you see, is borderline psychotic and proceeds to make the lives of the Greenwich family a living hell. What follows is a whirlwind chase that will make the pages fly by.
From the critical side of the review, I must admit that the humor is a little over the top, the Greenwich's 6-year old son, Milo, a bit too brilliant to be believable, and the "bad guys" to preternatural for my liking. The pacing of the plot and characterization of the players in the book are just as solid as many of Koontz's better novels.
If you are new to Koontz, I would suggest starting with any of his early works, such as "Watchers", "Strangers", or "The Servants of Twilight", just to name a few, to really get an appreciation of his talent.
Never again
by w49859845 from on 2010-07-21
This was my first Dean Koontz book, and it will definitely be my last. The book started out so well - compelling, intriguing, a real page turner. But towards the end, the storyline took such drastic leaps that I was actually angry that I had wasted my time reading it and now have this stupidity floating around in my head. It turned into utter nonsense, I found it insulting that I'm expected to believe it. I've always enjoyed science fiction and fantasy, as long as you set up the storyline that way. But this went from fiction set in reality to something impossible to believe and just plain silly. I see that he's a really great writer, but in the end the story goes from ridiculous to ludicrous.
My First Koontz
by Martin Luther from Iowa USA on 2010-07-18
I don't believe that I have ever read a book by Dean Koontz before. Relentless started out okay, scarey, fine for entertainement, but with characters that required a good deal of suspension of disbelief. Other reviewers have covered that problem with the book. My bigger problem concerns the book's finish. It's right in there with "along came a truck and killed them all." It's so simplistic, unsatisfying, and shallow that I am tempted to give it away so that you will be able to see how just dumb it is, but I won't. I do think I will start reading some earlier Koontz books, though. Some are said to be much better than this one.
428 pages too long...
by Austin Rooney from on 2010-07-18
I bought this book last second at the airport so I'd have something to do on my flight. When I actually started reading the book on the flight, I had the urge to use the barf bag provided on the seat in front of me. It's that bad.
I've never read a Dean Koontz book before. I usually judge books by their covers, and this one had a really cool cover. Wolves, creepy trees, fog... Looks awesome. The premise sounded creative. But when you get past all that it goes downhill.
First off, he uses a writer as his main character. Real creative. Second, he makes the writer have a hot wife (which implies that his real wife is ugly as hell) and a son who is incredibly gifted (which implies that his real son has serious learning difficulties) and a dog with special powers (which implies that he hasn't even trained his real dog to fetch).
I hate arrogance. This book is full of it. Dean Koontz actually has a dog, kid, and wife according to the cover, and he is a writer. So this group of characters is incredibly uncreative. He keeps mentioning that his main character has "a powerful writer's imagination," which I guess is about as far from his real life as he strays with this guy.
Want more arrogance? He's packed this book with plenty. Consider that his author is super famous and always gets good reviews on his books (except one, but the guy who wrote it turns out to be crazy)and he's so famous he worries about getting bad press on TV or being recognized on the run.
I have a huge problem with that. Like it or not, even the most famous authors have a hard time being recognized on the street. I wouldn't know Stephen King if he came up to my doorstep, but I could probably spot one of the tools from Jersey Shore a mile away. Koontz probably just wishes this happened to him in real life.
Another flaw with the book? How about the unrealistic aspects? I'm open to some creativity, but Koontz has a six year old building time machines and a dog that teleports itself (with a normal book, telling you details like this would be called a spoiler. With this book, reading the first page is enough of a spoiler).
Also, the plot is extremely flimsy. It involves a government organization that gives artists and writers bad reviews if their work is too creative or good (which I assume is why Koontz isn't being tracked by this organization in real life) and then sends assassins to kill them and their families in brutal ways. Why? I'm not really sure still.
Anyway, I probably put more effort into writing this review than Koontz did writing Relentless, so I'll stop. Let me just say, if you want to waste your time with a book that ends with a super-cheesy message about love and family, buy this book now. If you read my review, it should have spoiled the book for you already. Don't buy it. I did you a favor by spoiling it.
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