Phantoms

Snowfield is a peaceful, picturesque, mountain town. Young Doctor Jenny Paige is traveling back home with her little sister Lisa after their mother just died. The two get along really well but Jenny can’t help feeling guilty over staying away for so long and avoiding her family. The town suddenly and eerily feels deserted as Jenny and Lisa uncover bodies all over town, each looked to have died in tremendous horror but nothing seems to make sense as each death defies rationality. The sisters manage to call reinforcements from the neighboring town but it becomes soon clear something deadly is lurking around Snowfield that defies more than just rationality.

I got to start by saying this is the first time I finished with a Dean Koontz book; I’ve tried several others but none really vibed with me until Phantoms. For positives, Koontz has really good flow and pacing. The characters and atmosphere are pretty good and their is even a few really good suspenseful moments. I really like the beginning and I was engaged to find out what the hell was going on. Around the third act the book started losing me and I couldn’t help feeling grateful the alien from The Thing wasn’t able to talk. The ending was basically your standard Hollywood ending and I felt a bit miffed like I did after reading IT (the novel). In the end, Phantoms is a good read. Not great, but I enjoyed it for a few long nights at work. May the gaming gods bring you glory.