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 If you know
someone who is a fan of Dean Koontz then you have probably heard of Odd Thomas.
Odd Thomas, who would be the average, everyday guy if it were not for his sixth
sense, is the main character of several Koontz novels. In Odd We Trust, the fourth appearance of Odd is a great place to
start with the series even if you have not read any of the others as it is a
prequel to the first "Odd" book, Odd
Thomas.
In Odd We Trust also differs from the
others in that it is a graphic novel, a first for Koontz who teamed up with Australian
manga artist Queenie Chan (of "The Dreaming") to form this wonderfully
illustrated novel. While I had never read a graphic novel before, I found this
book to be very entertaining; I was even hit with some nostalgia of reading
comic books when I was younger. Although this "comic" is for a slightly more
mature reader than "Archie."
With In Odd We Trust, Koontz delivers a cast
of likeable, believable (even if one does "see dead people") characters that
the reader can feel that they are friends with. The title character, Odd, a 19
year old fry cook armed with a spatula and a sixth sense goes on a hunt for a
child killer, as backup he has the town's police, a trigger-happy girlfriend
with a dark past, and any ghosts that may visit him in his search. Odd and his
girlfriend, Stormy, do not act quite the way I would when face to face with a
killer, but their dark wit and optimistic personalities lend humor to a story
line that could have been quite grim.
Queenie
Chan's rendition of the characters is very on mark with Koontz, and sharing some
of her first sketches of the characters at the end of the book is a nice touch.
As I already mentioned, I had never read a graphic novel before, but this has
definitely made me interested in trying more. The only problem I had was
deciphering what a certain symbol that appears several times throughout the
novel is supposed to mean. Is it an exclamation? No, because there is an
exclamation. Is it supposed to signify something like a light bulb coming on
over someone's head? No, that doesn't quite fit either. Maybe this is something
common to graphic novels, but I am in the dark on it. To have to be that nitpicky
to find something negative to say about a novel, it must be good. Aside from
that small gripe, the graphics are wonderful, and each page adds to the
suspense that Koontz is so great at creating; nearly every page feeding your curiosity
and keeping you absorbed in the plot.
Dean Koontz
and Queenie Chan's In Odd We Trust hits
shelves June 24 to be enjoyed by fans of graphic novels and mysteries alike. It
is a great, light read for a rainy afternoon that you will not want to put down
until you have reached the end, and even then, if you are anything like me, you
will be greatly compelled to go pick up Koontz's other "Odd" books.
Reese Kirkland was born and raised in Panama City. She is a big fan of
'interestingness,' popular culture, oxford commas, Audrey Hepburn, and
red bell peppers; she also enjoys speaking of herself in the third
person. This fall Reese will be attending the University of South
Florida, where she will complete her Bachelor's degree in Journalism
and all things awesome (aka literature). You can find her in the Pcity Community here, or on her blog here.
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