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Quick Review: "Intensity" by Dean Koontz

From Goodreads:  Past midnight, Chyna Shepard, twenty-six, gazes out a moonlit window, unable to sleep on her first night in the Napa Valley home of her best friend's family. Instinct proves reliable. A murderous sociopath, Edgler Foreman Vess, has entered the house, intent on killing everyone inside. A self-proclaimed "homicidal adventurer," Vess lives only to satisfy all appetites as they arise, to immerse himself in sensation, to live without fear, remorse or limits, to live with "intensity." Chyna is trapped in his deadly orbit. 

Chyna is a survivor, toughened by a lifelong struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. At first her sole aim is to get out alive--until, by chance, she learns the identity of Vess's next intended victim, a faraway innocent only she can save. Driven by a newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every inner resource she has to save an endangered girl...as moment by moment, the terrifying threat of Edgler Foreman Vess intensifies.

My Thoughts:  Oh boy, I have a lot to say about this book.  I was looking for a good, creepy mystery and several people recommended Intensity.  I was pretty excited when after 50ish pages, I was super creeped out.  Edgler Vess is a freak with a capital 'F' and his crimes in the beginning of the book were horrible.  However, after that the book kind of went down hill for me.  Chyna is a fascinating character but her actions are completely unrealistic and at times pretty ridiculous.  There is no way that a normal (and intelligent) person would do most of the things she did.  I think I also struggled with this book because it was written in 1987 prior to everyone having cell phones.  The story would have ended a lot earlier if someone had just had a cell phone! 

This story also seemed like it was a lot longer than it needed to be.  There were times where I was really bored and considered just giving up but I really wanted to know how the story ended.  I will say that the ending didn't disappoint and I liked the way it all wrapped up.  Overall, the story had a lot of potential but it fell flat for me.  I don't know if I will be reading another Koontz book anytime soon.  2 stars.

I borrowed this book from my local library.

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