"The Taking"

"The Taking"

By James M.

One of the most iconic books of his career and the basis for major movies over recent years. Dean Koontz delivers with a page turning thriller that is relatable for many small town people of the world, particularly those who are religious. The story begins with one women named Mary Sloan who wakes up from peaceful sleep and can immediately tell something is very wrong. She then with her husband Neil, begins to explore all the strange happenings that are going on outside.

Strange things are happening and the couple along with their neighbors sense it could be the end of the world. The story follows the couple and their neighbors as they attempt to survive in a world with odd colored and smelling rain that makes the characters feel "unclean". The rain from the beginning of the story becomes a sortof thick fog and all the characters share a sense of uneasiness that something terrible is lurking nearby and they need to prepare to defend themselves against this unknown awful thing. The story then reveals what is really going on and it is a unexpected twist to say the least

The way Koontz wrote the book is at times a source of confusion. He includes a side story that has no impact at all on the plot. Koontz also includes a heavy influence of religion as the cause and even directly relates what is happening in Mary and Neil and the world to the fundamentals of catholicism. Other than that the book is relatively easy to read and follow because most things that occur are generally predictable.

I would without a doubt recommend this book to anyone who has a interest in horror or even religious novels. The story pulls the reader in and makes them ponder just how extreme the end of the world could be especially when a religious aspect is thrown in.  The story is also so extremely grotesque and violent so it makes the story much more readable through shock factor.