Master storyteller Dean Koontz has been
word weaving for more than 20 years. Each of his tales
growing more horrific and
terrifying
than the last, and earning him more accolades
than can be counted. And rightly so. In "Fear Nothing"
we are transported to a quaint seaside town where life seems
perfect. But facades can be deceiving. Masterfully, Koontz takes
us not-so-gently into the world of government secrets, experimentation
and one mans dark life.
Christopher Snow is an intelligent, creative,
funny and sometimes romantic man. Every woman's dream. But
for Chris, his life is really more complex. He has xeroderma
pigmentosum, which is a rare genetic disorder that means Chris's
skin and eyes can't be exposed to sunlight...something vampirish
though this story is as far from a vampire story as you can
get. Xpers, as they're nicknamed, live in virtual darkness.
During the day they sleep in blacked out rooms. It's the nighttime
that's their time. The darkness allows them to move about
freely, though in a lonely world since most people are slumbering
at that time of night, especially in sleepy Moonlight Bay.
But this darkness allows Chris some privileges
that daylight would not. Among them, exploration. Chris and
Orson travel together every night through the streets of Moonlight
Bay and up to the closed military base, Wyvern. The once busy
installation is now a virtual ghost town. Houses that were
once inhabited by military families are boarded up on lightless
streets. Streets once bustling with armored and personnel
vehicles are now riddled with weeds and the remains from a
hasty base closure. And the numerous buildings that once housed
aircraft, tanks, machinery and government offices stand as
testaments to another time, another culture. The expanse and
unpopulated nature of the base affords Chris and Orson the
ability to explore at will. But one night when Chris spots
a car pulling up to a supposedly evacuated building his curiosity
it peaked and follows the man inside the building secretively.
What he finds inside is enough to start making some enquiries.
And some of the town folks start getting nervous.
Chris isn't totally alone though. He has his
girlfriend Sasha, his best friend Bobby and his constant companion
Orson, his unusually intelligent golden retriever. Together
they investigate the nighttime goings on at Wyvern, which
drag them into a world of genetics experimentation, government
secrets and more! When Chris discovers a hidden room, he finally
admits that he's probably gotten in way over his head but
there's no backing out now. He can only go forward to either
solve the mystery at Wyvern or die trying.
"Fear Nothing" is as much Chris's
motto as the title of this amazing book. You can't be afraid
of the dark when you live in it. But for those who live in
the light, this story is terrifying and thought provoking.
Chris's character is extremely well developed. The sub-characters
not only enhance the story they become integral parts of it,
rather than space fillers. The plot is so tightly woven that
as you read you feel as if you're walking beside Chris as
he explores Wyvern, running from locals who know what you're
up to and when Chris and his friends become the targets for
extermination so that the truth doesn't come out.
This story is nothing short of brilliant.
Told in the first person, "Fear Nothing" will keep
readers on the edge of their seats, anxiously gripping it
so they don't slip off. White knuckles, clenched jaws and
rapid heartbeats can all be expected from this story.
As a long time reader of Koontz I've come
to appreciate certain stories of his. "Moonlight Bay"
is just one example of how he uses the same real locale with
expertise to create his fictional towns. "Midnight"
and "Watchers", in part, and several other stories
were all based around a real area of Northern California.
Not only does Mr Koontz mention this area in a number of his
stories but also this reviewer is from this area and readily
recognizes landmarks and area descriptions. Fort Wyvern exists
in a real military base in the area, which was part of the
base closures under Clinton's presidency, and the description
of Wyvern fits this base to a T. For me, reading these stories
is a terrifying trip home!
I understand there is a sequel to "Fear
Nothing" and am anxiously awaiting its release!
