Dean Koontz Breathless

Admitedly, Dean Koontz is currently my favorite author. He is, to his chagrin, most often refered to as a horor writer. This is a misnomer, for although he has writen in that genre extensively, a large number of his novels contain little or no horor or supernatural aspects. The one thing you can count on when reading Koontz is that he seldom fails to fulfill your expectations. Another thing you can almost always count on is a dog involved heavily in the action, usually a Golden Retriever.
His latest release in hardback is Breathless, and yes it does involve a dog in the plot, but this time an Irish Wolfhound. It is set in the Rockies and the main character is Grady Adams, a mid-thirties former Military sniper who wants nothing but peace and tranquility in his cabin, miles from the nearest town. It begins with he and his dog traipsing through the woods on their daily walk. As they enter a clearing, they see two strange animals cavorting in the grass. They are about the size of a six year old child, snow white, and furry, with flat, almost humanoid faces. They stare at him seemingly unafraid, and the disappear into the woods.
Later they approach his cabin and gradually aquaint themselve with him and his dog, Merlin. Grady calls Camilla Rivers, a local veterinarian, who comes to see if she can identify the species. She can not. Eventually the government, Homeland Security, gets wind of the animals and descends upont Grady's cabin like it was a terrorist camp. The action is mild, and the lesson Koontz tries to imply is current with todays culture. I always enjoy his novels, and this one was no exception, but I must admit I was slightly disappointed in one thing; I felt the story was too short at 337 pages. That does not sound short, but in hardback with double spacing between the lines, it was just a fast read. I felt he could have done more with the plot line, and the conclusion, while believable, seemed too simple and left me wanting more. Maybe I am just too picky, huh?
Anyway, it is a great read and worth you time. Enjoy.
Troy D. Young