Beasts in the night; heroic, yet troubled FBI agent; a mad scientist; corrupt small-town police, and it is all one big smarmy cliche, right? WRONG.
MIDNIGHT is a wonderfull novel, and a terribly disturbing story. Yes, as a matter of fact, there are horror cliches. But if you prefer to think, as I do, they are stylistic tributes and more than excellent portrayals of terrifying literature.
Mr. Koontz stepped up his suspense, his characterization, as well as his tone and style with this one, and that is why it earned him his first bestseller. It's no surprise either; MIDNIGHT is a word that becomes here, a nightmare.
This was the first Koontz novel I read, long ago, when I was much younger. I was also more suscptible to scares, or being scared not only by monsters who "caper" in moonlight, but those mosters of uspeakable psycholgical madness. And after years of refusing to reread this book, for the fear of spoiling its terrific shocking contents, I choose to remember it just as well.
MIDNIGHT is really an updated FRANKENSTEIN. And although I'm not sure what the author is up to with his new endeavor with the Mary Shelley story, I know that it will be worthwhile. I know this because I've read both FRANKENSTEIN and MIDNIGHT.
Separated by more than a hundred years, these two stories hold disinct similarities. The flight from moral obligations, and the differences between progressive science and pure madness are here. But most importantly is the overwhelming human nature of escaping responsibilty. The word "regressive" implies it, but only this story and these characters can tell it as well.
Here, the townsfolk do not "regress" into a mob of different kind of monsters, as in FRANKENSTEIN. Instead, they BECOME the monster, each in their own way. They flee responsiblity and compassion and humanity to become something easier. They lose their hope, and regress. And the struggle of those left behind becomes impossible, if not hopeless. But a good Koontz charatcter has nothing if not hope.
My First, and one of my all time favorite Koontz novels. |
Midnight (Brilliance Audio on Compact Disc) Books In Print, Audio Books.