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Quicksilver
#1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz takes a surprising and exhilarating road trip with a man in pursuit of his strange past―mile by frightening mile.
Quinn Quicksilver was born a mystery―abandoned at three days old on a desert highway in Arizona. Raised in an orphanage, never knowing his parents, Quinn had a happy if unexceptional life. Until the day of “strange magnetism.” It compelled him to drive out to the middle of nowhere. It helped him find a coin worth a lot of money. And it practically saved his life when two government agents showed up in the diner in pursuit of him. Now Quinn is on the run from those agents and who knows what else, fleeing for his life.
During a shoot-out at a forlorn dude ranch, he finally meets his destined companions: Bridget Rainking, a beauty as gifted in foresight as she is with firearms, and her grandpa Sparky, a romance novelist with an unusual past. Bridget knows what it’s like to be Quinn. She’s hunted, too. The only way to stay alive is to keep moving.
Barreling through the Sonoran Desert, the formidable trio is impelled by that same inexplicable magnetism toward the inevitable. With every deeply disturbing mile, something sinister is in the rearview―an enemy that is more than a match for Quinn. Even as he discovers within himself resources that are every bit as scary.
Quinn Quicksilver was born a mystery―abandoned at three days old on a desert highway in Arizona. Raised in an orphanage, never knowing his parents, Quinn had a happy if unexceptional life. Until the day of “strange magnetism.” It compelled him to drive out to the middle of nowhere. It helped him find a coin worth a lot of money. And it practically saved his life when two government agents showed up in the diner in pursuit of him. Now Quinn is on the run from those agents and who knows what else, fleeing for his life.
During a shoot-out at a forlorn dude ranch, he finally meets his destined companions: Bridget Rainking, a beauty as gifted in foresight as she is with firearms, and her grandpa Sparky, a romance novelist with an unusual past. Bridget knows what it’s like to be Quinn. She’s hunted, too. The only way to stay alive is to keep moving.
Barreling through the Sonoran Desert, the formidable trio is impelled by that same inexplicable magnetism toward the inevitable. With every deeply disturbing mile, something sinister is in the rearview―an enemy that is more than a match for Quinn. Even as he discovers within himself resources that are every bit as scary.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2022
About the author
Dean Koontz
872 books37.7k followersAcknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,798 reviews
February 7, 2022
When Koontz is good, he's very good. When he's bad he gives us guff like Quicksilver.
A horrible, turgid mess of a novel with no sense of drama because every situation is quickly solved by another ridiculous coincidence usually as a character discovers another power that just happens to be exactly what they need at that moment.
With a plethora of stupid characters who all talk in pithy nonsense, none of whom the reader can engage with and a narrative that is all.over the place, this is an utter chore to read.
Still, at least he cares about the planet as he once again recycles old plots that he's done far better in other books.
Avoid at all costs.
A horrible, turgid mess of a novel with no sense of drama because every situation is quickly solved by another ridiculous coincidence usually as a character discovers another power that just happens to be exactly what they need at that moment.
With a plethora of stupid characters who all talk in pithy nonsense, none of whom the reader can engage with and a narrative that is all.over the place, this is an utter chore to read.
Still, at least he cares about the planet as he once again recycles old plots that he's done far better in other books.
Avoid at all costs.
February 9, 2022
This book is about a young man who was left abandoned on a highway when he was only three days old. He grew up in an orphanage and he is living a normal life. Suddenly he has these feelings that compel him to take actions. Next thing you know he is in a battle for humanity.
I have read reviews on this site that compare this to the Odd Thomas series that was written by this author. I felt the same way. I thought this book was terrific for the first half and I was enthralled by it. We have the grand scope of the battle between good versus evil and it reminded me of the early works of Koontz. There were other hallmarks of his early writing like the humor in the face of danger, a dog, and strangers that are willing to help at a drop of a pin without asking questions. I was so happy with this book. Unfortunately this book takes a turn and it becomes a small personal quest for the main character. I did not care for this turn of events. This turn of events fit in within the story but it also seemed too coincidental at the same time. Also, with this turn of events many questions were left unanswered from the first half. Maybe this is the beginning of a new series and we will find out more information about this setting and the characters.
I loved the first half of this book. It was classic Koontz. Some might argue it was too much like classic Koontz as he did seem to borrow from previous works. It did not bother me at all. The second half of this book lost me a little. While both halves were influenced by today's society the second half seemed to reflect it a little too much. It was a little too preachy for my tastes. This author has always used today's society as an influence but this book delved into that aspect heavily at times. This was a decent read but it could have been better. I can see how this might be a beginning of a series and it has the potential to become a series that I would enjoy.
I have read reviews on this site that compare this to the Odd Thomas series that was written by this author. I felt the same way. I thought this book was terrific for the first half and I was enthralled by it. We have the grand scope of the battle between good versus evil and it reminded me of the early works of Koontz. There were other hallmarks of his early writing like the humor in the face of danger, a dog, and strangers that are willing to help at a drop of a pin without asking questions. I was so happy with this book. Unfortunately this book takes a turn and it becomes a small personal quest for the main character. I did not care for this turn of events. This turn of events fit in within the story but it also seemed too coincidental at the same time. Also, with this turn of events many questions were left unanswered from the first half. Maybe this is the beginning of a new series and we will find out more information about this setting and the characters.
I loved the first half of this book. It was classic Koontz. Some might argue it was too much like classic Koontz as he did seem to borrow from previous works. It did not bother me at all. The second half of this book lost me a little. While both halves were influenced by today's society the second half seemed to reflect it a little too much. It was a little too preachy for my tastes. This author has always used today's society as an influence but this book delved into that aspect heavily at times. This was a decent read but it could have been better. I can see how this might be a beginning of a series and it has the potential to become a series that I would enjoy.
February 3, 2022
This was fun. I liked the first half quite a lot, but thought the conclusion find of fizzled. The book is dedicated to Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, and Theodore Sturgeon (as well as a writer with whom I was unfamiliar, Jack Douglas), and I thought he captured some of the magical characterization and feel of those first three in the set-up, but when the bad guys are introduced and the battle is joined I got more of a feel of the worst of L. Ron Hubbard or the most incomprehensible of A.E. van Vogt or the overall silliness of Richard Shaver. The main characters are quirky and quite likeable (and, yes, there's a dog; he starts out evil but finds redemption), and Koontz's voice is as elegant and wryly humorous as ever. The antagonists, on the other hand, are boringly predictable and there's too much of a heavy-handed message of political and financial power leading to absolute corruption, and the conflict is too reminiscent of what we've seen before, such as in the mid-to-later Odd Thomas series. Still, it was an enjoyable read... I didn't love it, but I liked it.
January 27, 2022
Quite possibly the worst book of his I have ever read.
February 6, 2022
*pants*
I just realized Dean Koontz sensei has a new book free for the Kindle Unlimited elite!! I almost missed it!!!
Guess what?
Some literary agencies plants have dozens of GR accounts to attack Dean Koontz sensei and Patricia Cornwell sensei LOL!!!!!! They're like trying to make it look like KU is unfair for libraries to have the twitter readers that jump into social causes reject Koontz sensei, but KU itself is a library, the best one IMO!!! No matter, the fans keep purchasing/borrowing books by their favorite authors like crazy LOL!!!
Avē losers, kindle unlimited elite tē salūtant
Hail losers! Those of the kindle unlimited elite are about to read and enjoy for free!!! Keep getting mad at Koontz sensei, he's laughing all the way to the bank.
Important:
if you work for literary agencies but you don't do these sh%tty tricks, I wasn't talking you. You aren't a loser, we're good. It's read and let read, I respect you. I only make fun of the losers that get paid to open many goodreads accounts to attack awesometacular books and authors. The rest of you literary agencies buddies I love and respect!*takes a bow* Keep on promoting books because books are life savers!! KU, not KU, indie, not indie, all authors and readers deserve respect.
You guys aren't sure about Dean Koontz sensei yet? Borrow the book from the Kindle Unlimited library. FOR FREE! If you like, you like it, if you don't, you return it, but the least you can do is give it a try.
For all of us in the Kindle unlimited Elite it's
We look so so so so smug now!!
SMUG 'cuz it's FREE for us!!
Join the KU elite!!! We're the elite group in goodreads, We look so smug right now cuz we always read the best books for a small fee and the savings are for hoarding more and more and more books. You don't need to own a kindle just download the app!
*kisses kindle app on iphone*
I just realized Dean Koontz sensei has a new book free for the Kindle Unlimited elite!! I almost missed it!!!
Guess what?
Some literary agencies plants have dozens of GR accounts to attack Dean Koontz sensei and Patricia Cornwell sensei LOL!!!!!! They're like trying to make it look like KU is unfair for libraries to have the twitter readers that jump into social causes reject Koontz sensei, but KU itself is a library, the best one IMO!!! No matter, the fans keep purchasing/borrowing books by their favorite authors like crazy LOL!!!
Avē losers, kindle unlimited elite tē salūtant
Hail losers! Those of the kindle unlimited elite are about to read and enjoy for free!!! Keep getting mad at Koontz sensei, he's laughing all the way to the bank.
Important:
if you work for literary agencies but you don't do these sh%tty tricks, I wasn't talking you. You aren't a loser, we're good. It's read and let read, I respect you. I only make fun of the losers that get paid to open many goodreads accounts to attack awesometacular books and authors. The rest of you literary agencies buddies I love and respect!*takes a bow* Keep on promoting books because books are life savers!! KU, not KU, indie, not indie, all authors and readers deserve respect.
You guys aren't sure about Dean Koontz sensei yet? Borrow the book from the Kindle Unlimited library. FOR FREE! If you like, you like it, if you don't, you return it, but the least you can do is give it a try.
For all of us in the Kindle unlimited Elite it's
We look so so so so smug now!!
SMUG 'cuz it's FREE for us!!
Join the KU elite!!! We're the elite group in goodreads, We look so smug right now cuz we always read the best books for a small fee and the savings are for hoarding more and more and more books. You don't need to own a kindle just download the app!
*kisses kindle app on iphone*
March 23, 2024
This is funny. I was going for a walk and I clicked on a video that was titled Holly by Stephen King audiobook. Three hours in, I'm browsing the comments and listeners are saying it's actually Quicksilver by Dean Koontz. Well, I like it and am already invested in it. Not sure if I have ever read Dean Koontz but I will definitely be more open to reading his books. 😄
So I listened to this while going on walks, mostly. I do occasionally like sci-fi, but it's not my first choice. This book is super strange and interesting. It has a lot of funny parts but can also be very dark. I really liked the main character, Quinn, Bridget, Sparky and the dog they help, Winston. The book would be hard for me to explain in perfect detail, but there were parts where this organization were keeping several people as slaves/trafficking. That in itself is frightening. Quinn is trying to find out more about his life. He was only told that he was left by the side of the road when he was a baby. He finds out that he is special and wanted for another purpose. He meets Bridget and her grandfather, Sparky. Sparky is pretty funny. He brings a lot of comic relief. I'm sure other people could explain this better. I don't want to give too much away,but I did enjoy listening to it. The narrator on the audio was really good at doing the voices and matching the moods (pretty sure it was a person and not AI). I will most likely read another Dean Koontz book at some point. Any recommendations on his best books would be appreciated but if I don't get any, happy reading anyway, friends. 😀😃🙂
So I listened to this while going on walks, mostly. I do occasionally like sci-fi, but it's not my first choice. This book is super strange and interesting. It has a lot of funny parts but can also be very dark. I really liked the main character, Quinn, Bridget, Sparky and the dog they help, Winston. The book would be hard for me to explain in perfect detail, but there were parts where this organization were keeping several people as slaves/trafficking. That in itself is frightening. Quinn is trying to find out more about his life. He was only told that he was left by the side of the road when he was a baby. He finds out that he is special and wanted for another purpose. He meets Bridget and her grandfather, Sparky. Sparky is pretty funny. He brings a lot of comic relief. I'm sure other people could explain this better. I don't want to give too much away,but I did enjoy listening to it. The narrator on the audio was really good at doing the voices and matching the moods (pretty sure it was a person and not AI). I will most likely read another Dean Koontz book at some point. Any recommendations on his best books would be appreciated but if I don't get any, happy reading anyway, friends. 😀😃🙂
March 17, 2022
Quinn Quicksilver caught and kept my interest real quick. I sure did like him, a hapless, innocent, but kindly young man with a curious origin. (Although I couldn’t figure out if he was writing as a 119-year-old looking back, what with all the “we later learned” lame narrative cop-outs, or if he was still 19, but a few months had past since the events of the story.)
I started to raise an eyebrow with the nephilim conflict shaping up as the main focus. I decided to still give the story a chance, not dismiss it as Bible and Men in Black crossover fanfic.
I overlooked the female character who didn’t seem real, more like a male fantasy Wonder Woman with Snark (who is suddenly the geeky male mc’s girl), and I even looked past the plot insert character: the seer, whose sole purpose was to easily explain everything from plot to other characters’ motives and backgrounds to the reader (unbelievably lazy writing).
But then, oh man, ThEn we got to the final part, part five, and… there’s a cult.
Of course there is.
Silly and derivative, so much so, I wonder if it was written cheaply and sensationally on purpose, pandering—fan service, like a penny dreadful.
I started to raise an eyebrow with the nephilim conflict shaping up as the main focus. I decided to still give the story a chance, not dismiss it as Bible and Men in Black crossover fanfic.
I overlooked the female character who didn’t seem real, more like a male fantasy Wonder Woman with Snark (who is suddenly the geeky male mc’s girl), and I even looked past the plot insert character: the seer, whose sole purpose was to easily explain everything from plot to other characters’ motives and backgrounds to the reader (unbelievably lazy writing).
But then, oh man, ThEn we got to the final part, part five, and… there’s a cult.
Of course there is.
Silly and derivative, so much so, I wonder if it was written cheaply and sensationally on purpose, pandering—fan service, like a penny dreadful.
January 13, 2023
Draw your chair up close
to the edge of the precipice,
and I'll tell you a story.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
Welcome to Arizona! Quicksilver is entertaining, bizarre, quirky, silly and for me, much more enjoyable than 2021's release, The Other Emily. I think incorporating Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" into the story was a nice touch.
Dean Koontz has established a distinct Koontz Universe, commonly known as Koontzland. In all his books the reader can expect to encounter some familiar story elements such as (but not limited to): Hawaiian shirts, dogs, Mickey Mouse, Hershey's candy bars, Hefty One-Zip bags, sodium vapor street lamps, government conspiracy, bats, characters with seemingly unlimited financial resources, social commentary, extraterrestrials, Ford Explorers or Mercury Mountaineers. Additionally, there are particular words or phrases which show up book after book.
When I started reading Quicksilver, I initially felt it was a re-hashing of Odd Thomas and Twilight Eyes. As I read more, I found many "Easter Egg" connections to previous novels including (but not limited to): Odd Thomas Series, Jane Hawk Series, Twilight Eyes, Lightning, The Bad Place, Life Expectancy, Innocence, What the Night Knows, Phantoms, One Door Away from Heaven, Relentless, By the Light of the Moon.
Quicksilver is a novel consisting of five parts; parts four and five won me over - it gets real interesting. A fun-filled wild ride of adventure!
Related non-Koontz books include (but, of course, are not limited to): 1984, The Forgotten Door, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass, Ode on a Grecian Urn
Favorite Passages:
Getting to Know Me
"You look so Friday."
. . . .
"No one has ever said that to me before, Quinn. What does Friday look like?"
______
"Scarabs were sacred to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt."
"That's probably why their civilization didn't last."
Dirty Money, Attack Dogs and Spurtles
"My imaginary friends," she said, "are the children of the children of Swedish immigrants, so they're third generation and thoroughly Americanized."
______
Trash was stacked everywhere - old wooden crates, splintered chairs, broken lamps, a couple of buckets with sprung handles, a bicycle without tires, cardboard boxes containing disordered heaps of beer bottles, several baby dolls with limbs missing - but I couldn't see anything organic that might be rotting.
______
"Now, Quinn, I prepped you. I told you about the reciprocating saw, how they'd urinate on you while you bled to death."
"I thought you were exaggerating."
______
"Yes, but we have a job to do here."
"What job?"
"Rehabilitating Hitler."
______
"I'm a staff writer for Arizona! magazine."
"We've thought of subscribing," she said.
Butch said, "Frankly, we're put off by the exclamation point."
______
"People used to take that Orwell book, 1984, to be a warning. Now they see it as an inspiration."
______
"They seem to be reporting news from another planet, 'cause they sure aren't talking about the earth I know."
______
The path to the future that I long envisioned had withered away in the wild woods of recent experience, and I was unable to imagine where this new path might lead.
______
The mirror that had become a window now morphed into a door.
______
"Bad dream?"
"No. I just didn't like what I saw in the mirror this morning."
______
Her eyes were clover green and Celtic fierce.
______
BACK IN THE DAY: THE BOY, THE FATHER, THE BIRDS
"Why do animals bite? Why does everything kill everything?"
"Not every animal kills. Rabbits don't kill, unless you think that grass and flowers and carrots and berries can be murdered. If you do, then we should at once start putting rabbits on trial and sending them to bunny prisons."
_______
"You have to realize the truth on your own, believe it, accept it - or otherwise it is just something you've been told that you don't trust to be true."
What the Seer Saw
"Your gas pumps are older than I am. How do they work? I mean, how do I pay and everything? I want to pay with cash."
"It's a mystery," he said, "but we can solve it together. I'll switch on pump number one from behind the counter. You go out there and turn the crank until the meter show s only zeros. Then fill up with however much you need and come back here to pay me what the meter says you owe."
"It's just that in Phoenix, you put your credit card or debit card right in the pump."
"Phoenix," he said, "is a place of great wonders."
"Don't some people pump the gas and then drive away without coming back in here to pay?"
"One such scofflaw did exactly that in 1996." John Kennedy Ching said, "but we tracked him down to Cleveland, Ohio, and burned his house to the ground."
_______
"He thinks we've been over in Winkelvile looking at property to purchase."
"There's actually a Winkleville?" Bridget asked.
"It's about four miles from here, two miles east of Sulphur Flats and three miles south of Vulture's Roost."
"If they ever want to build an Arizona Disneyland," she said, "it won't be in this part of the state."
_______
Just then a grizzled character exited the store with a purchase in each hand - a box of shotgun shell and a fifth of bourbon. Whild tangles of white hair flared out from under his cowboy hat, and the length of his beard suggested that he might once have been a member of that old rock group, ZZ Top. He looked as if he'd had a part in every Western movie ever made. As he passed us, he glanced at me and said, "Tell Homer and Marge they done a nice job with you," and proceeded to the faded-blue pickup truck with the I SHOOT TAILGATERS bumper sticker.
_______
"His place is on the old Apache Trail. It's a dirt road with no signs. I'll draw you a little map. You'll be there in ten minutes at this time of day. At night, in May, with the spring insects at their peak, spattering your windshield, and the bats swarming, you'd need twenty minutes, maybe more. Go while it's light."
. . . .
I said, "Swarming bats?"
"From mid-May through mid-June, when the flying insects are most plentiful, the bats come to feed on them in flight. Thousands of bats, clouds of wings that hide the moon."
"Wow. That must be quite a sight."
"Yes," Ching said, "but not one that a sane man should want to see."
_______
"I hope he's not on the job."
"Well, the lineman is still on the line. He starts before dawn," Ching said, "but he finishes with that stretch down south about now. You'll probably catch him just as he's getting home."
_______
"Is that a dog in your SUV?"
"Yes," I said.
"You must be all right if a dog will associate with you."
_______
"I often dream of you as a baby. They're good dreams. In them I'm famous and honored for finding you on the highway. You're always three days old no matter how much time passes, and I never grow old as long as I'm with you, and all kinds of animals look after you, including a bear that feeds you honey with a golden spoon."
_______
_______
"A hole in the sky! Do I sound crazy to you? I'm not mental."
_______
In time, wonder might lead to that more elevated feeling that is awe, the yielding of the mind to the reverence of what is supremely grand and true.
_______
"Yes, but Panthea sees."
"Sees what?"
"What a seer sees when a seer dreams."
_______
"I don't want to be one of the X-Men," I said. "There's way too much angst involved in being one of the X-Men. Being one of the X-Men only works if you're as handsome as Hugh Jackman, and then not much. Anyway, even the X-Men aren't big box office anymore."
_______
As I wrote earlier, I see every human being as an eccentric to one degree or another. This can be true only if our assumption that there is a standard for normality is wrong. And I believe it is wrong. The human race is at the apex of all life-forms because, no matter how strenuously sociologists and politicians and others of their persuasion insist on defining our species into interest groups and factions and classes and tribes, the better to control us. Einstein, in his genius, can reveal to us much about the workings of the universe, and a child with Down syndrome can teach us, by his or her profound gentleness and humility, how urgently this troubled world needs kindness. Everyone has something to contribute.
Everyone but sociopaths.
________
Writing novels seems like a glamorous and exciting occupation, although in reality I suspect that it's a lot less glamourous than professional wrestling and only marginally more exciting than being a librarian.
To create good fiction, you have to like people enough to want write about the human condition - but close yourself alone in a room for a large part of your life to get the job done right. It's as if a wrestler forsook the ring in favor of getting his own head in an armlock and slamming himself into walls for a few hours every day.
_______
"I don't see everything. My gift has limits. I can be surprised, make mistakes. Which is as it should be. Otherwise, I'd be a puppet in a play. I'm not a puppet. You aren't puppets. But wherever we need to be, that place will find us."
_______
"Stay sharp but guard against panic."
380 Miles to Mordor
"Our gifts assist us, but they don't control us. We distinguish ourselves by the efforts we make, by taking the initiative whatever the risks."
________
"It's by our choices and actions that we succeed or fail. Without the freedom of choices, we would have no dignity."
________
WALLACE EUGENE BEEBS AUTONOMOUS ZONE.
. . . .
THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES DO NOT APPLY HERE.
. . . .
LOVERS OF FREEDOM SEEKING THEIR UNIQUE BLISS ARE WELCOME TO INQUIRE AS TO AVAILABILITY.
_______
REMEMBER THE "KIND" IN HUMANKIND.
. . . .
LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD.
. . . .
IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE LIVING LIFE IN PEACE.
_______
"Mr. Beebs?" Bridget inquired.
"The one and only," he declared. "President, vice president, speaker of the house, majority leader of the senate, secretary of the treasury, housekeeper, and cook. Who are you two magnificent-looking people?"
Before I could claim that we were Homer and Marge Simpson, Bridget said, "Mr. President, I'm Mary Torgenwald. And this is my husband, Bill. We hope it's not too late for two heads of state to consult with you on a matter of great importance."
_______
"Uncle and I make a difference by being indifferent. We fully engage by retreating. We defend the truth by living a lie." He made a fist of his right hand and raised it high. "We support social justice by being antisocial." He leaned forward in his chair, lowering his voice as if imparting a secret. "We protest poverty by living well. And we champion freedom by providing folks like you with whatever you think makes you free."
_______
"I don't buy books to read them. I'm too busy for that."
_______
"You need guns?"
"No. We have a friend waiting in the Explorer with guns."
"You need drugs?"
"Thank you, no."
"It's perfectly safe to deal with us for anything, anything at all," said Wallace Beebs. "How about ID In new names?"
_______
"We believe that what little we love is defined by what all that we hate and how much we hate it. what do you think?"
"Hate makes the world go around," Bridget said, and it was clear the sentiment was well received in the Republic of Beebs.
_______
"History is the enemy of the future."
Bridget called him and raised him one: "The past is a cancer that kills all dreams of progress."
"Power is beauty, beauty power."
_______
No doubt about it - we were across the border from eccentricity, in the mad kingdom of the Red Queen.
_______
"The Mountaineer has a secret compartment for the transport of weapons and ammunition. If you want a backup arsenal, I can make you a package deal - the Mountaineer and guns."
"We have a lot of great guns," Wallace assured us.
_______
"I buy books I can't read for a few reasons. For one thing, each copy I add to my collection is a copy that no one else can read. The fewer people reading books, the better off the world will be."
"I see your point," I said.
"For another thing, I like the homey look of a library, but I never want to risk polluting my mind with the thoughts of writers who disagree with me. You never know until you get into a book just what wrong thinking it might contain."
"Every book," I said, "is potentially a rattlesnake in your hands."
"That's an excellent analogy!" he exclaimed, and he clapped me on the back.
_______
"Then," Beebs said, "I also have the books so that when the Day of Blood and Change arrives, I can celebrate by burning them."
"Won't that be the day?" I said. "The war of all against all."
"I can hardly wait," Beebs agreed.
"Well," I said, "I'm afraid we'll have to wait awhile yet. There are still too many people wo don't understand why Utopia can grow only out of an ocean of blood."
"Too true," he said sadly. "So many people just don't get it. You're a truth teller, Bill Torgenwald. You're a wise young man."
He was talking about the kind of wisdom that is expressed in cliches, so I gave one to him. "We have to break a few eggs to make an omelet."
"We must break millions!" he agreed. "Millions and millions!"
_______
The small town of Ajo - pronounced Ah-joe, but vulnerable to an embarrassing mispronunciation - is home to the copper-rich New Cornelia open pit mine.
BACK IN THE DAY: THE INNOCENT BOY, THE EVIL FATHER, THE ANTS, THE FISH, THE BIRDS
. . . I heard the teacher only as a flat and distant droning, as though I must be in a parallel universe alone with my thoughts, her voice leaking through a rift in the barrier between worlds.
The Way and The Way Not
. . . we discovered a thirty-foot-tall sculpture of a sharp-faced cartoon rat that was definitely not Walt Disney's famous Mickey, although it was wearing the yellow shoes and red shorts in which the beloved mouse was always depicted. The rodent's teeth were bared in a sneer, and its red crystal eyes glittered. In its right hand was the naked body of a headless infant on which the monster evidently feasted.
______
A man who would spend so lavishly on a fantasy retreat might have been a business genius, but even before he had squirreled away in this refuge from normality, he'd been wading in the shallows of insanity.
_______
Soul Timothy was as eager to please as a puppy, a puppy on five milligrams of Benzedrine.
______
If I'd been a regular seeker of the One True Snake Oil all my life, I would have been so taken with Tim's ecstatic endorsement of the Way that I might have bought a barrel of what he was selling.
______
______
How strange is the world and all life in it. How strange am I. How much stranger still - mysterious, wonderful - that there is a world at all, or me, or you.
to the edge of the precipice,
and I'll tell you a story.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
Welcome to Arizona! Quicksilver is entertaining, bizarre, quirky, silly and for me, much more enjoyable than 2021's release, The Other Emily. I think incorporating Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" into the story was a nice touch.
Dean Koontz has established a distinct Koontz Universe, commonly known as Koontzland. In all his books the reader can expect to encounter some familiar story elements such as (but not limited to): Hawaiian shirts, dogs, Mickey Mouse, Hershey's candy bars, Hefty One-Zip bags, sodium vapor street lamps, government conspiracy, bats, characters with seemingly unlimited financial resources, social commentary, extraterrestrials, Ford Explorers or Mercury Mountaineers. Additionally, there are particular words or phrases which show up book after book.
When I started reading Quicksilver, I initially felt it was a re-hashing of Odd Thomas and Twilight Eyes. As I read more, I found many "Easter Egg" connections to previous novels including (but not limited to): Odd Thomas Series, Jane Hawk Series, Twilight Eyes, Lightning, The Bad Place, Life Expectancy, Innocence, What the Night Knows, Phantoms, One Door Away from Heaven, Relentless, By the Light of the Moon.
Quicksilver is a novel consisting of five parts; parts four and five won me over - it gets real interesting. A fun-filled wild ride of adventure!
Related non-Koontz books include (but, of course, are not limited to): 1984, The Forgotten Door, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass, Ode on a Grecian Urn
Favorite Passages:
Getting to Know Me
"You look so Friday."
. . . .
"No one has ever said that to me before, Quinn. What does Friday look like?"
______
"Scarabs were sacred to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt."
"That's probably why their civilization didn't last."
Dirty Money, Attack Dogs and Spurtles
"My imaginary friends," she said, "are the children of the children of Swedish immigrants, so they're third generation and thoroughly Americanized."
______
Trash was stacked everywhere - old wooden crates, splintered chairs, broken lamps, a couple of buckets with sprung handles, a bicycle without tires, cardboard boxes containing disordered heaps of beer bottles, several baby dolls with limbs missing - but I couldn't see anything organic that might be rotting.
______
"Now, Quinn, I prepped you. I told you about the reciprocating saw, how they'd urinate on you while you bled to death."
"I thought you were exaggerating."
______
"Yes, but we have a job to do here."
"What job?"
"Rehabilitating Hitler."
______
"I'm a staff writer for Arizona! magazine."
"We've thought of subscribing," she said.
Butch said, "Frankly, we're put off by the exclamation point."
______
"People used to take that Orwell book, 1984, to be a warning. Now they see it as an inspiration."
______
"They seem to be reporting news from another planet, 'cause they sure aren't talking about the earth I know."
______
The path to the future that I long envisioned had withered away in the wild woods of recent experience, and I was unable to imagine where this new path might lead.
______
The mirror that had become a window now morphed into a door.
______
"Bad dream?"
"No. I just didn't like what I saw in the mirror this morning."
______
Her eyes were clover green and Celtic fierce.
______
BACK IN THE DAY: THE BOY, THE FATHER, THE BIRDS
"Why do animals bite? Why does everything kill everything?"
"Not every animal kills. Rabbits don't kill, unless you think that grass and flowers and carrots and berries can be murdered. If you do, then we should at once start putting rabbits on trial and sending them to bunny prisons."
_______
"You have to realize the truth on your own, believe it, accept it - or otherwise it is just something you've been told that you don't trust to be true."
What the Seer Saw
"Your gas pumps are older than I am. How do they work? I mean, how do I pay and everything? I want to pay with cash."
"It's a mystery," he said, "but we can solve it together. I'll switch on pump number one from behind the counter. You go out there and turn the crank until the meter show s only zeros. Then fill up with however much you need and come back here to pay me what the meter says you owe."
"It's just that in Phoenix, you put your credit card or debit card right in the pump."
"Phoenix," he said, "is a place of great wonders."
"Don't some people pump the gas and then drive away without coming back in here to pay?"
"One such scofflaw did exactly that in 1996." John Kennedy Ching said, "but we tracked him down to Cleveland, Ohio, and burned his house to the ground."
_______
"He thinks we've been over in Winkelvile looking at property to purchase."
"There's actually a Winkleville?" Bridget asked.
"It's about four miles from here, two miles east of Sulphur Flats and three miles south of Vulture's Roost."
"If they ever want to build an Arizona Disneyland," she said, "it won't be in this part of the state."
_______
Just then a grizzled character exited the store with a purchase in each hand - a box of shotgun shell and a fifth of bourbon. Whild tangles of white hair flared out from under his cowboy hat, and the length of his beard suggested that he might once have been a member of that old rock group, ZZ Top. He looked as if he'd had a part in every Western movie ever made. As he passed us, he glanced at me and said, "Tell Homer and Marge they done a nice job with you," and proceeded to the faded-blue pickup truck with the I SHOOT TAILGATERS bumper sticker.
_______
"His place is on the old Apache Trail. It's a dirt road with no signs. I'll draw you a little map. You'll be there in ten minutes at this time of day. At night, in May, with the spring insects at their peak, spattering your windshield, and the bats swarming, you'd need twenty minutes, maybe more. Go while it's light."
. . . .
I said, "Swarming bats?"
"From mid-May through mid-June, when the flying insects are most plentiful, the bats come to feed on them in flight. Thousands of bats, clouds of wings that hide the moon."
"Wow. That must be quite a sight."
"Yes," Ching said, "but not one that a sane man should want to see."
_______
"I hope he's not on the job."
"Well, the lineman is still on the line. He starts before dawn," Ching said, "but he finishes with that stretch down south about now. You'll probably catch him just as he's getting home."
_______
"Is that a dog in your SUV?"
"Yes," I said.
"You must be all right if a dog will associate with you."
_______
"I often dream of you as a baby. They're good dreams. In them I'm famous and honored for finding you on the highway. You're always three days old no matter how much time passes, and I never grow old as long as I'm with you, and all kinds of animals look after you, including a bear that feeds you honey with a golden spoon."
_______
_______
"A hole in the sky! Do I sound crazy to you? I'm not mental."
_______
In time, wonder might lead to that more elevated feeling that is awe, the yielding of the mind to the reverence of what is supremely grand and true.
_______
"Yes, but Panthea sees."
"Sees what?"
"What a seer sees when a seer dreams."
_______
"I don't want to be one of the X-Men," I said. "There's way too much angst involved in being one of the X-Men. Being one of the X-Men only works if you're as handsome as Hugh Jackman, and then not much. Anyway, even the X-Men aren't big box office anymore."
_______
As I wrote earlier, I see every human being as an eccentric to one degree or another. This can be true only if our assumption that there is a standard for normality is wrong. And I believe it is wrong. The human race is at the apex of all life-forms because, no matter how strenuously sociologists and politicians and others of their persuasion insist on defining our species into interest groups and factions and classes and tribes, the better to control us. Einstein, in his genius, can reveal to us much about the workings of the universe, and a child with Down syndrome can teach us, by his or her profound gentleness and humility, how urgently this troubled world needs kindness. Everyone has something to contribute.
Everyone but sociopaths.
________
Writing novels seems like a glamorous and exciting occupation, although in reality I suspect that it's a lot less glamourous than professional wrestling and only marginally more exciting than being a librarian.
To create good fiction, you have to like people enough to want write about the human condition - but close yourself alone in a room for a large part of your life to get the job done right. It's as if a wrestler forsook the ring in favor of getting his own head in an armlock and slamming himself into walls for a few hours every day.
_______
"I don't see everything. My gift has limits. I can be surprised, make mistakes. Which is as it should be. Otherwise, I'd be a puppet in a play. I'm not a puppet. You aren't puppets. But wherever we need to be, that place will find us."
_______
"Stay sharp but guard against panic."
380 Miles to Mordor
"Our gifts assist us, but they don't control us. We distinguish ourselves by the efforts we make, by taking the initiative whatever the risks."
________
"It's by our choices and actions that we succeed or fail. Without the freedom of choices, we would have no dignity."
________
WALLACE EUGENE BEEBS AUTONOMOUS ZONE.
. . . .
THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES DO NOT APPLY HERE.
. . . .
LOVERS OF FREEDOM SEEKING THEIR UNIQUE BLISS ARE WELCOME TO INQUIRE AS TO AVAILABILITY.
_______
REMEMBER THE "KIND" IN HUMANKIND.
. . . .
LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD.
. . . .
IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE LIVING LIFE IN PEACE.
_______
"Mr. Beebs?" Bridget inquired.
"The one and only," he declared. "President, vice president, speaker of the house, majority leader of the senate, secretary of the treasury, housekeeper, and cook. Who are you two magnificent-looking people?"
Before I could claim that we were Homer and Marge Simpson, Bridget said, "Mr. President, I'm Mary Torgenwald. And this is my husband, Bill. We hope it's not too late for two heads of state to consult with you on a matter of great importance."
_______
"Uncle and I make a difference by being indifferent. We fully engage by retreating. We defend the truth by living a lie." He made a fist of his right hand and raised it high. "We support social justice by being antisocial." He leaned forward in his chair, lowering his voice as if imparting a secret. "We protest poverty by living well. And we champion freedom by providing folks like you with whatever you think makes you free."
_______
"I don't buy books to read them. I'm too busy for that."
_______
"You need guns?"
"No. We have a friend waiting in the Explorer with guns."
"You need drugs?"
"Thank you, no."
"It's perfectly safe to deal with us for anything, anything at all," said Wallace Beebs. "How about ID In new names?"
_______
"We believe that what little we love is defined by what all that we hate and how much we hate it. what do you think?"
"Hate makes the world go around," Bridget said, and it was clear the sentiment was well received in the Republic of Beebs.
_______
"History is the enemy of the future."
Bridget called him and raised him one: "The past is a cancer that kills all dreams of progress."
"Power is beauty, beauty power."
_______
No doubt about it - we were across the border from eccentricity, in the mad kingdom of the Red Queen.
_______
"The Mountaineer has a secret compartment for the transport of weapons and ammunition. If you want a backup arsenal, I can make you a package deal - the Mountaineer and guns."
"We have a lot of great guns," Wallace assured us.
_______
"I buy books I can't read for a few reasons. For one thing, each copy I add to my collection is a copy that no one else can read. The fewer people reading books, the better off the world will be."
"I see your point," I said.
"For another thing, I like the homey look of a library, but I never want to risk polluting my mind with the thoughts of writers who disagree with me. You never know until you get into a book just what wrong thinking it might contain."
"Every book," I said, "is potentially a rattlesnake in your hands."
"That's an excellent analogy!" he exclaimed, and he clapped me on the back.
_______
"Then," Beebs said, "I also have the books so that when the Day of Blood and Change arrives, I can celebrate by burning them."
"Won't that be the day?" I said. "The war of all against all."
"I can hardly wait," Beebs agreed.
"Well," I said, "I'm afraid we'll have to wait awhile yet. There are still too many people wo don't understand why Utopia can grow only out of an ocean of blood."
"Too true," he said sadly. "So many people just don't get it. You're a truth teller, Bill Torgenwald. You're a wise young man."
He was talking about the kind of wisdom that is expressed in cliches, so I gave one to him. "We have to break a few eggs to make an omelet."
"We must break millions!" he agreed. "Millions and millions!"
_______
The small town of Ajo - pronounced Ah-joe, but vulnerable to an embarrassing mispronunciation - is home to the copper-rich New Cornelia open pit mine.
BACK IN THE DAY: THE INNOCENT BOY, THE EVIL FATHER, THE ANTS, THE FISH, THE BIRDS
. . . I heard the teacher only as a flat and distant droning, as though I must be in a parallel universe alone with my thoughts, her voice leaking through a rift in the barrier between worlds.
The Way and The Way Not
. . . we discovered a thirty-foot-tall sculpture of a sharp-faced cartoon rat that was definitely not Walt Disney's famous Mickey, although it was wearing the yellow shoes and red shorts in which the beloved mouse was always depicted. The rodent's teeth were bared in a sneer, and its red crystal eyes glittered. In its right hand was the naked body of a headless infant on which the monster evidently feasted.
______
A man who would spend so lavishly on a fantasy retreat might have been a business genius, but even before he had squirreled away in this refuge from normality, he'd been wading in the shallows of insanity.
_______
Soul Timothy was as eager to please as a puppy, a puppy on five milligrams of Benzedrine.
______
If I'd been a regular seeker of the One True Snake Oil all my life, I would have been so taken with Tim's ecstatic endorsement of the Way that I might have bought a barrel of what he was selling.
______
______
How strange is the world and all life in it. How strange am I. How much stranger still - mysterious, wonderful - that there is a world at all, or me, or you.
June 9, 2022
I have been a fan and a loyal follower of Dean Koontz for decades and always could count on getting a well written, exciting story from him...but his last couple of books have not really been his usual best. They're filled with way too much unnecessary description of everything from roads to towns to what the characters had for dinner. It was almost like Odd Thomas and Brother Odd had a baby and named it Quicksilver. The story got 4.5 stars from me, 1.Because it was NOT by any means a bad book and I have such fond memories of all those earlier books, and 2. Because there were some really good lines that got a chuckle...like this one..."The refrigerator was stocked with a variety of cheeses and lunch meats and at least forty bottles of Corona, and a small bowl contained four eyeballs." and "Fear of being thought cowardly by a beautiful woman is a major reason why men go to war, get in cage fights, wrestle alligators, and subject themselves to ballroom dancing lessons." And here I had always thought it was just the male gene:).
July 25, 2022
Dean Koontz is usually hit or miss for me. This story was largely a miss. Interesting at first....but the story rambled on so long and took ages to get to the point. By the time it did, I really didn't care anymore. Interesting premise...very very interesting premise. Weird execution. I stuck with this from start to finish so I could give a complete opinion....I wish I had DNF'd it and moved on.
Why didn't I like this book? Weird rambling dialogue between characters. Strange long-winded descriptions that seemed like story padding. A plot that is pretty much a recycling of earlier stories.
Quinn Quicksilver was abandoned as an infant and raised in an orphanage. His life was pretty mundane until the day some strange force compelled him to find a rare coin...then he finds himself pursued by government agents and strange monsters. He meets up with Bridget who is like him and traveling with her grandfather. Add in a dog they find along the way and a formidable foe. It's pretty much formula Koontz.
This story could have been told better. Fewer pages. Less philosophical ramblings that didn't move the plot. More action. Less rambling.
I didn't enjoy this story. Not every book is for every reader. The last few Koontz novels I have tried have just not been for me. Maybe it's time for me to just move on to other writers? I keep trying to re-connect as I loved some of Koontz' earlier novels. His formula has stayed pretty much the same, but his writing style has changed. I want horror that keeps me engaged, keeps me interested. Scary stories should scare me. This wasn't scary.....it was just a long, rambling mess.
Why didn't I like this book? Weird rambling dialogue between characters. Strange long-winded descriptions that seemed like story padding. A plot that is pretty much a recycling of earlier stories.
Quinn Quicksilver was abandoned as an infant and raised in an orphanage. His life was pretty mundane until the day some strange force compelled him to find a rare coin...then he finds himself pursued by government agents and strange monsters. He meets up with Bridget who is like him and traveling with her grandfather. Add in a dog they find along the way and a formidable foe. It's pretty much formula Koontz.
This story could have been told better. Fewer pages. Less philosophical ramblings that didn't move the plot. More action. Less rambling.
I didn't enjoy this story. Not every book is for every reader. The last few Koontz novels I have tried have just not been for me. Maybe it's time for me to just move on to other writers? I keep trying to re-connect as I loved some of Koontz' earlier novels. His formula has stayed pretty much the same, but his writing style has changed. I want horror that keeps me engaged, keeps me interested. Scary stories should scare me. This wasn't scary.....it was just a long, rambling mess.
January 27, 2022
3.25 rounded up
Dean Koontz is one of those authors that I automatically pick up the book, and don’t bother reading the synopsis. I’m just going to have to read it, no matter what - but that’s gotten a little harder over the past few years. Originally, it was Dean Koontz, that kind of kicked off my love for reading as a tween when I read Intensity (if you haven’t read it, absolutely read it). But over the years his books/style has kind of changed in to this quirky.. goofy kind of humor/writing that is great for some but just doesn’t work for me. In Koontz’s defense, my humor is harder to reach so 🤷🏼♀️
And that’s where I kind of find myself with Quicksilver.
The characters were a little to quirky for me, not real enough, not relatable… and what has become his typical. Ewwwah, I feel gross writing that sentence, because I want to still love Koontz. The story itself is ah interesting premise, but there didn’t seem to be much purpose or direction other than just following this mystical magnetism. The story was also very slow, which isn’t a problem I normally find with Koontz. In some parts the story seemed to ramble a little.
Quicksilver seems to be a Book 1… I’m undecided if I’ll move on to book 2.
This review kinda stinks… but I still love you, Mr. Koontz ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Dean Koontz is one of those authors that I automatically pick up the book, and don’t bother reading the synopsis. I’m just going to have to read it, no matter what - but that’s gotten a little harder over the past few years. Originally, it was Dean Koontz, that kind of kicked off my love for reading as a tween when I read Intensity (if you haven’t read it, absolutely read it). But over the years his books/style has kind of changed in to this quirky.. goofy kind of humor/writing that is great for some but just doesn’t work for me. In Koontz’s defense, my humor is harder to reach so 🤷🏼♀️
And that’s where I kind of find myself with Quicksilver.
The characters were a little to quirky for me, not real enough, not relatable… and what has become his typical. Ewwwah, I feel gross writing that sentence, because I want to still love Koontz. The story itself is ah interesting premise, but there didn’t seem to be much purpose or direction other than just following this mystical magnetism. The story was also very slow, which isn’t a problem I normally find with Koontz. In some parts the story seemed to ramble a little.
Quicksilver seems to be a Book 1… I’m undecided if I’ll move on to book 2.
This review kinda stinks… but I still love you, Mr. Koontz ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
April 13, 2022
Been a while since I read a Dean Koontz book. This was ok, bit more sci fi than I remember his being. But it wa included on Kindle Unlimited so why not
January 30, 2022
Not a feel good book.
If you are k looking for an uplifting book, this isn't it. A bizarre tale with no redeeming qualities. Depressing and dark. Not like the Koontz of old. I would not recommend
It.
If you are k looking for an uplifting book, this isn't it. A bizarre tale with no redeeming qualities. Depressing and dark. Not like the Koontz of old. I would not recommend
It.
January 31, 2022
Is it plagiarizing if an author steals from their own writing? Liberally lifted storylines from Odd Thomas and Twilight Eyes. Maybe Mr Koontz thought since that book was a long time ago it was ready for a reboot? Oh well, still enjoyable even if not original. I just wish he would stop having every single character speak like they are in a Shakespeare play.
January 27, 2022
No. I’m not doing this. It is bad, you know why it is bad, you know why Koontz has become bad, and I’m not wasting much of my time talking about these books any longer. Hell, I read the damn thing. Isn’t that enough?
June 23, 2023
this, like another Dean Koontz book I read recently, is based on bizarre science fiction ... of course it makes no sense and couldn't happen ... so why did I keep reading?
... first, it's a powerful story with a compelling lead character, told beautifully well
... second, there are passages where Koontz, to me at least, is making clear references to the disgusting and frightening world of Donald Trump and his cult followers. Here are 3 of them:
*** when those who govern us achieve absolute power, it always and everywhere leads to insanity and mass murder. Regardless of the numbers arrayed against us, we must resist. If we fail, then the sane among us will die in holocaust after holocaust, along with the madmen and madwomen who hate us for not sharing their delusions.”
*** “Maybe someday aliens from another planet, like thousands of years more advanced than us, will show up, and they’ll have figured out how to do everything right and how to stop people from ever making mistakes, doing the wrong thing, and then they can teach us.” ... “You better hope they don’t show up, Quinn. Such a race would be a hive. A tiny ruling class, certain of its moral superiority, would have obliterated the free will of the drones, crushed those who resisted.
*** So many were swept away by boldfaced lies and swayed into currents of vicious fantasies, until they were so far from the shore of truth that they couldn’t even see it. They were everywhere in our time, controlled by those who taught them to fear what didn’t threaten them and receive with gladness those ideas and forces that would rob them of purpose, of meaning, of security—and sooner than later would take away their lives as well.
... and then of course there was the reference to the "pillow man" ... the clue to the other linkages
... first, it's a powerful story with a compelling lead character, told beautifully well
... second, there are passages where Koontz, to me at least, is making clear references to the disgusting and frightening world of Donald Trump and his cult followers. Here are 3 of them:
*** when those who govern us achieve absolute power, it always and everywhere leads to insanity and mass murder. Regardless of the numbers arrayed against us, we must resist. If we fail, then the sane among us will die in holocaust after holocaust, along with the madmen and madwomen who hate us for not sharing their delusions.”
*** “Maybe someday aliens from another planet, like thousands of years more advanced than us, will show up, and they’ll have figured out how to do everything right and how to stop people from ever making mistakes, doing the wrong thing, and then they can teach us.” ... “You better hope they don’t show up, Quinn. Such a race would be a hive. A tiny ruling class, certain of its moral superiority, would have obliterated the free will of the drones, crushed those who resisted.
*** So many were swept away by boldfaced lies and swayed into currents of vicious fantasies, until they were so far from the shore of truth that they couldn’t even see it. They were everywhere in our time, controlled by those who taught them to fear what didn’t threaten them and receive with gladness those ideas and forces that would rob them of purpose, of meaning, of security—and sooner than later would take away their lives as well.
... and then of course there was the reference to the "pillow man" ... the clue to the other linkages
February 28, 2022
This book reminded me too much of his Odd Thomas series. I felt like I was rereading it. Also, this author is too wordy by far...I felt like he was just filling the story with thoughts and descriptions to add to the length of the book. I really didn't care for it, and if he is thinking of continuing and making it a series, I doubt that I will be reading the rest.
March 25, 2022
This started like a fun YA version of John Dies At The End but as it went on it got more self righteous, pretentious and heavy-handed. Koontz seems to have an agenda with this book and it has thematic similarities with Koontz's Nameless series. 3.25/5 Slightly disappointing.
February 17, 2022
Since he signed with Amazon’s publishing company, it seems Dean Koontz has a renewed vigor when it comes to his writing. I have at least liked everything he’s published with them (though I haven’t read his ebook exclusives yet) and I have loved two: Devoted and this. Quicksilver is easily my favorite though, which is funny because the synopsis didn’t really grab me going in.
What can I say: this is Koontz doing what he does best. Quirky, likable characters that don’t become annoying … something this author doesn’t always pull off. They are on a strange mission, discovering they have supernatural abilities. Think By the Light of the Moon or Odd Thomas, but for my money this book is better than both of those. Hot take: Odd Thomas is a sniveling, preachy dork. There’s a reason I still haven’t finished reading that series.
I actually hope this book gets a sequel, and it certainly seems it will. I want more adventures with these characters.
What can I say: this is Koontz doing what he does best. Quirky, likable characters that don’t become annoying … something this author doesn’t always pull off. They are on a strange mission, discovering they have supernatural abilities. Think By the Light of the Moon or Odd Thomas, but for my money this book is better than both of those. Hot take: Odd Thomas is a sniveling, preachy dork. There’s a reason I still haven’t finished reading that series.
I actually hope this book gets a sequel, and it certainly seems it will. I want more adventures with these characters.
February 16, 2022
Took me 9 days to get through 84% of book and finally gave up. Possibly the worst Dean Koontz book I’ve read. Boring, no like able characters and sleep inducing story.
March 2, 2022
Sadly this Dean Koontz novel barely makes 2 stars. The name, "Avid Reader" I picked for myself only came to fruition thanks to this man. It wasn't until he wrote his novel, "Watchers" (which I stayed up the entire night to finish that I learned to read for sole pleasure instead of others forcing books upon me or mandatory for school, job, or continuing education. Over the years obviously there have been hits and misses but this book simply didn't carry it. The main character, Quinn Quick Silver, wavered from a sniveling & whiny young man (sort of) who complained incessantly about everything to being brave...?? Really? The story was so far reaching and extremely long and drawn out it was not enjoyable at all. All I could think was- how much longer until the end?
Skip it and read one of his many, many other great books!
Skip it and read one of his many, many other great books!
February 9, 2022
3.5 ⭐'s
I have been a Koontz fan for a long time and I still love the way he writes and his way with a story but this one is not a favorite, first I am not a big fan of alien monsters and this story felt to me more like a young adult novel (gory, violent stuff notwithstanding). I could be wrong but this novel has the feel of a "series" coming up but I think this is it for me. I much prefer the early horror Koontz.
I have been a Koontz fan for a long time and I still love the way he writes and his way with a story but this one is not a favorite, first I am not a big fan of alien monsters and this story felt to me more like a young adult novel (gory, violent stuff notwithstanding). I could be wrong but this novel has the feel of a "series" coming up but I think this is it for me. I much prefer the early horror Koontz.
March 10, 2022
Best book I have read this year. Also my first Dean Koontz book. It has it all, monsters, love, great characters and a dog. Cannot find any flawd. As soon as I can find my reading glasses I plan on starting another on. Any suggestions on the next Koontz book feel free to recommend one.
February 13, 2022
I have to say this one is a smidge too "science-fictiony" for my usual taste in books, but I've also have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. Want proof? I kept my nose in the book much of the time that my never-miss Olympics were on TV, so for sure it's got something good going for it.
Standing front and center is a young man named Quinn Quicksilver, who as an infant was abandoned on a roadway and found by three men who took him to safety. Growing up amid Catholic nuns, Quinn wanted to be - and became - a writer. After experiencing an episode of "strange magnetism," he inexplicably drives off into the desert, finds an unusual coin for which a local dealer pays a bundle and runs into a couple of really bad guys - a run-in that results in his meeting a girl about his age named Bridget Rainking and her grandfather Sparky. They are on the run from the Internal Security Agency (ISA), the current version of the FBI; when Quinn describes his magnetic episode, neither is surprised. And when they learn he's trying to find the men who found him all those years ago, they agree to tag along for the ride.
And what a ride it is! Adventures that follow, for instance, include Quinn's introduction to otherworldly creatures called Nihilim, or "screamers" from another universe. Eventually, they decide to head toward Peptoe, the place near Phoenix where Quinn was born. That, in turn, takes them to the cult-like complex of an uber-rich dude - a scenario that provides even more nail-biting action.
Of course, the devil is in the details, none of which I will reveal except to say there are plenty of them for me to love, from one-liners that elicited chuckles to scenes that echo current goings-on like human trafficking. To that end, if I have anything close to criticism, it is that I couldn't shake the feeling that at least parts of the story were to fit around those things rather than the other way around.
A few loose ends suggest the possibility of a series, which from my perspective isn't a bad idea. All in all, good job!
Standing front and center is a young man named Quinn Quicksilver, who as an infant was abandoned on a roadway and found by three men who took him to safety. Growing up amid Catholic nuns, Quinn wanted to be - and became - a writer. After experiencing an episode of "strange magnetism," he inexplicably drives off into the desert, finds an unusual coin for which a local dealer pays a bundle and runs into a couple of really bad guys - a run-in that results in his meeting a girl about his age named Bridget Rainking and her grandfather Sparky. They are on the run from the Internal Security Agency (ISA), the current version of the FBI; when Quinn describes his magnetic episode, neither is surprised. And when they learn he's trying to find the men who found him all those years ago, they agree to tag along for the ride.
And what a ride it is! Adventures that follow, for instance, include Quinn's introduction to otherworldly creatures called Nihilim, or "screamers" from another universe. Eventually, they decide to head toward Peptoe, the place near Phoenix where Quinn was born. That, in turn, takes them to the cult-like complex of an uber-rich dude - a scenario that provides even more nail-biting action.
Of course, the devil is in the details, none of which I will reveal except to say there are plenty of them for me to love, from one-liners that elicited chuckles to scenes that echo current goings-on like human trafficking. To that end, if I have anything close to criticism, it is that I couldn't shake the feeling that at least parts of the story were to fit around those things rather than the other way around.
A few loose ends suggest the possibility of a series, which from my perspective isn't a bad idea. All in all, good job!
February 8, 2022
“We are what we are, and we need to have faith in that.”
Fun, witty narrative, with snarky metaphors that made me smile and laugh quite a few times, even though the circumstances were dire, making the story very entertaining and light hearted. The characters were likeable, too good a person, and always on the winning side.
Suspenseful and intriguing at the beginning, it lost its lustre after the awaited revelations. It was still a great, light and entertaining plot though, although not in the same style of his previous books that I had read a long time ago.
“-It is human nature to know we die and still to disbelieve it; otherwise, we might not carry on.”
The various themes in the storyline makes it difficult to categorise the book in a specific genre; it sounded like a satire to me. A snarky and satirical story, a way of making fun of the conspiracy theories, the secret not so secret federal agencies, the actions of humans compared to mythological deities..What I also liked was the ever presence of philosophical connotations, the sociology behind every human action, the realistic view of human behaviour in different circumstances. There are quite a few scenes that makes it more credible and realistic, especially related to human depravity and cruelty. The weaknesses we all carry within but some of us fight against it, and others are too far gone in their own selfishness and desires to care, taking advantage of the mentally poor and ignorant and trusting people.
All in all, the combination of all these aspects made the book an explosive cocktail!
“My anger must forever be a shield, not a weapon.
Love is the only wooden stake that will change an evil heart;”
Fun, witty narrative, with snarky metaphors that made me smile and laugh quite a few times, even though the circumstances were dire, making the story very entertaining and light hearted. The characters were likeable, too good a person, and always on the winning side.
Suspenseful and intriguing at the beginning, it lost its lustre after the awaited revelations. It was still a great, light and entertaining plot though, although not in the same style of his previous books that I had read a long time ago.
“-It is human nature to know we die and still to disbelieve it; otherwise, we might not carry on.”
The various themes in the storyline makes it difficult to categorise the book in a specific genre; it sounded like a satire to me. A snarky and satirical story, a way of making fun of the conspiracy theories, the secret not so secret federal agencies, the actions of humans compared to mythological deities..What I also liked was the ever presence of philosophical connotations, the sociology behind every human action, the realistic view of human behaviour in different circumstances. There are quite a few scenes that makes it more credible and realistic, especially related to human depravity and cruelty. The weaknesses we all carry within but some of us fight against it, and others are too far gone in their own selfishness and desires to care, taking advantage of the mentally poor and ignorant and trusting people.
All in all, the combination of all these aspects made the book an explosive cocktail!
“My anger must forever be a shield, not a weapon.
Love is the only wooden stake that will change an evil heart;”
February 4, 2022
Well, no. This feels like a badly written video game script with random connections, out of nowhere appearing over the top (or completely blank) characters, nonsense superpowers to do away with need to actually build connections or have a plot (like basically everything is solved by "prophecy, lets do this") and these jumps are made even in character relationships (the evolution of romance to "they met and just loved each other ever after" is just...eh). Over the top cosmology (multiple universes, yay) and total lack of any tension makes this a horrible miss.
(and yes, the messaging is very much political, including people "who control the narrative" and all those corrup elites covering actual monsters, systemic sexual violence, slavery and so on. But that honestly did not bother me too much and being European, it felt mostly like "eh" than a super strong critical message. However, the story should work on its own...)
(and yes, the messaging is very much political, including people "who control the narrative" and all those corrup elites covering actual monsters, systemic sexual violence, slavery and so on. But that honestly did not bother me too much and being European, it felt mostly like "eh" than a super strong critical message. However, the story should work on its own...)
May 18, 2022
Dean Koontz was one of the authors who got me back into reading horror after I swore off it when I was a teen. I loved the Koontz novels I read because there was often a paranormal/supernatural element to them...and also very often, a dog.
Quicksilver had both of those elements and it was intriguing and although I liked it, I felt it was a bit slow at times and I was left with the questions I had not necessarily being answered. I don't need every book I read to be all tied up in a neat bow but I do like things to not be left unanswered. Perhaps there is a sequel in the making and if so, those questions being unanswered make a lot of sense.
Quicksilver had both of those elements and it was intriguing and although I liked it, I felt it was a bit slow at times and I was left with the questions I had not necessarily being answered. I don't need every book I read to be all tied up in a neat bow but I do like things to not be left unanswered. Perhaps there is a sequel in the making and if so, those questions being unanswered make a lot of sense.
October 21, 2021
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews.
---
A huge thank you to Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are taken from Quicksilver by Dean Koontz.
// Content warning: violence (guns), abandonment, death, slavery, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of sex //
---
// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
---
// Quick Review //
From start to finish, Quicksilver is unpredictable. Full of lovable characters, constant peril, and a plethora of mystery, Koontz’s newest novel is dark, addictive, and thrilling. With every novel released, Dean Koontz proves that he is a master of storytelling. Quicksilver is the latest in a line of masterpieces. Mysterious from the start, Quicksilver sucked me in and didn’t spit me out until I had been thoroughly ingrained in the world of Quinn Quicksilver.
---
---
// Other Information //
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Page Count: 366 pages
Release Date: January 25, 2022
Series: None
Genre: Fiction, Adult, Horror, Thriller, Suspense
---
// Book Description (via Goodreads) //
#1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz takes a surprising and exhilarating road trip with a man in pursuit of his strange past—mile by frightening mile.
Quinn Quicksilver was born a mystery—abandoned at three days old on a desert highway in Arizona. Raised in an orphanage, never knowing his parents, Quinn had a happy if unexceptional life. Until the day of “strange magnetism.” It compelled him to drive out to the middle of nowhere. It helped him find a coin worth a lot of money. And it practically saved his life when two government agents showed up in the diner in pursuit of him. Now Quinn is on the run from those agents and who knows what else, fleeing for his life.
During a shoot-out at a forlorn dude ranch, he finally meets his destined companions: Bridget Rainking, a beauty as gifted in foresight as she is with firearms, and her grandpa Sparky, a romance novelist with an unusual past. Bridget knows what it’s like to be Quinn. She’s hunted, too. The only way to stay alive is to keep moving.
Barreling through the Sonoran Desert, the formidable trio is impelled by that same inexplicable magnetism toward the inevitable. With every deeply disturbing mile, something sinister is in the rearview—an enemy that is more than a match for Quinn. Even as he discovers within himself resources that are every bit as scary.
---
// Characters //
Quinn Quicksilver is a 19 year old living in Phoenix while working for Arizona! magazine. He was raised by nuns at Mater Misericordiæ after being abandoned at three days old and found by three men outside of Peptoe, Arizona. From the beginning, Quinn is a humble, curious, and utterly oblivious young man thrown into perilous situations. Quinn discovers that he possesses powers such as psychic magnetism, a force that guides him in situations and essentially gives him the ability to sense incoming dangers, obstacles, etc. While reading Quicksilver I was struck by how similar Quinn is to my best friend. It amused me how similar they were in their humor and character. Besides this, I related to the manner in which Quinn reacted in the situations he was presented with. I, too, would be terrified and unaware of how to react when faced with extraterrestrial creatures called Screamers because of their ghastly appearance. What I admire most about how Quinn was written is how he changes over the novel. Over the course of the story, he evolves to adapt to his environment, becoming brave, selfless, and full of purpose. This character growth is slow and well done. The reader first sees Quinn evade the ISA while eating breakfast, then he manages to defeat aliens, and eventually he is able to overcome long-lasting issues from his childhood, even facing characters who he once considered family.
Bridget Rainking, the granddaughter of Sparky Rainking, is a fiery and headstrong young woman who also possesses powers like Quinn. One of her powers is intuition which alerts her to the existence of Quinn even before they meet. Bridget is prepared for her true love (Quinn) to come waltzing through the door… and he does! Bridget is one of those characters that holds the rest of the characters together in conflicts and times of danger. She also is the character that takes poor Winston the dog under her wing while stealing money from a gang.
Sparky Rainking, my favorite character because of his humor, is a romance novelist under the title of Daphne Larkrise. Besides writing novels, he is the best grandpa someone could ask for. The witty remarks he makes at the worst of times really keep this novel from slipping into a dark place from which there is no return. I cannot gush enough over Sparky.
I should also introduce Panthea Ching, an artist living in the middle of Arizona that also possesses powers. However, hers are quite different from Quinn’s and Bridget’s; Panthea can tell the future through visions.
The interactions and conversations between the characters, especially between Quinn and Bridget, are entertaining and wonderfully written. All of Koontz’s characters are written with depth, liveliness, and humanity. None of the characters are perfect people, which makes them realistic.
---
---
// Writing and Setting //
There is not a moment in this novel that I felt dragged along or was unnecessary. Every chapter is action-packed and anxiety-inducing. Overall the novel is fast-paced until the end. I resisted sleep while thinking about this novel and where the plot could go or what I could discover about this twisted world Koontz created—a world that is a direct reflection of our own. Once again, Koontz’s writing examines the faults and brilliance of humanity through the journey of lovable characters. In both our world and Quicksilver's, the power-hungry climb social and economic ladders by tearing down others. In both worlds, humans have the choice to make good or bad decisions, sometimes ones that affect others. Quinn navigates his world of good and evil by trying to understand the nature of humanity.
I really enjoyed how Quinn’s past deeply influences and reflects his present. At the end of every section, young Quinn lives through tragic and traumatic events while at the orphanage. A nun at the orphanage, Sister Theresa, attempts to help Quinn understand how and why people do bad things. While he doesn’t get it at first, the parallels between young and old Quinn help one understand why Quinn is the way he is.
The world-building of Quicksilver is one of my favorite parts of the novel. In this modern and dark world, Screamers/Nephilim are disguised alien-type monsters who have invaded Earth and caused destruction. There are ‘unique’ people who have genes that are not human. Two of these people are Bridget and Quinn. As it is later explained when they eventually reach Peptoe, there are two universes. The first was reduced to dust by Screamers who crave destruction, pain, and death. The Screamers invade the second universe (our universe) to cause more pain, which they feed upon. Bridget and Quinn were born to protect the second universe from this threat with their variety of superpowers.
---
// Plot //
Beginning with a magnetic pull towards an abandoned crossroads to the feeling of coming danger, Quinn is experiencing what many would call insanity and paranoia. But when men in suits rudely interrupt his meal at Beane’s Diner, Quinn realizes that his life will never be the same. It is while on the run from the ISA (Internal Security Agency) that Quinn is pulled towards Sweetwater Flying F Ranch where he meets Bridget and Sparky Rainking.
Quinn wants to discover why the ISA is after him. He plans to do so by talking to the three men that found him outside of Peptoe as a baby. Since all three are on the run from the ISA, they decide that sticking together would be the best option. It is revealed that both Bridget and Quinn are parentless/adopted, and both are using DNA tests to discover who their parents were. Through this process, the ISA becomes alerted to the non-human genes that Bridget and Quinn possess, which is why the ISA is so desperate to contain them. Racing through the Arizona desert, the trio (and Winston) are sidetracked by the ISA, which is hot on their trail. Through this interruption of their plan they meet Panthea, who reveals to them their purpose in the world and time.
Quinn, Bridget, Panthea, and Sparky must face a variety of monsters, both human and alien, to fulfill the purpose for which they were brought into the world: keep the evil from growing stronger and destroying everything. Along the way they grow closer and become their own dysfunctional and nomadic family.
One of my favorite scenes is during the second half of the novel, where Quinn, Bridget, Panthea, Sparky, and Quinn are racing through the desert in an attempt to leave Peptoe without alerting the ISA. This proves difficult when rain and darkness fall… and the persistent ISA sends two dangerously equipped vehicles racing after them. Through Bridget’s excellent driving skills and connection to psychic magnetism (and Quinn’s panicking), they are all able to escape in one piece. The entire chase was thrilling yet infused with humor, which is common in many scenes throughout the novel.
---
---
// Overall Review //
I never thought that another Dean Koontz novel would top my favorite, The Door to December, but Quicksilver came pretty close. The novel was fast-paced and full of peril. Its characters, chaos, high-stakes, and dark world have found a special place in my heart.
---
FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts
---
A huge thank you to Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are taken from Quicksilver by Dean Koontz.
// Content warning: violence (guns), abandonment, death, slavery, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of sex //
---
// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
---
// Quick Review //
From start to finish, Quicksilver is unpredictable. Full of lovable characters, constant peril, and a plethora of mystery, Koontz’s newest novel is dark, addictive, and thrilling. With every novel released, Dean Koontz proves that he is a master of storytelling. Quicksilver is the latest in a line of masterpieces. Mysterious from the start, Quicksilver sucked me in and didn’t spit me out until I had been thoroughly ingrained in the world of Quinn Quicksilver.
---
“My understanding of the true nature of the world was undergoing a seismic shift. Or was I merely shedding adult illusions for the fantastic truth that every child knows? In spite of one bizarre turn of events after another, in spite of all my rushing around and my reckless surrender to the pull of mysterious forces, I sensed that I wasn’t falling away into a new reality. Instead, I felt as though I might be coming home to the world I knew a long time ago, where monsters lurking in the closet weren’t always imaginary, where a desperate but secret war was being waged by two armies in disguise, where victory had nothing to do with conquering territory, where the battlefield was the human heart, the spoils of war the human soul.”
---
// Other Information //
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Page Count: 366 pages
Release Date: January 25, 2022
Series: None
Genre: Fiction, Adult, Horror, Thriller, Suspense
---
// Book Description (via Goodreads) //
#1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz takes a surprising and exhilarating road trip with a man in pursuit of his strange past—mile by frightening mile.
Quinn Quicksilver was born a mystery—abandoned at three days old on a desert highway in Arizona. Raised in an orphanage, never knowing his parents, Quinn had a happy if unexceptional life. Until the day of “strange magnetism.” It compelled him to drive out to the middle of nowhere. It helped him find a coin worth a lot of money. And it practically saved his life when two government agents showed up in the diner in pursuit of him. Now Quinn is on the run from those agents and who knows what else, fleeing for his life.
During a shoot-out at a forlorn dude ranch, he finally meets his destined companions: Bridget Rainking, a beauty as gifted in foresight as she is with firearms, and her grandpa Sparky, a romance novelist with an unusual past. Bridget knows what it’s like to be Quinn. She’s hunted, too. The only way to stay alive is to keep moving.
Barreling through the Sonoran Desert, the formidable trio is impelled by that same inexplicable magnetism toward the inevitable. With every deeply disturbing mile, something sinister is in the rearview—an enemy that is more than a match for Quinn. Even as he discovers within himself resources that are every bit as scary.
---
// Characters //
Quinn Quicksilver is a 19 year old living in Phoenix while working for Arizona! magazine. He was raised by nuns at Mater Misericordiæ after being abandoned at three days old and found by three men outside of Peptoe, Arizona. From the beginning, Quinn is a humble, curious, and utterly oblivious young man thrown into perilous situations. Quinn discovers that he possesses powers such as psychic magnetism, a force that guides him in situations and essentially gives him the ability to sense incoming dangers, obstacles, etc. While reading Quicksilver I was struck by how similar Quinn is to my best friend. It amused me how similar they were in their humor and character. Besides this, I related to the manner in which Quinn reacted in the situations he was presented with. I, too, would be terrified and unaware of how to react when faced with extraterrestrial creatures called Screamers because of their ghastly appearance. What I admire most about how Quinn was written is how he changes over the novel. Over the course of the story, he evolves to adapt to his environment, becoming brave, selfless, and full of purpose. This character growth is slow and well done. The reader first sees Quinn evade the ISA while eating breakfast, then he manages to defeat aliens, and eventually he is able to overcome long-lasting issues from his childhood, even facing characters who he once considered family.
Bridget Rainking, the granddaughter of Sparky Rainking, is a fiery and headstrong young woman who also possesses powers like Quinn. One of her powers is intuition which alerts her to the existence of Quinn even before they meet. Bridget is prepared for her true love (Quinn) to come waltzing through the door… and he does! Bridget is one of those characters that holds the rest of the characters together in conflicts and times of danger. She also is the character that takes poor Winston the dog under her wing while stealing money from a gang.
Sparky Rainking, my favorite character because of his humor, is a romance novelist under the title of Daphne Larkrise. Besides writing novels, he is the best grandpa someone could ask for. The witty remarks he makes at the worst of times really keep this novel from slipping into a dark place from which there is no return. I cannot gush enough over Sparky.
I should also introduce Panthea Ching, an artist living in the middle of Arizona that also possesses powers. However, hers are quite different from Quinn’s and Bridget’s; Panthea can tell the future through visions.
The interactions and conversations between the characters, especially between Quinn and Bridget, are entertaining and wonderfully written. All of Koontz’s characters are written with depth, liveliness, and humanity. None of the characters are perfect people, which makes them realistic.
---
“I have always been an optimist, because pessimists seldom have any fun and usually fret their way into one of the horrible fates they spend their lives worrying about… the optimist, unlike the pessimist, believes that life has meaning, that there is something to learn from every adversity, and even that the absurdity of such an excess of misfortune will likely seem at least somewhat amusing after enough time has passed.”
---
// Writing and Setting //
There is not a moment in this novel that I felt dragged along or was unnecessary. Every chapter is action-packed and anxiety-inducing. Overall the novel is fast-paced until the end. I resisted sleep while thinking about this novel and where the plot could go or what I could discover about this twisted world Koontz created—a world that is a direct reflection of our own. Once again, Koontz’s writing examines the faults and brilliance of humanity through the journey of lovable characters. In both our world and Quicksilver's, the power-hungry climb social and economic ladders by tearing down others. In both worlds, humans have the choice to make good or bad decisions, sometimes ones that affect others. Quinn navigates his world of good and evil by trying to understand the nature of humanity.
I really enjoyed how Quinn’s past deeply influences and reflects his present. At the end of every section, young Quinn lives through tragic and traumatic events while at the orphanage. A nun at the orphanage, Sister Theresa, attempts to help Quinn understand how and why people do bad things. While he doesn’t get it at first, the parallels between young and old Quinn help one understand why Quinn is the way he is.
The world-building of Quicksilver is one of my favorite parts of the novel. In this modern and dark world, Screamers/Nephilim are disguised alien-type monsters who have invaded Earth and caused destruction. There are ‘unique’ people who have genes that are not human. Two of these people are Bridget and Quinn. As it is later explained when they eventually reach Peptoe, there are two universes. The first was reduced to dust by Screamers who crave destruction, pain, and death. The Screamers invade the second universe (our universe) to cause more pain, which they feed upon. Bridget and Quinn were born to protect the second universe from this threat with their variety of superpowers.
---
// Plot //
Beginning with a magnetic pull towards an abandoned crossroads to the feeling of coming danger, Quinn is experiencing what many would call insanity and paranoia. But when men in suits rudely interrupt his meal at Beane’s Diner, Quinn realizes that his life will never be the same. It is while on the run from the ISA (Internal Security Agency) that Quinn is pulled towards Sweetwater Flying F Ranch where he meets Bridget and Sparky Rainking.
Quinn wants to discover why the ISA is after him. He plans to do so by talking to the three men that found him outside of Peptoe as a baby. Since all three are on the run from the ISA, they decide that sticking together would be the best option. It is revealed that both Bridget and Quinn are parentless/adopted, and both are using DNA tests to discover who their parents were. Through this process, the ISA becomes alerted to the non-human genes that Bridget and Quinn possess, which is why the ISA is so desperate to contain them. Racing through the Arizona desert, the trio (and Winston) are sidetracked by the ISA, which is hot on their trail. Through this interruption of their plan they meet Panthea, who reveals to them their purpose in the world and time.
Quinn, Bridget, Panthea, and Sparky must face a variety of monsters, both human and alien, to fulfill the purpose for which they were brought into the world: keep the evil from growing stronger and destroying everything. Along the way they grow closer and become their own dysfunctional and nomadic family.
One of my favorite scenes is during the second half of the novel, where Quinn, Bridget, Panthea, Sparky, and Quinn are racing through the desert in an attempt to leave Peptoe without alerting the ISA. This proves difficult when rain and darkness fall… and the persistent ISA sends two dangerously equipped vehicles racing after them. Through Bridget’s excellent driving skills and connection to psychic magnetism (and Quinn’s panicking), they are all able to escape in one piece. The entire chase was thrilling yet infused with humor, which is common in many scenes throughout the novel.
---
“How strange is the world and all life in it. How strange am I. How much stranger still—mysterious, wonderful—that there is a world at all, or me, or you.”
---
// Overall Review //
I never thought that another Dean Koontz novel would top my favorite, The Door to December, but Quicksilver came pretty close. The novel was fast-paced and full of peril. Its characters, chaos, high-stakes, and dark world have found a special place in my heart.
---
FOLLOW ME: Twitter || Tumblr || BookBub || BookSiren || Anchor || YouTube || Spotify || Google Podcasts || Apple Podcasts
May 27, 2022
Quicksilver is proof that Koontz didn’t forget to write a thrilling, suspense story. A wonderful story of an “odd” and special teenage protagonist on an even more special mission. Just the way I like it!
December 27, 2021
This looks to be the start of another Koontz series similar to his Odd Thomas series, and the lead characters are so similar to that series that they could be switched without much loss of character. The main character, Quinn Quicksilver, is endearingly naive at first, as was Odd, and the main female character, Bridget, is a mirror of Stormy. My wife would give it 5 stars, but I'm a bit more discerning. That said, the novel was still a fun read. Koontz uses his excessive command of the English language in his extensive descriptions, which mostly add to the experience of the story but sometimes divert a bit from it. Koontz continues to accurately reflect true good and evil in our world within his characters. He, perhaps better than many other authors, knows that it is not always as obvious as it might seem to the general public. As a retired psychologist, this has always impressed me about his work.
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