Breathless

Title: Breathless

Author: Dean Koontz

Published in: 2009

Date read: 15th April 2013

Score: 3/5

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Breathless" by Dean Koontz is a metaphysical thriller that weaves together several seemingly disparate storylines, all connected by a mysterious, transformative event.

The central narrative follows Grady Adams, a solitary craftsman living in the remote Colorado Rockies with his magnificent Irish wolfhound, Merlin. One day, while hiking, Grady encounters two astonishingly beautiful, furry white creatures, unlike any known species. These benevolent beings, which he names Puzzle and Riddle, are highly intelligent and seem to possess an almost spiritual presence. Grady and his friend, local veterinarian Camellia "Cammy" Rivers, become fascinated by them, sensing they represent something profound and hopeful for humanity.

However, the appearance of these creatures is not an isolated incident. Across the country, other inexplicable phenomena are occurring, and other pairs of similar beings are appearing. Unbeknownst to most, the U.S. government, particularly a shadowy agency within Homeland Security, becomes aware of these "anomalies" and views them as a threat. They begin to aggressively pursue Puzzle and Riddle, placing Grady's home under surveillance and attempting to capture the creatures for study and control.

• Interspersed with Grady's story are several other plotlines involving different characters facing their own dramatic situations, which are subtly linked to the overarching mystery:

• Henry Rouvroy, a sadistic and intellectually brilliant man, murders his identical twin brother, James, and his wife, planning to assume James's identity, only to be tormented by unsettling supernatural occurrences that suggest the dead are not at rest.

• Tom Bigger, a disfigured homeless man scarred by the past, embarks on a trek towards an unknown destiny, guided by an inexplicable intuition.

• A specialist in chaos theory in Las Vegas, Dr. Lamar Woolsey, probes the boundaries of the unknowable, experiencing strange events.

• An attorney hires a hitman to murder his wife, a plot that takes an unexpected turn.

As the novel progresses, these seemingly separate threads gradually converge, revealing a grand, existential transformation occurring on a global scale. The "breathless" events are part of a larger evolutionary or spiritual shift, challenging conventional understandings of life, consciousness, and reality. Grady and Cammy must protect Puzzle and Riddle at all costs, eventually going on the run, as they come to realize the true implications of these creatures' arrival and the forces, both human and otherworldly, that seek to control or destroy them. The book explores themes of wonder, the unknown, government overreach, and the potential for both light and darkness in humanity's future.

Comments:
Sadly, although I know that I have read this, I cannot remember enough about it to score it or even comment on it.

Books that we've read by Dean Koontz (27):
Demon Seed (1973), Icebound (1976), The Voice of the Night (1980), Phantoms (1983), Darkness Comes (1984), Watchers (1987), Dragon Tears (1993), Mr. Murder (1993), Tick Tock (1996), False Memory (1999), The Face (2003), Odd Thomas (Odd Thomas, #1) (2003), The Taking (2004), Forever Odd (Odd Thomas, #2) (2005), Velocity (2005), Life Expectancy (2005), Brother Odd (Odd Thomas, #3) (2006), The Husband (2006), Odd Hours (Odd Thomas, #4) (2008), Breathless (2009), Relentless (2009), The Silent Corner (Jane Hawk, #1) (2017), The Whispering Room (Jane Hawk, #2) (2017), The Crooked Staircase (Jane Hawk, #3) (2018), The Forbidden Door (Jane Hawk, #4) (2018), The Night Window (Jane Hawk #5) (2019), The Other Emily (2021)