Tick Tock

Title: Tick Tock

Author: Dean Koontz

Published in: 1996

Date read: 8th July 2008

Score: 4/5

Genre: Horror, Psychological, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Ticktock" by Dean Koontz, published in 1996, is a standalone thriller known for its unique blend of suspense, quirky humor, and a race-against-time plot involving a mysterious, malevolent force.

The story introduces Tommy Phan, a Vietnamese-American detective novelist living a comfortable, somewhat mundane life. He's a cheerful, meticulously organised, and generally optimistic individual, who prides himself on his logical mind and his love for classical music. His orderly world is abruptly shattered one evening when he receives an unexpected package on his doorstep.

The package contains a mysterious, hand-carved wooden doll, resembling a crudely made goblin or troll. There's no sender's address, no note, and no apparent reason for its delivery. Tommy, intrigued and slightly unnerved, places the doll on his mantelpiece.

However, the doll is far from an innocent trinket. Soon after its arrival, Tommy's life takes a terrifying turn. He begins to hear faint, unsettling sounds – tiny, clicking noises – seemingly emanating from the doll. More disturbingly, bizarre and increasingly grotesque creatures begin to appear, relentlessly pursuing him. These creatures are not overtly supernatural in the traditional sense; they are described as vaguely familiar, almost like childhood nightmares come to life, constantly evolving and growing more monstrous.

Tommy quickly realizes that the doll is directly connected to these pursuing horrors, and that its "ticking" sounds indicate an escalating threat. He is forced to abandon his comfortable life and embark on a desperate, cross-country flight, constantly pursued by the monstrous entities that seem to be drawing power directly from the doll.

As the doll's "ticking" intensifies, so does the nature of the creatures and the bizarre events surrounding Tommy. He finds himself in increasingly surreal and dangerous situations, his logical mind struggling to comprehend the escalating absurdity and terror. He meets a beautiful and equally enigmatic woman named Susannah, who seems to have her own mysterious connection to the unfolding events and offers him both aid and a surprising romantic entanglement amidst the chaos.

The novel is a relentless chase, filled with narrow escapes, moments of dark comedy, and Koontz's signature exploration of human resilience and the nature of fear. Tommy must not only evade his relentless pursuers but also discover the truth about the doll, its purpose, and how to stop the horrifying countdown it represents.

The climax sees Tommy and Susannah making a final, desperate stand against the monstrous forces and uncovering the surprising, often humorous, and ultimately profound truth behind the mysterious doll and the "ticktock" that threatens to consume them. It's a journey into the unexpected, where a simple object holds the key to an ancient, whimsical, and dangerous secret.

Comments:
Sorry Dean! Even reading the plot summary, I cannot remember this book.

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)