Read it or Weep

There are so many new authors out there and I really enjoy seeking them out and reading their first books. It’s like trying out a new restaurant or finding a new place to shop. With so many new authors to try, it seems like forever since I’ve read some of the old standards, so one of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to read some of my “old favorite” authors that I used to love.

So, I thought I’d start out easy and take on Danielle Steel and Dean Koontz. I haven’t read either of them in probably ten years and can remember back when I used to be first one on the list to get anything by them. 

First I read Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel. It seemed like a good choice–after all, it was set in San Francisco and featured a devastating earthquake…..how bad could that be? I noted that even the book’s cover had a nice graphic instead of those generic ones with just her name and the title. Immediately, I was hooked by the plot and potentially interesting characters, but soon I was forcing myself to keep reading in hopes that the tired plot lines and trite coincidences would develop into something special and unique. The book ended up being an OK read, but the characters were never really fleshed out and were just a little too stereotyped for me to really care about them. Wow! A far cry from the books I remember from the ‘80s that used to bring me to tears at 3 a.m.! I wonder who has changed–Danielle or me?

 So, next on to Dean Koontz’s The Darkest Evening of the Year. This story is not your usual Koontz horror story, but instead is much more supernatural in tone. You can sum it up as the story of two unlikely couples share a past secret that brings them together with disastrous results. Amy  Redwing and her boyfriend Brian rescue golden retrievers, while Vanessa and Harrow lead a  dark existence that includes the abuse of Vanessa’s mentally challenged daughter. When  Amy rescues a golden named Nickie, the same name as her dead child, strange events  propel the two couples to meet.  

I have to say that although this wasn’t like Koontz I remember, it was a good read. Koontz has proven that authors can adapt and grow. I learned from the author bio at the end of the book that Koontz had just lost his golden retriever companion of many years and I’m sure that influenced his story. Is it just a coincidence that dog is god spelled backwards?

It will take some discipline on my part to keep reading the old favorites when I’m tempted by all those shiny, new and enticing book covers I see everyday. I’m not sure what my next reading choices will be, but I’ll keep you posted.        ~Evelyn