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Intensity
Past midnight, Chyna Shepard, twenty-six, gazes out a moonlit window, unable to sleep on her first night in the Napa Valley home of her best friend's family. Instinct proves reliable. A murderous sociopath, Edgler Foreman Vess, has entered the house, intent on killing everyone inside. A self-proclaimed "homicidal adventurer," Vess lives only to satisfy all appetites as they arise, to immerse himself in sensation, to live without fear, remorse or limits, to live with "intensity." Chyna is trapped in his deadly orbit.
Chyna is a survivor, toughened by a lifelong struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. At first, her sole aim is to get out alive - until, by chance, she learns the identity of Vess's next intended victim, a faraway innocent only she can save. Driven by a newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every inner resource she has to save an endangered girl... as moment by moment, the terrifying threat of Edgler Foreman Vess intensifies.
Chyna is a survivor, toughened by a lifelong struggle for safety and self-respect. Now she will be tested as never before. At first, her sole aim is to get out alive - until, by chance, she learns the identity of Vess's next intended victim, a faraway innocent only she can save. Driven by a newly discovered thirst for meaning beyond mere self-preservation, Chyna musters every inner resource she has to save an endangered girl... as moment by moment, the terrifying threat of Edgler Foreman Vess intensifies.
436 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Dean Koontz
870 books37.5k 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 4,418 reviews
June 5, 2022
This was my first Dean Koontz novel and it came so highly recommended. I did NOT like this at all. This book takes the cake for the most overly descriptive, over written book I have ever read. There is a scene in which our heroine is trying to free herself from being chained to a table and it goes on for 50 pages. 50! I started skimming to get to the main storyline. To top things off we learn nothing about the killer! Even when you find out who he is at the very end it just leaves more questions than answers.
I can’t even be bothered doing a proper review that’s how stupid this is. This book is the opposite of Intense.
Will I read another Dean Koontz book? I don’t know 🤷🏼♀️
I can’t even be bothered doing a proper review that’s how stupid this is. This book is the opposite of Intense.
Will I read another Dean Koontz book? I don’t know 🤷🏼♀️
August 10, 2016
Intense!!! All right!!!
PERFECT TITLE
The title for this novel, Intensity...
...is truly well selected since this book is indeed...
...intense!!!
You are barely getting confortable, starting to read the book, just a few pages, when...
Bam! Kapow! Tomá guacho!
The horror begins!
So, if you are a horror novel where you don't have to wait much to be full immersed in the action, don't look anymore! This is it! You found the book!
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
I have read quite several books by Koontz and...
...I was shocked by the crudity of the very first scenes.
I told myself (back then in 2007): "Dang! He (Koontz) is not fooling around! The villain, in this novel, is truly a grim, dark and twisted sonofa...".
Another of the most shocking things in this book, since you don't have any paranormal/sci-fi elements here (that's an usual trait by Koontz), all the horror here is made by somebody that it's quite "just" a human being...
...but don't fool yourself, since the villain here can scare more than the fiercest demon that you may encounter in other novel.
Even when you think that you can't get surprised anymore by him...
...wrong!
You'll get even more surprised...
...oh, yes...
... and even more afraid.
Trust me.
You'll meet true evil, truly human.
BOLD HEROINE
And since you have a really scary bad man...
...the only fair thing is to have a really awesome great woman.
I like the heroine here since I think that she acted in very logical way and every action that she does is well motivated and reasoned.
She doesn't have special skills like martial arts or anything, but she certainly have guts, have brains, and have common sense.
The story actually has very few characters beyond the villain and the heroine, but still you will have plenty of reading, plenty of development,...
...plenty of intensity!!!
Brace yourself!
PERFECT TITLE
The title for this novel, Intensity...
...is truly well selected since this book is indeed...
...intense!!!
You are barely getting confortable, starting to read the book, just a few pages, when...
Bam! Kapow! Tomá guacho!
The horror begins!
So, if you are a horror novel where you don't have to wait much to be full immersed in the action, don't look anymore! This is it! You found the book!
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
I have read quite several books by Koontz and...
...I was shocked by the crudity of the very first scenes.
I told myself (back then in 2007): "Dang! He (Koontz) is not fooling around! The villain, in this novel, is truly a grim, dark and twisted sonofa...".
Another of the most shocking things in this book, since you don't have any paranormal/sci-fi elements here (that's an usual trait by Koontz), all the horror here is made by somebody that it's quite "just" a human being...
...but don't fool yourself, since the villain here can scare more than the fiercest demon that you may encounter in other novel.
Even when you think that you can't get surprised anymore by him...
...wrong!
You'll get even more surprised...
...oh, yes...
... and even more afraid.
Trust me.
You'll meet true evil, truly human.
BOLD HEROINE
And since you have a really scary bad man...
...the only fair thing is to have a really awesome great woman.
I like the heroine here since I think that she acted in very logical way and every action that she does is well motivated and reasoned.
She doesn't have special skills like martial arts or anything, but she certainly have guts, have brains, and have common sense.
The story actually has very few characters beyond the villain and the heroine, but still you will have plenty of reading, plenty of development,...
...plenty of intensity!!!
Brace yourself!
January 19, 2024
I hate Dean Koontz, but I go through books quickly and have to have something to read at work, and when it comes down to it, I'll read anything you put in front of me even if it's bad just for something to do. Allegedly, this was one of his better books. The best book I've read of his, I would give two stars. Don't even remember what it was called. It pains me that this man is the second best selling author in the US. Seriously.
Why? Well, where to begin? Let's start with characters. Dean Koontz doesn't create characters, but caricatures. The main character's stories of childhood trauma aren't remotely believable. If her mother didn't give a shit about her and was constantly moving around, why would she even bother to bring her for 16 years? Everything is so extreme in her character that there's never any remotely realistic motivation for any of it. Meanwhile, the villain is concerned only with intensity, mostly written in italics, because italics are apparently intense. His philosophy is that any intense experience is worthwhile. Basically, he should be on the X-Games doing flips on motorcycles and appearing in Mountain Dew commercials. The way Koontz beats the shit out of the intensity motif, I could barely manage to focus my eyes well enough to keep reading because they were rolling so hard.
How about his craft? Clunky, uninspired, repetitious prose with awful dialogue. I don't remotely understand why people buy this guy's books. There is nothing compelling about his craft. For a guy they call "The Master of Suspense", he lacks all sense of subtlety. He constantly holds the reader's hand unnecessarily as if afraid they won't get it any time he uses some kind of symbolism. Not that it's common with Koontz. He's always saying more than is necessary and it gets a little insulting over time, as if he thinks his readers are so stupid they can't possibly pick up on the things he's writing without help.
So, his plots must be super-awesome to make up for it all, right? Let's face it; with most pulp, people don't give a shit how it's written. They only care about the story. This story is about some chick who goes to a friend's for the weekend, only to have the entire friend's family killed and end up the sole survivor riding along with the killer, trying to come up with a way to take him down and save some girl she's never met that the killer has locked in his basement. The upside of this story is most of it leaves the heroine alone, so you're not subjected to the cringe-worthy dialogue that the book opens with. It also means that Dean Koontz has to find some way to create his particular breed of melodrama through sometimes very slow events, so he prattles on for pages about a cramp in the heroine's ass, or we're subjected to her internal dialogue as she freaks out about how she will surely sustain a grievous spinal injury by slamming the chair she's chained to into the stone fireplace wall by backing into it. Every time she takes a whack at it, "OHHHHHHH GOD THE PAIN IT HURTS SOOOOOOO BAAAAAAAD!" Gimme a fucking break. It's make of PINE. Fuck you, Dean, it's not dramatic that you lack a basic grasp of physics. Half of this book is her considering a fairly simple action and then contemplating the multitude of ways it could go horribly wrong and leave her critically injured. There's no real drama and nothing to care about, so Dean Koontz tries to manufacture some by telling you how you should feel about what she's doing.
I can't even begin to convey how inane this book truly is. Hopefully I've given you some idea.
Why? Well, where to begin? Let's start with characters. Dean Koontz doesn't create characters, but caricatures. The main character's stories of childhood trauma aren't remotely believable. If her mother didn't give a shit about her and was constantly moving around, why would she even bother to bring her for 16 years? Everything is so extreme in her character that there's never any remotely realistic motivation for any of it. Meanwhile, the villain is concerned only with intensity, mostly written in italics, because italics are apparently intense. His philosophy is that any intense experience is worthwhile. Basically, he should be on the X-Games doing flips on motorcycles and appearing in Mountain Dew commercials. The way Koontz beats the shit out of the intensity motif, I could barely manage to focus my eyes well enough to keep reading because they were rolling so hard.
How about his craft? Clunky, uninspired, repetitious prose with awful dialogue. I don't remotely understand why people buy this guy's books. There is nothing compelling about his craft. For a guy they call "The Master of Suspense", he lacks all sense of subtlety. He constantly holds the reader's hand unnecessarily as if afraid they won't get it any time he uses some kind of symbolism. Not that it's common with Koontz. He's always saying more than is necessary and it gets a little insulting over time, as if he thinks his readers are so stupid they can't possibly pick up on the things he's writing without help.
So, his plots must be super-awesome to make up for it all, right? Let's face it; with most pulp, people don't give a shit how it's written. They only care about the story. This story is about some chick who goes to a friend's for the weekend, only to have the entire friend's family killed and end up the sole survivor riding along with the killer, trying to come up with a way to take him down and save some girl she's never met that the killer has locked in his basement. The upside of this story is most of it leaves the heroine alone, so you're not subjected to the cringe-worthy dialogue that the book opens with. It also means that Dean Koontz has to find some way to create his particular breed of melodrama through sometimes very slow events, so he prattles on for pages about a cramp in the heroine's ass, or we're subjected to her internal dialogue as she freaks out about how she will surely sustain a grievous spinal injury by slamming the chair she's chained to into the stone fireplace wall by backing into it. Every time she takes a whack at it, "OHHHHHHH GOD THE PAIN IT HURTS SOOOOOOO BAAAAAAAD!" Gimme a fucking break. It's make of PINE. Fuck you, Dean, it's not dramatic that you lack a basic grasp of physics. Half of this book is her considering a fairly simple action and then contemplating the multitude of ways it could go horribly wrong and leave her critically injured. There's no real drama and nothing to care about, so Dean Koontz tries to manufacture some by telling you how you should feel about what she's doing.
I can't even begin to convey how inane this book truly is. Hopefully I've given you some idea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2018
The intense of the “intensity” initiates from the long drawn out somewhat terrifying scenes of Chyna hiding from Vess in attempts to go unnoticed and to survive, and the intense of the “intensity” continues with fiery...
“...Chyna Shepherd, Untouched and Alive...”
Chyna Shepard had a hard and candidly distressful childhood and she opened up to nobody. The main companion she knew and trusted was Laura. Chyna voyaged home with Laura for spring break and keeping in mind that gazing out the window amid her restless night, Chyna heard something peculiar. It seem like an interloper, and returning to youth she instantly covered up under the bed. The gatecrasher had butchered the entire family in their rest and the just a single saved was Chyna.
The bottom line of the story is; "Do not give up if you ever find yourself as a victim in such a scenario. Bite your time, count till the last second. There is always a chance to survive."
“...Chyna Shepherd, Untouched and Alive...”
Chyna Shepard had a hard and candidly distressful childhood and she opened up to nobody. The main companion she knew and trusted was Laura. Chyna voyaged home with Laura for spring break and keeping in mind that gazing out the window amid her restless night, Chyna heard something peculiar. It seem like an interloper, and returning to youth she instantly covered up under the bed. The gatecrasher had butchered the entire family in their rest and the just a single saved was Chyna.
The bottom line of the story is; "Do not give up if you ever find yourself as a victim in such a scenario. Bite your time, count till the last second. There is always a chance to survive."
June 7, 2017
OMG, I haven't read a book like this in years, and don't think I'll be reading one again any time soon. Intensity is the perfect name for this one. It starts right off with an intruder on a killing rampage, and never lets up. I know, how can I keep reading, but the suspense was beyond belief, and the writing incredible. Just the other day I was driving in the mountains, noticing a blue truck was constantly behind me. He even made the same turn I did on a dirt road. Was he coming to kill me? How will I escape? Oh, he just passed me, whew! Yup, this is gonna stick with me, just hopefully not too long. Awesome read for horror and suspense fans!
May 16, 2021
There are some books that i just give up on reading, for a multitude of reasons : bad writing, boring plot, poor characterisation. This book was all of these things, and only worsened when the author began writing from the killers point of view. I've never hate read a book before, but with an average of 4+ stars, i felt i needed to in order to rightfully decide this book is terrible.
Boring, tedious, far from intense. Overtly long descriptions populated by annoying, flowery language. A disappointment.
Boring, tedious, far from intense. Overtly long descriptions populated by annoying, flowery language. A disappointment.
December 2, 2017
3 Stars
Chyna is taken to her best friend's family home for a mini break during the school year only to spend the first night hidden under the guest bed as a home invader proceeds to murder all the occupants. Having both an unusual and terrifying childhood Chyna has developed a skill set that has made her a survivor both then and now. As she peers out the window of the guest bedroom she hears a muffled scream and creaking footsteps heading towards her room, instinct takes over and she is under the bed, and out of sight. Chyna is fully aware that the bed has not been slept in and her things are safely hidden in the closet so that the room appears unused and hopefully the intruder will move on.
Edward Vess lives life intensely his senses are primed for optimal absorbance. He basks in both pain and pleasure and believes to live without fear is too truly embrace life. Tonight like many nights before he has entered a home that is not his and plans to kill everyone inside.
This novel started out exactly as advertised In-FUCKING-Tensity. I read this book alone at night and found myself startled at every little noise thinking Edward Vess was in my home. It was eery and terrifying and you couldn't help wonder how you would react thrusted into a similar life threatening situation. I know one thing I'd do for sure, is stay in the house after the killer leaves, count my lucky stars I wasn't discovered by him and then immediately call the police because I, unlike Chyna, am not a crazy person!
The first 30% of the novel I was immersed and you would have to pry the book out of my cold dead hands to stop me from reading it, but then the author took the readers out of the claustrophobia and tension that was the home, into a road trip, into other environments and unfortunately out of the part of the story I was enjoying so immensely.
It took me so far out of the novel because our protagonist has now gone from survivor to Rose McGowan in Scream trying to escape the killer through a doggy door.... like really?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IDIOT!! The protagonist began to make poor decision after poor decision and even though the author tried to explain it a way with thin ass logic, as a reader I was left with the running inner dialogue of: WHAT ARE YOU DOING IDIOT!?
Also weirdly enough for someone like myself who LOVES reading inside the mind of a serial killer I actually didn't care for it in this novel. I wanted to be completely in the dark on where the killer was and what he was doing, thinking, and feeling but instead I got to know exactly where his head was at all times which took away from the creepy suspense. I'd rather of had this entire novel in the protagonist perspective instead of jumping back and forth. I think it would have made me a lot more unnerved by just the plain unknowing. I would be left with the same frantic question of; did he spot her? But instead I always knew the answer to that question which brought down the intensity of the novel.
Overall I like Dean Koontz, I went into this novel thinking he'd be like trashy Urban Fantasy writing but it was full of such deep descriptions, complex characters and vivid imagery. This novel was dark and not at all light and fluffy as I originally suspected. Although I didn't love this novel I really would like to read more Dean Koontz in my future. If you like'd this novel may I suggest You're Next a great horror film with survivalist girl as the lead (#GIRLPOWER); I'd also recommend High Tension but it is a well known plagiarism of this book and other then the different endings it is basically a carbon copy of Dean Koontz, and I don't support people who steal other's creative property.
Chyna is taken to her best friend's family home for a mini break during the school year only to spend the first night hidden under the guest bed as a home invader proceeds to murder all the occupants. Having both an unusual and terrifying childhood Chyna has developed a skill set that has made her a survivor both then and now. As she peers out the window of the guest bedroom she hears a muffled scream and creaking footsteps heading towards her room, instinct takes over and she is under the bed, and out of sight. Chyna is fully aware that the bed has not been slept in and her things are safely hidden in the closet so that the room appears unused and hopefully the intruder will move on.
Edward Vess lives life intensely his senses are primed for optimal absorbance. He basks in both pain and pleasure and believes to live without fear is too truly embrace life. Tonight like many nights before he has entered a home that is not his and plans to kill everyone inside.
This novel started out exactly as advertised In-FUCKING-Tensity. I read this book alone at night and found myself startled at every little noise thinking Edward Vess was in my home. It was eery and terrifying and you couldn't help wonder how you would react thrusted into a similar life threatening situation. I know one thing I'd do for sure, is stay in the house after the killer leaves, count my lucky stars I wasn't discovered by him and then immediately call the police because I, unlike Chyna, am not a crazy person!
The first 30% of the novel I was immersed and you would have to pry the book out of my cold dead hands to stop me from reading it, but then the author took the readers out of the claustrophobia and tension that was the home, into a road trip, into other environments and unfortunately out of the part of the story I was enjoying so immensely.
It took me so far out of the novel because our protagonist has now gone from survivor to Rose McGowan in Scream trying to escape the killer through a doggy door.... like really?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IDIOT!! The protagonist began to make poor decision after poor decision and even though the author tried to explain it a way with thin ass logic, as a reader I was left with the running inner dialogue of: WHAT ARE YOU DOING IDIOT!?
Also weirdly enough for someone like myself who LOVES reading inside the mind of a serial killer I actually didn't care for it in this novel. I wanted to be completely in the dark on where the killer was and what he was doing, thinking, and feeling but instead I got to know exactly where his head was at all times which took away from the creepy suspense. I'd rather of had this entire novel in the protagonist perspective instead of jumping back and forth. I think it would have made me a lot more unnerved by just the plain unknowing. I would be left with the same frantic question of; did he spot her? But instead I always knew the answer to that question which brought down the intensity of the novel.
Overall I like Dean Koontz, I went into this novel thinking he'd be like trashy Urban Fantasy writing but it was full of such deep descriptions, complex characters and vivid imagery. This novel was dark and not at all light and fluffy as I originally suspected. Although I didn't love this novel I really would like to read more Dean Koontz in my future. If you like'd this novel may I suggest You're Next a great horror film with survivalist girl as the lead (#GIRLPOWER); I'd also recommend High Tension but it is a well known plagiarism of this book and other then the different endings it is basically a carbon copy of Dean Koontz, and I don't support people who steal other's creative property.
January 1, 2020
এক সিরিয়াল কিলার আর তার লগে টম অ্যান্ড জেরি খেলা নায়িকার গল্প ‘ইন্টেন্সিটি। নায়িকার নাম চায়না, ব্যাপারটা এমন না যে তার লগে চায়না দেশের কোন সম্পর্ক আছে। বাপ-মা তারে ছোটবেলার থিকা চায় না, ত���ই নাম হয়া গেছে চায়না। গল্পের ধাপে ধাপে চায়না’র নামকরণের সার্থকতা পাওন যায়, মানে, এইরকম মাথামোটা, বেকুব মাইয়া আপ্নের হো���ক আপ্নেও কখনো চাইবেন না। গল্পের কাহিনী হইলো এইরকমঃ কুফা মাইয়া চায়না তার জিগরী বান্দুবি লরার বাড়ীতে উইকেন্ড কাটাইতে যায়। সেই রাইতেই, লরার গোটা ফ্যামিলি শত শত মাইল দূর থিকা আসা এক সিরিয়াল কিলারের হাতে খুন হয়া যায়। চোউক্ষের সামনে বান্দুবিরে মরতে দেইখা চায়নার বুকে প্রতিশোধের আগুন দাউ দাউ কইরা জ্বইলা উঠে, সে তাই কিলারের অজান্তে টুপ কইরা তার মোটর হোমের ভিতরে লুকায়া উইঠা পড়ে। কেন্দ্রীয় চরিত্রের যেইখানে সুবিধা হয়, আর ভিলেন চরিত্রের যেইখানে অসুবিধা হয়, সেই সেই জায়গাগুলাতে কাকতালীয় সব ঘটনা ঘটায়া লেখক দুষ্টরে দোজখের আগুনে পুড়ায়া দিছেন আর শিষ্টরে জান্নাতুল ফেরদাউস দান করছেন। হিন্দী সিরিয়ালের মতোন নাটকে ভরা এই বই আপনেরে বিভিন্ন টাইমে জানান দিয়া দিবো বইয়ের নামের বানান “Intensity” হইলেও উচ্চারণটা হইবো “চায় না”, কারণ বইয়ের পাত্রমিত্ররা তাগোর যা করনের কথা তার কিছুই করবার চায় না। যেমুনঃ
১। কিলার ভদ্রলোক চায় না তার মোটর হোমটারে একটু পরিষ্কার কইরা রাখতে, তার গাড়ীতে তার আগের দুই চাইরটা খুনের বডি এবং আলামত রাইখা সে এক স্টেট থিকা আরেক স্টেট দাবড়ায়া বেড়ায়।
২। চায়না চায় না কিলারের মোটর হোমটারে ভালো কইরা দেইখা সেইটার রঙ, হুলিয়া, কো��� কম্পানির তৈরী এইসব মুখস্ত কইরা পুলিশের কাছে সেই বিবরণী দিতে।
৩। কিলার ভদ্রলোক সাধারণ খাবার খাইতে চায় না, তাই সে দেয়াল থিকা খাবলা মাইরা মাকড়সা ধইরা কচকচ কইরা খায়া ফ্যালায়।
৪। অনেক নাটক কইরা একখান রিভলবার এস্তেমাল করতে পারলেও চায়না চায় না রিভলবারে আদৌ গুল্লি আছে কিনা সেইটা পরীক্ষা কইরা দেখতে, যদিও এই কাজের জন্য ১৪ ঘন্টা সময় সে পাইছিলো। ফলাফল, কিলারের হাতে ধরা পড়া। তবে চিন্তার কিছু নাই, কিলার চায় না চায়না মইরা যাক। লেখকও চায় না চায়নার গুল্লিতে কিলার মইরা যাক।
৫। মোটর হোমের ভিতরে চায়নার অস্তিত্ব টের পাইলেও কিলার চায় না চায়নারে মারতে।
৬। কিলার তার বাড়ীতে চায়নারে শিকল দিয়া বাইন্ধা রাখলেও সে চায় না চায়না বন্দী থাকুক, তাই তারে কামে যাওনের আগে কয়া যায় কখন ফিরত আইবো, যাতে সেই টাইমে (৬ ঘন্টা) চায়না তার সুবিধামতো যন্ত্রপাতি টোকায়া নিজেরে মুক্ত কইরা নিতে পারে।
৭। কিলারের বাড়ীতে চায়নার লগে আরেকটা যেই বাচ্চা মাইয়া বন্দী থাকে, সেও চায় না কিলারের হাত থিকা মুক্তি পাইতে। তারে বুঝানোর লিগা চায়না দেড় ঘন্টা ধইরা তার ছোডবেলার কাহিনী শুনায়। এইসব নাটকে আরো পরিষ্কার হয়া উঠে, কেন তারে চাওনা যায় না।
... এইরকম আরো অনেক “চায় না” আছে, সব “চায় না”র লিষ্টি করতে আমার মনও আর সাড়া দিতে চায় না।
“ইন্টেন্সিটি” মূলত একটা ধান্দাবাজি বই, লেখক এইখানে যেইটা দেখাইছেন তা হইলো ধর্মহীন, নাস্তিক পাশবিক চরিত্রের এক খুনি বনাম ঈশ্বরপ্রেমী বাইবেলপড়ুয়া চায়নার ফাইট। ধর্মের পতাকা উচ্চে ধরা যাগো জীবনের মূল এজেন্ডা, তাগোর একটা কমন প্যাটার্ন আছে। ঐতিহাসিকভাবেই, ধর্মবিশ্বাস আর চিন্তার গভীরতার সম্পর্ক ব্যাস্তানুপাতিক। এই প্রসঙ্গে একটা দুষ্ট গল্প বলা যাক। তো ম্যাডামের বাসায় অনেক রাত অব্দি ছাত্র পড়ালেখা করার পর হুঁশ হইছে দুইজনেরই যে এত রাত হয়া গেছে। ম্যাডাম তখন বলছে আজকা রাতটা তুমি আমার লগেই থাইকা যাও। সকালে উইঠা ম্যাডাম ছাত্ররে জিগাইছে, তুমি রাতে আমার নাভিতে আঙুল দিতেছিলা ক্যান? ছাত্র কইলো এইটাই আমার অভ্যাস। বাইদিওয়ে, আপ্নে যেটারে আঙুল বলতেছেন, ঐটা আমার আঙুল না আসলে। ম্যাডাম বলছে, তুমিও যেটারে আমারে নাভি মনে করছ সেইটা আমার নাভি না! বাইবেলের উপর কঠিন বিশ্বাস রাখা চায়না যে কত ভালো, তার বর্ণনা দিতে গিয়া চিন্তার গভীরতার অভাবে ভোগা ডিন কুন্টজের 'আঙুল' ম্যালাবারই 'নাভি'তে চইলা গেছে অনর্থক। জিকে চেস্টারটনের ক্যাথলিক পাদ্রী গোয়েন্দা, এটিএম শামসুজ্জামান সাহেবের 'এবাদত' সিনেমার নায়ক, ডিন কুন্টজের চায়না...এরা সব্বাই একই সুতায় গাঁথা।
গোটা বইয়ে একমাত্র যেই বিষয়ে লেখক মাথা খাটাইছেন সেইটা হইলো খুনির নাম নির্বাচন। আমাগো সিরিয়াল কিলার ভদ্রলোকের নাম Edgler Foreman Vess। এই নামের অক্ষরগুলান দিয়া ‘semen’, ‘rage’, ‘fear’ ইত্যাদি শব্দগুলান হয়, আর হয় একখান বাক্য, ‘God fears me’। এইসব আবোল তাবোল কথা বানানির লিগা লেখক ডিন কুন্টজ এইরকম অদ্ভুত একটা নাম বানাইছেন। ব্যক্তিগত জীবনে কুন্টজ সাহেব ধর্মের ব্যবসা করা রিপাব্লিকান পার্টিরে সমর্থন করেন, যেটারে বাঙলাদেশের বিভিন্ন ইসলামী দলগুলার সমান্তরাল কওন যায় (হেফাজতে ইসলাম, জামায়াতে ইসলাম, ইসলামী শাসনতন্ত্র… ইত্যাদি)। চাইলে রিপাব্লিকান পার্টিরে বিএনপির লগেও তুলনা দেওন যায়, তবে সেইক্ষেত্রে প্রশ্ন উঠে, তাইলে আওয়ামী লীগের লগেও তুলনা টানন যায় না ক্যান? ধর্ম যেহেতু দুইটা দলেরই রাজনীতির মূল হাতিয়ার, এবং দল দুইটার নাম আর কর্তাব্যক্তিদের নাম ছাড়া আর সব কিছুতেই যেহেতু তারা সেম সেম এক কালার। একটা দল গাধার খোলস পইরা থাকা শুয়োর, আরেকটা খোলাখুলি শুয়োর, এইতো পার্থক্য। যাউক, মূল কথা হইলো এইরকম ধর্মীয় এজেন্ডা নিয়া যেইসব লেখকেরা লিখতে বসেন, এবং নিজ নিজ ধর্মের গুণগান গল্পের চিপায় চাপায় গায়া দেন, তাঁগো কল্পনাশক্তি আর জানাশুনার দৌড় বরাবরই খুব সীমাবদ্ধ। ঈশ্বরবিশ্বাসের যেই চশমাডা পিন্দা থাকেন তাঁরা, সেইটার কাঁচটা খুব ঘোলা, ধর্মের চৌহদ্দীর কয়েক ফুটের বাইরে আর তাঁরা নজর ফেলবার পারেন না। ডিন কুন্টজ বাঙলা জানলে উনি কাশেম বিন আবুবাকার হইতেন, কিংবা কাশেম সাহেব ইংরাজী জানলে……
১। কিলার ভদ্রলোক চায় না তার মোটর হোমটারে একটু পরিষ্কার কইরা রাখতে, তার গাড়ীতে তার আগের দুই চাইরটা খুনের বডি এবং আলামত রাইখা সে এক স্টেট থিকা আরেক স্টেট দাবড়ায়া বেড়ায়।
২। চায়না চায় না কিলারের মোটর হোমটারে ভালো কইরা দেইখা সেইটার রঙ, হুলিয়া, কো��� কম্পানির তৈরী এইসব মুখস্ত কইরা পুলিশের কাছে সেই বিবরণী দিতে।
৩। কিলার ভদ্রলোক সাধারণ খাবার খাইতে চায় না, তাই সে দেয়াল থিকা খাবলা মাইরা মাকড়সা ধইরা কচকচ কইরা খায়া ফ্যালায়।
৪। অনেক নাটক কইরা একখান রিভলবার এস্তেমাল করতে পারলেও চায়না চায় না রিভলবারে আদৌ গুল্লি আছে কিনা সেইটা পরীক্ষা কইরা দেখতে, যদিও এই কাজের জন্য ১৪ ঘন্টা সময় সে পাইছিলো। ফলাফল, কিলারের হাতে ধরা পড়া। তবে চিন্তার কিছু নাই, কিলার চায় না চায়না মইরা যাক। লেখকও চায় না চায়নার গুল্লিতে কিলার মইরা যাক।
৫। মোটর হোমের ভিতরে চায়নার অস্তিত্ব টের পাইলেও কিলার চায় না চায়নারে মারতে।
৬। কিলার তার বাড়ীতে চায়নারে শিকল দিয়া বাইন্ধা রাখলেও সে চায় না চায়না বন্দী থাকুক, তাই তারে কামে যাওনের আগে কয়া যায় কখন ফিরত আইবো, যাতে সেই টাইমে (৬ ঘন্টা) চায়না তার সুবিধামতো যন্ত্রপাতি টোকায়া নিজেরে মুক্ত কইরা নিতে পারে।
৭। কিলারের বাড়ীতে চায়নার লগে আরেকটা যেই বাচ্চা মাইয়া বন্দী থাকে, সেও চায় না কিলারের হাত থিকা মুক্তি পাইতে। তারে বুঝানোর লিগা চায়না দেড় ঘন্টা ধইরা তার ছোডবেলার কাহিনী শুনায়। এইসব নাটকে আরো পরিষ্কার হয়া উঠে, কেন তারে চাওনা যায় না।
... এইরকম আরো অনেক “চায় না” আছে, সব “চায় না”র লিষ্টি করতে আমার মনও আর সাড়া দিতে চায় না।
“ইন্টেন্সিটি” মূলত একটা ধান্দাবাজি বই, লেখক এইখানে যেইটা দেখাইছেন তা হইলো ধর্মহীন, নাস্তিক পাশবিক চরিত্রের এক খুনি বনাম ঈশ্বরপ্রেমী বাইবেলপড়ুয়া চায়নার ফাইট। ধর্মের পতাকা উচ্চে ধরা যাগো জীবনের মূল এজেন্ডা, তাগোর একটা কমন প্যাটার্ন আছে। ঐতিহাসিকভাবেই, ধর্মবিশ্বাস আর চিন্তার গভীরতার সম্পর্ক ব্যাস্তানুপাতিক। এই প্রসঙ্গে একটা দুষ্ট গল্প বলা যাক। তো ম্যাডামের বাসায় অনেক রাত অব্দি ছাত্র পড়ালেখা করার পর হুঁশ হইছে দুইজনেরই যে এত রাত হয়া গেছে। ম্যাডাম তখন বলছে আজকা রাতটা তুমি আমার লগেই থাইকা যাও। সকালে উইঠা ম্যাডাম ছাত্ররে জিগাইছে, তুমি রাতে আমার নাভিতে আঙুল দিতেছিলা ক্যান? ছাত্র কইলো এইটাই আমার অভ্যাস। বাইদিওয়ে, আপ্নে যেটারে আঙুল বলতেছেন, ঐটা আমার আঙুল না আসলে। ম্যাডাম বলছে, তুমিও যেটারে আমারে নাভি মনে করছ সেইটা আমার নাভি না! বাইবেলের উপর কঠিন বিশ্বাস রাখা চায়না যে কত ভালো, তার বর্ণনা দিতে গিয়া চিন্তার গভীরতার অভাবে ভোগা ডিন কুন্টজের 'আঙুল' ম্যালাবারই 'নাভি'তে চইলা গেছে অনর্থক। জিকে চেস্টারটনের ক্যাথলিক পাদ্রী গোয়েন্দা, এটিএম শামসুজ্জামান সাহেবের 'এবাদত' সিনেমার নায়ক, ডিন কুন্টজের চায়না...এরা সব্বাই একই সুতায় গাঁথা।
গোটা বইয়ে একমাত্র যেই বিষয়ে লেখক মাথা খাটাইছেন সেইটা হইলো খুনির নাম নির্বাচন। আমাগো সিরিয়াল কিলার ভদ্রলোকের নাম Edgler Foreman Vess। এই নামের অক্ষরগুলান দিয়া ‘semen’, ‘rage’, ‘fear’ ইত্যাদি শব্দগুলান হয়, আর হয় একখান বাক্য, ‘God fears me’। এইসব আবোল তাবোল কথা বানানির লিগা লেখক ডিন কুন্টজ এইরকম অদ্ভুত একটা নাম বানাইছেন। ব্যক্তিগত জীবনে কুন্টজ সাহেব ধর্মের ব্যবসা করা রিপাব্লিকান পার্টিরে সমর্থন করেন, যেটারে বাঙলাদেশের বিভিন্ন ইসলামী দলগুলার সমান্তরাল কওন যায় (হেফাজতে ইসলাম, জামায়াতে ইসলাম, ইসলামী শাসনতন্ত্র… ইত্যাদি)। চাইলে রিপাব্লিকান পার্টিরে বিএনপির লগেও তুলনা দেওন যায়, তবে সেইক্ষেত্রে প্রশ্ন উঠে, তাইলে আওয়ামী লীগের লগেও তুলনা টানন যায় না ক্যান? ধর্ম যেহেতু দুইটা দলেরই রাজনীতির মূল হাতিয়ার, এবং দল দুইটার নাম আর কর্তাব্যক্তিদের নাম ছাড়া আর সব কিছুতেই যেহেতু তারা সেম সেম এক কালার। একটা দল গাধার খোলস পইরা থাকা শুয়োর, আরেকটা খোলাখুলি শুয়োর, এইতো পার্থক্য। যাউক, মূল কথা হইলো এইরকম ধর্মীয় এজেন্ডা নিয়া যেইসব লেখকেরা লিখতে বসেন, এবং নিজ নিজ ধর্মের গুণগান গল্পের চিপায় চাপায় গায়া দেন, তাঁগো কল্পনাশক্তি আর জানাশুনার দৌড় বরাবরই খুব সীমাবদ্ধ। ঈশ্বরবিশ্বাসের যেই চশমাডা পিন্দা থাকেন তাঁরা, সেইটার কাঁচটা খুব ঘোলা, ধর্মের চৌহদ্দীর কয়েক ফুটের বাইরে আর তাঁরা নজর ফেলবার পারেন না। ডিন কুন্টজ বাঙলা জানলে উনি কাশেম বিন আবুবাকার হইতেন, কিংবা কাশেম সাহেব ইংরাজী জানলে……
May 5, 2019
Ask any Dean Koontz fan what their favorite Koontz book is, and the answer you will likely get is Watchers, or maybe Odd Thomas. Exceptions to this exist, of course, but those two titles seem to get the most love amongst his fanbase.
Personally, my favorite was The City . . . Until I read Intensity.
This novel is really quite unlike most everything else by Koontz . . . unlike what I’ve read by him, anyway. There is no cloying sentimentality. No precocious children, no forced romance (Koontz almost goes there in the final chapter, but he redeems himself), no cornball military men or bougainvillea or wacky spirituality or Goldens. Just a sympathetic, kick-ass protagonist and the scariest, most loathsome villain Koontz has put to paper. And the only dogs to appear on the narrative are taken care of in a . . . well, rather un-Koontz-like fashion.
What is on display here is Koontz’s marvelous plotting skill: making a story move this well takes some serious chops. From the first page to the last I was enthralled, horrified. I’m not used to Koontz scaring me so badly, but he did it here.
Okay, enough with my fanboying. I’m just happy, okay? It’s been a while since I last read a Koontz novel I love so hard. I’m kicking myself for being aware of this book for a decade or longer, yet only reading it now.
Personally, my favorite was The City . . . Until I read Intensity.
This novel is really quite unlike most everything else by Koontz . . . unlike what I’ve read by him, anyway. There is no cloying sentimentality. No precocious children, no forced romance (Koontz almost goes there in the final chapter, but he redeems himself), no cornball military men or bougainvillea or wacky spirituality or Goldens. Just a sympathetic, kick-ass protagonist and the scariest, most loathsome villain Koontz has put to paper. And the only dogs to appear on the narrative are taken care of in a . . . well, rather un-Koontz-like fashion.
What is on display here is Koontz’s marvelous plotting skill: making a story move this well takes some serious chops. From the first page to the last I was enthralled, horrified. I’m not used to Koontz scaring me so badly, but he did it here.
Okay, enough with my fanboying. I’m just happy, okay? It’s been a while since I last read a Koontz novel I love so hard. I’m kicking myself for being aware of this book for a decade or longer, yet only reading it now.
November 14, 2014
An excellent book, full of suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and the temptation to rush to the end to see what happened was huge! But I was good and enjoyed every word of it. There is a very surprising little twist to the tale at the very end which was nice. It is always good to leave a book on a high and that is certainly the case here. Dean Koontz's books do vary in quality but this is one of the good ones,
May 15, 2023
This was a middle of the road thriller, I don't think the story will stay with me for long but I enjoyed it all the same. It got straight into the action which was surprising for a Dean Koontz book, I will say it is a little over descriptive though which seems like a common occurrence with DK.
I did think the characters were pretty good though both Heroine and Villain were really well written and interesting. They did become a bit tedious though and didn't have much development which was a waste. As always with Dean Koontz we have do have dogs in the plot - it wasn't too far-fetched though and they fit into the plot a lot better than in some I have read.
There are quite a few political mentions in this book to, I have a feeling that Dean Koontz isn't the biggest fan of politics/politicians. The pace was pretty good but it was often disturbed by over descriptive sections. There was a little twist which I enjoyed and the ending was satisfying enough.
I did think the characters were pretty good though both Heroine and Villain were really well written and interesting. They did become a bit tedious though and didn't have much development which was a waste. As always with Dean Koontz we have do have dogs in the plot - it wasn't too far-fetched though and they fit into the plot a lot better than in some I have read.
There are quite a few political mentions in this book to, I have a feeling that Dean Koontz isn't the biggest fan of politics/politicians. The pace was pretty good but it was often disturbed by over descriptive sections. There was a little twist which I enjoyed and the ending was satisfying enough.
August 19, 2024
The writing style of Dean is so deep I feel like I might drown in his words. Damn, I don’t even know what he’s talking about 80% of the time.
This was scary, I can tell you that. The fear in every chapter crept up on me and stayed even after I took long breaks from reading. You know when you watch a scary movie and you keep shouting at the final girl on screen, "No! Don't do it, don't go that way," or "Why would you go inside the motor home? Run!"? This book is exactly that.
But I realized that Dean likes to drag his storytelling. He could've saved a few pages if he didn’t overdo it with the illustrations. It almost felt overly poetic at times. Really, it was a struggle to understand a lot of the big words in every phrase, on every page—hell, the whole book felt like a freaking ocean of unfamiliar words. I had to keep a dictionary handy just to catch up.
This was intense in every sense of the word. The heroine, though not relatable, is freaking amazing. She did what she had to do.
I liked this. It kept me on edge the entire time. I just wish it wasn’t so long.
This was scary, I can tell you that. The fear in every chapter crept up on me and stayed even after I took long breaks from reading. You know when you watch a scary movie and you keep shouting at the final girl on screen, "No! Don't do it, don't go that way," or "Why would you go inside the motor home? Run!"? This book is exactly that.
But I realized that Dean likes to drag his storytelling. He could've saved a few pages if he didn’t overdo it with the illustrations. It almost felt overly poetic at times. Really, it was a struggle to understand a lot of the big words in every phrase, on every page—hell, the whole book felt like a freaking ocean of unfamiliar words. I had to keep a dictionary handy just to catch up.
This was intense in every sense of the word. The heroine, though not relatable, is freaking amazing. She did what she had to do.
I liked this. It kept me on edge the entire time. I just wish it wasn’t so long.
October 21, 2016
I have never read a more action packed book in my life. It never once let up - almost from page one. In some ways it was a little disorienting because you never had a moment to breathe, but at the same time that's also what you really want when you read a thriller. The writing was meh, nothing special. But the story itself was skillfully told. And obviously unsettling. You get in the head of a serial killer, and who really wants to spend any time in that place!? Not me. And yet, I read the whole book in two days. The book was very aptly named: it was intense. And thrilling.
Also, the main character makes really dumb decisions. So...just know that going in.
Also, the main character makes really dumb decisions. So...just know that going in.
March 5, 2022
I went through a spell in my late teens and very early twenties where I loved Koontz's writing, but I somehow never picked up Intensity. Now, with it having been several years since I'd read anything of his, I'm wishing I had read this back then, because I probably would've enjoyed it more. It would have been shocking and suspenseful, and I probably would have stayed on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
In 2021, though, I mostly found Intensity shockingly... boring.
While the premise is intriguing — a young woman stays with her best friend's family for the weekend, only to watch a home intruder slaughter them all, leaving her the sole survivor — it was drawn-out, primarily due to the inclusion of the killer's POV. If his chapters had been left out, the story would've been half as long and twice as interesting. While Chyna's narrative is primarily focused on action, fear, and the thrilling aspects of her journey, Vess' chapters almost singularly focus on his own self-obsession and the mundanity that ensues, such as entire pages dwelling on how many words he can make from the letters in his name.
I'm still giving it 3 stars, so obviously, I didn't hate it, but I can safely say Intensity was a letdown and didn't motivate me to go back to reading Koontz's work any time soon. He's a talented author, but I don't think his method of storytelling clicks with me the way it used to. I'm glad that I read this, because it had been on my TBR for a very long time and now I can see what the fuss was about.
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In 2021, though, I mostly found Intensity shockingly... boring.
While the premise is intriguing — a young woman stays with her best friend's family for the weekend, only to watch a home intruder slaughter them all, leaving her the sole survivor — it was drawn-out, primarily due to the inclusion of the killer's POV. If his chapters had been left out, the story would've been half as long and twice as interesting. While Chyna's narrative is primarily focused on action, fear, and the thrilling aspects of her journey, Vess' chapters almost singularly focus on his own self-obsession and the mundanity that ensues, such as entire pages dwelling on how many words he can make from the letters in his name.
I'm still giving it 3 stars, so obviously, I didn't hate it, but I can safely say Intensity was a letdown and didn't motivate me to go back to reading Koontz's work any time soon. He's a talented author, but I don't think his method of storytelling clicks with me the way it used to. I'm glad that I read this, because it had been on my TBR for a very long time and now I can see what the fuss was about.
✨ Content warnings for:
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April 29, 2022
4,5
"La carretera era una promesa de paz, pero el destino siempre era el infierno."
Laura y Chyna, un par de amigas viajan unos días a la casa de los padres de Laura para visitarlos. Chyna es una joven psicóloga que quiere sacar un doctorado en criminología para intentar comprender la crueldad humana, ella tiene un pasado muy fuerte, del que no ha salido ilesa, siempre el pasado deja huella, sobre todo por la desprotección a la que se vio expuesta cuando era una niña, pero ha sobrevivido, no deja entrar mucho a las personas en su vida, a excepción de Laura, a quién le ha contado algunas cosas y se ha vuelto muy especial. Llegan a la casa, conoce a los padres de Laura y todo va genial, se llevan muy bien y la tratan como una más de la casa. Llegado el momento de dormir ella no se adapta fácilmente, está sentada sola en la habitación, perdida en sus pensamientos, cuando de repente escucha un grito desgarrador, pero no está segura, era real? Alguien entró en la casa? Su instinto de sobrevivencia está más alerta que nunca y alguien salió de cacería.
Sinceramente, este libro me gustó demasiado, qué manera de mantener un ritmo trepidante desde el inicio hasta parte del final.
El contexto me ha gustado, los escenarios están descritos tan visualmente que parece que de una película se tratase y vaya que pone en tensión, ves todo como si estuvieras ahí, que esté narrado en tercera persona opino que hace todo aún más inmersivo.
Los personajes principales son fuertes y bien construidos, me gusta como a medida que va avanzando, nos enteramos más y más de detalles del pasado de Chyna y de la retorcida mente de nuestro villano, un ser despiadado, siniestro, sádico y repugnante, pero que sin duda impresiona en muchos sentidos los detalles que nos revela en un punto de la historia.
Una trama rápida, adictiva y que hace querer saber más y más, pero al mismo tiempo no quieres que termine, porque dentro de todo se hace "ligera". Absolutamente recomendado.
"La carretera era una promesa de paz, pero el destino siempre era el infierno."
Laura y Chyna, un par de amigas viajan unos días a la casa de los padres de Laura para visitarlos. Chyna es una joven psicóloga que quiere sacar un doctorado en criminología para intentar comprender la crueldad humana, ella tiene un pasado muy fuerte, del que no ha salido ilesa, siempre el pasado deja huella, sobre todo por la desprotección a la que se vio expuesta cuando era una niña, pero ha sobrevivido, no deja entrar mucho a las personas en su vida, a excepción de Laura, a quién le ha contado algunas cosas y se ha vuelto muy especial. Llegan a la casa, conoce a los padres de Laura y todo va genial, se llevan muy bien y la tratan como una más de la casa. Llegado el momento de dormir ella no se adapta fácilmente, está sentada sola en la habitación, perdida en sus pensamientos, cuando de repente escucha un grito desgarrador, pero no está segura, era real? Alguien entró en la casa? Su instinto de sobrevivencia está más alerta que nunca y alguien salió de cacería.
Sinceramente, este libro me gustó demasiado, qué manera de mantener un ritmo trepidante desde el inicio hasta parte del final.
El contexto me ha gustado, los escenarios están descritos tan visualmente que parece que de una película se tratase y vaya que pone en tensión, ves todo como si estuvieras ahí, que esté narrado en tercera persona opino que hace todo aún más inmersivo.
Los personajes principales son fuertes y bien construidos, me gusta como a medida que va avanzando, nos enteramos más y más de detalles del pasado de Chyna y de la retorcida mente de nuestro villano, un ser despiadado, siniestro, sádico y repugnante, pero que sin duda impresiona en muchos sentidos los detalles que nos revela en un punto de la historia.
Una trama rápida, adictiva y que hace querer saber más y más, pero al mismo tiempo no quieres que termine, porque dentro de todo se hace "ligera". Absolutamente recomendado.
January 15, 2019
If long, rambling inner dialogues equal "intensity," then friends, you are in for one helluva ride!
I stopped reading Dean Koontz books about a decade ago. Now I remember why.
Told from two perspectives, Chyna's and Edgler's, I just about gave up on this novel about a third of the way in...when Edgler started waxing philosophical (2 or 3 pages worth) about the power of Redwoods. And then around the two-thirds mark, the "table" scene lasted throughout CHAPTERS. I literally felt myself skimming because those passages were so beyond boring, my eyes crossed.
If I'm being totally honest, Edgler's sections were more interesting than Chyna's. All Chyna did was dwell on her past and her mother. Frankly, she wasn't particularly interesting. Edgler, on the other hand, is a very unique breed of serial killer. I've never read of another quite like him. He's the reason for the extra star...because this story was well on it's way to a 1 star rating.
Ultimately, I could not WAIT to get through this dull, not remotely intense book. AND...I deducted a half star because of the poor dogs.
1.5 stars.
I stopped reading Dean Koontz books about a decade ago. Now I remember why.
Told from two perspectives, Chyna's and Edgler's, I just about gave up on this novel about a third of the way in...when Edgler started waxing philosophical (2 or 3 pages worth) about the power of Redwoods. And then around the two-thirds mark, the "table" scene lasted throughout CHAPTERS. I literally felt myself skimming because those passages were so beyond boring, my eyes crossed.
If I'm being totally honest, Edgler's sections were more interesting than Chyna's. All Chyna did was dwell on her past and her mother. Frankly, she wasn't particularly interesting. Edgler, on the other hand, is a very unique breed of serial killer. I've never read of another quite like him. He's the reason for the extra star...because this story was well on it's way to a 1 star rating.
Ultimately, I could not WAIT to get through this dull, not remotely intense book. AND...I deducted a half star because of the poor dogs.
1.5 stars.
May 22, 2024
Mein erster Koontz, und ich bin überraschend begeistert. Das war ein Psychothriller, der permanent die Spannung oben hielt. Die 24 Stunden, die die Handlung umfasste, waren im wahrsten Sinne des Buchtitels eine intensive Leseerfahrung. Chyna hängt sich an die Fersen des Massenmörders, der die Familie ihrer Freundin getötet hat. Warum begibt sie sich in diese Gefahr und haut nicht einfach ab. Koontz bekommt das geschickt hin, mit kurzen Rückblenden ein Verständnis für die Heldin zu finden. Und ihr gegenüber steht der widerwärtigste Bösewicht meiner vergangenen Leseerfahrung. Ein Katz- und Mausspiel. Unerwartet gut geschrieben für einen amerikanischen Autor, sehr detailgetreu und auch eloquent. Und der Schluss passt auch. Was will ich mehr. Hervorragende Spannungsliteratur.
August 21, 2015
The last 200 pages of this book are what makes me want to give it 5 stars but I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped to, so four stars it is. The end plot twist was something I did not see coming and for that I applaud Koontz; I read this book relatively quickly and I didn't have to force myself to keep reading.
September 28, 2021
Dean Koontz es un escritor al que siempre me gusta volver cada cierto tiempo. Ese aire ochentero que desprenden sus historias me encantan.
Hace tiempo vimos una película de trama muy similar a esta novela del director Alexandre Aja con el nombre de "Alta tensión", la cual quiero volver a revisionar para compararlas.
Chyna es una joven con un pasado un tanto complicado. Su amiga Laura es la única que conoce todos esos traumas infantiles, brindándole todo su apoyo.
Va a pasar con ella y sus padres, Sarah y Paul, unos días de vacaciones y descanso de las clases de psicología de la universidad en un paraje rodeado de viñedos; el valle de Napa en California 😍
Todo este ambiente idílico se torna fatal cuando hace acto de presencia un extraño en mitad de la noche.
Donde comienza una cuenta atrás para Chyna por salvar su vida y la de su amiga Laura.
La narración siempre en tercera persona nos dará las sensaciones y pensamientos de cada uno de los protagonistas, Chyna (la víctima) y Vess (el asesino), intercalando capítulos dando relevancia a uno y otro respectivamente.
Para mi no ha sido un libro fácil al describir meticulosamente sensaciones y pensamientos, en ocasiones resultando demasiado repetitivo y redundante. Por eso no le puedo poner más nota, pero tampoco me parece justo darle menos porque tiene partes realmente buenas donde se me puso un nudo en el estómago.
La parte más destacable es la relativa a la turbulenta infancia de Chyna, sin duda, y las partes de más acción.
Al leer este tipo de novelas que tienen ya sus buenos años (más de veinte) y en ese entonces no había la tecnología que tenemos al alcance ahora, te das cuenta de lo fácil que sería todo con un móvil al lado 😂 Claro que así la novela no tendría gracia y no crearía esa "tensión" jajajaja.
Un último apunte, su título original me parece mucho más acertado ("Intensity) puesto que hacen referencia en múltiples ocasiones a la capacidad del demente de vivir así, intensamente, de disfrutar de su propio dolor y del ajeno. Y deleitarse con el. De no buscarlo (el suyo propio) sino soportarlo en cuanto viene a el.
**Me han sorprendido algunas erratas como "[...]si la vela correr[...]" en lugar de "veía". Ese fue el error más llamativo entre los múltiples que vi.
O "cueles" en lugar de crueles.
Y una multitud bastante llamativa de laísmos 😣
El mejor título que he leído hasta ahora de Koontz es sin ninguna duda "Fantasmas", que en mi opinión no tiene paja como este, es mucho más directo.
🔷¿Y para ustedes? ¿Cuál es el mejor título de este prolífico escritor? ¡Los leo!
🗡 "La carretera era una promesa de paz, pero el destino siempre era el infierno."
🗡 "Intensidad. Él cree que debe vivirse intensamente. Sentado al volante, cierra los ojos y se frota la nuca. No intenta liberarse del dolor. Viene por voluntad propia, y lo abandonará por sí solo cuando llegue el momento."
🗡 " No era arcilla en manos de otros, era roca, y con sus manos decididas esculpiría a la persona que deseaba ser."
🗡 "No había explicaciones para la maldad humana. Solo excusas."
📚 https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
Hace tiempo vimos una película de trama muy similar a esta novela del director Alexandre Aja con el nombre de "Alta tensión", la cual quiero volver a revisionar para compararlas.
Chyna es una joven con un pasado un tanto complicado. Su amiga Laura es la única que conoce todos esos traumas infantiles, brindándole todo su apoyo.
Va a pasar con ella y sus padres, Sarah y Paul, unos días de vacaciones y descanso de las clases de psicología de la universidad en un paraje rodeado de viñedos; el valle de Napa en California 😍
Todo este ambiente idílico se torna fatal cuando hace acto de presencia un extraño en mitad de la noche.
Donde comienza una cuenta atrás para Chyna por salvar su vida y la de su amiga Laura.
La narración siempre en tercera persona nos dará las sensaciones y pensamientos de cada uno de los protagonistas, Chyna (la víctima) y Vess (el asesino), intercalando capítulos dando relevancia a uno y otro respectivamente.
Para mi no ha sido un libro fácil al describir meticulosamente sensaciones y pensamientos, en ocasiones resultando demasiado repetitivo y redundante. Por eso no le puedo poner más nota, pero tampoco me parece justo darle menos porque tiene partes realmente buenas donde se me puso un nudo en el estómago.
La parte más destacable es la relativa a la turbulenta infancia de Chyna, sin duda, y las partes de más acción.
Al leer este tipo de novelas que tienen ya sus buenos años (más de veinte) y en ese entonces no había la tecnología que tenemos al alcance ahora, te das cuenta de lo fácil que sería todo con un móvil al lado 😂 Claro que así la novela no tendría gracia y no crearía esa "tensión" jajajaja.
Un último apunte, su título original me parece mucho más acertado ("Intensity) puesto que hacen referencia en múltiples ocasiones a la capacidad del demente de vivir así, intensamente, de disfrutar de su propio dolor y del ajeno. Y deleitarse con el. De no buscarlo (el suyo propio) sino soportarlo en cuanto viene a el.
**Me han sorprendido algunas erratas como "[...]si la vela correr[...]" en lugar de "veía". Ese fue el error más llamativo entre los múltiples que vi.
O "cueles" en lugar de crueles.
Y una multitud bastante llamativa de laísmos 😣
El mejor título que he leído hasta ahora de Koontz es sin ninguna duda "Fantasmas", que en mi opinión no tiene paja como este, es mucho más directo.
🔷¿Y para ustedes? ¿Cuál es el mejor título de este prolífico escritor? ¡Los leo!
🗡 "La carretera era una promesa de paz, pero el destino siempre era el infierno."
🗡 "Intensidad. Él cree que debe vivirse intensamente. Sentado al volante, cierra los ojos y se frota la nuca. No intenta liberarse del dolor. Viene por voluntad propia, y lo abandonará por sí solo cuando llegue el momento."
🗡 " No era arcilla en manos de otros, era roca, y con sus manos decididas esculpiría a la persona que deseaba ser."
🗡 "No había explicaciones para la maldad humana. Solo excusas."
📚 https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
October 28, 2019
Incredible and intense book. Great heroine, gripping villain, and good narrative.
May 4, 2024
Frightening and suspenseful, yet too long by half!
Chyna Shepherd, a twenty-six year old young lady, is the product of a deeply disturbed and seriously dysfunctional family. Having had to endure violence, rape, child molestation and a bizarre life of crime with an vodka-soaked promiscuous mother, she has found the best road to survival and safety is passivity and invisibility. When Edgler Foreman Vess, a sociopathic serial killer, invades the home of Chyna's dearest and only friend, Laura Templeton, and brutally slaughters the entire family, this deeply nurtured ability to hide out of sight and out of mind saves Chyna's life. The killer is not aware that there is a guest in the home that night. Laura, savagely raped and near death, is scooped up by the killer and taken to his motor home to be "enjoyed" and mutilated later in the evening. As Chyna cautiously follows hoping to rescue her captive friend, she inadvertently discovers that the killer has also kidnapped a young, innocent sixteen year old girl and is holding her captive "waiting for her to ripen, get just a little sweeter". Now driven by the possibility of elevating her life to a meaning beyond passivity and mere survival, hoping to draw some meaning from the death of her friend, Laura, who has succumbed to her injuries, Chyna resolves to rescue Ariel or die in the attempt.
I have to hand it to Koontz. The writing in INTENSITY is ... well, intense! In any given chapter taken out of the context of the whole, the tension is electric and the dramatic cliff hangers are to die for! But the fact is, that as a whole, the darn book is just too long. There are absolutely no plot twists and the only surprise is the real identity of the killer! I mean, let's face it, we all KNOW that Chyna's going to survive! The only catch is how many tight spots she's going to worm her way of and how many times the killer is going to come within an ace of finishing up his intended night's work of blood and gore! (Does anyone remember the movie WAIT UNTIL DARK - remember that scene that made you jump out of your skin when the killer leaped across the room after we thought all was well??) The dramatic effect of Koontz's admittedly brilliant, psychological suspense is watered down by the mere length of the book. I actually found myself thinking it had become slightly tedious at times.
Certainly this is a novel that will be enjoyed by die-hard fans but I don't think it's the kind of novel that would prompt me into running out to the bookstore to pick up something else by Koontz. Chyna and Vess, the only two real characters in the novel, are well described and exceptionally well-developed. Like Ted Bundy and Paul Bernardo, perhaps the most frightening thing about Vess, which Koontz portrayed magnificently is the oftentimes stunning banality of these multiple murderers and their uncanny ability to blend in to their milieu and appear entirely normal.
In summary, INTENSITY was briefly entertaining but, in response to those who have suggested that it deserves a place of the list of the ten best thrillers of all-time, I can only say that I disagree.
Paul Weiss
Chyna Shepherd, a twenty-six year old young lady, is the product of a deeply disturbed and seriously dysfunctional family. Having had to endure violence, rape, child molestation and a bizarre life of crime with an vodka-soaked promiscuous mother, she has found the best road to survival and safety is passivity and invisibility. When Edgler Foreman Vess, a sociopathic serial killer, invades the home of Chyna's dearest and only friend, Laura Templeton, and brutally slaughters the entire family, this deeply nurtured ability to hide out of sight and out of mind saves Chyna's life. The killer is not aware that there is a guest in the home that night. Laura, savagely raped and near death, is scooped up by the killer and taken to his motor home to be "enjoyed" and mutilated later in the evening. As Chyna cautiously follows hoping to rescue her captive friend, she inadvertently discovers that the killer has also kidnapped a young, innocent sixteen year old girl and is holding her captive "waiting for her to ripen, get just a little sweeter". Now driven by the possibility of elevating her life to a meaning beyond passivity and mere survival, hoping to draw some meaning from the death of her friend, Laura, who has succumbed to her injuries, Chyna resolves to rescue Ariel or die in the attempt.
I have to hand it to Koontz. The writing in INTENSITY is ... well, intense! In any given chapter taken out of the context of the whole, the tension is electric and the dramatic cliff hangers are to die for! But the fact is, that as a whole, the darn book is just too long. There are absolutely no plot twists and the only surprise is the real identity of the killer! I mean, let's face it, we all KNOW that Chyna's going to survive! The only catch is how many tight spots she's going to worm her way of and how many times the killer is going to come within an ace of finishing up his intended night's work of blood and gore! (Does anyone remember the movie WAIT UNTIL DARK - remember that scene that made you jump out of your skin when the killer leaped across the room after we thought all was well??) The dramatic effect of Koontz's admittedly brilliant, psychological suspense is watered down by the mere length of the book. I actually found myself thinking it had become slightly tedious at times.
Certainly this is a novel that will be enjoyed by die-hard fans but I don't think it's the kind of novel that would prompt me into running out to the bookstore to pick up something else by Koontz. Chyna and Vess, the only two real characters in the novel, are well described and exceptionally well-developed. Like Ted Bundy and Paul Bernardo, perhaps the most frightening thing about Vess, which Koontz portrayed magnificently is the oftentimes stunning banality of these multiple murderers and their uncanny ability to blend in to their milieu and appear entirely normal.
In summary, INTENSITY was briefly entertaining but, in response to those who have suggested that it deserves a place of the list of the ten best thrillers of all-time, I can only say that I disagree.
Paul Weiss
December 31, 2022
In my youth I found Koontz novels much more thrilling than another famous author at the time. Then I moved on from the genre. Recently, while reading a true crime account of a lesser known but very active serial murderer, Intensity was mentioned as one of the books read by both the villain and one of the investigators. With no memory of reading it, curiosity got the better of me. This book is dark and captures the joy a human may take from the suffering of others. It also manages to shine a light on resilience. No matter the circumstance or history.
March 26, 2010
"Intensity" lives up to its name. Intense from the first page to the last, well written and masterfully suspenseful, it's one of the best books by Dean Koontz.
""God fears me."
""God fears me."
March 9, 2021
This is Dean Koontz at his best! I was still high school when I read this book. It made me scared. It was a page-turner too; therefore, I could not put it down even if I was having goosebumps.
Though the writing style was descriptive. One chapter was written in past tenses while the next was in present.
Though the writing style was descriptive. One chapter was written in past tenses while the next was in present.
March 14, 2023
Koontz certainly accomplished what he set out to do with this novel that was published in 1995, but it was never one of my favorites of his work. It's definitely an intense story, in which a young woman attempts to escape and get revenge from a crazed killer. The action is non-stop, but described in too much detail, and I never identified with any of the characters. The plot moves forward from conflict to confrontation with unrelenting intensity, but it's an altogether an unpleasant story. It was published with orange and yellow zigzag lines instead of an illustration on the cover, which I thought was an odd choice.
March 19, 2008
I decided that I would write a little about the books that I finish for now on. This was a very scary story! I have to say that it actually scared me sometimes and that is pretty hard to do. "Intensity" is a very appropriate title for this book, I couldn't stay away from it. Definately a plesant surprise after reading Dean Koontz's "Life Expectancy". This book never let up on it's suspense from beginning to end. If anyone is looking for a good horror, "Intensity" fits the bill. Be warned though, this book has a lot of adult stuff and has a lot of situations that are difficult to swallow as the story is centered around the actions of a sociopath and depicts instances of severe child abuse. However, I gave it five stars becuase I couldn't put it down, it kept me guessing, and it was actually scary and not cheesy like many horror novels.
November 30, 2007
This book is well written, I'm sure. From the moment I started reading it I felt sick to my stomach from the overly detailed homicidal and torturous events, but also I could not stop reading it because the author held a small hope of the heroine doing some lasting good by helping the 16-year-old girl who was locked in this crazy bastard's basement. And of course getting herself out of this situation in which the reader found her.
I am glad I finished it. But I'm not going to hurry to read another Koontz book. He even dedicated this gorefest of a novel to his mother!
I am glad I finished it. But I'm not going to hurry to read another Koontz book. He even dedicated this gorefest of a novel to his mother!
June 3, 2017
Re reading for September 2015 with Koontzland group. As with many Koontz novels, I enjoyed this one more the second time around. First of all I liked Koontz' descriptions, vivid but not too long. His use of simile and metaphor enhanced the reading for me. I won't go into the plot because many other reviewers have done that. As for characterization, Chyna is one of Koontz' strongest female characters. She fought for herself as a young girl and continues to fight the obstacles in her path. Chyna is as intense in her determination to free herself and another as Edgler Vess is in his attempt to spread destruction. For Edgler (love the use of the "d" in his name as he points out that he is on the "edge") what matters is sensation. He has synesthesia (described in the book) the ability to observe with more than one sense. ex - taste colors) He is about the sensation of whatever he does. The feel, the taste, the smell, the sound of whatever he does including his murders. All of life for him is about sensation. Chyna pushes herself physically and in doing so builds an interior strength that keeps her going. She is about living and living UNHARMED. There are really just the two characters, Chyna and Vess and it is a battle Koontz often explores in his novels ... between good and evil.
Update June 2017
This was a re-read for me this time and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. Koontz has a way of describing the dark side of human nature that you know even though this is fiction, human depravity is out there and there will always be those who find inner strength to fight it in one way or another. A lot of Chyna's victory in this novel is finding that inner strength as she struggles with herself.
Update June 2017
This was a re-read for me this time and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. Koontz has a way of describing the dark side of human nature that you know even though this is fiction, human depravity is out there and there will always be those who find inner strength to fight it in one way or another. A lot of Chyna's victory in this novel is finding that inner strength as she struggles with herself.
March 9, 2018
ডিন কুন্টজ আমার 'অপছন্দের' লেখকদের একজন। দুই-চারটা বই পড়ে শুধু বিরক্তির পাল্লা ভারি হয়েছে আগে, তাই নতুন কোন বই হাতে নেয়ার আগে খুব যাচাই বাছাই করে সিনোপসিস/রিভিউ দেখে নেই। ইন্টেনসিটির প্লট সামারি পছন্দ হয়েছিল বেশ।
বইয়ের শুরুতে গতানুগতিক সাইকোপ্যাথ, সিরিয়াল কিলিং ধাচের মনে হতে পারে। তবে কিছুদূর এগোনোর পরেই বুঝতে পারবেন প্রচলিত ধারার সাথে এই বইয়ের ভিন্নতা কোথায়। পুরো বই জুড়ে কেমন যেন গা ছমছমে হরর ফ্লেভার বজায় রয়েছে। খুনী এডলার ফোরম্যান ভেস নিজেকে "হোমিসাইডাল এডভেঞ্চারার" হিসেবে ভাবতে স্বাচ্ছন্দ্যবোধ করে। তার এসব খুনের পেছনে কারণ একটাই - নিছক আনন্দ লাভ। নিজের নামের অক্ষরগুলোকে অদলবদল করে বিভিন্ন শব্দ বানাতে পাছন্দ করে সে - গড,ডেমন, সেভ,রেজ অ্যাঙ্গার!
ওদিকে বইয়ের মূল চরিত্র চায়না শেফার্ডের রয়েছে এক অন্ধকারাচ্ছন্ন অতীত। শৈশবের দুঃসহ স্মৃতি সবসময় তাড়া করে ফেরে ওকে। নাপা ভ্যালিতে বান্ধবীর ফার্মহাউজে ছুটি কাটাতে এসে ভয়াবহ এক সাইকোপ্যাথের খপ্পরে পড়ে যায় চায়না। নিজেকে বাঁচানোর পরিকল্পনা করতে গিয়ে জানতে পারে, আরেক কিশোরীকে অন্য কোথাও আটকে রেখেছে এডলার। একসাথে দু'টো জীবনকে রক্ষা করার দায়িত্ববোধ কাঁধে চাপে নিজের অজান্তেই। হাতে সময় মাত্র চব্বিশ ঘন্টা! কিভাবে উদ্ধার পাবে তারা?
"ইন্টেনসিটি" কিন্তু নামের সাথে মিল রেখে সত্যিকার অর্থেই ইন্টেনসিভ। মূলক আর খলচরিত্র - দু'জনেরই দুঃসহ অতীতের অবতারণা করেছেন লেখক। চরিত্রগুলোর সাথে মিশে যাওয়া যায় সহজেই। পরিসমাপ্তি কিছুটা অনুমেয় হলেও শেষের দিকে চমৎকার কিছু টূইস্ট রয়েছে। আমি মনে করি, ভৌতিক অথবা অলৌকিক প্লটের কোন হরর বইয়ের চেয়ে "সাইকোলজিকাল হরর" অনেক বেশী উত্তেজক। আর তাই, গা শিউরানো বর্ণনা সমৃদ্ধ এই বইটি এক নিশ্বাসে শেষ করতে পাঠক বাধ্য হবেই!
বইয়ের শুরুতে গতানুগতিক সাইকোপ্যাথ, সিরিয়াল কিলিং ধাচের মনে হতে পারে। তবে কিছুদূর এগোনোর পরেই বুঝতে পারবেন প্রচলিত ধারার সাথে এই বইয়ের ভিন্নতা কোথায়। পুরো বই জুড়ে কেমন যেন গা ছমছমে হরর ফ্লেভার বজায় রয়েছে। খুনী এডলার ফোরম্যান ভেস নিজেকে "হোমিসাইডাল এডভেঞ্চারার" হিসেবে ভাবতে স্বাচ্ছন্দ্যবোধ করে। তার এসব খুনের পেছনে কারণ একটাই - নিছক আনন্দ লাভ। নিজের নামের অক্ষরগুলোকে অদলবদল করে বিভিন্ন শব্দ বানাতে পাছন্দ করে সে - গড,ডেমন, সেভ,রেজ অ্যাঙ্গার!
ওদিকে বইয়ের মূল চরিত্র চায়না শেফার্ডের রয়েছে এক অন্ধকারাচ্ছন্ন অতীত। শৈশবের দুঃসহ স্মৃতি সবসময় তাড়া করে ফেরে ওকে। নাপা ভ্যালিতে বান্ধবীর ফার্মহাউজে ছুটি কাটাতে এসে ভয়াবহ এক সাইকোপ্যাথের খপ্পরে পড়ে যায় চায়না। নিজেকে বাঁচানোর পরিকল্পনা করতে গিয়ে জানতে পারে, আরেক কিশোরীকে অন্য কোথাও আটকে রেখেছে এডলার। একসাথে দু'টো জীবনকে রক্ষা করার দায়িত্ববোধ কাঁধে চাপে নিজের অজান্তেই। হাতে সময় মাত্র চব্বিশ ঘন্টা! কিভাবে উদ্ধার পাবে তারা?
"ইন্টেনসিটি" কিন্তু নামের সাথে মিল রেখে সত্যিকার অর্থেই ইন্টেনসিভ। মূলক আর খলচরিত্র - দু'জনেরই দুঃসহ অতীতের অবতারণা করেছেন লেখক। চরিত্রগুলোর সাথে মিশে যাওয়া যায় সহজেই। পরিসমাপ্তি কিছুটা অনুমেয় হলেও শেষের দিকে চমৎকার কিছু টূইস্ট রয়েছে। আমি মনে করি, ভৌতিক অথবা অলৌকিক প্লটের কোন হরর বইয়ের চেয়ে "সাইকোলজিকাল হরর" অনেক বেশী উত্তেজক। আর তাই, গা শিউরানো বর্ণনা সমৃদ্ধ এই বইটি এক নিশ্বাসে শেষ করতে পাঠক বাধ্য হবেই!
February 12, 2008
This is thriller suspense at its best. Dean Koontz knocked my socks off with this one, and as soon as I started reading, I could not get through it fast enough. Pages burned and I might have had to stomp my book out a few times.
In a way, this is not entirely typical for Dean Koontz. Don't expect anything supernatural or overly bizarre. It's about a killer and a survivor.
The title holds true to its pace. This book does not slow down once it kicks into high gear. It'll freak you out, and there's some great twists along the way. One of Koontz's best!
In a way, this is not entirely typical for Dean Koontz. Don't expect anything supernatural or overly bizarre. It's about a killer and a survivor.
The title holds true to its pace. This book does not slow down once it kicks into high gear. It'll freak you out, and there's some great twists along the way. One of Koontz's best!
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