Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Koontz ( The Bad Place ) leads us a nice chase for about two-thirds of his latest thriller, after which he sinks into soap opera. Responding to an inexplicable compulsion, ex-schoolteacher Jim Ironheart flies from Southern California to Portland, Ore., where he averts, at the last minute, the accidental death of a schoolboy. Local reporter Holly Thorne, taken with Jim's piercing gaze, sets up a computer search for data on similar rescues. She finds a dozen such cases across the U.S.; every news item mentions a mysterious ``Jim'' with penetrating eyes. As she follows the story of a lifetime, Holly realizes Jim is being guided by some strange Power. Confronting him, she finds he has no idea of the source of the Power. Now in love with Jim, Holly starts sharing his nightmares and abandons the story to help him. Their initially exciting adventures then yield to rather tepid encounters with ``The Friend,'' who may be: an alien on earth for 10,000 years; ``The Enemy'' in disguise; a projection of Jim's hyperkinetic personality; or all of the above. Suspense succumbs to psychobabble, ushering in a predictable ending. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selections; Mystery Guild featured alternate. (Jan.)
Library Journal
Teacher Jim Ironheart, aptly named, is sent by forces unknown to save chosen people in life-threatening situations. By chance, a young but jaded reporter stumbles onto his missions, and joins him to investigate who is controlling him and why. Shared nightmares begin to point to an extraterrestrial influence, and the pair are forced to confront Ironheart's forgotten past for answers. Koontz ( The Bad Place , LJ 12/89), a master at maintaining mystery and suspense, weaves themes from earlier novels into this latest thriller. Even if the ending calls to mind DuMaurier and Hitchcock, Cold Fire contains all the ingredients--likable characters, nail-biting suspense, and above all, unlimited imagination--that will please Koontz's fans. For all popular collections. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club main selection; Mystery Guild featured alternate; previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/90.--Eric W. Johnson, Teikyo Post Univ. Lib., Waterbury, Ct.
From the Publisher
An extraordinary piece of fiction with unforgettable characters. It will be a classic.”—UPI
“Solid, satisfying, hair-raising...Koontz barely lets the reader come up for air between terrors.”—The Washington Post
“Gripping.”—Los Angeles Times
“A unique spellbinding novel with depth, sensitivity, and personality.”—Boston Herald
More Praise for Dean Koontz
“Dean Koontz is a prose stylist whose lyricism heightens malevolence and tension. [He creates] characters of unusual richness and depth.”—The Seattle Times
“Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose....‘Serious’ writers...might do well to examine his technique.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Lyrical writing and compelling characters...Koontz stands alone.”—Associated Press
“In every industry there exist ‘artists’ that are not only unforgettable, but know their craft better than the rest. Dean Koontz...is among these artisans.”—Suspense Magazine
“[Koontz] has always had near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match.”—Los Angeles Times
“Perhaps more than any other author, Koontz writes fiction perfectly suited to the mood of America...novels that acknowledge the reality and tenacity of evil but also the power of good...[and that] entertain vastly as they uplift.”—Publishers Weekly
