Product Description

The new thriller from Dean Koontz is a novel of stunning suspense and visceral terror as doomsday dawns.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16335 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-03
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

The Times
'Dean Koontz is not just a master of our darkest dreams, but also a literary juggler'

Synopsis
The new thriller from Dean Koontz is a novel of stunning suspense and visceral terror as doomsday dawns. On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Niel Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain. It has haunted their dreams through the night, and now they find an eerily luminous and silver downpour that drenches their small Californian mountain town. As hours pass they hear news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. An obscuring fog turns once familiar streets into a ghostly labyrinth. By evening, the town has lost all communication with the outside world. First TV and radio go dead, then the Internet and phone lines. The young couple gathers together with some neighbours, sensing a threat they cannot identify or even imagine. The night brings strange noises, and mysterious lights drift among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn but a moody grey-purple twilight prevails. Within the misty gloom the small band will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to the world -- something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency.

Epic in scope, searingly intimate and immediate in its perspective, The Taking is a story of a strangely changed and changing world as apocalypse comes to Main Street.

From the Publisher
On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Niel Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain. It has haunted their dreams through the night, and now they find an eerily luminous and silver downpour that drenches their small Californian mountain town. As hours pass they hear news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. An obscuring fog turns once familiar streets into a ghostly labyrinth. By evening, the town has lost all communication with the outside world. First TV and radio go dead, then the Internet and phone lines. The young couple gathers together with some neighbours, sensing a threat they cannot identify or even imagine. The night brings strange noises, and mysterious lights drift among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn but a moody grey-purple twilight prevails. Within the misty gloom the small band will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to the world - something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency. Epic in scope, searingly intimate and immediate in its perspective, The Taking is a story of a strangely changed and changing world as apocalypse comes to Main Street.

Customer Reviews

loved this book
I have never read any of Dean Koontz's books before, but after reading `the taking' I'm eager to read some more of his books. The story begins when Molly who is a writer cannot sleep and gets up to work on her book, it's raining outside but there is something different about the storm that's approaching. The rain smells strange and animals begin to act oddly, gradually it becomes clear that something terrible is starting, maybe an invasion from another planet. I could not put the book down, I especially liked the relationship molly builds with the dog who helps her to save children from their homes as a strange fungus begins to grow everywhere and insect like creatures burrow in the walls and cellars of the abandoned homes. I also liked the way the story goes back to Molly's past a little and tells the story of her father and what he did to the children at her school and how she saved them, eventually leading her to the same role during the `invasion'. The story pulls you in completely and you cant wait to find out what is happening and if it's the end of the world. You eventually find out what has happened (I won't spoil it) and although I may have preferred a different ending I really loved the story overall. It would make an excellent film!

The creator of ominous unease....
After reading many bad reviews about this one I wasnt sure what to expect. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely put this up there as one of my favorite Koontz novels and possibly the best sci-fi ive ever read. I found this book haunting and the imagery is so intensely terrifying I was often left with a faint sense of uneasiness after reading, similar to the haze after waking from an intense nightmare. Im an avid Sci-Fi fan and in my opinion this is the group the book will appeal to the most. Some say it looses pace but I was glued from start to finish. It does end rather abruptly, I will concede that point, but still well worth the read. As for the plot ending, I personally wasn't disappointed. I found the religious overtone an interesting way to go and from the standpoint of the main character not a far fetched conclusion. I certainly dont think it was a feeble attempt at preaching by Koontz, just food for thought. To sum up, this book is a glorious fusion of fast paced horror, terrifying visuals, psychological torment and a DavidIcke-esque finale. Fab...

Great book with a poor ending
I read this book about a year ago and I remember the scary vivid mental pictures that the book depicts. It has an amazing beggining and as we follow along the main characters we are as surprised as they are on every development.

The book is well written and an easy and entertaining read, unfortunately the ending even tough pretty, doesn't live up to the rest of the book.
Nevertheless, if you like Koontz and/or supernatural horror genre, than you will appreciate "The taking".