'Watchers'

Somehow this book had slipped through my radar over the years. I think the horrible straight to VHS flicks with Corey Haim and Marc Singer from my days as a wee boy solidified my desire to skip this one on the library shelf. Recently, after falling in love with the 'Odd Thomas' series I ventured out to older Dean Koontz to see if there were any other gems I’d overlooked. I found 'Watchers'.

I’m a dog guy. My best friend is my Gray Ghost, Dexter. I’m a sucker for anything dogs. I’ll switch cellular providers if the Boston Terrier in the commercial is adorable enough. 'Watchers' was like crack. It takes everything I love in a book and wrapped it in Beggin’ Strips. The book may have been a little random at points and there were holes here and there, plus the plot may have been dated and far fetched even for a sci-fi supposedly based in more sci than fi, but I didn’t care.

I’m not going into details on the synopsis or why you should read this. In fact, I don’t know when I’ll start reading another book after finishing this. It has rendered me content. I’m not looking for the next piece of fiction right now. I just want to let this soak in and stew for a while.

If you love dogs, love sci-fi and want a reason to feel something honest, read 'Watchers'. Hell, re-read 'Watchers'.

favorite excerpt:

Nora threw her arms around the retriever and hugged him. ”Don’t you even think such a thing. You’re a part of us. You’re family, damn you, we’re all family, we’re all in this together, and we stick it out together because that’s what families do.” She stopped hugging the dog and took his head in both hands, met him nose to nose, peered deep into his eyes. ”If I woke up some morning and found you’d left us, it’d break my heart.” Tears shimmered in her eyes, a tremor in her voice. ”Do you understand me, fur face? It would break my heart if you went off on your own.”
The dog pulled away from her and began to choose lettered tiles again: I WOULD DIE.
“You would die if you left us?” Travis asked.
The dog chose more letters, waited for them to study the words, then looked solemnly at each of them to be sure they understood what he meant: I WOULD DIE OF LONELY