By: Dean Koontz

Brief Summary: A killer seeks out a girl. There really wasn't much else of a story.

Intensity is the first Dean Koontz book I have reviewed. As it turns out, I have decided on reviewing more to come. However, this novel was different from what I expected. Why? Because it did not have nearly as much dialog as a standard book, yet the reading was surprisingly smooth and rapid.

There were basically three characters in this story--not including the antagonist. One of them did not even talk until the last page. The other two had but a few confrontations, and that was it. However, being a person who thrives on dialog, and this book being full of internal thought, it was still an enjoyable read. That is saying something in itself right there. Dean Koontz is a very good narrator.

The story begins with a girl named Chyna Shepard driving in a car with her friend Laura Templeton. Laura keeps bragging about what a great family she has and how she is looking forward to having Chyna meeting them. Well they arrive at her home in the evening and they meet. Everything seems just great. After dinner, Laura and Chyna take a walk and they affirm their terrific friendship together.

That is when night time falls. Chyna wakes up hearing some noises. She soon realizes someone has broken into the house. She walks around and finds out that Laura's parents are dead, and they are found in a bloody condition.  She soon fines Laura who is injured severely.  Eventually she dies, too. Chyna has to sneak out of the house, while barely avoiding the killer, and decides to hide inside a motor home parked out in front. One problem: that is the Killers motor home. End Chapter one.

That was a heavy introductory chapter. Chyna eventually has a chance to escape, and she does. However, she is forced to return to the killers house after she learns he has a sixteen year old girl in his basement that he is about to rape, then kill, then mutilate. So she has rescue the girl - there is no other options in her mind. The ending won't be spoiled.

There are some sequences in this story that seem to never end. For example: There is the sequence when Vess catches Chyna and ties her to a chair. He then goes off to work for a few hours. Koontz then writes about a 70 page sequence of Chyna breaking free.  Redundant enough?

What about the characters? Chyna is somewhat developed--after all, the majority of the story takes place in her thoughts.  However, there really is nothing special about her that makes you feel attached or close to her. The killer, Edgler Vess is the same. He is just too evil to be realistic.  And I know there are lots of bad people in this world, but, seriously, anyone who gets an erection from gun smoke has to be a fictional character. Yes, that is true! And there are so many of these type of examples.  Despite these things, Kootnz tries to also make it appear that Vess is also a normal citizen at the same time.  I just believe the character of Vess is a bit too unbelievable. But hey, at times, he makes for a great read...

As far as the book being intense: Many people were saying this book is extremely scary. My opinion? While it does have some nail-biting scenes--for a novel I suppose--it is only paper and ink.  It just was not that intense for me.  To its credit, however, if you have a vivid imagination, this story can be fairly unnerving.

Yes, I have pointed out the negative, but the good does outweigh the bad in Intensity--and the next Koontz novel that I read will be greatly anticipated.