Review

Books by Dean Koontz have sold over 500 million copies in 38 languages, yet I have not read one of his books in many years. Devoted has been well-received, but I believe reactions to it will be mixed. His novels are ones of suspense, but he frequently (as in this novel) includes elements of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is a great storyteller, but to enjoy Devoted, readers will have to dispense with realism and go with the flow. The principal characters of the book are 1) an 11-year-old autistic boy, a savant who has never spoken, 2) a golden retriever of extraordinary intelligence (he can read) who belongs to the Mysterium, an organization of similarly-gifted dogs, and 3) the CEO of a radical publicly-owned experimentation company, the sole survivor of a mysterious explosion at the company, now on the run, who has been exposed to a dangerous microorganism. If you can get by all of this, you will find Devoted to be an entertaining, and suspenseful read. Woody's mother, Megan, is trying to move on after the death of her husband in a freak accident, which Woody believes was not really an accident. The CEO, Lee Shacker, whose very nature is undergoing radical change, is headed to see the attractive Megan, a girl he dated many years ago, with plans to take her with him, forcefully if necessary, to Costa Rica. This immediate threat to Megan and Woody, the increasing questions about the business activities of the destroyed company, the emergence of Kipp, the intelligent golden retriever (after his elderly owner dies), and the surprising roles of various law enforcement officers in Megan's town, will ultimately be joined as the story unfolds to create high-levels of suspense and a page-turning read containing elements of both violence and heartwarming occurrences. As noted, Dean Koontz can write, and your reaction to this story will depend on your willingness to buy into the inclusion of fantasy.

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