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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780425214596
ISBN number: 0425214591
Label: Berkley
Manufacturer: Berkley
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 384
Printing Date: February 06, 2007
Publishing house: Berkley
Sale Popularity Level: 258011
Studio: Berkley
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Product Description:
A blizzard brings a city to a standstill-and ushers in an evil that defies imagination.
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Rated by buyers 
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There are times when I find that I need to change my reading habits a little. Usually in those instances, I turn to a genre that I haven't read in a while. This time, I was in need of some horror. A recent review of Darkfall, by Dean Koontz, by Thomas Duff "Duffbert," was all I needed to pick this book up.
Jack Dawson is a recent widower with two children, Penny and Davey and a New York detective. He and his partner, Rebecca Chandler, are called to another grisly murder scene. The body count is up to four for this particular modus operandi, and it beginning to look like a serial killer. But the murders are . . . strange. What killed these men is a mystery; they seem to have been killed by a small animal that chewed them to death. But there is no flesh missing. And this time, one of the dead men is found in a locked room, adding to their confusion. Dawson has his own ideas on the murders, but Chandler isn't as accepting of his thoughts. Chandler wants something a little more plausible than "voodoo." Dawson, being very open minded, believes that these murders are the work of voodoo. Even though Dawson is receptive of new ideas, his daughter, Penny, is afraid to approach him about the "goblins" in her room. She sees silver-white eyes in the dark and hears metallic scratching in the ventilation ducts in their apartment. And there is definitely something under her bed.
Koontz has written a book that is off the charts in creepiness, hair raising, and "things-that-go-bump-in-the-night" factors. The opening chapters are the most terror inducing chapters I think I have ever read. And Koontz doesn't stop there. He pulls you so completely into the story that this is a very difficult book to put down. Even after certain things have been revealed, Koontz keeps the story moving at a breakneck speed. And while he includes some lulls in the book, for example as he explores the relationship between Dawson and Chandler, an undercurrent of danger is not far away. The writing, where he describes Manhattan, the neighborhoods, and the blizzard, all add dimensions to the story that only serve to improve the story and the terror; for the characters and the reader. Hard as it may be to believe, this is the very first Koontz book I have read, and if his other, early novels, are as good as this one, I have a lot of reading to do.
Highly recommended. But with all the lights on.
Rated by buyers -
I've been keeping a reading log since the mid-90's so I can figure out if I've read all the works of a particular author before spending time with the "this looks vaguely familiar" syndrome. Darkfall by Dean Koontz is one of his earlier works written originally under the pen name of Owen West. It came available at our library, and I didn't see it on my log. But, given the original date of the novel, it *was* before I started keeping track. Fortunately for me, I think this was truly one of his that I missed, and it was enjoyable getting back to the "old" Koontz style of supernatural horror thriller.
Jack Dawson, a New York cop, arrives at a crime scene with his partner Rebecca Chandler to find a dead crime boss inside a locked room. The body shows horrible signs of mutilation, and it's a mystery as to how someone could have gotten into the room to commit the murder. But that body is only the very first of a number that start showing up... all linked to an organized crime family, and all graphically disfigured. Dawson has a lead that could point to the practice of voodoo, but Chandler wants to pin the killings on something more rational and believable. Meanwhile, Dawson's daughter is starting to get visited by rat-like creatures that have her spooked. She doesn't want to tell anyone, as she's afraid that no one would believe her. But these creatures are very real, and their growing presence and menace in the lives of the Dawson family could put them at the same risk as the quickly disappearing mobsters...
I forgot how much I enjoyed Koontz's original style of writing when he was still using pen names. The evil/supernatural element was much more graphic than his current fare, and I was always reluctant to recommend his books to someone unless I knew they liked books on the far end of that genre. Dawson's history as a single parent along with his developing interest in Chandler as more than just a coworker mesh nicely, and the war between good and evil draws you in and doesn't let go. The daughter seemed to be a bit too mature and wise for her years, but it worked for me given the storyline.
If you run across this book thinking it's going to be like Koontz's current bestseller work, you'll be rather shocked. Koontz has mellowed a lot since his early days. But if you somehow missed this one and enjoy his earlier work, then by all means clear out some time on your schedule and dive in.
Rated by buyers 
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As a Dean Koontz fan, I've recently decided to go back and re-read many of his novels that I last enjoyed during the Reagan administration. I barely remembered "Darkfall" with only the opening scenes taking place in the bedroom standing out, and I really looked forward to cracking this one open again.
Koontz presents a pretty cool little supernatural detective tale in "Darkfall", chock full of nightmarish creatures, and one big old lulu of a chase scene which takes up half the novel. I really wanted more details on the villain, Baba Levelle, and while we are given a decent character sketch of the Voodoo priest, it lacks the depth of what I've come to expect from Koontz. The hero, Lt. Jack Dawson, makes some real boneheaded moves in the novel, and his partner does little to endear herself to the readers either. The true heroine of the novel is Dawson's daughter Penny. The chapters dedicated to Penny, and how she deals with the unfolding nightmare while trying to protect her little brother. I just wish Koontz had pulled the trigger and featured the Penny character as the main protagonist in this book.
While not Koontz's best work, "Darkfall" is enjoyable and still worth the time for fans of the author, but I wouldn't recommend this novel as the place to start reading Koontz's work.
Rated by buyers -
I found Darkfall to be very enjoyable. If this had been the very first Dean Koontz (DK) book that I had read then I would definitely have given it a 5 star rating but having read most of DK's books, I gave it 4 stars. I reduced the rating knowing that he has written better work but it is still a very good read. The story is non stop action so gets you in quickly. It may be unrealistic but it is never boring. He has the most amazing imagination and style of writing. When I read his books, I can picture all he writes and feel the emotion and tension. It's like having a movie playing in my head. Darkfall didn't let me down at all. I loved the suspense in the chase and the bit of romance.
The authors note was also interesting.
Don't hesitate. Buy the book. You wont be sorry.
Rated by buyers 
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The story of gruesome murders that happen in locked and sealed rooms, a love story in the background, creatures from hell, a pit opens up and a devil emerges from it....yes I loved 'Phantoms' by Dean Koontz. Oh, what's that you say? Darkfall? Yeah I love the way he changed the name of the book from 'phantoms' to 'darkfall'. Then he added some goblins and moved it from California to NYC, it was good. I obviously didn't give this book 3 stars because of it's amazing originality, it was good, but if you've read Phantoms you'll sit there comparing the two as I did and think about not finishing the book, just assuming that the main characters come out of this okay. It was a quick book tho, and if you're bored on a rainy sunday pick it up, you'll be done soon.
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