I am hoping to have a few nice relaxing days on the beach in a few weeks to catch up on my reading and I realized its been ages since I got a new book.

Anyone here read Dean Koontz? He is very hit or miss with me. I love a lot of his older books like Watchers, Strangers, Lightning ect…but a lot of his newer stuff I can't even tolerate through the first few chapters.

However I just started Odd Thomas and so far I'm liking it. I guess there are four Odd novels now…anyone read them?

What else would make some good vacation reading?

I liked Dean Koontz when I read him…but I have to say I don't think that I've read anything from him since Night Sweats, or Nicht Chills….something like that.

He's always a VERY fast read.

I think that you should check out Clive Cussler.  I've read everything he's done except the last few. Just haven't had time.

Look for the Dirk Pitt books…they are very good.  The Kirt Austin ones are a spin off, but they are good too…same read though, just different names.

I liked the Odd Thomas books.

Wally Lamb is good…Dennis Leary's new book is great…

Water For Elephants…great book…

Pillars of the Earth…also very good…and long…perfect for several days on the beach…

I'm taking "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters" by Meg Meeker with me on vacation this year.  It was a gift, but one that I had eventually hoped to read, so I'm glad that I got it.

Most of the stuff I've read recently have been non-fiction, so I probably don't have much to add for you.  I am currently in the middle of The Shack, but haven't had much time to read recently, so it's sitting idle at the moment.

I don't get a summer vacation this year.  Instead I'm reading "Surviving Deployment" by Karen M. Palvlicin. 

Ain't I just a bag o sunshine?  ;)

I agree with Darlene… Water for Elephants is AWESOME.  Really captivating novel.  The Lovely Bones is good, too.  And Mary Roach has done some great books about quirky science stuff.. one called "Stiff", all about cadavers and one called "Boink", all about sex reasearch. Fasciniating reads. 

I usually save one of Dr. Michael Shermer's books for a vacation read.  His writing is so relaxed and personable…it's like sitting down with a friend.

Pillars of the Earth is a fantastic summer read, as Darlene said.

The odd novels by Koontz are cool…... I read them all and the only one that took a little to keep me interested was the very last one…. but the others all were good quick reads…..

Pillars of the Earth was AMAZING….. read it the first time about 10 years ago and have read it about three times since…..

I would also suggest an author by the name of Christopher Moore….. more specifically a couple of his books….. try:
"Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal"

"A Dirty Job" (this one is about a dude that finds out him and his little daughter are grim reapers)

they are hillarious, very irreverent in most cases but hillarious….. those are the two that stick out most although I have read more of his stuff…. also *very* quick reads

Dean Koontz is hit and miss with me. Ever read Intensity by him? It's my fave book by him. If you can get past the first chapter of two of all the damn scenery descriptions, you should be ok.

I *hate* his obsession with scenic details. He always goes overboard.

Stay AWAY from Tick Tock. *shudder* horrible, horrible, horrible. The Odd Thomas books aren't bad.

I'm sure you've read all the Stephen King novels I'd suggest…

I'll let the other avid readers point you in other directions. lol

Intensity was a good book. 

Dean Koontz? Who's this Dean Koontz you speak of? Just kidding.

Years ago I bought a lot of his older books at a used book store. If I remember correctly, that was back when CKel was living out here. I just recently re-read "Demon Seed", "Twilight Eyes", "The Face of Fear", "The Funhouse", "The House of Thunder", and "Phantoms". Right now I'm working on "The Bad Place" (which I know I've not previously read). Or, at least, I *was* working on it (haven't picked it up in nearly two weeks). It's very frickin' weird. I haven't read too much of his newer stuff; just whatever the boy has acquired over the years (Koontz is apparently his fave author). One that I (and the boy) really liked was "From the Corner of His Eye" (or, whichever is the one about 'folding'). Don't bother picking up "Icebound" -- a MAJOR letdown (very much not his style, AT ALL). I've heard nothing but praise for the Odd series.

And, C-ph, "Night Chills" is from '76 -- get caught up, would ya!

Night Chills is that old?  Wow.  I read it in high school and thought that it was new then.  Probably my favorite Koontz novel, but I haven't read anything by him in years.

Some good recommendations here. I am headed to the book store this afternoon so I am going to pick a few up as well as the rest of the Odd novels. I finished the first one a few days ago and it was one of the best things written by Koontz in many years. I go through periods of time where I just have no time to read but when I have the time I can usually consume a book in a day or so.

We'll see what I come back with and hopefully I can save them till vacation or I'll have to reload.

By the way, if anyone likes the creepy serial killer books like Thomas Harris' Hannibal stuff check out Birdman from Mo Hayder. Very twisted.

funny, jen. i was going to recommend "boink" for sean! ;)

TJ, Christopher Moore was a great recommendation. The first book I ran across was Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story. I'm almost done and I'm laughting my ass off. I'm definitely going to pick up a few more because he's great.

Last week I read Forever Odd, Brother Odd, and Odd hours so I guess they won't be coming on vacation with me. Still think its some of Koontz's best stuff but I'm not liking the way he left Odd Hours in a to-be-continued kind of way. I liked each book being a seperate story unto itself but thats just me.

Back to the bookstore tomorrow and I'll try to pick up some more you guys have recommended. Hopefully I can stay away from them till vacation. I'm not sure why I've had so much time to read lately.

HAHA, isn't it great? I *heart* it. I am very happy you enjoyed…..

I would suggest following Blood Sucking Fiends up with "You Suck".... it's a continuation of the previous….

The cool thing is, a lot of the characters from those two books are in the "Dirty Job" (the girl vamp, the goth teenagers etc) and the resale shop owner that one of the Goth girls works for is the main dude…..