Shadowfires

by Dean Koontz

Book Overview

A marriage ends in tragedy, forcing a woman to confront her husband's shocking secrets in this suspensful thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. Rachael Leben thought she had... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 042522385X
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.9" x 1.1" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Rekindling Ancient Genetic Fires ...

This book is another "once-you-start-you-can't-put-it-down" exhilirating reading experience. Dean Koontz has not yet disapointed. His novels are suspense-filled, imaginative, and totally unpredictable. The reader expects ... the unexpected. This novel is exceptionally brilliant, based on plausible genetic engineering principles which are exaggerated to create the impossible yet the reader is riveted and thrilled with the revelation when "the impossible" gradually becomes possible. This book is entertaining, spine-tingling, and utterly terrifying as the possibilities become ever more real ... The book begins by introducing the reader to Rachael Leben and her husband, Dr. Eric Leben, a former University of California scientist and professor who is a partner in a genetic engineering research firm. This high profile California couple is in the midst of a divorce after seven years of marriage. They seem like an above average couple whose divorce has all the qualities of turning into a nasty public media type circus event. Right after the meeting at Eric's lawyer's office, he hurls accusations at Rachael in an attempt to gain control over the situation as his masculinity and ego were totally crushed, humiliated when Rachael failed to press for everything she is entitled to under California divorce laws. After this highly charged emotional confrontation, Eric dashed across the street and in a freak accident was hit by a garbage truck. It hurled him in the air like a bomb blast and caused severe head injuries, from all indications killing him instantly. The paramedics could not revive him. As if witnessing this event was not enough, the following day, Rachael receives a phone call from the Medical Examiner's office where she learns Eric's body had disappeared. After separating from Eric, Rachael had developed a friendship with Benny Lee Shadway, a highly successful real estate developer who was her sole emotional comfort during this horrible ordeal. He noticed she was paranoid and behaving oddly which he initially attributed to witnessing her husband's accident but as time progressed he was to learn her behavior was based on more than his disappearance and death. Rachael starts carrying a gun with her whenever she goes out, she keeps the curtains of her home closed all the time. She is obviously afraid but can not articulate from what ... Dean Koontz supplies major clues throughout the book to gradually build up the suspense and the plot as the disappearance of Eric becomes connected to factors related to his genetic research. The manner in which Koontz ties together the story, plot and the unusual occurences and events within the book is a mind-boggling but thoroughly satisfying reading experience. As an author Koontz knows just how to reveal more and more personal details about the life and background of each character to create a better understanding of their behavior and viewpoint. Obviously, the reader is free to loath, love, and cheer for s

One of Koontz's greats!

I've been a Dean Koontz fan ever since I wondered what else was out there besides Stephen King and picked up Hideaway at the library. And now, I've just finished number 15, Shadowfires. Since Rose Madder is my all time favorite Stephen King book, you know that I'd have to be intrigued, to say the least, at Shadowfires' summary. Rose Madder is the story of a psychotic murderous husband chasing his wife across the country, whereas Shadowfires is about a nutty, furious husband rising from the grave and hunting his wife down. But I was a little hesitant, seeing as this book is not very highly rated. But then again, Darkfall is rather unpopular among Koontz fans and is one of his best, so maybe this would be the case with Shadowfires, and it was. Rachel Leben has just decided to divorce her wealthy husband Eric. Eric is a genius who works at a company called Geneplan where he's in charge of the Wildcard project, which he hopes will be used to prolong human lifespans. Eric is obsessed with immortality, for reasons which we discover later on in the story. Eric is furious when Rachel decides to leave him, and in a fit of rage, accidently gets himself run down and killed by a garbage truck. Now Rachel is free to live in peace with her boyfriend, Benny Shadway. Or is she? As it turns out, Eric escapes from the morgue. Turns out he's been his own guinea pig for his immortality experiment. Still furious with Rachel, he sets out to track her down and slaughter her and Benny. Unfortunately, the experiment has gone horribly wrong and is transforming him into something unspeakable at a terrifying rate. Now the couple must find and kill Eric before he can do any more damage, while running from men from Geneplan who want to put a bullet in her head to keep her quiet about Wildcard. At first Eric seems like a generic evil villian, but later on, when we learn more about him and his reasons for his evil ways and his obsession with immortality, we feel some sympathy for him, just as we do with villians from books such as Watchers and Whispers. Shadowfires, like Darkfall, is extremely underrated. But don't make the mistake of passing them by. I consider both of them to be among Koontz's best. Some of my favorites include Intensity, Watchers, Hideaway, The Door To December and Whispers. I've yet to finish one that I didn't like, but Lightning, Shattered, and Dark Rivers Of The Heart were on the lower quality end for me, although still great books.

A True Fire From The Start...

"Shadowfires" was another wonderful book in the long line of great Koontz novels, and this one was no different. We have the story of a woman named Rachel, and her husband, Eric Leben. Eric was a doctor in genetics who was fighting with his wife until he is pushed in front of a bus, by her, and killed. Rachel felt that maybe freedom was at last hers, until hours later, Eric is missing from the morgue, and we learn the awful truth of his secret work. I felt that this book had action from the very first few pages, and did not stop until the very last word. I was thrilled with the roller coaster of a ride that Koontz took me on, and i could not put the book down once i started on the journey. Koontz makes great use of location, and our fears of within, to give us this great chiller of the experiments of man to be more than human. A definite gem in the Koontz collection, a must have for any collector, and a great place to start for anyone taking a look at his work for the first time. A Masterpiece. My only wish of this book: It should have been made into a movie. -CW

a fun read

I suppose this book can be overanalyzed and nitpicked till it's reduced to nothing much,but I enjoyed it thoroughly and that's all that matters.There are good guys,who are really good and bad guys,who are totally evil,a lot of genetic-experiment-gone-wrong motive,it's very descriptive and quite graphic at times.Overall,I thought it to be a well paced story with enough thrills to be considered a thriller and enough frights to be concidered a horror novel.It has a realy 80's feel to it,which is hard to describe,but the book was written in that crazy decade of unlimited promises of the future and slightly corny heroes and Shadowfires sorta captures that innocence.If you're a fan of Dean Koontz or just looking for an easy and fun read,this is your book.

I love this book.

Many of my favorite Koontz novels were originally published under the psuedonym LEIGH NICHOLS. There is something so engaging and suspenseful and passionate about those earlier novels that I really think he was in the top of his form back then. SHADOWFIRES stands out as one of his best. Beautiful and intensely-likeable Rachel Leben has finally escaped the neglect and cruelty of her husband, brilliant genetecist Eric Leben. Or at least she thinks she has. But Eric's hate for her (mainly for leaving him which in turn humiliates him) becomes a force of nature. Nothing will stop him from destroying her. Not even death... I've read this book at least twice now and will probably read it again. It's a classic "chase novel" with a creepy blend of science and horror and suspense. Highly recommended.