The Bad Weather Friend

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars | 37,766 ratings

Price: 22.04

Last update: 07-28-2024


Top reviews from the United States

Tammy Moldovan
5.0 out of 5 stars A multi-layered supernatural tale
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024
This story is mix of romance, tragedy, mystery, sci-fi, suspense, and the quintessential Koontz science twist. It is ultimately a story of good versus evil with a social message about income and power inequality but Koontz does such a fantastic job of creating multi-layered characters and storylines that that’s an extreme oversimplification of what this story is. Benny is kind and decent, a nice man who sells high end real estate and has a girlfriend that he plans to ask to marry him. This is true despite a series of horrific childhood events that are revealed using flashbacks as the story progresses. On the day he gets a video message about an inheritance from a heretofore unknown uncle, Benny’s life implodes, he’s fired, his reputation is ruined. and his girlfriend dumps him. He is at a loss for the reason why this has occurred. Then his inheritance arrives in the form of a 7 foot tall protector whose vocation is to protect people too good for this world like Benny. Thus the destiny buddies, Spike and Benny, with the help of a third destiny buddy, waitress/PI in training Harper, set out to put Benny’s life back to rights. The journey is at times surprising, fantastical, funny, creepy, and philosophical but with Benny’s narration it is a journey that you want to go on, cheering for him the entire time. The story includes what you’d expect from this genre - dangerous situations, secret societies, supernatural creatures, evil masterminds, heroes rising to the challenge, tragic back stories, mystical coincidences, synchronicity, and even some chuckles. Another fantastic story from Koontz.
TVWatcher
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this book
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2024
I usually have mixed feelings about books authored by Dean Koontz. He tends to come up with unique, interesting and often scary stories. This one wasn't really horror... It was a little more magical and metaphysical. I also found it pretty humorous and enjoyable to read.
But typical of Dean Koontz, the ending of the book came quick, fast, and in a hurry. His endings often feel very abrupt, like they came out of nowhere to meet a deadline. Such is the case with this book as well.
I would still recommend this book to others as long as you are forewarned and able to accept an abrupt and kind of unfulfilling ending
I would enjoy reading more about the craggle Spike... He was an interesting character and there are so many things I would still enjoy knowing about craggle-kind.
Joseph Duckworth
3.0 out of 5 stars A Koontz Dark Humor That Falls Flat
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
The Bad Weather Friend is one of Dean Koontz’s rare dark humor titles. I think the last one I read was Tick Tock many years back but while Koontz draws you into the depths of the sinister ISA from the more serious and recent novels like The House At The End of the World and Elsewhere, the humorous hero Benny feels like an annoying Seymour Krelborn from Little Shop of Horrors that you never can find a reason to root for. Benny is the proverbial nice guy who has a history of his own with the ISA but is happy to put any horrific experience behind him. His string of bad luck turns out to be a more sinister plot to destroy the nice guys of the world but Benny receives an unexpected surprise in the form of a mysterious creature named Spike who is more characteristic of a cartoon or Tim Burton character than a supernatural bodyguard. Maybe I had high expectations for this book but it didn’t carry me all the way through as I would have hoped. Sure there are some colorful tropes and kicks at current world things going on but midway through the book I was ready just to have Benny over with. The downers about this book are that the conflict resolution is way too easily addressed so there is no real climax to the story. Then there were noticeable errors like the irrelevant antidotes such as the description of the flag being lowers to “half mast” when it should have been “half-staff” for a school headmaster that mysteriously dies. It just seems like Koontz rushed this book big time. I purchased the audiobook which is excellently read by Ray Chase. He does an excellent job at narration and I would rate him five stars. I really enjoy Dean Koontz books but this is by far my least favorite of my reads. I will plan to donate this book to the library.
Jade488
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, addictive, and fabulous
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024
Story was fantastic. Characters were likable and relatable. Loved how the story played out with the flashbacks and explanations. Plus the humor thrown in was spot on.
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Dean Koontz doesn't disappoint!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024
I found this book quite charming and very engaging. True to Dean Koontz, this book had a supernatural flair that kept me wanting to stay up all hours of the night to see what was going to happen next. I really loved the characters and the little love story thrown in had me rooting for a happy ending. Highly recommended.
Mary Miller
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but not what I was expecting!
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2024
I enjoyed this read but it wasn’t at all what I expected. The tone of the narrator was slightly silly, breaking the 4th wall from time to time. It was creative and entertaining but not scary. (I guess a few of the creature descriptions were disturbing but not really written to be frightening.) There is some language throughout but not excessive or gratuitous. Not sure I’d call it a thriller, really.
Jennifer Berardi
5.0 out of 5 stars My New Favorite Book
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2024
It’s no surprise that this book is a great read, considering it’s author. But Dean Koontz has truly outdone himself with this fun, entertaining and utterly satisfying kooky manual for good living. First, I want, no need, my own Craggle! To whom should I submit this request? ;) The good and nice characters are so perfectly good and nice, and the bad guys so utterly naughty, that their deaths are sublimely gratifying. I love the dialogue between the three boys, especially the word choices of Mengistu and his long speeches for things that can be conveyed in a single sentence. The scene in Handy’s kitchen before he and his guest realize they have an audience is written with such comic detail I found myself reading over it several times to enjoy the laughs again. Spike’s takes on life and the state of things in general are my favorite parts of this book. To sum it up, this book takes a dark subject and approaches it in a lighthearted and comedic manner with great characters carrying the story over the finish line, and I can’t wait to read it again!

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