I have been a fan of Dean Koontz for a very (very) long time now and have generally enjoyed all his books, often reaching for a favourite comfort novel from his works. However, ‘The Bad Weather Friend’ diverges from his typical narrative finesse, presenting a challenge to stay immersed in the story. While the novel's core concept is undeniably compelling: imagine receiving a box with a seven-foot-tall guardian named Spike, who pledges to shield you from harm. This tantalising setup is laden with overwrought language and a sluggish tempo, which unfortunately detracts from the initial idea's excitement.
The novel's central figure is Benjamin ‘Benny’ Catspaw, a 23-year-old real estate agent residing in Orange County. Benny is a beacon of positivity, always seeing the best in people and never understanding the need for anger. Despite the unexpected termination from his job and the abrupt end of his relationship, Benny remains optimistic. He quickly rallies himself to find another job, maintaining his hopefulness even when further difficulties arise. Benny’s life may be going downhill, but his spirit remains unbroken.
Amidst all this upheaval, Benny receives a mysterious video message from someone claiming to be his great-uncle, Colonel Talmadge Clerkenwell. In the message, Talmadge says that he has sent Benny a blessing that will change his life. Not expecting much, Benny is surprised when he receives a large delivery claiming to be books that instead appears to be an oversized casket. Disregarding the delivery, Benny continues his day, hoping things will soon return to normal. However, upon returning home from a walk, he discovers his kitchen in disarray, as though multiple intruders had ransacked it. After carefully searching the rest of his home, the only thing out of place is the casket in his garage. Worried that the police won't take him seriously, Benny contacts his friend Bob, a retired police detective and current private investigator, for help. Bob brings Harper, a young waitress and his current protégé, to assist in the investigation. They soon discover that the casket contains Spike, the titular bad-weather friend.
From here, the story follows the adventures of Benny and his friends as they work to unravel who is behind the attempts to ruin Benny’s life. Interspersed between the chapters detailing the investigation, we get flashbacks to Benny’s childhood, with a particular focus on his time at Briarbush Academy. It Is here that Benny finally makes his first friends, Jurgen Speer and Mengistu Gidada. During his two-month stay at Briarbush, Benny and his friends uncover a conspiracy within the school involving experiments on the students and work together to expose these monstrous acts.
One of my issues with the story lies with Benny’s time at Briarbush Academy. With so much time focused on building up the apprehension around the culmination of events surrounding Briarbush, I expected this time to link to Benny’s current difficulties. But frustratingly, there are no ties or connections between the two timelines. I think it made the whole plotline of what happened at Briarbush redundant, as the events had no impact on Benny’s current difficulties. My other issue with this storyline is the language the boys use, and no, I don’t mean they have potty mouths. Benny, Jurgen and Mengistu are supposed to be 13, 14, and 15 years old, respectively. However, their vocabulary is more sophisticated than any boys their age I have ever met. I understand they are from wealthy families and have had all the advantages money can buy, but I found their conversations unrealistic. For example, here is a snippet from when Mengistu is speaking to Benny and Jurgen:
‘We will be alike to the millions who, in this culture, have trammeled themselves with infinite absurd bureaucracies, regulations, and rules to give their existence meaning after their ancestors declared no need for meaning two and a half centuries earlier. Shall we become termites in a colony, living for no purpose but to devour what little remains of our once glorious civilization, or shall we grow into men of responsibility?’
The language feels unrealistic from the characters, which makes it challenging to connect with them. Moreover, the writing style is excessively pretentious and verbose, which persists throughout the book. Mr Koontz has described everything in great detail, leaving little room for developing characters, world-building, or plot.
In addition to finding the writing style overblown and irritating, I was bothered by how Benny and his friends in the present-day storyline seemed to treat everything so casually. If I received a mysterious crate from an unknown relative containing a seven-foot-tall mountain of a man who called himself a "bad weather friend," I would be alarmed and have some reaction. But the story had no fear, alarm, or distress. Nothing at all. Everyone treated it like any other day, making jokes and acting as if nothing strange had happened.
Finally, although the book is classified as a thriller, suspense, and action novel, I don't think any of these categories are appropriate. The story takes a long time to build up, and when it finally does, it lacks any real tension or moments that would have you concerned for the main characters. The Briarbush Academy and present-day plotlines are resolved with little involvement from Benny, and there never appears to be any real danger to the heroes.
Overall, ‘The Bad Weather Friend’ lacks a cohesive and engaging plot, as the author, Mr Koontz, seems too busy describing every detail exhaustively. For me, it fails to reach the typically suspense-driven plot with rich characters and world-building Mr Koontz is known for. While the book is not unreadable, it is not one I would like to read again, nor is it something that will leave a lasting impression on me.
2.5 out of 5 stars. Rounded up to 3 stars.
Jerry H
V. Jones
Oreo
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