"Midnight", both the beginning of evil and the end of despair. This paradox is one common to all Koontz' books, and as cliched as it may be, it is comforting to close the book believing, as Koontz does, that there is hope for the triumph of goodness and that love will conquer all in the end. The plot seems to foreshadow the fears that other writers have taken up, that the creation of nano bots will be or may be something that will destroy their creator (Think for example of the TV series "Revolution") but not before creating actual physical changes in man, that will cause him to lose his "humanness" and become capable of terrifying things. The inclusion of "disabled"and unlikely "hero" and wonderful, intelligent dog/ companion adds to the appeal, as well as being something of a recurring leitmotif,in other novels.The plot, therefore, is no longer original, but it moves fast, and is an easy read, with characters who are both believable and in turn either scary (the bad guys) and likable (the hero and heroines). This is recommended to those who like their horror served up with a healthy dose of heart!