The Face of Fear - complete

Another book spilled out into the brainpan, as I finished reading The Face of Fear by Dean Koontz. Another pretty solid book, although I havent utterly disliked anything I have read of his. Actually I would recommend From the Corner of His Eye if I had to choose one. He always tends to write about some sort of supernateral abilities (golem creation, the ability to use quantum mechanics for travel, time-stopping / slowing, etc, psychic abilities).

This one was set in NY, as my last post indicated, about a hiker who ended up with special clairvoyant powers after taking a nasty fall on Mount Everest. Its not at all out of the question either, because people have reported that after they hit their head somewhere, they could do thins like never before (art, math, etc). It makes you wonder if we will ever unravel the many complexities that the human brain has to offer. It also gives me pause to think about the person that discovers how the brain will enhance things. Take a person who can now paint with amazing artistic ability... what would someone pay to have the kind of talent? How would the economy work after that point? Would we simply program people how we want them? Hmm. This smells like a possible novel / short story.

But I digress, the story, with this clairvoyant mountain climber who is now deathly afraid of mountain climbing and left with a limp, is set in New York. And I figured the backstory of the mountain climber was set to lay out the story. Boy was I wrong. It intertwines with the overall solutions of the book, but when you are nearing that point its pretty hard to miss whats coming. There are some surprises throughout, but in the same its predictable at some points. There is just enough action and dialogue to keep the pages turning quickly, and this book feels very much unburdened by extensive language.

The most interesting points in the book center around the killer(s) wanting to prove themselves as "superbeings" that Nietzsche and William Blake both illuded to in their writings. I have read a small bit about thsoe items, but it makes me want to further research the thought process. Can we evolve into something that is beyond our current selves? So many thoughts....

Now I have to hit the bookshelf and see whats next...