Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

Brother Odd is the third book in the Odd Thomas Series. The group is reading the series in preparation for reading the Horror Category Winner Saint Odd later in the year.

Book #1 Discussion - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Book #2 Discussion - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...



Loop me in, odd one.

The words, spoken in the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her. For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love, and Stormy is dead, gone forever from this world. In the haunted halls of the isolated monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an infinitely darker nature.

Through two New York Times bestselling novels Odd Thomas has established himself as one of the most beloved and unique fictional heroes of our time. Now, wielding all the power and magic of a master storyteller at the pinnacle of his craft, Dean Koontz follows Odd into a singular new world where he hopes to make a fresh beginning—but where he will meet an adversary as old and inexorable as time itself.

St. Bartholomew’s Abbey sits in majestic solitude amid the wild peaks of California’s high Sierra, a haven for children otherwise abandoned, and a sanctuary for those seeking insight. Odd Thomas has come here to learn to live fully again, and among the eccentric monks, their other guests, and the nuns and young students of the attached convent school, he has begun to find his way. The silent spirits of the dead who visited him in his earlier life are mercifully absent, save for the bell-ringing Brother Constantine and Odd’s steady companion, the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

But trouble has a way of finding Odd Thomas, and it slinks back onto his path in the form of the sinister bodachs he has met previously, the black shades who herald death and disaster, and who come late one December night to hover above the abbey’s most precious charges. For Odd is about to face an enemy who eclipses any he has yet encountered, as he embarks on a journey of mystery, wonder, and sheer suspense that surpasses all that has come before.

I started this one early just a couple of days ago because I was going on a road trip and thought I might be able to listen to the whole book. I made it through about 90% and I am looking forward to listening to the end tomorrow.

I do have to say that although I'm enjoying it, this hasn't been my favorite. There are a couple of things that I thought were a bit too far fetched, though I'm in the explanation part now so maybe I'll change my mind on that.

My husband and I have been listening to it together and had some interesting conversation. I'm looking forward to discussing with everyone on here too.

Kristie - Had your husband read the previous two books or was he jumping into this one cold?

He listened to the first one with me and liked it a lot, but I don't think he read the second one.

I just started the audio for this one this morning! So far I really liked the first one, and the second one was just ok... let's see where I fare on this installment.

Looking forward to starting this one very soon :-). I bought my copy a couple of days ago. The first one in the series crushed me! ~ I thought it was soooo good. The second one was average but I really like Odd Thomas so it was like hanging out with a good friend (mind you the hanging out part can be taxing at times, lol).

I'm looking forward to discussing this third one with everyone.

Cathie - I agree, I get that "hanging out with a good friend" feel from the Odd Thomas series. I love his wit and humor. The banter is quite entertaining.

I thought this one was better than book 2, but still kind of dull. I am definitely seeing a formula....Odd discovers something, well, odd, then he slooooowwwwwly follows his spidey sense until the end. Then it always ends with a tease into the next book. Yawn.

These books aren't bad. I just feel like there are so many better written books that combine the thriller with a hint of the mysterious.

I will keep plugging away. For some reason, I am convince that eventually they will get better. Maybe it is because they sound like something that I'd really like.

I have had little hard times with Odd but I'm gonna try this, yet, soon. I think he seriously needs sidekick.. all those endless details even he runs for life.

I like this 3rd in the series better than the 2nd (but I still enjoyed them both). I found this 3rd one to be a really bizarre over the top plot and wasn't thrilled with all the ghosts are doing it scenarios. I liked a lot of the characters and of course I have a really soft spot for Odd.

I'll continue on with book 4 when we read it.

Oh dear, it's got to the end of the month and I still haven't read this :/

I don't know why but I just haven't felt like picking it up.

Lynn wrote: "Oh dear, it's got to the end of the month and I still haven't read this :/

I don't know why but I just haven't felt like picking it up."

I don't know if you have read the first one in the series Lynn but if you haven't I'd suggest you read that one ~ By far the best in the series so far that we have read (imho)

I am so conflicted with this series, there are so many things that I love about them but I do have have a major problem with them too.

I LOVE Odd, he's such a great character. He's quirky and funny but also so sweet and endearing. His interactions with Flossie and Jacob totally melted my heart and all the Brothers and Sisters coming out at the end to say goodbye was touching.
Odd himself, and his interactions with some fabulous supporting characters are what make the series and why I keep coming back.

I do however struggle with the writing. There's a lot of it and so many stories and observations could be removed without losing the essence of the story or the characters.
I find it so frustrating when something important happens in the story, for the author to then have Odd ramble on about something for a few pages before we finally find out what (if anything) has happened. It just makes reading a bit of a slog sometimes when it shouldn't be.

Overall though I enjoyed it, not as much as the first one but I do think more than the second.

Just finally getting to this one! I haven't gone back to read any of the previous posts in order to avoid anything spoiler-ish.

The book definitely has the same feel, the same witty dialogue, etc. as the first two. However, it has a much different type of story so far. The seclusion of the snowy monastery is a little similar to the casino in the second book, but the variety of characters is more like the first book. Also, I believe in the first two we knew who the perpetrators were (or had a basic idea of who they were) up front. In this, we are sharing the mystery with Odd.

Good but, as expected, weird so far!

I'm taking this one slow, it's the only way I can read these books because the frustrate the hell out of me. I read a few chapters and go off and read another book, then come back and read a few more chapters.

Currently on chapter 14 and still don't know what on earth is going on!

Lynn wrote: "I'm taking this one slow, it's the only way I can read these books because the frustrate the hell out of me. I read a few chapters and go off and read another book, then come back and read a few mo..."

This is the thread for book 3. Aren't you reading book 5 now?

ha ha ha ha, I just saw someone had posted in an Odd thread and just assumed .....

I shall go copy and paste into book 5 thread.

Lynn wrote: "ha ha ha ha, I just saw someone had posted in an Odd thread and just assumed .....

I shall go copy and paste into book 5 thread."

Yeah - my behind-ness is causing confusion! Sorry about that!

No worries Matthew, just keep reading ..... you'll get there :)