I have just finished skimming a few of the other reviews for this novel by others who have read it. No offence to those who enjoyed this pathetic novel, but Dean Koontz is by far the worst horror novelist I have read in a very long time. In fact, he is so bad that I think his work should be removed from the shelf. Take this novel for example: Tick Tock.  
 
The beginning of the novel starts off well. He develops an intriguing character. Manages to pull off some plausible dialogue. Develops somewhat of a plot, I suppose, if you can even call it that.  
 
If after reading this much of my opinion piece, you still want to read the novel, here is the plot. The main character is Tommy Phan. He is a Vietnamese-American, but seems to have lost adhesiveness towards his native origin. His mother, on the other hand, is completely reverent to Vietnamese culture and customs.  
 
So here is where the plot "thickens". Tommy goes home to find an absurd little minikin on his front doorsteps. Soon after he brings the thing in, it turns into a creature of some sort, slowly getting bigger, and more repulsive in appearance.  
 
Eventually, he flees, and bumps into a blonde waitress, Del Payne, who had served him earlier. The minikin, which has now transformed into a monster with tentacles (sounds like something that came out of a cartoon..."oooh scary") begins chasing them all over town.  
 
Meanwhile, we get to know Del. We find out that she is rich beyond anything Tommy can even being to fathom. She starts blowing up her boat throughout the chase, and totalling her cars, while being indifferent each time to the messes. And I'm sitting here the whole time wondering "What on earth is going on? Why am I reading this crap?"  
And did I mention that the whole story takes place within the frame of ONE NIGHT! Dean Koontz must be the master...the master of overwriting. It takes him forever to get through just one scene in the book, as if he's describing every unimportant minute. Only one word for Koontz: BORING!!!  
 
That's not the end either. He writes about 300 pages before about the final 30 or so, where he introduces a new character...a new character who is behind all of this chaos. HELLO DEAN?? Couldn't you find a more suitable ending? The author did not prepare the readers for this whatsoever, and it's as if he didn't know how to end it, and so he just stuck in whatever. Then Del and Tommy run off and get married, after only having known each other for a few hours.  
 
So there you have it folks. I just told you the whole story in a few paragraphs, and now you don't have to read it. Believe me, I just did you a favor by saving you time.  
