The Forest of Lost Souls by Dean Koontz

Book Review

Matthew Johns

Dean Koontz is an always reliable author, weaving tales with a mystical theme – often exploring spirituality, and many times with a protagonist who is a loner, an outsider who transcends their petty, human life. I first discovered his work over 30 years ago, and devoured much of his early work hungrily. In recent years, I hadn’t read or seen much by him, so was delighted to be sent one of his newer novels to read and review.

A quick bit of internet research blew my mind – the author is 80 years old and still churning out novels that sell well. He’s written over 100 novels, not to mention novellas and short stories, and has had a number of cinematic adaptations of his work.

This novel is classic Koontz. The heroine, Vida, is an outsider – raised by her late great-uncle in the woods, she feels very connected to nature, especially the wolves that live around her cabin, and has an almost disdain for most of the rest of humanity. To be honest, seeing what’s happening in the world today, you can kind of see her point of view.

Years before, her fiancé died in what appeared to be a tragic accident while trying to convince the locals not to side with the big, bad corporation that wanted to raze the forests and build over them. When Vida is threatened by the corrupt local sheriff, she decides that it is time to take a stand and not allow herself to be pushed around by the locals who are in the pay of the evil corporation. It’s not quite a Rambo-esque rampage, but there are definite similarities – just with a bit more spiritualism. It becomes clear that Vida is intrinsically linked to the land and is exceptionally resourceful. She sets out to stop the corporation and uncover her own links to the land and those who live in harmony with it.

Koontz novels flow well – his use of language is impeccable, and he weaves a tale that captures the imagination, gradually reeling in the reader. While there are parts of the dialogue that feel a little too forced (bordering on cheesy, if I’m brutally honest) when the characters realise their destinies, it is easy to overlook that in favour of the overall experience. It’s all too easy to sit down with pretty much any of Koontz’s work and find a couple of hours have passed – I personally almost missed my stop on the train a few times when reading this.

The novel explores many themes that will be familiar to anyone that has enjoyed Koontz’s work – the abuse of power, the abuse of women, the abuse of nature, outsiders fighting against the system/government/big bad corporations (delete as appropriate), and a gradual awakening of the protagonist as they come to understand what they must do. They’re all great themes, and Koontz makes them work well within his narrative.

If you enjoy Stephen King or even James Herbert, it’s likely that you will find some similarities in some of Koontz’s work and enjoy it. If you haven’t read any of these, they are definitely worth a try – great, easy-reading books that draw you in and make time, or a journey, pass quickly. There’s a reason that you will often find his work in airport bookshops – next time you’re travelling, pick one up.