Intensity - Dean Koontz

Chyna Shepherd is a survivor. She lived through abuse as a child at the hands of her both her mother and Mums collection of boyfriends. When we meet her at the beginning of this book she is a young adult studying Psychotherapy at University and only has one true friend in the world, Laura Templeton. Shes travelling with Laura to her parents vineyard to spend the four-day Spring Break with them. What should be an idyllic rest from classes turns into a living nightmare for poor Chyna. In the middle of the first night there, the house is broken into and Lauras parents are slaughtered. Chyna finds Laura bound and shackled on her bed and vows to save her life, ...  Read the complete review

I had never read and Dean Koontz novels until last year, when I was on a long stretch off from work (ahhhh you lucky ducky I hear you say), but it wasn't a terribly nice time as you might think, and books at this point in my life, became my saviour so to speak. I had never been an avid reader before this time, and would only pick up a book I'd heard people raving about, but this all changed when a friend of mine came over with a stack of books from Shakespeare to Cornwell, and I was hooked from that moment on. Intensity was one of the first books I picked (I think by reading the back cover and thinking "yeah this won't be too ...  Read the complete review

The title is pretty much self-explanatory. This book defies all logic and reasoning! In this day and age of slasher movies and extremely pitiful thrillers, Intensity is a psychological thriller that definitely delivers! I still shudder (with both, terror and delight) at the very thought of this book! Intelligent plot and characters, intriguing choice of settings, mysterious, chilling (I sat up till dawn clutching my stuffed bear!) . . . there is nothing bad anyone can say about this book. You MUST get the Audiotape also. I've watched the little made-for TV movie (the fact that I even turned the tube on says a lot) and read the book over 13 times. I ...  Read the complete review

"Chyna Shepherd untouched and alive" This is the prayer repeatedly chanted by a brave young woman throughout most of her life. Chyna Shepherd was brought up by her alcoholic and drug addicted mother, along with the society dropouts that her mum often befriended. She had a very traumatic childhood, full of torture from both her mother and her psychotic boyfriends. After leaving her mother and going off to university, she becomes best friends with Laura Templeton, and she is the only person that Chyna has ever trusted enough to reveal some of her childhood to. Laura takes her to Napa Valley, California, to meet her family and ...  Read the complete review

I have reviewed a number of Dean Koontz books previously as he is one of my favourite authors. I was off work sick last week and while resting in bed decided to re read Intensity. It is one of the best books he has written, and it is very difficult to put down once started as it lives up to the title. From the first chapter you are drawn into the troubled personality of Chyna Shepherd, a young woman who has suffered more than most, raised by an abusive mother and her numerous boyfriends, Chyna has learnt to be a survivor. She has struggled to become close to people, but when she starts college she is drawn to the vivacious Laura who embraces life ...  Read the complete review