Brother Odd
Encyclopedia
Brother Odd is a novel by Dean Koontz
, published in 2006
. The novel is the third book in Koontz's series focusing on a young man named Odd Thomas.
. During that time, Odd Thomas has been a guest at St. Bartholomew's Abbey, where he hopes to seek peace and understanding. After Odd sees a shade-like bodach
- portending great disaster for the abbey - one of the monks goes missing, and Odd is attacked by a mysterious assailant. As he searches for the missing monk, Odd hears a mysterious noise in a great snowstorm, and later sees an intricate, shifting pattern of bones against a window.
While looking for a body among the disabled children at the school, Odd hears from a man with Down's syndrome named Jacob, about the "Neverwas". Odd, on entering the bell tower to silence a poltergeist who rings bells, sees an apparition that resembles the traditional image of Death. By now the bodachs have multiplied, and Odd plans to bring the monks to the school to protect the children. He is suddenly drawn by a psychic premonition, and discovers the missing monk dead in a cooling tower, acting as a cocoon for another creature made of shifting bones.
Rodion Romanovich, the abbey's other guest, meets Odd in the garage to pick up the monks. Odd, suspicious of Romanovich, intends to leave him in the abbey, although he takes one sport utility vehicle
(SUV) full of monks before Odd can stop him. On the way there, Romanovich's SUV is turned over by a bone-creature, and Brother Knuckles, Odd's confidant, runs into it with the other plow. Back at the school, Odd and Romanovich are able to determine that Jacob's father, the Neverwas, is John Heineman, a monk at the abbey known as Brother John and a former physicist who experimented with reality.
Odd and Romanovich, actually a National Security Agency
agent sent to spy on Brother John, venture back into the storm to find John's research lab. When they find him, Brother John reveals that he has created a computer model of the innermost fabric of reality. He believes that reality is created by thought, and has proved it by tuning the room to his thoughts. If he thinks something, it will be, and in that way, he created the bone-monsters and the Death apparition. Odd and Romanovich attempt to convince Brother John otherwise, but instead, he sets his Death spirit on them. As the monks defend the school from the bone-monsters, Romanovich is able to shoot John, killing him and all his creations.
Later, Odd decides to leave the abbey, but as he rides down the highway back to his hometown, psychic magnetism pulls him out of the car, where the book ends as he walks down the highway toward the unknown. After three adventures, Elvis Presley
finally crosses over. Odd and the dog continue along together, only to be united moments later with the ghost of Frank Sinatra
.
Dean Koontz
Dean Ray Koontz is a prolific American author best known for his novels which could be described broadly as suspense thrillers. He also frequently incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, and satire. A number of his books have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, with...
, published in 2006
2006 in literature
The year 2006 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Literature:*Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun*Chris Adrian - The Children's Hospital *Martin Amis - House of Meetings...
. The novel is the third book in Koontz's series focusing on a young man named Odd Thomas.
Plot summary
The novel begins seven months after Forever OddForever Odd
Forever Odd is a 2005 novel by Dean Koontz, and the sequel to Odd Thomas. The plot takes place six months after the events of Odd Thomas.-Plot summary:...
. During that time, Odd Thomas has been a guest at St. Bartholomew's Abbey, where he hopes to seek peace and understanding. After Odd sees a shade-like bodach
Bodach
A bodach , as borrowed into English, is a mythical spirit or creature, rather like the bogeyman. In Modern Scottish Gaelic the word simply means "old man", colloquially often used affectionately...
- portending great disaster for the abbey - one of the monks goes missing, and Odd is attacked by a mysterious assailant. As he searches for the missing monk, Odd hears a mysterious noise in a great snowstorm, and later sees an intricate, shifting pattern of bones against a window.
While looking for a body among the disabled children at the school, Odd hears from a man with Down's syndrome named Jacob, about the "Neverwas". Odd, on entering the bell tower to silence a poltergeist who rings bells, sees an apparition that resembles the traditional image of Death. By now the bodachs have multiplied, and Odd plans to bring the monks to the school to protect the children. He is suddenly drawn by a psychic premonition, and discovers the missing monk dead in a cooling tower, acting as a cocoon for another creature made of shifting bones.
Rodion Romanovich, the abbey's other guest, meets Odd in the garage to pick up the monks. Odd, suspicious of Romanovich, intends to leave him in the abbey, although he takes one sport utility vehicle
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
(SUV) full of monks before Odd can stop him. On the way there, Romanovich's SUV is turned over by a bone-creature, and Brother Knuckles, Odd's confidant, runs into it with the other plow. Back at the school, Odd and Romanovich are able to determine that Jacob's father, the Neverwas, is John Heineman, a monk at the abbey known as Brother John and a former physicist who experimented with reality.
Odd and Romanovich, actually a National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
agent sent to spy on Brother John, venture back into the storm to find John's research lab. When they find him, Brother John reveals that he has created a computer model of the innermost fabric of reality. He believes that reality is created by thought, and has proved it by tuning the room to his thoughts. If he thinks something, it will be, and in that way, he created the bone-monsters and the Death apparition. Odd and Romanovich attempt to convince Brother John otherwise, but instead, he sets his Death spirit on them. As the monks defend the school from the bone-monsters, Romanovich is able to shoot John, killing him and all his creations.
Later, Odd decides to leave the abbey, but as he rides down the highway back to his hometown, psychic magnetism pulls him out of the car, where the book ends as he walks down the highway toward the unknown. After three adventures, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
finally crosses over. Odd and the dog continue along together, only to be united moments later with the ghost of Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
.