Relentless (Koontz novel)

Last updated
Relentless
Relentless by Dean Koontz cover.jpg
Author Dean Koontz
Country United States
Language English
Genre Suspense, Psychological novel
Publisher Bantam Books
Publication date
2009
Media typePrint
Pages356 pp
ISBN 978-0-553-80714-1
OCLC 259265978
813/.54 22
LC Class PS3561.O55 R45 2009

Relentless is a 2009 suspense thriller by Dean Koontz. [1] The story follows the plight of best selling author Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich, his wife, son, and family dog, Lassie, who are being stalked and hunted by a feared and revered national book critic, Shearman Waxx. The novel was released in the US on June 9, 2009[ citation needed ] by Bantam Books.

Contents

Plot summary

Cullen "Cubby" Greenwich has just released his sixth novel, One O'Clock Jump which is generally well received in the literary community. However, Shearman Waxx, considered to be a preeminent literary critic, writes a scathing, albeit somewhat inaccurate review of Cubby's latest work.

Against the advice of his wife, Penny Greenwich, a children's book author in her own right, Cubby attempts to gather some information about his new nemesis. Cubby learns that he and the critic share a favorite dining locale. Accompanying Cubby to the restaurant is his six-year-old prodigy son, Milo. A chance encounter in the men's room foretells the ensuing chaos when Shearman Waxx simply utters "Doom."

Upon arriving home, the residents of the house go about their daily business, when Shearman Waxx is seen walking the interior of the house. With Cubby yelling at him the whole time, he finally leaves. That night, they turn on security and alarms but are awakened in the night by Sherman Waxx in their room again repeating the words "Doom". Penny and Cubby are both tasered multiple times by the eccentric book critic. The electricity, which has previously been shut down, turns back on once Waxx leaves and the alarm system states that it is fully functional and undisturbed.

Receiving a call from a fellow writer who had previously endured a similar slandering at the hands of Waxx, Cubby is told of the horrific manner in which the writer's family was murdered. The writer encourages Greenwich to abandon his home and flee.

The family flees their Greenwich home to the presumed safety of a friend's real estate investment project. After a sudden round of rifle shots into the living room, it is apparent that their son, Milo, is being solely targeted. When their moves are quickly countered by the escalating violence of their pursuers it becomes apparent they need to seek armament and information.

The family seeks refuge with Penny Greenwich's apocalypse-fearing family who, having been warned ahead of time, are in their well-fortified bunker. Not content being forced into the role of reclusive prey, the family embarks on a journey to determine who they're dealing with and what can be done to stop him.

Their journey takes them to the hometown of two former artists in an attempt to digest the brutality with which they and their families were dispatched. Along the way, the family counters the rising tension and ever-present shadow of death with bits of sarcastic humor and Milo, by engrossing himself in his increasingly complex scientific projects.

The story follows the Greenwiches as they search for clues into the past of their tormentor and seek to discover his motives. They work with a former sheriff named Truman who is also investigating Waxx. Two associates of Waxx arrive at the scene murdering Truman but are then killed by Cubby and his wife. While retreating they kidnap Waxx himself. They take him to his own house, and encounter his mother, Zazu, who reveals herself as the mastermind of an organization that seeks to control society by destroying those who create positive symbols of hope and happiness through their artwork.

Zazu orders her grandson, one of the pursuers, to make sure that Waxx is in the car. He stabs Waxx, killing him, and Zazu is enraged. She pulls out her gun which was hidden and kills her grandson, and then shoots Cubby. Cubby falls to the floor and dies. Previous examples of Milo's scientific endeavors activate. Time goes backwards and Cubby is saved, but Zazu dies.

The novel ends with the family traveling back to the bunker, seeing it as an oasis of protection from Zazu's organization and the world they intend to create.

Related Research Articles

Dean Ray Koontz is an American author. His novels are billed as suspense thrillers, but frequently incorporate elements of horror, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and satire. Many of his books have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list, with fourteen hardcovers and sixteen paperbacks reaching the number-one position. Koontz wrote under a number of pen names earlier in his career, including "David Axton", "Deanna Dwyer", "K.R. Dwyer", "Leigh Nichols" and "Brian Coffey". He has published over 105 novels and a number of novellas and collections of short stories, and has sold over 450 million copies of his work.

<i>The Defiant Ones</i> 1958 film by Stanley Kramer

The Defiant Ones is a 1958 American adventure drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truman Capote</span> American author (1924–1984)

Truman Garcia Capote was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and the true crime novel In Cold Blood (1966), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel". His works have been adapted into more than 20 films and television dramas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maxwell Bodenheim</span> American writer (1891–1954)

Maxwell "Bogey" Bodenheim was an American poet and novelist. A literary figure in Chicago, he later went to New York where he became known as the King of Greenwich Village Bohemians. His writing brought him international notoriety during the Jazz Age of the 1920s.

<i>Odd Thomas</i> (novel) 2003 novel by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas is a thriller novel by American writer Dean Koontz, published in 2003. The novel derives its title from the protagonist, a twenty-year-old short-order cook named Odd Thomas. The book, which was well received and lauded by critics, went on to become a New York Times Bestseller. Following the success of the novel, six sequels, Forever Odd (2005), Brother Odd (2006), Odd Hours (2008), Odd Apocalypse (2012), and Deeply Odd (2013), were also written by Koontz. The final novel in the series Saint Odd (2015) was released on Jan 13, 2015. Three graphic-novel prequels, In Odd We Trust, Odd Is On Our Side and House of Odd have also been released. In the postscript to the graphic novel, Koontz states that "God willing, there will be six Odd Thomas novels." A Special Odd Thomas Adventure, Odd Interlude, was released on December 26, 2012, and another Odd Thomas: You Are Destined to Be Together Forever on December 9, 2014.

<i>All the Pretty Horses</i> (novel) 1992 novel by Cormac McCarthy

All the Pretty Horses is a novel by American author Cormac McCarthy published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1992. It was a bestseller, winning both the U.S. National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It is the first of McCarthy's "Border Trilogy".

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein is the collective title of five novels co-written by Dean Koontz. Though technically of the mystery or thriller genres, the novels also feature the trappings of horror, fantasy, and science fiction.

<i>Alaska</i> (1996 film) 1996 action-adventure film directed by Fraser Clarke Heston

Alaska is a 1996 American adventure survival film directed by Fraser Clarke Heston and produced by Carol Fuchs and Andy Burg. The story, written by Burg and Scott Myers, centers on two children who search through the Alaskan wilderness for their lost father. During their journey, they find a polar bear who helps lead them to their father. However, a poacher with a desire to capture the bear follows close behind the children and the polar bear. The director's father, Charlton Heston, plays the main antagonist. The movie was filmed primarily in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia in Canada and the city of Vancouver. The film was a box office bomb, grossing only $11,829,959 over a $24 million budget. It received negative reviews upon its release.

"Kanes and Abel's" is the seventeenth episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Veronica Mars. Written by Carolyn Murray and directed by Nick Marck, the episode premiered on UPN on April 5, 2005.

<i>Intensity</i> (film) 1997 American TV series or program

Intensity is a 1997 American television psychological thriller film directed by Yves Simoneau, and starring John C. McGinley, Molly Parker, Piper Laurie, and Tori Paul. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Dean Koontz, it focuses on a young woman who accompanies her friend home for Thanksgiving, only to be met by a violent serial killer.

<i>The Bad Place</i> 1990 novel by Dean Koontz

The Bad Place is a horror novel by American writer Dean Koontz, released in 1990. It includes elements of horror, suspense, and mystery, and is presented partially as a twist on the private eye drama.

<i>Cold Fire</i> (Koontz novel)

Cold Fire is a 1991 novel written by the best-selling author Dean Koontz.

<i>Fear Nothing</i> 1998 novel by Dean Koontz

Fear Nothing is a novel released in 1998 by the best-selling author Dean Koontz. The book is the first installment in what is reported to be a three-part series of books, known as the Moonlight Bay Trilogy, featuring Christopher Snow, who suffers from the rare disease called XP. The second in the trilogy, Seize the Night, was released in 1999. No release date has yet been set for the release of the third book titled Ride the Storm. Fear Nothing is in several ways a successor to 1987 Koontz novel Watchers.

<i>Hideaway</i> (1995 film) 1995 American film

Hideaway is a 1995 horror film directed by Brett Leonard. It is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Dean Koontz, and stars Jeff Goldblum, Christine Lahti, Alicia Silverstone, Jeremy Sisto, Alfred Molina and Rae Dawn Chong.

"Wide Open" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American crime-thriller television series Millennium. It premiered on Fox on January 3, 1997. The episode was written by Charles D. Holland and directed by Jim Charleston. "Wide Open" featured guest appearances by Glynn Turman and Roger Cross.

"'Monster" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American crime-thriller television series Millennium. It premiered on the Fox network in the United States on October 17, 1997. The episode was written by Glen Morgan and James Wong and directed by Perry Lang. "Monster" featured guest appearances from Kristen Cloke, Robert Wisden and Chris Owens.

<i>Sole Survivor</i> (2000 film) 2000 Canadian TV series or program

Sole Survivor also known as Dean Koontz's Sole Survivor is a Canadian Science Fiction Thriller film/mini-series adaptation of Dean Koontz's 1997 novel of the same name, made and released in 2000 and directed by Mikael Salomon.

<i>Seeking a Friend for the End of the World</i> 2012 comedy-drama film by Lorene Scafaria

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a 2012 American apocalyptic romantic comedy-drama film, written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, in her feature directorial debut. The film stars Steve Carell and Keira Knightley as a pair of strangers who meet and form an unexpected bond as they help each other find closure in their lives before an asteroid wipes out life on Earth. The inspiration for the title comes from a line in Chris Cornell's song "Preaching the End of the World", from his 1999 debut solo album Euphoria Morning.

<i>There But For The</i> 2011 novel by Ali Smith

There But For The is a 2011 novel by Scottish author Ali Smith, first published in the UK by Hamish Hamilton and in the US by Pantheon, and set in 2009 and 2010 in Greenwich, London. It was cited by both The Guardian book review and the Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of the year. and was also longlisted for the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction.

References