His mother swears he was named after a Czechoslovakian uncle, but there was an error on his birth certificate. His father claims they’d always intended to name him Odd and furthermore, he has no Czechoslovakian uncles. However he came by his name, Odd Thomas lives up to it.
Odd sees dead people. Knowing from an early age that if he told his parents (who give new meaning to the word ‘dysfunctional’) he’d either end up in an institution with his aunt Cymry or picking winning lotto numbers for his father, he’s kept this gift from all but a few very trusted friends. With their support, Odd is able to do what he can for the spirits he encounters, sometimes just calming their fears, and other times catching their killers.
It is not an easy gift to have, and Odd has simplified his life down to the basics in order to manage it. Working as a fry cook in the local diner of a small town in the California desert, Odd owns neither house, nor car, nor credit cards; has only five pair of every article of clothing, and furniture he wouldn’t mind losing if a poltergeist smashed through his apartment.
But he has a mentor in the form of a four-hundred-pound writer named Little Ozzie (with six fingers on his left hand); a father-figure, who’s also the Chief of Police; the ghost of Elvis keeping him company; and the love of his life, Stormy Llewellyn, with whom (according to a card given to them by a gypsy mummy in a vending machine) he is destine to be together forever. Life is good.
Until one morning, the door to the diner opens and a man comes in with an entourage of evil spirits Odd calls bodachs – dark slithery things who feed off of violence and terror on an operatic scale – warning him that something big is going to happen in the town of Pico Mundo. He soon learns that there is only one day left before the mysterious man is going to act, and Odd must call on all of his skills if he is going to stop him in time.
Acclaimed as one of author Dean Koontz’ best novels, ‘Odd Thomas’ is one of those rare, successful balances in a thriller between funny and macabre. You get just the right blend of nail-biting tension mixed with Odd’s almost folksy sense of humor. Koontz is the master of putting regular people in irregular circumstances, and what results here is a blend of crime story and horror story – Odd as detective for the dead.
The 2013 movie directed by Stephen Sommers starred Anton Yelchin (now recognizable to many as Chekov of the Star Trek reboot fame) in the title role. Yelchin does an excellent job of bringing to life a character who is so humble, it is easy to fear there might be some difficulty translating him from page to screen. Even more impressive is Addison Timlin as Stormy who not only embodies the character perfectly, but also makes it her own.
The script is nicely adapted, trimming away elements that, while adding to the overall experience of the novel, would have dragged down the more streamline plot of the film. Gone is the fan-beloved ghost of Elvis, alluded to only by a cardboard cutout in Odd’s bedroom. Perhaps even more tragic, Odd’s mentor Little Ozzie’s role is dramatically altered and reduced to one short scene.
While it would have been nice to delve a little deeper into Odd’s relationship with his mother (a tragically mentally ill woman who tortured Odd as a child) or with his father (a wealthy, narcissistic opportunist who abandoned him to said mother and tries to sell real estate on the moon) none of it is really necessary. In fact, the slight alteration they made in the film, portraying his mother as the one sharing his gifts as opposed to a potential connection with his mysterious aunt Cymry, makes more sense for this venue.
‘Odd Thomas’ is only the first book in a series starring the titular character, one which continues to provide many twists and turns, and even more heart. Even with all the ghosts, the thrills, and the laughter, don’t be surprised if you find you’ve shed a few tears as well.
