Innocence (with Bonus Short Story Wilderness) : A Novel

He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching. In Innocence, #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever. Advance praise for *Innocence “Laced with fantastical mysticism, it’s an allegory of nonviolence, acceptance and love in the face of adversity. . . . The narrative is intense, with an old-fashioned ominousness and artistically crafted. . . . Something different this way comes from Mr. Koontz’s imagination.” —*Kirkus Reviews “Imaginative, mystical thriller . . . the most satisfying Koontz standalone in a while.” — Publishers Weekly “As speedy a chase-thriller as any Koontz, a past master of the form, has ever constructed . . . The clamor for a new Koontz will be heard . . . especially when his fans hear how good this one is.” — Booklist (starred review) Acclaim for Dean Koontz “A rarity among bestselling writers, Koontz continues to pursue new ways of telling stories, never content with repeating himself.” —Chicago Sun-Times “Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. ‘Serious’ writers . . . might do well to examine his technique.” —*The New York Times Book Review “[Koontz] has always had near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match.” —Los Angeles Times “Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition.” —USA Today “Characters and the search for meaning, exquisitely crafted, are the soul of [Koontz’s] work. . . . One of the master storytellers of this or any age.” —The Tampa Tribune * “A literary juggler.” — The Times (London) From the Hardcover edition. Review Advance praise for *Innocence “Laced with fantastical mysticism, it’s an allegory of nonviolence, acceptance and love in the face of adversity. . . . The narrative is intense, with an old-fashioned ominousness and artistically crafted. . . . Something different this way comes from Mr. Koontz’s imagination.”— Kirkus Reviews “Imaginative, mystical thriller . . . the most satisfying Koontz standalone in a while."— Publishers Weekly “As speedy a chase-thriller as any Koontz, a past master of the form, has ever constructed . . . The clamor for a new Koontz will be heard . . . especially when his fans hear how good this one is.”— Booklist (starred review) ACCLAIM FOR DEAN KOONTZ “A rarity among bestselling writers, Koontz continues to pursue new ways of telling stories, never content with repeating himself.” —Chicago Sun-Times “Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. ‘Serious’ writers . . . might do well to examine his technique.”— The New York Times Book Review “[Koontz] has always had near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match.” —Los Angeles Times “Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition.” —USA Today “Characters and the search for meaning, exquisitely crafted, are the soul of [Koontz’s] work. . . . One of the master storytellers of this or any age.” —The Tampa Tribune “A literary juggler.”— The Times* (London) About the Author Dean Koontz , the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Anna, and the enduring spirit of their golden, Trixie. Horror,Mystery,Thriller,Suspense,Fantasy NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In Innocence, Dean Koontz blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever. He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance'and nothing less than destiny'has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching. Praise for Innocence "Laced with fantastical mysticism, it's an allegory of nonviolence, acceptance and love in the face of adversity. . . . The narrative is intense, with an old-fashioned ominousness and artistically crafted descriptions. . . . An optimistic and unexpected conclusion [mirrors] his theme. Something different this way comes from Mr. Koontz's imagination. Enjoy."'Kirkus Reviews "Entrancing . . . as speedy a chase-thriller as any Koontz . . . has ever constructed. Written in Koontz' late mellifluent and reflective manner . . . [Innocence is] fueled by deep disgust with the world's evils [and] hope for redemption."'Booklist (starred review) "[An] imaginative, mystical thriller from bestseller Koontz . . . This is the most satisfying Koontz standalone in a while."'Publishers Weekly "Masterful storyteller Koontz delivers perhaps his most eerie and unusual tale to date. The timeline in this amazing story is compact, and readers will be swept along as they try to unravel hints and clues as to the true nature of both the protagonists and the unfolding drama. Unpredictably spine-chilling and terrifying, this is a story readers won't soon forget."'RT Book Reviews "Elegant . . . Fans of Koontz's previous series will be left hoping that Addison and Gwyneth, too, will return."'Library Journal Acclaim for Dean Koontz "A rarity among bestselling writers, Koontz continues to pursue new ways of telling stories, never content with repeating himself."'Chicago Sun-Times "Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. 'Serious' writers . . . might do well to examine his technique."'The New York Times Book Review "[Koontz] has always had near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match."'Los Angeles Times "Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition."'USA Today "Characters and the search for meaning, exquisitely crafted, are the soul of [Koontz's] work. . . . One of the master storytellers of this or any age."'The Tampa Tribune "A literary juggler."'The Times (London) From the Hardcover edition NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Includes Dean Koontz’s short story “Wilderness”! This ebook edition contains a special preview of Dean Koontz’s The Silent Corner . In Innocence, Dean Koontz blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever. He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching. Praise for Innocence “A thriller that’s both chilling and fulfilling.” — People (four stars) “Laced with fantastical mysticism, it’s an allegory of nonviolence, acceptance and love in the face of adversity. . . . The narrative is intense, with an old-fashioned ominousness and artistically crafted descriptions. . . . An optimistic and unexpected conclusion [mirrors] his theme. Something different this way comes from Mr. Koontz’s imagination. Enjoy.” — Kirkus Reviews “Mystery and terror, the paranormal and romance—all combine to make Innocence a challenging and emotional experience.” — New York Journal of Books “This novel really is something special. . . . This may just be the book Dean Koontz was born to write.” — Thriller Books Journal “Entrancing . . . as speedy a chase-thriller as any Koontz . . . has ever constructed. Written in Koontz’ late mellifluent and reflective manner . . . [ Innocence is] fueled by deep disgust with the world’s evils [and] hope for redemption.” — Booklist (starred review) “[An] imaginative, mystical thriller from bestseller Koontz . . . This is the most satisfying Koontz standalone in a while.” — Publishers Weekly “Masterful storyteller Koontz delivers perhaps his most eerie and unusual tale to date. The timeline in this amazing story is compact, and readers will be swept along as they try to unravel hints and clues as to the true nature of both the protagonists and the unfolding drama. Unpredictably spine-chilling and terrifying, this is a story readers won’t soon forget.” — RT Book Reviews “Elegant . . . Fans of Koontz’s previous series will be left hoping that Addison and Gwyneth, too, will return.” — Library Journal From An Early Age, We Are Told That Restlessness, Distraction, And Ignorance Are The Enemies Of Success. Learning Is All Self-discipline, So We Must Confine Ourselves To Designated Study Areas, Turn Off The Music, And Maintain A Strict Ritual. But What If Almost Everything We Were Told About Learning Is Wrong? And What If There Was A Way To Achieve More With Less Effort? Here, Award-winning Science Reporter Benedict Carey Sifts Through Decades Of Education Research To Uncover The Truth About How Our Brains Absorb And Retain Information. What He Discovers Is That, From The Moment We Are Born, We All Learn Quickly, Efficiently, And Automatically; But In Our Zeal To Systematize The Process We Have Ignored Valuable, Naturally Enjoyable Learning Tools Like Forgetting, Sleeping, And Daydreaming. Is A Dedicated Desk In A Quiet Room Really The Best Way To Study? Can Altering Your Routine Improve Your Recall? Are There Times When Distraction Is Good? Is Repetition Necessary? Carey's Search For Answers To These Questions Yields A Wealth Of Strategies That Make Learning More A Part Of Our Everyday Lives--and Less Of A Chore.--publisher Information. Broaden The Margins -- Basic Theory. The Story Maker : The Biology Of Memory ; The Power Of Forgetting : A New Theory Of Learning -- Retention. Breaking Good Habits : The Effect Of Context On Learning ; Spacing Out : The Advantage Of Breaking Up Study Time ; The Hidden Value Of Ignorance : The Many Dimensions Of Testing -- Problem Solving. The Upside Of Distraction : The Role Of Incubation In Problem Solving ; Quitting Before You're Ahead : The Accumulating Gifts Of Percolation ; Being Mixed Up : Interleaving As An Aid To Comprehension -- Tapping The Subconscious. Learning Without Thinking : Harnessing Perceptual Discrimination ; You Snooze, You Win : The Consolidating Role Of Sleep -- The Foraging Brain -- Appendix. Eleven Essential Questions. Benedict Carey. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [231]-244) And Index. Foraging for supplies by night in a beautiful but hostile urban world where strangers would kill him on sight, Addison endures a solitary existence before meeting a quicksilver girl engaged in a dangerous duel of wits with a malicious, well-placed enemy.