Hadn't read Koontz for some time and picked this book up. By page 200 considered quiting--I got it, bad guy is REALLY bad and Agnes and Barty are so, SO good. I was ready for more plot development. Forced myself(never a good sign if reading becomes something I have to force myself to do) to try longer. Well, I'm at page 429 and I'm done--can't bear the idea of reading 300 more pages of this. Life is too short to read mediocre books.