Manga Review: Koontz' In Odd We Trust Offers Odd Flavors
With manga making waves in the American publishing scene, it's little wonder that bestselling mainstream authors are jumping on the bandwagon. And why shouldn't they? Readers of manga and young adult novels are in similar age groups, so why not bring together the best of both worlds and see if it generates crossover sales?
Manga versions of young adult novels by Meg Cabot (Avalon High), Erin Hunter (Warriors), Christine Feehan (Dark Hunger), and James Patterson (Maxiumum Ride) have all gotten manga makeovers. Now Dean Koontz joins forces with global manga artist Queenie Chan to create In Odd We Trust, a prequel to Koontz' Odd Thomas stories.
At first glance, it seems like a good idea. A teen who can see ghosts? A tough-talking, gun-toting girlfriend? A dangerous but clever psychopath on the loose? Sounds like manga story material to me. But in the end, a recipe, no matter how delicious it sounds, is only as good as the quality of its ingredients and the skill of the cook who's behind the stove. In Odd We Trust suffers from weaknesses on both fronts: What went into it, and how it was executed.
See my review of In Odd We Trust by Dean Koontz and Queenie Chan from Del Rey Manga, which goes on sale on Tuesday, and see if this manga meets mainstream fiction mix is destined for the bestseller lists or the remainders bin.
Image credit: © Dean Koontz, Queenie Chan; Del Rey Manga
Comments
I find this review lacking in the basic knowledge it needs in order to review an Odd Thomas book by Dean. This prequel is actually the fifth in the series, where if you were following said series the characters would have more to offer you. It’s brilliant!
I can only say that I reviewed this manga based on how it read as a stand-alone story, and according to the press release, it was written as a prequel to the other four books in the series that have been released so far. My assumption from reading that was that I didn’t need to read the other books to “get” what was going on in this one.
I’m sure the prose versions are quite interesting — Mr. Koontz is clearly a writer who knows his craft and his audience well, and his long track record of success attests to this. But that’s not my focus here. I’m reviewing it based on whether it stands up to other manga — and to my taste, it really doesn’t. I’m glad you enjoyed it though, because you’re probably more of the target audience.