‘The Forest of Lost Souls’ by Dean Koontz

Published by Thomas & Mercer,
24 September 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-66250051- 0 (HB)

“I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you.”

Having lost both of her parents by the age of five, Vida is adopted by her Uncle Ogden.  He takes her away from the city to live with him in his self-built home in the forest.  Under Ogden’s tutelage Vida learns how to live off the land and make enough money for her needs by honing gemstones.

When her uncle dies, Vida continues to live in the house that they shared.  Her neighbours are the wild animals of the forest like a magnificent white mountain lion and local wolf pack.  Vida reads nature as easily as she reads books, eschewing the allure of modern conveniences.   Her understanding of the flora and fauna of the forest has imbued her with a sense of the natural spirituality long forgotten by most of her contemporaries.  The only creatures who threaten her tranquillity are humans and she is acutely aware of the evil they can do.  So, when she first discerns and then confirms that she is being watched, Vida must draw on her skills and resilience if she is to thwart those who seek to plunder the environment that is her home.  Individual as well as corporate criminals underestimate Vida on several levels, the question is, can she prevail against her opponents?

Past and present collide in a series of time shifts throughout the novel.  Individual characters and their stories are interspersed with a critique of modern society more generally.  Those characters who are most obviously disconnected from the natural world lack empathy towards others. They ignore the fragility of life and are corrupted in their pursuit of wealth and power.

As the narrative unfolds, we learn more and more about Vida’s history and the symbolic role she plays in the tale.  Her name is the first clue.  It means “life”.  Her character, therefore, represents both humanity and all life that flourishes on planet Earth.  The novel challenges our desire for, and addiction to, ever more paraphernalia.  Juxtaposed against harsh, insatiable consumerism are examples of mysterious connections like that between Vida and the wolf/dog Lupo.  Such inter-species encounters counter the human tendency towards covetousness and the inequality it breeds.  Beautiful descriptions of the wonder of nature and Vida’s ability to live in harmony with it offer a vision of what could be possible and a sense of optimism.  In addition, as the novel progresses, we see that redemption is always a possibility, even for the most unlikely of lost souls in the forest.  But make no mistake, this a battle of good versus evil as Vida with her friends, who turn out to be animal, vegetable and mineral, challenge modern received wisdom and the increasingly terrifying forces of big tech, big business and the establishment.

The Forest of Lost Souls is flavoured with literary allusions and exquisitely written.  The book is thrilling, entertaining and thought-provoking. Highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Dot Marshall-Gent

Dean Koontz is acknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human. Dean Koontz lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda.

Dot Marshall-Gent worked in the emergency services for twenty years first as a police officer, then as a paramedic and finally as a fire control officer before graduating from King’s College, London as a teacher of English in her mid-forties.  She completed a M.A. in Special and Inclusive Education at the Institute of Education, London and now teaches part-time and writes mainly about educational issues.  Dot sings jazz and country music and plays guitar, banjo and piano as well as being addicted to reading mystery and crime fiction.