Cold Fire
Dean R. Koontz

Jim Ironheart, an ordinary schoolteacher, flies to Portland, Oregon, on an impulse, unable to explain why he's compelled to make the trip. There he risks his life to save a young boy from being killed by a drunk driver.
Reporter Holly Thorne witnesses Jim's heroism. His athletic grace and courage intrigue her. When he declines to be interviewed for her newspaper, she's impressed by his self effacement.
Soon after, Holly sees a news wire story about the nick of time rescue of a little boy in Boston. There is a photograph of the rescuer - Jim Ironheart.
Burned out and cynical and looking for a life beyond journalism, Holly finds her newshound instinct rekindled. Her research shows that Jim Ironheart has quietly performed twelve last minute rescues in twelve far flung places over the past three months.
Realizing she is onto the biggest story of her life, Holly tracks Jim to California. He insists that he's not a psychic, that he sees no visions; he merely believes God is working through him. Holly is certain his explanation is too simple. About this, she is correct. "There is no wonder in life," she argues, "no great mystery." About this, she is dead wrong, for she and Jim Ironheart are about to plunge into a dark sea of wonder, mystery, and start terror.
When Jim suddenly says "There is an Enemy. It is coming. It is relentless." he has no idea where the words come from or what they mean. Soon the meaning is all too clear, and he and Holly are running for their lives from a savage and uncannily powerful adversary. In great jeopardy, they are drawn first to the farm where Jim spent part of his childhood, then to the high room in the old windmill where as a boy he experiences something frightening and strange.

This novel is absolutely fantastic. While I won't go as far to say it's Dean Koontz's best work that I've read so far (that honor would go to the Odd Thomas series), I will say it's up there.

The novel starts off with Jim Ironheart having a feeling of somewhere he needs to be and over time, he realizes what is going to happen and who he needs to save. Some force calls him to save certain people from imminent death. Reporter Holly Thorne goes from being interested in getting his story to realizing just how special Jim really is and wanting to aid him saving human lives.

However, a dark force wants them both dead, and this force is much closer to Jim than either of them can imagine. In order to survive, Jim must battle his demons and Holly must put her life on the line.

This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and has one of the best (and most frightening) airplane crash scenes that I have ever read. It also starts off one way, and then takes an unexpected turn about halfway through. That turn, which no reader will see coming, is part of what makes this book so good.

Because there is that duality to the book and because there are twists and turns which are genuinely surprising, this book was a fantastic read and one I had a hard time putting down. I would definitely recommend this.

My rating: Five out of five snails.