Koontz is far better at developing novel-length stories than short fiction. (Stephen King, by contrast, is the exact opposite.) For the revised reprint of "Chase," alone, though, it's worth the price of the book.

The title novel/novella in the book is uneven, suffering from an excess of unexplained fantasy elements, which has plagued several of the author's more recent pieces. It is, however, well-written and enjoyable.

The rest are much more of a grab-bag. Most of Koontz's short stories aren't all that memorable. There are exceptions. His first sale, "Kittens," is among its pages, and is much better than the author gives it credit for. "Down in the Darkness" is eerily atmospheric and unsettling. "Miss Attilla the Hun" displays Koontz's ability to wed humor with suspense, and is quite enjoyable, and "Bruno" is simply a comic delight.

Two of the pieces I would much have preferred to read as novels, and I'm sorry Koontz didn't develop them to that extent: "Hardshell" and "Trapped." The former is a most unusual cops-and-robbers story, the latter one of Koontz's monster-out-of-the-lab offerings.

I picked this one up at a yard sale years ago and read it until it was dog-eared. Unfortunately, I've lost my copy. I'm not really a fan of Koontz' novels. I just don't think he's as creative as Stephen King although he is a solid writer. Some of his horror leans towards sci-fi. But in "Strange Highways", Koontz goes all out. 14 haunting, poignant and well written stories that range from sheer horror ("Black Pumpkin") to melodrama ("Twilight of the Dawn") to humor ("Bruno"). The two novellas, "Strange Highways" and "Chase" are very well written indeed. Pick this one up if you can. It'll chill your bones. WooooooOoooooooOOOOOOOOooooh!

This has got to be the best Koontz book that I've read. It is filled with all types of horror, and I love the short stories. My favorites were: Strange Highways, Chase (these are the 2 novel length stories), The Black Pumpkin, and Trapped (for those of you who enjoyed Watchers, this would be a great story for you!) There are 12 stories in all, and they are all EXCELLENT! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Koontz and/or short horror stories.

"The Last Great Ride" details the late Brandon Tartikoff's tenure at NBC during the 1980's in his own words. He does not present the information chronologically but rather topically (and there does not seem to be any particular reason to the order they are presented). Readers will enjoy reading about the creation of shows like "The Cosby Show", "Hill Street Blues", "Highway to Heaven" and many other NBC shows of that era. However be warned that not all of the successful shows of that era are covered ("Riptide" fans will not find anything here of note about that show). And it should be noted that the book is weakened the author's use of profanity. But the book's basic rags to riches story (of a distant third place network turning around into the dominant first place network) will be enjoyable to any TV fan.

This book tells of Mr. Tartikoff's dealings with a struggling network soon to be number 1! His tales of triumphs & failures (anyone remember "Pink Lady"?) are shows of honesty & how the biz works. Anyone who enjoyed 80s television has this man to thank. Find out more by reading all about the ins & outs of 80s tv right here! A must read!

This book is more than just about how many of our favorite NBC TV shows from the 80s were created. It's a lighthearted tale about a creative man who made a career of taking creative risks. This book, like any good TV show, did more than entertain me. It gave me pause to think. Whether you're a struggling writer, a successful CEO, or somewhere inbetween, read this book. Inspiration from an unlikely source.