Dark Rivers of the Heart
...o discovers that Spencer’s actual name is Michael Ackblom, the son of Steven Ackblom. Steven was a troubled artist that had killed forty women and his wife, and was later discovered by his fourteen-year-old son, Michael. With this newly discovered information Roy believes that Spencer and Valerie will return to Colorado to the home of his childhood. In the climax of the story, Valerie and Spencer return to the ranch wher he once resided, and Spencer discovers that he had nothing to do with the death of his father’s last victim, as he had led him to believe. They are soon confronted by Roy and Spencer’s father. After questioning by both parties, Spencer shoots Roy, paralyzing him, and he kills his father. Finally, we learn that Roy has survived and that he and Eve, his girlfriend, have a plan where she is to take over as president of the United States. We also learn that Valerie and Spencer have escaped from the agency and have joined a group dedicated to disrupting the programs of Miro’s group with use of technology. It is basically one group attempting to take over through the use of computer technology and another group attempting to make them fail through the use of this same technology. Also, as a sign of hope for the future, we learn that Spencer and Valerie are expecting a child. Author’s Style with example: Dean Koontz’s books are basically all horror. Dark Rivers of the Heart is a mixture between horror and thriller. There are parts that are pretty gruesome and that would fit in the horror category. When Spencer and Valerie go back to the ranch and the tortures that his father had performed on the women he abducted are being described, the book definitely fits into the horror classification. The thriller aspect is shown all throughout the book. The times when the agency is chasing them both down will keep you on the edge of your seat. Characters with Analysis: Michael Ackblom (Spencer Grant), Major Protagonist Michael Ackblom grew up on a ranch in Colorado with his mother and his father, who was a famous artist, Steven Ackblom. When he was only eight years old his mother was killed and he was left with his father whom he later discovered killed his mother and forty other women. After this discovery, Michael goes to live with his grandparents and gets his name changed to Spencer Grant. The book takes place when Spencer is in his thirties, and he is living with his lovable dog Rocky in Los Angeles. Spencer has spent most of his life erasing himself from public records with the use of his talented computer skills. He has also spent a great deal of time trying to remember exactly what happened on the night he discovered his father’s private underground world. After meeting Valerie and going back to the ranch to face his past, his memory is fulfilled and he is now able to move on with his life. Ellie Summerton (Valerie Keene), Major Protagonist Ellie Summerton was married to the son of Thomas Summerton, the Deputy Assistant Attorney General, who was involved with the secret agency that the novel is based upon. Her husband, mother, and father are all killed by the agency on Thanksgiving Day for possessing too much information about the agency. Ellie narrowly escapes and spends the next fourteen months on the run. One of her many aliases are Valerie Keene. She is a computer software designer who specializes in video games; so needless to say, she had a great deal of knowledge about computers. While on the run, she meets Spencer Grant (Michael Ackblom). After he gets involved in the situation, they begin to run together. While with Spencer, she realizes that she is able to love again after the death of her husband and does not feel that it is a betrayal. That is her one major growth throughout the novel. Roy Miro, Major Antagonist Roy Miro is somewhat of a psychopathic killer, who works for the agency. He goes around seeking out those who seem to have trouble in their life and he kills them in order to send them to a better place. His idea of a perfect world is one where everyone is identical, only one sex and one skin color. Thus, he feels that individualists are a threat to society. His main role in the novel is in the chase of Spencer and Valerie. Even after being shot and allowing them to escape, Roy is still focused on his idea of a perfect world. He develops a plan that will allow his girlfriend, Eve Jammer, to become president so that they may rule the country together in a very unorthodox manner. Important Quotations with Explanation of Each: “Envy is second only to self-pity as the most dangerous of all emotions.” Roy Miro made this statement. It shows how strong minded of a man he is and it gives a clue to how he views society. He believes that no one should have pity on themselves. In his view of a perfect world, if you had a disability, whether mental or physical, you should be taken out of this world and your misery. “Ignorance may not be bliss, but it lets me sleep at night.” Spencer Grant says this when he is speaking of his past. He does not remember all of what happened that July night with his father. He is somewhat scared to find out because he is afraid that he will learn that he is just like his father, which is one of his greatest fears. “If I was blind, if I’d never seen your face, I already know you well enough that you could still break my heart.” Spencer is saying this to Valerie. He is expressing his deep connection that he has with her, without even knowing that much about who she is. “They were all so ...