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Life Expectancy
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Plot Summary of Life Expectancy
"

Bantam, Dec 2004, 27.00, 401 pp.
ISBN: 0553804146

In Snow Hospital in Snow County, Colorado, dying Josef Tock makes ten predictions about his unborn grandson who is also in the hospital about to leave the womb. Of the forecasts, the most ominous is that Jimmy will face five terrible days in his future. Jimmy is born at the same moment his father dies. His father Rudy soon learns how accurate the predictions are as Josef stated the height and weight of his grandson. On that same day at the same location, a circus clown goes on a killing rampage.

Two decades later, Jimmy is in the library when seemingly the same clown from twenty years ago and two accomplices shoot the librarian and capture Jimmy and Lorrie Lynn Hicks. Explosives are placed in tunnels that link the library underground to the courthouse. Jimmy knows he will survive this ordeal because he believes a terrible two days awaits him in the future. However, he ponders what could happen to those he cares about like Lorrie Lynn when a terrible day occurs and what will happen to him when terrible day five happens?

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Life Expectancy
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror story? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - business executive
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - accused criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Earth setting: - current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
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Dean Koontz Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Tracey Ray  

SCHOLARS:
Yosef Shapiro  Richard Hernandez  Jennifer  Max Talbert  Krisatina McKenzie  Sherrie L. Jones  


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