Odd Thomas (character) - Fictional Character Biography

Fictional Character Biography

Odd's name was originally intended to be "Todd",(or possibly "Dodd", after his European uncle whom he has never met and may not exist) and his actual name stems from an error on his birth certificate that eventually became permanent. Odd lived at home until he was 16. His mother is a neurotic who refuses responsibility and has a psychotic fixation with handguns. Odd's father divorced her when Odd was one year old. He never remarried but has become a serial dater of girls that are barely/questionably legal. Odd was severely neglected and emotionally abused by his mother after his father left. If his mother couldn't hide from him, she would threaten to kill herself or Odd if he created 'stressful' events, i.e. he was very sick as a child and wanted her to comfort him when she told him if he didn't stop crying she was going to shoot herself. During this same incident she also made him (Odd) look down the barrel of her gun.

Odd's unique ability to see the dead (among other paranormal gifts) complicates his life and forms the basis of the novels. When the first novel begins he is a 20 year-old fry cook, with a particular proficiency for pancakes, living in the fictional California town of Pico Mundo. He uses his abilities to aid the lingering spirits who seek him out. The plot of the first novel centers on Odd and his girlfriend Stormy Llewellyn's attempt to prevent a mass murder in his hometown. Odd successfully minimizes the casualties of the scheme but Stormy is killed, changing the course of Odd's life.

The second novel, Forever Odd focuses on a battle of wits between Odd and an occult-obsessed seductress who has kidnapped Odd's childhood friend, hoping to attract Odd and learn about his gift. In Brother Odd, Odd has retreated to a quiet life in St. Bartholomew's Abbey, where children are being stalked by paranormal creatures outside of Odd's experience. In the fourth novel, Odd Hours Odd is drawn to Magic Beach where he experiences an apocalyptic dream and investigates a plot of cataclysmic proportions. During this novel he meets Annamaria, a mysterious woman who dubs Odd during their first conversation as her protector. At the end of the novel Annamaria accompanies Odd as the two depart Magic Beach, and Annamaria comforts Odd by mimicking a favorite pastime of Odd's and Stormy's. In the fifth book, Odd Apocalypse, Odd and Annamaria stay as guests at Roseland Manor where everything is not as it seems.

Odd's primary power is sight of ghosts and other departed spirits, primarily humans and dogs, though Odd has made allusions to others. The spirits never speak, though Odd does not know if this is due to inability or by choice until Odd Hours, when the spirit of a recently killed criminal attempts to speak to Odd and is surprised to find that it cannot be heard. Odd's second frequent ability is a form of psychic magnetism, an ability to be drawn to places of import by allowing his instincts to take over. Another, less beneficial aspect of this ability is that if Odd is consciously trying avoid a particular someone or something, he will inevitably find or be found that very person or thing. Despite the hapless danger and misfortune this ability causes, the character usually finds humor in the irony and speaks of it in an anecdotal fashion.

Additionally, Odd is able to 'foresee' events due to his ability to see Bodachs, a term identified by a child he met who shortly after voicing the word, and in the presence of Bodachs, was killed in a somewhat mysterious accident by a truck driver.