Along with Strangers, Lightning, and Midnight, Watchers is credited with establishing Koontz's status as a best-selling author.

[1] Travis Cornell, a former Delta Force operator, feels that his life has become pointless, and is exploring a canyon near his home when he encounters two genetically engineered creatures that have escaped from a top-secret government laboratory.

One, a Golden Retriever with enhanced intelligence, befriends Travis; the other, a creature known as the Outsider, appears to be trying to kill the dog.

Later, he and Einstein find and rescue Nora Devon in a park, who was being pestered by a dangerous man, Arthur Streck.

The Outsider is renamed OXCOM, and Vince Nasco is replaced by NSO agents searching for the monster.