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Best-selling author of numerous techno-thrillers. Wears a toupe. And seems to be obsessed with dogs. What does anyone else think?
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Tick Tock Icebound! (I'm a big Allistair McLean fan) Lightning Watchers Twilight Eyes Servants of Twilight Strange Highways
A lot of his stuff I find annoying: One Door from Heaven (??) Fear Nothing/Seize the Night (??) The one with the dog who's really an alien who wants to bring peace and security to earth. The one where everyone's obsessed by the moon but is really about aliens who want to bring peace and security to earth. The one with nanobot aliens who want to bring death and destruction to earth.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I tend to like some of his works very well, and others not at all.
IMO, he is pretty good at grabbing an idea, researching it and making it a viable part of the plotline. It gets irritating when he overworks his own architypes of good/complicated man meets a dog, then meets a girl, then saves the world. I absolutely loved the formula the first time I read it in "Watchers", but it gets old fast.
To me, one of the most interesting things about Koontz work is watching him work through his own childhood demons. The drinking and abuse and ultimate triumph of the human spirit seem to be his most fervent wish for himself. I see most of his writing as his exercise in self therapy.
There are a few exceptions to the formula rule, but I haven't read any of his books that were exceptions to his seeming catharsis.
Most recently, I very much enjoyed "Odd Thomas." It was a low key and poingnant portrayal of someone who didn't fit in, fitting in. To me, one of the unique things about this novel is that the protagonist isn't afraid to connect with people and as he gets to know each person better, he realizes that everyone is "odd" and that no one really fits in and that's okay.
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Steve, how about some comments of your own? What do you like or dislike about Koontz? What's your favorite book of his? Why do you care if he wears a toupe?
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I've read ane enjoyed a Dean Koontz story or two. I've read, however, about six Dean Koontz books. The ratio of unique books to unique stories is sadly very low, rivaled perhaps only by David Eddings.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I think alot of his ideas are good, but he seems to get too involved in side-plots and loses the main point. Over-all I think he is a good writer. Not as good as Stephen King of course(since Koontz is my King substitute while waiting for another King book, unfortunately Stephen King claims to have retired )
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I like Koontz cause I always end up wanting to be friends with his characters. His books go down easy so I don't mind reading a couple that have the same idea.
I actually liked Seize the Night a lot.
I'm starting Odd Thomas after I finish one of the books I'm reading.
Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I will have to agree with Tom. I read a LOT of Dean Koontz books, but not many Dean Koontz stories.
I did, however, like Seize the Night, and Fear Nothing.
But one of his books marks high as one of the worst books I've ever read. The House of Thunder, a book about a woman who starts seeing enemies from her past, ended up in Russia with some sort of crazy government conspiracy. It was the definition of WTF.
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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"Lightning" was the book that launched my love of reading as a pre-teen. It holds a special place in my heart. That said, I don't think I've purchased a book of his since high school, which has been about ten years. I just... lost interest.
Posts: 7600 | Registered: Jan 2001
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I haven't bought (or read, I think) a book of his since high school either, though it hasn't been *quite* so long, for same reasons. But I saw Odd Thomas in a store the other week and it was on sale and so shiny that I had to give it a try Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I used to really enjoy his stuff. "Intensity" was superb. But I've gone right off him since his writing got so wordy it became unreadble. Some of his writing was flat out ridiculous it went so over the top in describing situations and peoples' reactions in the most convoluted ways. I can't remember the name of the last one I read, something about teleporting and an autistic guy. Really irritating. Every now and then I pick up one of his books in the bookstore and get kind of wistful about what used to be, but is no more... Posts: 867 | Registered: Dec 2003
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I used my righteous search skills to resurrect this thread. I just finished reading Life Expectancy and thought it was excellent. And the research for that one must have been awesome. Ha! I just now got the "bread and circuses" connection. I don't read much. I'm trying to get over it, though. I agree that the characterization was superb. I'd rather read a traditionally themed story with lovable characters than an avant-garde work about people who I'd kind of like to see die.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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The only Dean Koontz story I really enjoyed was Oddkins...mostly because the idea of the battle between Heaven and Hell for the Soul of Mankind being carried out by a bunch of living toys is kinda neat. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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And, looking at my list above, I realized "Tick Tock" might be "The one with the dog who's really an alien who wants to bring peace and security to earth."
I guess I separated the really annoying part from the really good part so well, it split into two books.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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He is very hit or miss. I love Lightening and Strangers was not bad but some of his other books are too sexual or too boring for me. I hate reading a great build-up just to have the plot be absurd later in the book. It is the same complaint I have with Stephen King in some of his books.
Most of the book jackets I have seen show a photo of a nearly bald man. I had never seen him in a toupee but then I found this. Not that it matters really.
Posts: 1319 | Registered: Jul 2005
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The one with the dog and alien/kid was "One Door Away From Heaven" and while I'm sure it was very "Spielbergian" (my made up term), for those of us who don't mind that kind of crazyness it was very enjoyable.
Odd Thomas was good, I want to read the sequel.
My favorites:
Soul Survivor Strangers Tick Tock One Door Away From Heaven Intensity By the Light of the Moon Phantoms
"The Taking" had some very cool sequences but like OSC said, it could've been shorter and less er...whatever he said I forget.
Posts: 1236 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I've read (but mostly listened to on tape/cd) almost all of the Koontz titles listed here. I find that his more recent stuff has been great fun, and better than some of his earlier books. I love the Odd Thomas books, and Life Expectancy was one of the best books I read last year. His new Frankenstien series is also very good. The guy is very prolific, but that is sometimes at the expense of his originality. Koontz steals alot from himself, e.g., several books with uber intelligent dogs, autistic kids, and folks who can manipulate the fabric of reality, just to list a few Koontzisms.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I find the recurring theme of bad guys who eat junk food and don't get fat amusing. *Yes, he's a psycopathic, sadistic serial killer. But you know what I really hate about him? He eats junk food and doesn't get fat!...
Koontz is amusing enough, but he doesn't exactly engage me.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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..I'm thinking of an author...who populates his books with horrible, mutated monsters that (almost to a monster) love pulling their victims' eyes out of their sockets...and are always pursued by hyper-intelligent dogs...hmm...who could it be?
Posts: 1862 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I've read all fifty of his in print books. He is my favorite author. OSC is a distant second.
I have only one complaint: The Funhouse. Too 'teen horror' for me. Still better than a lot of popular fiction.
Sorry for reviving this ancient thread. I thought it would be best to get acquainted with this new forum talking about something familiar(I post a lot on a Dean Koontz forum).
Oh yeah, about the super-intelligent dogs. 5 out of 50 books isn't too much! Posts: 12 | Registered: Apr 2007
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Though I wouldn't put it anywhere near the top of my list of favorites, I did like the carney research in "Funhouse". Later, I found out that the permanent carney camp in Florida? is a real place.
Did you know that Koontz and Card share the same biographer? It's not surprising to me that many people who like Koontz, enjoy Card and visa versa... though I'm not quite sure what the common thread might be. Do you have a theory?
Welcome to the forum.
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
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There were some moments in The Taking that I wanted to storyboard and shoot live-action. Very creepy, but IIRC OSC mentioned how the book should've been shorter and tighter, and I agree.
Posts: 1236 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I blogged about this recently, and it's clear to me that the run of poor new releases by Koontz is about done. His last two or three have been excellent, and the 5 or 6 before that were 'meh'.
I'm glad to have him back. I personally thought The Taking was a low point.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I've read or listen to about 10 of his books. It seems hit or miss. I checkout what ever is in at the library on CD to listen to while carving. He is usually good for that or a quick read on a plane.
I agree with someone early who said he gets wordy. I think sometime he is trying to make us care about his characters by going into so much detail. Either the character is likable or not. You shouldn’t have to force it.
He is good enough to keep reading from time to time.
Posts: 555 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I didn't know Miz Ramsland is the biographer for Card.
A far superior carney book from Koontz, and just as good research, is Twilight Eyes.
I'm not good at analyzing really. I can make a guess though. I think that the people who enjoy both Koontz and Card find greatness in their depth of thought. While Card makes the reader think about huge choices that are made through his characters, Koontz makes the reader think about the smaller choices(smaller meaning the choices don't really effect the course of history, but do effect the character a lot). These are two different things, but both authors can use these character choices to bring about new ideas to look at these choices. They reach into the readers soul and change them with ideas. No other authors have done that to me.
When I read, say, Stephen King, I start out the book thinking that the idea behind the book can lead to wonderful ideas, but they rarely seem to reach their potential. He seems to go off in a direction that only he can understand. While Koontz and Card go in a direction that can be universally understood.
(Think I confused myself trying to explain why I and others find both great.)
As for him being wordy, I really haven't noticed. I think I'm just so obsessed with this author that I'm reading too fast to really think about his flaws. He is said to use a lot of similes and metaphors, an overabundance of them. Once again, I haven't noticed, but that is probably what I call my Koontz bias. I did notice, while reading OTHERLAND by Tad Williams, that he uses too many similes. Enough to drive me insane. OTHERLAND had too many other good points to worry about that though.
I was surprised when finding that OSC comes so close to Koontz, because I had read so many other authors after running out of Koontz to read that I thought he was the only one that would intrigue me so. Card is the only other author who has been consistantly great in every book. Of course, I dismiss the fact that I wasn't a big fan of Homebody.
Ok, enough ranting. I think I'll find some good discussions on the Card books I've read and join in. I have Enchantment to read after I finish Mystery Walk by Robert McCammon.
Posts: 12 | Registered: Apr 2007
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Night Chills is the scariest book I've read by Dean Koontz. All those claiming his stuff isn't scrazy, read Night Chills.
Posts: 340 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I consider him a Stephen King lite. He is enjoyable to read at times, but each book is forgetable. Much of his writing reminds me of the blockbusters that are fun for the moment, but probably not care to see more than once if it wasn't for the special effects.
Posts: 2207 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I lovedlovedloved Dark Rivers of the Heart. I've read a couple other Koontz books that didn't do that much for me...I'm not even sure of the titles. In one, dangerous rain was falling.
I kind of think Dark Rivers of the Heart was like The Stand for me. I've read a few other Stephen King books and liked them fine, but I *loved* The Stand.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Michael R. Collins is the biographer of whom I was thinking. Though I may be mistaken in thinking that Collins wrote a full biography on Koontz; he may have only written an academic paper. In any case, I heard Collins speak a few years back and he had some criticism but mostly praised Koontz's early work, and nothing but praise for the direction in which Koontz was headed.
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Still better than a lot of popular fiction.![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
