Dean Koontz

[Demonique]

Some people like his stuff, some people hate it. I like it while admitting it is quite formulaic at the best of times. I think his early stuff was more 'reading snacks' than a full meal but I think he has improved over time. If you read his books, which did you like and why? Oh yes, I'm new here too so I'll just say hi while I'm at it.

[Master]

I've read a pretty lot of his novels and for the most part, was unimpressed. He is by no means bad, but I don't think he is as good as his sales numbers show. I did REALLY like Phantoms, and Lightning and The Door to December were also very entertaining. Besides these, everything else was just average. What were your favorites by him? Maybe you can turn me on to one that I have missed...

[Demonique]

Yes - Phantoms was good. It made a good movie. I like Fear Nothing, Sieze the Night, Odd Thomas (Forever Odd was crap though). Winter Moon was good and The Bad Place. I find reading his books is like putting on comfortable shoes. You generally know the good guy/gal will always win, there will be an intelligent cat/dog and very often there will be a character with a disability. I really liked The Taking but I have a thing for post-apocalyptic stuff like The Stand and Swan Song.

[Master]

Swan Song was probably my favorite fiction book of all time. As for the ones you've mentioned, I've read Winter Moon which was original but just OK for me and half of Fear Nothing....

[noctuary]

The Bad Place and Phantoms were actually fairly decent. I've been very unimpressed with his other books.

[The_Return]

He's pretty good for a nice, light read. Ive enjoyed everything that Ive read...Watchers is far-and-away the best though.

[Vodstok]

hes has had some classics:

Watchers
Phantoms
Midnight
Lightning

but for the most part, his book sfeel like he writes to make money. Most people i know raved about the Bad Place, it hought it was awful, and chock full of plot holes, loose ends and bad science. I hate stories that kill likeable characters, just to make the bad guys bad.

And i dont think they will ever be able to make a decent movie out of one of his books. My abject hatred of Ben Affleck BEGAN with phantoms. What a horrid excuse for a film adaption. Rose McGowan's charater in the book was 12 for christ's sake.

[The_Return]

Anyone read Tick-Tock?

I was really enjoying it until the end. Way to completly ruin a good character by...well, I wont spoil it I guess, but man - fun book, but horrid ending.

[Vodstok]

Anyone read Tick-Tock?

I was really enjoying it until the end. Way to completly ruin a good character by...well, I wont spoil it I guess, but man - fun book, but horrid ending.

Sounds like Darkfall. AWESOME story until the end. BOOM. Done. 300 pages of build up for 3 pages of resolution, with nothing past the close of the climax. he way missed the boat.

[The_Return]

Sounds like Darkfall. AWESOME story until the end. BOOM. Done. 300 pages of build up for 3 pages of resolution, with nothing past the close of the climax. he way missed the boat.

Havent read that one, but yeah - sounds like the same idea.

Tick Tock was basically one huge ass chase, with a pretty cool monster going after two very entertaining characters. I was loving it until Koontz starting to explain stuff...zero to shitty in 4.5 pages.

[Despare]

I think Intesity and Velocity were pretty good ones that haven't been mentioned. I'm not a huge fan but the wife likes his work a lot. Novelists... :rolleyes:

I think he's changing and improving. Although I did love the Family Guy where they hit somebody, was afraid it had been Steven King, but when they found out it was Koontz they backed over him and ran him over one more time.

[Vodstok]

I think Intesity and Velocity were pretty good ones that haven't been mentioned. I'm not a huge fan but the wife likes his work a lot. Novelists... :rolleyes:

I think he's changing and improving. Although I did love the Family Guy where they hit somebody, was afraid it had been Steven King, but when they found out it was Koontz they backed over him and ran him over one more time.

That was brian. i laughed my ass off when i saw that, i have always heard Koontz described as the "poor man's steven king".


I was actually heavily influenced by koontz when i first started writing seriously. Bearwood started off being influenced by him, but then i saw Se7en, and that changed everything. I started growing bored with Koontz, and began just rereading the stuff i liked.

needkless to say, pretty much everythigni started back in my "Koontz" days has long since been scrapped and never revisited.

[Master]

One of the ones that I have been intrigued by has been "Strangers". does anyone have any opinions of this book. I may actually read this one soon if I hear anything good about it.

[Demonique]

I agree about Tick Tock. The ending was very abrupt but I did enjoy the humour, especially mother Phan. I have friends with mothers like that. Velocity was ok but I think he took the easy way out for the ending. I would have preferred a resolution where the main character was the killer (second personality sort of thing). I never expect brilliant literature with Koontz. You always know where it's going but can be fun getting there.

[Despare]

I agree about Tick Tock. The ending was very abrupt but I did enjoy the humour, especially mother Phan. I have friends with mothers like that. Velocity was ok but I think he took the easy way out for the ending. I would have preferred a resolution where the main character was the killer (second personality sort of thing). I never expect brilliant literature with Koontz. You always know where it's going but can be fun getting there.

*SPOILERS*

I think the split personality thing with Velocity would have been the easy way out AND left too many plot holes ala High Tension. I enjoyed the teamwork aspect of the killers. The artist teaching his student how's it's done. I think if anything he could have expounded on their relationship and gave more depth to their characters.

[The Villain]

So i didnt take the time to read through this because i don't have the time right now but i recently read Tick Tock and really didnt like it but i'm willing to give Koontz another try especially since i know that it wasnt his typical thing and it was mixed with screwball comedy which i really dont like.

Anyway i was just wondering what would be a good book of his to read next? I've almost read all of Stephen King's books and i want to get invested in another author who has a lot of books so i wanna read a good one of his that will get me hooked on him.

[Fearonsarms]

I haven't read all his stuff but I'll recommend Lightning everyone seems to really enjoy that one.

[The Villain]

Cool thanks, ill check that one out

[Zombieness]

The only thing I can remotely use to describe him is 'Meh'. He's very creative, just read the plots on the back of some of his books and you'll be very intrigued, and has a lot of talent in descriptiveness and wit when writing.

The problem generally arises in key parts of his stories. Usually there's too much of this and a lack of that which flaws his writings. Endings can be his let down at times, or at least for me (seriously, What The Night Knows' ending was so out there. As in...out there). Plot holes and loose ends are also very common.

Don't get me wrong, he's still written a lot of very good stuff, but like Master said, 'I don't think he is as good as his sales numbers show'.