Dean Koontz

[Lilmizflashythang]

What an idiot, I just read my last post here, and realized I wrote 'What the Dark Knows' instead of 'What the Night Knows.' Whoops.

 

[biodroid]

The only Koontz novel i've ever read was By The Light of The Moon, a few years ago. There was nothing really wrong with it, it was a very mediocre mainstream sf thriller. I remember not liking his writing style; it just sounded so....formal, you know? And the newer books I see in stores of his don't sound particularly exciting.

BUT, recently I picked up Winter Moon, which looks really cool actually. His older stuff looks a lot more interesting. Some of the sci-fi/horror he did back then looks quite interesting. Winter Moon should be good. And The Strangers I bought because it sounds very interesting, very S. King-ish.

Winter Moon is good but you should try Lightning, Phantoms, The Bad Place, Hideaway and Dragon Tears. That was DK in his prime.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I enjoy Dean R a lot and have got most of his stuff. Watchers was excellent thought the two movies they tried to make from it were abysmal. And Strangers is pretty awesome too - long - but then all his books are.

I do find his books rather light for horror, mostly because they're predictable, and you always know that none of his heroes are going to die. But they're well written and likeable. He has a nice simple prose.

But if there is one complaint I have with his work it's his MC's. They're always just "average Americans" which translates to brighter than I am with multiple PhD's, richer than I am with the gift of making huge money, tougher, artistic creative, more spiritual, and with better morality etc etc. They give me an inferiority complex. Good grief he even had one character - a minor role in one book - who was an ex drug dealer who was working on his higher education and buying exquisite furniture piece at a time because he had taste unlike me, as well as redeeming himself by doing charitible works. Prison was really good for him and he was grateful for it!

If these people are your "average Americans" my gosh - what are the good ones like?

Cheers, Greg.

 

[SevenStars]

Just finished reading 77 Shadow Street and it' s not too bad

 

[sahlmi]

I loved Phantoms and Night Chills back in high school. So this thread had got me to wanting to revisit my old Koontz collection (still got em).

 

[The Bluestocking]

Am a tad late to the party here but... I do like the Odd Thomas books - Odd is a very engaging character and a very humane one because of his gifts.

The movie absolutely captures the quirky sense of humour in the first book - see if if you can. It's what got me hunting out the Odd Thomas books. Pity the movie only had a very limited release due to legal wrangles but I think you should be able to get it on DVD soon.

In the meantime - try 'em. No harm in doing so - might even be mildly entertaining.

I've thought about diving into the Odd Thomas books. Any thoughts on those?

 

[JosephRubas]

I love Koontz, but, admittedly, he's junk food.

 

[Richard Thomas]

I love Koontz, but, admittedly, he's junk food.

I try to find a way to explain my love of Koontz every time I tell someone I read it. I think I'm going to steal the junk food line.

I think some of his earlier works are great. I don't know if he's gotten soft in his older age or what but I just don't find there to be anything particularly creepy in any of his work from the past ten years. I still read them because they are so easy and a nice break from heavier stuff. I enjoyed the Frankenstein books. But really in the same way I'd enjoy a B horror flick.

 

[biodroid]

I noticed he is pushing a lot of Christian themes in his later books. It doesnt bother me but it is noticeable.