Dean Koontz

[ratchet41]

any fans on here? i see there was one thread about collecting his books but not a thread that i could find about discussing his books weather you like or hate him.

i've always thought he was a great writer but i haven't read that many of his books, i've been writing a list of books because if you go online it never has them in order at all it has his stand alone novels in one section and none his series in another section, his website doesn't have them but Koontz is kind enough to tell you which ones are out of print at least. well i own i think #38 or #39 of his books some on hardback and some on paperback. anyways, i've only read i think #5 of his books and those are in really no particular order i don't remember which order i read than to be honest but i'm putting them in the order they came out in,

and they are, 1. The Mask (1981) a really awful book that feels like he lost the last chapter and said fuck it why bother i'm done with it with the way it ends.

2. The House of Thunder (1982) i remember for a good portion of the book i really was into it and enjoying the hell out of it and than it slowly start to fall apart and i hated the ending.

3. Strangers (1986) a Brilliant book i really loved this one and i've read it a few times a friend in High school Koontz was her favorite author i haven't seen her since as i switched schools the following year i think? anyways, she loved this book and well i read it and loved it.

4. Cold Fire (1991) i do not remember anything about it in fact i forgot i even read it until i found a list i had written of books of his i've read and this was on it but i do remember hating the ending to that one too

5. Sole Survivor (1997) i fucking loved this one so much so that i read it the only one of his that i read when it first came out i believe, that i gave it to my mom to read and she loved it. she never reads him either nor has she since read him after that one.

i'm not reading The Bad Place (1990) i am not sure i'm gonna read this one yet i'm #36 pages into it and i have no fucking clue what the hell is going on cause it feels like i started a book where i'm halfway through it but i'm hoping that will soon stop

[DoctorZaius]

I used to love Dean Koontz, well actually, loved Dean R. Koontz. The "R" was there in the old days, and that's the Koontz I loved - mostly 80s and 90s Koontz. In no particular order, some of my favorites: Watchers (an early favorite), The Face of Fear (fun thriller), Whispers, Phantoms (one of my favorites), Twilight Eyes, Strangers, Lightning, Midnight, The Bad Place (I loved this one), Mr. Murder and Dragon Tears. I also liked the early Odd Thomas books. I'm sure I will check him out again, but nothing beats those 80s and 90s titles.

[ratchet41]

you do realize his 1st book came out in (1968) yes he has been doing it that long he did science Fiction actually Originally. i'd say about #40 of his books are long out of print from i'd (1968-1975) though Shattered (1973) Demon Seed not the Original version that's out of print but when he rewrote it in (1997) that one i do have but i haven't read it yet. oops i meant to say i'm now reading The Bad Place (1990) i'm now on page #208 now i dunno if i love it yet but it's already better than"The Mask' (1981), i'm not loving it yet is what i'm trying to say but i'm not hating it either

[LadyHazmat]

Phantoms was one of my favorite books for a very long time. Still love the concept and the fabulously bad film version. If I had to recommend on Koontz title, however, it would be Strangers. That one blew me away the first time I read it.

[Ricky]

I recently had the privilege to interview Dean:

Dean Koontz on the Beauty of Language, Libraries, and Being Rescued by a Chain-smoking Clown [Written in Blood] (https://wickedhorror.com/features/interviews/dean-koontz-on-the-beauty-of-language-libraries-and-being-rescued-by-a-chain-smoking-clown-written-in-blood/)

[Br!an]

I used to love Dean Koontz, well actually, loved Dean R. Koontz. The "R" was there in the old days, and that's the Koontz I loved - mostly 80s and 90s Koontz. In no particular order, some of my favorites: Watchers (an early favorite), The Face of Fear (fun thriller), Whispers, Phantoms (one of my favorites), Twilight Eyes, Strangers, Lightning, Midnight, The Bad Place (I loved this one), Mr. Murder and Dragon Tears. I also liked the early Odd Thomas books. I'm sure I will check him out again, but nothing beats those 80s and 90s titles.

He hit his stride in the '80s. He became formulaic and I lost interest.

[DoctorZaius]

I used to love Dean Koontz, well actually, loved Dean R. Koontz. The "R" was there in the old days, and that's the Koontz I loved - mostly 80s and 90s Koontz. In no particular order, some of my favorites: Watchers (an early favorite), The Face of Fear (fun thriller), Whispers, Phantoms (one of my favorites), Twilight Eyes, Strangers, Lightning, Midnight, The Bad Place (I loved this one), Mr. Murder and Dragon Tears. I also liked the early Odd Thomas books. I'm sure I will check him out again, but nothing beats those 80s and 90s titles.

He hit his stride in the '80s. He became formulaic and I lost interest.

This is the same experience I had with him.

[Stockerlone]

I bought the German signed limited slipcased DEVOTED a while ago but haven't read it yet.
Have to admit that I only bought it because of Vincent Chong who signed and remarqued my book.

Dean Koontz - Devoted
German limited slipcased
signed from Koontz, signed and remarqued from Vincent Chong


http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/742/medium/Vincent_Chong_008.JPG
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/742/medium/Vincent_Chong_010.JPG
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/742/medium/Vincent_Chong_012.JPG
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/742/medium/Vincent_Chong_011.JPG

[WeDealInLead]

I just picked up a used Ace Double of Soft Come the Dragons/Dark of the Woods. It was published in 1970, holy moly.

[ratchet41]

i haven't read that one and i don't have any that are that old either. i know he doesn't like his early books as he finds them as awful and badly written but i really doubt all of them are bad i wish he'd put them in print again.

[ratchet41]

Currently reading The Face Of Fear (1977) it's so far pretty good it's a slow build i guess you could say and a short one compared to some of his other books lol. i bought this on paperback maybe a year or two ago ? i don't honestly remember but i'm just now getting off my ass to read the damn thing

[DoctorZaius]

I remember really liking that one. A pretty simple tale - a real tight narrative.

[ratchet41]

it is pretty good thus far, there's a tv movie i plan on watching it you tube as it i'm waiting until the book is done before i watch it cause there's a twist at the end of the book and i don't want to spoil it for myself. and get this fucking Kevin Fucking Conroy Batman Himself plays the Main Villain! i cannot wait to watch it cause of that even if it ends up being awful that will help the film right away if he's good in it i mean

[DoctorZaius]

Never seen a good movie based on a Koontz book, which is very surprising. Much like Grisham, the early ones read like movies.

[ratchet41]

i disagree yes there are some bad ones i'm not gonna deny that but "Intensity? the TVM is fucking Brilliant and is prolly the best one. i did enjoy the movie version of Sole Survivor though i have not seen Demon Seed nor have i read the book either nor have i see "The Passengers either aka Shattered which is what that film is based from. i've got maybe 30 pages left of my book left

[ratchet41]

The Face of Fear (1976) was decent what killed it for me was he had action happen than the backstory of the killers which really needed to be in there but not in the area he put it in cause it slowed the book to a fucking crawl in those scenes.
i just finished last night The Other Emily (2021) yeah that one was pretty fucking bad i did like the end of it though it started off strong than fell apart and it was a really slow book too it did have action in it this one is pretty bad The Face of Fear (1976) i'd say 7/10 and with The Other Emily (2021) i give about a 5/10

[WeDealInLead]

The Servants of Twilight, Demon Seed, and Odd Thomas are available on Tubi for free.

[ratchet41]

someone around i think i have a copy of Demon seed but i dunno where it is though and i'll get to them at some point

[ratchet41]

I'm currently reading Elsewhere (2020) too early to tell so far