Dean Koontz--I know, but why not?

[ErinPatricia]

Just finished Velocity

WTF?

Apparently he realized it was getting too long for a Koontz book and shit out an ending that was so anti-climactic it would be pictured under Anti Climactic in the dictionary.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

Haven't read that one either, but the ransom note on the back sounded interesting.

[mdarkpoet]

I love a lot of Koontz's novels, I find some of them have too many religious references for my personal liking. However books like "From The Corner of His Eye" and "Strangers" and "Whispers" kept me glued no doubt about it.

[ArtherEld]

Okay, I've heard of books getting bad reviews. I've heard of people even saying, "that author sucks." Even Stephen King himself saying Stephanie Meyers "can't write worth a darn."

But Dean Koontz... why is he getting like George-Lucas-hate from everyone? From AmazingAtheist drawing an outline of Koontz's face on toilet paper, to Brian running him over... again on Family Guy.

Basically I can understand, "Oh, yeah, I read like one of his books and it was just so bad I couldn't finish it." But Koontz is getting like extra heat for reasons I'm not clear on.

What's the deal?

[JRM]

I've never read his books, but I've heard of all the hate for him. Lol.

One of the biggest reasons people give me is that he's obsessed with happy endings. lol

[Jean]

I am really surprised, I didn't know anybody hated him. I've read only three books by him, and find him good; Dark Rivers of the Heart is more than good, it's great.

This thread may later be merged with our Koontz thread.

[Letti]

Famous people/authors always get hot and cold water, too.
When I was a teenager I was hooked on Dean's books and I think I can say I read at least 20 books by him so I may have the right to tell my opinion. I think people joke on him because his books are quite similar and not too complex. For example very similar often way too perfect characters and endings. BUT that's why I loved his books so much.
So I guess for the very same reasons people can like or dislike him a lot.

[klio]

I´ve only read Mr. murder from Koontz and the book its really ok... Personally I dont have anything against this guy.

[Brice]

I think most of the "hate" for Koontz is kind of tongue in cheek joking around.

[Cujo56]

I have nothing against Koontz. Like any other author, I find some of his books good and some blah.

[jhanic]

I agree--it's become the "fashion" to bash Koontz. One of Koontz's best works is the beginning of Phantoms. A spookier beginning I've never read. Too bad the book begins to go downhill from there.

John

[lophophoras]

Koontz isn't so bad. I've read quite a few of his books and enjoyed them.

Family Guy does poke fun at him....they poke fun at everybody though. LOL...

[Savvy]

I have enjoyed the books i've read by him so far, also they don't all have happy endings

[Dagavidiab]

That is true, not all his books have happy endings.
I general, i like his books

[Iwritecode]

I actually have a large collection of his books. Mostly they have ranged from horrible to fairly decent. Nothing real great IMHO. Half the time I can't even remember which ones I've read by looking at the title.

Maybe it's just me but many of his endings seem a little abrupt to me. It's like the bad guy is killed, the girl falls in love with the guy and everyone lives happily ever after all within the last 20 pages or so.

With many of King's books, the climax happens and then there's another few chapters telling what happened with the characters afterward. Christine, The Stand, IT, Under the Dome are all like that.

[Woofer]

I read Dean Koontz and have for years. His stories are entertaining, but they do have to have a happy ending (as so many before me have noted).

My main problem with Koontz is that his characters never quite feel real to me. They do not quite seem fully fleshed out and 3D. Few of his good guys have flaws, real flaws, and I feel this ties in with the happy ending issue. The combination makes his stories less poignant and more forgettable than, for example, a typical King story.

I agree with jhanic - Phantoms has the creepiest opening of any Koontz book.

However, Koontz gets his firearms information correct most of the time. *cough* Roland's guns. *cough*

[candy]

i think i have mentioned this before, but i prefered Koontz before he took the R away

i have books of his as Dean R Koontz that i really really love and can read over and over
The Bad Place
Lightening
Phantoms

When he took the R out and sold himself as Dean Koontz he does seem to have all the happy ending. His books have become very similar in recent years, although you still get a good little book amongst his library - you could say this of any author

However,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I love the Odd Thomas Books
I also love his Frankenstein Books

[ArtherEld]

Yeah, now that I think of it, I think the Brian thing was poking fun at the fact that Koontz's books are in the same category as Stephen King's and because of his last name they come right after each other in the book store...

Maybe...

Anyway, I've read quite a few Koontz:

Strong points - Dude has a gift for dialogue. It really drives the stories.

Characters are very likable, both the good and bad guys. "One Door Away from Heaven" is great example. I loved the villain in there but I also loved the little, freaky girl. Although like someone else said, they often aren't realistic. But they're still likable.

Low point - Endings. I'm not sure if I heard it somewhere that Koontz admittedly has a problem with endings. It's not that they're always happy, it's just that more often than not they leave you going, "Um, really? That's where you took it?"

"One Door Away From Heaven" was great... up until the end. Then he describes what the alien looks like (no spoilers, but seriously, you'll read the description and scrunch your face). It goes downhill at the endings a lot of times and the bulk of the books are usually pretty good, so when the ending comes along, and when it's really bad, it's like a cliff.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

I've made these points in the Koontz thread, but I will mention them again here.

I have read most Koontz novels (besides the last couple of years worth) and I find them to be mostly entertaining.

Bad points.
1. Extremely formulaic, Good guy (usually a cop or military man) saves damsel in distress. (You know exactly what you are getting into with a Koontz novel)
2. As mentioned before, not much character development.

Good points:
1. Quick, easy, entertaining read.
2. Grabs you quickly. (I've never read a Koontz book that did not fully have my attention within 5 pages)

Best Koontz (IMO)
1. Servants of Twilight
2. Phantoms
3. The Bad Place
4. Intensity
5. Midnight

Worst Koontz Books:
1. Strangers
2. Sole Survivor
3. Winter Moon
4. Cold Fire

[Jean]

merging... merging... merged!

[ArtherEld]

I will say this, he does kind of look like a cult leader doesn't he? Like he's gonna make me read Koontzinetics and while drinking Koolaid.

My girlfriend's reading Hideaway right now (I never read it), she says it's getting more and more f*cked up as she gets into it. I'm like, "Shit, that's my kind of book!" Never had a desire to read it though, after seeing just a trailer of what looks clearly like a God awful movie.

[candy]

I will say this, he does kind of look like a cult leader doesn't he? Like he's gonna make me read Koontzinetics and while drinking Koolaid.

My girlfriend's reading Hideaway right now (I never read it), she says it's getting more and more f*cked up as she gets into it. I'm like, "Shit, that's my kind of book!" Never had a desire to read it though, after seeing just a trailer of what looks clearly like a God awful movie.

you know you should never judge a book by its movie don't you?
look at some of the King movies that have been done that are either just plain crap, or so far removed from the book they can not be classed as the same thing

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

Good point. All Koontz movies that I have seen have been garbage. Seems noone with any talent wants to make any of his books into movies.

And that is a shame, because the pace and style of his books would lend itself to film pretty well I think.

[ArtherEld]

I will say this, he does kind of look like a cult leader doesn't he? Like he's gonna make me read Koontzinetics and while drinking Koolaid.

My girlfriend's reading Hideaway right now (I never read it), she says it's getting more and more f*cked up as she gets into it. I'm like, "Shit, that's my kind of book!" Never had a desire to read it though, after seeing just a trailer of what looks clearly like a God awful movie.

you know you should never judge a book by its movie don't you?
look at some of the King movies that have been done that are either just plain crap, or so far removed from the book they can not be classed as the same thing

Well, yeah, I know that now. But this was back when I was much younger (I think junior high) and still reading novels based on movies.

[Fall of Gilead]

Finished House of Thunder today. The reveal and resolution occurred in the final 30 pages, and it actually defied the age of the book.