# Dean R. Koontz: what do you think of him **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-r-koontz-what-do-you-think-of-him/116952 "2002-07-02T01:17:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-r-koontz-what-do-you-think-of-him/116952/21 "2002-07-03T03:40:03Z")
I used to love his stuff, but I haven’t been crazy about it for a few years now. I would buy his hardbacks the day they came out, and then buy the paperback later to keep my hardbacks nice. The last hardback I bought (_From the Corner of His Eye_ I thik was the title) I haven’t even read yet, and that was published a couple years ago. I haven’t bought any paperbacks at all. I found this [funny link](http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/koontz.shtml) today, which I think sums up Koontz’s style. Sheri ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-r-koontz-what-do-you-think-of-him/116952/22 "2002-07-03T19:46:20Z")
**Upside Down** was the first Koontz book I read. It’s a black humor comedy set in World War II. I thought it was great, I was rolling around on the floor laughing while I was reading it. So you can imagine my dissapointment when I found out that was the only funny book her ever wrote. My SO loves Koontz. Occasionally he talks me into reading one, but I’m usually dissapointed. I think I’ll give the new one a try sometime, but _sigh_ none of them will ever be as brilliant as the first one I read. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-r-koontz-what-do-you-think-of-him/116952/23 "2002-07-03T21:32:48Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ll argue with you And I didn’t see this coming how? 😛 I won’t object to the argument, because at least you picked one of my other faves as the top dog. I think what I liked best about watchers was that the “bad guy” was so sympathetic–it really made the Outsider that much scarier because it seemed so human. And I had exactly the same reaction you did to the difference in quality–only in reverse. Lightning and Watchers were the first two I read, but then I read another (Mr. Murder, maybe?) and was like “Huh?, no way this is the same writer!” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-r-koontz-what-do-you-think-of-him/116952/24 "2002-07-05T01:11:50Z")
- I tried to post this two days ago, but it was eaten…\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nacho4Sara \* > \*\*However, I would argue that **Fear Nothing** and **Seize the Night** are his best books of all - simply amazing. The two books are part of a trilogy, I believe - I can’t wait for the third. He blends the suspence and terror of his earlier stuff with bits and pieces of the sentimentalism that has made his most recent stuff difficult. Both books are quite sci-fi-y, too, which I enjoyed, strangely enough. \*\* Hey, you beat me. Those two are my favorites, followed by \*\* Strangers\*\* and \*\* Dragon Tears\*\* . His book of short stories, \*\* Strange Highways\*\* is really good too - I love the title story. The biggest complaint I have with his books is the majority of the titles are short and not memorable. I have to read the descriptions of many of them to figure out if I’ve read them or not since the title doesn’t usually ring a bell. Not exactly a hijack, but is **Tick-Tock** supposed to be humorous? I thought it was, especially the end, but I still can’t decide if that was the intent or not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-r-koontz-what-do-you-think-of-him/116952.md?page=1)