# How on EARTH is Dean Koontz a published author? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2002, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526 "2002-05-17T11:30:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/41 "2012-02-01T01:59:51Z")
Koontz is aight in my book. He’s certainly not Steven King (who is more readable, memborable, skilled, etc etc amen) but he can definitely pen a good tale. I messed around with Koontz a couple years ago, never too bad, but never too good either. I am inspired to check out _Lightning_ now! On a side, can you imagine not only searching for a good, solid Dean Koontz discussion but then registering to join one? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/42 "2012-02-01T02:13:26Z")
I thought he was a sucky, untalented author when I was in middle school. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/43 "2012-02-01T03:50:43Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Of his work, I’ve only read Phantoms. It has honestly suspenseful and enjoyable. \*was ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/44 "2012-02-01T04:04:15Z")
Dean Koontz has some good books. I skip passages in a book that seem too drawn out. In the OP’s example I would have read a few pages of that rape chapter and skipped forward in the story. I know the character was tortured and raped. I don’t need to read all the details. Later in the story I’ll understand that characters actions are shaped by what was done to her. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/45 "2012-02-01T10:09:04Z")
I came in here fully expecting to make myself out to be a fool for defending Koontz. And then I realized that I’ve only actually read one of his books, and it (Lightning) has been thoroughly defended already. It is great, too, if you haven’t read it. So… carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/46 "2012-02-01T15:12:43Z")
> [@vitaminc](#): > > He also has a gun obsession, not as bad as his dog obsession though. Neither compares to his sodium-vapor lamp obsession. I like to keep a book or two of his lying around. I find they make exceptionally reliable book-snob d-bag detectors. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/47 "2012-02-01T15:42:08Z")
> [@SlightDistrurbance](#): > > Forgive me but I have quite the lot of DRK’s book on my shelf collecting dust… > > But I stopped reading when I asked myself… > Damn, how many people suffer from fugues? > And while sunsets are nice, I don’t need five long chapters describing them… > > But Lightning is something I could read again, for like the sixth time. WIth all the books in the world that you have not read, why would you read the same book six times? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/48 "2012-02-01T15:49:52Z")
Funny that this thread was revived just when I’m about a third of the way through my first Koontz book – _ **The Face** _, which I picked up used for a dollar. So far, I’m liking it quite a bit. The characters are interesting, and there’s a fairly compelling mystery taking shape. Yeah, he can be a bit long-winded, but he hasn’t yet lost me for it. I’ll come back when I’m finished and report my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/49 "2012-02-01T16:06:53Z")
I enjoyed the first three Odd Thomas books, and a few others, but yeah, it’s the same plot over and over. He’s one of those guys like Piers Anthony that you only read when you’re in the mood. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/50 "2012-02-01T16:59:40Z")
> [@SlightDistrurbance](#): > > Damn, how many people suffer from fugues? Well, I knew a guy who had a severe aversion to _The Well-Tempered Clavier_… ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/51 "2012-02-01T17:59:00Z")
It sounds as though Koontz at first wrote several sucky books, then wrote 4 or 5 really good books, then returned to sucky book writing. Kinda makes you wonder. The only author I know of who’s followed a similar trajectory is John Norman, who started out writing books that were fairly well received in the fantasy community, then along about book 7 he switched publishers from Ballantine to DAW and his books stopped being edited, pretty much, and got a lot longer, a long more long-winded, and a lot kinkier, causing many fans to leave the series (and others to join it). So I’m thinking Koontz had a really good editor keeping him on track for four or five books? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/52 "2012-02-01T18:16:26Z")
The ones I was going to defend have already been mentioned, but I can’t remember for the life of me the title of one of his books (it has been well over a decade since I read them) with the plot something like this: Father travels with his two kids to some town where the water is being doped because Evil Rich Guy™ wants to control the townspeople (or something. I also think TV’s are involved as well - but that could be _Halloween 3_ 😉 .) There are a couple of murders (a rape too, IIRC) before Good Triumphs Over Evil. There was (of all the things that stick with you) some sibling rivalry involving a squirrel, if that helps. I’m 99% sure the book has been mentioned, but for the life of me I can’t place the title with the plot. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/53 "2012-02-01T19:26:47Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Neither compares to his sodium-vapor lamp obsession. Except his bougainvillea obsession. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/54 "2012-02-01T19:28:33Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > The ones I was going to defend have already been mentioned, but I can’t remember for the life of me the title of one of his books (it has been well over a decade since I read them) with the plot something like this: > > Father travels with his two kids to some town where the water is being doped because Evil Rich Guy™ wants to control the townspeople (or something. I also think TV’s are involved as well - but that could be _Halloween 3_ 😉 .) There are a couple of murders (a rape too, IIRC) before Good Triumphs Over Evil. There was (of all the things that stick with you) some sibling rivalry involving a squirrel, if that helps. > > I’m 99% sure the book has been mentioned, but for the life of me I can’t place the title with the plot. “Night Chills” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/55 "2012-02-01T19:56:08Z")
Danke. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/56 "2012-02-01T20:04:33Z")
Just wanted to chime in that I also liked \* Watchers, Lightning, Midnight, Intensity\* (most of those last two, but not all of them) and \*Phantoms \* I didn’t even mind \* Cold Fire, The Face of Fear and Servants of the Twilight\*, but he remains, the only author which I have violently thrown a book across the room in utter disgust that I paid money for it (second-hand, but still). ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/57 "2012-02-01T20:13:52Z")
I read Servants of Twilight and Brother Odd, and saw the movie adaptation of Watchers. Look I know he loved his golden retriever (there is a [website](http://www.deankoontz.com/trixie/) devoted to the dog) but does he have to have one in every single book? Even the one where the dog is described and pictured as a White Shepherd? I didn’t mind the stories through. Better than Chrichton. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/58 "2012-02-01T21:18:30Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Once upon a time, Dean Koontz was a second or third tier SF writer. Not bad, but not stunning. > > Then suddenly with **Night Chills** he got _good_. > > He produced about 6 good books of which about 3 are stunningly good. > > If you wanna see what Koontz is capable of, read **Strangers** , **Watchers** and **Lightning** (and to a MUCH lesser degree **The Bad Place** ). Stunningly good plotting, compent characterization, wonderful pacing/storytelling, etc. > > On the other hand, the vast majority of Koontz’s current output is megacrap. > > Fenris I always thought that **Watchers** and **Lightning** were pretty good (don’t remember much about **Strangers**.) But I’ve recently re-read **Watchers**. I kept stopping to think “Damn, this writing is not really very good.” Plotting is still ok, but I also have less tolerance for suspense than I used to have. Like someone said down-thread, he’s a formula writer. If you read his books back-to-back (like I did in the 80’s), it’s really obvious. That’s why I don’t read him anymore. That, and the fact that his writing is even WORSE now than it used to be. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/59 "2012-02-01T22:01:56Z")
_Odd Thomas_ had an interesting ending, and I truly liked \*Beaschild. \* I’ve not read much of his other books. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526/60 "2012-02-13T15:57:20Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Funny that this thread was revived just when I’m about a third of the way through my first Koontz book – _ **The Face** _, which I picked up used for a dollar. So far, I’m liking it quite a bit. The characters are interesting, and there’s a fairly compelling mystery taking shape. > > Yeah, he can be a bit long-winded, but he hasn’t yet lost me for it. I’ll come back when I’m finished and report my opinion. Just finished _ **The Face** _ this weekend. I did enjoy it overall, but the ending was a bit of a letdown. Perhaps somebody who’s read it can comment on how it compares to Koontz’s other works. Unboxed spoilers follow: It sucked me in early. I really liked the first half or so, with a series of strange occurences, clearly supernatural in nature, yet not _overtly_ explained as such. The reader, like the characters, is left to try to puzzle things out, and it’s a fun ride. The moment Dunny walked out of the mirror in the attic marked a shift in tone, not necessarily for the better. Suddenly a new level of suspension of disbelief was required, and it was slightly jarring. I went with it, though, because I had become invested in the characters, whom I thought were quite well-crafted, and the villain Laputa was a hoot, deliciously amoral in a unique way. The climax was, well, kind of underwhelming. I had hoped for – and expected – a more spectacular demise for Laputa, and that he died not knowing his captive had been rescued made it that much more unsatisfying. And then to have Dunny basically stand there and explain to Ethan and Fric that he did all of the strange things because he’s magic… Bleagh. Was the ending awful? Nah. It just didn’t quite deliver on my expectations, which were high because I thought Koontz did a really nice job of building up to that point. And I actually grew to like his writing style, tortured metaphors and all. Will I read more Koontz? Maybe. I won’t rush right out and buy all his books, certainly, but I might give him another look some day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-dean-koontz-a-published-author/109526.md?page=4)