Howdy everyone! My name is Greg and I was born and raised in eastern North Carolina. I am a avid reader of science fiction, dark fantasy & horror books and stories. My favorite writer is Dan Simmons, but I enjoy everyone from Stephen King, Robert McCammon, Dean Koontz & Brian Keene to Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Greg Bear & many, many more.
I'm not a super active poster, but I hope to be able to participate when I find something I feel knowledgeable enough to discuss.
My name is Haley! I have the strangest feeling I'm the youngest member on this forum, everyone seems to be in their late twenties and up. I love to write, and I continually try to improve my writing. I read around 300 books a year, sometimes I 'accidentally' read for 3 hours straight, annoying my family to no end. Originally I actually didn't like Stephen King, but my brother roped me into reading Misery. Now, I read SK every now and again. I actually like suspense stories as well as I like horror. I started out reading nothing but Dean Koontz, but I've been trying out different authors including Jack Ketchum.
Welcome! I never took to Koontz for some reason. I've read 2 or 3 of his older books, but it just didn't work for me. My wife really likes him though.
Speaking of Ketchum, I just finished my first book by him: The Lost.
My first Koontz book I read was The Husband, and I've read it eight times, maybe? Admittedly the only Ketchum book I've read has been The Girl Next Door. Fortunately my parents don't have a problem with me reading horror, though that may be the reason why I'm so demented.
I really used to like Koontz. He didn't grab me the way King did, and does, but I was a constant reader, till about 5 years ago.
Something changed, but I don't really know what.
Either Koontz lost his touch, or I just outgrew him.
Too bad, really, as I had an extensive hc collection and was always looking forwards to the new Koontz.
I haven't read any of Koontz's more recent novels other than those 2 series, but I have heard that about him from many people. I will say, that although the Odd Thomas, "I see dead people" thing is a bit cliche, the stories are fun. The Frankenstein is awesome, if not for the mere fact that he has successfully pulled off bringing a classic back to life. His Victor is awesome. And the monster as well. I've been wanting to go back and read Watchers and some of his earlier work again.
I read Frankenstein 1 and 2 four times each, but the 3 and 4th of the series were not some of his best work. The Odd series is another of my personal favorites. I've also read Dark Rivers of the Heart, and it was really great book.
A long time ago, a friend convinved me to read a Koontz book. The only one I could find readily was "The Bad Place." I don't remember much about it, but I remember not caring for it. She told me she didn't like that one either, but I ought to try another--she suggested "Watchers", but I never read it. I always felt bad about that one. I never read anything else by him...
Dean Koontz can be a kind of hit and miss writer, it really depends. Among my favorites are: The Husband, Cold Fire, Watchers, Dark Rivers of the Heart, the Odd series, and Frankenstein 1 and 2.
I love some of his OLDER work-like Twilight Eyes and such-and I'm a huge Odd Thomas fan, as well as The Frankenstein books. I think the problem with Koontz, is that he puts his characters through 300 pages of fantastic events, then when it come time to resolve, he just wraps it up in a neat little package without telling us how character 'A' got away with shooting at cops and yada..yada..yada. His stories always fall flat at the end-when they become too convenient and 'happily ever after'.
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