Stephen King just doesn`t do it for me. His books are boring and twice as long and neccesary, and are filled with pagefiller and far too much blood, guts and swearing to disguise how boring and hokey his prose is. Dean Koontz has a far superior writing style and grabs you from page one and never lets go, pluss his villains always rule. And I do not agree with OldGrumpy Guy about Koontz being very underrated. He may not have won any awards, but his books have gained rave reviews from critics.
I like Stephen King more than Koontz, but Koontz is good. Stephen King is just more imaginative, and his writing seems more real, Koontzs' writing can seem wooden to me.
I personaly find Stephen King a much better writer than Dean Koontz. Stephen Kings characters are more memorable and likable, as oppose to Koontz characters (some of them are good, but I notice others are kind of stereotypical). Plus King's story telling ability is in general more entertaining, sure he can get depressing, but thats part of the experience and in a way it's more realistic.
@93MickyD1 The villian was standing in stark contrast to the protagonist and so the two depended on each other. When he over-did the Chyna he overdid Vess. Vess became just as repetative. Vess always talking about sensation, experience, intensity and Chyna always talking about being reclusive, untrusting, and emotionally sensitive.
@OldGrumpyGuy King makes use of bittersweet endings so the person is never going to be 100% happy in the end. It fits the horror motif. A big problem with a lot of Koontz's work is that there is a 180 degree turn around into HappyLand. It really only felt appropriate with Lightning, which was a great book.
@theshawn1811 In my opinion,Koontz doesn't have a single good book.They 're all about dogs and weird characters.On the contrary,King's characters are the ones that you may have seen in the street today...They 're perfectly normal but they get involved in abnormal situations.Also,Koontz's style is a bit more optimistic for me.I prefer King because he is darker as the grumpy guy said...but after all that's just my opinion.Take care...
Hi Mr. Taylor. I read & did two reviews (on my youtube channel) from Koontz. occassionally I think Koontz' prose smacks of arrogance in that: look-what-an-eloquent-writer-I-am..& I agree with savior20061 that his villian & protagonists are too one-note. Still, he is a very creative w/ certain plot constructs. Yes, sometimes King can make one feel depressed, but his characters are far more natural, + King's endings are more cathartic. But Dreamcatcher" was suuuure bloated! Great video! :)
@CombatOasis Does anyone remember James "Gard" Gardener from the Tommyknockers? He's given the choice between excavating the ship, using it to change the world the way he wants it, and possibly killing his best friend and lover; and saving his best friend lover, and possibly letting the US gov't take it for their potentially nefarious purposes. He spends a whole chapter deliberating the consequences. Koontz would crap his pants and die of a heart attack were he to try writing such a chapter.
Koontz renewed my love of reading, & from the first time I picked up one of his novels, I've found all other modern day authors boring by comparison. Including King. Koontz can describe things in a way that is simply beautiful. SK is a horror writer, but Koontz can put horror, love, suspense, sci fi, mystery, & much more into a single novel. SK & DK both tell great stories. It is the way in which they tell them that make the 2 completely different. DK surpasses SK in talent every time.
@Beergut222 I tend to agree that King's novels are a bit too long, but King is a much superior writer. His prose makes Koontz look like a second grader. His characters are much more fleshed out and realistic while Koontz makes many one dimmensional disposable characters. Koontz is also blindly faithful and preachy to his Catholic religion while King remains more open minded. Koontz just doesn't hold a literary candle to king even if his books are fun.
@ProRanting Quoted for truth man. You got King's easy-going narrative compared to Koontz prose which is mechanical at best and just purple and awful at the very worst (Darkest Evening of the Year). You got King's wide range of characters along the "gentleman/flaming douchebag" scale compared to Koontz 100% good heroes and "I'm evil because it gives me a huge boner" villains. You've got King climaxes, that take it "up to eleven". And Koontz climaxes: Bang the bad guy's dead.
@Savior20061 Well put! Plus I didn't mention King's flawless dialouge and Koontz's clunky unrealistic dialouge that only furthers the one dimension his characters live in. And I love that you mentioned how King's characters are not always 100% bad or good they waver in and out and that only adds more realism to his stories. And I hate how Koontz recycles the same "good guys" in each of his novels. King over Koontz from dusk till dawn.
@ProRanting I mean the Odd Thomas character is okay, in my opinion, as was Laura Shane from Lightning. But Koontz has had amply opportunity to make good characters. In Frankenstein there was a supersoldier-type character called Randall Six who broke out of his facility to find the meaning of happiness. In Darkest Evening of the Year, there's a nihilstic hitman who is, at one point, is tempted to find meaning in his life. Why can't he write more about characters like that?
@Savior20061 I'm not sure why he doesn't write more colorful characters. It may be because he's simply not good at it. For instance, Chyna in Intensity had the potential to be a great main character, but after a while I got sick and tired of hearing about Chyna. Hearing about how she was so withdrawn from connections to other people simply because she had a bad childhood. It became whiney and annoying very quickly. In that case he over did that character and ruined it AND the villian.
@ProRanting It's strange too, because Koontz is always fretting and talking in interviews about not making his characters into victims. He hates Freud. A lot. According to some reviews on Amazon he spent most of Intensity telling the reader so.
@Beergut222 That's debatable. A book's trimmness is more based off the pace than the page number in my opinion. Go onto Amazon and you'll find a lot of people complaining about the boring middles of many Koontz books, which for them makes the book "bloated" cause they don't want to read any more.
@amazingguitarsam02 Rubbish! Shakespeare is rather popular...here's the difference: Dean Koontz and Stephen King write to entertain, literary writers write to discuss the issues of the culture and time in which they are written. Cujo = fearful situation and puzzle; The Bell Jar = issues about the American Dream re: women. Very different creatures.
@Elliottc26 You can't label Stephen King simply a pop culture writer. His latest novel Under The Dome is a enlightening politcal allegory. The novel is massive, but rides along with beatiful prose and amazingly enjoyable and character developing dialouge. It also reveals King's pitch black barbaric sense of humour at times. I tend to agree with you, but King's novels often carry along themes and lessons that most people don't always retain. He ain't Cormac McCarthy, but his novels do matter.
@ProRanting If, like you say, King writes metaphors along with "character development" and "beautiful prose," then that is a superficial point of view. What makes Novels more than their component parts is their insights, discussions and depths. Plot is superfluous to the meaning. It is the difference between ideas and effect. King is not an important writer; but, he is entertaining and highly commercial.
@Elliottc26 The Plot (AKA the events of the novel) is important because the events of the novel explore meanings and hold a certain depth of intelligence . They may symbolize things and or explain them. I agree with your point, but disagree with it at the same time. The Plot isn't always the insight, but it can be very often. King isn't an important writer in that reguard, but he can be the writer you think he can't be. If that makes any sense. Otherwise I agree with your comment.
@ProRanting I disagree (shockingly!). The problem with that arguement is that Plots are repeated over and over through History. If Plot were important it would have to be new and fresh with each story, which isn't possible. For instance, It, The Stand, and Dreamcatcher have a lot of similarities: group of freinds, they share a commonality, the enemy surfaces, they join to defeat the monster, the monster almost kills them, in the end they triumph. Good story; but, says little.
When I was in 4th grade I read FUN HOUSE. It was the most terrifying and erotic book I had ever read up until that time. Dean Koontz CAN bring monsters to life. He can also kill them in outstanding ways. However, after reading many of Koontz books, I found myself more fastenated by Stephen King due to his complex story-lines. I find that books are much more interesting when your able to mark your page for the night, turn off the lights and ask yourself... "Just what the hell did that mean"?
I am a very open minded reader. Read many different authors and I'm not harsh critic, but I can't deny my dislike towards Koontz. His plots (Along with his one dimmensional characters) suck! Take the Face for example. Lame one dimmensional main character with a typical tough guy black cop. After some crap ripped off from Se7en the boring villain is defeated. Yay! I've read six Koontz books and regret them all. I recommend: Richard Matheson-Stephen King-Clive Barker-Jack Ketchum.
I am a seasoned reader of both King and Koontz, and I think comparing Koontz to King is a little bit of disservice to SK. SK can create unique, parallel worlds, populate them with characters to die for, give them unique voices, injects them with a twisted sense of humor and run those worlds together, collide them, seperate them: simply magical. Koontz is never in the same league with King, Worse, Koontz writes horrible dialogues that never suit the the circumstances (Life Exp.Relentless)
King and Koontz are both prolific writers, but, being the cynic and mystery-seeking junkie I am, I enjoy King's wriitng much more. I can relate to King's characters much more; but, alas, I read Stephen King's Dark Tower series before I even picked up a Dean Koontz novel, and so I am biased. I would love to read Odd Thomas, though.
I reach for a Koontz novel when I want pure entertainment. He tends to fall into habits of overusing the same phrases in his books "the dog chuffed" "The water sluiced over his body" etc. I enjoy most of his books. King's works, on the other hand, often require thought and imagination. If you have not read Salem's Lot, The Stand, Carrie or Pet Semetary - you've got to check those out. Stephen King's prose is far superior to Koontz--Thus, for a mindless, entertaining read I defer to Koontz.
@Mobee211 I think both are very good writers of prose and my feeling is that King, too, has areas where he tends to repeat himself, not necessarily in words but in the directions he takes at particular junctures.
I like dean koontz as well. when i was a kid i read a lot of his books. and he inspired me to become a writer. my favorite book of his was Watchers. and I still read it from time to time
Koontz is like King minus the crap that he goes into detail about. I prefer King overall but both authors are brilliant and as you say, very under rated. Interesting video.
I'm going to admit out of pure guilt that I blindly subscribed to you for your username. However after watching your video I am glad that I did, and am remaining subscribed. Had I had you as a teacher I may have paid more attention in school. It may be important sounding tone of your voice, then again, it may be the sweater. That is a fine sweater.
I totally agree with you. I used to get lost in Stephen King's books but for Koontz's I had always got a sense of satisfaction and perhaps, he emphasized on poetic justice and his novels are rather heartwarming at times. I wasn't a fan of 'demon seed' though, I felt it rather too unrealistic but the subject point of narrative is excellent.
I'm not a fan of Dean Koontz's latest works, which I think are filled to the brim with ridiculous political undertones, not to mention that the characters' names just make your head hurt. But his thrillers (Velocity, The Good Guy) make for very interesting reads.
Never been a Stephen King fan, but his newest, Under the Dome, sounds like a winner.
Dean Koontz writes GREAT novels with horribly rushed endings.... Stephen King is a TRUE horror Novelist... He doesn't care how dark it gets. I have to side with King as an author. However, the Odd Thomas series was great despite what this guy says. Oh yeah, The Taking... If you haven't read it... READ IT.. It's the best Koontz novel maybe ever.
@divad44 No, because although I consider him an excellent writer (the way he can inject such atmosphere and menace into otherwise mundane surroundings is truly masterful) I find his work rather depressing.
@OldGrumpyGuy Ah I see. Yeah it's completely true what you said in your vid too, Koontz leaves you feeling good. After reading King I feel like crap lol. Yet I find myself again and again reading his books lol.
I find it ironic that you say "knock on wood" at one point--it is the same reason Koontz's excerpt read aloud here doesn't appeal to me. Good versus evil is nothing, only hot air.
@DrPoon I did not enjoy the Frankenstein series as much as most of his other works. I didn't find the characters as interesting as those he usualy comes up with.
@DrPoon I've read the first three, loved them! Within the next year he's coming out with 4-6 lol so once they're all out I'll read through them as well. Fear Nothing and it's sequel, Odd Thomas books, The Watchers, and Intensity are my tops from Dean Koontz. I'd recommend them all.
I'm writing a story about an author who gets a crazy hair peice and caps his teeth. All his facial prosthetics start to discorporate, along with his credability. I miss the old Dean, balding, gun obsessesed and with that ultra macho moustache. I liked the second passage but the first one was merely a diatribe.
I really loved odd thomas and Dean Koontz. But I questioned Dean on his new book "breathless" when it comes to evolution. He regarded evolution only when it comes to the fossil history. I doubt he understands biology, and theoretical evolution. He also seems like he is anti-science. Let me remind you that science helps us to technologically advance, and find cures for diseases.
I really loved odd thomas and Dean Koontz. But I questioned Dean on his new book "breathless" when it comes to evolution. He regarded evolution only when it comes to the fossil history. I doubt he understands biology, and theoretical evolution. He also seems like he is anti-science. Let me remind you that science helps us to technologically advance, and find cures for diseases.
I just borrowed The Darkest Evening of the Year from the public library. I wanted to start reading Odd Thomas but couldn't work outy which book is first in the mini-series.
I just read "Your Heart Belongs To Me", and this was probably the first Koontz novel I wasn't impressed with. The story line was actually very good, but the way the story unfolded, or more so the climax and ending, just wasn't my favorite. I absolutely loved the Odd Thomas series though. I also loved The Husband!
It may be just me, but I find a lot of Koontz' later work very difficult to get into..I have books by him that I just can't get into..the Odd Thomas Series..and Survivor are good examples..I find the dialogue rambles on going nowhere.
Odd Thomas took me a while to get into. It wasn't like his usual work, but I was glad that I stuck it out and finished the first one. I heard the other ones in the series wasn't as good, so I haven't been too motivated in picking any of those up yet.
Koontz older material was his best. "Strangers" was a long book, but I think it was his best. The books that he wrote under the pseudonym Brian Coffey would be my next choice.
When I was a kid, I looked through my dad's collection of some old 70's sci-fi books, and found one to read called, "Invasion" by Aaron Wolfe. I remember really enjoying it, and being one of my favorite books at the time. Last year when I wanted to get back into reading again, my fiancee' recommended Dean Koontz. I was very surprised when I found out it was the same author using a different name. I haven't read it yet, but I heard he wrote Winter Moon as an expansion of Invasion.
I agree with you. I have too. I actually can not sit down and read Stephen King at all. I don't know, it's just that his stuff kind of bothers me. I'm not trying to be judgmental against him or anything, but he just doesn't do it for me.
Thanks. I'm glad you like it. I painted it. It is one of a number of paintings I did of scenes around the Hocking Hills in Ohio. If you send me an email address I can send you more details and discuss prints.
I like both King and Koontz. I don't know if King and Koontz should be compared because honestly, they're very different in style and both have their pros and cons. Personally i think Koontz does female characters better.
Yes, Koontz comes up with some particularly memorable women. I mentioned them together because both deal in the supernatural and both write brilliantly.
I agree! I absolutely enjoy all Koontz' books. He has me on the edge of my seat w each novel! English is not my first language, and although I went to a university in the States I feel as though I'm learning a lot more vocabulary through Koontz' books than class. lol He has such rich uses of expressions and vocabulary.
No, I'm from Houston. But we spend 3-4 weeks every summer there. Great place, and I only have one question.."do you remember it? (the Alamo,...get it!)
Nice video, i love Koontz novels, i find them enlightening as you said, they leave a mark and an experience in your life. Before him i read King, and he is not at the same level i think, nothing was marked memorably in my mind of him. UNfortunatly in italy Koontz is not so love, so i have still to wait the print of such books like Your H. B. T. Me, the last was The good guy right now. I read 16 books yet of him, and have other 9 in my room nextly. I feel he opens the spirit to a new level.
Personally, I don't like Dean Koontz that much. Stephen King has more to say and he's scarier when he says it. Koontz lately taken on a one paragraph=one sentence kind of style and the first time I read one of his books, The Husband, I wanted to throw The Stand at his face.
Following this conversation - I enjoy Koontz as much as King, they are different there is no question however what makes me enjoy Koontz books is that he may drop you in the dark but always finds the light out of any situations in his stories. So to a diehard horror fan who wants to swim in darkness they will never find literal satisfaction in Koontz. Doesn't mean he's a juvenile or a terrible writer, he just has a different approach and resolve. Many don't get that including King himself.
after I read King, I went to Koontz. YAWN. Same characters, same plot, same sexual interlude, yada yada. I'm saying this as a horror fan AND someone who loves good literature. Koontz is juvenile. ANd yes, King leaves you depressed. I then moved on to Lovecraft and haven't looked back since. Koontz is to horror as FLowers in the Attic is to teen novels.
Way to go, Grumpy. Way to avoid logical debate by using Ad Hominem instead of adding something intelligent to the conversation I forgot to add Clive Barker as well... but there's numerous horror writers out there more interesting and memorable than Koontz. Although the one with the golden retriever was nice (Watchers). Koontz is like Thomas Kinkade of horror writers... painting by numbers.
According to my high school English teachers, there are two kinds of literature. That which is plot driven like King and Koontz, and that which is theme driven like Dickens. Academics will tend to lean toward the latter.
Very interesting video OldGrumpyGuy. I've recently discovered Koontz having gone through King's work. I perfer King,but only just,I find him more vast (Koontz is nowhere near as epic as king..stand,dark tower). By the 10 or so Koontz books I've read,the endings are always happy,positive,the good guy wins..I've just started 'Life Expentancy',no douth it will work out well for Jimmy Tock...Oh well..
I agree with you on that one 100%. I can't really read his books anymore. They don't do anything for me now that I'm an adult. I read his stuff when I was a teenager and now when I look back and try to read something of his, I do get depressed. Then I pick up a book by Koontz, read it, and I feel really good about myself. I head more towards the light when reading his stuff. Thank you, OldGrumpyGuy. I really appreciate it.
@ assassin, what about "white people" or being gay for that matter? Not that it has anything to do with this page, topic or discussion. Talking about assumptions I think you're a racist, a homophobe with the maturity of a stunned haddock! You gave your two cents worth and it wasn't even worth that. Reagards and happy trolling.
In my opinion nothing is flawed in their writings because they are both master's of the art. Like the old grumpy guy said: they are underrated and unappreciated (not cda quote). It's like the addage for actors "no press is bad press" but for authors bad press is the worst press. If you are a fan then don't be the one millionth idiot who says Dean koontz THIS and Stephen King THAT. What you are saying is that you think you could do better like the 10 million people who only dream that they cud
I know exactly how you feel about that. It happens to me too. Koontz always makes me feel very good by the time I finish one of his books. I'm glad I picked up on him in late '08 - my mother had some of his books and I took them and told her that they sounded interesting. Sure enough, when I was done reading them, I felt so good, I wanted to read more of his stuff. Thanks.
Both writers, as popular as they are, have certain flaws:
Stephen King can get repetitive, and sometimes has ideas that he doesn't necessarily know what to do with. "The Dark Tower" though is a masterpiece.
Dean Koontz is great at the Everyman thrillers. However, he doesn't always know how to end his stories. "The Husband" was great in its build-up, but really lacked a strong ending.
**SPOILER** A motorcycle battle in the middle of the house? Really? A little too much for me. I thought that, at the point in which there was only one villain left, the plot went a little downhill.
Sorry we disagree there. "Velocity" still had the most touching ending out of his three Everyman books ("Velocity," "The Husband," "Good Guy") for me.
I agree pretty much. I'm a huge fan of DK. SK I'm not so much. SK's writing style I can't really appreciate like Koontz, he writes so well and delves so deeply into the characters you really start to relate to them. And cheer for the triumph of good over evil. What twisted evil he comes up with too!
Not to be political or anything but, he does a good job of exposing the dark under belly of utilitarianism, eugenics, genetic engineering, and spot on with his profiling of serial killers.
@stewy357 I disagree. Koontz's prose is too fancy and purple for the suspense genre. His anti-Freudian angle would be fine if he put emphasis on moral conflict, which was naturally where I thought he would go, but most seemed to be programmed the way they think from the womb to the tomb. Koontz's stock "I- kill-only-because-I-like-to" villains illustrate this pretty well. Lightning was good, and the beginning of L.E. was great, so I'm definately giving his early stuff a good once over.
I am a huge fan of both DK and SK but, in my opinion, Stephen King is unparalelled in his ability to spin a yarn; his character development, sardonic sense of humour and colourful use of language are second to none.
I don't fully agree with your statement that they are both grossly undervalued as Stephen King, as you probably know, was awarded The National Book Award, in 2003, for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters,
I love both and think on a writing/Literate level...they have both become very good writers at this point and are about equal...but when it comes to storytelling and creating characters and amazing worlds....it is WITHOUT A DOUBT Stephen King. Koontz has written some amazing stories but he hasn't written Epic stories on the scale of "The Dark Tower", "IT" and "The Stand"
I just read my first Dean Koontz book, Brother Odd, (everything else has been neglected for the past 2 days!) and I am now hooked. He has a delightful sense of humour and, (I feel) is a genuine heart felt humanitarian. Thanks to your review OldGrumpyGuy, I might never have read this book. Thankyou! The dog in Brother Odd is a german shepherd labrador retriever cross, and he's a ghost dog called Boo. Koontz a great champion for damaged children, that comes across very strongly in this book.
I think I have just opened the floodgates across a fertile delta of sorts. Loving Koontz I never read the Odd series. I bought Odd Thomas in a charity shop and gave it to my mother and she not only that one but got all the other ones. I have them now and will start them soon.
I agree oldgrumpyguy, I also wish that people not just the young, would switch off that reality tv that seems to be everywhere and read a good book. Or at least an audiobook and expand their mind. I feel so sorry for the lazy people who can never be bothered to experience books.
Again I nod in agreement. I think Roald Dahl couldnt have put it better of course in charlie and the chocolate factory as I read when I was a child nmyself;
OK, thanks for your viewpoint. As I say, I'm unable to criticize his writing with any conviction because I've never really "gotten into" any of his books. His novels are popular though, so I guess he's doing SOMETHING right---whatever it is, many writers would be very tempted to do the very same thing, even at the expense of degrading their work.
I once believed I would prefer today's writers to those that high school students are force fed in English Literature classes.
But the only book by King which I liked was his non-fiction "On Writing". And I started reading a Koontz novel, but never got the urge to continue past the first chapter.
Neither of these writers come close to Hardy (for example) with the way he uses words like a painter uses paint to depict what he perceives.
Well I read a King novel in its entirety. It was the Koontz novel that left me without the urge to go on.
Often I can tell from few pages whether I'll enjoy a book, but I'm sure some books do need really "getting into" to really appreciate a book.
I tend towards non-fiction anyway, for example, "The Martyrdom of Man" by Winwood Reade. It was amazing how he predicted the arrival of manned flight so early in the 19th century, calling it "aerial locomotion".
thanks for this.. I'm in the middle of reading Midnight, my second Koontz book. And I am very impressed with how beautiful his prose is. I can read his books like I'm watching TV.
Oh yeas your correct. I also love the prose and style of Koontz and agree while king is dark and sinister in his narration, Koontz shows us back to the light. Have you read the Bad place? A wonderful book.
Fancy bumping into you .. actually, someone told me you're a Koontz fan. I'm not, but maybe that's because I've never really gotten into contemporary fiction. I shy away from any book that doesn't come with a reasonable chance that I'd have learned something at the end of it. So it's usually non-fiction for me, or fiction from another age and/or culture---because that holds promise of glimpses of the way life was seen during other times, through eyes very different from mine.
As one who has had German Shepherds my entire life I understand well the bond, perhaps it is an easier bond than with most humans. (Please no wise-ass sexual innuendos it is not applicable) Golden Retrievers would be my second choice.
Having been a fan for years your video inspired me to reread starting with "one door away from heaven' and Dean Koontz allows me not only to escape, but for the moment to become the consciousness of the character. The vivid images are like those we process in our own minds constantly. Try listening to the audio,it transforms. Koontz also understands the dog-human relationship very well indeed.
I have been a fan for years! You may like his stories or not, but they are books that will keep you reading throughout the night...even if you have ADD
Dean Koontz is one of my favorite writers! I have read almost everything he has written. He has had some big misses - like Icebound and Demon Seed, but the Odd Thomas books are awesome. Lots of his other books are outstanding, too!
The origin of Koontz' "Odd Thomas" sounds very much like that of Tolkien's "The Hobbit," which started as a random line, "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit."
@abc90cba Enriched and happy at the end-Lisey's Story
josiahmorgan11 4 weeks ago
@theshawn1811 Yes, Koontz does have a bad book: The Mask. And King's bad book is Black House-errr
josiahmorgan11 4 weeks ago
@stephenkingrules1 Except for Dragon Tears and Odd Thomas and The Face Of Fear. Not The Mask
josiahmorgan11 4 weeks ago
Same as Stephen King...
josiahmorgan11 4 weeks ago
Stephen King just doesn`t do it for me. His books are boring and twice as long and neccesary, and are filled with pagefiller and far too much blood, guts and swearing to disguise how boring and hokey his prose is. Dean Koontz has a far superior writing style and grabs you from page one and never lets go, pluss his villains always rule. And I do not agree with OldGrumpy Guy about Koontz being very underrated. He may not have won any awards, but his books have gained rave reviews from critics.
TheAtheistviking 1 month ago
I like Stephen King more than Koontz, but Koontz is good. Stephen King is just more imaginative, and his writing seems more real, Koontzs' writing can seem wooden to me.
vitamincity 1 month ago
I personaly find Stephen King a much better writer than Dean Koontz. Stephen Kings characters are more memorable and likable, as oppose to Koontz characters (some of them are good, but I notice others are kind of stereotypical). Plus King's story telling ability is in general more entertaining, sure he can get depressing, but thats part of the experience and in a way it's more realistic.
Stephen King= Epic
Dean Koontz= Good, can be cliche at times though
MisterAmerican650 5 months ago
@93MickyD1 The villian was standing in stark contrast to the protagonist and so the two depended on each other. When he over-did the Chyna he overdid Vess. Vess became just as repetative. Vess always talking about sensation, experience, intensity and Chyna always talking about being reclusive, untrusting, and emotionally sensitive.
It just felt a little much after awhile.
ProRanting 5 months ago
@93MickyD1 Perhaps, he only mentioned Freud once, but he said even in his own interviews that the story was a rejection of Freud.
Savior20061 5 months ago
@OldGrumpyGuy King makes use of bittersweet endings so the person is never going to be 100% happy in the end. It fits the horror motif. A big problem with a lot of Koontz's work is that there is a 180 degree turn around into HappyLand. It really only felt appropriate with Lightning, which was a great book.
Savior20061 5 months ago
Stephen King - Dean Koontz 100-0 for me...
stephenkingrules1 6 months ago 2
@stephenkingrules1 Dean Koontz doesnt have a bad book, i cant say the same for stephen king!!
theshawn1811 5 months ago
@theshawn1811 In my opinion,Koontz doesn't have a single good book.They 're all about dogs and weird characters.On the contrary,King's characters are the ones that you may have seen in the street today...They 're perfectly normal but they get involved in abnormal situations.Also,Koontz's style is a bit more optimistic for me.I prefer King because he is darker as the grumpy guy said...but after all that's just my opinion.Take care...
stephenkingrules1 5 months ago
Hi Mr. Taylor. I read & did two reviews (on my youtube channel) from Koontz. occassionally I think Koontz' prose smacks of arrogance in that: look-what-an-eloquent-writer-I-am..& I agree with savior20061 that his villian & protagonists are too one-note. Still, he is a very creative w/ certain plot constructs. Yes, sometimes King can make one feel depressed, but his characters are far more natural, + King's endings are more cathartic. But Dreamcatcher" was suuuure bloated! Great video! :)
CombatOasis 6 months ago
@CombatOasis Does anyone remember James "Gard" Gardener from the Tommyknockers? He's given the choice between excavating the ship, using it to change the world the way he wants it, and possibly killing his best friend and lover; and saving his best friend lover, and possibly letting the US gov't take it for their potentially nefarious purposes. He spends a whole chapter deliberating the consequences. Koontz would crap his pants and die of a heart attack were he to try writing such a chapter.
Savior20061 6 months ago
@abc90cba yes, he's amazingly prolific, just like King
OldGrumpyGuy 9 months ago
@OldGrumpy Yup, there both great and entertaining writers.
abc90cba 9 months ago
@abc90cba PS I have read most if not all of Koontz novels
OldGrumpyGuy 9 months ago
@abc90cba I find it difficult to remember titles, but I have read a few
OldGrumpyGuy 9 months ago
Koontz renewed my love of reading, & from the first time I picked up one of his novels, I've found all other modern day authors boring by comparison. Including King. Koontz can describe things in a way that is simply beautiful. SK is a horror writer, but Koontz can put horror, love, suspense, sci fi, mystery, & much more into a single novel. SK & DK both tell great stories. It is the way in which they tell them that make the 2 completely different. DK surpasses SK in talent every time.
dnhays106 10 months ago
Koontz is a much better writer, because King tends to flab up his novels, while Koontz is so good and trimming all the fat off his novels.
Koontz over King, easily.
Beergut222 10 months ago
@Beergut222 I tend to agree that King's novels are a bit too long, but King is a much superior writer. His prose makes Koontz look like a second grader. His characters are much more fleshed out and realistic while Koontz makes many one dimmensional disposable characters. Koontz is also blindly faithful and preachy to his Catholic religion while King remains more open minded. Koontz just doesn't hold a literary candle to king even if his books are fun.
ProRanting 9 months ago
@ProRanting Quoted for truth man. You got King's easy-going narrative compared to Koontz prose which is mechanical at best and just purple and awful at the very worst (Darkest Evening of the Year). You got King's wide range of characters along the "gentleman/flaming douchebag" scale compared to Koontz 100% good heroes and "I'm evil because it gives me a huge boner" villains. You've got King climaxes, that take it "up to eleven". And Koontz climaxes: Bang the bad guy's dead.
Savior20061 6 months ago
@Savior20061 Well put! Plus I didn't mention King's flawless dialouge and Koontz's clunky unrealistic dialouge that only furthers the one dimension his characters live in. And I love that you mentioned how King's characters are not always 100% bad or good they waver in and out and that only adds more realism to his stories. And I hate how Koontz recycles the same "good guys" in each of his novels. King over Koontz from dusk till dawn.
ProRanting 6 months ago
@ProRanting I mean the Odd Thomas character is okay, in my opinion, as was Laura Shane from Lightning. But Koontz has had amply opportunity to make good characters. In Frankenstein there was a supersoldier-type character called Randall Six who broke out of his facility to find the meaning of happiness. In Darkest Evening of the Year, there's a nihilstic hitman who is, at one point, is tempted to find meaning in his life. Why can't he write more about characters like that?
Savior20061 6 months ago
@Savior20061 I'm not sure why he doesn't write more colorful characters. It may be because he's simply not good at it. For instance, Chyna in Intensity had the potential to be a great main character, but after a while I got sick and tired of hearing about Chyna. Hearing about how she was so withdrawn from connections to other people simply because she had a bad childhood. It became whiney and annoying very quickly. In that case he over did that character and ruined it AND the villian.
ProRanting 6 months ago
@ProRanting It's strange too, because Koontz is always fretting and talking in interviews about not making his characters into victims. He hates Freud. A lot. According to some reviews on Amazon he spent most of Intensity telling the reader so.
Savior20061 6 months ago
@Beergut222 That's debatable. A book's trimmness is more based off the pace than the page number in my opinion. Go onto Amazon and you'll find a lot of people complaining about the boring middles of many Koontz books, which for them makes the book "bloated" cause they don't want to read any more.
Savior20061 6 months ago
Most academics say that if it is popular then it can't be literature.
amazingguitarsam02 11 months ago
@amazingguitarsam02 Many academics are anal retentive posers
OldGrumpyGuy 11 months ago 2
@amazingguitarsam02 Rubbish! Shakespeare is rather popular...here's the difference: Dean Koontz and Stephen King write to entertain, literary writers write to discuss the issues of the culture and time in which they are written. Cujo = fearful situation and puzzle; The Bell Jar = issues about the American Dream re: women. Very different creatures.
Elliottc26 10 months ago
@Elliottc26 You can't label Stephen King simply a pop culture writer. His latest novel Under The Dome is a enlightening politcal allegory. The novel is massive, but rides along with beatiful prose and amazingly enjoyable and character developing dialouge. It also reveals King's pitch black barbaric sense of humour at times. I tend to agree with you, but King's novels often carry along themes and lessons that most people don't always retain. He ain't Cormac McCarthy, but his novels do matter.
ProRanting 9 months ago
@ProRanting If, like you say, King writes metaphors along with "character development" and "beautiful prose," then that is a superficial point of view. What makes Novels more than their component parts is their insights, discussions and depths. Plot is superfluous to the meaning. It is the difference between ideas and effect. King is not an important writer; but, he is entertaining and highly commercial.
Elliottc26 9 months ago
@Elliottc26 The Plot (AKA the events of the novel) is important because the events of the novel explore meanings and hold a certain depth of intelligence . They may symbolize things and or explain them. I agree with your point, but disagree with it at the same time. The Plot isn't always the insight, but it can be very often. King isn't an important writer in that reguard, but he can be the writer you think he can't be. If that makes any sense. Otherwise I agree with your comment.
ProRanting 9 months ago
@ProRanting I disagree (shockingly!). The problem with that arguement is that Plots are repeated over and over through History. If Plot were important it would have to be new and fresh with each story, which isn't possible. For instance, It, The Stand, and Dreamcatcher have a lot of similarities: group of freinds, they share a commonality, the enemy surfaces, they join to defeat the monster, the monster almost kills them, in the end they triumph. Good story; but, says little.
Elliottc26 9 months ago
When I was in 4th grade I read FUN HOUSE. It was the most terrifying and erotic book I had ever read up until that time. Dean Koontz CAN bring monsters to life. He can also kill them in outstanding ways. However, after reading many of Koontz books, I found myself more fastenated by Stephen King due to his complex story-lines. I find that books are much more interesting when your able to mark your page for the night, turn off the lights and ask yourself... "Just what the hell did that mean"?
floydbrittney 1 year ago
I am a very open minded reader. Read many different authors and I'm not harsh critic, but I can't deny my dislike towards Koontz. His plots (Along with his one dimmensional characters) suck! Take the Face for example. Lame one dimmensional main character with a typical tough guy black cop. After some crap ripped off from Se7en the boring villain is defeated. Yay! I've read six Koontz books and regret them all. I recommend: Richard Matheson-Stephen King-Clive Barker-Jack Ketchum.
ProRanting 1 year ago
I am a seasoned reader of both King and Koontz, and I think comparing Koontz to King is a little bit of disservice to SK. SK can create unique, parallel worlds, populate them with characters to die for, give them unique voices, injects them with a twisted sense of humor and run those worlds together, collide them, seperate them: simply magical. Koontz is never in the same league with King, Worse, Koontz writes horrible dialogues that never suit the the circumstances (Life Exp.Relentless)
Actuallysalemslot 1 year ago
King and Koontz are both prolific writers, but, being the cynic and mystery-seeking junkie I am, I enjoy King's wriitng much more. I can relate to King's characters much more; but, alas, I read Stephen King's Dark Tower series before I even picked up a Dean Koontz novel, and so I am biased. I would love to read Odd Thomas, though.
Dagunslinger9 1 year ago
I reach for a Koontz novel when I want pure entertainment. He tends to fall into habits of overusing the same phrases in his books "the dog chuffed" "The water sluiced over his body" etc. I enjoy most of his books. King's works, on the other hand, often require thought and imagination. If you have not read Salem's Lot, The Stand, Carrie or Pet Semetary - you've got to check those out. Stephen King's prose is far superior to Koontz--Thus, for a mindless, entertaining read I defer to Koontz.
Mobee211 1 year ago
@Mobee211 I think both are very good writers of prose and my feeling is that King, too, has areas where he tends to repeat himself, not necessarily in words but in the directions he takes at particular junctures.
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
@Mobee211 Yeah, I had never heard "sluice" before. I was grateful for expanding my vocab but he uses that word WAY too much.
6StringBuckeye917 1 year ago
I like dean koontz as well. when i was a kid i read a lot of his books. and he inspired me to become a writer. my favorite book of his was Watchers. and I still read it from time to time
TheTonythedon 1 year ago
Koontz is like King minus the crap that he goes into detail about. I prefer King overall but both authors are brilliant and as you say, very under rated. Interesting video.
shitcasecinema 1 year ago
I'm going to admit out of pure guilt that I blindly subscribed to you for your username. However after watching your video I am glad that I did, and am remaining subscribed. Had I had you as a teacher I may have paid more attention in school. It may be important sounding tone of your voice, then again, it may be the sweater. That is a fine sweater.
Ralvacast 1 year ago
@Ralvacast And I am glad too that you subscribed. It's probably the sweater.
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
I like both authors. Stephen king writes more down to earth. Dean koontz writes more perfectionist.
Character wise Stephen has the edge though; even though they are a little morbid (shows there faults).
Deans are shiny (but interesting, almost movie like).
TheThing516 1 year ago
I totally agree with you. I used to get lost in Stephen King's books but for Koontz's I had always got a sense of satisfaction and perhaps, he emphasized on poetic justice and his novels are rather heartwarming at times. I wasn't a fan of 'demon seed' though, I felt it rather too unrealistic but the subject point of narrative is excellent.
passionchris123 1 year ago
@passionchris123 I concur
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
Great video. You would be great at making book review videos. Subscribed.
poeticmurder911 1 year ago
@poeticmurder911 Thanks very much.
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
I'm not a fan of Dean Koontz's latest works, which I think are filled to the brim with ridiculous political undertones, not to mention that the characters' names just make your head hurt. But his thrillers (Velocity, The Good Guy) make for very interesting reads.
Never been a Stephen King fan, but his newest, Under the Dome, sounds like a winner.
ccsdavis1 1 year ago
Odd Thomas has a great ending! I have yet to read the other Odd novels
workismoney1 1 year ago
Dean Koontz writes GREAT novels with horribly rushed endings.... Stephen King is a TRUE horror Novelist... He doesn't care how dark it gets. I have to side with King as an author. However, the Odd Thomas series was great despite what this guy says. Oh yeah, The Taking... If you haven't read it... READ IT.. It's the best Koontz novel maybe ever.
anotherdrunkguy 1 year ago
You never really spoke about Stephen King much.... :(
divad44 1 year ago
@divad44 No, because although I consider him an excellent writer (the way he can inject such atmosphere and menace into otherwise mundane surroundings is truly masterful) I find his work rather depressing.
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
@OldGrumpyGuy Ah I see. Yeah it's completely true what you said in your vid too, Koontz leaves you feeling good. After reading King I feel like crap lol. Yet I find myself again and again reading his books lol.
divad44 1 year ago
Dean Koontz is a talented, animal hater.
TaylorNewSong 1 year ago
I find it ironic that you say "knock on wood" at one point--it is the same reason Koontz's excerpt read aloud here doesn't appeal to me. Good versus evil is nothing, only hot air.
writingsofmine 1 year ago
ALL of his books r good
rectalpolyp 1 year ago
Just getting into the Frankenstein series. Half way through the first book and I love it so far!
Two of my favorite books are Phantoms and, of his more recent, Breathless.
DrPoon 1 year ago
@DrPoon I did not enjoy the Frankenstein series as much as most of his other works. I didn't find the characters as interesting as those he usualy comes up with.
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
@OldGrumpyGuy
I would agree that the depth of the characters isn't the usual Koontz work. However I think it fits, being a series and not a single novel.
The originality of the plot was what really attracted me.
DrPoon 1 year ago
@DrPoon I've read the first three, loved them! Within the next year he's coming out with 4-6 lol so once they're all out I'll read through them as well. Fear Nothing and it's sequel, Odd Thomas books, The Watchers, and Intensity are my tops from Dean Koontz. I'd recommend them all.
divad44 1 year ago
I'm writing a story about an author who gets a crazy hair peice and caps his teeth. All his facial prosthetics start to discorporate, along with his credability. I miss the old Dean, balding, gun obsessesed and with that ultra macho moustache. I liked the second passage but the first one was merely a diatribe.
fingerstothebone 1 year ago
Comment removed
MajorCrazy1 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I really loved odd thomas and Dean Koontz. But I questioned Dean on his new book "breathless" when it comes to evolution. He regarded evolution only when it comes to the fossil history. I doubt he understands biology, and theoretical evolution. He also seems like he is anti-science. Let me remind you that science helps us to technologically advance, and find cures for diseases.
questionsamson 1 year ago
I really loved odd thomas and Dean Koontz. But I questioned Dean on his new book "breathless" when it comes to evolution. He regarded evolution only when it comes to the fossil history. I doubt he understands biology, and theoretical evolution. He also seems like he is anti-science. Let me remind you that science helps us to technologically advance, and find cures for diseases.
questionsamson 1 year ago
Thanks, read the first few pages, the story seems good. I remembered that I also read 'Fear Nothing'
RhysGriff92 1 year ago
i read lightning, that was brill lol and i'm gna read strange highways now
RhysGriff92 1 year ago
Strange Highways is very good
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
I just borrowed The Darkest Evening of the Year from the public library. I wanted to start reading Odd Thomas but couldn't work outy which book is first in the mini-series.
HeatherOfOz 1 year ago
The first in the series is simply called "Odd Thomas"
OldGrumpyGuy 1 year ago
I just read "Your Heart Belongs To Me", and this was probably the first Koontz novel I wasn't impressed with. The story line was actually very good, but the way the story unfolded, or more so the climax and ending, just wasn't my favorite. I absolutely loved the Odd Thomas series though. I also loved The Husband!
goddessmhj7 1 year ago
Sorry...Sole Survivor *
theplanetking 2 years ago
It may be just me, but I find a lot of Koontz' later work very difficult to get into..I have books by him that I just can't get into..the Odd Thomas Series..and Survivor are good examples..I find the dialogue rambles on going nowhere.
theplanetking 2 years ago
Have you tried "One Door Away From Heaven"?
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Odd Thomas took me a while to get into. It wasn't like his usual work, but I was glad that I stuck it out and finished the first one. I heard the other ones in the series wasn't as good, so I haven't been too motivated in picking any of those up yet.
yeahtheman 2 years ago
Koontz older material was his best. "Strangers" was a long book, but I think it was his best. The books that he wrote under the pseudonym Brian Coffey would be my next choice.
JZJYRWO 2 years ago
When I was a kid, I looked through my dad's collection of some old 70's sci-fi books, and found one to read called, "Invasion" by Aaron Wolfe. I remember really enjoying it, and being one of my favorite books at the time. Last year when I wanted to get back into reading again, my fiancee' recommended Dean Koontz. I was very surprised when I found out it was the same author using a different name. I haven't read it yet, but I heard he wrote Winter Moon as an expansion of Invasion.
yeahtheman 2 years ago
He also wrote under the name Dean R. Koontz they were sci-fi novels written from 1970 to 1973 Anti-Man, was one of my favorites from that era
JZJYRWO 2 years ago
Dean Koontz is more straight laced and King's more imaginative. I find myself liking Koontz more as I get older.
IslayedAdragon 2 years ago
I agree with you. I have too. I actually can not sit down and read Stephen King at all. I don't know, it's just that his stuff kind of bothers me. I'm not trying to be judgmental against him or anything, but he just doesn't do it for me.
MrDje91 1 year ago
could you tell me the name of the painting behind you and who it is by. It is beautiful, would love to get a print if possible
theaphexxtwin 2 years ago
Thanks. I'm glad you like it. I painted it. It is one of a number of paintings I did of scenes around the Hocking Hills in Ohio. If you send me an email address I can send you more details and discuss prints.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
PS The painting is called "Stream at Conkles Hollow".
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
@OldGrumpyGuy I love Hocking Hills, and especially Conkle's Hollow! That place seems so surreal, like it's some remnant of a bygone age.
DarthLiveTrue 8 months ago
I like both King and Koontz. I don't know if King and Koontz should be compared because honestly, they're very different in style and both have their pros and cons. Personally i think Koontz does female characters better.
JanoSeishu420 2 years ago
Yes, Koontz comes up with some particularly memorable women. I mentioned them together because both deal in the supernatural and both write brilliantly.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I agree! I absolutely enjoy all Koontz' books. He has me on the edge of my seat w each novel! English is not my first language, and although I went to a university in the States I feel as though I'm learning a lot more vocabulary through Koontz' books than class. lol He has such rich uses of expressions and vocabulary.
goddessmhj7 2 years ago
Very well expressed for someone whose first language is not English
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
He sure does.
MrDje91 1 year ago
No, I'm from Houston. But we spend 3-4 weeks every summer there. Great place, and I only have one question.."do you remember it? (the Alamo,...get it!)
Cheers GOM!
a0602837 2 years ago
This conversation back and forth is wonderful dialouge. Really, OGG, you have great insight (and you're younger than me!
a0602837 2 years ago
Thanks, but I'm almost ten years older than you! Are you from San Antonio? I spent a year there writing and composing a musical about the Alamo
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Nice video, i love Koontz novels, i find them enlightening as you said, they leave a mark and an experience in your life. Before him i read King, and he is not at the same level i think, nothing was marked memorably in my mind of him. UNfortunatly in italy Koontz is not so love, so i have still to wait the print of such books like Your H. B. T. Me, the last was The good guy right now. I read 16 books yet of him, and have other 9 in my room nextly. I feel he opens the spirit to a new level.
MarkusStorm09 2 years ago
I agree, Thanks for your comment
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
it's 'lightning' for me.
SadClownMovies 2 years ago
Please feel free to get carried away
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Personally, I don't like Dean Koontz that much. Stephen King has more to say and he's scarier when he says it. Koontz lately taken on a one paragraph=one sentence kind of style and the first time I read one of his books, The Husband, I wanted to throw The Stand at his face.
Savior20061 2 years ago
Steven Kings book IT was so much ownage and win I had to jerk off over a clown costume catalog afterwards.
And it is soooooooo anti-semitic because the kids always throw silver on the floor for moar lulz and to lure out a Jew from the sewer.
SecretTrollAccount1 2 years ago
Following this conversation - I enjoy Koontz as much as King, they are different there is no question however what makes me enjoy Koontz books is that he may drop you in the dark but always finds the light out of any situations in his stories. So to a diehard horror fan who wants to swim in darkness they will never find literal satisfaction in Koontz. Doesn't mean he's a juvenile or a terrible writer, he just has a different approach and resolve. Many don't get that including King himself.
BillyCruise 2 years ago
after I read King, I went to Koontz. YAWN. Same characters, same plot, same sexual interlude, yada yada. I'm saying this as a horror fan AND someone who loves good literature. Koontz is juvenile. ANd yes, King leaves you depressed. I then moved on to Lovecraft and haven't looked back since. Koontz is to horror as FLowers in the Attic is to teen novels.
Defenseman619 2 years ago
People who parrot cliches like "yada yada" are not people I am inclined to give much credence as literary critics.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Way to go, Grumpy. Way to avoid logical debate by using Ad Hominem instead of adding something intelligent to the conversation I forgot to add Clive Barker as well... but there's numerous horror writers out there more interesting and memorable than Koontz. Although the one with the golden retriever was nice (Watchers). Koontz is like Thomas Kinkade of horror writers... painting by numbers.
Defenseman619 2 years ago
and your comments have the pretentious smell of a dreary poseur
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
According to my high school English teachers, there are two kinds of literature. That which is plot driven like King and Koontz, and that which is theme driven like Dickens. Academics will tend to lean toward the latter.
Savior20061 2 years ago
Dickens had great plots. He was the Dean Koontz of his day, writing page-turning serial novels for newspapers.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Omg, shut the fuck up!
TescoShampoo 2 years ago
Very interesting video OldGrumpyGuy. I've recently discovered Koontz having gone through King's work. I perfer King,but only just,I find him more vast (Koontz is nowhere near as epic as king..stand,dark tower). By the 10 or so Koontz books I've read,the endings are always happy,positive,the good guy wins..I've just started 'Life Expentancy',no douth it will work out well for Jimmy Tock...Oh well..
Stipe4ever 2 years ago
King is an axcellent writer, but I find him depressing
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I agree with you on that one 100%. I can't really read his books anymore. They don't do anything for me now that I'm an adult. I read his stuff when I was a teenager and now when I look back and try to read something of his, I do get depressed. Then I pick up a book by Koontz, read it, and I feel really good about myself. I head more towards the light when reading his stuff. Thank you, OldGrumpyGuy. I really appreciate it.
MrDje91 1 year ago
@ assassin, what about "white people" or being gay for that matter? Not that it has anything to do with this page, topic or discussion. Talking about assumptions I think you're a racist, a homophobe with the maturity of a stunned haddock! You gave your two cents worth and it wasn't even worth that. Reagards and happy trolling.
seonidh 2 years ago
In my opinion nothing is flawed in their writings because they are both master's of the art. Like the old grumpy guy said: they are underrated and unappreciated (not cda quote). It's like the addage for actors "no press is bad press" but for authors bad press is the worst press. If you are a fan then don't be the one millionth idiot who says Dean koontz THIS and Stephen King THAT. What you are saying is that you think you could do better like the 10 million people who only dream that they cud
vasquero616 2 years ago
absolutely. Koontz not only entertains but broadens horizons at the same time
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
King gives me a headache I have given up on him.. Koontz is better. I grew up on spooky stories and can no longer read Stephen King. It hurts.
Momsincharge 2 years ago
I know exactly how you feel about that. It happens to me too. Koontz always makes me feel very good by the time I finish one of his books. I'm glad I picked up on him in late '08 - my mother had some of his books and I took them and told her that they sounded interesting. Sure enough, when I was done reading them, I felt so good, I wanted to read more of his stuff. Thanks.
MrDje91 1 year ago
Both writers, as popular as they are, have certain flaws:
Stephen King can get repetitive, and sometimes has ideas that he doesn't necessarily know what to do with. "The Dark Tower" though is a masterpiece.
Dean Koontz is great at the Everyman thrillers. However, he doesn't always know how to end his stories. "The Husband" was great in its build-up, but really lacked a strong ending.
Both are still worth more than a look, though.
cheatsatmonopoly 2 years ago
I wouldn't disagree with those comments, but I wasn't disappointed by the end of The Husband.
bernardjtaylor 2 years ago
Really? That was the BIG disappointment for me.
**SPOILER** A motorcycle battle in the middle of the house? Really? A little too much for me. I thought that, at the point in which there was only one villain left, the plot went a little downhill.
Sorry we disagree there. "Velocity" still had the most touching ending out of his three Everyman books ("Velocity," "The Husband," "Good Guy") for me.
cheatsatmonopoly 2 years ago
This guy is like michael jackson obviously not right but myered in a completed state of denial
Enraged5150Juiced 2 years ago
I suggest you learn to write and spell properly before trying to be a smartass
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I agree pretty much. I'm a huge fan of DK. SK I'm not so much. SK's writing style I can't really appreciate like Koontz, he writes so well and delves so deeply into the characters you really start to relate to them. And cheer for the triumph of good over evil. What twisted evil he comes up with too!
Not to be political or anything but, he does a good job of exposing the dark under belly of utilitarianism, eugenics, genetic engineering, and spot on with his profiling of serial killers.
stewy357 2 years ago 3
I agree
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I really like what you just said. I agree 100%. Thanks.
MrDje91 1 year ago
@stewy357 I disagree. Koontz's prose is too fancy and purple for the suspense genre. His anti-Freudian angle would be fine if he put emphasis on moral conflict, which was naturally where I thought he would go, but most seemed to be programmed the way they think from the womb to the tomb. Koontz's stock "I- kill-only-because-I-like-to" villains illustrate this pretty well. Lightning was good, and the beginning of L.E. was great, so I'm definately giving his early stuff a good once over.
Savior20061 1 year ago
awarded to authors who have 'enriched American literary heritage over a life of service'.
Nice video though. Are you originally from South Africa, OldGrumpyGuy?
SlightlyWetFart 2 years ago
yes, SWF. i was born in cape Town but have spent most of my adult life in England
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I am a huge fan of both DK and SK but, in my opinion, Stephen King is unparalelled in his ability to spin a yarn; his character development, sardonic sense of humour and colourful use of language are second to none.
I don't fully agree with your statement that they are both grossly undervalued as Stephen King, as you probably know, was awarded The National Book Award, in 2003, for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters,
SlightlyWetFart 2 years ago
I love both and think on a writing/Literate level...they have both become very good writers at this point and are about equal...but when it comes to storytelling and creating characters and amazing worlds....it is WITHOUT A DOUBT Stephen King. Koontz has written some amazing stories but he hasn't written Epic stories on the scale of "The Dark Tower", "IT" and "The Stand"
DystopianAwakening 2 years ago
ODD THOMAS!!!! I'm infatuated with him :3...It's frightening yes :) be scared
FringeFreak56 2 years ago
I just read my first Dean Koontz book, Brother Odd, (everything else has been neglected for the past 2 days!) and I am now hooked. He has a delightful sense of humour and, (I feel) is a genuine heart felt humanitarian. Thanks to your review OldGrumpyGuy, I might never have read this book. Thankyou! The dog in Brother Odd is a german shepherd labrador retriever cross, and he's a ghost dog called Boo. Koontz a great champion for damaged children, that comes across very strongly in this book.
suzeecole 2 years ago 2
That's the feeling I have about Koontz too - a deeply humanitarian soul
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I think I have just opened the floodgates across a fertile delta of sorts. Loving Koontz I never read the Odd series. I bought Odd Thomas in a charity shop and gave it to my mother and she not only that one but got all the other ones. I have them now and will start them soon.
seonidh 2 years ago
It is always exciting to discover to a new writer one can enjoy.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I agree oldgrumpyguy, I also wish that people not just the young, would switch off that reality tv that seems to be everywhere and read a good book. Or at least an audiobook and expand their mind. I feel so sorry for the lazy people who can never be bothered to experience books.
seonidh 2 years ago
Vast swathes of humanity are being culturally deprived!
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Again I nod in agreement. I think Roald Dahl couldnt have put it better of course in charlie and the chocolate factory as I read when I was a child nmyself;
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks
seonidh 2 years ago
-Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
A childs book I know but Dahl did try even in the 60s to ask children to open their minds.
seonidh 2 years ago
thanks for that
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Yes you have opened the floodgates! Now my brother and mother are reading the Odd Thomas books!
suzeecole 2 years ago
OK, thanks for your viewpoint. As I say, I'm unable to criticize his writing with any conviction because I've never really "gotten into" any of his books. His novels are popular though, so I guess he's doing SOMETHING right---whatever it is, many writers would be very tempted to do the very same thing, even at the expense of degrading their work.
saffronix 2 years ago
odd thomas is my favorite character so far but all the books from koontz that i have read are great
scarhead1698 2 years ago
I once believed I would prefer today's writers to those that high school students are force fed in English Literature classes.
But the only book by King which I liked was his non-fiction "On Writing". And I started reading a Koontz novel, but never got the urge to continue past the first chapter.
Neither of these writers come close to Hardy (for example) with the way he uses words like a painter uses paint to depict what he perceives.
saffronix 2 years ago
I don't think you are in a position to judge when you have only have read a few pages of his work.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Well I read a King novel in its entirety. It was the Koontz novel that left me without the urge to go on.
Often I can tell from few pages whether I'll enjoy a book, but I'm sure some books do need really "getting into" to really appreciate a book.
I tend towards non-fiction anyway, for example, "The Martyrdom of Man" by Winwood Reade. It was amazing how he predicted the arrival of manned flight so early in the 19th century, calling it "aerial locomotion".
saffronix 2 years ago
thanks for this.. I'm in the middle of reading Midnight, my second Koontz book. And I am very impressed with how beautiful his prose is. I can read his books like I'm watching TV.
TheObnubilators 2 years ago
I do love Dean Koontz.
frangipani1974 2 years ago
Very nice english.
Bovacur 2 years ago
Has anyone noticed theirs a labradore in almost every Koontz book?
seonidh 2 years ago
It's usually a golden retriever.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Oh yeas your correct. I also love the prose and style of Koontz and agree while king is dark and sinister in his narration, Koontz shows us back to the light. Have you read the Bad place? A wonderful book.
seonidh 2 years ago
Oh, hello Seonidh!
Fancy bumping into you .. actually, someone told me you're a Koontz fan. I'm not, but maybe that's because I've never really gotten into contemporary fiction. I shy away from any book that doesn't come with a reasonable chance that I'd have learned something at the end of it. So it's usually non-fiction for me, or fiction from another age and/or culture---because that holds promise of glimpses of the way life was seen during other times, through eyes very different from mine.
saffronix 2 years ago
Hi nice to see you again, yeah Koontz is cool you should try him out.
seonidh 2 years ago
Greetings,
I am absolutely flabbergasted.
Franzapooch44 2 years ago
why is your gast flabbered?
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Because maybe now I can finally coax my Mother out of Dostoevsky, and my Father out of Dickens.
I thank you for this my friend
Franzapooch44 2 years ago
i don't think dean koontz is over rated. i've never been so captivated by an authors writing. i love how he writes. beautiful.
nolagirl87 2 years ago
I really love Dean Koontz's work thats why I viewed this video.
NeonBKP 2 years ago
Wrong, King and Koontz are greatly overrated.
weiland24 2 years ago
And who do you think overrates them? And why do you think they are overrated?
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I notice you haven't been able to explain your comments
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
very true
DystopianAwakening 2 years ago
I agree with him. But not sure why he emailed me and call me an asswipe. Oh well I still like what you have said and agree100%
pandabead 2 years ago
As one who has had German Shepherds my entire life I understand well the bond, perhaps it is an easier bond than with most humans. (Please no wise-ass sexual innuendos it is not applicable) Golden Retrievers would be my second choice.
lessastone 2 years ago
Now really! Am I the type to indulge in smutty innuendo?!!! Hurrumph
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
Having been a fan for years your video inspired me to reread starting with "one door away from heaven' and Dean Koontz allows me not only to escape, but for the moment to become the consciousness of the character. The vivid images are like those we process in our own minds constantly. Try listening to the audio,it transforms. Koontz also understands the dog-human relationship very well indeed.
lessastone 2 years ago
He's particularly fond of golden retrievers.
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I have been a fan for years! You may like his stories or not, but they are books that will keep you reading throughout the night...even if you have ADD
lessastone 2 years ago
very true
OldGrumpyGuy 2 years ago
I enjoy your readings.
definitelymaybe69 2 years ago
Dean Koontz is one of my favorite writers! I have read almost everything he has written. He has had some big misses - like Icebound and Demon Seed, but the Odd Thomas books are awesome. Lots of his other books are outstanding, too!
earthtomom 2 years ago
Im not a great fan of supernatural novels myself but I will look into koontz
giddegiddes 2 years ago
My favourite writers would be Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton, and Sean McMullen.
If you like character evolution and a surreal setting, "Souls in the Great Machine" is excellent.
N37BU6 2 years ago
The origin of Koontz' "Odd Thomas" sounds very much like that of Tolkien's "The Hobbit," which started as a random line, "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit."
=^[.]^=
Raycheetah 2 years ago