Dean Koontz has been the only writer I have been able to stay interested in ever since I was 15-16. His books are beyond detailed and the time he takes to go into detail is worth every second of reading his books. From Sci-Fi to Horror to even children’s books under a different writing name. With a large vast of readers, many buy his books the day they come out, but many more have never heard of him. So why have I read so many of his books?
Introduction of Characters- Dean Koontz’s intro to his characters far surpasses many of his other writers. But why would he spend the time?? Dean wants you to feel you have known the character almost entirely before beginning the journey into one of his books, So that you may enjoy the experience to the fullest. At times you may spend a chapter or 2 just “recalling” a characters past or flashback during the book. He does this so when the smallest thing happens you exactly why the character responded the way they did. Every detail counts in his books!
Detail and Detail of Events- Dean Koontz’s attention to detail is truly amazing. Everything from the huge scar on the evil mans face, to the small mole on the characters finger. At times his attention to detail is so detailed you think you are reading a bio on the character and not a story. The detail of events is just as amazing. In a fight scene for instance, He will describe everything from the ripples in a face from a punch to how the lamp shattered when it hit the floor. Even how the scuff marks looked from the broken lamp. Truly unsurpassed.
Story Line- Many of his story lines are suspense, But he also has a vast collection of horror. Story lines can range from a man with a split personality who thinks his doppleganger is out to kill him, To an autistic man and his brother who are fighting an unknown enemy or 2 teenagers visiting family on a vineyard with a spider-loving killer loose.
I have never encountered an author with such vivid story lines. I would give nothing more then to spend 1 day with Dean just to see how his mind works. Such attention to detail and descriptions make him one of the best and truly a legend.
So why may he not be for you? A lot of his potential readers get discouraged early into the book due to his detailed description to each character. It’s almost like watching a movie with no point to some. To me, It makes it that much better. Many can not make it past the first few chapters because nothing is going on but details about past events in a characters life or how they are watering flowers will thinking about a romantic night that happens a few years back with a loved one. Another discouraging fact is the attention to detail makes it so real that they reader can not go on due the the horror, disgust, etc. In one of his books, A little girl is psychically and mentally abused by her parents. In this book, The detail was so vivid that even I could not continue reading due to fact of it seemed like I was sitting back watching this happen to her.
So reader beware, Dean Koontz will keep you up all night, Flipping pages after sometime endless pages. At the same time, you may not even get passed the first 3 15-35 page chapters. Give him a chance, and it will feel like a movie. That’s if you can hang with the brilliant mind of Mr. Dean Koontz.