https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/dean-koontz/

Koontz is billed as the "international best-selling master
of suspense," though he eschews labels and writes in multiple
genres -- supernatural, science fiction, young adult, manga,
dog. Frequently, his books fuse several and are dusted with
humor. "You can't tie him down," his friend and fellow
best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman says. "He just works
all the time. He has a lot of anxiety but manages to channel
it into fiction."

Ten hours a day, six days a week -- more nearing the end
of each book, "when momentum carries me like a leaf on a
flood." He revises constantly, an average of 20 times before
he proceeds to the next page.

--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On 5/6/2023 1:24 PM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/dean-koontz/
>
>
> Koontz is billed as the "international best-selling master
> of suspense," though he eschews labels and writes in multiple
> genres -- supernatural, science fiction, young adult, manga,
> dog. Frequently, his books fuse several and are dusted with
> humor. "You can't tie him down," his friend and fellow
> best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman says. "He just works
> all the time. He has a lot of anxiety but manages to channel
> it into fiction."
>
> Ten hours a day, six days a week -- more nearing the end
> of each book, "when momentum carries me like a leaf on a
> flood." He revises constantly, an average of 20 times before
> he proceeds to the next page.

"Lightning" is in my top ten books. Time for another reread.
https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Dean-Koontz/dp/0425192032/

Lynn

On 7/05/23 06:24, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/dean-koontz/
>
>
> Koontz is billed as the "international best-selling master
> of suspense," though he eschews labels and writes in multiple
> genres -- supernatural, science fiction, young adult, manga,
> dog. Frequently, his books fuse several and are dusted with
> humor. "You can't tie him down," his friend and fellow
> best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman says. "He just works
> all the time. He has a lot of anxiety but manages to channel
> it into fiction."
>
> Ten hours a day, six days a week -- more nearing the end
> of each book, "when momentum carries me like a leaf on a
> flood." He revises constantly, an average of 20 times before
> he proceeds to the next page.
>

I read the article because I have never read Koontz but inherited 22
many years ago. I enjoyed reading it but was surprised by some of the
most popular negative comments describing him as an extreme right wing
conservative whose books should be thrown in the Orson Scott Card bin.
None of my 22 look like science fiction titles but I have transferred
"Fear Nothing" and "Relentless" to the Kindle out of curiosity.

On Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 7:16:35 AM UTC+1, Titus G wrote:
> On 7/05/23 06:24, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> > https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/dean-koontz/
> >
> >
> > Koontz is billed as the "international best-selling master
> > of suspense," though he eschews labels and writes in multiple
> > genres -- supernatural, science fiction, young adult, manga,
> > dog. Frequently, his books fuse several and are dusted with
> > humor. "You can't tie him down," his friend and fellow
> > best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman says. "He just works
> > all the time. He has a lot of anxiety but manages to channel
> > it into fiction."
> >
> > Ten hours a day, six days a week -- more nearing the end
> > of each book, "when momentum carries me like a leaf on a
> > flood." He revises constantly, an average of 20 times before
> > he proceeds to the next page.
> >
> I read the article because I have never read Koontz but inherited 22
> many years ago. I enjoyed reading it but was surprised by some of the
> most popular negative comments describing him as an extreme right wing
> conservative whose books should be thrown in the Orson Scott Card bin.
> None of my 22 look like science fiction titles but I have transferred
> "Fear Nothing" and "Relentless" to the Kindle out of curiosity.
On my old browser, when I clicked through to the Washington Post article I could see the article (slightly hidden by adverts that turned up as blanks) but not the comments. A comment which criticised the author but not his works could be taken as an unintentional compliment.

On 7/05/23 18:16, Titus G wrote:
> On 7/05/23 06:24, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
>> https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/dean-koontz/
>>
>>
>> Koontz is billed as the "international best-selling master
>> of suspense," though he eschews labels and writes in multiple
>> genres -- supernatural, science fiction, young adult, manga,
>> dog. Frequently, his books fuse several and are dusted with
>> humor. "You can't tie him down," his friend and fellow
>> best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman says. "He just works
>> all the time. He has a lot of anxiety but manages to channel
>> it into fiction."
>>
>> Ten hours a day, six days a week -- more nearing the end
>> of each book, "when momentum carries me like a leaf on a
>> flood." He revises constantly, an average of 20 times before
>> he proceeds to the next page.
>>
>
> I read the article because I have never read Koontz but inherited 22
> many years ago. I enjoyed reading it but was surprised by some of the
> most popular negative comments describing him as an extreme right wing
> conservative whose books should be thrown in the Orson Scott Card bin.
> None of my 22 look like science fiction titles but I have transferred
> "Fear Nothing" and "Relentless" to the Kindle out of curiosity.

Relentness was too much on the horror and action side of SF for me and
the humour was that which makes one groan and there was a lot of light
hearted woffle within a very silly plot. But it was easy reading and
entertaining enough for me to finish it although I probably will not
read more of his unless specifically recommended. A key feature of
Relentless was the six year old engineering genius able to manipulate
the laws of physics and his banter with family.

On Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 2:16:35 AM UTC-4, Titus G wrote:
> On 7/05/23 06:24, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
> > https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/03/dean-koontz/
> >
> >
> > Koontz is billed as the "international best-selling master
> > of suspense," though he eschews labels and writes in multiple
> > genres -- supernatural, science fiction, young adult, manga,
> > dog. Frequently, his books fuse several and are dusted with
> > humor. "You can't tie him down," his friend and fellow
> > best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman says. "He just works
> > all the time. He has a lot of anxiety but manages to channel
> > it into fiction."
> >
> > Ten hours a day, six days a week -- more nearing the end
> > of each book, "when momentum carries me like a leaf on a
> > flood." He revises constantly, an average of 20 times before
> > he proceeds to the next page.
> >
> I read the article because I have never read Koontz but inherited 22
> many years ago. I enjoyed reading it but was surprised by some of the
> most popular negative comments describing him as an extreme right wing
> conservative whose books should be thrown in the Orson Scott Card bin.
> None of my 22 look like science fiction titles

In the early 70s I read a few of his early SF books. It seemed to me that he
was improving with each book, and Ellison selected him to write a story
for ADV.

The last novel of his that I read was "The Demon Seed", which ended that
phase of his career. Sold in the SF section, it was really schlock/horror
and was clearly going to sell very nicely.

I mourned briefly for the SF writer that could have been, for after reading
TDS I knew that he'd never write SF again.

One of my sisters started reading Koontz with my copy of TDS. A few books
later she'd had enough of him, though.

I still have those old SF novels somewhere. If I was James I would review them.

William Hyde

On Sunday, May 7, 2023 at 12:16:35 AM UTC-6, Titus G wrote:
> but was surprised by some of the
> most popular negative comments describing him as an extreme right wing
> conservative whose books should be thrown in the Orson Scott Card bin.

I wasn't even aware there was a movement afoot to cancel Orson Scott
Card, even if some people found it a bit peculiar that he injected Mormon
ideas into some of his plots.

John Savard

On Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 1:33:19 PM UTC-6, William Hyde wrote:
> Ellison selected him to write a story
> for ADV.

Ah, so Again, Dangerous Visions was an anthology different in an
important respect from the original Dangerous Visions.

John Savard