Koontzland - Dean Koontz discussion

Intensity is one of my favourites from Koontz.
As I've read somewhere on the web, it's the thrill ride of thrill rides; when it comes to his works that don't deal with the supernatual this one is propably the best. (Dark Rivers of the Heart is my second favourite in those).
It focuses basically on two characters - Chyna Shephard and Edgler Foremann Vess, the archetype and opus magnum of all bad guys from Koontz novels. He's just scary; and what's more scary is the fact that he seems so...real. Men like him walk among us, and it's no fiction.
I was really impressed with the writing - the descriptive passages are really well written here. The first page is some of the best writing he ever committed to paper.
Intensity is a book that plays on our worst fears: being followed, being trapped, being hurt and weak, being the last one left alive.
How about you ? What do you think about the book ?

Koontz' use of dogs in a manner other than benevelent heroes is a switch.
I had to read a review to remind myself about this one; a good indication that I have to put it on my re-read list.
I'll go through it tomorrow and hope to have more relevant comments.

Trying to redeem yourself and prove to all that you actually very much enjoy some of Koontz's work, eh Mac? ;-)

Yes, they musn't know that I'm...

Besides I always said that the man has written some great books and some that really sucked. You're bound to do that when you release dozens of novels. I think the list of his complete work (including the out of print ones, the early sci-fi and other stuff) would be over 100 titles.

Maciek wrote: "Yes, they musn't know that I'm...

Besides I always said that the man has written some great books and some that really sucked. You're bound to do that when you release dozens of novels. I think th..."

You should look for the Intensity movie. I thought it was fairly well-done, but cannot yet compare it to the novel, seeing as I have not yet read it.

I saw parts of the movie on youtube. It's especially intersting since it stars John C. McGinley as Edgler Vess, the main bad guy - he's excellent. And he also plays dr. Cox in my favourite TV show - Scrubs, a completely different character. What a talent.

You should read the book as soon as possbile Jason. It's...intense.

Maciek wrote: "...You should read the book as soon as possbile Jason. It's...intense."

I will do that. It is Becky's (the girl on goodreads I mentioned to you) favorite Koontz book and I respect both your opinions. :-)

Let me start by saying Dean Koontz has never written a bad book, just varying degrees of good! Me I loved this book, the story was great. Now If I may play devil's advocate for a minute.

Here we have a bad guy, and a good guy. Right? Right. Good guy has to save some one from the bad guy. Right? Right. Good guy does all kinds of stuff to save the girl from the bad guy. Right? Right. The good guy wins in the end. Right? Right.

Now how is Intensity, any different than say, The Good Guy? Somewhat of the same plot, good guy saves girl/boy from bad guy. Only they do it differently.

How can anyone like one, but not the other?

Lori wrote: " Let me start by saying Dean Koontz has never written a bad book, just varying degrees of good! Me I loved this book, the story was great. Now If I may play devil's advocate for a minute.

Here..."

The in Breathless: A Novel we have a bad guy - or who at least thinks he is - who ends up being a good guy, who destroys the REAL bad guy. I liked that aspect. A very few are all bad, or all good.

Did you just read Intensity over the weekend Maciek?

Lori wrote: "Somewhat of the same plot, good guy saves girl/boy from bad guy. Only they do it differently. "

See, that's exactly the reason. ;)

The Good Guy is one of his 2/3/4 books a year titles - and it's just bad. So much recycling, so much painful dialogue. The resolution is ridiculous and the evil guy is so over the top that he just can't be taken seriously by any means. I remember reading the detailed sections when he breaks into some house, where he looks at himself and thinks about masturbating into women's underwear. Imagine this: He is going at it when suddenly the owners come home, see him, and he just turns his head around to look at them, his **** in his hand and says: "SUP ?"

Intensity on the other hand has only two characters - and the cat and mouse between them made it all worthwile. As I stated in my first post, Koontz plays on our worst fears: being followed, being trapped, being hurt and weak, being the last one left alive.
It's totally plausible when we think how Joseph Fritzl imprisoned his daughter for years in his basement without anyone knowing, or wanting to know.

Dustin wrote: "Did you just read Intensity over the weekend Maciek?"

I've read it some days ago over the course of two days. It's one of his most engrossing novels.

So, you put aside By The Light of the Moon to read Intensity?

Nope. I've read Intensity first and then re-read By The Light of the Moon - it was a surprisingly fast and enjoyable read. I changed my rating from 2 to 4 stars - I consider it one of his best books from the 00's. It's pure fun, comic-style. I can even close my eyes on the preaching and deus ex machina ending.

Hi guys! I finally joined... How could I not when I click through Maciek's update and see I'm mentioned by name! :)

Jason's right, this is my favorite Koontz novel, by far. I keep trying to get Chris (from the King group) to read it too... I think I'm wearing him down! LOL

Becky wrote: "Hi guys! I finally joined... How could I not when I click through Maciek's update and see I'm mentioned by name! :)

Jason's right, this is my favorite Koontz novel, by far. I keep trying to get ..."

Yay, Becky's here! I'm sure Chris will read it eventually, as he greatly values your opinions also.

Maciek wrote: "Nope. I've read Intensity first and then re-read By The Light of the Moon - it was a surprisingly fast and enjoyable read. I changed my rating from 2 to 4 stars - I consider it one of his best book..."

What caused such a shift in your view of the book?

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "Yay, Becky's here! I'm sure Chris will read it eventually, as he greatly values your opinions also."

I dunno if he values my opinions all that much, but I am persistent! ;)

Maciek wrote: "Nope. I've read Intensity first and then re-read By The Light of the Moon - it was a surprisingly fast and enjoyable read. I changed my rating from 2 to 4 stars - I consider it one of his best book..."

I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed both books. You might pass for a devoted Koontz fan after all :-) Good luck convincing Tom!

Jason "plasborgma"What caused such a shift in your view on the book? "

I've read it first in translation, which was rather poor - completely flat. When I've read the original I enjoyed it much more.

Dustin wrote: "I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed both books. You might pass for a devoted Koontz fan after all :-) Good luck convincing Tom!

I don't think he can be convinced. Not that I plan to try. :)

I finished Intensity last night, wrote a review this morning, then joined this group. And now I see that y'all have been talking about me!

Now that was some pretty powerful cosmic energy spent to get me to read that book. I'm impressed.

And yes, Becky. I value your opinion.

And I yours, Awesome One. :D

Am I alone in thinking that the opening page of Intensity is one of the best writing Koontz has ever committed to paper ? I mean the section where Vess stands in the knee-high grass, looking at Laura's house. It's just great great great.

Y E S !

Lori wrote: " Y E S !"

Lori, just wondering :-), should we take your YES! to mean that Maciek is alone in his thinking or were you agreeing on the quality of Dean's writing? :-)

Lol Dustin, I was wondering the same thing ! Lori is a riddler.

You both know what she meant. :-P

Honestly, I didn't know :-) but I'm leaning toward the "YES" referring to the quality of Dean's writing :-) I'm sure she'll be back to verify her meaning.

Sorry to confuse you boys, but I ment YES he stands alone. Koontz has better first lines. :)

Such as ?

The darkness troubles me. I yearn for
the light.
This silence is so deep. I long for voices,
the drumming of the rain, the whistle of wind,
music.
Why are you being so cruel to me? Let me
see. Let me hear. Let me live. I beg of you.
I am so lonely in this bottomless darkness.
So lonely.
Lost.
You think I have no heart. But if I have no
heart, what is this ache? What is this anguish?
If I have no heart, what is it that threatens to
break inside me?

First page (paperback) from Demon Seed. IMO it says so much, and tells so little.

Agreed, that's a nice one. It's kind of funny when you realize that it's from the POV of a crazy computer.

I wasn't going to say, just in case there's people who haven't read it yet. But your right, if the computer had been a man I don't know if the the story would have read as good. Might have to put the computer down as one of the worst villains. ;->

The first page in Intensity is very good as well. I just think this one is better.:)

Lori wrote: "Sorry to confuse you boys, but I ment YES he stands alone. Koontz has better first lines. :)"

Jason, it's a good thing we got clarification huh? :-)

Dustin wrote: "Lori wrote: "Jason, it's a good thing we got clarification huh? :-)"

Indeed. :-)

"Indeed" I was right though. The first page in Intensity is good, but the first page in Demon Seed is better. :)

Lori wrote: ""Indeed" I was right though. The first page in Intensity is good, but the first page in Demon Seed is better. :)"

Opinions can neither be right nor wrong. ;-P

what if it's Lori's opinion that an opinion [yours:] can be wrong? or right [hers:]?
jk

Jason "plasborgma" wrote:
Opinions can neither be right nor wrong. ;-P"

Mine is right. And if you disagree with me, please remember that http://ucp.totfarm.com/pics/pic_12112...

Maciek wrote: "Jason "plasborgma" wrote:
Opinions can neither be right nor wrong. ;-P"

Mine is right. And if you disagree with me, please remember that http://ucp.totfarm.com/pics/pic_12112..."

is that you Maciek?

looks like Nicholas Cage to me :-)

Maciek wrote: "Jason "plasborgma" wrote:
Opinions can neither be right nor wrong. ;-P"

Mine is right. And if you disagree with me, please remember that http://ucp.totfarm.com/pics/pic_12112..."

That is the best non sequitur ever!

Tom wrote: "what if it's Lori's opinion that an opinion [yours:] can be wrong? or right [hers:]?
jk"

As Chris from Lightning would say: paradox!

Tom wrote: "is that you Maciek? "

Yeah, just before I received the Academy Award for Leaving Las Vegas.

Dustin wrote: "looks like Nicholas Cage to me :-)"

Who ?

Where's the happy ending, Jason?
"Never give up, never surrender?"

Lori wrote: "Where's the happy ending, Jason?
"Never give up, never surrender?""

Funny you should ask that, because I actually thought a lot about this since then. In the case that Tom suggested, it would not be an opinion. An opinion is a statement about a subjective phenomenon and, therefore, cannot be true or false. Rather, it would a belief, which is a statement about an objective phenomenon and can be true or false. Given this way of thinking, an example of a belief is that the Earth revolves around the Sun, whereas an example of an opinion is that there is insufficient evidence to support the belief that the Earth revolves around the sun (because different people have different opinions about how much evidence is sufficient to support a belief).

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "An opinion is a statement about a subjective phenomenon and, therefore, cannot be true or false"

WRONG

Maciek wrote: "WRONG"

:-P

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "Maciek wrote: "WRONG"

:-P"

I love this dude - as an actor.

Dustin wrote: "Good luck convincing Tom! .."

lol - I missed this one.