Dean Koontz

Wow, that was a lot of responses quick.

I had an interesting morning. First second-hand shop I went into, I found a LOT of Koontz books, but no Funhouse. Looks like this one really didn't catch on, even though there was a movie behind it.

The bookstore lady didn't even realize Koontz had another pen name, and mentioned it was the second time that morning someone had informed her of a writer using another Pen. Anyhow...we looked under both names but couldn't find it. I then went across the street into yet another shop, and low & behold, we found ONE copy of it. The later (blue) cover, and 2.75$ for a copy that looked almost brand new, I can't complain. Thank god I found it cause even the library didn't carry it. Anyhow, I'm off now to read the first chapters (the only parts the critics said was any good *laugh.

Well, I read up to chapter 3. The prologue was rather the longest section in the book, and probably longer than any prologue I've read before.

I also have to give him credit for using the word 'and' in a sentence the record amount of times, but I guess that is a minute thing. However, I can't help but notice, (as others pointed out) he CONSTANTLY seems to have to restate the color of people's eyes, no matter what is happening.

Interesting enough, we are told Conrad's face features looked like the clown's face on the funhouse, as the artist modeled it from him him. That's great and all, but the only real thing I know regarding how he looks is he has blue eyes from the re-statements earlier. I'm sure he will remind me again later in the book, just incase I happen to forget the eye detail.

And another thing, people's eyes tend to only be blue or green so far. Any chance I run into brown eyes?

Captain M, the movie means something to me, too. I'd like to read that book when you are finished.

Click to expand...

Alright, I promise not to throw it out then when I am done.

Right now, I'm about 1/3 of the way through it. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be a very long time before the protagonist even ends up in the funhouse! That's a shame, as it was my favourite element in the movie.

Update. Right now I am halfway through the book. Finding myself VERY bored. I decided instead of focusing on the grindingly slow pace of the story, to look more at his form of grammar. This is something I read suggested on the forums.

I didn't realize until now, how poor the writing structure of this novel really is. Or maybe it just got poorer in the middle of the book. Koontz seems to break every single rule of grammar I was taught to avoid. Now I understand style, and maybe he is well aware of what he is doing and doesn't care, I don't know.

I have to admit, it seems strange when a regular sentence has TEN commas inside it! Or when you have numerous tiny 1-2 sentence paragraphs, and then stick in a 1.5 page long paragraph. Though, variance is good, and maybe that's ok to break up the repititious patterns, why go into extremes?

The last chapter I read had the mother of long sentences I have ever read in my life! The one sentence spanned about 1.3 pages in length. No breaks, all one sentence!

I just don't know. I would have certainly failed class in grade 5 had I written in this manner. I wonder if Koontz just did it as a joke. Maybe he had a bet going with someone, "Hey, bet you can't break all those editing rules and get away with it!"

In any case, I think it's obvious Koontz won the bet. Though he did have to publish it under a Pen Name, which now could explain some things...

And then again.... what do I know about writing a best seller. I'm one who still worries about getting my own grammar perfect yet I have 0 books under my belt so far. I of course have a lot to learn...

Well, it has been a while so I am now bumping this one up to the top. I finally did get around to finishing this book after a little break.

Yes, I was very let down also by the ending. I can only conclude he got tired of writing it and just wanted it to STOP!

I also am not happy that hardly anything at all happened in the funhouse except for the last few pages. Sad.... so sad, I feel like I have been false-advertised again!

Now, if only I got a dollar for every page that Koontz describes the color of someone's eyes....

There is however, one interesting tidbit in the book. The last chapter was included where he talks about writing the book, and some data regarding the movie.

He admits he was a very poor writer before, and nothing he wrote was selling under his own name. Though somehow he was offered to write a novel for Tobe Hooper's film (despite scrip was already completed). Being a failing writer, how could he refuse the deal?

Interestingly, the movie was delayed 4 months, so the novel was out 4 months on its own, but it SOLD! The turning point in his career. Though the publisher used a pen name, Owen West as they wanted to create a new writer name and get it aquainted with the public.

The novel sold, until the movie came out, where it instantly plummeted and no one bothered having the book on the shelves anymore, which was a bizzaire twist from the norm. He still blames Tobe Hooper in some way for that...

Then by another ironic twist, the Dean Koontz books eventually started to sell, but those under the pen name Owen West did not do very well. So what happened? The publishers stripped off the pen name, put it to rest in the grave, and slapped on 'Dean Koontz'. Suddenly, those same books sold again.

Typical... once again we see how books are sold by name.... NOT by content. So sad, but that's the literary public for you.

At least Koontz admitted that he refuses reprints of some of his older stuff, stating that he admits in his younger writer years his inexperience lead him to write such poor works, that he wont even let them be brought to life. Despite they'd probably make money.