The Two K's: Dean Koontz and Stephen King

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Karen B. Asks:

Is anyone else also a Stephen King fan? Well I found several things that I find "coincidental". Often books are recommended with the following "For fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz" and I have wondered about the relationship between the two.

First I found a book where one author wrote about himself ... "No, I don't live in Maine and don't write about Maine. I don't own a golden retriever and I don't include dogs in my books."

Last month because I didn't get our October read book but I had ordered "Doctor Sleep" by SK (which I enjoyed even more than "The Shining"}
and I ran across a reference to a villainous character comparing him to the villain in Koontz's "What the Night Knows". I took that as a real nod to DK from SK.
Then when I finished that book I decided to read an "oldie but goodie" after seeing parts of the movie being shown the week before Halloween, so I re-read IT which was one of my first King books. And I don't know how I missed it the first I read it in the 80's but don't you know it ... one of the mean (in fact meanest) caretakers at the insane asylum is named Koontz? That cracked me up. I am sure each of the writers knows his name is being linked with the other's but I found SK's references interesting.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I've seen them review each others book, and I'm sure they've got to be at least acquaintances.

King is 66, Koontz 68.

Sometimes I wonder if they're friends. If they are, I wonder if they've never written together because they both have such big names, or because they would clash too much. You'd have to admit, it'd sell like hotcakes!

I only recently learned actually just WHO Joe Hill really was! I hadn't known until a friend let me in on it, and after I looked it up I was pleasantly surprised.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I have to add, when I typed "Dean Koontz and Stephen King" into the search bar, the FIRST thing that popped up was "Dean Koontz and Stephen King same person?"

[Karen B.]

Very interesting. I read there is another that Stephen King has another son who is an author but I can't remember his name. Wonder if Dean Koontz can teach his dog to write. Somehow it would seem fitting. I have to admit I loved the "I Trixie who am Dog" book and also that year they had a page-a-day calendar with Trixie quotes. I was so disappointed that there wasn't one the next year. The quotes were taken from "Life is Bliss" and it was great, set up as a quote a day giving you something to just sort of ponder. Trixie was a great philosopher.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Dean Koontz lives in California and Stephen King lives in Maine. Can't get much farther from each other across the United States :-)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

It's Owen King. I haven't read anything by him. I'm wondering if his daughter will ever publish anything.

[Karen B.]

Well his wife also writes novels so maybe his daughter will want to break with the family tradition just to be different or decide to write non-fiction books instead.

I like mysteries (especially cozies) and have noticed that the writers will often pool together and write short stories or novellas and have them all published in the same volume. I can see Koontz and King doing something like that. I wish they would.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Has anyone read a novel by Tabitha King (wife of Stephen King)?

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I haven't, I think my mom has. Doesn't she write romance? I can't recall.

Oh! Like them having a book of short stories by both of them together? That would be so neat :)
I read it wrong at first and thought you meant them publishing just short story books.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I don't think Koontz and King would ever write something together :-) but to have them both contribute to a short story collection might be a possibility.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I wonder the same thing, since they are so similar in the way they write, I think that they would probably butt heads a lot and not be able to work it out.

Let's all just send them both letters asking them to do a short story collection together!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Okay who is willing to do it? Write to both Koontz and King and encourage them to collaborate on a short story collection.

Here is Dean Koontz's mailing address:

Dean Koontz
PO BOX 9529
Newport Beach, CA 92658

Someone please post an address where Stephen King likes ot receive mail :-) Thanks.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I don't know I had kinda thought that Stephen King was not a big fan of Dean Koontz, but maybe I just heard that from Stephen King fans who did not like Dean Koontz.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I've seen them review each other's work. Like in the front where it shows all the little comments people have made!

I think they sort of respect each other from afar.

And yes! LET'S DO THIS!
If it works, it'd be fantastic.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

How would you do the poll/petition?

What is Philtrum Corp?

[Tracy]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Has anyone read a novel by Tabitha King (wife of Stephen King)?"

I haven't but my library does have one of her books. I thought about reading it because of her name, Tabitha, it's my daughters name. :0)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Off topic: the name Tabitha made me think of The Electric Grandmother - a short film I grew up with, but then I looked up the youtube clip and the girl's name was Agatha not Tabitha :-)
http://youtu.be/71KNI-LoXiQ

[Tracy]

So you have been disillusioned all these years?

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

In many ways, yes.

[Tracy]

Awww so sad.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

It's happy! You see I was thinking yesterday about how maybe it would be nice to be normal but then I thought if I was normal I would be a different person. I wouldn't be me :-)

[K.L.]

Stephen King wrote the screenplay for his novel Desperation. One of the characters at the beginning of the movie mentions that she is a Dean Koontz fan or something to that effect.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

K.L. wrote: "Stephen King wrote the screenplay for his novel Desperation. One of the characters at the beginning of the movie mentions that she is a Dean Koontz fan or something to that effect."

Nice. If I ever get around to watching Desperation - I will surely pay attention :-)

[K.L.]

Shastina (Sassy) wrote: "It's Owen King. I haven't read anything by him. I'm wondering if his daughter will ever publish anything."

She is a minister currently. I was curious about that myself after listening to an interview with Stephen and Owen King. I'd buy a King/Koontz collaboration even if it turned out to be a turd of a novel just to have it.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

K.L. wrote: "Shastina (Sassy) wrote: "It's Owen King. I haven't read anything by him. I'm wondering if his daughter will ever publish anything."

She is a minister currently. I was curious about that myself af..."

I would, too! I like the idea of a short story book, but maybe at the end have one they've written together. Now to just convince them to do it!

[Nickie]

I do believe these two authors share many readers, but I prefer Koontz.

[K.L.]

Nickie wrote: "I do believe these two authors share many readers, but I prefer Koontz."

I have to say that I love them both equally. They both have very distinctive voices that are just amazing. I think it depends on mood though. For a rushing thrill ride type of novel, Koontz can't be beaten. For a more down home style it's King all the way. Both of them are masters of characterization.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

K.L., is that a picture of your pet that you are using for your profile picture? Or is it just a random picture you found on the internet?

[K.L.]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "K.L., is that a picture of your pet that you are using for your profile picture? Or is it just a random picture you found on the internet?"

LOL, it's just one I found. It was hard to resist a rodent with a saber :)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

but it would have been more fun if the rodent was your pet :-)

[K.L.]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "but it would have been more fun if the rodent was your pet :-)"

So very true. Think I'd call him Luke wheelrunner.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

You might want to consider getting a hedgehog. I have a hedgehog and all the cool people are getting them. They are really cute, they don't smell like rodents and are easy to take care of. My hedgie is a girl hedgehog and her name is Prada. She likes t run on her wheel at night. Hedgehogs live longer than rodents too.

[Karen B.]

Oh Dustin, thanks for telling us. My daughter was very into hedgehogs and almost got herself one. Then she found out how popular they were and wasn't as interested. She and her father are so much alike that sometimes the very thing they like, they don't enjoy because of its or his popularity. That year I had gotten her a lot Hedgehog stuff for Christmas...tree ornaments, hedgehog mug, notepaper. I think I made her sick of it. I on the other hand, love what I love in spite of it's popularity. If you saw me right now you would tell as I am wearing a Doctor Who Tee shirt, sweatshirt and socks. I have Doctor Who tee shirts for the gym, a sonic screwdriver, Doctor how sticky notes ... well you get the idea.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I hear there is a big 5 hour Doctor Who Event today :-) I haven't gotten hooked yet but everyone tells me if I watched it I would be an addict :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Hedgehogs are mainstream exotics. They are not available in the average pet store. Most of the time they must be purchased from a hedgehog breeder and they are illegal to own in some states. I am thinking of getting a lesser hedgehog tenrec because they are even more exotic but they cost $800 or more. You can get a hedgehog for about $200. Your daughter should think about it. She'll have to get on a waiting list anyway. The breeder I bought from didn't require a deposit to be on the waiting list but many do. I also joined the Hedgehogs Anonymous group on Facebook.

[Karen B.]

That's what she was set to do. Get on a list buy from a breeder. But she tired of it and decided she no longer wanted one.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Karen B wrote: "That's what she was set to do. Get on a list buy from a breeder. But she tired of it and decided she no longer wanted one."

Well, if she doesn't want one then she probably shouldn't get one :-)

[Karen B.]

Not at this point anyway.

[Mary]

Shastina (Sassy) wrote: "I have to add, when I typed "Dean Koontz and Stephen King" into the search bar, the FIRST thing that popped up was "Dean Koontz and Stephen King same person?""

Well that would explain the hair on Koontz's head...good disguise. Ha, just kidding.

[Holly]

Love em both!!

[Dan]

I love them both. Koontz writes some of the best prose in all of horror. King is the master storyteller and creator of characters.

[Barbara]

My top 2 favorites.....and George R R Martin

[Dan]

I'm oversimplifying...

King's characters ring true to me in book after book and I often recognize traits that I have seen in myself and in others. In Koontz's books, I feel a stronger connection to the protagonist and often believe I would do the same thing that the protagonist is doing.

[Diane Lynch]

I am a huge Steven King and Dean Koontz fan. I love both. I've read more King. The thing Koontz is always able to do is make his ending as good as the book. Often King's book r just as good. Maybe better but the ending has often disappointed me. I read the full Gunslinger series. An amazing ending. I don't want Odd Thomas to end but I Cann't wait to find out if Koontz can pull that off. I was disappointed with the ending of IT but at the time I wasn't a Koontz fan so didn't pick up on the name. Both authors make their characters so real u feel like u lost a best friend when u finish one. Koontz has very different books. King often has tidbits from one book to another book that isn't even related to it. I haven't picked up on that with Koontz yet outside a series.

[Barbara]

Diane......I am also a huge King fan and I also loved his ending of the Roland books!!!! It was perfect and made so much sense to me.....I know many people who hated that ending !!
I too have been disappointed in some of his endings.....also some of his books......but DK has rarely let me down. ;D

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Diane wrote: " King often has tidbits from one book to another book that isn't even related to it. I haven't picked up on that with Koontz yet outside a series. "


Dean Koontz also does this. I am currently reading The City of Night and found a character from Twilight Eyes in the story :-) See our thread about elements Koontz carries into to different stories:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Diane Lynch]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Diane wrote: " King often has tidbits from one book to another book that isn't even related to it. I haven't picked up on that with Koontz yet outside a series. "


Dean Koontz also does this. I am..."

I will investigate this. Thank u Dustin

[Paul]

I enjoy both of these wonderful writers and simply love the contrast between their stories and writing style.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Paul wrote: "I enjoy both of these wonderful writers and simply love the contrast between their stories and writing style."

Yes!

[PF]

I love they both.
I plan to read all of their work!

By now I only had King's: Christine, 11/23/63, Regulators and Desperation.
and Koontz: Odd 1-5 and both Moonlight.

From that small sample I can say one of the main differences:
King has about 3 times more characters and tends to be lenghty.
My mind was about to explode in Regulators with all neighbours being introduced in the first chapter, nice that the book comes with a little map.
And I heard that Dome was over the top.

Soon I want to tackle the massive Dark Tower!