Stephen King/Dean Koontz

[Kim]

What is your favorite Stephen King and/or Dean Koontz book? Why?

[Maja]

I will never forget how I felt reading Watchers by Dean Koontz. I read it as a teen because one of my friends recommended it and every time we would hang out, he would tell me - I think I see something there in the dark. It made my skin crawl!
I was scared, I cried and laughed reading this book. And that was one of the few books I actually read twice.

[Valerie]

My favorite Koontz novel is "Whispers" and my favorite King novel is "Salems Lot". I only read Salems Lot in the daytime - scared me to death but I kept on reading.

[Alice]

King-The Gunslinger, as a matter of fact the whole series
Koontz-Odd Thomas, and again the whole series

[Kim]

I think I am in the mood for a kind of eerie book. I haven't read King or Koontz in a long time-I was trying to get an idea of what some of your favorites are before choosing one. :)

[Alice]

Koontz, Lightning..it's riveting

[J.S.]

I like too many from both authors to pick a favorite!

[Kathleen]

Mine is Dean Koontz - From the Corner of his Eye!

[William]

Hard to pick just one from these two guys. One of my best memories of Dean Koontz happened when I was in grade school and my mom read the prologue of Darkfall to my brother and I as a bedtime story (after we begged her to read us something scary), and as a result we didn't sleep for weeks -- but were very quiet just in case any tiny demon like creatures were in the vents.

One of my best memories of Stephen King was reading Dreamcatcher during my spring break of my junior year in high school. I was a new Stephen King fan, and that was the first hardcover of his I had ever bought, and it blew me away (as did all the other books by him I had read before it).

[Kathryn]

My favorite Koontz book will always be "Lightning." I kept reading not only to find out what was going on but also to learn if Laura and Stefan would wind up together. Beautiful blend of suspense and romance. For King, the ultimate was "The Stand"--sweeping in scope, an eerie blend of mundane human manipulations and a sense of spiritual destiny. It was huge!

[Kathleen]

This is a tough one! I love both of these authors. I personally feel that as a stand alone book Stephen King's "The Stand" was the best thing he has ever written. For series his gunslinger books are amazing!

[Marc-Antoine]

WatchersThe Stand

[Kim]

I am reading By The Light of The Moon-Koontz. Has anyone read this one yet?

[Danny]

The Stand - SK Classic
Lightning - Great story, got you thinkin'

[Michael]

I agree with so many that chose The Stand. The scope of the book was breathtaking. For Koontz, the call is closer. Watchers, From the Corner of His Eye, Lightning, Odd Thomas. So many themes are repeated over and over, but he still manages to make the stories engrossing.

[Kirby]

Kim wrote: "I am reading By The Light of The Moon-Koontz. Has anyone read this one yet?"

that was one of the first ones I was disappointed w/- I think the first was from the corner of his eye...at first, I thought he'd lost his touch, as I didn't care much for very many after those, but after going back and reading some of my favorites from when I was younger, I think it's more that- as michael said- so many things are repeated. I may have just overindulged in koontz and all his books lost their magic for me :(

though there are a few that I don't think ever will- strangers, phantoms...can't think of the other ones...

and some of my favorite king books are the shining, the stand, under the dome, cell, and the talisman.

[Nadja]

I much prefer reading Dean Koontz...Stephen King books are too long and drawn out...love the movies made from his books though!

[Vincent]

Dean Koontz's Watchers! Also liked his Seize the Night. He has his way of making you root for his characters--especially the furry kind.

[Dick]

The Stand by King and Watchers by Koontz are both in my top five favorite novels of all time.

Both of these guys write some stuff that is farther out in the horror zone than is my taste, but they also write some stories that transcend genre. The two I've mentioned are examples. Though I'm careful as to which of their creations I decide to read, when they are on their game, they CAN'T be beat. I think King is the best storyteller alive today. Koontz is close enough he can feel Stephen's body heat.

[Foul97]

Koontz The Bad Place

[Nikki]

Dean Koontz: Seize the Night & Fear Nothing. By far my favorite books of his although Strange Highways will always be a favorite because it was my introduction to Dean Koontz. :-)

[Deb]

Watchers and the Odd Thomas series by Koontz. Fortunately there is another Odd novel coming out in July 2012. It has been too long!

[Kirby]

Nadja wrote: "I much prefer reading Dean Koontz...Stephen King books are too long and drawn out...love the movies made from his books though!"

I think the same thing about a lot of king's stuff...but, I would recommend you try cell as it seemed very fast-paced and exciting to me! :)

[Debbie]

Definitely The Stand by Stephen King. I love the premise of the book and the character development. As for Dean Koontz...The Frankenstein series. I really enjoyed how the "monster" is portrayed.

[Dave]

I loved The Stand and It, but have to say Watcher's by Dean Koontz is my favorite. It was the first Koontz book I read, that was ten or fifteen years ago and the images still flash through my mind when I think about it. Really was an awesome read. It's a real shame that everything lately seems a bit 'samey'.

[Jamie]

Kim wrote: "What is your favorite Stephen King and/or Dean Koontz book? Why?"

Great topic for discussion!

My favorite Koontz book is Sole Survivor. I just remember being drawn to the cover and really enjoying the story.

My favorite King book is a little more difficult to choose. While I've always been a big King fan, I really believe that his writing has declined since being struck by a car in 99. That being said, I think his earlier works are his best. His very first novel, Carrie, is one of my favorites. I'd also have to put The Shining and Misery on my list. And he also wrote one as Richard Bachman that I really enjoyed, The Long Walk. My high school had a "long walk," so that book really hit home for me.

[Robert]

I have only read three of Koontz'a books .. what make him better then King is the face his books end well. No matter how much i like a King novel the ending is always lame.

[Darren]

Lightning for Koontz. Must have read it six times now.

Even though it falls into many of the typical Koontz pitfalls it's easily a stunner of a story.

[Scott (Ozziespur)]

To be honest I really enjoy both authors. I must say I particularly enjoy how Koontz's books usually grab you in the first chapter and end well. King is probably more descriptive and sets his scenes with more detail (sometimes a little uneccessarily imo) and can be guilty of questionable endings with a number of books. As i said I enjoy both authors' books and have spent many many hours enjoying their works.

[Rachel]

not a big king fan but i really liked The Stand-

love dean koontz- although there are many to choose from
Lightning is my all time favorite

both books feature memorable characters and are simply great stories that keep you riveted from the opening chapter until the last page.

[Alice]

I think King is a little wordy at times. The Stand was particularly wordy for me. The Shining and The Dark Tower Series Collection: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower are my faves. On the other hand, I like ALL of Dean Koontz works. Odd Thomas and Lightning are my faves. Those books just stay with me. Lightning was so intricate..so awesome..I think I was slack-jawed all the way thru it.

[Sandra]

What a hard question! It's like asking me which of my children are my favourite, lol. For me, Stephen King's Dark Tower series stands out as his best work. I loved Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas and Seize the Night. I could go on and on....

[[deleted user]]

Kim wrote: "What is your favorite Stephen King and/or Dean Koontz book? Why?"

"It" because Its mr King's coming of age book. It made me wish I had friends like that.

For Koontz its strangers because (in my opinion) Its his best writing.

[Barbara]

Don't read King. Koontz on the other hand is my favorite author. The Watchers was the first book I read by Koontz. I was hooked. Loved the way he usually works animals, kids and others together for good. The Odd Thomas series is fun, yet scarry sometimes and I loved the Frankenstein series.
Another more recent book I thoroughly enjoyed was One step away from Heaven.

[Jodi]

King - The Stand (unabridged version)
Koontz - Lightning

Of the two, I like Lightning more. King can be a little too...wordy. lol!

[Raven]

Love Koontz's novel, Watchers. I rarely read books twice and never three times - except for Watchers.

King - Oooh that's a toss up. I'd have to say it's a tie between IT and Bag of Bones.

[J.]

Koontz -- Watchers which I've read a few times.
King- The Dead Zone

[Doug]

Koontz has to be Life Expectancy or Odd Thomas, King would be Bag of Bones, Salem's Lot or The Gunslinger. I admire both writers and could have listed a dozen more choices with a clear conscience.

[J.]

Doug, I agree. There are dozens from each I could've listed too.

[Kim]

I have read some of these, but I can't wait to check out others based on everyone's recommendations!

[Ray]

Alice wrote: "Koontz, Lightning..it's riveting "

Probably the worst book about Nazi Time travelers I have ever read....sorry...lol

[Ray]

The Bad Place was intense

[Ray]

Foul97 wrote: "Koontz The Bad Place"

I would absolutely agree with you.. amazing departure from him huge serial killing bad guys and time traveling nazis

[Bob]

Foul97 wrote: "Koontz The Bad Place"


That sounds dirty....

[Ray]

Michael wrote: "Foul97 wrote: "Koontz The Bad Place"


That sounds dirty...."

lol

[Nick]

i love the dark tower series by king and the odd thomas by koontz. both great series, and something i could never get bored of.

[Joel]

Best Stephen King: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Best Dean Koontz: Dark Rivers of the Heart

Koontz is a better writer.
King is a better story teller.

They both are great.

[Janese]

Great question! My favorite Koontz is From The Corner of His Eye, favorite King is a tie between IT and The Stand.
Koontz's Watchers gets an honorable mention from me too, great book!

[Kevinreadstoomuch]

Joel R. wrote: "Best Stephen King: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Best Dean Koontz: Dark Rivers of the Heart

Koontz is a better writer.
King is a better story teller.

They both are great."

I definitely agree with you there. Rather than argue who's better, since there is no definitive answer, I enjoy both writers tremendously.

[Kevinreadstoomuch]

As for me, I have such a hard naming one book for either of these guys because they have so many that are excellent and worth it.

For King, my top books are: Bag of Bones, Needful Things, The Green Mile, Salem's Lot, Hearts in Atlantis.

For Koontz: it is neck and neck between Watchers and The Bad Place for my absolute favorite. Right behind them is Strange Highways, Lightning, and Life Expectancy.

I feel privileged reading both of these athors, and stil having many books to look forward to