Dean Koontz?

[Fitz]

So, I'm not a huge fan of his, but the Odd Thomas books are great.

Listening to an audiobook on the drive. Stopped for dinner. A few things occur to me (other than not being able to get ahold of big jake)

Previously I pegged Koontz as anti gun base on Odd Thomas repeated insistence that he doesn't like guns.

The latest book is loaded with references to survivalists preparing or civil war or government oppression being portrayed in a positive, heroic light. And, the lead character, although he doesn't like guns, recognizes their necessity in a world gone mad, and was lectured on the topic by a supporting character.


Is Koontz one of us?

[Stand_watie]

So, I'm not a huge fan of his, but the Odd Thomas books are great.

Listening to an audiobook on the drive. Stopped for dinner. A few things occur to me (other than not being able to get ahold of big jake)

Previously I pegged Koontz as anti gun base on Odd Thomas repeated insistence that he doesn't like guns.

The latest book is loaded with references to survivalists preparing or civil war or government oppression being portrayed in a positive, heroic light. And, the lead character, although he doesn't like guns, recognizes their necessity in a world gone mad, and was lectured on the topic by a supporting character.


Is Koontz one of us?

Yes, I think he is.

[Fly320s]

I've read all of his books, and I don't think he is one of us.

He does a fair amount of research and really gets his characters into their roles even if that means making them preppers. My guess is that he follows trends and big news stories and uses that information in his books.

[just Warren]

There was one book One Door Away From Heaven in which avoiding the government is a major theme and government is portrayed as inimical to innocent people.  

So he's not unsympathetic at least.

[Stand_watie]

He definitely leans conservative and religious, unless he's able to divorce his entire body of fictional good guys and bad guys from his personal beliefs.

[Fitz]

Maybe he is fistful

[BlueStarLizzard]

Dads been a fan, and partially due to Koontz suspected leanings.

[TommyGunn]

Koontz wrote Dark Rivers of the Heart in which a group of people must go underground to avoid an evil government sends out undercover squads to "clean up" and disappear people who trouble DC.
It's the last  and IIRC the only book of his I've read, that at the suggestion of my sister.
I think he's probably versatile enough to impute any attitude into his characters he thinks will flesh out the characters realistically.

[Perd Hapley]

Maybe he is fistful

fistful's prose would be much less, well, prosaic.

[Stand_watie]

Was able to find a fairly lengthy article from The American Spectator discussing the political angle of Koontz's work.

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/07/08/the-dean-of-suspense

[Fitz]

I look forward to reading that later, I'm jumping in again now from a rest station to tell you all about a scene in this audiobook. So evil bastards are nearly foiled by a concealed carrying preacher and his wife

They express outrage at the Government allowing people to carry weapons, keep in mind these are murderous Satanists

They make a comment about how the Bible says not to kill, and the lead character correct them about the distinction between murder and killing

I think he is one of us

[lee n. field]

There was one book One Door Away From Heaven in which avoiding the government is a major theme and government is portrayed as inimical to innocent people.  

So he's not unsympathetic at least.

See also Dark Rivers of the Heart

(Read because of a review, I think, in Reason.  That's the only Koontz I've read, with the exception of some very early science fiction stories in the genre magazine F&SF.)

[Tallpine]

fistful's prose would be much less, well, prosaic.

Well said!  That had a kind of poetry to it.   

[brimic]

I think I've read most of his books, some are pretty good, some are meh. The stories all seem to have similar themes.
I never seen his writings as pro-gun or anti-gun... it seems his characters are more or less relying on luck and deity to watch over them instead of a tool.

His Odd Thomas series is good, I also like his Frankenstein series.

[RoadKingLarry]

I know I've read something he's written but danged if I can figure out what it was. Likely SF genre but I can't figure it out.

[Gowen]

fistful's prose would be much less, well, Prozac.

FIFY

[CNYCacher]

I remember hearing about this last year: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1767354/

Being a fan of the Odd Thomas series, I remember being anxious for April 2013 to get here.  Now it's come and gone and what happened?

[Fitz]

Film is finished but no distribution deal yet

[Hutch]

One of the only Koontz books I've read is Watchers which arrived because I didn't mail back my "don't send it" postcard.  Come to think of it, that was how I got introduced to Ludlum and King.

[Ron]

One of the only Koontz books I've read is Watchers which arrived because I didn't mail back my "don't send it" postcard.  Come to think of it, that was how I got introduced to Ludlum and King.

I really enjoyed that book and read a lot of Koonz afterward. It has been many years since i've read anything of his, he is so prolific that there are probably more than two dozen books he has written since I stopped reading him.

[K Frame]

The wife of one of our members here had Mr. Koontz as an English teacher in high school right before he hit the big time.

His books are VERY hit and miss for me.

[RevDisk]

So, I'm not a huge fan of his, but the Odd Thomas books are great.

Listening to an audiobook on the drive. Stopped for dinner. A few things occur to me (other than not being able to get ahold of big jake)

Previously I pegged Koontz as anti gun base on Odd Thomas repeated insistence that he doesn't like guns.

The latest book is loaded with references to survivalists preparing or civil war or government oppression being portrayed in a positive, heroic light. And, the lead character, although he doesn't like guns, recognizes their necessity in a world gone mad, and was lectured on the topic by a supporting character.


Is Koontz one of us?

Read Dark Rivers of the Heart. Basically, he called today's news. Tick Tock is excellent, and much more upbeat/funny.

His personal beliefs are his own business. Guy writes well, and doesn't bash his beliefs over other folks' heads.

[grampster]

I like his Frankenstein series and Odd Thomas.  I've read a number of his other books.  I have always liked how he usually includes a dog of some kind in his stories.  I don't recall being overly illuminated as to his firearm position.  I usually can remember when a particular author comes from a left wing aspect.  In fact a good deal of them do.

[CNYCacher]

I like his Frankenstein series and Odd Thomas.  I've read a number of his other books.  I have always liked how he usually includes a dog of some kind in his stories.  I don't recall being overly illuminated as to his firearm position.  I usually can remember when a particular author comes from a left wing aspect.  In fact a good deal of them do.

The first of his Frankenstein books was also made into a direct-to-video movie.  Koontz isn't mentioned anywhere, but it's obviously his story. I picked it up for $1.99 in the used bin at Blockbuster some years ago.

[MrsSmith]

I've read everything he's written, always been a fan, think there were only two that I did NOT like. The Odd Thomas series is probably his best work to date. I've never taken him to be anti-gun at all. In fact, one of the things I like about him is that he seems to be right in line with our way of thinking. Most of his stories have themes of "can't trust the government," "think for yourself," "stand on your own two feet," and "do the right thing even if it hurts."