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The Dean of Suspense
Relentless: A Novel
by Dean
Koontz
(Bantam Books,
358 pages, $27)
Dean Koontz is a serious (though not solemn) writer with a sometimes caustic wit, but with an optimistic message. He's often paired, not to mention shelved, with Stephen King. But Koontz's work is very different from that of the talented but smart-alecky and a-bit-too-edgy-for-some writer from Maine.
Koontz is a political and cultural conservative, a Christian who leans to the tragic view of life but celebrates tradition and the ordinary, especially ordinary love, as stays against the darkness. Few popular novelists put it on the line every book for conservative values the way Koontz does. He's a friend of liberty and human dignity. King, alas, is quite the other thing.
King has his moments, especially in the earlier novels. Then things start getting a bit dodgy, and often downright potty-mouthed. Counting f-bombs in some of King's novels (in the noun, verb, adjective, and gerund forms) is a little like counting drinks in The Sun Also Rises (a book by another writer who is less than rewarding to read after a certain age). And looking for a philosophy in King's work is an abuse of time and effort. Not so with Koontz, all of whose novels are about how to live. Life has purpose and meaning in Dean Koontz's stories.
But here's the problem for Koontz boosters. While Dean is a highly-skilled writer capable of lyrical heights, who treats theme, character, conflict, and motivation in the manner that thoughtful writers have through the centuries, he does this while including supernatural or fantasy elements in his stories as well as some truly strange characters, human and animal, and the occasional monster or sci-fi trick. And his bad guys are often violent, though this violence is never graphic or lingered over.
Some readers of "lit-tra-tur" just can't get around the monsters and the fantasy. Doubtless many of Koontz's readers are looking for straight escapist fare, which the books can be on one level. But Koontz gives his readers much more than just a few hours of escape. (His books have sold more than 400 million copies -- so there's something here for nearly everybody.) He creates believable heroes and heroines who deal with their challenges and conflicts with solid human qualities, not with supernatural tricks (OK, there's one sci-fi trick in Relentless). His sympathetic and well-drawn central characters are not just backdrops for the monsters and the ghosts. They're the main event. They engage the kind of questions memorable literary characters always have.
Koontz's stories are morality plays, with good and evil easily identified, and intelligently parsed. No moral relativism here. In Koontz's fictional universe characters make moral choices and are held accountable for them.
Koontz started his career in the sixties as a sci-fi writer, then moved to suspense, and has matured almost into a category of his own. He gives booksellers fits deciding where to shelve his books. He's often misdirected to the horror shelf next to King et al. He never wrote horror, not fancying the gore and nihilism that mar that genre, though he sometimes borrows the foreboding mood of horror for his suspense tales.
Most of the time Koontz winds up in the mystery/thriller section, though in truth his skill and sensitivity and reach make him a mainstream writer. The not-too-useful answer to the question -- "Are Koontz's books mystery, suspense, fantasy, thriller, sci-fi, or detective?" -- is yes. And there's usually a romance in them as well (though not presented in the bodice-ripper mode).
Readers of thrillers don't usually expect astute social commentary with their adventures, and most don't demand high literary performance or an engagement with ideas. But they get these with Koontz. He's mainly a storyteller, and his reflections on the current scene don't get in the way of but become part of his stories. Koontz writes novels, not political pamphlets. But the ideas are there for those who are interested.
A recurring theme in Koontz's novels, including in Relentless, is the contrast between normal, decent citizens and the political elites who attempt to micro-manage them. In his last several novels Koontz has had a good deal of fun at the expense of global warming hysterics and their enablers. In The Face, and in other novels, Koontz shows Hollywood in its comprehensive shallowness, and rakes academe for its anti-intellectualism and petty viciousness.
Unabashedly pro-life, in One Door Away From Heaven Koontz takes on "bioethicists," a phony branch of elite philosophy whose principle purpose seems to be to justify allowing badly ill or disabled people to die. In Dark Rivers of the Heart Koontz goes after abuses of the federal asset-forfeiture laws. The news media regularly get their bark removed in Koontz's stories. And politicians don't get off lightly.
Koontz hasn't been silent about government abuses off the page either. He's had some astringent things to say about the government assaults at Waco and Ruby Ridge.
In Relentless, Koontz manages to graft a philosophical treatise, almost a manifesto, onto a chase thriller. He starts with an attractive, wholesome, though not entirely believable family. The parents are both successful writers. The six-year old son is a genius science-geek. Even the dog is as bright as the average college sophomore (though not as noisy).
All of this is a bit off-plumb. But with Koontz's considerable humor and deft description, it's easy for all but the strictly literal-minded and the whimsy-averse to find this improbable foursome engaging.
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Kinley Ardal| 7.8.09 @ 8:54AM
I had no idea of Mr. Koontz's novels before reading this article. I will make a trip to Borders today to pick some of his work up! Thank you for the heads-up. ^^ It is indeed difficult to find fiction works with a solid moral bedrock to them in this era.
mteachjw| 7.8.09 @ 9:05AM
For those (conservatives) who like "spy thrillers" try Vince Flynn and Brad Thor. Some of them are somewhat far-fetched but they are fast and fun reads. Flynn's read like "24" before they tried to become "inclusive" by hiring uber liberal actors and doing PSA's for global climate change. Thor was in homeland security for a while and some of his insights are interesting.
Tim| 7.8.09 @ 9:06AM
Thanks. The reason I've never actually purchased a Koontz book was I figured he was a King clone with similar ridiculous worldviews. This article changes that.
Mary| 7.8.09 @ 9:25AM
I have read everything this man has written, including his most recent novel, Relentless. He's in the top five of my most favorite authors. Try him, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Danny| 7.8.09 @ 9:55AM
Try 'Watchers'. One of, if not his first mainstream novel.
Good book with a great plot and ending. Very suspensefull.
Joe T| 7.8.09 @ 10:51AM
I have enjoyed Mr. Koontz's writing for years as they never fail to entertain.
Mike F| 7.8.09 @ 2:50PM
How Odd .. a writing who leans to the right.
D Jones| 7.8.09 @ 5:36PM
Thank you for doing a great job of exposing a new audience to the wonderful writings of Dean Koontz. I've been a fan for over 20 years now and have "Relentless" sitting here in my office while I finish reading "Lord of the Rings" again. I am also looking forward to the wrap-up of the "Frankenstein" series due later this month.
While an unabashed fan of Koontz, I am also a fan of Stephen King and do have to disagree with you on a couple points: I think you give Koontz too much credit and King too little. There is no mistaking that Koontz is a fantastic writer...most of the time. He does have his forgettable novels ("The Face" and "Your Heart Belongs to Me" come to mind) and a few that are chores to read (I had to start "False Memory" 3 times before I could finally plow through it). And while King's writing is a bit on the vulgar side at times, he does portray the light and power of God every now and then, most notably in "The Stand" and "Desperation."
Overall, I would say that King is the better writer, but Koontz will almost always leave you feeling good at the end of the book.
Blake Gabel| 7.8.09 @ 5:59PM
I've read everthing he's written (and under 3 names). Love his work. King started losing it years ago.
Rob R| 7.8.09 @ 6:26PM
A big "thanks!" to D Jones for the heads up on the "Frankenstein" finale. Been looking for that one for a while.
"One Door Away From Heaven" is one of the best novels I've ever read. Period.
Jessica| 7.8.09 @ 7:13PM
I too never read Koontz, but I'll give him a try, although I'm very scared of scary stuff, so it might not work out for me.
But this was a MOST informative article, and I thank you for that.
I have a recommendation too - hubby discovered Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon books and they are very good. We have listened to 3 so far on audio, and we are both thoroughly enjoying them. Allon is an Israeli secret agent and also a world class art restorer. The books are well written, and for anyone who enjoys audio books, amazingly well read by all the readers we've heard. They are very cosmopolitan in their settings and all the characters are well drawn. Even the really bad guys have depth. I'm a wee bit peeved that Silva often makes ultra-conservative Catholics the bad guys, but that is my only quibble and it is a quibble.
Maybe we'll try Koontz next, if anyone can mention a good one of his on audio that would be great.
Nicky Billou| 7.8.09 @ 9:53PM
Fantastic! I had no idea Dean Koontz was a conservative! I will go and gobble up his books!
I am a big fan of Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, and WEB Griffin. These gentlemen are fantastic storytellers, proud patriots, and darn good writers.
I would welcome recommendations of other right-wing novelists.
Nicky
Jeff Vowell| 7.9.09 @ 11:47AM
My friend, Shelton Robinson, introduced me to Mr. Koontz, but I merely passed that along to my wife, who is a voracious reader. She instantly fell in love with his books (though she does prefer 'later' Koontz to 'earlier' Koontz). She finally brought me around to reading one (Velocity), and I was thereafter hooked. Now my oldest son is a budding 'addict' too.
Note to Kinley Ardal and Jessica: Besides some of the titles already mentioned here, check out Mr. Murder, Intensity, Tick Tock, Fear Nothing, Seize the Night, By the Light of the Moon (just to name a few).
wanda keith| 7.9.09 @ 12:02PM
Thank you so much for reminding me how much I have enjoyed Koontz in the past. I never made the Conservative Connection until you brought it up. Maybe that is why I did enjoy his books so much. I will definitely pick up Relentless.
reader| 7.9.09 @ 3:21PM
the odd thomas series is as readable as it gets.
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