Koontzland - Dean Koontz discussion

I just finished this book early last week and really enjoyed it. Both of the lead protagonists are neither perfect nor do they live perfect lives. The twist revealed near the end was fantastic and I didn't consider it as a possibility until shortly before it was revealed. The plot and premise were also very interesting and entertaining. I highly recommend this book and it is now in my favorites list.

I love Cold Fire!

Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "I just finished this book early last week and really enjoyed it. Both of the lead protagonists are neither perfect nor do they live perfect lives.

All right, you convinced me.

Maciek wrote: "Jason "plasborgma" wrote: "I just finished this book early last week and really enjoyed it. Both of the lead protagonists are neither perfect nor do they live perfect lives.

All right, you convin..."

Good, get to it. :-)

If I'll have the chance to buy it I'll certainly will. :)

Cold Fire is one of my personal favorites :-)

After all this praise from you two I'm even more eager to read it. :) Besides, it's from 1991 when Dean was still in his moustache days, so it can't be bad.

Maciek wrote: "After all this praise from you two I'm even more eager to read it. :) Besides, it's from 1991 when Dean was still in his moustache days, so it can't be bad."

Nope, because writers with mustaches cannot write a low quality book and Nicolas Cage has a bird on his head. ;-)

Exactly !

I think Dean put a lot of himself into Cold Fire.

Let's Hear It for the Good Guys! (Part of an article in Dean Koontz's most recent email newsletter)

(Our new fan column is written by long-time Dean Koontz fan and writer Chris Meeks.)

"What's your favorite Koontz novel?" That's the one question I get asked the most. For those who are already familiar with my tastes, you already know I won't even hesitate to mention the novel, COLD FIRE.

Then of course, after giving my answer, I usually get hit with the follow-up question, "Why?"

COLD FIRE is my favorite Koontz masterpiece for many reasons. For one, the book is highly unpredictable, and one of the few novels that took me completely by surprise.Two, I loved the plotline. It had all the elements I love to read in a story. But most importantly, this book features my all-time favorite Koontz good guy, Jim Ironheart.

Let me explain Jim, and why he stands out for me personally. All of Dean's main protagonists are uniquely special, and I enjoy following each of their exploits, whether they are natural or supernatural. But for me, my tastes lean more toward the supernatural, and I find Jim to be extra special.

Here, you have a mild-mannered, reclusive individual who has adopted a minimalist lifestyle, hates notoriety, and just prefers to be left alone while he goes about his daily deeds. On the surface, an outsider would never think in a million years that Jim's demeanor also conceals a "secret" making him capable of altering people's lives forever.

Also, thanks to Jim, every time I'm in the cookie department of the supermarket, I always feel the need to utter the words "life line," drop what I'm carrying, and then make a beeline to the nearest exit just to see if another shopper within earshot recognizes the reference. I love my shopping experiences. And if by chance you don't recognize the reference either, then it looks like I just helped pick your next book to read.

Dustin wrote: "...Also, thanks to Jim, every time I'm in the cookie department of the supermarket, I always feel the need to utter the words "life line," drop what I'm carrying, and then make a beeline to the nearest exit just to see if another shopper within earshot recognizes the reference...."

LOL I love this guy!!! :-D

I have had the hardcover for a while now. Sounds like one I should read sometime soon.

Yes!

Yes!

Read Cold Fire!

Read it very soon!

Do you like windmills?

I think you have twisted my arm...I wonder if anyone else is considering reading this book sometime soon?

Is that an inside joke? ;-)

;-)

Dustin wrote: "Is that an inside joke? ;-)"

If you don't feel like an insider, it's okay as long as you're not "The Outsider" :-)

IT'S COMING!

*Spoiler Alert*
If you were The Outsider - you would be dead.
*End of Spoiler Alert*

Oh boy. :-|

An Unpaid Advertisement for the Koontzland-Dean Koontz Group

IT'S COMING!

It might be a little ODD, it might make you want to HIDEAWAY, it might give you NIGHT CHILLS or leave you BREATHLESS.

It's coming, like the TICK TOCK of a clock, like the WHISPERS of PHANTOMS at TWILIGHT or DARKFALL.

Hopefully, it will make us less like STRANGERS on STRANGE HIGHWAYS. Hopefully, it will cause you to FEAR NOTHING and leave THE BAD PLACE, Maybe even SEIZE THE NIGHT with a good MIDNIGHT read BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON.In Fact, it will likely increase your LIFE EXPECTANCY! (unlessYOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME, because then it would be THE DARKEST EVENING OF THE YEAR)

It's coming with INTENSITY, with RELENTLESS VELOCITY. It's coming like LIGHTNING in THE HOUSE OF THUNDER in the CITY OF NIGHT.

It's closer than ONE DOOR AWAY FROM HEAVEN. A reader would do well to watch FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE. THE MASK will be removed, THE FACE will be revealed, THE VISION will be seen, but only by WATCHERS!

It's Coming to Koontzland.
IT'S COMING SOON.



Disclosure: it is in no way associated with Stephen King.IT is a book by Stephen King which was later made into a film. Pennywise is not the "it" that is coming to Koontzland.

Dustin wrote: "An Unpaid Advertisement for the Koontzland-Dean Koontz Group

IT'S COMING!

It might be a little ODD, it might make you want to HIDEAWAY, it might give you NIGHT CHILLS or leave you BREATHLESS...."

Where did you find this?

I made it up of course :-) It's for "the experiment"

Dustin wrote: "I made it up of course :-) It's for "the experiment""

Oh, I'm impressed.

I think I may have gone completely insane :-) The idea just hit me this morning
(the advertisement/promotion, not the fact that I've gone insane :-)

Dustin wrote: "I think I may have gone completely insane :-) The idea just hit me this morning
(the advertisement/promotion, not the fact that I've gone insane :-)"

It is a good idea--very creative. :-)

Dustin, well said! Written perfectly, nice work my friend.

I liked Cold Fire, excellent lead character, intriguing storyline, great momentum...until the end. I felt let down, that there should have been a better end. Overall, it's a really good book and I enjoyed the experience.

Cool advert, Dustin.

I've read Cold Fire twice and I will read it again sometime :-)

Cold Fire contains a funny quote. It's from the passage when Holly meets the poet.

"The inner Louise was the Louise that offended Holly. She had cultivated an otherworldly quality, like a spectral projection, more surface than substance. Her opinions and attitudes were insubstantial, based less on facts and insights than on whims-iron whims, but whims nonetheless-and she expressed them in language that was flamboyant but imprecise, overblown but empty.

It's funny that he wrote that, because that's exactly hat he's doing now. More surface than substance, whims expressed in a language that's flamboyant but imprecise, overblown and empty.

Maciek wrote: "...It's funny that he wrote that, because that's exactly hat he's doing now. More surface than substance, whims expressed in a language that's flamboyant but imprecise, overblown and empty."

Sad, but largely true.

That is an interesting thought Maciek - I am actually glad you pointed it out :-)

Me too. LOL!

I'm really enjoying it so far (seems like I say that a lot...) Just ran across this quote:

"Life...it's like gettin' a blueberry muffin in a coffee shop when what you ordered was the apricot-nut. There aren't any apricots or nuts in it, and you can get tied up in knots just thinkin' about what you're missin', when the smarter thing to do is realize that blueberries have a nice taste too."

The janitor at the newspaper says this talking about how life doesn't always turn out exactly how you want it. It's simplistic but there's some truth there.

Since this is now our first Mini-Group Read, I might actually try to re-read it too :-)It'll probably be at the end of May when I do.

Just finished this last night. I've got to say that the revelations at the end never even occured to me as a possibility.

I was surprised too. More so, because Dean used the same method in one of his earlier books - obviously I won't tell which one.

I thought it was amazing myself :-) Cold Fire is Awesome! I'll try re-reading this when the library book on CD is available later this month.

I won't do details as I'm sure that would be spoilerish and there are people still reading it, but I like the way it started out, but was some disappointed about where it went. It's another one of those books that could have been a lot "more" I think.

Already finished Mike? I loved the ending :-) I'm still waiting for a library copy to re-read it for the third time.

I agree I do like the ending pretty well. There was just a point a little over halfway through when I had a "are we going this way?" moment. And we did go that way. I rated it 3 stars, I can see so much more potential in this story. I loved the way it opened, but I felt it went off the track into the "oh this again" area for a while.

I kind of liked the ending, although I did kind of wish it went in another direction.

***SPOILER ALERT*** (ending)


I was getting kind of excited when it seemed to be heading in the direction that there was something in the pond of alien origin. I must admit though, that the inclusion of the fictional book (and movie) to explain that was pretty clever (in my opinion).

Also, is it just me or did the end kind of set up for a sequel? Think that will ever happen?

I doubt it Jason, the book came out in '91. DK has ended several books with the feeling that he intended to go back to the story later. I suppose it's sort of an "open ended ending" so to speak. He also has at least one series that is still waiting for completion. My wife really liked his Moonlight Bay books, but the last is still apparently unfinished. I read that in 2000 he said he was halfway through Ride the Storm, but never heard any more after that. I guess it happens.

That's kind of what I figured Mike. That is was basically just a version of "and they lived happily ever after".

I do hope he finally finishes the Moonlight Bay series though. The ending of the 2nd book was great and kind of cliff hanger.

My wife passed away last year, I sort of wished it had been out before she passed, but being a Christian, I figure she probably got the last volume ahead of the rest of us.

I thought years ago when I read Twilight Eyes that he intended a sequel to it. But he'd ended it the same way he did Cold Fire... The war goes on sort of ending.

Sorry to hear that Mike. I like your thinking about her getting an advanced copy of the book though.

I would like to see more sequels because as readers we get to know the characters and then never see them again. Would love to see a sequel to Cold Fire but I don't really think it's gonna happen :-) Dean has 3 unfinished series.