Dean Koontz: Life Expectancy

[Bountyhunter]

I just finished it a little while ago. Really fun read with a most interesting story-line. I loved the dynamic characters, it was an overall great book with a nice [couple of] twists.

Has anyone else read it?

 

[Halo]

I just read this over Christmas. I enjoyed it, but then again, anything of Koontz's would have been an improvement after The Taking.

Koontz was back in what I call "flippant mode" here, with a plot that was entertaining but certainly wasn't to be taken seriously. Would characters in the kind of situations they were in really wisecrack like they do here? After a while, it started to get too annoying, but I was still rooting for them.

I didn't like the twist near the end - I thought it was unnecessary, a kind of redundant device just shoe-horned in for the sake of shock tactics. The whole "plot" was bizarre to say the least! You have to wonder what Koontz had been taking before he wrote this one! So: rubbish, but entertaining rubbish. (Unlike The Taking, which was just rubbish.)

 

[~BookWorm~]

I actually just started reading Life Expectancy last night. I already had a fear of clowns but after reading the first few chapters I had to sleep with the lights on.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I just read this over Christmas. I enjoyed it, but then again, anything of Koontz's would have been an improvement after The Taking.

Koontz was back in what I call "flippant mode" here, with a plot that was entertaining but certainly wasn't to be taken seriously. Would characters in the kind of situations they were in really wisecrack like they do here? After a while, it started to get too annoying, but I was still rooting for them.

I didn't like the twist near the end - I thought it was unnecessary, a kind of redundant device just shoe-horned in for the sake of shock tactics. The whole "plot" was bizarre to say the least! You have to wonder what Koontz had been taking before he wrote this one! So: rubbish, but entertaining rubbish. (Unlike The Taking, which was just rubbish.)

Well, it was something completely new to me. I've never read a book like this one and personally, I love Dean Koontz style. So I guess that's why I enjoyed it.

I agree about the twist though, seemed a little unneccesary but I liked it nonetheless.

 

[Hazel]

I loved Life Expectancy, but it was definately not to be taken seriously as Halo said. The Taking is the worst Koontz book ive ever read, i dont know why he did it, but i wish he hadnt bothered. Im just grateful it appears to have been a one off

 

[Stewart]

Im just grateful it appears to have been a one off

Away...Koontz has written plenty of drek.

 

[Halo]

Stewart, you have obviously not had the misfortune to read The Taking. Otherwise you would know that there is drek and then there is The Taking - a book so bad that I can't think of the correct word to describe it.

The Taking is the worst Koontz book ive ever read, i dont know why he did it, but i wish he hadnt bothered.

Exactly!

Bountyhunter: Once you've read a few Koontz novels, you'll see that he has two styles - very serious (mainly used in novels of paranoia and nasty government agencies which are usually meddling with recombinant DNA) and a more light, flippant style where his characters continually wisecrack, even in the face of almost certain death. I prefer the first style, to be honest!

 

[Bountyhunter]

Bountyhunter: Once you've read a few Koontz novels, you'll see that he has two styles - very serious (mainly used in novels of paranoia and nasty government agencies which are usually meddling with recombinant DNA) and a more light, flippant style where his characters continually wisecrack, even in the face of almost certain death. I prefer the first style, to be honest!

I'm reading Watchers by Dean Koontz now. And Velocity is next, I suppose.

Are there any other books you'd recommend? And I'll be sure to steer clear of The Taking, lol.

 

[Stewart]

I've still not read Koontz since that awful book about the man called Candy with four testicles who could teleport to different places and who had two lesbian incestuous sisters and, at times, there would be black sand and these little creatures that shit diamonds out. There was probably a dog, some twilight, and streetlights with lighting like sodium vapor.

It's been years and years now (mid-teens) but the only one by him I remember liking was Phantoms and that may be because it was early mid-teens. The only other ones that spring to mind at the moment are Mr Murder and The Voice of the Night.

What's The Taking about?

 

[Robert]

I enjoyed Life Expectancy. I enjoy the books he writes in "flippant mode". Odd Thomas and Forever Odd are written the same way. Halo, I imagine there are some people would use wisecracks in these situations.

 

[Halo]

I've still not read Koontz since that awful book about the man called Candy with four testicles who could teleport to different places and who had two lesbian incestuous sisters and, at times, there would be black sand and these little creatures that shit diamonds out. There was probably a dog, some twilight, and streetlights with lighting like sodium vapor.

Aw, that was one of my favourites.

What's The Taking about?

About 500 pages too long, ha ha. It's about an alien invasion. After spending most of the book setting everything up,

Spoiler

the aliens go away again. God/religion/faith might also be involved somewhere.

Halo, I imagine there are some people would use wisecracks in these situations.

You're probably right, but personally I'd be too busy crying in terror.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I've still not read Koontz since that awful book about the man called Candy with four testicles who could teleport to different places and who had two lesbian incestuous sisters and, at times, there would be black sand and these little creatures that shit diamonds out. There was probably a dog, some twilight, and streetlights with lighting like sodium vapor.

It's been years and years now (mid-teens) but the only one by him I remember liking was Phantoms and that may be because it was early mid-teens. The only other ones that spring to mind at the moment are Mr Murder and The Voice of the Night.

What's The Taking about?

Not a dog-lover? Haha, I'm kidding.

But in all seriousness, if you're going to pick up a Dean Koontz book, know what you're getting yourself into.

Books I'd recommend would be:

"Watchers"-- although I warn you, there is a dog.

"Velocity"-- his newest one and to be honest, I haven't read it because I can't find it anywhere, but I'd be will to bet money it's really good from the reviews I've read, 1st chapter, and summary. A lot to go on, I know.

"Intensity"-- one of my personal all time favorites. Trust me on this one. Also there are 5 attack Dobermans in it...but that's it! I promise.

Life Expectancy although rubbish like pointed out is still a fun, entertaining read. And no dogs.

I remember hearing about the book you described. Not something I'd particularly like to read.

 

[Stewart]

It was called The Bad Place. It was a good place to stop reading Koontz.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Ah, yes. Supernatural horror isn't my cup of tea anyway.

 

[Halo]

I've still not read Koontz since that awful book about the man called Candy with four testicles who could teleport to different places and who had two lesbian incestuous sisters and, at times, there would be black sand and these little creatures that shit diamonds out. There was probably a dog, some twilight, and streetlights with lighting like sodium vapor.

I thought you were joking. I didn't realise it was actually a book! This is one of the few Koontz books I haven't read (and I don't think I'll bother).

 

[G4G]

It was called The Bad Place. It was a good place to stop reading Koontz.

This is a real book? Nah - you're winding us up. I'll have to have a look for it.

 

[Halo]

There is definitely a Koontz called The Bad Place.

 

[Bountyhunter]

There is definitely a Koontz called The Bad Place.

Yep. Unfortunately, it's true.

But there are plenty of great books by him as well. IMO, Koontz is a lot better than King...

 

[Stewart]

I thought you were joking. I didn't realise it was actually a book!

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

The principal characters, married detectives Julie and Bobby Dakota, agree to help frightened amnesiac Frank Pollard figure out what he does when he's asleep. (Not only can Frank not remember his past, but he wakes up mornings to find mysterious bags of large-denomination bills by his bed.) In due course, Frank and the Dakotas join forces against murderer Candy Pollard and his weird sisters, who want to kill Frank--evidently the sole human in the monstrous family. Candy extends psychic feelers toward potential victims, emanations that are sensed by Julie's younger brother Thomas. A Down's syndrome child, Thomas is telepathically gifted and able to warn Bobby of the demons who threaten Julie. Horror follows horror with each crime perpetrated by Candy & Co. as they come ever closer to the Dakotas and other prey. Besides episodes of shriek-worthy suspense, the book features out-of-body flights, and data on insects and gems of impossible origins, no less unnatural than the Pollard villains, who could incite envy in Lucifer himself.

It most certainly wasn't a joke. It was the last Koontz book I read.


There's a worrying amount of favourable reviews - although they mostly tell the plot or reveal that the reviewer has "read all of Dean's books - but there are some sensible voices peppered amongst them:

After reading this book I can honestly say never ever read it. NEVER, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT...it took me 3 days to read and when I was done I realized I could have done so many other things with my time. Koontz books are just not what they used to be.
The characters are non existant, cookie cutter to the extreme in their personalities. The main evil villian and the...little brother are the exception. They both seem to be a little better than the rest of the characters. The plot is outlandish so far into the realm of impossibility you will just die from laughter. The reason the main antagonist does the things he doees is interesting to say the least.

So avoid this book at all cost, its not even close to a good Koontz book (which I find rarer and rarer these days) or even a good book in general.

This book was just plain bad. It dragged, had huge gaps, and was painful to read. I've read a couple other Koontz novels and they weren't as bad as this, but they too suffered from many problems .The 2 books, Tick tock, and Dragon tears were the exact same story with different characters! And yes, The Bad Place has basically the same story told yet again, and not well...Mr. Koontz, please stop.

Combines silly sci-fi with a moronic killer with no personality, and a pair of Mickey Mouse detectives, one female with a 'toughness' complex and what do you get? The Bad Place.

And my favourite:

The following is a message from Mr. Koontz himself: "Look, guys. I just want to say...I'm really sorry about having written this novel. I don't know what I was thinking. I re-read it today, and I have to admit: it's just plain bad. Inexcusable, really. I don't know how I live with myself sometimes. I mean, here I sit, pumping novel after novel of sub-par, intelligence insulting material into the stores, and you good people (bless your hearts) continue to buy these novels and make me a rich man. After reading through some of my oeuvre a second time (and a few of them for the first time), I realize that you all must buy these things because of my name only and not for the content. Or maybe you just feel sorry for me. Whatever the inscrutable reason, I thank you, but I still must really apologize to any of you who have actually attempted to read one of these things. I'm going to face facts and admit to what all of you already know: I just really can't write. I apologize profusely and I promise to not make any of you suffer any further than you already have. Thank you."

The following five star review raised a smile, though:

I KNOW I'M ONLY 10 YEARS OLD, BUT I STILL THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS GREAT FOR ANY AGE. I LOVED THE CHARACTERS AND THE PLOT. I LOVED THE STRANGENESS OF THIS BOOK AND I LOVED HOW THE PLOT TOOK DIFFERENT ROOTS AND THEN JOINED TOGETHER AGAIN AT THE END. I RECCOMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY THRILLER OR KOONTZ FAN IN THE WORLD. THIS IS THE ONLY KOONTZ BOOK THAT I REALLY EVER LIKED.
READ THIS BOOK!

 

[Bountyhunter]

He writes/wrote a lot of great books. So there was one book with a crab that spits out diamonds through it's anus, maybe that's where "Bad Place" came from, too.

In all seriousness though, to me, it seems like his "game" is being stepped up. With Velocity, Life Expectancy, and Forever Odd.

Every author's got some good ones and some bad ones. Even Mr. Koontz.