Lightning, by Dean Koontz; or, How Not to Write a Book

In which I explain why Dean Koontz's Lightning may just be the worst thing you'll ever read.

[xb]

It’s one of my favourite books. Has a very interesting twist and spoiler alert, it will make sense at the end.

[Akshay_]

This was the best novel i have ever read. Just read it till the end. Everything makes so much sense.

[sdhdske]

Loved lightning book. My favourite out of all Dean Koontz"s books, except maybe for watchers.

[robertplissken]

I kind of want to read this now, just out of curiosity. I've attempted two Koontz books before. The first was Hideaway. It was way too sentimental for me and I only got a third of the way through it. I hope it's not the book you said was one of your favorites, hehe. The second was Demon Seed, and that really impressed me. Although I wouldn't say it was good, it had me hooked. It's subject matter is lurid, but in a way that you just have to know what happens next. I read it in a day, which is pretty rare for me since I'm not a fast reader.

I've also read some of How to Write Best Selling Fiction, which he wrote in the early '80s. It doesn't surprise me that you said his protagonists are all perfect people, because he said one of his favorite writers is Ayn Rand, whose heroes are all flawless and look like models.

[jerriefisher]

Excellent story; one of Dean Koontz' best. Sounds like you're coming from a position of jealousy.

[jetcityrules]

And your such a popular YouTuber that this ragging of a perfectly good story got 8 whole comments including mine. That's quite an accomplishment. I'm sure ol' Dean will want to burn every single printing of it now. 🙄

[johnsullivan]

Thanks for this. I got through 200 pages of this 400 page book and couldn't continue. You realise that the girl is being set up for one tragedy after another, and the forshadowing isn't too subtle. I get that you need drama and tragedy in a story but not this endless misery of losing loved ones. It's more punishment than most people take in a life-time. It's a shame because I really liked Phantoms and Odd Thomas and want to read more Mr Koontz's work. I'm going to take what you said about Charles Dickens on-board. You might be right.

[danielryanmulligan]

What about THELMA her best friend at the home the surviving twin, the standup comedian, who is considered extremely ugly but extremely funny I would say she’s like a Jane Lynch type, and Jane Lynch, ain’t exactly Angelina Jolie!!!! Dan aka…ps in a movie version of this book don’t you think that Angie Harmon would be perfect as Laura Shane?

[wsc]

Probably the worst book review I DNF'd

[pauldareason]

wow, im shocked at how off you are on this book, i support you trying but, this ones a miss.

[mithmith]

So full of nonsense... 45 mins of incoherent rambling, on and on and on...

[IAmNoOne]

You people are crazy. GREAT BOOK!! Post any of the books you e written and let’s critique that crap.