Despite loving Dean Koontz's books, the backgrounds are quite formulaic. Really, I love them, but come on! All the couples are so in love and life would be unfathomable if something happened to one of them. Most take place in California. Pennsylvania is a horrible place to be and only bad things happen there. Most characters have managed to overcome a horrible childhood.
He was actually born in PA (near where I grew up, actually
) and had a rough childhood, himself. Then moved to southern CA. So I guess that's where he gets those ideas.
That said, his plots are quite good, and despite all being similar, his characters are still interesting. He's one of the only authors that I would buy a book from without having read it first (the only other one being Harry Potter
).
Some of his really early books are AWFUL. Really, really bad stuff.
They've gotten better- the only recent one I did not like was The Taking. Blech. But I really like (just off the top of my head) Watchers, Lightning, Twilight Eyes, Strangers, Phantoms, Intensity, and probaby a bunch more.
Phew, no more whispering!