So, who's the best thriller writer? For me, it used to be a very clear cut answer--Koontz took the prize. Now, however, I'm at a different phase of my life and don't read much of either anymore. I did pick up a book by Koontz most recently though and I really wasn't impressed.

It made me question if he was ever a good writer, or if I was just an immature reader, easily impressed in my younger years. I don't know the answer. I will say that Koontz still wins in my book because Stephen King is just not a good writer. He has awesome ideas. I do like his stories, but I don't like the way he tells them. He's crass and isn't good at editing.

I'm not against sex scenes in books by any means, but they need to make sense and King's never do, like with It, for instance. They're just there to be there and frankly, he is not good at writing them. So that's what I mean when I say he could be better at editing.

Koontz's biggest fault, for me, is the believability factor. While King puts it straight out there, this is fiction, Koontz will make a storyline very plausible but then something ridiculous happens and you're like "what?". Hideaway is a good example. Of course, it's a stretch that you'd die and link with someone else on your way back to life; but I'll go along. The ending, on the other hand, didn't work. I say this as a huge fan of that movie. I also really loved Intensity. I think I read that straight through without putting it down once. The movie of that one sucked!

Okay, so it seems like a lot of negativity from someone who's read tons of both authors books. Thus, on the positive side, I can relate to the way Koontz describes things. I know he's described things that I have experienced (nothing crazy) and he described it perfectly. With King, like I said, he has great ideas; and although I don't love his execution, I respect that his style is his own.

If anything, I think both authors give people hope that anyone can be writers. I think it goes without saying, but I'll do it anyway. The quality of both author's work might improve if they weren't pumping out so many books so fast.