The Funhouse

Rating:
Summary: never outdated, but creepy..
Review: I first read this book in the summer of 82. It creeped me out, and then I only found out 2 years ago that Dean Koontz wrote other books!This story deals with the Carnival, something a lot of people feel uneasy about anyway. The freakish nature of the people who purposely huddle in their own group. I found the focussing on Amy's body and her 'ripeness'to be unecessary, but the beginning of the book, dealing with a young girl who marries a carnival barker, gives birth to an evil freak, I found to be original and captivating.The added-on abortion and bad-girl friend, Liz, make it all a lot more real for a so-called 'goody-goody' of a heroine. The daughter, that is. I can't stomach all of Koontz' stuff, all seeming to be in Southern california and 'happy endings with marriages'.But this one is a bit different. Check it out. a definite add to the collection, along with Intensity, and Strangers.

Rating:
Summary: Very spine chilling, however, leaves you wanting for more
Review: I really enjoyed the book, it kept me very interested. Dean Koontz is truly the only author I enjoy reading. I have read several of his books, this was just as suspenseful as the last. The characters were developed well, and you wanted to follow each and everyone. When the ending came, it was hard to put down. But it was somewhat disappointing becuase the story just ended. All the developement into the charaters was great, but then Koontz let you down without following through to completion.

My question is what happened to Ellen? Does Amy and Joey really ever understand why they had to live through that night?

If you're looking for a book that teases the imagination this is definitely the book.

Rating:
Summary: Great read up until the ending
Review: The story centers on a woman named Ellen. At the age of 20, she runs away from home and marries a man named Conrad Striker who makes his living running a funhouse for a carnival. Ellen gives birth to a freakish baby boy named Victor. Convinced that the baby is the Anti-Christ, Ellen kills Victor. Outraged, Conrad kicks Ellen to the curb and swears to gain vegenance on any children she may have in the future. Twenty-five years later Ellen has a new life and has two normal children - a teenage daughter named Amy and a ten year old son named Joey. Unfortunately, the time has come for Amy and Joey to answer for their mother's sins because Amy is pregnant and the carnival is back in town.

Dean Koontz is an amazing author. I have read almost all his books, and Koontz always manages to supply suspenseful tales filled with great character development. The Funhouse is no different. It is an extremely captivating and suspenseful tale. Koontz does a great job at illustrating the carnie way of life, and makes the characters come alive. I was unable to put this book down once I started it. I was pleasantly suprised, because I really did not expect that much from this book. It is a very easy book to read, and you should be able to finish in a single day because it is less than 330 pages long. I wanted to give this book 5 stars so bad, but unfortunately I could not. The ending to this book is a major dissapointment and leaves many unanswered questions. You spend the whole time on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens, only to be left hanging.

Overall, The Funhouse is a book that is filled with good intentions. The story is very suspenseful, and the characters are extremely well illustrated. The only problem is that the book lacks the follow through and supplies a horrible ending.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad - not excellent
Review: The Funhouse was my 9th Koontz book - and as usual, I started reading with high expectations. However, those expectations were cooled a bit when I read in the preface that this was "not quite the best o' the best".

After having read it, I felt as always when reading Koontz: good, thrilled... and not disappointed. But: in some way, there WAS something missing. The usual breathtaking Koontz-style wasn't quite there in the degree, I'm used to. The book was good, but it's hard to point a finger at what was wrong...

Yes, I enjoyed the book - and yes, I was a bit dissapointed. THe book was worth reading though, and if we think about the fact that The Funhouse was one of his first, it's not so bad at all. I know, I wouldn't even come close after a lifetime of writing!

In my oppinion, this book fully deserves a 7 - which is three below my rating for all other Koontz books I've read - which isn't that bad at all, don't you think!

Rating:
Summary: Did Dean Koontz let RL Stein write this?
Review: Koontz's books are one of my big guilty pleasures. "The Funhouse" was as well-written as a "Goosebumps" tale, and as scary as R.L. Stein's most gentle paperback. The author readily admits that it is not his strongest piece, which I think is all more the reason to skip this one.

The characters are characatures, the dialogue is laughably ridiculous, the descriptions... the book was terrible. You never once care about a single character, and Koontz typically has a gift for making you care.

Rating:
Summary: Life in a Carnival, The "Darker" Side
Review: I first read this book in the early 1990s. I read it one time and one time was enough. The book at times was down right scary but I could not put it down. The book gives a "darker" glimpse of being in a carnival and how you live by certain rules. The story centers around Ellen, who runs off as a young girl and marries a carnival barker. Her marriage soon turns into a nightmare and when a child a born, that child is hideously deformed (it is very descriptive on how her child looks). She then kills the baby and escapes from her nightmare of a union. However, the husband she leaves behind vows revenge and has the carnival "set up" in every town looking for his wife. The book picks up years later with Ellen (now bitter and a religious fanantic) remarried and with two children. I will not give away anymore of the story so you have to read the book. This is where the book gets interesting. The jilted husband has a very sneaky way of finding Ellen and her family. Trust me there is something terrible and horrorfying awaiting visitors in The Funhouse and it directly effects Ellen and her children.

Rating:
Summary: The Carnivals back in town!
Review: This is the type of book that makes you jump at dark shadows. It makes you look at people a bit longer. That means it's GOOD.

Yes, the plot is a bit unrealistic, but it's a fun read nonetheless. Again- another example about carnivals being a bit unsafe.

The reason I gave it 4 stars was that it did leave some unanswered questions.

Rating:
Summary: Thrilling
Review: This is one of his better books I think. He keeps you interested and lets you run with your imagination. He does not make the whole book about detail and the plot I thought was very intriguing. Koontz yes has better books out there but I think this one would be a great read you never want to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: So Much Fun, It's Scary!
Review: Ellen Straker ran away to join a travelling carnival. She marries a violent man and gives birth to his son which she shortly after murders. She believed her son was pure evil. Her husband Conrad is outraged, nearly kills her but decides to let her live. He throws her out with the threat that when she remarries and has children he will come and kill them like she did his son.

She remarries and has two kids Joey who is 10 and Amy who is a highschool senior. Conrad has never stopped looking for her to extract his vengeance. His carnival comes to town as does his new son. The children go to the carnival for fun. Conrad and his second son are there for vengeance.

This is a pretty good fast paced yet simple novel. It is not the greatest book Koontz has ever written but it is still definitely worth five stars. The Funhouse is a very enjoyable read. I would have liked maybe an epilogue chapter to find out what happened after the final events. I can not elaborate further without giving away anything. Without an epilogue though it is still a great read. Buy the Funhouse!

Rating:
Summary: Fun read
Review: Not the best Koontz book I've read but keeps you entertained. Worth the time to read it for pure fun.