From the denizens of hell to unlikely heroes, from vengeful children to suspiciously humanlike robots, this new collection of tales from a genius of horror and suspense writing provides a hypnotic view of the strange highways of human experience. A masterful achievement--as profound as it is mesmerizing. (Ficiton--Horror)
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Collection of tales from horror novelist Koontz.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This collection includes a new novel along with previously published novellas and short stories.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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More About the Author
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania where I graduated from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University). When I was a senior in college, I won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition and have been writing ever since. My first job after graduation was with the Appalachian Poverty Program, where I was expected to counsel and tutor underprivileged children on a one-to-one basis. During my first day on the job, I discovered that the previous occupier of my position had been beaten up by the very kids he had been trying to help and had landed in the hospital for several weeks. The following year was filled with challenge but also tension, and I was more highly motivated than ever to build a career as a writer. I wrote nights and weekends, which I continued to do after leaving the poverty program and going to work as an English teacher in a suburban school district outside Harrisburg. After a year and a half in that position, my wife, Gerda, made me an offer I couldn't refuse: "I'll support you for five years," she said, "and if you can't make it as a writer in that time, you'll never make it." By the end of those five years, Gerda had quit her job to run the business end of my writing career. Gerda and I, along with our dog, Trixie, live in southern California.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 38 people found the following review helpful
By DanD
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Koontz isn't a horror novelist, even though he's been cast in that role. He's called the Master of SUSPENSE, and for a reason: his tales are downright suspenseful (the mold for other novelists) even if they usually don't use the element of horror.
But in this collection, Dean Koontz delivers several short stories that contemplate and expertly acheive horror genre greatness.
The title story (actually, it's a novel) is about a man who returns home...then is forced to face the demons of his past, who have come back to haunt him. "Kittens," Koontz's first published work of fiction, is about a little girl who decides to get revenge on her parents.
"The Black Pumpkin," along similar lines, is about a little boy ostracized from his own family. "Miss Atilla the Hun," "We Three," and "The Night of the Storm" are brilliant sci-fi pieces (from Koontz's old days of writing science fiction), while "Trapped" follows a similar vein as Koontz's pinnacle novel "Watchers".
"Bruno" is a flat-out hilarious sci-fi farse, while "Hardshell" (the first piece of fiction I read by Koontz) is about a cop hunting down a killer who is a little different. "Snatcher" is a journey into the macabre, while "Twilight of the Dawn" is a moving tale of a man's search for faith and guidance.
"Strange Highways" is not so strange at all; it's great fiction by a masterful writer. Dean Koontz is without a doubt one of the best writers of all time. That statement may sound a little exaggerated, if you haven't read any of his work. If you read something by him, though, you'll know what I mean. Why not start here, with "Strange Highways"? It's diverse, and it shows you what this man can do--and do well.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Littlet T
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Strange highways
This is a twisted story about a man that must confront his past and gets a second chance by choosing the highway road he didn't take 20 years earlier. It will take him back to when he was 20 years old and will enter new people to help him along the way. He is able to rewind for a few minutes until he gets it right. It was a very short story. A bit too descriptive for me, I felt like the story dragged.
The Black Pumpkin
I could see this in Tales of the Crypt. You get what you give. Very good story about being good and being evil. The choice is ultimately up to you!
Miss Attila the Hun
A great story that Love does conquer all. I loved the storyline that this teacher was able to protect her children she taught and the town she loved to live in.
Down in the Darkness
What would you do if you came in contact with a door that just appeared everytime someone was being mean to you? Would you use that door to the cellar to your advantage? Would you let the "things" take what you could not stand anymore? When would it end? Loved this one! I wish I had a cellar door like this!
Snatcher
When evil encounters something even eviler than oneself. What happens? Will it survive? This is about a young man who loves to steal and to will steal at any cost. Enter a fragile old woman and her purse. What lays beneath her purse is bound to cure the thief!
Trapped
Total Sci-Fi and a bit cartoonish. What happens when the BioLab up the road finds out its inhabitants escaped. Will mankind survive or will they triumph?
Bruno
What a strange character Bruno is. He has hands with power to heal and powers that enable him to mend with ones mind. How much invasion of ones thoughts is too much? Is it worth letting yourself go and giving yourself 100 percent?
Hardshell
I really liked this. Total Sci-Fi feel. A dark creature is on the loose and only one cop - hardshell can apprehend him. What happens with Hardshell comes face to face with this thing??? Very good story!
Kittens
Very short story that goes like this - what goes around comes around. A little girl wants to know why God always takes her cats kittens. The parents respond that its Gods world and up to him. They also have twins and take a liking to them more than this little girl. She hides one night in the barn to find out what happens to the kittens. Absolutely frightening! But the little girl has the last word............
The night of the storm
What happens when man and robot come face to face. Who will be the victor. That is what this story is about. It puts us in the minds of the robots, how they feel, how they live, how they move. How mankind wants to extinguish them. Very good story.
This is a twisted story about a man that must confront his past and gets a second chance by choosing the highway road he didn't take 20 years earlier. It will take him back to when he was 20 years old and will enter new people to help him along the way. He is able to rewind for a few minutes until he gets it right. It was a very short story. A bit too descriptive for me, I felt like the story dragged.
The Black Pumpkin
I could see this in Tales of the Crypt. You get what you give. Very good story about being good and being evil. The choice is ultimately up to you!
Miss Attila the Hun
A great story that Love does conquer all. I loved the storyline that this teacher was able to protect her children she taught and the town she loved to live in.
Down in the Darkness
What would you do if you came in contact with a door that just appeared everytime someone was being mean to you? Would you use that door to the cellar to your advantage? Would you let the "things" take what you could not stand anymore? When would it end? Loved this one! I wish I had a cellar door like this!
Snatcher
When evil encounters something even eviler than oneself. What happens? Will it survive? This is about a young man who loves to steal and to will steal at any cost. Enter a fragile old woman and her purse. What lays beneath her purse is bound to cure the thief!
Trapped
Total Sci-Fi and a bit cartoonish. What happens when the BioLab up the road finds out its inhabitants escaped. Will mankind survive or will they triumph?
Bruno
What a strange character Bruno is. He has hands with power to heal and powers that enable him to mend with ones mind. How much invasion of ones thoughts is too much? Is it worth letting yourself go and giving yourself 100 percent?
Hardshell
I really liked this. Total Sci-Fi feel. A dark creature is on the loose and only one cop - hardshell can apprehend him. What happens with Hardshell comes face to face with this thing??? Very good story!
Kittens
Very short story that goes like this - what goes around comes around. A little girl wants to know why God always takes her cats kittens. The parents respond that its Gods world and up to him. They also have twins and take a liking to them more than this little girl. She hides one night in the barn to find out what happens to the kittens. Absolutely frightening! But the little girl has the last word............
The night of the storm
What happens when man and robot come face to face. Who will be the victor. That is what this story is about. It puts us in the minds of the robots, how they feel, how they live, how they move. How mankind wants to extinguish them. Very good story.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Strange Highways is an immense doorstopper sized collection of short stories by one of the greatest writers of all time. Some of these stories have appeared in other compilation thriller author short story novels so you may have read them before. Most of these were written at least thrity years ago. Like any collection of stories the quality varies across the range as well as the subject matter. Science fiction fans are catered for well here with aliens, genetic engineering gone wrong, an alternative dimensions. Twilight of the Dawn contrasts what the emptiness of life is like without anything to believe in. Fans of serial killers are catered for with Chase although you are likely to have already read this one as a stand alone novel either under the pseudonym K.R. Dwyer or Koontz's own name. The other lengthy story is the title track, Strange Highways. Not one of my favourites but you may like it. My favourites and ones I would rate five stars are The Black Pumpkin, Miss Attila the Hun, Trapped, Kittens (his first ever published work) and Twilight of the Dawn.
There is also a commentary by Koontz on how publishers do not encourage short story writing and how hard it is for them to be published which is quite interesting.
Whilst not the masterpieces that some of his novels like Mr Murder, Watchers, Intensity, Night Chills and some others are the stories in here are still a great and satisfying read.
There is also a commentary by Koontz on how publishers do not encourage short story writing and how hard it is for them to be published which is quite interesting.
Whilst not the masterpieces that some of his novels like Mr Murder, Watchers, Intensity, Night Chills and some others are the stories in here are still a great and satisfying read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding collection of Dean Koontz's work!
This book had Dean Koontz's older material which was exciting and kept you at the edge of your seat throughout each story as well as the (2) short novels that were contained in... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Bill Koziupa
5.0 out of 5 stars
STRANGE HIGHWAYS
I have never read Dean koontz before. I saw a hardbook copy at a thrift store for 10 cent. BRAND NEW!!! Can't bet that! Read more
Published 6 months ago by C. Lane
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have in horror short story collection, or your Dean Koontz...
I flipped through a lot of Koontz books on shelves in bookstores to find a short story collection. I'm a writer, and I love Koontz's works, but I never found a short story... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Gregory
5.0 out of 5 stars
good purchase!
This was a good purchase. It arrived on time, the book was in good condition, and the price definitely matched up with the product I got. thanks for the great transaction!!!
Published 11 months ago by Marilyn Mathine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent collection
The past two weeks, i was alternating between this and Under the Dome. Quite a few times, i picked up this book in favor of the other one, because with each story you have no idea... Read more
Published 16 months ago by AN AVID READER
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short stories by Koontz
I enjoy anthologies and I particularly enjoy horror anthologies. I did not know that Dean Koontz had such a book so it was a pleasant surprise to discover Strange Highways. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Nerhtoc
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book and Spader makes it even better
I loved this story, it gripped me from page one and hearing James Spader narrating it was even better. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Steve D. Thams
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strange Highways is a grabber from Page 1
This collection by Dean Koontz is fabulous. An epic in storytelling. Mr. Koontz keeps you on the edge throughout. A must read. Not too many story assemblages are better than this. Read more
Published 20 months ago by glen cantrell
4.0 out of 5 stars
Short Stories Galore!
This book is essentially made up of a bunch of short stories. Some of the stories are about 25 pages, while other can be about2 pages. Read more
Published on December 11, 2010 by Law Student
5.0 out of 5 stars
good book of short stories
I would recommend. Short stories are always under appreciated. This book is great for someone on the go who wants to read a story and be on their way!
Published on August 28, 2010 by Jessica L. Greer
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