Well, a week ago I finished Dean Koontz’ newest book,  ‘The Husband’.

It is a thriller that kept me up way past bedtime!  I read it in three nights.  A real fun book to read, I recommend it highly!

Then, Saturday, last night, my wife and I rented ’ Firewall ’ the DVD with Harrison Ford, a very good thriller.  I think the movie is about 2 years old.

And gee!  The plots were nearly identical, even many of the incidents!

The twists, the plot points, the gangs of thieves (kidnappers in the case of the book) were eerily alike!

Dan the Wondering

Do you mean Dean Koontz?

Though I understand Stephen Koontz is a pretty good writer also. His monograph on the <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00071CRIU/qid=1153108483/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/102-2819030-9640911?s=books&v=glance&n=283155” target=“_blank”>Influence of trade in live cattle futures on the stability of short-run cash slaughter cattle prices</a> was a definite page turner.

I loved that book.  It really brought cattle futures to life for me. 

Dan, Firewall came out this year.  It’s entirely possible that Dean Koontz worked on the screenplay.

Harrison Ford just looked old and paunchy in it…
The days of Han Solo and Indiana Jones are long past.

Oops, hit it twice.

that was silly of you 😛

FlintJ - 17 July 2006 05:12 PM

Harrison Ford just looked old and paunchy in it…
The days of Han Solo and Indiana Jones are long past.

If only.  I can’t believe he’s doing Indiana Jones IV.  What a waste of film.

Yah.

Alex - 17 July 2006 01:59 AM

Do you mean Dean Koontz?

Though I understand Stephen Koontz is a pretty good writer also. His monograph on the <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00071CRIU/qid=1153108483/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/102-2819030-9640911?s=books&v=glance&n=283155” target=“_blank”>Influence of trade in live cattle futures on the stability of short-run cash slaughter cattle prices</a> was a definite page turner.

Yes, Dean is correct, I knew that didn’t sound right when I typed it.

Thanks, I corrected my posting.

Dan the Not-So-Sharp

I don’t believe Koontz had anything to do with the movie (I read the book but didn’t see this movie).  The screenplay was written by Joe Forte and there is no mention of collaboration.  I’ve looked at some other reviews but linked only this one:  http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/f/firewall.html

United States, 2006
U.S. Release Date: 2/10/06 (wide)
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: R (Violence, profanity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Harrison Ford, Paul Bettany, Virginia Madsen, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Robert Forster, Alan Arkin, Carly Schroeder, Jimmy Bennett, Robert Patrick
Director: Richard Loncraine
Screenplay: Joe Forte
Cinematography: Marco Pontecrovo
Music: Alexandre Desplat
U.S. Distributor: Warner Brothers

I’m not saying Koontz definitely had anything to do with it, it’s just a possibility.  He’s written for Hollywood, and 95% of people who work on a script are never credited.  Most scripts seem to have at least half a dozen people who work on them at one point or another, yet only one or two get a writing credit for it.

Well, whatever the reason, both were fun!

Especially the book, which, as I said, kept me up way late, it was just too good to put down, with a twist and a turn every chapter, and plausible (within reason) all the way.

And the movie was good, too.  I just thought it odd that they were so similar, and you know, actually Dean Koontz could have sold a ‘treatment’ to some producer, but not the book rights, so that he could get paid twice.  Fine with me!