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The Funhouse: A Thriller

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Description

Evil comes in frightening and familiar forms in this terrifying novel from 1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.Once there was a girl who ran away and joined a traveling carnival. She married a man she grew to hate—and gave birth to a child she could never love. A child so monstrous that she killed it with her own hands...Twenty-five years later, Ellen Harper has a new life, a new husband, and two normal children—Joey loves monster movies and Amy is about to graduate from high school. But their mother drowns her secret guilt in alcohol and prayer. The time has come for Amy and Joey to pay for her sins, because the carnival is coming back to town... Read more


Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley Books; Reprint edition (March 5, 2013)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 321 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425250644


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 48


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.4 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.31 x 0.91 x 7.43 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #783,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #9,557 in Psychological Fiction (Books) #9,562 in Supernatural Thrillers (Books) #11,502 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)


#9,557 in Psychological Fiction (Books):


#9,562 in Supernatural Thrillers (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews


  • An Interesting Horror Story
This is a horror story, which was based on a screenplay written by and ther writer. As Mr. Koontz explains a screenplay had been written and a movie planned. Mr. Koontz was authorized to compose a corresponding novel. This process is known as "novelization". As such, the storyline is not completely the product of Mr. Koontz's intellectual process. Apparently the movie did not do well, at least at first and neither did the novel. As a novelization apparently the fate of the novel is linked to the movie to some extent. I do not intend to write in a way that spoils the story. The story is set in the early 1980s in America. In that this a horror story, there are some very gruesome situations that occur between human beings. As a retired police detective, I felt there was no way I would have failed to "connect some of the dots" and therefore have had an ensuing avenue of investigation. In that context, I found the storyline a bit weak. Generally I have read relatively few modern horror stories. I seldom go to such movies. Therefore I am not in a position to compare this novel to other modern horror novels. The writing is OK. Obviously there is much dark content. As a parent, I was dismayed about some very dark exchanges between parents and their children. Perhaps this is common in modern horror stories. I did not like this aspect of the novel. According to some research I did, Mr. Koontz may have been the victim of emotional abuse by a parent. Obviously he may have a base of knowledge that makes his writing realistic. I would not want my children to read this book until adulthood. I do not intend to recommend this novel to them. Although a horror story, there is a "morality tale" aspect tomthis story. I did like that. Mr. Koontz is originally from Pennsylvania, as am I. I enjoy reading authors from Pennsylvania. I wish to study his work further and have already purchased another novel, "Whispers". I wish to read a novel by Mr. Koontz that is fully his own intellectual product. I will not read it immediately. I sort of need a break. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2017 by Frank Donnelly

  • So it isn't a Pulitzer Prize winner...
I almost didn't buy this to read because of all of the less flattering reviews of it, but then I had to remember all of the critical reviews of 77 Shadow Street, which, to me, wasn't as bad as everyone said it was. People were downright trashing it and, granted, there were some hard to understand aspects to the book, but I still think it was an entertaining read. And I say the same for this one. After having read The Funhouse myself and reading all of the negative reviews, I think people are being hard on Mr. Koontz. Again, as I've said in other reviews, I defend a person's right to have an opinion, negative or positive, but people are forgetting that this was the novelization of a screenplay. If the plot seemed undeveloped, it's only because the movie itself was. It couldn't have been easy for him to create a backstory for the characters. I heard some people saying that he never explained why Gunther was the way he was and that's something I would have liked to know as well. But was an explanation really necessary? I didn't think so. I mean, how do you explain how someone sires a demonic (or whatever he was) offspring not once, but twice? Conrad worshipped Satan - what other explanation was needed? In the end, the people giving this book bad reviews was taking this story too serious. This book was meant to be fun and entertaining like an 80's slasher flick. You're glad to see the potheads and slutty friend get what's coming to them and the innocent, God-fearing kids escape. It won't win any Pulitzer Prizes, but so what! If you want a memoir, go read one. If you want a good read without all of the rhetoric and fancy word play, well - here you go. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2013 by Kindle Customer

  • Great beginning but fizzled at the end!
As with all Dean Koontz books I was excited to read The Funhouse and while it started out with a flourish it ended with a fizzle. The main characters lacked any depth that I could see, maybe because there were too many main characters and not enough background about any of them, so they never really evolved for me. I liken it to a store that sells many different objects but offer very few of each. Too much quantity and not enough quality. This book had so much potential being written around a carnival, with freaks of all natures and a spooky funhouse, but sadly the funhouse wasn't a focal point of the book, it was more of an afterthought. Thrown in because it was the title of the book. Too many details were also left unanswered for me....were Victor and Gunther products of hell or just products of a mad man who saw them as something they were not. I also would of liked to have seen Ellen snap out of her drunkin' stupor and confront Conrad and help protect her children, children she emotionally scared. I was also disappointed in the ending as it just stopped abruptly as if a chapter was missing from the end of the book. It left me with a what the heck feeling. All in all not a horrible read but certainly not up to Dean Koontz standards. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014 by Steelersfan86

  • MUCH BETTER THAN THE MOVIE!
I've read this book twice now and loved it! I think it is much better than the movie version. I know this was written from the script, not the other way around, but still I think the book is much better and scarier. I wish the movie had gone this way too. Would have added more meat to it.
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2022 by kevboy

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