What is It without the Name before it?

My favorite author is Dean Koontz. I know that his writing is not top notch and lately, upon reading some of his newer novels, I cannot help but notice that his writing seems to lack something that could make his novel pop with that extra oomph. Still, he is my favorite and the reason for this quite simple. When I pick up a Dean Koontz novel, I know what to expect. I know that it will feature a slew of characters that are outlandish and too cool under pressure, a villain that is menacing yet oddly human, and a pace that could put any marathon to shame. Yes, I know what I'm getting myself into when I pick up a Dean Koontz novel.


This is perhaps something Michal Foucalt could be referring to when he says that an author's name "performs a certain role with regard to narrative discourse, assuring a classificatory function" (907). Think about it. If you pick up a Stephen King novel, you have an idea of what to expect. That Stephen King or Dean Koontz could basically be considered a "starting point for discussing the text" actually makes sense as the attachment of their names to their fiction is an indication of something collectively known to their readers (class notes 9/9/11). Stephen King's It, for example, is a well known horror story; however, it is rarely referred to by it's title alone. The author's name adds that extra draw to the work, framing it with the expectations readers have come to develop as they've become enamored with Stephen King the author. The question this leaves me with is, are readers enamored with Stephen King the author or the novels the author has written?