The Stephen King Thread - Part 1

[Whiskey Tango]

Well I wish they'd get with it, I'm not getting any younger.

 

[DeGenerate10]

The only Stephen King book I've ready so far is 'Salem's Lot. I'm torn between reading The Stand or The Shining next. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[SoNicRaDiATioN]

You can't go wrong with either. The Stand is my favorite novel but the loose sequel to The Shining is coming out this September so you might want to start there.

 

[elgaz]

The Stand is a fantastic book. I like the Shining too, but having seen the film before reading it kinda tainted my perception somewhat - sometimes it's better to go in and read/watch something with absolutely no preconceptions.

The Shining feels more claustrophobic and perhaps frightening in terms of storyline, whilst the Stand is a bit more epic in it's reach and how the story progresses. As said above, can't go wrong with either

 

[Whiskey Tango]

I just recently read the Shining after trying and failing 20 or so years ago. Was surprised at how different it was from the movie. It was good though. Not as good as The Stand but hey.

 

[Marvolo]

I'm about to page 500 in Salem's Lot. God, King can write characters, and make you really care about them. When Barlow

Spoiler

got Susan I was furious and ready to throw the book. I didn't want to believe it then when she showed up at Mark's window i was like noooo!!!

 

[Victarion]

I like how the IT explodes into a cosmic scope at the end. Some of the chapters from the uncut version of The Stand, showing how the rest of America is reacting to the outbreak, are the eeriest I've read from King.

 

[GremlinZilla89]

I'm about to page 500 in Salem's Lot. God, King can write characters, and make you really care about them. When Barlow

Spoiler

got Susan I was furious and ready to throw the book. I didn't want to believe it then when she showed up at Mark's window i was like noooo!!!

Thats why I get pissy when people call King a hack drug store writer. Not all of his stuff is supreme, but damn the man can make his characters full of life. He has a way with setting up people and places that I've rarely read from other authors. I don't know how any literary snob can call him a hack if they've read IT, or The Stand, or Salems Lot, or Pet Sematary.

IT in particular is so full of life and detail I felt like I was the silent 8th member of the Losers Club. Those guys where my friends by the end. I lived in Derry with them.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Anyone read 1408? It's not a book, but I enjoyed it.

The movie was actually decent, if not exactly faithful.

 

[Marvolo]

I haven't read 1408 but its on my to read list. Been meaning to since the film came out.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I haven't read 1408 but its on my to read list. Been meaning to since the film came out.

Did you see the film?

 

[Marvolo]

Did you see the film?

Yeah. I like it.

 

[Thundercrack85]

The short-story (it's not super short, but it's not very long either), is a lot shorter, and has some fairly major differences. But I enjoyed them both.

 

[squeekness]

Yeah. I like it.

I liked it as well. It's hard not to like something with John Cusack in it.

 

[Marvolo]

Finished Salem's Lot. Ending let me down somewhat, but it was a fun read. I'm starting Pet Cemetery now. Ive heard its one of his dsrkest stories, and that he was apparently in a weird place when he wrote it so im excited.

 

[Sawyer]

I think Salem's Lot had one of the more appropriate endings I've ever seen King do, honestly.

 

[Marvolo]

I think Salem's Lot had one of the more appropriate endings I've ever seen King do, honestly.

The ending was appropriate, but it happened so quick, and it kind of felt like King was trying to rack up a body count. People drop like flies and one of the main characters dies by a health issue. The health issue wasn't surprising, but the timing of the death was just too convenient like King had no use for him beyond a point and wrote him out.

 

[redhawk23]

Starting tomorrow Bad Ass Digest is hosting a group read and discussion of Joyland.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

The ending was appropriate, but it happened so quick, and it kind of felt like King was trying to rack up a body count. People drop like flies and one of the main characters dies by a health issue. The health issue wasn't surprising, but the timing of the death was just too convenient like King had no use for him beyond a point and wrote him out.

Steve has always had problems ending stories and he knows it. He owns up to it whenever he's asked. Instead of plotting out stories in advance he just starts writing from the basic concept and he nearly always end up struggling with the finish.

I can't remember which book he actually plotted out start to finish on purpose. It wasn't one of his best tho iirc.

 

[Marvolo]

Steve has always had problems ending stories and he knows it. He owns up to it whenever he's asked. Instead of plotting out stories in advance he just starts writing from the basic concept and he nearly always end up struggling with the finish.

I can't remember which book he actually plotted out start to finish on purpose. It wasn't one of his best tho iirc.

When I started considering King I noticed his endings being an issue in a lot of reviews. I didnt know about his writing process tho. Its not something I'm too hung up on. Least not with his 400-600 page books. With his longer stuff I may have a bigger problem with his weak endings. If I read a 1000+ pages I need a good ending to pull all that together.

How was the ending for 11/22/63?

 

[redhawk23]

The ending is okay. It came back to wrap up the romantic plot well, after the whole JFK thing is addressed and it is decided that meddling with time is an awful idea. Interestingly the idea for the ending that ended up in the final book actually came from his son Joe.

 

[:eek:]

I can't remember which book he actually plotted out start to finish on purpose. It wasn't one of his best tho iirc.

I think it was Insomnia. I remember I read somewhere that he found himself trying to force characters in that book to do things just to follow the plot even if it didn't make sense character-wise. Personally I never had any problems with the endings in Kings books. Most of the time it's a kind of an open ending, making me imagine all kind of scenarios of what could happen next. I think that actually is a strength when a writer can activate the reader's own imagination. I'm not a huge fan of the more modern story-telling as seen in most popular books today. Fast-paced, plot-driven stories that moves smoothly from point A to B to C and so on. Stories where characters never feels like real people, but only serves as tools for the writer to explain every damn thing that happens. No matter how many twists and turns and surprises the writer throws at you, you can be sure he/she will (or at least try to) tie everything up in the last chapter or so. I find that stuff extremely boring. It's not stimulating reading it. Nothing is, usually, left for the reader's imagination to interpret. You get all answers served on a silver plate.

Oh, and King writes horror-stories most of the time. That kind of stories benefits from disturbing endings. Pet Sematary for example had a perfect ending. That novel really felt like being drawn into a nightmare with a feeling of no way out... and then it ends when things are going really, really bad. Like waking up abruptly from a bad dream.

 

[Scourge2099]

I'm reading 11/22/63 and it's pretty good so far. I'm liking the connections with [BLACKOUT]It[/BLACKOUT] that he put in there.

 

[Marvolo]

So I'm 200 pages into Pet Sematary and its my favorite King novel so far. I'm getting attached to the Creeds so Im not looking forward to the **** storm coming down on them. Idk how the man does it, but I absolutely love his characters!

 

[redhawk23]

Pet Semetary is one of the most unnerving things I've ever read. Its really unpleasant.