The Stephen King Thread - Part 1

[:eek:]

Original ending of 11/22/63

Spoiler

Posted: December 19, 2011, 23:18:32
Section: Book » 11/22/63

Originally King had a different ending to his latest book 11/22/63 but after a suggestion from his son, Joe Hill, he changed it and now it looks like we might actually get to read the original ending as well… Here are what the moderator of King’s official board had to say about it.

I've read both of them and have been meaning to ask him if he would consider putting the first version on the site so people could compare. He told me he'd changed it because Joe had seen some problems with the way the first one was written but I don't know with 100% certainty whether Joe gave him specific ideas for the rewrite.


And then…


I was able to ask Steve about this, so here's his answer. Joe only told him that Jake had to meet Sadie again when she was an old lady but how that happened was completely Steve's idea so what we've read in the book was all Steve's writing based on Joe's suggestion to have Jake see Sadie one more time . He also told me it would be okay to put up the original version of the ending but I need to wait at least a month before doing so to give more people the chance to read it as published.


So, keep checking King’s site for that original ending to pop up.

 

[:eek:]

Scribners cover for Wind Through the Keyhole

http://www.liljas-library.com/img/other/wttk_scribner.jpgPosted: December 23, 2011, 00:37:10
Section: Book » The Wind Through the Keyhole
Today, just a few days after Grant released their cover for The Wind Through the Keyhole, Scribner has released their cover. You can see a bigger version of it and the full artwork over at King's official site.

And if you want to pre-order, you can do so here:

Hardcover
eBook
Audio book

 

[Victarion]

Beautiful!

Are those crouched human-like figures supposed to be can-toi/Low Men? I think the blond boy is Jake, as it looks as if Oy is crouching on the rocks in front of him.

 

[BigSams50]

I was thinking of getting some of Kings novels. Can anyone give me their opinions on some of his good books please? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[childeroland]

I'd start with his earlier stuff (Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone, Night Shift--the last three perhaps the best introduction), but others prefer his more recent work. The Stand may be his most popular among fans. It is great, if you don't mind starting with another long one. Eyes of the Dragon is a very readable, heartfelt fantasy. Like that one, The Bachman Books are atypical, but very, very good, particularly Rage, The Long Walk, and The Running Man. I'd avoid Needful Things and Tommyknockers. Love The Dark Half, which is very noirish. You could sample his collections, like the aforementioned Night Shift (great), Skeleton Crew (mixed) or a novella collection like Four Past Midnight, as an example of King working in a longer form.

 

[BigSams50]

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. I've been looking into getting Salems lot and Eyes of the Dragon. But i was trying to get other peoples opinion on his books first. He has many good books ( from what people say, i havnt read them yet :P ) and i didnt want to start off with one of his less then stellar ones.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. I've been looking into getting Salems lot and Eyes of the Dragon. But i was trying to get other peoples opinion on his books first. He has many good books ( from what people say, i havnt read them yet :P ) and i didnt want to start off with one of his less then stellar ones.

Those two would be a great start. So would Carrie or Firestarter. Or Skeleton Crew or Night Shift if you're into short stories and want more variety.

Or what childeroland said.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Skeleton Crew is a GREAT place to start off on if you're looking more for the short stories. Plus that has The Mist in it and I really liked that story and out of all the books of King's I've read that's the one that's actually kind of scared me.

I'd agree also to check out Dead Zone. It's easily one of my favorite books. And if you dig those I'd then dig into The Stand. I wouldn't start off with The Stand because some people have started with that and it's turned them off to King because it's so long and involved. However, it's one of the best books ever.

 

[Sawyer]

Skeleton Crew is a GREAT place to start off on if you're looking more for the short stories. Plus that has The Mist in it and I really liked that story and out of all the books of King's I've read that's the one that's actually kind of scared me.

I'd agree also to check out Dead Zone. It's easily one of my favorite books. And if you dig those I'd then dig into The Stand. I wouldn't start off with The Stand because some people have started with that and it's turned them off to King because it's so long and involved. However, it's one of the best books ever.

I'm the opposite. I read it first, and had to read the rest.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Yeah, but the people I've suggested aren't really what you'd call..."readers". Mainly they are the type of people who say, "I'll just watch the movie and get the idea". You know...the lazy kind.

But I usually suggest the short more to the point King books and they get addicted and then I push them toward The Stand and then they come back telling me how awesome it is.

 

[Victarion]

Pet Semetary was my first King novel. Give that a shot, then Salem's Lot. Afterward, if you enjoyed those, do yourself a favor and read IT. For something almost completely different from what you might expect from King, try The Gunslinger. Its probably the shortest of my recommendations.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Only read the Gunslinger if you want to fall asleep.

I'm probably one of the very few King fans that loathes the Gunslinger series. Probably the most boring novels I've ever read. However, I wasn't really that into King when I read them so I'll try to re-read them again at some point. Seriously though...that first book is REALLY tough to get through. Just fair warning.

 

[childeroland]

Did you read the original Gunslinger or the revised version? King revised it into his more typical style, and to fall more in line with the later installments, though the story isn't changed that much.

The whole series peters out after the (marvelous) fourth book, IMO.

 

[SpideyInATree]

I have the revised edition and it bored the crap out of me. I seriously fell asleep four times while reading it. I never have fallen asleep while reading a book and that even includes research books I've done for stories.

The second book was better but still took me a while to get through it. I have the third book but have never read it. Now that I've experienced more of the King universe I think I may have a better feeling about the Gunslinger books.

I would NEVER have someone who has never read King start there though. Oh lord no.

 

[The Navigator]

^I never liked the fourth book, except for the beginning. I didn't need an entry-long flashback to understand Roland, and the frustratingly short meeting with Walter (IIRC) at the end was so anticlimactic.

I recommend the third book, though, it's got some a few moments that are more classic horror King to balance out the fantasy.

Anyone ever read his purely fantasy book, Eyes of the Dragon? I thought that was actually pretty good.

 

[BigSams50]

Thanks for all the info. I went to a mall when i visited athens today, and i picked up Salem's Lot. They had a huge variety of King books there. So i will be picking up some more after i finish this one.

 

[Crazy Quilt]

I'd start with his earlier stuff (Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone, Night Shift--the last three perhaps the best introduction), but others prefer his more recent work. The Stand may be his most popular among fans. It is great, if you don't mind starting with another long one. Eyes of the Dragon is a very readable, heartfelt fantasy. Like that one, The Bachman Books are atypical, but very, very good, particularly Rage, The Long Walk, and The Running Man. I'd avoid Needful Things and Tommyknockers. Love The Dark Half, which is very noirish. You could sample his collections, like the aforementioned Night Shift (great), Skeleton Crew (mixed) or a novella collection like Four Past Midnight, as an example of King working in a longer form.

I started off with Salem's Lot. I've read that book 4 times now...more than any other King book. I read most of his older books first and moved on to the more recent with a couple of exceptions. I've read almost every King book now and I've at least really liked if every single one and loved most. I think it's best to read his early, pure horror stuff first, then move on to the later novels where he incorporates more non-horror plot elements or writes non-horror altogether. I particularly think it's best to read at least several early king novels and perhaps Eyes of the Dragon before starting The Dark Tower series. If you have any appreciation for King's writing in general, high fantasy, Westerns and Sci-fi you'll thoroughly enjoy that series, I think.

 

[:eek:]

King enters 2012 as #1

Posted: January 1, 2012, 03:00:41
It looks as if Stephen King will be riding into the new year at #1.

Not only has 11/22/63 proven a critical success, it also seems to be King's most popular novel since 1998's Bag of Bones.

Whether it's due to variance in King's popularity or the shifting attitudes of the book-buying public in general, in recent years, King's hardcovers have been hitting the New York Times Bestseller List high and then falling down (and off) rapidly. Not so with 11/22/63. It debuted at #1 - never an oddity for King - then dropped to #2 for three successive weeks as new books by James Patterson, Janet Evanovich, and Michael Connelly each smashed in at #1 ... and fell. In its fifth week, King's time travel novel shot back up to #1, making the first King hardcover to drop from the top spot and then reclaim it since 1990's The Stand. For the last three weeks, it has held fast to #1, making it King's longest stay at #1 since Dolores Claiborne's seven-week run in 1992/93.

The critics have been very kind to this book, and with good reason, but it's really gratifying that in his fifth decade of publishing books, King is just as popular as ever, if not more so. The reading audience is changing, but they still love Stephen King. That's pretty amazing.

 

[jonathancrane]

I finished reading 11/22/63 and enjoyed it. It reminds me of what would emerge if he put The City on the Edge of Forever (Ellison), The Dead Zone, and Staggerford into a blender. I also enjoyed the section involving certain characters from IT. Of course, this only served to remind me of how much I wish he would declare the status of the Clown. When you consider the references in Post-It books, it makes it frustrating, knowing that there is a chance that Pennywise might be alive...and how that renders the entire book pointless if they failed to kill it a second time...where was I?

In short, it's a good book, and excluding the Derry section, the style differs from that in his other books. If I was given the other sections and not supplied his name, I would have had some difficulty identifying him as the author immediately.

On a less connected note, I cannot wait until Dr. Sleep is released. And, I hope it is as terrifying as he says it is, because I have become tired of arguing against the near overwhelming thesis that his post drugs/alcohol books lack the punch his earlier ones had. I know he has been experimenting with different forms, but, God, I just want a terrifying book, so I can wave it in the faces of the aforementioned individuals and exclaim, "Aha! I told you he was experimenting, and not out of fuel."

 

[EML420]

I really liked 11/22/63 I always find it odd when I hear King called a Horror writer mainly because the first King book I read was The Gunslinger.

I also got a lot of Stephen King books for Christmas
The Talisman
The black House
Duma Key
Rose Madder
Blaze
Im also waiting for the last 3 Dark Tower books to come from amazon I own the first four but didnt want to star the Wizard and Glass till I got them.

 

[:eek:]

An interesting article about what a new short story collection could include:

http://www.fearnet.com/news/b24978_Collection_Time_for_Stephen_King__An_Observation.html

 

[redhawk23]

On that note, what did you guys think of Full Dark No Stars? I thought it was a pretty decent collection.


Also I'm about a third of the way through 11/22/63.

I must say I'm enjoying it a lot.


But I must say [BLACKOUT]Jake meeting Richie and Beverly from it felt a bit indulgent, although the return to 1958 Derry has been interesting[/BLACKOUT]

 

[Yurka]

Finished 11/22/63. I enjoyed it immensely but the ending felt a bit hokey to me. It was a fantastic story with lot's of unexpected surprises and overall I enjoyed it better than Under the Dome. I look forward to the inevitable miniseries or movie made from it.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Just got a bunch of King books in the mail from my B and N order with gift cards. Got Four Past Midnight, Everything's Eventual, and IT. Got a lot of reading to keep me busy for a while.

 

[:eek:]

New editions of The Dark Tower

Posted: January 13, 2012, 22:10:43

Hodder & Stoughton in the UK are publishing new editions of all The Dark Tower books and here are the new covers. What do you think? I thing they are really great and it will be interesting to see if the cover for Wind Through the Keyhole matches them.

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