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The Stephen King Thread - Part 1

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I went on a Stephen King binge this past year (mostly audio books). Here are all the ones I've read:

The Stand - Fantastic first half, decent second half, crappy ending. This was my first Stephen King and definitely a good one. Even the ending couldn't ruin how good the rest of it was.

From A Buick 8 - Wow, this was such a bad book. I kept listening hoping that it would turn into something I'd really like but it never happened. It'd have probably made for a better short story than a full length novel. I regret having bothered with it.

'Salem's Lot - I loved this book from beginning to end. Definitely the best depiction of vampires that I've read.

The Long Walk (writing as Bachman) - Probably my favorite King book. It's simple, but I couldn't put it down. I could have used another chapter in the end, but it was still a lot of fun.

The Gunslinger - I always hear how amazing the Dark Tower series is but I thought this book was awful. I could not for the life of me get into it. I was just itching for it to finish and not for good reasons. It killed any interest I had in reading more of the series. I even read the first couple chapters of book 2 but found that I no longer cared to go on. Maybe some day, but no time soon.

Under the Dome - This is like the Stand for me. It had a fantastic beginning and good middle, but the end was horrible. It really irritated me, but the premise and earlier part of the story was good enough that I still think of it fondly. I should probably watch the show now.

Eyes of the Dragon - I really enjoyed this at first but eventually grew kinda bored of it. There wasn't really anything wrong with it. I just got bored and wanted to read something else. I don't really think on it negatively or positively. It's just something I read.


So there's that. In addition to those I tried to listen to It but couldn't get too far. I listened to it for maybe 7 hours and was so bored with it that I was just ready to move on to something else. I think a part of the problem is that I've seen the movie, which always makes it hard for me to get into a book no matter how different. I'll probably try it again later.

I just bought Pet Cemetery from my local Half Priced Books and will be reading it eventually. It's one of the ones I've been looking forward to reading. I've seen the movie but remember very little of it.
 
Salem's Lot: The Deluxe Special Edition

Posted: August 11, 2015, 08:10:05

Have you ordered your copy of Cemetery Dance's edition of Salem's Lot? If not you might want to do that now.
king10artwork01.jpg

Volume Two in The Stephen King Doubleday Years Set!

'Salem's Lot: The Deluxe Special Edition (Volume Two in the "Doubleday Years" Collection)
by Stephen King

Featuring full color wrap-around artwork by David Palumbo and full color interior paintings printed on a high-quality glossy stock and tipped into the book!

About the Book:
'Salem's Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples. That summer in 'Salem's Lot was a summer of homecoming and return; spring burned out and the land lying dry, crackling underfoot. Late that summer, Ben Mears returned to 'Salem's Lot hoping to cast out his own devils and found instead a new, unspeakable horror.

A stranger had also come to the Lot, a stranger with a secret as old as evil, a secret that would wreak irreparable harm on those he touched and in turn on those they loved.

All would be changed forever—Susan, whose love for Ben could not protect her; Father Callahan, the bad priest who put his eroded faith to one last test; and Mark, a young boy who sees his fantasy world become reality and ironically proves the best equipped to handle the relentless nightmare of 'Salem's Lot.

This is a rare novel, almost hypnotic in its unyielding suspense, which builds to a climax of classic terror. You will not forget the town of 'Salem's Lot nor any of the people who used to live there.

Special Features For This Deluxe Special Edition:
• an introduction by Stephen King
• an afterword by Clive Barker
• many deleted scenes that were cut from the original manuscript
• the short stories "Jerusalem's Lot" and "One for the Road"
• deluxe oversized design (7 inches X 10 inches) featuring two color interior printing as part of the page design
• printed on a heavy interior specialty paper stock that is much thicker than the paper in a normal trade edition
• custom-made slipcase for the Gift Edition, custom-made traycase for the Numbered Artist Edition, and custom-made three piece traycase for the Deluxe Lettered Artist Edition
• epic wrap-around full color dust jacket artwork by David Palumbo
• a different full color dust jacket for the Numbered Artist Edition painted by David Palumbo
• full color interior paintings by David Palumbo
• interior artwork will be printed on a heavy glossy stock and tipped into the book
• an original map of the town drawn by Glenn Chadbourne exclusively for this special edition
• signature sheet artwork for all three editions by Glenn Chadbourne
• high-quality endpapers and fine bindings
• an exclusive reproduction of the first reader's letter to point out the Father "Cody" error and several internal memos from Doubleday about changing the pricing after the first edition of the book was already printed
• extremely collectible print run that is a tiny fraction of the TENS OF MILLIONS of copies of this novel you've seen in bookstores over the years!


Order here
 
I finished 11/22/63 a few weeks ago and loved it. Definitely one of my favorite King books. Currently reading Pet Semetery.
 
I finished 11/22/63 a few weeks ago and loved it. Definitely one of my favorite King books. Currently reading Pet Semetery.

Aah, Pet Semetery, the first Stephen King book I ever read. The one that started me down this long road. I've now read every book he's ever published (apart from his two non-fiction books).
 
Looking at that deluxe edition made me dust off my copy of Salem's Lot.
 
I went on a Stephen King binge this past year (mostly audio books). Here are all the ones I've read:

'Salem's Lot - I loved this book from beginning to end. Definitely the best depiction of vampires that I've read.

The Long Walk (writing as Bachman) - Probably my favorite King book. It's simple, but I couldn't put it down. I could have used another chapter in the end, but it was still a lot of fun.

The Gunslinger - I always hear how amazing the Dark Tower series is but I thought this book was awful. I could not for the life of me get into it. I was just itching for it to finish and not for good reasons. It killed any interest I had in reading more of the series. I even read the first couple chapters of book 2 but found that I no longer cared to go on. Maybe some day, but no time soon.

So there's that. In addition to those I tried to listen to It but couldn't get too far. I listened to it for maybe 7 hours and was so bored with it that I was just ready to move on to something else. I think a part of the problem is that I've seen the movie, which always makes it hard for me to get into a book no matter how different. I'll probably try it again later.

Totally agree with you about Salems Lot and Long Walk. Two of his best books. He has a lot more that I think you'll like.

Also agree with you about The Gunslinger. Heard so much about how great the Dark Tower is and I fell asleep reading the damn book three times. Guess it just misses some people.

You gotta give It another try. Don't let the movie get in the way of enjoying the source material. Maybe you should just read the book instead of listening to it. I think It is one of his better books.

You should definitely also check out Needful Things, The Dead Zone and Bag of Bones. Can't really go too wrong with a King book.
 
The movie is abysmal compared to the book. And I saw the movie long before I read the book.
 
King To Receive National Medal of Arts

Posted: September 4, 2015, 09:05:37

Stephen King will receive the 2014 National Medals of Arts and President Barack Obama will present him (and others) with it on September 10, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. ET in an East Room ceremony at the White House. The event will be live streamed at WH.gov/Live

Stephen King for his contributions as an author. One of the most popular and prolific writers of our time, Mr. King combines his remarkable storytelling with his sharp analysis of human nature. For decades, his works of horror, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy have terrified and delighted audiences around the world. (Bangor, ME)


Read more here
 
Almost all these damn GOP candidates give me flashbacks to reading The Dead Zone.

Greg Stillsons... Greg Stillsons everywhere.
 
Man, just finished reading Pet Sematary. That was a difficult read for various reasons. Heart wrenching. The next King book I read will be The Shining, but I may try something non-King first.
 
Man, just finished reading Pet Sematary. That was a difficult read for various reasons. Heart wrenching. The next King book I read will be The Shining, but I may try something non-King first.

That was my first King book. Many fond memories in there for me.
 
No One Takes Over The Dark Tower

Posted: September 6, 2015, 14:57:43
Interesting...

As published in The New York Times, the American author answered several readers' questions with some related to 'The Dark Tower'. One reader asked what he thought of another writer taking over The Dark Tower should he be unable to do so in the future.

The 67 year old King responded he "would never let another writer 'take over' a series like the Dark Tower" He added that when a story comes to completion, then that's it. He also commented on how he rarely repeats characters, with the "exceptions of Roland Deschain (the Dark Tower series) and Bill Hodges (the Hodges trilogy)."

He was also asked about his family publishing his works should he be incapable of doing so, and he says he trusts his wife and children in that matter.
 
That's fine by me. The Tower will always be his. I don't know that I'd want anyone else in on it. :(
 
Oh, is he still writing Dark Tower stuff? I really loved the weird lore dumped in the last 3 books. The wolves, Breakers, the Beast, the Prim and the Old People's technology...also like how some North American cryptids like the goatman, the dogman, etc could easily be taheen from End-World. Nice blending of real myth and his DT mythos.
 
I haven't read the Dark Tower series yet, but I thought it was completed.
 
Oh, is he still writing Dark Tower stuff? I really loved the weird lore dumped in the last 3 books. The wolves, Breakers, the Beast, the Prim and the Old People's technology...also like how some North American cryptids like the goatman, the dogman, etc could easily be taheen from End-World. Nice blending of real myth and his DT mythos.
It is complete and I don't think he's writing any more of the series, but there are others I think who want to pick up where he left off, or expand on that same realm.
 
I read earlier they're doing a Broadway version of Misery w/Bruce Willis as Paul Sheldon and Laurie Metcalf as Annie. I am not a theater patron in any way but I would sell Sawyer to Columbian drug lords for the chance to see that thing.
 
Looking forward to it. :)
 
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