The Stephen King Thread

[Sawyer]

If you havent read The Stand yet, turn off your computer, go to the nearest bookstore and buy it now. But not before punching yourself in the face for not having read it yet.

 

[Eggyman]

Awesome book. I've never known characters come to life as much as they did in th^t.

I missed them - Franny, Stu, Larry, and Tom - a while after reading it.

You don't tell me, I'll tell you. You dig that happy crappy?

 

[Sawyer]

Awesome book. I've never known characters come to life as much as they did in th^t.

I missed them - Franny, Stu, Larry, and Tom - a while after reading it.

You don't tell me, I'll tell you. You dig that happy crappy?

I was literally waiting on the edge of my seat for The Kid to die as soon as he uttered that line. I was like "Ugh... kill 'im, Trashy. Kill him NOW!"

 

[Eggyman]

I was literally waiting on the edge of my seat for The Kid to die as soon as he uttered that line. I was like "Ugh... kill 'im, Trashy. Kill him NOW!"

lol

Bet he wished he did after what happened in the hotel.

King never fails at going a step too far. If it's not a group of lads gangbanging a young girl in a cave, it's a psychotic milkeybar kid abusing a burn victim by gunpoint.

I :heart: you, Mr King.

 

[adhokk7]

Also, for those who have read The Tommyknockers and made it through the story, does Gard meet Jack Sawyer?

If I recall correctly, it is Jack at the beginning of The Tommyknockers who meets Gard on the beach.

 

[GoblinWhirlwind]

IT is one of my favorite novels of any author. Unfortunately I'm not crazy about the movie... Pennywise just doesn't act like how I imagine him.

Part of it's the voice I think.. it shouldn't be all gravelly. I always hear a screamy, hysterical voice.

 

[Galactus]

Under the Dome on YouTube?
Posted: January 26, 2009, 00:48:03 | Section: Book » Under the Dome

Under the Dome on YouTube? Here is the full USA Weekend article:


Stephen King has gone multimedia. "N.," one of the tales in the best-selling author's latest short story collection, "Just After Sunset," was turned into an original Web video series in conjunction with Marvel Comics. The collaboration has inspired King, 61; he's thinking about doing a YouTube video for his novel "Under the Dome," out later this year. Such projects are definitely fun, King says. "But with all these multimedia things, the story is the story still, the book is the book, and that's the source material. As J.R.R. Tolkien might say, 'That's the one ring.' It rules the other one."

 

[Victarion]

If I recall correctly, it is Jack at the beginning of The Tommyknockers who meets Gard on the beach.

Thanks, amigo.

I got my first hardcover SK novel yesterday, a used copy of Desperation.


Has anyone read On Writing? As someone who has dabbled in the idea of writing an original story, I found it to be a very good read. In one part that dealt with outlining--which King said he didn't really care for--and cited Rose Madder and Insomnia as books were he tried outlining and felt as if he had been trying too hard, or something to that effect. I disagree with him; both are good books. I feel Insomnia has more rereadability (and would be a big hit with the stoner crowd if properly adapted), but Rose Madder wasn't his worst, imo.

Norman Daniels was an interesting character (in a morbid way. I like to get into the heads of these derranged folks and see what makes them tick) and a good antagonist. I did lol at some of the names he'd given to that women's shelter Rose fled to though. That biting was the worst part of his character to me, to the point that it made me sick thinking about it as I read the novel.

Does The Stand let us get to know Flagg better, or is he just thrown in as a kinda obligatory bad guy?

 

[Eggyman]

Has anyone read On Writing? As someone who has dabbled in the idea of writing an original story, I found it to be a very good read.

On Writing used to be my bible almost. I read it over and over. I have two copies; one's kept nice and neat, the other's highlighted and has notes in the margins. It's a great book for writers or people who are thinking about getting started.

Does The Stand let us get to know Flagg better, or is he just thrown in as a kinda obligatory bad guy?

He's looked at pretty closely, more in-depth as the story progresses - eventually showing his arrogance towards his position in the world and the power that he holds. He's one of King's best antagonists.

 

[Galactus]

UR, Exclusively on Amazon's Kindle

Since his first novel was published in 1974, Stephen King has stretched the boundaries of the storyteller as a writer who constantly redefines his readers' experience by working in various genres and formats.

Whether in an epic horror novel, like THE STAND, a serial-novel like THE GREEN MILE, or a novella like SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, King is able to deliver a reading experience like no one else can. As quickly as a spider spins its web, King reminds us why he's the master of the novella - a format which, up until now that is, one might have thought is fast disappearing.

In his new novella, UR, King is at his unsettling best as he examines the future of the written word - for better or worse. Following a nasty break-up, lovelorn college English instructor Wesley Smith can't seem to get his ex-girlfriend's parting shot out of his head: "Why can't you just read off the computer like the rest of us?" Egged on by her question and piqued by a student's suggestion, Wesley places an order for Amazon.com's Kindle eReader. The [pink?] device that arrives in a box stamped with the smile logo – via one-day delivery that he hadn't requested – unlocks a literary world that even the most avid of book lovers could never imagine. But once the door is open, there are those things that one hopes we'll never read or live through. Firm, gripping, and deftly written by a craftsman at the top of his game, this is King at his crisp, clear, page-turning best.


Excerpt from the forthcoming press release:
Check back soon for the complete press release...

Author Stephen King announced today that he is releasing a novella, “Ur,” which will only be available on Kindle. At the center of Ur is lovelorn college English instructor Wesley Smith, who can't seem to get his ex-girlfriend's parting shot out of his head: "Why can't you just read off the computer like the rest of us?" Egged on by her question and piqued by a student's suggestion, Wesley places an order for a Kindle. Smith’s Kindle arrives in a box stamped with the smile logo and unlocks a literary world that even the most avid of book lovers could never imagine. But once the door is open, there are those things that one hopes we'll never read or live through. Ur is available for pre-order beginning today and will be released later this month. For Kindle customers who pre-order, King’s new novella will download automatically when it becomes available.

 

[taskmaster]

In response to the article about UR, I'm not a big fan of these kind of reading devices. It is just better to have a book in your hand. The only plus sides I see for those things are the fact that the books you have won't deteriorate and they're backlit.

Speaking of having a book in your hands, I started reading The Shining for the first time at about 2:00 a.m. today. I usually read about 30 or 40 pages a night when I read, I'm at 150 right now in The Shining. I've seen the movie and I always know the book is going to be better than the movie but I didn't know how much better this was going to be.

 

[adhokk7]

Yeah, I think it's best to look at Kubrick's movie and King's novel as two totally separate entities, having little or nothing in common with each other. Kubrick's movie is awesome as a movie, but as an adaptation of the novel, I think it sucks.

 

[Galactus]

Under the Dome page count
Posted: February 11, 2009, 20:27:40 | Section: Book » Under the Dome

Under the Dome is now listed on Simon & Schuster’s site and according to that info it will be 1038 pages long and the release date is November 10.

 

[squeekness]

In response to the article about UR, I'm not a big fan of these kind of reading devices. It is just better to have a book in your hand. The only plus sides I see for those things are the fact that the books you have won't deteriorate and they're backlit.

Speaking of having a book in your hands, I started reading The Shining for the first time at about 2:00 a.m. today. I usually read about 30 or 40 pages a night when I read, I'm at 150 right now in The Shining. I've seen the movie and I always know the book is going to be better than the movie but I didn't know how much better this was going to be.

I have a Kindle and you know what? The thing rocks (it's not pink either ). They are not backlit so it will spare your eyes, you need the same light as a paper book to read it. I'm glad I have the Kindle as I was able to purchase UR for a mere $3, I just haven't had a chance to read it yet. Trust me, Kindle is great and I won't be buying many paper books in the future. Think of all the trees you'd be saving and then not having to store them when you're done.

 

[adhokk7]

I have a Kindle and you know what? The thing rocks (it's not pink either ). They are not backlit so it will spare your eyes, you need the same light as a paper book to read it. I'm glad I have the Kindle as I was able to purchase UR for a mere $3, I just haven't had a chance to read it yet. Trust me, Kindle is great and I won't be buying many paper books in the future. Think of all the trees you'd be saving and then not having to store them when you're done.

I love storing books. I'm not opposed to new technologies in any way, but I don't want to ever give up the pleasure of holding a book while reading it, turning the pages, and then socking that book away on a shelf when I'm through reading it. t:

 

[Sava]

I just finished reading the Tommyknockers, IMO the book drags on too long, i like the main story but there're too many side characters that are given too much time that it really slows the pace of the whole book. I wouldnt recomment this book unless you are a huge King fan.

 

[Eggyman]

I just finished reading the Tommyknockers, IMO the book drags on too long, i like the main story but there're too many side characters that are given too much time that it really slows the pace of the whole book. I wouldnt recomment this book unless you are a huge King fan.

I'm a huge King fan, and I couldn't finish it. Like you, I liked the main of the story, but when it started telling the tale of the Old Times, I just got bored and put it down. That hardly ever happens.

Your avy is quite familiar, but different at the same time. Is it you? You know, them, him, you?

 

[Sava]

I'm a huge King fan, and I couldn't finish it. Like you, I liked the main of the story, but when it started telling the tale of the Old Times, I just got bored and put it down. That hardly ever happens.

Your avy is quite familiar, but different at the same time. Is it you? You know, them, him, you?

its a shame too, the story started of great.

nah, someone else had an avy of the same girl from the same add before me, i just used a different part of it.

have you read Bag of Bones?... is that any good?

 

[Eggyman]

its a shame too, the story started of great.

nah, someone else had an avy of the same girl from the same add before me, i just used a different part of it.

have you read Bag of Bones?... is that any good?

Yeh, it's my favourite. It's strange for a King novel - written in the first person... I've read it twice and was shocked the second time because I didn't remember it being from that perspective. It's set in a cabin by a lake in Maine, the story revolving around a writer... can't remember his name. I don't know why, but my favourite books by King normally have a writer as the protagonist. I've had the term 'write what you know' drilled into me by a lot of people over the years. Maybe that's why King's writer novels always hit the spot more.

For me, at least.

 

[Sava]

thanks, i guess i'm getting that next

 

[Eggyman]

No problem, pal. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[squeekness]

Bag of Bones was so good, I couldn't put the thing down and read it in one whole day. Greedy me, but man it was delicious.

 

[Galactus]

Under the Dome updates
Posted: March 11, 2009, 22:08:16 | Section: Book » Under the Dome

Scribner now list Under the Dome to be 1120 pages long.

It's also confirmed that the release date is set to November 10, 2009.

 

[squeekness]

Wow, for a guy who supposedly retired he's cranking out a lot of stuff.

I am partway through Just After Sunset. I like it so far, but it's not grabbing me as much as some of his full length work. I read Blaze in one day. With short stories it's too easy to just set the book down and walk away in between stories.

 

[zanos]

The only stephen king book I think I ever read was "Cujo," and I can't honestly tell you with complete certainty that I read it. I just know I borrowed it from the library way back in the day.