Stephen King

jennifer75 · Apr 3, 2007

I was watching War of the Worlds last night and (I know, not a King flick) but it got to the part at the Ferry Boat and the "things" coming over the hill to attack and I freaked out. I had flashbacks of Langoliers and turned off the video. I cant stand that kind of horror! It totally freaked me out! It didnt help that I was alone.....lol.

Writer2011 · Apr 3, 2007

My favorite of his is MISERY

Kay_XX · Apr 9, 2007

I love Stephen King. Not in a I'm-going-to-stalk-him -kinda way, but in a he's-given-me-so-much-I-love-him-for-it -kinda way.

Granted, not all his novels are masterpieces but he is a great storyteller. There are few writers who can capture the feel of bonding and friendship better than him (the children in IT, Stand by Me, The Dark Tower -series for example).

The latest I've read from him is The Cell (Lisey's Story isn't published here yet) and the man still has it.

If I'm forced to pick a favourite, it's the whole Dark Tower series. I love each and every main character, from Roland to Oy. The talent King has, IMO, is that he creates amazing characters. Yes, he's good at storytelling and his plots are great. But it's the characters that stick to my mind and stay with me.

Death Wizard · Apr 14, 2007

In my humble opinion, Pet Semetary is the scariest book ever written. Salem's Lot and The Shining were fantastic. The Dark Tower series was bizarre and quirky, but a great, great read. Cell surprised me; the first 50 pages, especially, are fantastic. I loved The Stand, but not as much as some people.

Saundra Julian · Apr 14, 2007

I love, love, love King, BUT I cannot get through Lisey's Story...it's so boring and I'm very disappointed!

sgtmrb03 · Apr 27, 2007

I agree with DeathWizard. I don't scare easily, but Pet Semetary freaked me the f*$k out. The Stand is an epic. Love it. I'm not crazy about his recent stuff. Cell was a good story, but the writing lacked. Different Seasons was his best work overall, IMHO. I love The Breathing Method. And I agree with what a few other posters have said. His work hasn't been done due justice by Hollywood. The majority of the film adaptations have sucked, save The Green Mile, The Shining, and Misery.

kristie911 · Apr 28, 2007

I just started Lisey's Story and I've only managed to get to page 15 or so. It's bloody awful so far...the character isn't even interesting enough for me to give a crap what's happening to her. I think her husband died of frickin' boredom!

ACK! I want so badly to like it...I love everything else SK has written. Cell is my favorite of his recent works. But The Stand, IMO, is his best work ever. I've read it at least 15 times...

Blushing Apple · May 12, 2007

I love his work. Firestarter is the only one I have read twice. Loved it. Finished Cell and thought it was the goriest thing he's done.. and loved it.

I read The Stand when I was 15 and I had just gotten into Led Zeppelin. While I was reading it, I was listening to Led Zeppelin 4 and the song "Stairway to Heaven" seemed to fit everything going on in the book!

ILove2Write · May 29, 2007

I love Stephen King's work. I recently picked up his book On Writing (I know it's not new) and read it. I found the grammar parts very helpful. However, when I picked up his book The Shining, I found that some things he wrote contradicted what he was teaching.

Is this because the books are older and the way writing style is now has changed?

I'm not trying to argue with him here...but then when I look at other people's books I see they do the same thing that he previously did.

i.e. dialogue..just thinking randomly here.

"I'll get it," she groaned.
Stephen King says it should be:
"I'll get it," she said.

But in his books, I've seen him write like the first sentence.

I still love his work, either way though. Any answers to how it should be written?

Jordygirl · May 29, 2007

Anyone read The Long Walk? What did you think of it?
(I haven't read it yet, so no spoilers!)

Cindyh2k · May 29, 2007

I LOVE Stephen King! Absolutely, no doubt about it, my favorite writer!

alaskamatt17 · May 29, 2007

My favorite King book is the first collaboration he did with Peter Straub, The Talisman. One of the best fantasy adventures I've ever read.

BlueBadger · May 29, 2007

"Eyes of the Dragon" remains my favourite fantasy book of all time. It seems like fantasy writers work their bums off to give readers magical surroundings, but King worked effortlessly with his characters instead. There was certainly magic involved, but there was also a gritty atmosphere that other fantasy authors spit-shine out of their novels. I don't mind subtle reminders about how people without access to running water and basic health care probably had regular fights with bad stomachs, bad teeth and dangerous child birth.

I recently finished "The Shining" and it was great. Also liked The Stand, The Mist (in Skeleton Crew), Pet Semetary and 'Salem's Lot. I also liked It, but I got a titch lost by the end. XD

ACK! I want so badly to like it...I love everything else SK has written. Cell is my favorite of his recent works. But The Stand, IMO, is his best work ever. I've read it at least 15 times...

Don't feel too badly. My mom used to be the world's biggest King fan, but she absolutely can't stand his newer stuff. She almost never buys it anymore, whereas she used to always be first in line for his hardcovers.

ChunkyC · May 29, 2007

I really like King too. I'm almost halfway through The Dark Tower VII, last one in the series. I'm so excited to see how it ends.

ILove2Write said:
I love Stephen King's work. I recently picked up his book On Writing (I know it's not new) and read it. I found the grammar parts very helpful. However, when I picked up his book The Shining, I found that some things he wrote contradicted what he was teaching.

Is this because the books are older and the way writing style is now has changed?

I'm not trying to argue with him here...but then when I look at other people's books I see they do the same thing that he previously did.

i.e. dialogue..just thinking randomly here.

"I'll get it," she groaned.
Stephen King says it should be:
"I'll get it," she said.

But in his books, I've seen him write like the first sentence.

I still love his work, either way though. Any answers to how it should be written?

No rule is written in stone. The occasional "she groaned" is fine. But for a new writer, it's important to learn that it's very easy to overdo dialogue tags.

Their primary and by far most important purpose is to aid the reader in identifying the speaker. So when starting out, stick to the basics and before long you'll just know when it's okay to deviate from "the rules," he expounded.

Death Wizard · May 29, 2007

sgtmrb03 said:
I agree with DeathWizard. I don't scare easily, but Pet Semetary freaked me the f*$k out. The Stand is an epic. Love it. I'm not crazy about his recent stuff. Cell was a good story, but the writing lacked. Different Seasons was his best work overall, IMHO. I love The Breathing Method. And I agree with what a few other posters have said. His work hasn't been done due justice by Hollywood. The majority of the film adaptations have sucked, save The Green Mile, The Shining, and Misery.

My eldest child was 2 years old when I read Pet Semetary, so that certainly played a role in it terrifying me, IF you know what I mean.

BlueBadger · May 29, 2007

For some reason, the hedge animals moving for the first time in "The Shining" freaked me out.

Bo Sullivan · May 29, 2007

sgtmrb03 said:
I agree with DeathWizard. I don't scare easily, but Pet Semetary freaked me the f*$k out. The Stand is an epic. Love it. I'm not crazy about his recent stuff. Cell was a good story, but the writing lacked. Different Seasons was his best work overall, IMHO. I love The Breathing Method. And I agree with what a few other posters have said. His work hasn't been done due justice by Hollywood. The majority of the film adaptations have sucked, save The Green Mile, The Shining, and Misery.

What about Shawshank Redemption? That was an excellent film. I have seen it three times now.

Barbara

Death Wizard · May 29, 2007

Duped said:
What about Shawshank Redemption? That was an excellent film. I have seen it three times now.

Barbara

Probably the best movie made from King's work. The movie was better than the novella, in my opinion, though both were excellent.

Bo Sullivan · May 29, 2007

deathwizard said:
Probably the best movie made from King's work. The movie was better than the novella, in my opinion, though both were excellent.

I thought everything in the Novella was captured in the film and it was superbly translated to that medium. I was so disappointed that the Novella was not a full length book.

Barbara

Death Wizard · May 29, 2007

Duped said:
I thought everything in the Novella was captured in the film and it was superbly translated to that medium. I was so disappointed that the Novella was not a full length book.

Barbara

You're right, it easily could have been expanded.

The ending of the movie makes me cry every time.

triceretops · May 29, 2007

About the Long Walk...absolutely incredible, a nail-biter as far as I'm concerned.

Tri

Alvah · May 29, 2007

He is a first rate story teller. I especially liked Hearts in Atlantis, Bag of Bones, and The Stand. One of his short stories "Everything You Love Will be Carried Away" is one of the best I've read by any author.

I like most of his work, but once in a while he writes a clunker. For example Cell was derivative of The Stand, and its ending was weak.

CACTUSWENDY · Jun 19, 2007

waste

I set a new record today. Purchased a copy of king's 'Lisey's Story'.
Made it to page 46. I must be getting old or something. I can not believe he wrote this. What did the rest of you think of it?.....
Is it possible to give a minus stars?..........If so, I think I could give him at least a -* * *

Del · Jun 19, 2007

I heard Lisey's Story on audio book. I suppose over all it was ok. There were some entertaining moments. It does start slow. King likes to stretch things out.

I don't know. I finished The Shining not long ago and felt all but a hundred pages was wasted effort. It should have been a short story. But others loved it. I think King has probably written something for everyone, he has written so much and in so many different ways, but no one can write a story that is unanimously accepted.

You bought it, might as well read it. It will pick up.

reenkam · Jun 19, 2007

Okay, after reading all these posts I feel like I'm missing something huge.

Read half of "It"...and got bored.
Read Carrie...thought it was annoying.
Read Firestarter...was forced to for school
Dreamcatcher twice...both times I thought it'd make a good pillow.
Eyes of the Dragon I read in 6th grade so I don't remember it, much
Dark Tower 1&2 were okay, I've never finished 3....
Tom Gordon....okay, that one I thought was amazing.

What am I missing here? Maybe I'm reading the wrong ones but I just keep getting bored and not frightened at all. What should I try reading of King's to...I don't know. Appreciate why he's so amazing?

Stephen King

SupahStah!

Tumhe na koci puujetha

A work in progress

Happy to be here

Jaws has nightmares too

Nothing doing.

Knows notebooks can kill.

It's hard being green

Tumhe na koci puujetha

Knows notebooks can kill.

Tumhe na koci puujetha

Tumhe na koci puujetha

Life is what you make of it.

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Sky isn't falling, ground is rising

aka cupcake