Stephen King

reenkam said:

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?

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I'd say you're reading the wrong ones. But if boredom is a problem, I'd recommend getting one of his books of short stories. If you wanna be scared, get Nightmares & Dreamscapes. I love pretty much all of his short-story books and about 2/3 of his full-length novels, although I haven't read any of his new ones for the past few years.

Amazing Kings:

The Stand
Cujo
Bag of Bones

I'm starting on the Green Mile. The movie was amazing, I hope the book is too.

deathwizard said:

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.

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I loved the last line in Pet Semetary: "Darling," it said.
That still gives me nightmares.

Salem's Lot. His second novel, and one of his best, imho. Creeped me right out.

I have read two of his novel; Misery and The Green Mile. I also have his book on writing.

I must say, I thought to myself while reading Misery that the man can't form a proper sentence to save his life but then I absolutely loved The Green Mile.

Clearly he can weave a tale, irrespective of what I might think of his sentence structures.

Stephen King, IMHO, writes spectacular novellas.

Reenkam, you might try Different Seasons or Four Past Midnight. Both are collections of four novellas (three of the four in Different Seasons have had movies based on them). I think Apt Pupil (the novella, not the movie) and The Breathing Method are my favorite King works -- both are in Different Seasons.

CACTUSWENDY said:

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 -* * *

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I couldn't agree more! I am a huge King fan but I can't even get thru the first few pages of Lisey's Story. I've tried 3 different times to pick it back up after going off and reading something else. So disappointed.

Loved the book IT, couldn't put it down. Also loved Bag of Bones, thought it was more emotional than most of his stuff.

Tammie

Between The Shining and Pet Semetary, which one should I read first?

Very different books, with very different scares. But I give the edge to The Shining.

I LOVE King's stories, but I must admit that I'm not too partial to his style. He's the only man who gives me a headache after one page. I usually skim past the first chapter or so, only reading through what I feel is absolutely necessary to the plot, because his introductions are sooooooooo drawnnnnnnnn outtttttt that I can't stand it. Once the shit hits the fan and the plot picks up, it's almost guaranteed that I'll love his stories, but those firts few chapters are painful in my opinion.

I never thought I'd say this, but....

I think I'll stick to the movies for most of King's stuff. No, don't hit me!

swvaughn said:

Stephen King, IMHO, writes spectacular novellas.

Reenkam, you might try Different Seasons or Four Past Midnight. Both are collections of four novellas (three of the four in Different Seasons have had movies based on them). I think Apt Pupil (the novella, not the movie) and The Breathing Method are my favorite King works -- both are in Different Seasons.

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I agree, Four Past Midnight was an admirable collection of novellas. I found the whole book for one dollar at a library sale, and nearly peed myself. IT was the best dollar I ever spent.

Dreamcatcher twice...both times I thought it'd make a good pillow.

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um... so why did you read it twice.
I'm fascinated by his imagination but don't like things to be too gory. lol
I loved Insomnia although the begining more than the rest of it.
Misery was much more scary than I thought it would be. It's actually quite brilliant and I read it at the same time as I read On Writing. There is a whole intellectual rumination on a writer's place in the world underneath the horror story.
The only other one I have read is Carrie.
If anyone wants to recommend any of his books that are brilliant but less gross and gory than the others do so.
Yeah I know I'm

gingerwoman said:

If anyone wants to recommend any of his books that are brilliant but less gross and gory than the others do so.

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The Shining
Eyes of the Dragon
Dark Tower books
Christine
Tommyknockers

I'm reading "On Writing", is it supposed to be funny cause I'm 23 pages in and I've stopped to laugh out loud a number of times.

I love his writing, has he written anything with humor and less fright?

Thanks guys!
Yes Jen it's supposed to be funny, in the places where it's funny.

jennifer75 said:

I'm reading "On Writing", is it supposed to be funny cause I'm 23 pages in and I've stopped to laugh out loud a number of times.

I love his writing, has he written anything with humor and less fright?

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The Body has some funny moments. And although not related to talking about King, you might want to check out Creed by James Herbert. Dark comedy rather than black comedy.

I've read everything King ever wrote, some of it I loved and have reread, others not so much. A lot of his stuff scared the beejeezuss out of me, especially Salem's lot, but for some reason, The Jaunt scared and horrified me, and stayed with me a long time after I'd read it. I read it years ago. It would be interesting to see if it still has the same effect.

Who liked Insomnia?

gingerwoman said:

Who liked Insomnia?

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Me

I loved the idea of an old guy being the one to save the day. King doesn't think much of the book, but I thought it was great.

King

I loved the begining with the "Random" and all that. F*** ing brilliant! But he thinks it was a bad book.
I must say I remember the rest wasn't as good as the begining but I did finish and enjoy it.

ChunkyC said:

Salem's Lot. His second novel, and one of his best, imho. Creeped me right out.

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My favorite King book. Pretty creepy --Gave me nightmares for days.

The first adult novel I ever read was my mother's copy of Pet Sematary when I was 10. What a shocking difference from Sweet Valley High! I didn't know books could be like that. I picked it up because it had the cool scary cat on the cover (little did I know).

Then I read It, again one of my mother's books. I don't think I understood all of it back then, and I've probably read it about seven times since - it's probably one of my favourite books of all time. Because of the way it made me feel. The way he writes children... amazing. Each of those seven kids was like someone I knew personally. And I was about their age when I read the book the first time. I get something different out of it each time I read it.

And I am a fan of Insomnia. Ralph was the coolest elderly person ever.

I think I'm probably the only person who didn't enjoy The Stand. My mind wandered both times I tried to get through it.

The_Grand_Duchess said:

I really enjoyed the Regulators and Desperation! I thought they were great, but I didn't think anyone else liked them becuase I never hear anyone talk about them.

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I really liked both of them! 'The Regulators' is my fave out of the two. I read them after a King-less gap of a few years, and I'm so glad I did.

Akuma said:

I just realized that when Stephen King dies, I'm going to be devastated and heartbroken...

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Nah, just dig him up! He'll understand!

Loved most of Stevie-babes's works (he likes me to call him Stevie-babes - or he would, if we met), especially Salem's Lot (recently replaced my copy after I read it to tatters), Cujo, The Mist, The Shining, Pet Sematary and The Regulators, but Insomnia annoyed me and Cell was a re-hash of old ideas and a very limp one, at that.

I haven't read any of the Dark Tower stuff as it's not my thing. Haven't got round to Tom Gordon either.

Voyager said:

I've read everything King ever wrote, some of it I loved and have reread, others not so much. A lot of his stuff scared the beejeezuss out of me, especially Salem's lot, but for some reason, The Jaunt scared and horrified me, and stayed with me a long time after I'd read it. I read it years ago. It would be interesting to see if it still has the same effect.

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"It's eternity in there".

Me too.

'Salem's Lot creeped me out too...I still shiver thinking about it twenty odd years on.