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Stephen King |OT| - Era Ka-Tet
- Thread starter Dalek
- Start date
- Entertainment OT
The Stand ain't The Stand without Trashcan Man's adventures with The Kid
Hell yeah, when I saw what was originally edited after reading it, all of it were my favorite parts.
The edits are super dark.
I'm reading the second, expanded edition and actually read a chapter last night. Just got to Chapter 51, a bit after page 700. I figure it will pick back up and that I'm just in the "eye of the storm", more or less.
Just how different are the two versions of the book? An additional 50% (400 pages or so) to the initial print is quite a bit. I might read it at some point, depending on how I feel once I (hopefully) finish this.
I've never seen the tv series either.
I've never read the original version so I can't really say. On the one hand, I did hit a couple of points in the middle of the novel where things slowed down a bit, so the original edition probably has faster pacing if nothing else. On the other hand, part of what I love about The Stand is all the time we get to spend with such a large cast of characters, so I wouldn't want to see any of it removed and am very glad that King was able to get the full version published eventually - even if his attempts to update things to 1990 are kinda variable.
Here's a short video - filmed in the social distancing style of three decades ago - that King made to be distributed to booksellers, explaining why The Stand was cut in the first place and discussing some of the changes that had been made and the process for reintegrating everything into the updated edition:
I've never read the uncut edition of the Stand (I read the original not long before Uncut was released). Did King update the time period references so it feels like it's taking place in the early '90s as opposed to the '70s?
Somewhat. King adjusts dates throughout and adds in allusions to the pop culture of the era here and there. However, there are also large swaths of the book, including the slang and musical references, that are directly out of the late 1970s, so there's a bit of a disconnect going on there. Nothing major, mind you, and certainly not a deal breaker. I'd describe the attempt as entertainingly janky.
Thanks. I was just curious. I'm definitely going to read the uncut version someday.
Picked up the physical copy of The Stand and it's been much more enjoyable than the kindle as weird as it may be. Oddly enough once the committee was formed and they tried to install a government I felt the pace was much better for me
Just finished up Salem's Lot last night. Didn't even realize that the short story, Jerusalem's Lot, is the same setting. Only realized when I got to end of Salem's Lot and it's tacked on the end.
Yeah that's actually the reason I read Salem's Lot!
Callahan is fucking dope.
Finished The Stand. Overall liked it but it was draggy in some spots. Am planning on going through The Dark Tower Series now. Or IT I'm not sure
Just came across the thread. About halfway through The Stand myself. Trashcan just spent a memorable night with The Kid.
It's my second time reading it, but I'm surprised how much I've forgotten. Great book.
It's my second time reading it, but I'm surprised how much I've forgotten. Great book.
Finished If It Bleeds. A solid collection of short stories. If I had to rank them:
1. Rat. Stephen King writes about an author in a bad situation. I think King must thrive when he writes about writing because I loved it.
2. If it Bleeds. I went into this only having read Mr Mercedes and having watched The Outsider tv show, and I think that was the bare minimum that was necessary to get something out of it. Holly is an interesting character and I look forward to finishing the Bill Hodges trilogy in the future to see more of her.
3. Mr Harrigan's Phone - A decent coming of age story that might or might not be spooky.
4. The Life of Chuck - I loved the first third of the story and it reminded me of something that would be seen in a Black Mirror episode. The second part felt entirely disconnected from the other parts. The final part reminded me of the curiosity and spookiness I would see in things as a child. It was also another decent idea that could work as its own thing. Ultimately they all felt disconnected from each other but someone else might get more from it.
Reading Rat inspired me to pick up and finish Misery, which I had not read yet. I devoured it in two days and this might be the most horrific and brutal book I have read of King's yet, and none of it was supernatural. Stephen King must have hated his old author self that took drugs because jeez, he puts the main character through so much. Annie Wilkes is a great villain and I might watch the movie now to see an oscar worthy portrayl of her. Needless to say I love this book.
Next might be The Institute, which I hear is pretty great.
1. Rat. Stephen King writes about an author in a bad situation. I think King must thrive when he writes about writing because I loved it.
2. If it Bleeds. I went into this only having read Mr Mercedes and having watched The Outsider tv show, and I think that was the bare minimum that was necessary to get something out of it. Holly is an interesting character and I look forward to finishing the Bill Hodges trilogy in the future to see more of her.
3. Mr Harrigan's Phone - A decent coming of age story that might or might not be spooky.
4. The Life of Chuck - I loved the first third of the story and it reminded me of something that would be seen in a Black Mirror episode. The second part felt entirely disconnected from the other parts. The final part reminded me of the curiosity and spookiness I would see in things as a child. It was also another decent idea that could work as its own thing. Ultimately they all felt disconnected from each other but someone else might get more from it.
Reading Rat inspired me to pick up and finish Misery, which I had not read yet. I devoured it in two days and this might be the most horrific and brutal book I have read of King's yet, and none of it was supernatural. Stephen King must have hated his old author self that took drugs because jeez, he puts the main character through so much. Annie Wilkes is a great villain and I might watch the movie now to see an oscar worthy portrayl of her. Needless to say I love this book.
Next might be The Institute, which I hear is pretty great.
Salems Lot remains my favorite Stephen King novel. The small town sprawl, the way he uses classic Stoker vampire tropes and makes them terrifying again, the slowly spreading sense of dread. So good. He has books with better characters, but his use of the town makes up for that here.
I don't think I've read One For the Road yet, I should probably get on that.
I don't think I've read One For the Road yet, I should probably get on that.
100%. It's collected in Night Shift and newer versions of 'Salem's Lot.
Agreed on Salem's Lot. I re-read it every few years, and it is the book I have re-read the most in my life (Barker's Books of Blood might be second). The combination of Haunting of Hill House (Marsten House), Dracula, and as King said himself Peyton Place is perfect. I loved the glimpses of the underbelly of small town life before everything goes to hell.
I have always thought King should write 2 prequels (I have said this before and maybe even on this forum). One to Salem's Lot and the other would be to The Shining. The Shining prequel could focus on the early years of the Overlook (I wonder if this is what the HBO Max show is going to do), while Salem's Lot would focus on Hubie Marsten. One thing King does well is give glimpses of history of the places he creates. It makes me want to know more.
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Finally finished Revival.
I have thoughts on it-literally just finished it. I think it's incredibly well written. It's probably one of his best written books. Of course-the ending is just out of this world classic and unforgettable.
That said-I feel like the book drags for a very long time. It's not bad, mind you-but there's the opening sequence set during Jamie's Childhood-and the phenomenal ending. Everything else in between is good but pretty uneventful for the most part. I thoroughly enjoyed it but that entire time I kept wondering how they could possibly make a movie about this because for a great deal of time it's just meandering about.
I have thoughts on it-literally just finished it. I think it's incredibly well written. It's probably one of his best written books. Of course-the ending is just out of this world classic and unforgettable.
That said-I feel like the book drags for a very long time. It's not bad, mind you-but there's the opening sequence set during Jamie's Childhood-and the phenomenal ending. Everything else in between is good but pretty uneventful for the most part. I thoroughly enjoyed it but that entire time I kept wondering how they could possibly make a movie about this because for a great deal of time it's just meandering about.
Well they gave it to the guy who adapted Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, two other books thought to be un-filmable. He's going for three out of three.
Just finished The Gunslinger now onto The Drawing of Three. I thought Gunslinger was good just kinda vague. Like I don't consider myself bad with comprehension but I feel like it went over my head when
died. But overall I feel it was better than some people give it credit for
Jake
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Don't worry-there will be more context to Roland's actions there in that regards.
Finished the third Dark Tower book (technically audiobook), really made me angry where it ended haha! So far the second book was the one I enjoyed most.
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I figured. It just didn't click with me that it happened in that moment.
I have to wait 6 weeks for it to be available from my library on the Libby app and even that feels like a long time!
Was debating even bringing this up as King himself has yet to announce it, but this is the rumor currently floating around
Kids these days have it so easy. I finished high school and college before I found out what happened with Blaine!
I'm a pretty old school King reader but I never actually read Salem's Lot.
I read it last weekend and it was quite good. Reading it in the wilderness at night with just a head lamp by the fire was quite nice atmosphere.
I read it last weekend and it was quite good. Reading it in the wilderness at night with just a head lamp by the fire was quite nice atmosphere.
Definitely one of my favorites. Much better than the 70s TV version with Hutch and the goofy blue vampires.
I read the synopsis of both TV versions and they changed the weirdest shit. Especially the newer Rob Lowe version.
I'm not someone who often whines about changes to books. I think Kubrick improved the story with his version of the Shining.
But the synopsis of the newer one just reads like absolute nonsense. I need to watch it to just see how bad it really is.
See, I thought Pennywise was 100% dead, but as King does he leaves like hints about IT throughout his stories. This was an awesome reference from Dreamcatcher that I have always loved.
A-HAAAAA! I freakin' knew I'd read about a monument somewhere in my travels! I'd forgotten it was in that shitshow of a book!
Pennywise also appears in The Tommyknockers though I think that might have been an hallucination.
Also the opening line of It alludes to the possibility It wasn't truly dead.
I'm skeptical the rumour is true however.
Also the opening line of It alludes to the possibility It wasn't truly dead.
I'm skeptical the rumour is true however.
Ya know, I actually tend to like Dreamcatcher 😅. Every couple of years ago I'll pick it up. Definitely not his best work, but I do tend to enjoy a good UFO/Alien story.
Damn, my favorite book and I completely forgot about that line 😂. Oh 100%, I have no idea what direction King would ever go for a sequel book. IT is my favorite book by far from King, I've read it more times than I can recount. That being, I would love to see the doors he would go down for a sequel.
I don't like the idea of a demigod being killed by mortals. Defeated absolutely. But not killed.
???
The point of the reveal is that the race is nothing special in the grand scheme of things.
Oh. I was like ten when I read the book so I didn't recall this. Didn't watch the second part of the new one yet.
It's definitely Pennywise in The Tommyknockers as one person hears laughter coming from drains in Derry Hospital and a completely different person sees full-on clown Pennywise while driving through Derry. That's not necessarily the same universe as the Derry in It though.
Holy shit WHAT.
Let's not forget the "Pennywise Lives" graffiti in Dreamcatcher, if that was meant to be anything other than a cute reference.
The only thing that concerns me about a sequel is that IT is one instance where SK absolutely stuck the landing. It has the perfect bittersweet ending with everything wrapped up perfectly. Why risk that with a sequel?
On the other hand, it's my favorite book, so I absolutely want to read a sequel.