OP
OP
I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook, narrated by King himself.
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Stephen King |OT| - Era Ka-Tet
- Thread starter Dalek
- Start date
- Entertainment OT
I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook, narrated by King himself.
I love it because it's a slow burn. There's little hints about the madness that awaits the reader in the final act, then it just hits you hard. It would work better in movie form, though. Because a lot of the "filler" could be condensed into a montage.
But I do think it's a horror story. Just not one that starts out with insane scares. It's more of something that creeps up on you.
Stephen King is my favorite author. As a younger kid, I loved short, scary stories. I happened upon Nightmares and Dreamscapes when it was released and I was hooked. I probably read 1 King book a month. Don't sleep on his kid Joe Hill. He's really coming in to his own. His short story collection "20th Century Ghosts" contains a few stories up there with his dad's best.
I finally started reading King seriously a few months ago. Started with The Stand and am reading through the Dark Tower series, currently on the third book. I'm really, really loving them so far. Such fascinating books. I had read The Shining when i was a teenager and didn't think much of it tbh. But i intend to finish the series and i really want to read It as well. Also own Joyland and The Green Mile already so i'll most likely read them. After that, which books would be the strongest? I'm guessing more obvious things like Misery and Carrie, but are there any less known books that really stand out and demand to be read?
It's an unpopular thing to say but I think Hearts in Atlantis is his best work like the very best to me anyway. It's got a lot of heart and it's got a strong message to it as well it's an anti war book which makes some people dislike it but it's also got no horror elements at all so people just write it off as boring I know I did for about 20 years finally read it two years ago it's my favorite book of all time.
OP
OP
Joe Hill wrote the great comic book Locke and Key which is being made into a TV series by Netflix!
OP
OP
Can we talk about the most upsetting deaths in his books? Because the one that hit me hardest and still haunts me to this day is
Eddie. I started reading Dark Tower when I was 12 years old and I read the final book when I was a grown married man. I read those books throughout my life and even when there wasn't a new installment, it was in my head and I thought about the characters. Eddie's death was very real to me and ripped my heart out.
On Writing and Danse Macabre are both excellent. I read them both at the beginning of college and they really helped me appreciate and understand writing and horror more than I had before.
Insomnia and Salem's Lot would be good ones to read after you finish the Dark Tower series.
All of his short story collections are a must. Some of his very best stories are in those, and they completely avoid King's biggest failing for a lot of people: going on too long and not knowing how to wrap things up.
Insomnia and Salem's Lot would be good ones to read after you finish the Dark Tower series.
I saw the movie but don't remember much about it. Only kinda the ending and that Hopkins was pretty alright in it, as he tends to be.
Thanks, that's good to know. Speaking of his shorter stuff, Stand by Me and Shawshank Redemption are two of my favorite movies :)
I think i'll start with Different Seasons and both of your recs and go from there. After The Dark Tower ofc.
Last edited:
Good place to share my thoughts on The Stand.
There will be spoilers.
****
I read The Stand over the summer of last year.
I was in for it. Harold's arc is something else. So is Larry's (but only early on).
However, while the story starts off strong and has numerous great scenes and moments, the finale is truly lackluster.
It goes nowhere and even if that was the point, which I suspect it was, it was still dissatisfying. Most of the men simply die and their deaths feel like they're in vein (Nick, Larry, the professor).
King spends most of the first part building up Larry and it feels like he just takes a backseat then dies. Nick dies and it feels like he was supposed to play a bigger role.
And then the Hardcase/Walter O'Dim/The Walkin Dude/The Man in Black just vanishes and pops up elsewhere in the world (in location and possibly in time) to plot once more.
For a 1,000 plus page investment it wasn't worth it.
That said it still has it's strong points, and those highs are very high.
I will say though that the references to the book made at the end of DT III and in DT IV are very cool. I just wish the story would have turned out differently.
There will be spoilers.
****
I read The Stand over the summer of last year.
I was in for it. Harold's arc is something else. So is Larry's (but only early on).
However, while the story starts off strong and has numerous great scenes and moments, the finale is truly lackluster.
It goes nowhere and even if that was the point, which I suspect it was, it was still dissatisfying. Most of the men simply die and their deaths feel like they're in vein (Nick, Larry, the professor).
King spends most of the first part building up Larry and it feels like he just takes a backseat then dies. Nick dies and it feels like he was supposed to play a bigger role.
And then the Hardcase/Walter O'Dim/The Walkin Dude/The Man in Black just vanishes and pops up elsewhere in the world (in location and possibly in time) to plot once more.
For a 1,000 plus page investment it wasn't worth it.
That said it still has it's strong points, and those highs are very high.
I will say though that the references to the book made at the end of DT III and in DT IV are very cool. I just wish the story would have turned out differently.
OP
OP
The Stand is a great book-but ultimately the perfect example of King's weaknesses. Too much filler and an anti-climatic ending.
That said, the original version is 600 pages-the "uncut" is over 1000. Sometimes editing is best.
Truly, and reading it after reading The Drawing of the Three, the best work I've read from him, just underscored the weaknesses of The Stand.
Was going to guess
Oy.
That shit was rough. "Olan" :(
That shit was rough. "Olan" :(
The Dark Tower is the best ending King has ever written. Will fight over this.
Of course. I actually prefer his collections like Night Shift and Skeleton Crew because the individual stories are so short that you can easily take them down in one sitting.
I would recommend Night Shift after you read Salem's Lot because it has two stories in it that bookend that novel.
Is this worth reading if I have no plans on starting to write? If nothing else it'd be a great thing for my daughter to read as she's into writing (has had a couple of very short stories published locally).
No lies detected.
Added both.
On another note, just got 'It' from Audible. I think i'll sneak it inbetween The Dark Tower books. I saw the recent movie and liked the ideas and the character much more than the movie itself, and since i found out the movie is only half the story i've been itching to read the book and see where it goes. This thread finally convinced me to pull the trigger.
OP
OP
It is absolutely worth reading. It's divided into basically 3 parts:
1. He talks about his early life and the experiences that shaped his life. He talks about struggling to make ends meet and writing books in the laundry room of his trailer. It is incredible. The scene where he gets a call from his agent to learn that the paperback rights to Carrie were sold for $400,000 brought tears to my eyes.
2. He talks about the style and form of writing-it's not dry. It's less about grammar and more about meaning, substance. I'll post my favorite part from it in a bit.
3. He talks in detail for the first time about his car accident that *should* have killed him. It's brutal and heartbreaking. Ultimately in the end it all comes back to writing-and how he used that to preserve and center himself after the accident, surgeries and agonizing PT.
Anyways-this is text from the second section that someone illustrated - this art is not in the book, mind you-but the words are.
This is one of the troubles of artist branding. Just because Revival isn't overtly horrific for the first 100 pages doesn't mean it's quality is any more reduced than, say, The Stand, which gets very bloody very quickly. In fact, Revival better mirrors the structure of 19th century horror writers than many of his other works, and the creeping strangeness in the book, my opinion only, helps accentuate the more severe horror that comes later.
This suggestion that the book is about a "dude starting a band" is not accurate. It's about the collapse of faith and science as the real miracle worker, to dismiss those things in the early throws of the novel feels slighting.
Last edited:
Revival is in my top 5 of King books. I have a profound love for it.
Also for not having a huge horror focus it probably has one of the most horror type things that have stuck with me from any of his books.
Something.....happened.....something.....happened.
Not sure why but something about that fucking sticks with me so much.
Also for not having a huge horror focus it probably has one of the most horror type things that have stuck with me from any of his books.
Something.....happened.....something.....happened.
Not sure why but something about that fucking sticks with me so much.
My favorite King stories are probably "it" and the long walk.
I really loved the first 4 books of the dark tower then was disappointed by the last ones.
"It" was and remain one of the best depiction in fiction of the loss of innocence and the end of childhood. I read it almost 30 years ago and it still haunts me...
I really loved the first 4 books of the dark tower then was disappointed by the last ones.
"It" was and remain one of the best depiction in fiction of the loss of innocence and the end of childhood. I read it almost 30 years ago and it still haunts me...
Totally man. I don't know how to do spoilers on mobile so very light Revival spoilers:
!!
The concept of not remembering your own behavior is so freaky to me. The scene of the guy sitting in a chair and all at once being at the far end of the hotel room, facing the corner - spooky stuff.
So a question for you Stephen King aficionados, what are his most Lovecraftian-like stories? I'm making progress on IT and bought Revival to read next.
Well i liked it, just that the whole guitar band took precedence over the other themes , at times it felt like i was reading two different stories and the truly supernarural horror wasn't that scary (after reading other King books)
i just said it could work better as a short novel or movie. frankly the Shining was a bit long too imo :^S
But i enjoyed it to reach the end :P
Thanks for this, I've added it to my list.It is absolutely worth reading. It's divided into basically 3 parts:
1. He talks about his early life and the experiences that shaped his life. He talks about struggling to make ends meet and writing books in the laundry room of his trailer. It is incredible. The scene where he gets a call from his agent to learn that the paperback rights to Carrie were sold for $400,000 brought tears to my eyes.
2. He talks about the style and form of writing-it's not dry. It's less about grammar and more about meaning, substance. I'll post my favorite part from it in a bit.
3. He talks in detail for the first time about his car accident that *should* have killed him. It's brutal and heartbreaking. Ultimately in the end it all comes back to writing-and how he used that to preserve and center himself after the accident, surgeries and agonizing PT.
Anyways-this is text from the second section that someone illustrated - this art is not in the book, mind you-but the words are.
Has King revealed - either specifically or vaguely - what he's working on for the near future?
He's usually quite open and has two or three projects on the go in various stages of completion but I've heard of nothing beyond Elevation. Even his own website lists nothing in the 'upcoming projects' section.
He's usually quite open and has two or three projects on the go in various stages of completion but I've heard of nothing beyond Elevation. Even his own website lists nothing in the 'upcoming projects' section.
OP
OP
Nothing yet-all the news was regarding him releasing two books this year and Castle Rock on Hulu.
With two bigger books and Elevation in one year, might just be a longer window for now. Especially with Outsider and Elevation coming at the end of the year.
Joe Hill wrote the great comic book Locke and Key which is being made into a TV series by Netflix!
Locke and Key is one of my favorite things ever. I'm super nervous about what they will do to it on Netflix.
How is Bag of Bones? I ended up with multiple copies of it and want to give one to my dad. Thing is, he's not really into horror.
I read something today that said it wasn't too scary, but wanted to doublecheck.
I read something today that said it wasn't too scary, but wanted to doublecheck.
It's the best book from his weakest period. The ending is one of those things I'll remember forever, in a good way.
Any "modern" King (say, 2005 to now) with similar feeling to old school king (say up to "It")? Finishing up Mr. Mercedes and I'm kind of in the mood for something from the original King era but, unfortunately, I've already read all of that. Haven't read much modern King though. Just Duma Key, Revival, 11/22/63, and now Mr. Mercedes.
Also, what's the consensus on the two follow-ups to Mr. Mercedes? Really enjoying it but it doesn't feel like something that would sustain a trilogy.
Also, what's the consensus on the two follow-ups to Mr. Mercedes? Really enjoying it but it doesn't feel like something that would sustain a trilogy.
It depends on what you mean by feeling. As for as stuff like the scope of the story or the cast of the story I'd say Sleeping Beauties and Under the Dome feel closer to the old style. Large casts, weird happenings, shitty people, and good people with problems dealing with the shitty people.
If you like novellas and short stories check out Just After Sunset and Full Dark No Stars. Full Dark No Stars even has a story set in Derry and Just After Sunset has one of his best short stories in it called N.
You pretty much nailed it. I realliy should read Under the Dome as it sounds like the type of high concept epic that I love from King. I think I've held off after hearing the ending was abysmal even by King's normal standards.
Thanks- Full Dark No Stars has been on my radar. Four Past Midnight is one of my absolute favorite King works and FDNS seems to mirror the same structure.
I hope you enjoy it's great and people say King lost his edge but Full Dark No Stars is all about the worst kinds of people.
Pet Sematary is awesome so far. Fear is subjective and all, but some of these passages are getting to me at times. I'm currently at the spot where Louis
Looking forward to what's next, and then again I'm not since I know what that kind of is.
edit: I put something in spoilers but it's not showing for me in the post?
is mistreating his zombified cat. The dream where he killed it and buried it even deeper fucked me up. That's the kind of nightmares I occasionally get."]
Looking forward to what's next, and then again I'm not since I know what that kind of is.
edit: I put something in spoilers but it's not showing for me in the post?
Last edited:
Great that you're liking it! There's some chills-inducing shit in the back third of that book.
Also, very late in the book, one of my favorite passages in all of Kingdom. So... enjoy!
Your spoiler code has the whole spoiler in the spoiler title section. When you click the spoiler button the first box is for a title (that shows next to the word spoiler on the clickable link) and the second box is for the action spoiler. Example:
This is the actual spoiler text
Code (if you prefer to do it purely from the text editor):
Code:
[spoiler=this is the spoiler title]This is the actual spoiler text[/spoiler]
When I was a child, a teacher bought me a copy of Eyes of the Dragon and I was hooked. I'd give up a lot for a sequel to It.
The ending of The Dark Tower is the only piece of written work to make me physically throw a book across a room in tears.
The ending of The Dark Tower is the only piece of written work to make me physically throw a book across a room in tears.
I loved Oy.
I'm reading the Outsider at the moment and enjoying it a lot I must admit. I've been a fan all my life and it blows my mind how he is still such an entertaining read all these years later, especially considering what his body and mind have been through (both self inflicted and otherwise).
Has he ever admitted which era of his work were written when his addictions were at their height? I'm presuming it was around the time of Tommyknockers et al? Which he apparently hated.
Has he ever admitted which era of his work were written when his addictions were at their height? I'm presuming it was around the time of Tommyknockers et al? Which he apparently hated.
Pretty sure that was the height of his addiction and he got sober shortly after that. Tommyknockers may be the book he said he has no recollection of writing. Or maybe it was Cujo?
He doesn't remember writing Cujo, so that's gonna be hard to "top"