No, she definitely has them. Her mannerisms and speech are a little odd. Honestly, I probably hate her because I listen to the audiobooks and the narrator makes her sound annoying as fuck. Like nails on a chalkboard bad.
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Stephen King |OT| - Era Ka-Tet
- Thread starter Dalek
- Start date
- Entertainment OT
Damn as a horror person that's like asking a grandparent with extended family to name their favorite grandchild. So many titles, so many authors, such little space.
So I will do as always when faced with these sort of questions and just pick one and roll with it.
Bentley Little, so good, crosses deftly through all the sub genres while also adding more than a little bizzaro to the mix, sometimes all within one short story.
I suggest for starters his short story collection, aptly titled The Collection, which features "The Washingtonians" which was adapted into an episode of Masters of Horror and is a story featuring secret society's, government conspiracies and cover-ups, and last but not least canabalism, and most fucked up is it's one of the most straightforward least creepy stories in the collection.
For novels would start off with obscure and underrated "The Ignored" though Trigger Warning-intense sick violence including rape- but it's definitley a gem if you can stomach it.
I also have high regard for "The Revelation" which is a reinterpretation of the Vampire myth that mixes it up by adding inspiration from vampire myths from non-western sources.
That's just the beginning, and I'm not going to get to into it but most of his novels have generic sounding names (the mailman, the store, the university, the association) but it's because he takes everyday mundane items and people and takes them one step to the side into an alternative reality where they become the most horrific shit imaginable.
While I like most his work the earlier the better, it does get to the point of "what thing will he make creepy this time". He has a pretty good and respected reputation among other authors and the horror community both as an author and a person, and I only say that because searching will mostly only find his work or the opinion of others because he is intensely private and has and has kept to a no social media, hardly an internet presence.
I first found him in the Borderlands collection ( a series based on new horror and avoiding tropes) where he has the interesting distinction of being the only author to have a story published in each volume, don't know about now, stopped following after the fifth volume, and can only recommend the first three in good faith, though it's very good faith because the first three are amazing.
But that's my rec for this time, Bentley Little. Next time this question comes up I will talk of a different one out of the many I love.
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I'm buying The Collection I've heard Bentley Littles name so many times and always put it off because of the weird names. of the books I tried reading The Town and some of the stuff in that book was insanely creepy mostly the shadow people. A lot of older authors are really private and stay off the internet I know Dan Simmons just vanishes between books his website hasn't been updated since like 2014.
I'm buying it tomorrow morning I'll try and start it that day but it depends on what my girlfriend wants to do Friday is grocery day and we spend most of the morning out shopping.
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It's good but a bit too long. If it had been 60 minutes long it would have been terrific.
I was thinking about The House of the Head from Creepshow and how awesome would it have been if at the end of the episode instead of selling the doll house they had come home to find the head on their table.
Yeah. I think that was the implication when it was thrown under the dresser, was human size then if I recall, but she threw it back in the dollhouse and ended the way it did. I think my initial post (might have been a different thread) was that they opened that door to give you ideas, but then closed it and ended the episode on a still whimsical and child's fantasy note. Because it could have got dark...
Oh shit I must have missed that part my cat jumped on my controller and fast forwarded like two minutes near the end of the episode and I just figured I didn't miss anything. I wish more people would be open minded about Creepshow they are going for 80s cheese with some intense moments not full blown 1408 scares.
I still haven't started The Collection yet I ended up getting a couple of books I got Wounds which is amazing all the stories are about Hell I'm only like 2 stories in but so far both have been great and I got Experimental Film by Gemma Files about a cursed documentary I think that's what it's about anyway. And I got Ghoster by Jason Arnopp one of my favorite authors his last book The Last Days of Jack Sparks was one of my favorite horror stories I read last year about a blogger who sets out to prove an exorcism is fake and ends up getting haunted.
I'll pick up The Collection part 1 on Wednesday on Audible I like short story collections on Audible because I can jump around between them it's like watching an old anthology tv show that way.
After the joy of reading The Shawshank Redemption I was not prepared for the pit of bad feelings waiting in Apt Pupil that story is so dark I still haven't finished the book because Apt Pupil was so overwhelming.
Really curious to read that one, haven't watched the movie. Seems pretty depressing though lol
The movie is a light hearted buddy comedy compared to the book it's bleak.
Lmao I'll take your word for it. Excited to check out Shawshank and The Body though :P
This season of Castle Rock is much better so far really enjoying it they put the first 3 episodes up on Hulu new ones every Wednesday.
Yeah I didn't even know it started this week I just randomly found it on Hulu today. There's some amazing references so far it feels like this season is gonna pay off big time where last season while enjoyable felt like it didn't really go anywhere.
Big King fan here.
Pet Sematary is by far my favourite King novel. I might even go so far to say it's one of my favourite novels.
It's a odd thing to say because the book is so dark and depressing. I think it really hit home with me because I have a young son and it really reminded me of my own mortality. The book is so dark that King almost didn't publish it. Good thing his wife convinced him otherwise.
If your only reference to it is the films then read the book. The book is far superior to the recent film and the original 1980s version.
If I want to scare myself, I'll just think of Gage in this book.
"I have something for you mommy"
*Shudders*
Pet Sematary is by far my favourite King novel. I might even go so far to say it's one of my favourite novels.
It's a odd thing to say because the book is so dark and depressing. I think it really hit home with me because I have a young son and it really reminded me of my own mortality. The book is so dark that King almost didn't publish it. Good thing his wife convinced him otherwise.
If your only reference to it is the films then read the book. The book is far superior to the recent film and the original 1980s version.
If I want to scare myself, I'll just think of Gage in this book.
"I have something for you mommy"
*Shudders*
It's so much better than the movie. Poor Jud
Check out the audio book if you want to read it again, it's great
Do I need to watch season 1 to undertstand S2 of Castle Rock?
I couldn't get into Season 1. But I'm into the Annie Wilkes / 'salem's Lot mashup that looks like is going on in season 2
I couldn't get into Season 1. But I'm into the Annie Wilkes / 'salem's Lot mashup that looks like is going on in season 2
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We don't really know as of yet if it's connected to season 1. It seems like a new story with different characters but they could be waiting to spring something. I'd recommend sticking with the first season as I really loved where it went.
Slowly getting into Stephen King stuff. What do you all recommend for movies? I have seen both ITs and Shawshank. I am watching Castle Rock currently and man, I just don't like it like at all. The acting and writing is so cheesy, and the plot and story is just so poorly told and open ended.
King's movie adaptations have always been sketchy. If you haven't seen The Shining, watch in in prep for the sequel Doctor Sleep. The Shining's movie ending differs greatly from the book, and King notoriously disliked the movie, the Doctor Sleep movie is a direct sequel to The Shining movie.
I would highly recommend both The Shining and Doctor Sleep books. Sleep was so much better than I thought it would be and the ending wasn't what I expected at all.
I would highly recommend both The Shining and Doctor Sleep books. Sleep was so much better than I thought it would be and the ending wasn't what I expected at all.
The first season totally sucks season 2 is awesome but half the fun of Castle Rock is all the King references inside the episodes. The Mist is really good also all the Netflix King movies are good my favorite is 1922 the Netflix King movies are 1922 Geralds Game and In The Tall Grass.
So it's not really about why all of the Stephen Kings stuff happens or is linked? Just cool references?
I'll check those out thanks.
It's really, really good and more people need to watch it! I want a season 2.
I really wanted to love castle rock but season 1 was one of the biggest disappointments in a long while. Not sure if I will even check out season 2
Just started reading salems lot. It my first king book... Kind of.I read 700 pages of It but couldnt get through it. And I might habe read the green mile when I was younger but I might just have watched the movie so Im not sure.
Question is it Say-lems lot (like in the eminem song) or is it suh-lems lot (like if you cut the jeru off of jerusalems lot)?
Question is it Say-lems lot (like in the eminem song) or is it suh-lems lot (like if you cut the jeru off of jerusalems lot)?
It's like Salem even though it's short for Jerusalem. And in local dialogue it's pronounced Sale-um, like Salem MA.
I'm being unfair to season 1 it was more backstory for the town than monsters all over the place the real problem with season one is that it seems like they didn't have a clear vision on what they wanted to do with the story they were telling and the ending was pretty unsatisfying after a great penultimate episode.
But so far in season 2 they balance out the references so they serve the story better sorry if that's all over the place I just got off work and I'm tired.
In season 2 they make a reference to a short story collection cover but it actually sets up the plot while being an awesome reference.
About 200 pages into Wolves of the Calla and I'm breezing through this one compared to Wizard and Glass. I eventually came around on Wizard and Glass but there was a real hurdle I had to overcome for some reason. This has been such a drastic difference, not to say it's a better story so far, I'm just having a much easier time with it.
Wizard of Glass is so dry at points. Wolves of the Calla and the remaining books are all story and way easier to digest.
That's great to hear, seeing as they only get longer knowing they aren't going to be a total struggle to get through has me excited to dive in.
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Wizard and Glass took me a long time to get through because it could be so dry.
I read the next books practically in one setting each.
Wolves of the Calla has one the best cliffhangers of all time.
Wizard and glass, for me was easily the best book in the series. Young Roland's adventure was way more interesting and the characters were way better.
Finally got round to finishing Full Throttle.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I tend to enjoy Hill's work more when he leans more towards magical realism than horror (Pop Art, All I Care About Is You, By The Silver Waters of Lake Champlain, etc.), but I think the horror stuff in this collection is probably better than in 20th Century Ghosts. This collection didn't have quite the impact on me that 20CG did, but it's still a hell of a collection, with stuff like Late Returns and You Are Released that is going to stick with me for a good long while.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I tend to enjoy Hill's work more when he leans more towards magical realism than horror (Pop Art, All I Care About Is You, By The Silver Waters of Lake Champlain, etc.), but I think the horror stuff in this collection is probably better than in 20th Century Ghosts. This collection didn't have quite the impact on me that 20CG did, but it's still a hell of a collection, with stuff like Late Returns and You Are Released that is going to stick with me for a good long while.
Wolves of the Calla is fun with its Magnificent Seven feel, and I think it works together well with Wizard & Glass. First you get to see the old ka-tet in action, then the new one face a similar quest in their own isolated village setting.
But Wizard & Glass will always be my favourite in the series, the atmosphere is just so haunted and amazing. And I'd say the characterization of Roland's old companions is better. While I love Eddie and Susannah, it seems King didn't really know what to do with them once they entered Mid-world. Susannah's plot in the last three books is terrible (and she was such an interesting character in Drawing of the Three).
But Wizard & Glass will always be my favourite in the series, the atmosphere is just so haunted and amazing. And I'd say the characterization of Roland's old companions is better. While I love Eddie and Susannah, it seems King didn't really know what to do with them once they entered Mid-world. Susannah's plot in the last three books is terrible (and she was such an interesting character in Drawing of the Three).
Almost finished with King's latest, The Institute and have been really pleased so far.
Though there's this one meme he leans on once again that I wish he'd just let go of. Whenever King introduces a female antagonist, he just has to make them unattractive physically, usually their sexual body parts. In this one, the main female baddy has "a scrawny body with non-existent breasts" (paraphrase). He mentions it several times. It just seems so distracting & juvenile. As though all "good" female characters are buxom and full of female vitality. Feels like a holdover from days long gone.
Though there's this one meme he leans on once again that I wish he'd just let go of. Whenever King introduces a female antagonist, he just has to make them unattractive physically, usually their sexual body parts. In this one, the main female baddy has "a scrawny body with non-existent breasts" (paraphrase). He mentions it several times. It just seems so distracting & juvenile. As though all "good" female characters are buxom and full of female vitality. Feels like a holdover from days long gone.
Wizard & Glass is my favorite novel, so there is no topping that, but Wolves of the Calla is a hell of a read.
The chapters on
are absolutely amazing. Some of the best writing King has ever done.
Also I'm blazing through Mr. Mercedes right now. Really fun so far.
The chapters on
Father Callahan
Also I'm blazing through Mr. Mercedes right now. Really fun so far.
About to watch Castle Rock, will post my impressions afterwards. I love that this thread is not only a thing but it's active.
The True Knot has got to be one of the lamest ideas for a vampire coven ever I mean they are just awful a totally stupid idea. I mean Stephen King can make a wind up toy monkey scary and the best he could come up with for a second book in a series was RV loving vampires.
Yeah, they sucked! No pun intended! King is my favorite author but he does phone it in sometimes. Like with End Of Watch, easily one of his worst novels to date.
He's pretty hit or miss with full length books lately but his novellas and short stories always deliver . I think of all his recent stuff that wasn't a story collection all I liked was 11/22/63 and Revival I am excited for The Outsider tv show though the book was kinda meh but it could make a great show.