el-ahrairah
forward communism, forward gerbils!
actually, this is what makes bad writers bad writing not matter - if it can have that effect on you.
The novels of Stephen King - good?
- Thread starter MillwallShoes
- Start date
actually, this is what makes bad writers bad writing not matter - if it can have that effect on you.
el-ahrairah
forward communism, forward gerbils!
if i told you that you were wrong, would you get involved?
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
it certainly no articul8 vs butchersapron thats for sure. Crack on lads
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i really liked koontz for a while but i was very young. can only remember one about some weird moth creatures from the past or something. his books got increasingly more romance than horror, and i realised he was not writing for me.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
but they haven't won any awards for getting people to listen to musick, unlike one s. king of maine.
sleaterkinney
Well-Known Member
I've enjoyed a good few of his books, most recently the one about jfk. A really good storyteller.
Second that, The Jaunt and Survivor Type especially.
D'wards
IT'S YOUR DECISION DANIEL
Haven't read a Stephen King for years, but in advance of the new film coming out, I picked up IT.
Not far in, but loving it so far - despite what the "playa-haterz" say, he's a great writer - well drawn characters, good pacing, great plots - what's not to like?
His stuff is so readable too
Not far in, but loving it so far - despite what the "playa-haterz" say, he's a great writer - well drawn characters, good pacing, great plots - what's not to like?
His stuff is so readable too
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
that's almost word for word what i was going to say except i made it all the way through Tommyknockers before i decided to call it a day!
And I kind of gave up on Horror fiction around that time too - started reading much more Sci Fi instead.
eta - on a bit of a Kingathon right now - revisited The Stand, Carrie, Rage, and halfway through Salems Lot right now, in audio book form and its as entertaining as ever. Carrie was much better than i remembered and expected, especially as it was a first novel. I like the detail of his earlier shorter novels and the care to attention - the impeccable references and nods to earlier horror literature, especially as I'm quite a lot more well read now than i was then, i get the references.
Though I have to say his characters all kind of merge into each other. I think he writes in stereotypes rather than painting a vivid picture of individual and real, believable people. But the stories are great. At least early on they are.
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Sphinxminx
Away with the fairies
Good overall. Preferred early novels, The Stand, Salem's Lot. Yes "It" went a bit mystic but still sticks with me ( hate clowns anyway). Good stories, bit samey and characters not that strong, but still Needful Things and the Night Shift gave me real creepy creeps. Didn't like Tommyknockers and not sure what he was on for Langoliers. Don't even know how to say that...
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
I read IT when I was 9 years old and quite enjoyed it for a while, but found it incredibly long and boring probably because I was a bit young, so gave up on it and watched the film when it came out a year later which was better. Read Misery and The Lawnmower Man and bits of other novels but I liked his short stores best. The Jaunt and Survivor Type from 'Skeleton Crew' were great. Haven't read anything of his since I was about 13 or 14 though. Mainly the films, The Running Man, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption etc.
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
Liked his early stuff. It felt like he lost his touch about the time he was in that car accident. I haven't enjoyed anything he's written since then.
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
Just remembered I asked my then girlfriend - 1990? - if she wanted to see Pet Sematary with me not knowing that she'd just been told by her mother that her childhood pet dog had died back at home. She got upset and we didn;t stay together much longer. Ooops!
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
i've enjoyed what i've read of his post-'99 writing, especially duma key and just after sunset - N is an excellent long short story.
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
Haven't tried those. I may have to give him another shot.
It seemed to me that he started going for the gross out instead of the slow burn. I didn't care for Dreamcatcher at all for that reason. From the date it was published, it might have been the one he was working on at the time of the accident. A major life event like that could throw anyone off for a while.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
tbh he's never been the most consistent of authors: he's written an awful lot and in an oeuvre that large some things will be poor. hell, even shakespeare wrote a couple of ropy plays! when he's good, he's very very good, but when he's bad he's still decent.
Sphinxminx
Away with the fairies
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
It is. I'm not that keen on it tbh.
Sphinxminx
Away with the fairies
Me neither.
jakethesnake
In bed for Britain
He was on the money with Deadzone,predicting a sociopathic, charismatic egotist gaining the Whitehouse.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Shining.
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
I was going to re-read all Kings books that I read as a young person, in order, and then read the ones I never got round to.
Trouble is getting through Salem's Lot was a bit of a slog. It's way longer than I remembered and pretty boring tbh. It put me off reading more for the moment, but I aim to pick up again at some point.
Trouble is getting through Salem's Lot was a bit of a slog. It's way longer than I remembered and pretty boring tbh. It put me off reading more for the moment, but I aim to pick up again at some point.
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
I reckon this is the closest relevant thread
Anyone able to hook me up with a link, ecopy etc of the Stephen King short story 'Crouch End'?
Anyone able to hook me up with a link, ecopy etc of the Stephen King short story 'Crouch End'?
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
TheHoodedClaw
acknowledging ur soup leg
IT is one of his best, but clearly beyond the point where his editors at the book company had any real effect on his output. Otherwise the "Are you absolutely sure you want to go there, Stephen?" conversation might have had an impact.
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