stephen king -- what should i read?

[tyaca]

never thought of reading his books, but picked up under the dome the other day and loved it.

since got green mile off ebay, halfway through, left at MILs, darn. but really enjoying, looking forward to getting it back in post.

what next? could live without horror, but will consider anything recommended

Sad, yes. I have read The entire Dark tower series 7 times and sobbed my heart out every time. The Green Mile just makes me feel bulldozed for days after reading.

Does anybody remember Paranoid: A Chant?

Belligerent - yes! The poem from Skeleton Crew? Something about cyanide...

oooh,

BG that was a poem wasn't it? verrry spooky.

Rosie
Can't re-read Pet Semetary (the film is on Sky tonight or tomorrow, not sure which, but will NOT be watching again!) or Cujo. (Cujo, one of his greatest books IMO, but...no, can't read since I had children. Remember the detail about giving the baby the last of the milk and the cucumber pieces to keep him hydrated...weird the bits one remembers.)

Not re-read Gerald's Game either...that one touched on my fear about any sort of wrist injury (think I must have commited suicide by wrist slittage in a former life - I am V weird about all that)

Geralds Game was connected to Dolores Claibone by the eclipse though wasn't it?

I love the way he weaves his novels together in this way - especially prevalent in the Dark Tower series.

I raved to everyone about Under the Dome as I loved reading it -while I was still reading it. It was pure entertainment and I could visualise every page of it.

I also really loved Cell -although it is 'lighter' in feel but still an entertaining read.

I am currently starting Duma Key and now a little scared by what others have written. Although if it is as good as the others I dont mind too much

I have not read a SK book for 10yrs at least but this thread is bringing it all back. I loved The Shining, IT, Pet Semetary, Salem's Lot, Cujo, Misery and The Stand (superb!) - Also Christine and Carrie. Damn it!! I'm going to have to go and buy them all again- wonders if charity shop still has the copies I sent in.........

Firestarter was similar for me, although not as bad yet as the girl is older and my kids are younger iyswim. OK, starting to sound a bit mad now...

I remembered the one with the shit weasels (Dreamcatcher) and that was the same, had links to - not the Dark Half (another one that I find hard to read now) - Dead Zone.

Love SK. Although I tend to picture him in a Simpsons kind of way, with the clouds and all.

oooooooo

DUMA KEY - not kidding you, that book scared me....ooooooooooooooooo

Bag of Bones was scary too - oh god I am such a SK geek. [hgrin]

Bag Of Bones had that utterly terrifying bath scene in it, iirc.

I didn't like Dreamcatchers - too male and too much toilet humour for me.

Dreamcatchers was very poo-oriented! Liked it though.

I couldn't get on at all with Dreamcatcher. I slogged on for about a quarter of the book then thought Fuck it! I didn't enjoy it one bit.

oh!

Just on a silly note...a number of years ago there was a scooby doo film called "Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost"

I am utterly convinced that "Ben Ravencroft" is Stephen King, I watched that sodding film a hundred times and every single time I said "Stephen King" as the novelist character appeared.

A small semblance of a life would help at this juncture...

sorry!

Nanny, I was the same with Desperation. It really annoyed me, for some reason.

Right ladies - am off to bed.

And remember - the events in King's novels are extremely rare in real life, so sleep well.

:)

Oh, night BG

Don't think too much about that dreadful scene in Bag of Bones where he goes down to the lake and......

mwah!

:)

I remember my uni professor telling our seminar group that SK was 'pulp for the lowest common denominator' and howling at me when I quoted Danse Macabre in my thesis

Getting all nostalgic now.

Meh, I think that academics and the like often liken popularity to pulp.

I am a HUGE fan of SK (no shit) but am willing to admit that his writing can be shaky...I didn't enjoy Cell (because I think it was poorly written - not character enough led, I cannot remember a single name or scene from the book which is hugely unusual for me) I think that his books since his accident have been...challenging in some cases. I understand this though (and I LOVED BLAZE BTW - it was a re-shuffle of Mice and Men and also tragically sad) but I believe that his last few books have been excellent and he is getting back there, I remain his "NUMBER ONE FAN"

I also love Charles Dickens (I think SK is the Dickens of our time in terms of popularity) and Jane Austin and I love Nancy Mitford and Jilly Cooper and Bram Stoker's Dracula and I have read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and I also enjoy reading the Man Booker Prize nominees every year....

These books are all "popular fiction" to decry SK is to deny all the rest IMO.

And I also enjoy a bit of Shakespear the popular fiction wanker.

I just thought of another favourite... Hearts In Atlantis, the one with Brautigan and the 'Low men in yellow coats'. So sad, creepy yet lovely.

IT is one of my all time favourite SK books - in fact I tend to read it about once a year!

Nearly had a hernia when reading another of his books (can't remember what it was) and turned over a page and on it was scrawled 'Pennywise Lives', didn't expect that!

Thought The Talisman was very good as well.

SK's earlier novels are best imho:
The Stand (apocalyptic)
Firestarter (girl has power to light fires by thought)
The Shining (family stranded in old hotel, boy is telepathic)
Dead Zone (oh how I remembered this book during GW Bush's presidency)

Notable exception:
Duma Key (scary)

I just finished Cell. Although not as good as some of the others, I thought the basic premise was interesting and brain as hardware, erasing/rebooting/reprogramming its software etc was interesting. Of course, he has practically stolen the idea from Neal Stephenson, which is probably why he actually talks abut NS as "a god"

I'm trying to finish Cell...

Love lots of his early books..loved the Bachman Books..recent fav totally second Duma Key if you want a copy I have one to post..Has anyone else read Eyes of the Dragon?..I enjoyed SK's venture into swords and sorcery...

Bit of a hijack - sorry - but are Stephen King books suitable for a 12-year-old boy? He is a good reader but quite young for his age in many ways so would hate any sexy bits! Scary is fine, however

I was reading SK in my teens. Probably not as early as 12, though.

I don't remember any sex in SK books, actually.

I shouldn't be on this thread as I have only ever read his short stories (awesome) and seen the movies (various).

BUT I would like to say that if you are into that sort of thing On Writing is one of the best books ever written about writing and reading. It is a short memoir of his early life and then a guide to writing fiction. Amazingly written, honest, passionate, direct, moving and self-deprecating (he is very honest about his bad books and about how some critics view him). The writing advice is both very creative and also very technical (he used to be an English teacher).

Really recommend it. And I must get round to reading the novels. If only they weren't so thick...

IT & The Stand are two of my favouritest books EVER!

You get utterly taken along with the story and feel bereft when they are finished.