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HorseHeadBed posted:Does anyone else get the impression that Stephen King was abused as a child? There seems to be a lot of weird sexual stuff in his books, particularly where kids are concerned. Child abuse comes up a lot, often tangentially and unrelated to the story, and his perception of adult sexuality seems awkward. I whole-heartedly agree.
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Aug 1, 2009 17:31
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HorseHeadBed posted:Does anyone else get the impression that Stephen King was abused as a child? If he can admit to that on paper, I'd hate to think what he's holding back.
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Aug 1, 2009 19:52
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Tommyknockers without a doubt. It's so bad that it makes King's weak sauce post-accident books read like Hemmingway.
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Aug 1, 2009 22:00
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I just finished this thread and didn't see any mention of Black House, which was BY FAR the biggest disapointment for me out of all of his books. Yes, I know Straub was also involved, but I'm blaming King. When the Talisman came out, I was just getting into King and thought it was one of the best things I'd ever read. As the years went by, I'd re-read it periodically and it never lost its appeal, unlike books like Christine, which was awesome when I was 15 and now seems sorta forced and juvenile. So when I heard a (sorta)sequel was coming I was STOKED, I bought that bastard the day it hit the shelves and.....Jesus, what the hell happened? It just lurches around with only the barest outline of a plot, and ends with the most boring, hackneyed climax imaginable. The Talisman, by contrast, hooked a series of extremely intense sub-stories together Sunlight Gardener scares the gently caress out of me to this day with an easy-to-grasp plot and an overall trajectory that even a moron could grasp. Other than that, I'm right there with the Dreamcatcher/Buick 8/Lisey's Story/Cell haters.
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Aug 2, 2009 02:34
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JnnyThndrs posted:I just finished this thread and didn't see any mention of Black House, which was BY FAR the biggest disapointment for me out of all of his books.
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Aug 2, 2009 06:03
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The most annoying part of Black House was the end which very unsubtly hints that Jack would be involved in the quest for the Dark Tower and whoops! Nothing doing!
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Aug 2, 2009 07:04
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muscles like this? posted:The most annoying part of Black House was the end which very unsubtly hints that Jack would be involved in the quest for the Dark Tower and whoops! Nothing doing! That burned my biscuits as well! That, along with that short story from 'Everything's eventual' with the psychic kid able to kill with emails and the other hints about the Evil King forcing people with psychic powers into his service for some reason made me think we'd see a return of Charlie from "Firestarter" (I can't remember the exact page/book out of Gunslinger that did that, but it was there.)Such a huge disappointment the Gunslinger turned out to be. I still have to put up "Just After Sunset" as his worst work that I've read. Always before I would get at least a few good stories out of his short collections but Sunset didn't even have one for me. Not a single story was worth the slow drudging through.
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Aug 2, 2009 22:14
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Chamberk posted:It's that scene alone that keeps me from recommending It wholeheartedly. The book is great at scaring the crap out of you, developing great characters, etc., and then at the end there's a completely out-of-nowhere and frankly disgusting orgy. They're supposed to be 10 years old in that novel. T E N Y E A R S O L D ! That poo poo just ain't right.
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Aug 2, 2009 22:46
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Even more evidence that little Stevie had some unpleasent things done to his butt.
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Aug 3, 2009 01:18
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Honestly I chalk it up to the fact that Stephen King was a loving drugged-up junkie for a good decade straight. You really need to remember that.
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Aug 3, 2009 04:29
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IceNiner posted:I still have to put up "Just After Sunset" as his worst work that I've read. Always before I would get at least a few good stories out of his short collections but Sunset didn't even have one for me. Not a single story was worth the slow drudging through. I don't think so. That one about the MURDEROUS HOBO HITMAN was pretty awesome. A Very Tight Place was also good I think because of the sickeningly vivid descriptions of the interior of the effluence tank
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Aug 3, 2009 07:31
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So it's agreed: King has written a lot of lovely novels. Some tidbit I pulled from AskMen.com: quote:We are fans of men who have business savvy. You can read his biography for an exhaustive list of accomplishments. What we want to point out is 3 numbers: his earnings for the last 3 years. According to Forbes, they are $44 million for 2000, $65 million for 1999, and $40 million for 1998. Wonder how he makes so much money? He gets 50% of the profits on his books. Stephen King's net worth is over $200 million. If his earnings for those three years averaged $50 million, wouldn't his net worth be considerably over $200 million after all these years? In any case, I can't believe to this day that I read "Rose Madder." Oh god what an awful book. He really does seem at times to be just a slightly more sophisticated version of R.L Stine. And I'm SO glad that I never forced myself to read the rest of "The Dark Tower." I enjoyed the first two, perhaps because of the combined effect of their being relatively short and the promise of what was ahead. But after slogging through "The Waste Lands," I quit after the first chapters of "Wizard & Glass" as I realized this journey was likely to ultimately disappoint.
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Aug 3, 2009 09:47
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fishmech posted:Honestly I chalk it up to the fact that Stephen King was a loving drugged-up junkie for a good decade straight. You really need to remember that. loving drugged-up junkie and alcoholic for a good 30 years straight. Got lit off his rear end on cheap booze in high school, started drugs in college, didn't stop until in his late 40's.
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Aug 3, 2009 13:49
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fishmech posted:Honestly I chalk it up to the fact that Stephen King was a loving drugged-up junkie for a good decade straight. You really need to remember that. Most of the burnouts I've known aren't obsessed with toe-headed preteens with SPECIAL ABILITIES and thier genetals; and they don't like/write chapters and endings of books that seem like they were xeroxed out of the NAMBLA magazine's short-fiction section.
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Aug 3, 2009 16:48
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NosmoKing posted:To retort: Sure, fair enough, but I think that still boils down to "fear is nourishing to It, so opposing emotions - courage, love, hope - are poisonous to It." quote:Just because you say your fake inhaler is battery acid doesn't make it so. You aren't an extradimensional immortal superpowered embodiment of evil. You are a kid with an overprotective mom. Yeah, but it wasn't literally the battery acid that hurt It, it was the emotions behind that statement that allowed Eddie to hurt It. Plus, don't forget that in the end, they did beat It though sheer physical trauma anyway - the emotive stuff was what let them get close to It to begin with. Note that I'm not defending the pre-teen orgy; that was seriously weird stuff. Especially given Beverly's character - so she essentially married an abusive rapist when she was grown up - gee, you think that some of her issues might be illuminated by the fact that she serviced every single one of her friends at the age of 11? That's potentially an interesting question, but we sure didn't need the level of detail about it that we got.
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Aug 3, 2009 18:20
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oddspelling posted:Most of the burnouts I've known aren't obsessed with toe-headed preteens with SPECIAL ABILITIES and thier genetals; and they don't like/write chapters and endings of books that seem like they were xeroxed out of the NAMBLA magazine's short-fiction section. Maybe you just didn't know any sever druggie authors? King doesn't remember writing any part of Cujo, it was all done in a blackout. Think how long it takes to write a 320 page book. Think how drunk/high you need to be to black out for that long.
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Aug 4, 2009 03:26
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fishmech posted:Maybe you just didn't know any sever druggie authors? King doesn't remember writing any part of Cujo, it was all done in a blackout. Think how long it takes to write a 320 page book. Think how drunk/high you need to be to black out for that long. That is a good point...
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Aug 4, 2009 04:45
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oddspelling posted:Most of the burnouts I've known aren't obsessed with toe-headed preteens with SPECIAL ABILITIES and thier genetals; Michael Jackson isn't notable at all?
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Aug 4, 2009 07:53
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I've never read most of the ones that are considered bad King books like Dreamcatcher and Rose Madder. I've also never read any of The Dark Tower stuff because I've heard about how it ends and how bad it gets. But for me the worst book was Gerald's Game. I know some others have mentioned it, it's one of those books where the plot sounds like it could be really interesting in theory but the execution wasn't very good.
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Aug 4, 2009 16:01
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dojokm posted:I've never read most of the ones that are considered bad King books like Dreamcatcher and Rose Madder. I've also never read any of The Dark Tower stuff because I've heard about how it ends and how bad it gets. But for me the worst book was Gerald's Game. I know some others have mentioned it, it's one of those books where the plot sounds like it could be really interesting in theory but the execution wasn't very good. I can't believe people mentioned both his obsession with bad fathers and the creepy sexual stuff without mentioning Gerald's Game. The flashbacks to her childhood in that, yech.
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Aug 4, 2009 17:24
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dojokm posted:I've never read most of the ones that are considered bad King books like Dreamcatcher and Rose Madder. I've also never read any of The Dark Tower stuff because I've heard about how it ends and how bad it gets. But for me the worst book was Gerald's Game. I know some others have mentioned it, it's one of those books where the plot sounds like it could be really interesting in theory but the execution wasn't very good. Not to mention the fact that it was all psychological horror up until the last chapter or so, when he threw in the deranged, retarded, necrophiliac cannibal -- almost as a drat afterthought.
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Aug 4, 2009 18:19
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CrankyProf posted:Not to mention the fact that it was all psychological horror up until the last chapter or so, when he threw in the deranged, retarded, necrophiliac cannibal -- almost as a drat afterthought. Wasn't that guy a figment of her imagination?
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Aug 4, 2009 18:58
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Nope. thought he was, but during her recovery, she finds out he's real. She goes to his trial/competency hearing, and he mocks her by shouting "You're not anything! You're just made of moonlight!" -- which is what she yelled at him -- while shaking his hands in imaginary handcuffs.
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Aug 4, 2009 19:40
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CrankyProf posted:Nope. thought he was, but during her recovery, she finds out he's real. She goes to his trial/competency hearing, and he mocks her by shouting "You're not anything! You're just made of moonlight!" -- which is what she yelled at him -- while shaking his hands in imaginary handcuffs. I actually like Gerald's Game up until that part. Should have left it as her mind loving with her. The necrophiliac cannibal poo poo was just plain dumb.
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Aug 4, 2009 20:00
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Stentorian Longing posted:I actually like Gerald's Game up until that part. Should have left it as her mind loving with her. The necrophiliac cannibal poo poo was just plain dumb. That was my chief complaint with the whole book. That whole section felt as if it was slapped in as a sop to gross-out horror.
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Aug 4, 2009 20:01
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cheerfullydrab posted:I can't believe people mentioned both his obsession with bad fathers and the creepy sexual stuff without mentioning Gerald's Game. The flashbacks to her childhood in that, yech. Good lord, yes. In regards to the sexual stuff, he seems to be amazingly preoccupied with semen. It seems I can't read a single book of his without having to suffer through a random description of jizz at some point. I don't remember which book it was, but some short story of his had a description of some woman scooping some guy's semen off of his sheets and eating it that was probably the only time a book ever made me feel nauseous. Blech.
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Aug 4, 2009 22:28
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spixxor posted:Good lord, yes. In regards to the sexual stuff, he seems to be amazingly preoccupied with semen. It seems I can't read a single book of his without having to suffer through a random description of jizz at some point. I don't remember which book it was, but some short story of his had a description of some woman scooping some guy's semen off of his sheets and eating it that was probably the only time a book ever made me feel nauseous. Blech. If I remember correctly, that was called "Sacrifice". Plus, the 'magical semen' she scooped up belonged to a highly intelligent and talented guy and eating it continuously off of the sheets helped to make the baby she was pregnant with to be a lot brighter than he would have otherwise been. Yucko.
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Aug 4, 2009 23:04
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There's also a bit in the middle of Cell where he spends 3 or 4 pages describing the 'simple utilitarian nobility' of a dead woman's soiled panties.
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Aug 5, 2009 05:10
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I'm a major fan but I prefer his books that stick to the supernatural. The Talisman (which was written under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, for some reason) was so boring. Kid goes on long journey and gets sidetracked in some boring town is all I remember of it. It is only book of his that I haven't been able to get through.
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Aug 6, 2009 06:50
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I just picked up Skeleton Crew last night; can't believe I hadn't read it yet (or maybe I did a longass time ago). I'm really enjoying The Mist, and goddamn he's good at creating that claustrophobic and hunted feeling. Now I'm debating whether to watch the movie or not. It makes for good reading but I think actually seeing what's in the mist would render it completely silly. Edit: After reading the movie synopsis on wikipedia, the ending sounds like total garbage and I can't believe King liked it. Schweig und tanze fucked around with this message at 19:16 on Aug 6, 2009 |
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Aug 6, 2009 16:24
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The funny thing about King liking the movie ending is that in the book the narrator mentions how the National Guard showing up and clearing the mist away would be a terrible ending.
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Aug 6, 2009 22:10
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Stentorian Longing posted:I just picked up Skeleton Crew last night; can't believe I hadn't read it yet (or maybe I did a longass time ago). I'm really enjoying The Mist, and goddamn he's good at creating that claustrophobic and hunted feeling. Now I'm debating whether to watch the movie or not. It makes for good reading but I think actually seeing what's in the mist would render it completely silly. There's lots of great stuff in that one. You won't be disappointed.
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Aug 6, 2009 23:40
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He liked the ending because it ruled so much. The only way to improve it would be to have the director flipping off the audience as a still image while the credits rolled.
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Aug 7, 2009 00:28
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ShawnWilkesBooth posted:He liked the ending because it ruled so much. The only way to improve it would be to have the director flipping off the audience as a still image while the credits rolled. The ending of the Mist (the movie) was loving great. It was a big gently caress you to the audience. I can imagine the movie studio trying to get him to change it.
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Aug 7, 2009 00:40
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nate fisher posted:The ending of the Mist (the movie) was loving great. It was a big gently caress you to the audience. I can imagine the movie studio trying to get him to change it. I'm happy with both endings. I've never seen anything so bleak in a pulpy Hollywood movie.
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Aug 7, 2009 01:02
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Magic Hate Ball posted:Gonna go with Dreamcatcher. At least Cell had a good first chapter, Dreamcatcher didn't even have that. The only thing I remember is some anecdote about the guy's mom falling over and making GBS threads herself. There was also something about a kid wiping his rear end on his neighbor's toothbrush.
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Aug 7, 2009 05:04
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The Breathing Method. gently caress. This story. Maybe because the first and only time I ever read it was because it was assigned in middle school, but for me this was just the ultimate example of NOTHING HAPPENING EVER for the first 3/4, then SHOCK HORROR DECAPITATION, and then more nothing. This is the reason why I hate it so much more than stuff like Dreamcatcher and Tommyknockers. Because at least when there are magical retards and poo poo weasels and everything devolves into incomprehesible what-the-gently caress, at least stuff is going on. Philo fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Aug 8, 2009 |
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Aug 8, 2009 21:05
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Suspect Device posted:The Talisman (which was written under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, for some reason) No, it wasn't. Suspect Device posted:I'm a major fan but I prefer his books that stick to the supernatural. The Talisman was so boring. Kid goes on long journey and gets sidetracked in some boring town is all I remember of it. It is only book of his that I haven't been able to get through. You should really give it another chance. Boiling the story down to the extent that you did is sort of akin to describing The Stand as "there's this flu and then a bunch of people wander around". Mr. Beefhead fucked around with this message at 23:11 on Aug 8, 2009 |
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Aug 8, 2009 23:03
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I have changed my mind about saying "Just after sunset" was King's most inferior work. Seeing Philo commenting above me about the Breathing Method having nothing going on reminds me that it is indeed The Colorado Kid that is the most boring thing he has written. Nothing happens, some old codgers talk about reporting/writing for a small town rag in the good ol' days, they recall the death of a visitor to this little burg a few years back. The stranger did not die a particularly violent or interesting death, not even sure its a murder because there are no suspects. Story ends. That's it. Awful.
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Aug 12, 2009 22:02
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NosmoKing posted:Oh, it's the entire text from Page 1081 through 1086 Just to be pedantic, Bill isn't the fat one, Ben is. Bill's the author/Stephen King stand-in. How many of his books feature writers as main characters, or at least side characters? I know there's the whole 'write what you know', but sometimes it feels like author insertion.
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Aug 13, 2009 00:55
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