Stephen King: Beep Beep, Jealous Cow

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Ornamented Death: Jan 25, 2006; Pew pew!

Baka-nin posted:

In addition to all the others listed there's The Colorado Kid maybe

I've always felt that for that book, he stopped writing once he reached a point where he would have had to introduce supernatural elements to continue the story.

# ? Jan 5, 2017 15:04

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# ? May 31, 2024 22:11

syscall girl: Nov 7, 2009; by FactsAreUseless; Fun Shoe

A Typical Goon posted:

I've been reading a ton of King's short stories and you missed a few, some quite good.

The Ledge in Night Surf is great, as is The Woman in the Room, while The Last Rung On the Ladder is probably the weakest story in the book.

Everything's Eventual also has a lot of non-weird stuff stories. From good ones like Autopsy Room 4, In the Deathroom and LT's theory of Pets, to some bad ones like The Death of Jack Hamilton and All That You Love Will be Carried Away.

Basically what I'm saying is that I love King's short fiction, I'm pretty excited to start reading Skeleton Crew, it's the only short story collection that I haven't read yet

The Woman in the Room is super spoopy but The Last Rung on the Ladder does a decent job of being the weakest story in a long collection

I think it did it for me because I've been around barns in my childhood and looking up to the rafters is nightmare fuel. Like I've literally had nightmares about piles of hay as an adult.

# ? Jan 5, 2017 19:11

USMC_Karl: Nov 17, 2003; SUPPORTER OF THE REINSTATED LAWFUL HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT. HAOLES GET OFF DA `AINA.

Teriyaki Hairpiece posted:

Horrible spoilers: you are.

I've read them all and know that the third book goes into supernatural stuff, I'm saying that book 1 and 2 do not have supernatural stuff in them.

A Typical Goon posted:

I've been reading a ton of King's short stories and you missed a few, some quite good.

The Ledge in Night Surf is great, as is The Woman in the Room, while The Last Rung On the Ladder is probably the weakest story in the book.

Everything's Eventual also has a lot of non-weird stuff stories. From good ones like Autopsy Room 4, In the Deathroom and LT's theory of Pets, to some bad ones like The Death of Jack Hamilton and All That You Love Will be Carried Away.

Basically what I'm saying is that I love King's short fiction, I'm pretty excited to start reading Skeleton Crew, it's the only short story collection that I haven't read yet

I agree that EE is a really good collection of short stories, but I'd say that I enjoyed The Death of Jack Hamilton and All That You Love Will Be Carried Away quite a lot, more so than Autopsy Room 4, in fact.

All that you love was such a good read in that it perfectly conveyed how depressed the dude was. It was darkly humorous. How can you not like a short story where the main character collects profane graffiti?

Here I sit,
Cheeks a-flexin'
giving birth to another Texan

And the Death of Jack was similar in that it got across just how bleak everything was for Dillinger and co.

Eh, maybe I have poor taste in SK short stories. I'll be honest that I like those kinds of stories, stuff like A Good Marriage, All That You Love, and Batman & Robin, more than I like Survivor Type.

# ? Jan 6, 2017 01:56

Karmine: Oct 23, 2003; If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.

The most freaked out I've ever been by a short story is in Home Delivery when the astronauts are screaming about the worms in their brains.

I'm not fully certain that it'd freak me out as much on a second read through but it sure gave me the heebie jeebies the first time. Nightmares and Dreamscapes is full of some twisted and gruesome poo poo even by the standards of Stephen King.

# ? Jan 6, 2017 03:18

Dr. Faustus: Feb 18, 2001; Grimey Drawer

Karmine posted:

The most freaked out I've ever been by a short story is in Home Delivery when the astronauts are screaming about the worms in their brains.

I'm not fully certain that it'd freak me out as much on a second read through but it sure gave me the heebie jeebies the first time. Nightmares and Dreamscapes is full of some twisted and gruesome poo poo even by the standards of Stephen King.

Welp. You made me load up my e-book of N&D and read that. Thanks!
I know I've read all of N&D before but I have no memory of that one. I enjoyed it for its King-ly qualities, but (small aside) I've just finished all six (main) books of The Expanse series. Man, they sure did scratch my itch for some fun sci-fi. There's some pretty gruesome stuff that happens on Eros in Leviathan Wakes, in particular, that hit that kinda body-horror monsters-from-space note, so it didn't grab me too hard.
Still, it was a fun little diversion before I go finish A Head Full of Ghosts, which I am enjoying but won't be able to judge for sure until I read the ending (in less than an hour.)

I'll come back with my verdict on that one tomorrow.

If you're in the US and in the path of this nasty weather, I hope you've got good books, and good electricity to read them by in the coming cold days. I'll be enjoying it from work.

# ? Jan 6, 2017 07:13

JohnnyCanuck: May 28, 2004; Strong And/Or Free

Karmine posted:

The most freaked out I've ever been by a short story is in Home Delivery when the astronauts are screaming about the worms in their brains.

I'm not fully certain that it'd freak me out as much on a second read through but it sure gave me the heebie jeebies the first time. Nightmares and Dreamscapes is full of some twisted and gruesome poo poo even by the standards of Stephen King.

I may have noted this before, but one of the only King stories to truly freak me out and keep me awake (out of fright) was The Moving Finger. To this day I can't tell you why it affected me like that.

# ? Jan 6, 2017 19:59

scary ghost dog: Aug 5, 2007

A Typical Goon posted:

I've been reading a ton of King's short stories and you missed a few, some quite good.

The Ledge in Night Surf is great, as is The Woman in the Room, while The Last Rung On the Ladder is probably the weakest story in the book.

Everything's Eventual also has a lot of non-weird stuff stories. From good ones like Autopsy Room 4, In the Deathroom and LT's theory of Pets, to some bad ones like The Death of Jack Hamilton and All That You Love Will be Carried Away.

Basically what I'm saying is that I love King's short fiction, I'm pretty excited to start reading Skeleton Crew, it's the only short story collection that I haven't read yet

skeleton crew is easily his best work

# ? Jan 6, 2017 20:08

ConfusedUs: Feb 24, 2004; Bees?
You want fucking bees?
Here you go!
ROLL INITIATIVE!!

JohnnyCanuck posted:

I may have noted this before, but one of the only King stories to truly freak me out and keep me awake (out of fright) was The Moving Finger. To this day I can't tell you why it affected me like that.

You and me both, buddy. It's one of the few King stories that genuinely hit that fear button.

# ? Jan 6, 2017 20:25

syscall girl: Nov 7, 2009; by FactsAreUseless; Fun Shoe

ConfusedUs posted:

You and me both, buddy. It's one of the few King stories that genuinely hit that fear button.

It's because it has Alex Trebek.

He'd chastise you for not hitting that signalling device correctly and then things would go directly to Canadian heck

# ? Jan 6, 2017 20:34

Dr. Faustus: Feb 18, 2001; Grimey Drawer

Finished A Head Full of Ghosts. What can I say? I mean, I enjoyed it enough. In the plus column it was tightly-written, decently-paced, and presented quite the mystery. Leaned heavily on the unreliable narrator (If I am using the term correctly.) I enjoyed the self-awareness of all the possession tropes and name-dropping movies and books. I liked the way the adult was honest about trying to interpret her own memories from age eight. I enjoyed the book's voice, the way it was sometimes playful and clever, and the honest earnestness and slight deceipts of a young child.

On the other hand:
Holy poo poo what a total lack of answers. Kindle said I had 34 minutes left to go when I hit page advance and the book was over. Kindle was including the excerpt from another book in the reading time left. I literally said out loud, "Oh poo poo no!"
What a loving tease. I'm not saying it's bad, but I can't remember many books that so deliberately left you with almost no solid facts or answers to go by, just several possibilities, all of them plausible. The only ending I can think of that worked at me more was "What did The Judge do to The Man at the end of Blood Meridian?"
Some explanations are more plausible than others, but considering the whole thing is based on the recollections of an 8 year old, rwally any of them could be.
The poison: Did Marjorie get it herself intending to kill everyone but Merry? Did Dad get it to polish the pewter cross, or to kill everyone (if the latter, would he have let Marge get her hands on it?) How did Marge defeat Merry's security (probably easily, because how truly vigiliant is an 8 y.o.?) Apart from being very smart, Marjorie just seems to be a troubled kid acting out, but that's some acting out. Tricking Merry into poisoning her own family? hosed. Up. I was buying her, "I did all this because I wanted to expose Dad" routine all the way up until she got Merry to poison the sauce and then Marge joined right in. Murder-suicide in the opposite direction, and for what?
So it was a good book, but the ending was so open-ended you could drive a truck through it. Merry's final confession was certainly horrifying enough.

# ? Jan 6, 2017 22:29

Franchescanado: Feb 23, 2013; If it wasn't for disappointment
I wouldn't have any appointment; Grimey Drawer

Since you guys usually like other horror besides just King, here you go:

Only The Dead Know Burbank by Bradford Tatum is $1 on Kindle

SYNOPSIS posted:

With Lon Cheney and Boris Karloff among its characters, this sweeping and stylish love letter to the golden age of horror cinema tells the wonderful, tragic story of Maddy Ulm. It takes readers through her rise from the complicated shadows of Berlin�s first experiments with expressionist cinema to the glamorous deserts of Hollywood. For Maddy has a secret. A secret that has given her incredible insight into the soul of horror. A secret that has a terrible price as well.

A young girl awakens in a hastily dug grave�vague memories of blood and fever, her mother performing a mysterious ceremony before the world went away. Germany has lost the first great war and Europe has lost millions more to the Spanish Flu epidemic. But Maddy has not only survived, she has changed. No longer does she eat, sleep, or age. No longer can she die. After taking up with a pair of street performers, she shocks and fascinates the crowds with her ability to survive outrageous traumas. But at a studio in Berlin, Maddy discovers her true calling: film.

With her intimate knowledge of fear, death, and realms beyond the living, she practically invents the modern horror genre on the spot. Before long, she travels to California and insinuates herself in Hollywood as the genius secretly behind The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, and Frankenstein. And yet she must remain in the shadows�a chilling apparition suspended eternally between worlds.

This book has been $10 only, so this may be an accident. Jump on it while you can.

# ? Jan 9, 2017 14:58

the_american_dream: Apr 12, 2008; GAHDAMN

Dr. Faustus posted:

Finished A Head Full of Ghosts. What can I say? I mean, I enjoyed it enough. In the plus column it was tightly-written, decently-paced, and presented quite the mystery. Leaned heavily on the unreliable narrator (If I am using the term correctly.) I enjoyed the self-awareness of all the possession tropes and name-dropping movies and books. I liked the way the adult was honest about trying to interpret her own memories from age eight. I enjoyed the book's voice, the way it was sometimes playful and clever, and the honest earnestness and slight deceipts of a young child.

On the other hand:
Holy poo poo what a total lack of answers. Kindle said I had 34 minutes left to go when I hit page advance and the book was over. Kindle was including the excerpt from another book in the reading time left. I literally said out loud, "Oh poo poo no!"
What a loving tease. I'm not saying it's bad, but I can't remember many books that so deliberately left you with almost no solid facts or answers to go by, just several possibilities, all of them plausible. The only ending I can think of that worked at me more was "What did The Judge do to The Man at the end of Blood Meridian?"
Some explanations are more plausible than others, but considering the whole thing is based on the recollections of an 8 year old, rwally any of them could be.
The poison: Did Marjorie get it herself intending to kill everyone but Merry? Did Dad get it to polish the pewter cross, or to kill everyone (if the latter, would he have let Marge get her hands on it?) How did Marge defeat Merry's security (probably easily, because how truly vigiliant is an 8 y.o.?) Apart from being very smart, Marjorie just seems to be a troubled kid acting out, but that's some acting out. Tricking Merry into poisoning her own family? hosed. Up. I was buying her, "I did all this because I wanted to expose Dad" routine all the way up until she got Merry to poison the sauce and then Marge joined right in. Murder-suicide in the opposite direction, and for what?
So it was a good book, but the ending was so open-ended you could drive a truck through it. Merry's final confession was certainly horrifying enough.

...........Am I misreading or are you saying you didn't think Marge was possesed at all?

# ? Jan 9, 2017 19:58

Ornamented Death: Jan 25, 2006; Pew pew!

the_american_dream posted:

...........Am I misreading or are you saying you didn't think Marge was possesed at all?

One of the more common interpretations of the ending is that Marjorie wasn't possessed, Merry was. I'm not sure if that's where Dr. Faustus was going, but it's a common one.

# ? Jan 9, 2017 20:09

withak: Jan 15, 2003; Fun Shoe

I think that the author has said that the ambiguous ending is a feature, not a bug.

# ? Jan 9, 2017 22:18

Dr. Faustus: Feb 18, 2001; Grimey Drawer

the_american_dream posted:

...........Am I misreading or are you saying you didn't think Marge was possesed at all?

Ornamented Death posted:

One of the more common interpretations of the ending is that Marjorie wasn't possessed, Merry was. I'm not sure if that's where Dr. Faustus was going, but it's a common one.

withak posted:

I think that the author has said that the ambiguous ending is a feature, not a bug.

I'll definitely allow that I'm leaning toward Marjorie simply was never possessed. Sick in the head somehow, but nothing supernatural. There's very little she did in the story that requires the supernatural. The only thing I can think of is the mysterious notes that Marge slipped past Merry's "security." The most compelling was getting into the cardboard house and out to her bed, but Merry dropped the camera and it was the only light source. Marjorie could have simply slipped back out. It's also kinda undermined by the way Margie waits until the exact moment Merry turns off the video camera over Marjorie's "sleeping figure" to craftily ask, "Did you get it?" Also, wrt to her intrusions on Merry's "security," remember it's a 8 y.o.'s security we're talking about. She slept through each incursion, as a sleepy, tired, stressed-out kid probably would. Marjorie was demonstrably good at out-smarting her little sister, and the security (the scarf, the orange-juice bottle, the "laptop" and "camera" cereal boxes) hardly seem like a serious deterrent to a girl as smart as Marge.
Margie never even did anything during the exorcism that was supernatural. The restraints? They probably were never applied to her. The mechanism in the nightstand drawer that made it open and shut really with a constant period really pissed her off (I'm not doing that!) The violence she used against the father was maybe less harrowing than the violence she visited upon herself during the masturbation event, or the leap from the stairs. The vomiting thing was weird, but also explainable. Who knows what she ate to set that off? Everything is too ambiguous!

As far as Merry being possessed, I'm not able to think of any text to suggest it. The only thing I can think of to allow for it is simply in the fact that the story is being related by the older woman, who admits she can't fully trust her own memories or motivations at all times during the possession period.

To the author's point, I believe it's deliberately written this way as stated. I think it is truly ambiguous because it's not hard to think of non-supernatural explanations for the events recounted by older Merry. It's still a really good book because of the truly horrific reveal a the end that Margie actually had the poison (Was it really from the basement or did she acquire it herself?), the way she made the case that the father was going to do them all in (although he seemed fine at dinner, even with his poison suddenly missing), no one was suspicious about the tainted sauce, even saying nothing as they died, and the absolutely stunning way Marjorie joined into the murder-suicide with a smile, leaving Merry an orphan without even her beloved big sister, who just mind-hosed her but good. It's an unexpected level of inhumanity, but could just as easily be the result of mental illness as anything supernatural. It was heart-breaking. I was horrified as Merry recounted putting the poison in the sauce herself, and the reasons she believed it would be ok. It keeps the book solidly in the realm of horror while undercutting (just about?) every case for demonic possession with solid doubts and alternative possibilities. The biggest one being that the POV of the story is always young Merry's. We never get a peek from inside mom or dad or Marge's head. Good book. Total blue balls at the ending, though.

# ? Jan 9, 2017 23:56

the_american_dream: Apr 12, 2008; GAHDAMN

I guess the part of Marge masturbating until bleeding, defecating, and vomiting at the same time seems a bit too far for even the most rebellious teen and Merry not even recognizing what she was doing as masturbation or knowing what that act even was as an 8 year old doesn't really work for me on the unreliable narrator front

But like i said earlier i skimmed the blog chapters just out of disinterest so if that's explained away there im just an idiot :saddowns:

the_american_dream fucked around with this message at 00:38 on Jan 10, 2017

# ? Jan 10, 2017 00:34

Dr. Faustus: Feb 18, 2001; Grimey Drawer

the_american_dream posted:

I guess the part of Marge masturbating until bleeding, defecating, and vomiting at the same time seems a bit too far for even the most rebellious teen and Merry not even recognizing what she was doing as masturbation or knowing what that act even was as an 8 year old doesn't really work for me on the unreliable narrator front

But like i said earlier i skimmed the blog chapters just out of disinterest so if that's explained away there im just an idiot

I do recall Merry saying, I didn't even know what she was doing to herself (and here is the unreliable narrator addition) or maybe I kinda did know and just don't remember now.

I hope you folks don't mind the little derail, I'm running out of steam, myself. Just wanted to thank the thread for the recommendation and share my surprise at how the whole thing turned out.

# ? Jan 10, 2017 01:16

Ornamented Death: Jan 25, 2006; Pew pew!

Dr. Faustus posted:

As far as Merry being possessed, I'm not able to think of any text to suggest it. The only thing I can think of to allow for it is simply in the fact that the story is being related by the older woman, who admits she can't fully trust her own memories or motivations at all times during the possession period.

The biggest hint is that, whenever the reporter meets with Merry, she comments about how it suddenly gets cold. This is a pretty common trope in all the movies and books Merry referenced in her blog, though as far as I can remember, it's one thing she never actually mentions herself. It may or may not have been mentioned as happening during Merry's version of what happened to Marjorie and her family (it's been over a year since I read the book, so I can't remember), but even if it was...the common thread is Merry.

# ? Jan 10, 2017 02:25

the_american_dream: Apr 12, 2008; GAHDAMN

Dr. Faustus posted:

I do recall Merry saying, I didn't even know what she was doing to herself (and here is the unreliable narrator addition) or maybe I kinda did know and just don't remember now.

I hope you folks don't mind the little derail, I'm running out of steam, myself. Just wanted to thank the thread for the recommendation and share my surprise at how the whole thing turned out.

Ah i see. That's fair and interesting

# ? Jan 10, 2017 02:45

Dr. Faustus: Feb 18, 2001; Grimey Drawer

Ornamented Death posted:

The biggest hint is that, whenever the reporter meets with Merry, she comments about how it suddenly gets cold. This is a pretty common trope in all the movies and books Merry referenced in her blog, though as far as I can remember, it's one thing she never actually mentions herself. It may or may not have been mentioned as happening during Merry's version of what happened to Marjorie and her family (it's been over a year since I read the book, so I can't remember), but even if it was...the common thread is Merry.

You're right! Like at the coffee shop! It's the big day when Merry drops the bomb. The final meeting with the writer. The coffee shop seems too hot. Someone asks them to turn down the heat (I need to check whom). It gets really cold in there as Merry tells the final twist to the story. The employee says, "I didn't turn down the heat, by the way, it just stopped working." At the end of the scene they leave and the employee is on the phone with the management company trying to get the heat fixed. It's funny, there are only I think three or four meetings with the book-writer in the whole story. I'll have to review them. That's a neat touch, but it still amounts to just more chaff to throw the reader off. I think. I remember Merry describing the red coat that she wore to meet the writer as "not warm enough" more than once. Thanks!!

# ? Jan 10, 2017 02:47

Rev. Bleech_: Oct 19, 2004; ~OKAY, WE'LL DRINK TO OUR LEGS!~

Dr. Faustus posted:

I hope you folks don't mind the little derail, I'm running out of steam, myself. Just wanted to thank the thread for the recommendation and share my surprise at how the whole thing turned out.

Just finished it last night myself, so I dig this derail. More please.

# ? Jan 10, 2017 14:41

Plucky Brit: Nov 7, 2009; Swing low, sweet chariot

Karmine posted:

The most freaked out I've ever been by a short story is in Home Delivery when the astronauts are screaming about the worms in their brains.

I've just read that short story for the first time. No doubt very creepy, but it felt slightly overshadowed by the most hilariously stereotypical Englishman I've come across in any work of fiction.

Not that that's necessarily a bad thing; I rather like the idea of the Stiff Upper Lip applying in even the most extreme circumstances. I don't think it delivered the desired effect, though.

# ? Jan 10, 2017 18:17

504: Feb 2, 2016; by R. Guyovich

I really liked that story even if it did break a few of the Romero rules for zombies.

It is part of an anthology of stories based about the Night of the living dead movies, I spent forever trying to get a copy (pre internet) and my wife accidentally threw it away before I even got to open it.

# ? Jan 10, 2017 19:10

Ninja Bob: Nov 20, 2002; Bleak Gremlin

ConfusedUs posted:

You and me both, buddy. It's one of the few King stories that genuinely hit that fear button.

Little late to the party, but agreed. There's something about the desperation and the realistic details of trying to handle such a unreal situation that really gets to me.

# ? Jan 14, 2017 10:27

syscall girl: Nov 7, 2009; by FactsAreUseless; Fun Shoe

Ninja Bob posted:

Little late to the party, but agreed. There's something about the desperation and the realistic details of trying to handle such a unreal situation that really gets to me.

Hello I'm Ron Perlman. I'll be your Collie Entragian today. Please enjoy your stay.

# ? Jan 14, 2017 10:49

syscall girl: Nov 7, 2009; by FactsAreUseless; Fun Shoe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x98qcNZ8Fz0

# ? Jan 14, 2017 14:12

Ein cooler Typ: Nov 26, 2013; by FactsAreUseless

I read Cell. The general sentiment I'd gotten from this thread is "starts off good but then gets worse". Yeah I have to say I agree.

# ? Jan 14, 2017 21:42

Jazerus: May 24, 2011

Ein cooler Typ posted:

I read Cell. The general sentiment I'd gotten from this thread is "starts off good but then gets worse". Yeah I have to say I agree.

King in general is like that but Cell is the ultimate example. Every chapter is tangibly worse than the last, while most King stories are good for 75% of the way and then just drop off a cliff for the last 25%, if they're going to at all.

# ? Jan 14, 2017 22:12

The Berzerker: Feb 24, 2006; treat me like a dog

I watched the Cell movie (sort of, I was playing PS4 at the same time). It didn't even have the benefit of starting out good. It started as bad as the end of the book, and then got worse. Total shite but I was expecting it kinda, just had to see.

# ? Jan 15, 2017 04:11

504: Feb 2, 2016; by R. Guyovich

Choose a sequel to any King book you like.

In this imaginary world the sequel will be EXACTLY as good as the book it follows.

# ? Jan 15, 2017 23:26

scary ghost dog: Aug 5, 2007

504 posted:

Choose a sequel to any King book you like.

In this imaginary world the sequel will be EXACTLY as good as the book it follows.

the girl who loved tom gordon

# ? Jan 16, 2017 00:29

Josef K. Sourdust: Jul 16, 2014; "To be quite frank, Platinum sucks at making games. Vanquish was terrible and Metal Gear Rising: Revengance was so boring it put me to sleep."

504 posted:

Choose a sequel to any King book you like.

In this imaginary world the sequel will be EXACTLY as good as the book it follows.

Q: is this a book we think needs a sequel or our favourite book or a trade-off?

# ? Jan 16, 2017 00:48

Blade_of_tyshalle: Jul 12, 2009; If you think that, along the way, you're not going to fail... you're blind.

There's no one I've ever met, no matter how successful they are, who hasn't said they had their failures along the way.