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Magic Hate Ball posted:I'm criticizing the literary establishment for not recognizing how good King is at writing character drama!! sorry, should have been "tell him to come talk to me"
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May 16, 2018 05:13
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| # ? May 31, 2024 19:28 |
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He's just put a short story, LUCIE, up on his website for you to grab for free if you're so inclined.
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May 17, 2018 20:52
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The Outsider came out today. Said to be a spiritual successor to the Bill Hodges trilogy. Supposedly goes back to the hardboiled roots of the trilogy and does not have the supernatural elements of End of Watch. Will start when I get home, I have high hopes for this book.
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May 22, 2018 13:23
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If that’s the case I’m very interested. I really liked Mr. Mercedes but hated the next two books in the trilogy
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May 23, 2018 05:21
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I'd like to thank the AV Club and their book review then for spoiling things right in the first lines of their review.
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May 23, 2018 08:17
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it is supernatural tho
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May 23, 2018 15:21
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chernobyl kinsman posted:it is supernatural tho Yeah, when a Stephen King book review (or multiple, in this case) says that they discover an "actual monster", it means that they discover an actual monster. Nonetheless, it's the first book of his that has sounded interesting since Revival.
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May 23, 2018 15:39
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I just saw Mike Flanagan is doing Dr. Sleep. I haven’t seen Gerald’s Game, but I really enjoyed his other movies. Dr. Sleep is one of those books I liked in parts, but overall I didn’t care for.
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May 24, 2018 00:13
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Wizard of Yendor posted:The Outsider came out today. Oh no... there's supernatural elements. The Outsider is a monster. Also it's more than a spiritual successor to the Bill Hodges trilogy because Holly Gibney shows up in the second half of the book and holy Christ can she not shut the gently caress up about Bill Hodges. I'm near the end and it feels like a chore to finish. Not one of my favorite King books.
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May 24, 2018 08:02
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Vastarien posted:Oh no... there's supernatural elements. The Outsider is a monster. Also it's more than a spiritual successor to the Bill Hodges trilogy because Holly Gibney shows up in the second half of the book and holy Christ can she not shut the gently caress up about Bill Hodges. I'm near the end as well. I wouldn't say it feels like a chore, but I will say the book would probably be much better If there was no connection to the Bill Hodges trilogy at all. I liked those three books, for the most part, but The Outsider just kind of faceplants when Holly shows up
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May 24, 2018 10:44
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Good setup, bad follow-through. I am shocked, simply stunned that a Stephen King novel called "The [Noun]" would turn out this way.
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May 24, 2018 22:15
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mdemone posted:Good setup, bad follow-through. I am shocked, simply stunned that a Stephen King novel [...] would turn out this way.
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May 25, 2018 02:59
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I made myself finish The Outsider and lol, that ending. Apparently all it takes to defeat an ancient supernatural entity is to simply wack it upside the head a whole two times with a sock full a ball bearings. Holly Gibney saves the day with her trusty Happy Slapper. Again. It's so dumb I can't even be mad.
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May 26, 2018 14:10
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Vastarien posted:I made myself finish The Outsider and lol, that ending. Apparently all it takes to defeat an ancient supernatural entity is to simply wack it upside the head a whole two times with a sock full a ball bearings. Holly Gibney saves the day with her trusty Happy Slapper. Again. It's so dumb I can't even be mad. God drat, Stephen. For such a good writer, this seems to happen a LOT in your books and i think I know why. In "On Writing", King basically admits that he mostly figures it out as he goes along and sort of lets the characters write the story for him. He says he likes never knowing where they'll take him or what they'll do next, and seems to enjoy the element of "surprise", but I think it would be helpful if he stopped doing that so much. Get at least a very basic 3 act outline, set up the essential elements of the characters and have some semblance of an idea what the big "payoff" or "message" at the end is supposed to be. He basically admits to writing himself into corners and, I'm sorry, but it shows. That's how we wind up with so many "inter-dimensional monsters", "space turtles", "mystic retards" and "magic paintings". He could take the approach I described and still sort of "free form" at the same time. I can understand why it might be a more fun way of writing, improvising a bit and letting new ideas in as you go, but even the best painters and musicians in the world start with a basic sketch most of the time, unless they're just sketching or jamming. I mean, he's a better writer than I am and certainly one of the most accomplished authors in history so I'm sure he cares gently caress all what I think, but the "fizzled roman candle" endings are a pretty common complaint from King's fans and I honestly think this could be rectified if he worked in a little bit more structured way.
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May 26, 2018 15:24
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the tommyknockers is one king novel that sticks the landing it's also one of his best books despite his insistence to the contrary
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Jun 1, 2018 16:28
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Oxxidation posted:the tommyknockers is one king novel that sticks the landing I love The Tommyknockers, but even I feel the middle act is a huge slog. The ending is perfect. All the little interludes in the town are great. Old man Brown is a badass.
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Jun 2, 2018 23:25
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BiggerBoat posted:God drat, Stephen. For such a good writer, this seems to happen a LOT in your books and i think I know why. this. i just finished needful things and lol at the whole ending. the book is overall pretty good but it just kinda ends much like alot of his books. Dapper_Swindler fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Jun 3, 2018 |
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Jun 3, 2018 04:18
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I feel like his weak endings provide an irregular reward schedule that conditioned his fans to keep pulling the lever. The lever's more fun when the cheese isn't guaranteed.
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Jun 4, 2018 11:50
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Dapper_Swindler posted:this. i just finished needful things and lol at the whole ending. the book is overall pretty good but it just kinda ends much like alot of his books. drat it! I'm reading this now, have about 200 pages left. Was hoping it wouldn't have a poo poo ending though.
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Jun 4, 2018 13:56
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Welp you guys just saved me from trying it out. I was seeing 4s on Goodreads which usually gets me curious, but I'll probably pass.
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Jun 5, 2018 22:49
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Needful Things. Yeah. That was a King ending. Everything up to the last 20 pages was amazing. The characters were well written, the story was like watching a train crash in slow motion, and then it took a massive poo poo and just ended. 
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Jun 8, 2018 17:32
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I'm ready for a new Mid-World book. I really enjoyed The Wind Through the Keyhole.
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Jun 12, 2018 14:08
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Did The Outsider have any supernatural elements? Was it good?
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Jun 13, 2018 22:05
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JustinMorgan posted:Needful Things. Yeah. That was a King ending. Everything up to the last 20 pages was amazing. The characters were well written, the story was like watching a train crash in slow motion, and then it took a massive poo poo and just ended. is there any king book that doesnt just end like that. the shinning had a good ending but thats about it. most of the final acts of his book feel like rush jobs. JustinMorgan posted:drat it! I'm reading this now, have about 200 pages left. Was hoping it wouldn't have a poo poo ending though. its great until the very end and the ending isnt bad, its just kinda WTF and asspully. Dapper_Swindler fucked around with this message at 05:37 on Jun 14, 2018 |
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Jun 14, 2018 05:34
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Dapper_Swindler posted:the shinning had a good ending but thats about it. Are you worried about being sued?
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Jun 14, 2018 08:03
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Dapper_Swindler posted:is there any king book that doesnt just end like that. the shinning had a good ending but thats about it. most of the final acts of his book feel like rush jobs. firestarters ending rules
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Jun 14, 2018 22:20
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dead zone too
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Jun 14, 2018 22:20
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Leavemywife posted:Are you worried about being sued? lol.
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Jun 15, 2018 01:58
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scary ghost dog posted:dead zone too Yes. I read Dead Zone earlier this year and really appreciated how that ended. What else of King's has a good ending?
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Jun 15, 2018 02:34
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JustinMorgan posted:Yes. I read Dead Zone earlier this year and really appreciated how that ended. What else of King's has a good ending? Revival
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Jun 15, 2018 02:49
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Carrie, The Shining, Dead Zone, Firestarter, Cujo, Christine, Pet Semetary, It, Misery, and Tommyknockers all have fine endings, which comprises the majority of his best run.
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Jun 15, 2018 03:33
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It has a terrible ending dude
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Jun 15, 2018 04:18
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I think it has a good ending. Thr town and monster are ended and there’s a sense of closure for the characters. It ends on a very bittersweet note.
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Jun 15, 2018 04:23
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Yeah, what? It's one of his better endings.
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Jun 15, 2018 04:47
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the turtle is very dumb.
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Jun 15, 2018 13:38
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King books with good endings: Misery, Cujo, Shining, Carrie, Salems lot, Long Walk, Green Mile, Dead Zone, 11/22/63, The Stand, Thinner, Delores Claiborne, Pet Semetary... Telling that most of these are front loaded towards earlier in his career. Leavemywife posted:
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Jun 15, 2018 13:40
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Just finished the Outsider, and not having read any of the Bill Hodges' books...Holly was ok I guess. But I am confused...we're movies her trains or Bill? She wouldn't shut the gently caress up about him. The monster really freaking felt like Diet Pennywise . At least in motive and ability.
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Jun 15, 2018 13:55
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Groovelord Neato posted:the turtle is very dumb. it's not what happens in the sewers that makes the ending, it's what happens to derry
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Jun 15, 2018 14:02
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the turtle rules actually
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Jun 15, 2018 14:07
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He set the turtle up to be a possibly more sinister rival to It and then whoops it's hippy bullshit.
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Jun 15, 2018 14:35
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