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Hogarth Hughes posted:The Dark Half is a goddamned terrible book. This is the only King book I've ever picked up and didn't finish. I mean, he has some crap books, but usually I can push my way through them. The Dark Half is just loving awful.
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Jun 15, 2009 21:24
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I'm about 2/3 through 11/22/63 right now, and I'm really enjoying it. I haven't read much of King's recent stuff besides TWTTK and Under the Dome, but this is great. There sure are a lot of nineteens in this book. (Example: Jake gets a safety deposit box, number 775 - add those together and you get 19). Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.
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Feb 5, 2013 03:32
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Kingnothing posted:You read The Wind Through the Keyhole and not the rest of the Dark Tower series? That book is useless and terrible without any knowledge of the Dark Tower series. I have no idea where you got that from my post, but I have read the DT series about 3 times over. I just haven't read a lot of his recent stuff (Duma Key, Lisey's Story, Just After Sunset, etc.). Kingnothing posted:Also, 19 is a big Dark Tower thing. He likes to throw little stuff like that into the books he writes now so it seems like they tie into it. I know, that's why I mentioned it. If I hadn't read the DT books, why would I be randomly adding numbers together in an unrelated book?
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Feb 12, 2013 16:17
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I recently finished Full Dark, No Stars, and the "Big Driver" story was really difficult to get through due to the fact that it centers around a rape. The "Under the Weather" story was a great short one.
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Jun 2, 2013 18:15
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MissConduct posted:Are all of King's stories related or have Dark Tower tie-ins? Not all, but many.  Here is a flow chart someone made of connections between books that doesn't include the Dark Tower, and here is another that does include the Dark Tower. Potential spoilers, obviously.Images are not , I just put the tags there for those using SALR with links that autoconvert to images.
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Jun 19, 2013 02:56
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Here, I grabbed some of the more interesting bits:quote:King: If I were to "unpublish" a novel...hmmm. There are some I'd probably rewrite, but unpublished? Probably not even ROSE MADDER, which has always seemed less than successful to me. quote:Reddit 1: The timing of this AMA... 4.15...4 + 15 = 19. Coincidence? I think not quote:Yes, I might go back there (Eyes of the Dragon universe). I wrote a sequel to THE SHINING, so anything is possible. As a general rule, I don't revisit. Too many new stories to tell. quote:Favorite musical act of all time? Probably Creedence Clearwater Revival. But AC/DC is close...and The Temptations...the Stones...ah, man, don't get me started. Just not Led Zeppelin.
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Jun 21, 2013 05:28
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I read Christine when I was 11 and read IT shortly afterward, but that's because my mom wasn't paying any attention, please do not let your child read IT.
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Jun 25, 2013 04:21
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juliuspringle posted:drat, I need to get off my rear end and read the book. I did NOT see that first sentence coming. The rest of it I heard alot in this thread but oh man why can't the entire book just be about that first sentence. Honestly you could just go read the Wikipedia entry for the book if you want to know all of the plot points, but they're probably going to change some of them for the show, especially because CBS hasn't decided if this is going to be a one-off 13 episode miniseries, or if they're going to turn it into a full series. If it does well and they decide to make it a series, they can't very well blow up the town and kill off a bunch of people right away so don't expect anything like that during these episodes. Super Ninja Fish posted:I read IT when I was 12 and I'm glad I did. It's the perfect age for max amount of terrifying. It hooked me on Stephen King for life. One of the things I remember liking the most out of it back then was how real the kids sounded. The kids swore all the time, joked about sex, and didn't come off as idiots. Unlike every other kids story I've seen, these kids sounded like me and my friends. The first Ben chapter where he runs away from bullies and meets his first friends in his life is still my favorite chapter in the book. I still think it's more brilliant for the way it developed the friendships than anything to do with the horror. I'm glad I did too but that doesn't mean I think it's good parenting to hand an 11 year old a book with a gross preteen sex scene in it, that's all I was saying.
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Jun 25, 2013 17:06
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April posted:I think it's easier to talk a kid into experimenting sexually OH DO YOU I started Joyland, so far nothing is happening but I'm not bored.
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Jun 27, 2013 00:40
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Castle Radium posted:The last time I saw it I had a nightmare about Belch getting sucked into the pipe, and that white light shooting down the sewer tunnel. I think that's the only part I still find disturbing. That's definitely the only part that still creeps me out to watch, because he bends and squishes up so drat weird. My parents had the miniseries taped from TV as a kid, and there was some movie I liked on the same tape (after IT), so I always had to fast forward past IT to watch the movie I liked. Scared the hell out of me but eventually I was able to remember the counter-clicker number on the VCR of when it was safe to press play. I do remember watching it when I was around 12 and the scene in the shower with Eddie (or Bev in her washroom) scared the hell out of me and made me scared of drains for a long time. Now it's hilarious to see, especially the claymation.
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Jun 29, 2013 23:38
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I haven't read it in a long time, but I think Salem's Lot is the King book that scared me the most.
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Jul 25, 2013 16:11
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I actually prefer the revised version of The Gunslinger is only because I think it makes the story a bit more accessible to newbies. That said, the 2nd and 3rd books of the Dark Tower series are my absolutely favorites and they will really pick up the ball and run with it.
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Aug 1, 2013 02:51
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I only recently read Full Dark, No Stars, but some of the stories in there were the most disturbing of his I'd read in years. Maybe because they were less about monsters and more about deranged lunatics (to some extent). I would say I've read 3/4 of King's stuff but thanks to this thread I realized I don't own Night Shift. I may have read it when I was like 13 but I don't remember reading it at all so I just bought it. Thanks, thread.
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Aug 3, 2013 20:45
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FreezingInferno posted:what's the consensus on the other Salem's Lot-related story in Night Shift, One For The Road? I remember liking it. Vampires in a blizzard. Creepy. Your Gay Uncle posted:Is that the one with the little girl vampire who walked on top of the snow? Because that one freaked me the hell out. Edwardian posted:Nope. That was one of his short stories... "One for the Road." it was set in Jerusalem's Lot after the events of the book. Edwardian is confused. I've started reading NOS4A2 and I'm really digging it, it reminds me of goofy but scary King, old King.
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Aug 15, 2013 01:25
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Still working through NOS4A2 and I've noticed a bunch of King references. I'm only 3/4 through the book so I might be missing some, but I've noticed (spoilers for NOS4A2 and some King books): - Bing says "My life! For you!" to Manx, a reference to The Stand - Manx mentions the different doors his Wraith can find, including a door to Mid-World (reference to the Dark Tower) - When they try to locate Wayne's phone with GPS, there's a point on the map near Derry called "Pennywise Circus" (a reference to It) Have I missed any?
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Aug 19, 2013 17:08
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I finished NOS4A2. It really feels like an early King book. I'll probably check out the rest of Joe Hill's stuff eventually.
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Aug 21, 2013 21:45
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Fascist Funk posted:Firestarter is the one King book I started but was never able to finish. The Dark Half, for me.
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Sep 6, 2013 02:07
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Canuckistan posted:The Tunnel todash monster/centipede sequence found in book 7. Great pacing and very suspenseful, even if the characters had plot armour and would be fine. Yeah, that creeps me out, too. Really, any time he describes things from todash space/The Mist creep me out.
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Sep 9, 2013 16:14
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Count Chocula posted:You ever notice how he slips reading lists into some of his books? Its kinda infuriating, since it takes you out of the story, but I just love this multi-millionare pop novelist using his books to get people to read Parker or Peter Straub or Poul Anderson or whoever else he sticks in there. The only time I REALLY hated it was in the later Dark Tower books. I'm pretty sure JK Rowling and her obscure 'Harry Potter' books didn't need the sales boost. Doctor Sleep makes mention of a character reading John Sandford's "Prey" series and even mentions the series' protagonist, Lucas Davenport. The Prey books are solid airport reading but also the exact type of book the character would be reading, so it fit. (My dad loves that series.)
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Oct 12, 2013 02:36
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Damo posted:So Needful Things is worth reading if I just don't expect it to outshine anything else I listed? Needful Things is a lot of fun and is worth your time.
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Oct 15, 2013 12:55
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I finished Doctor Sleep and I think it's one of my least favorite of the recent King books. I liked 11/22/63, Under the Dome, and Joyland more than that. I enjoyed reading about Dan's recovery but the True were boring villains and the bit at the end where he decides that Dan and Abra's mom are related was just unnecessary.
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Oct 16, 2013 15:51
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It would be weird as hell (for me) to have a series of 8 books, read the first 3, enjoy them, and then stop because some stranger on the internet said the rest suck. You can read the Gunslinger alone and enjoy it, but you'll probably want to read more, and the 2nd and 3rd books are the best in the series as far as I'm concerned. The series has some low points (the 6th book is pretty much liked by nobody) but it's worth reading the whole thing overall, if you ask me!
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Oct 17, 2013 00:21
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I don't dislike all of book 6. I actually like the self-insert because I think it makes sense in the context of the world that had been created. I also love the cliffhanger ending of the 6th book, especially since the 7th came out only a few months after it. I just find all of the Mia/Susannah stuff boring after the first time reading it. That and it leads to Mordred, who is one of the worst villains ever in my opinion, so I like reading it even less.
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Oct 17, 2013 15:43
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That looks fun, although I don't remember any spiders in that story.
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Oct 17, 2013 19:15
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Yeah the beginning of Cell is one of my favorite King beginnings ever, it's great. It just goes off the rails later on.
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Oct 22, 2013 14:53
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ConfusedUs posted:No great loss. Perfect response. IM_DA_DECIDER posted:Having reread 'Salem's Lot lately, are any of the screen adaptations worth a watch? The 2004 one is garbage. The 1979 one isn't a cinematic masterpiece but it did scare the poo poo out of me when I was a kid so it holds a place in my heart.
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Oct 28, 2013 03:32
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I found a list of Stephen King movies/TV shows/miniseries/short films here. I thought I'd post the ones that I've seen, mostly because I'm curious what I've missed that might be worth watching. I have seen: 1976 - Carrie 1979 - Salem's Lot 1980 - The Shining 1982 - Creepshow 1983 - Cujo 1983 - The Dead Zone 1983 - Christine 1984 - Children of the Corn 1986 - Maximum Overdrive 1986 - Stand By Me 1987 - Creepshow 2 1987 - The Running Man 1989 - Pet Sematary 1990 - Graveyard Shift 1990 - It (TV mini-series) 1990 - Misery 1993 - Needful Things 1994 - The Shawshank Redemption 1994 - The Stand (miniseries) 1995 - The Mangler 1997 - The Shining (TV miniseries) 1999 - The Green Mile 2004 - Salem's Lot (TV miniseries) 2006 - Desperation (TV miniseries) 2006 - Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the stories of Stephen King 2007 - 1408 2007 - The Mist 2013 - Under the Dome (TV series) I was curious if anyone knows much about these: 1985 - Cat's Eye - I've never seen this, but I'd like to, because Quitters Inc. is in it and that's a great story. Any good? 1987 - A Return to Salem's Lot - I just googled this and it sounds horrible. I am surprised at the number of short stories that have been adapted into short films but even more surprised at how many short stories have been adapted into full-length movies. Graveyard Shift is a stupid story to begin with. Dragging it out to 90 minutes seems ridiculous.
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Oct 28, 2013 05:19
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ProfessorProf posted:Wait, go back, what's this about. In the link I posted: "2007 - No Smoking (Bollywood movie)" uptown, you should go back and see the original Carrie. It's a good movie.
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Oct 28, 2013 15:19
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I also liked Full Dark, No Stars. The stories in it are really creepy. A Good Marriage was a fun one. I also liked that the villains were basically all people (or if not they were something that the person did to themselves anyway).
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Oct 30, 2013 17:07
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I recently moved, which involved boxing up all my books and reorganizing them on new bookshelves. This act led me to realize I have a few Stephen King books that I've never even read. Out of the following, which would you recommend I read first?: - Insomnia - The Talisman - Four Past Midnight - Dolores Claiborne I'm pretty sure DC is universally considered a horrible one, right?
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Nov 22, 2013 16:31
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I think I'll probably like all of them and I'll either start with Four Past Midnight or The Talisman. I love anything DT-related so I'll like Insomnia despite King having it thrown away in DT.
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Nov 24, 2013 18:24
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rypakal posted:No, he claims to be a superfan that never finished It. It's •worse•. You guys are not reading that post correctly. "I'm a King superfan and I couldn't even finish The Regulators. It (The Regulators) and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon are the only two books of his that have that honor." Italics mine. He couldn't finish The Regulators or TGWLTG.
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Nov 27, 2013 18:15
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WattsvilleBlues posted:[*]the house on Neibolt Street, when It talks to the Losers and manipulates the place I don't remember this scene (I haven't read It in a long time). Can someone elaborate?
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Dec 5, 2013 06:14
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Hemingford Home is heavily involved in The Stand. It's also the setting for one of the short stories in Full Dark, No Stars. That story is called 1922. You should read The Stand after you finish It, I think.
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Dec 8, 2013 22:02
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I started re-reading IT thanks to this thread. Good work, everyone.
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Dec 10, 2013 17:01
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WattsvilleBlues posted:
Not sure. I first read it when I was 12, and I think I've re-read it twice since then. The last time was probably in my early twenties, maybe 7 years ago? I have watched the TV movie a few times since then, which is great because I'm going through the book thinking "Oh right, they totally did that wrong in the movie" every few pages.
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Dec 10, 2013 21:52
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Helsing posted:There was a clown in the stormdrain. The light in there was far from good, but it was good enough so that George Denbrough was sure of what he was seeing. It was a clown, like in the circus or on TV. In fact he looked like a cross between Bozo and Clarabell, who talked by honking his (or was it her?--George was never really sure of the gender) horn on Howdy Doody Saturday mornings--Buaffalo Bob was just about the only one who could understand Clarabell, and that always cracked George up. The face of the clown in the stormdrain was white, there were funny tufts of red hair on either side of his bald head, and there was a big clown-smile painted over his mouth. If George had been inhabiting a later year, he would have surely thought of Ronald McDonald before Bozo or Clarabell. This is from a few pages back (wow this thread is moving quickly with all of us re-reading It at the same time!) but I just read the part near the beginning where Ben has a flashback to a creepy thing that happened to him in the winter, and there's some further description of the clown's outfit that is pretty inconsistent with the artwork I usually see: "The figure was dressed in what appeared to be a white-silver clown suit. It rippled around him in the polar wind. There were oversized orange shoes on his feet. They matched the pom pom buttons which ran down the front of his suit." It's interesting that the suit is "white silver" when it's often shown to be yellow. 3Romeo posted:stuff about homophobia and King`s strengths I don't have much to add to this but just wanted to say this was a great post.
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Dec 14, 2013 03:55
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For whatever reason, the descriptions of Pennywise are really sticking out to me this read. I guess because it has been a long time since my last read, and so when I picture It now, I think of Tim Curry in the yellow suit. Anyway, from the chapter where Mike remembers visiting the Ironworks and sees It (as a bird): It was not just the shock of seeing a monster bird, a bird whose breast was as orange as a robin's and whose feathers were the unremarkable fluffy gray of a sparrow's feathers. He scrambled to his knees, crawled, looked back over his shoulder and saw it rising out of the cellarhold. Its scaly talons were a dusky orange. The bird's tongue was silver, its surface as crazy-cracked as the surface of a volcanic land which has first baked and then slagged off. And on this tongue, like weird tumbleweeds that had taken temporary root there, were a number of orange puffs. The silver and orange colors are present again. I know this thread doesn't use spoiler tags too often but I figured I'd do it in case one of the 20+ people reading it now are reading it for the first time.
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Dec 16, 2013 02:17
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WattsvilleBlues posted:What did you think of the chronological (not narrative) foreshadowing of this encounter? There's a lot of that in this book. A kid thinking about something followed by It manifesting as something related. It's done well but it is done pretty often, at least from what I remember. I guess I'll think about this more as I go through the book. Roydrowsy posted:HOLY poo poo THE CLOWN IS EATING HIS ARMPIT! (I don't know what it is about that image, but it really disturbed me as a kid, and still really visceral for some reason). Same here, I first read the book when I was about 12 and that scene was never forgotten. The image my brain came up with is burned in there forever.
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Dec 16, 2013 04:48
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I have the Signet paperback with the half a clown face on the cover. I used to own the paperback with the paper boat and the big red IT stamped on it, but I've been slowly converting my King paperbacks to the Signet ones for consistency. I'm in Derry: The Second Interlude. Roughly page 430/1100. E: Completely forgot about the reference to The Shining in this book, wow. The Berzerker fucked around with this message at 05:34 on Dec 19, 2013 |
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Dec 19, 2013 04:55
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