# Stephen King.



## Jessalynn Barnum

I am reading "The Tommyknockers" right now. I love Stephen King. Who else like his books? If so what is your favorite book? (NO MOVIES!!!)
Mine are,
The Mist
The Tommyknockers
It
Carrie
and many others.


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## Waste.

I am not a big fan of all of Kings books. The only ones I have been able to read are those in The Dark Tower series. Love them.


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## caelum

I read The Myst at a very young age and it left quite a mark on me.  I've also read The Dreamcatcher, and loved it, although the plot was a little hard to understand sometimes.  The handicapped kid is secretly a powerful alien?  The aliens need water to spread their infection but they don't infect an ocean and/or the roots of a river up in the mountains?  I thought the movie rocked, but I don't think they painted what a psychopath that Kurtz character was very well.  In the book he was more believable than the movie, and they even had Morgan Freeman.  Morgan Freeman is just too friendly to play a psycho.


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## Jessalynn Barnum

I have not read Deamcatcher..how is it?


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## caelum

It's been a while since I read it, but I remember really enjoying it.  Lots of great, believable human drama, as well as some scary ideas.  I won't spoil any of it, but definitely worth a read.


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## Jessalynn Barnum

ok.


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## Bruno Spatola

Well there's a bit of a cameo from Pennywise the clown in Dreamcatcher. The characters are all exceptional, especially Beaver and it's one of the better _alien stories_ but still a bit cliche. I saw a lot of the movie Apocalypse Now in it, especially in Kurtz, and the bit in the helicopter. 8/10

The Dark Tower is brilliant, I've read up to Wizard and Glass (Book 4) and it's all good there. King is probably the best character creator. 8/10

Desperation is pretty good. You'd think his supernatural stuff would start to wane but it doesn't. He created a fantastic villain, a group of people who don't get on particularly well at all, but you wouldn't take a single one of them out of the book. . .I'd give it 8/10

It. 10/10, that is all.

From a Buick 8. . .5/10

Everything's Eventual. Great little collection of short stories, love it. 8/10

Rose Madder. An abusive husband, a very likable heroine (more or less a heroine) and it's basically her getting away from him, meeting a new guy who loves her and just moving on, but her hubby is a psychopath. 7/10

Hearts in Atlantis. I haven't read it but my friends keep recommending it.

Gerald's Game. Not my kind of thing but some people swear by it.

The Dark Half. His alter ego is quite crazy in this (can't remember his name) Those bits are cool but, overall the book is a bit of a bummer, in my opinion. 6/10

Misery. Great characters, lovely setting and deeply macabre and disturbing plot. Highly recommended from me. 9/10

The Shining. Sadly, I saw the movie first and preferred it to the book once I sat down and read it. 7/10 

I'm a third through The Stand, and it's good so far. Good characters but, I'm not sure where the story is going.


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## CaptainWilliam

I've read most of his books, and I would have to say my favorites are, The Talisman, Desperation, Nightmares and Dreamscapes, The Dark Tower series, Carrie, IT, and Needful Things.


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## Fox80

Without a doubt: The Shining. Stories about creepy houses, creepy buildings, really get to me. I love that.


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## Jeep121262

I think I have read all of his books, save The dark Tower series, not my bag.  I can't really claim a favorite, but I must say that From A Buick 8 was bad, Dreamcatcher(was that the name?) was also bad and the last one, about the guy that got crushed by the crane could not hold my attention.  Although, I thought Cell was just as exceptional as all of his other works that I did not mention here.  Do your self a favor and read his non-fiction book, On Writing.  Excellent.


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## Jessalynn Barnum

I want to read his non-fiction book...I have not read it yet. Many people have told me that it was a good read. I will look for it, thanks.


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## CaptainWilliam

On Writing is a pretty good read, and I would read it again. It has some good advice, and some motivational speech to it as well.


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## CharlesVer

I have read almost all of Stephen King's books.  He was a gateway author for me.  Way back in the 1980s, when I went through a period where I wasn't reading, I started reading again when I read the Shining.  The only ones I haven't read so far is Under the Dome, Blockade Billy, and that one about the Red Sox.  I find that he's hit and miss--some of his books I loved, and some I thought were horrible, and still others I thought started out good but had bad endings.  

Some of his best include:  Misery, IT, Salem's Lot, the Stand, the Shining, the Dead Zone, most of the Dark Tower series (though I really didn't care for part IV), Bag of Bones.  
Some of his worst:  the Colorado Kid, the Regulators, Duma Key, From a Buick 8, Cujo
Good beginning/bad ending includes Cell, Thinner

Regarding "On Writing," I found his advice helpful except that, unlike Stephen King, I need to plot.  He advises against plotting or outlining.  I tried to follow his advice and wrote myself into a thousand dead ends. I was making up characters on the fly and then killing the characters off because I hated them, I was writing people traveling to places having no idea why they were going there... and I wrote 100 pages of garbage before, following the advice of another writing book, I quit and wrote a detailed outline and a plot.  Then my book came together.  Not plotting works for some writers.  It doesn't work for all writers.

Charlie


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## Jessalynn Barnum

> Regarding "On Writing," I found his advice helpful except that, unlike Stephen King, I need to plot. He advises against plotting or outlining. I tried to follow his advice and wrote myself into a thousand dead ends. I was making up characters on the fly and then killing the characters off because I hated them, I was writing people traveling to places having no idea why they were going there... and I wrote 100 pages of garbage before, following the advice of another writing book, I quit and wrote a detailed outline and a plot. Then my book came together. Not plotting works for some writers. It doesn't work for all writers.
> 
> Charlie


 
I never have an outline or a plot, it just comes out as I am writing. Most people think that I think about what I write about, not always. Like the one story I am writing now, most of the story line just came as I was writing, I didn't think of anything. 

Well, ok with names and little things tlike that, yeah. But the main plot, it just came out of thin air


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## Jessalynn Barnum

Fox80 said:


> Without a doubt: The Shining. Stories about creepy houses, creepy buildings, really get to me. I love that.


 
The Shining is great!! Movie was bad, if you ask me.


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## CharlesVer

There were two movies of the Shining... Stanley Kubrick's original, and the remake, which was much closer to the book.  I didn't actually see all of the remake, just caught a few minutes of it on cable, but I liked the Kubrick movie.  

There are a lot of people who didn't like it because it was *not* true to the book, and that's true.  They were very different entities, not just because the ending changed and the hedge animals became a hedge maze, but also because, in the movie, Jack Torrance seemed more like an insane man who hallucinated a haunting in the hotel, while in the book, Jack Torrance seemed like an ordinary writer, a very sane man with some personal problems (he _did_ accidentally break his son's arm, some time before the book began) living in and becoming obsessed by a haunted hotel.  But taking them as being different entities, I actually liked them both, separate and independant of each other.

Even in the movie version, the hotel was definitely haunted, based on the boy Danny's experiences, riding on that little Hot Wheels bike and seeing the twin girls standing there, not to mention what he saw in the bathtub.  Still, Jack Torrance seemed to be more of a madman in the movie, and more of an ordinary man in the book.  But I still get the chills when I think, "Danny's not here Mrs. Torrance.  Redrum... Redrum..."

Charlie


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## CharlesVer

Jessalynn Barnum said:


> I never have an outline or a plot, it just comes out as I am writing. Most people think that I think about what I write about, not always. Like the one story I am writing now, most of the story line just came as I was writing, I didn't think of anything.



That approach might work for some, but it doesn't work for everyone.  When I tried it my attempt crashed and burned.

It may also have to do with the nature of the story.  A character driven book might naturally flow without a plot.  The novel I'm working on is a suspense/mystery novel full of clues and riddles... so I need to know how the events are going to unfold.

Stephen King's advice was: don't plot.  I read the opposite advice in Richard Frey's "How to Write a Damn Good Novel" and his "How to Write a Damn Good Mystery."  He suggests detailed plot summaries, detailed character descriptions, even first-person narratives from the character's points of view, not intended for the story but just to help the writer get to know the character.  His advice seemed to go overboard;  I think I'd have a hundred pages of plot and character summary before I could begin a book if I fully followed his advice.  For me, the truth lie somewhere in the middle.  But there's really no definitive "right" or "wrong" answer that works for everyone.  I fully believe that each writer is different and needs to find what works for him or her as an individual, and, to paraphrase John Lennon, "Whatever gets you through your writing... s'all right.  s'all right."  

Charlie


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## Jessalynn Barnum

> But there's really no definitive "right" or "wrong" answer that works for everyone. I fully believe that each writer is different and needs to find what works for him or her as an individual, and, to paraphrase John Lennon, "Whatever gets you through your writing... s'all right. s'all right." :wink:


 
That is so true.


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## Fox80

Jessalynn Barnum said:


> The Shining is great!! Movie was bad, if you ask me.


Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall - for the most part pretty good, great actors, but the ending blew.There was a more realistic version with Steven Weber (the dude from "Wings") where he actually came at them with the roque mallet, not an axe.

But you gotta admit - despite veering outside the original story - when Jack chopped a hole in the door and said "Heeeere's Johnny!" that was CLASSIC.


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## Sam

I've never plotted a novel -- _ever _-- and I'm finishing my eighth right now. I feel it stifles my creativity. If I know exactly what's going to happen in every chapter, where's the fun writing it? I like my novels to have a life of their own; to surprise me with twists I never saw coming and, for that reason, a reader will never see coming. 

To each his own, though.


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## garza

_The Shining_ is the only Stephen King novel I've read all the way. I've tried reading others, and never have gotten more than a quarter of the way before becoming too bored to continue.

 The only novel I've ever written was a formula romance with basic plot outline and character sketches provided by the publisher.


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## MJ Preston

Favorites by SK

Under Richard Bachman
View attachment 1230 View attachment 1231

The running man is nothing (and I mean nothing) like that crappy movie they made with Arnold and Richard Dawson.  Its closer to the most dangerous game.


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## Jessalynn Barnum

Hm. Never read The running man...Adding that to my reading list


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## CharlesVer

The Running Man was good, but my favorite Bachman books were Blaze, the Long Walk and Rage, in that order.  I couldn't stand the Regulators, though I loved the companion novel Desperation.


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## CharlesVer

Sam W said:


> I've never plotted a novel -- _ever _-- and I'm finishing my eighth right now. I feel it stifles my creativity. If I know exactly what's going to happen in every chapter, where's the fun writing it? I like my novels to have a life of their own; to surprise me with twists I never saw coming and, for that reason, a reader will never see coming.
> 
> To each his own, though.



I agree with "to each his own."  

*For me, *writing is fun, but not because I'm surprised by my own ending. The fun is in the writing itself, the excitement of the story itself, in giving life to the characters and story I planned out... 

As the writer, I feel I cannot write the scene if I don't know what's going to come next.  When trying that method, I found myself in dead ends.  He walks to the door, opens... and now, I sit thinking, I have no idea what's on the other side of the door.  Wait.  Scratch the last page.  Highlight, cut, bye bye page.  He doesn't walk to the door.  He jumps out the window.  And at the bottom he... breaks his leg.  Then they have to call an ambulance.  Wait, I can't have him go to the hospital, I need him in the next scene.  Why the heck did he jump out the window?  I don't know, I was just making it up as I was going along.  If I had planned it I'd know what they're doing and why.  Never mind, he... he does go to the door... and he opens it and there's his mother.  Why is she standing there?  I don't know... may be his mother isn't standing there.  Bye, bye page.  You get the idea.  I found it utterly frustrating.  I didn't find it fun at all.  I was creating characters and killing them because I didn't like them and they served no purpose... so why did I create them?  Because I was making it up as I went along.

It works for some, it doesn't work for others.  For me, I need a plot.  A direction.  If I make it up as I go along, I find myself in dead ends and throw out a lot of what I've written.


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## Jessalynn Barnum

Fox80 said:


> Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall - for the most part pretty good, great actors, but the ending blew.There was a more realistic version with Steven Weber (the dude from "Wings") where he actually came at them with the roque mallet, not an axe.
> 
> But you gotta admit - despite veering outside the original story - when Jack chopped a hole in the door and said "Heeeere's Johnny!" that was CLASSIC.


That part was AMAZING!!! 

Great movie if you ask me. Have not seen it in a while though.......Hmmm I should rent it.....


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## garza

A little-known secret is that William Faulkner sometimes did outline his novels. He claimed, however that he just invented characters, then followed them around and wrote down what they did.


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## Jessalynn Barnum

that's neat.


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## garza

I think about that whenever I read a comment from a writer who says his characters have gotten out of control. I want to say, 'turn them loose, let them go, just stay close enough to them to know what they are up to so you can write it down'.


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## PSFoster

My favorite King books are The Stand, It, and Misery.  I also love his short story collections. A lot of movies have been made from the short stories.  Desperation was OK, but I did not like Regulators.


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## MJ Preston

It's funny, The Regulators started out with a bang then petered out. 

I never read Blaze. I'm reading Under the Dome right now, a bit at a time, but it's an easy read for a thousand page novel.

As for outlines in writing: I formulate an outline in my head and see where the characters and story lead me. Hopefully, to a publishing house.


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## CharlesVer

There are very few I haven't read or listened to (I'm both an avid reader and an audio book listener, the latter being good advice I got from King's _On Writing,_ and I'm now addicted to audio books.) 

_Under the Dome_, I plan to listen to, perhaps in another month or two after I finish up some other listening I'm doing.  It's in my local library on CD.

Within the next few days, I'm going to start reading _Blockade Billy_.

Then I'll be done with most all his mainstream works.

The only other ones I know of that I haven't read are harder-to-get, some virtually impossible to get, like the ones he wrote as a kid, long before Carrie, like _People Places and Things_ and _Star Invaders_.   (Note:  Did some quick research for this post):  I never read his _My Pretty Pony_ or the book about the Red Sox (I'm not interested in that one.)  I never read _the Plant_, _UR_, the photo book _Nightmares in the Sky_ and may be some obscure things like that.  _

The New Lieutenant's Rap_ is another impossible-to-find rare book I never read (apparently there was an excerpt in _Hearts in Atlantis_, I honestly don't remember it though I did read that, but the rare version is much longer.) though I could get a copy on Abebooks for $1700 if I was insane or had oodles of money coming out my ears, but I'm neither.

I did read some harder to find ones like _Secret Windows:  Essays on the Craft_ which actually had a few stories excerpted from one of the old _People Places and Things_.  I also read _Throttle_ which was in _He is Legend_, which was a terrific book, and I have the copy of _Postscripts_ which has a short story called _Graduation Afternoon_, obscure King that I still haven't read yet, I found the book reasonable on ebay.

The list of really obscure Stephen King stuff is long, there's more I haven't listed here, but that's just about all I haven't read...

So, uh, yeah, I guess you could say I'm a Stephen King fan.    Though I admit, some of them were awful.  (_The Colorado Kid _was perhaps the worst.)

Charlie


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## gore-xx

Without a doubt, the Stand and Gerald's Game are my 2 top favorite King books.

In the running, however, are:

It
the Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Desperation

He's one of my all time favorite authors.


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## gagoots

I started off by reading King, and then as I moved on to better and better writers, i've found it hard to come back to his mediocre stuff. I thought he was really on to something with Lisey's Story and Duma Key, where his writing became stronger (and to use a loaded term: literary) but still had that King edge about the story. Then lo and behold, he dumps that big pile of crap "Under the Dumb" on us. I read the first couple of chapters and then called my buddy to see if he wanted it. I literally couldn't get it out of my house fast enough. Books like The Stand and the entire Dark Tower series will stand the test of time for me, and I will probably always give a new King book a chance. But I would say to try and give other authors a chance; there are some great ones out there with some really serious, life changing books.


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## gore-xx

Just because someone reads Stephen King doesn't mean they don't or can't read other authors works as well. I was not a fan of Duma Key... I find that his older works are so much better than the newer stuff, in my opinion anyways.


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## MJ Preston

I view any writer who has captured my attention deserving merit. Although Stephen King is not for everyone it is very hard to ignore his body of work. In the 70's and 80's King was considered the fast food of literature. Some in the writing community looked down their nose at this author of horror, but King has gone on to be a giant in the writing community. The scope of his work is not limited to horror, in fact the book Different Seasons included three stories that were not horror and went on to become major motion pictures. Most notably was the Novella called the SHAWSHANK Redemption (originally titled Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) The other was a story called The Body which went on to become a movie called STAND BY ME starring River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and that other kid from Star Trek Next Generation. 

Different Seasons was the first King novel I read and I enjoyed three of the four stories very much. In fact King was the one who goit me back into reading, because after that first book I was hooked. I suppose when you become a literary titan, like KIng or Clancy your detractors will always try and knock you down a peg, but book sales don't lie.


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## caelum

The first time I heard that King wrote Shawshank Redemption I couldn't believe it.  At the time I was a big fan of both the movie and his writing, so to find out that the movie was based on his story was an awesome moment.  I don't think they changed much for the movie, other than the title.


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## MJ Preston

caelum said:


> The first time I heard that King wrote Shawshank Redemption I couldn't believe it.  At the time I was a big fan of both the movie and his writing, so to find out that the movie was based on his story was an awesome moment.  I don't think they changed much for the movie, other than the title.


 
That and the character  played by Morgan Freeman (RED) was actually a red haired guy who had fixed the brakes on his wife's car.


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## KangTheMad

I would easily have to say _The Talisman_.

_Black House_ sucked.


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## gagoots

MJ Preston said:


> book sales don't lie.


 
Correct. Unfortunately, sometimes they tell you more about the readers than they do the authors. Also, if book sales don't lie, what are your feelings on Stephanie Meyer? Here's King's: _"Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good."_


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## MJ Preston

gagoots said:


> Correct. Unfortunately, sometimes they tell you more about the readers than they do the authors. Also, if book sales don't lie, what are your feelings on Stephanie Meyer? Here's King's: _"Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good."_


 
I haven't read her, but her saga has found wide appeal. Haven't read JK Rowling either and look at Harry Potter. I think when you compare the above mentioned work to the work of Stephen King you are comparing apples and oranges. King is entitled to his opinion, but I don't blow off anyone's work based on the recommendation of another accomplished writer. Let's face it, the writing crowd is rive with pretentious, self righteous, self centered people. That's why writers write, they're all a bunch of jealous attention whores.

Of course I include myself and every writer here in this sweeping indictment. 

M


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## gagoots

MJ Preston said:


> IThat's why writers write, they're all a bunch of jealous attention whores.
> 
> Of course I include myself and every writer here in this sweeping indictment.


 
LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!

Haha. That's it exactly.


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## CharlesVer

MJ Preston said:


> I haven't read her, but her saga has found wide appeal. Haven't read JK Rowling either and look at Harry Potter.


 
Having read the Potter books, and Twilight, I have to say... pick up a Harry Potter book.  She's a phenomenal writer.

Sales, by the way, does not dictate whether something is well written or not.  Sometimes great books are poorly promoted, sometimes bad books are well promoted.

But trust me, the Potter books are worth the read.

Stephen King's a mixed bag.  For every great book like The Stand, he's got a book like The Colorado Kid... which was actually worse than Twilight.

Charlie


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## CharlesVer

MJ Preston said:


> Of course I include myself and every writer here in this sweeping indictment.



Excuse me, but I happen to be quite humble.  In fact, I'm proud to be as humble as I am.

Ignore me.  

Charlie


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## MJ Preston

CharlesVer said:


> Sales, by the way, does not dictate whether something is well written or not.  Sometimes great books are poorly promoted, sometimes bad books are well promoted.


 
No, I would say sales play a part. Just because the written word is not Steinbeck or Vonnegut doesn't mean that it is not good writing. If a writer is able to communicate a story to a wide audience, as in the case of the Twilight author, then she must be able to write something worth a darn. Writers are comminicators, but writers also appeal to different segments of the population. I think Mr. King should step back and consider a time when many in the mainstream literary community considered him to be the BIG MAC and Fries equivelant of literature. 

I doubt I will ever read Rowling's work, not because I doubt your word, but because the content is not my cup of tea. I am certain the lady is extremely talented.

Cheers
Mark


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## garza

MJ Preston - Not all writers write for the same reason. I write because I'm too lazy to work. My kind of writing attracts little or no public recognition, but it does attract cheques.


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## MJ Preston

garza said:


> MJ Preston - Not all writers write for the same reason. I write because I'm too lazy to work. My kind of writing attracts little or no public recognition, but it does attract cheques.


 
Garza you told me you did it for the groupies! :grin:


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## Tom88

I spent most of last year almost exclusively reading King. I got onto a good thing with The Shining, Misery and The Stand, so I just started reading anything I could find that had his name on it.
I quickly learnt that his books fluctuate in quality, and was sometimes rather frustrated when his books had a strong opening, but fell apart in the middle-to-end.
Overall, though, he has a phenomonal grasp on characters, and some generally excellent prose. Its just his plots, pacing and endings that occassionally sting. Still, you could go alot worse. I still come back to him often. I kind of consider him very decent leisure reading, and I like to sandwich one of his books in between more literary novels, or perhaps a classic.

I've read:

Carrie (ick. Didn't find much to like about this, but this is easily forgiven as it's his debut)

Salem's Lot (Sits very pretty in the horror genre. If you don't expect much else you'll be in for a great time)

The Shining (Just perfect. Scary. A fun read, with actual depth. One of King's leaner efforts. Great characters)

The Stand (Brilliant prose and memorable, fleshed out characters. Impressive scope. Fell off the deep end with the religious undertones, and does plod a little)

Pet Semetary (Was very enjoyable until the predictable, frustrating last quarter. Also very slow. This book stung me)

Cujo (Vivid characters, developed sub-plots. An ending that's a real punch in the crotch. Last section lags tremendously)

Misery (Lean, scary, and tense. Comes highly recommended)

Cell (Great concept. Furious opening. Plot progressed into wacky territories. Unresolved ending)

Lisey's Story (Flashes of brilliant writing. Engrossing love story, marred by the jumpy nonlinear nature. Too unfocused, hops genres. Very personal novel to King)

From a Buick 8 (Very insightful look into police stations. Interesting concept, unnerving but not particularly scary. A little too much padding)

Also read Everything's Eventual and On Writing. Both were excellent.


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## Fantasy of You

Just bought fifteen SK books for fourteen pounds, including delivery (£9). A bargain. Includes the first seven books Tom88 just listed, too. Already have On Writing, which I found to be a great read until I picked up Elements of Style. Lisey's Story was unbearable for me; couldn't get past the fourth chapter.


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## OzzyShiraz

Meh.  I think Stephen King excels at writing "young adult" books.  As for literature?  I find his work weak.  I zuppose it's all personal preference.


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## mocha

My friend is reading Christine that's by King. She read that in like 4 days, said it was really good. I'll have to pick up some of his books at the library. Which one do you think is the best?


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## Bilston Blue

I have King to thank for getting me into reading around the age of 16, and I'll be eternally grateful. I devoured most of his novels and then learned there are other writers out there too.

A couple of my favourites are Bag of Bones and Lisey's Storey, though there are too many to list of those I really enjoyed. Last year I got around to reading Everything's Eventual, a collection of short stories, and just loved Lunch at the Gotham Cafe.

I'm looking forward to getting the new collection of shorts; maybe Santa will have a spare in his sack for me.


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## Verum Scriptor

The thing I love the most about Stephen King is his hooks.  He has me desperate to know what his going to happen next after the first few lines.  I emulate him with my first paragraph when I start a novel/short story.


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## CFFTB

For those of you who have read 'On Writing', do you find it's aimed more at the fiction writer, or can non-fiction writers benefit from the same advice? Not just a few pointers, I can go to the library for that. I mean as a whole.


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## DELFIA

garza said:


> MJ Preston - Not all writers write for the same reason. I write because I'm too lazy to work. My kind of writing attracts little or no public recognition, but it does attract cheques.



I admire that.


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## Hawke

Love _The Long Walk_. Love _Salem's Lot_. Love his short story collections, too. 

Just to say, I prefer the old SK works to the newer.


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## Jenwales

I used to be a fan, The Shining and Carrie are probalby the best I read. His books are too slow for me, they just go on and on and nothing happens. The Cell was good or Cell I think it was called, it was brilliant. I prefer James Herbert.


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## Luckystars1987

I love Stephen King.

The Dark Tower series.
IT (I read this when i was 13 even after my pa telling me it would give me nightmares, i didn't believe this, but guess what...he was right, i slinked downstairs later the next night.. my excuse for being up so late, i wasn't sleepy, he saw right through me!)
Needful Things
Rose Madder


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## Thom McNeilly

I avoid writing a detailed plot outline for any project I'm currently working on because as soon as I start planning I get bored with the whole idea very quickly. The Idea, the characters and the concept itself grows stale and so uninteresting that I tend to abandon the entire story all together. 

Free-writing, as I dubbed it, allows me to change things on a whim, keeping the material fresh and exciting. The downside is, I sometimes have no clue what the next chapter is about and where the story is going. This issue has lead to writers block on a number of occasions.

This method does work wonders when you CAN start though, and creates some really unique, if off the wall, scenes that I believe can't be created via detailed plots and Character profiles. Though, as I said, it can leave you floundering and frantically searching for a life line.

As for Mr. King, his writing skill is nothing special, but the man can tell a story. I've read 90% of his books and short stories and have enjoyed each and every one on some level. Just bought Under The Dome and I am looking forward to start reading it. SK for the win!


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## MJ Preston

I would have to say that both The Long Walk and The Running Man were my favorites and probably the most difficult to adapt to screen. The film adaption of Running Man was a debacle. What I like most about these two stories was their gritty feel. Set in a polluted-government-controlled future, the people of the world have truly succumbed to a new world order where the poorest are tossed into a gladiator role for the entertainment of the masses.

Pick em up and put em down.

Awesome!


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## Fiona_Fiction

I love Stephen King. 

My favourites are _The Shining_ and _Bag of Bones._


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## Terry D

King's early work influenced my writing a great deal.  He does as good a job of eliminating the distance between the reader and the author as any writer I've ever read.  My favorites are _'Salem's Lot_, _The Shining_, _The Stand_, and his first collection of short stories, _Night Shift_.  His first non-fiction book, _Danse Macabre_ (a treatment of horror literature and cinema) was excellent also.


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## caelum

Anyone read Under the Dome?  I just picked up that big honkin brick of a book but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.


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## Terry D

caelum said:


> Anyone read Under the Dome? I just picked up that big honkin brick of a book but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.



Yes.  I think it is one of his better recent books.  The theme and style harken back to the days of It, and The Stand.  He keeps the pace moving (even for such a thick book) by having an epic character list and a number of sub-plots.  If you like King I think you'll like the book.


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## caelum

Alright, thanks.  I liked The Stand.  Should be starting this one in the not too distant future.


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## Terry D

Under the Dome doesn't match the 'magnum opus' standard of The Stand (even though it may more than match it as a paperweight. or door stop), but the style of writing is similar, and King doesn't get as philosophical as in some of his other recent works.  I liked Lisey's Story, and Duma Key, but on the grand scales of story balance the themes of those books were treated with greater weight than was the story.  I'm a story sort of guy.  Under the Dome was a good story.


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## caelum

Yeah.  Frankly I don't like when there's a lot of philosophy or preaching in a novel.  I think the politics and beliefs of the writer will come out enough in the events and the behaviour of the characters that they don't need to sneak mini-essays (or sometimes huge chapter-length essays) into the story.  Unless they do it really, really well and their musings actually are entertaining and enlightening.  Aldous Huxley was famous for his so called "Novels of Ideas" which were basically extended musings and character examples of his themes.  His books I quite enjoyed though.


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## yingguoren

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned Dolores Claiborne yet. For writing style and narration, I think that it's his best book. An important point about King that should interest anyone on this site is that he was not afraid to experiment with writing. Dolores Claiborne, every word from start to finish, is the transcript from a police interview, and it's the only book that I have read without having a break.

He also published The Green Mile in instalments, as Charles Dickens used to do, which was a great exercise in creating suspense so that the reader would buy the next instalment.

I agree that his earlier work is the best. The Stand is a phenomenal book and IT is still on my to-read list along with Crime and Punishment and everything that Charles Dickens has every written. I think the problem with King's later work is that he is too much in demand. He seems to churn out a new book every year or so. Some of the best writers would struggle to come up with new ideas for that many books.


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## ScientistAsHero

My favorite book by Stephen King was "The Green Mile." I didn't read it when it came out new, in installments, although I do remember seeing them when I was a teenager... I read the collected work about two years ago. My God was that an awesome book. I get chills over the last couple of paragraphs.

It's odd of Stephen King's two most notable "prison" books... the movie of the Green Mile was just so-so yet the book was outstanding; and the movie of The Shawshank Redemption was outstanding and yet the short story was just so-so.


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## Rustgold

gagoots said:


> Correct. Unfortunately, sometimes they tell you more about the readers than they do the authors. Also, if book sales don't lie, what are your feelings on Stephanie Meyer? Here's King's: _"Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good."_


Wasn't he the one who said that Rowlings was one of the top writers?  Sorry but that doesn't make him the best judge in my view.  I find some people here more scary with their writing abilities.



caelum said:


> I've also read The Dreamcatcher, and loved it, although the plot was a little hard to understand sometimes.





Jeep121262 said:


> Dreamcatcher(was that the name?) was also bad


Started to read that and gave up after a few pages; found it all over the place with no real plot direction (couldn't be bothered continuing to see if it improved).
Will try several others based on recommendations here.


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## Bilston Blue

> Will try several others based on recommendations here.



Highly recommend _Bag of Bones_, and the short story collection, _Everything's Eventual_.


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## Prinkes

The Stand.

It was an _experience_. 

I just fell in love with the characters (particularly Nick Andros...I'm a sucker XD) and it's so well written. You need some time to devote to that one though, and I wouldn't read anything else while reading it. It was just so moving.... Changed my whole view on religion.


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## caelum

I'm working on Under The Dome.  It's pretty damned awesome so far.  I think it's kinda funny cause the villains are modeled after George Bush and Dick Cheney and the town's reaction to the dome falling after the States's reaction to 9/11.


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## ScientistAsHero

Under the Dome was definitely readable. I got it for Christmas back in '10 and I spent most of January reading it.


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## DickC

I've been reading King since Carrie and I think he has gotten better with age. His latest "Full Dark, No Stars" is four stories so well written you think they're simple. He has managed to tap his older style while giving you deeper comprehension without actually writing it out. I may not be saying that correctly. When you read these stories you enjoy them and even get the heebee geebees. Afterwards you can't stop thinking about them and flipping them over and over in your mind and discovering a tangent you were menat to find only upon reflection.

"From a Buick 8" is masterful combining his best creep you out and scare you silly storyline with insightful character studies.

"Bag of Bones" a better than great ghost story through and through. It also hit the heart string a few times leaving a mark.

"Cell" closest to his early stories, just a fun speedy romp through a King driven apocalypse. Leaves a lot to ponder at the end, great characters, a real page turner.

A side story. A few years ago I got to meet Mr. King at a Rock Bottom Remainder's show. A good friend is a concierge for a hotel and became close friends with Roger Mcguinn, co-founder of the classic rock band the Byrds. He performs with RBR and invited my friend and his guest to the VIP party before the show. For those unfamiliar with Rock Bottom Remainders it is a band made up of writers who play music and donate the proceeds to a literacy fund. 

So that night I got to meet Dave Barry, Frank McCourt (who played harmonica on a Beatles tune), Mitch Albom, Amy Tan, Sarah Vowell (whom I accidentally stepped on), Roy Blount Jr, and my idol Stephen King. He was sitting quietly talking with someone and after like three scotches I got up the nerve to approach him. I was so nervous all I could say was, " I've read most of your books Mr. King. They're pretty good. Thanks." He smiled and said,"You're welcome. Who else do you read?" I was blanking so hard the only writer I could think of was William Gaddis. He did a kind of double take and said," I didn't think anybody read Gaddis. He's a great writer." I mumbled a few more words and went back to my friends. Geez, I felt like a teenage girl. During the performance King sang "Werewolves of London".


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## sir_vile_minds

On Writing: Had to read this and make references for my self-assessment. Despite having to do so, it was excellent.

Carrie: Loved the film but thought the book was much better, mainly because it had more death and destruction in it (not forgetting boobies). Carrie's death was better also.

Misery: Exactly the same thoughts as Carrie.

Pet Semetary (sp?): Can't remember much about that. Must read it again sometime.

I currently have IT (which I tried reading when I was  9 or 10) and Skeleton Crew sat on my bookshelf, waiting to be read.

Must not buy any more books!!!!


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