favorite Stephen King books thread

[Nighthawk 0]

1408 (the only King book that actually freaked me out)

I love that one too. I agree about his short work. I've got 1408 on tape. King reads it himself, and really takes advantage of the book on tape format in a way I've never seen. Music plays the reading in and out, and the way it comes in to close out the story, it makes you jump out of your fucking skin. I've listened to it a couple time, it gets me a little even when I know it's there.

It was on a collection of three short stories loosely connected to smoking... at least one of them was exclusive to the tapes at the time, but they've all been in print by now. The other two stories were ok, but hindered because he tried to do an accent in both and didn't manage it too well. 1408 though... that's a great story.

[Youth N Asia 0]

For short stories I love Battleground

[Guest Eric the Eagle]

Fair point, but consider this, also from IT:

 

"[...]he felt a brief hot flare as the thing's sucker poked through his eyelid and began to suck the fluid out of his eyeball. Patrick felt his eye collapse in it's socket and he screamed again. A leech flew into his mouth when he did and roosted on his tongue. [...] Some of them drank to capacity and burst like balloons; when this happened to the bigger ones, they drenched Patrick with almost half a pint of his own hot blood. [...] Patrick ejected a huge spray of blood and leech flesh like vomit."

 

Sure, maybe you can say that was essential to the integrity of the plot. Maybe you can say that Patrick was a character who felt no fear, only disgust, so it was necessary to convey disgust in that scene. And maybe it's true in a way, but we still have a nasty description of being drained of blood by leeches (which King is apparently afraid of himself, them playing a pivotal role in The Body as well). Take for example, the movie Body Double or the book American Psycho as an example of something else where violence is both exploitative and necessary. Jaws (the book and movie) is another example.

So, Stephen King is taking the high road in a way, but I wouldn't cut him too much slack. The gangbang scene for example, you might be able to justify it's presence in the book, but a more honest explanation is he's just getting carried away in his own fantasies. Same thing with the gore. Just because it's placed well doesn't mean it isn't there.

I see what you're getting at, and I don't totally disagree with you. I might, however argue, that there is a character observing the gore and being affected by it - Patrick himself. After all, he does survive the leeches. One could also argue that with the description, the reader would feel more fear for the Losers when they encounter the variant. But Like I said, I don't really disagree with you. Besides, though that one can be explained away (and as a 15-yaer veteran GM and roleplayer, I know my bullshitting... ), there will always be others who can't. Let me redefine my statement to say he rarely has gore for gore's sake.

 

As for the gangbang... We totally agree. Not that it was that speculative - if you forget the age of the characters, I actually think it's quite tastefully written, but there really was no need for it, and it just came off wrong. It had no real place there. I can see a place for sex between underage characters as a way of showing that they've left childhood behind, and heck, that's probbly even what he was shooting for, but.... Nah, I usually skip that part, actually.

[Vyce 0]

1408 (the only King book that actually freaked me out)

I love that one too. I agree about his short work. I've got 1408 on tape. King reads it himself, and really takes advantage of the book on tape format in a way I've never seen. Music plays the reading in and out, and the way it comes in to close out the story, it makes you jump out of your fucking skin. I've listened to it a couple time, it gets me a little even when I know it's there.

"NINE. THIS IS NINE. YOUR FRIENDS ARE DEAD, EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE IS DEAD!!!"

 

I first heard (yes, heard) "1408" when I rented the audiobook from my local library. The "Blood and Smoke" collection. That story freaked you out? How about this - I listened to it while driving down a long, dark, 40 mile stretch of highway at about 10 o'clock one night coming home from a late evening class at college.

 

Trust me, it stayed with me a few days after that.

 

The other two stories sucked. But "1408", that's a true gem.

[EricMM 0]

It just really got to me how it felt like the room (I guess) was just fucking with him because it WANTED to fuck with him, because it COULD fuck with him to PROVE that it could fuck with him. The sound of him losing his mind is just so frightening.

 

Let me just say that after I saw The Ring I was paranoid that my computer monitor would click on and show some well scene sometime.

 

That was a little unsettling.

 

But now, I'm just dreading someday that my MP3 coming out of the speakers of my computer or out of my headphones, or telephone, or anywhere will cut off and I'll hear "Six! Six, this is Six, this is GODDAMN FUCKING SIX!!!" right into my ear.

[1234-5678 0]

BEST

 

1. IT

2. The Stand

3. Bag Of Bones

4. The Shining

5. Insomnia

 

WORST (In no particular order)

1. Rose Madder

2. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

3. The Talisman

4. Gerald's Game

 

 

Also, I have never really gotten into his Dark Tower series........recommendations?

[Vyce 0]

WORST (In no particular order)

1. Rose Madder

2. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

3. The Talisman

4. Gerald's Game

 

 

Also, I have never really gotten into his Dark Tower series........recommendations?

I haven't read Talisman, so I can't judge it, but I have heard it's a somewhat difficult book to read.

 

I don't think Rose Madder is a bad book, but it does very much fall apart at the end, when King forgoes the fairly interesting psychological horror plot in favor of a bizarre supernatural ending.

 

I must agree about "Gerald's Game", and "The Girl". The latter is particularly awful.

 

I would also add - everything in Hearts in Atlantis after "Low Men in Yellow Coats", which.....well, which is pretty much the entire book outside of "Low Men". King's take on Vietnam doesn't interest me in the least.

 

As for the Dark Tower series - you'll just have to start at the beginning, but you might want to wait until the end of the year, when (I believe) King publishes the last of the Tower series (and, if you believe him, "retires"). Then start with "The Little Sisters of Eluria", which is a prequel of sorts, followed by the first of the DT books.

 

The thing is, though, King has inserted Dark Tower bits and pieces in a MAJORITY of his books. You can find parts of it everywhere, it overlaps quite a bit. For example, you like Insomnia? It ties in IMMENSELY with the Dark Tower series.

[EricMM 0]

hehe you practically DID read Dark Tower if you read Insomnia.

 

Anything in DT series is fine, except perhaps the first one. Supposedly it's so old that he was too fixated on "college writing techniques" (See Bill in college in IT)

 

But, the 2nd and ESPECIALLY 3rd are greaaat. 4 is ok, 5 is... mixed. AT the end I think King was going slightly insane...

 

If you're gonna read DT you should probably pick up Black House, even if you hated on The Talisman. Actually Black House was a lot better.

 

And, vyce, I can't believe you are hating on "Hearts in Atlantis." I really liked the college story.

[1234-5678 0]

I would also add - everything in Hearts in Atlantis after "Low Men in Yellow Coats", which.....well, which is pretty much the entire book outside of "Low Men". King's take on Vietnam doesn't interest me in the least.

Actually, if the "Hearts In Atlantis" short story counted as a "book" I would've put it on my list. Love the characters, especially the love interest (Carol Gerber I think?). I'd advise giving that one another chance.

[Vyce 0]

I suppose I don't hate the other stories (after "Low Men").

 

But they just don't really interest me. Unfortunately, most of what King has written after Bag of Bones hasn't interested me as his earlier work.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Dark Tower just seems to get too big after the first one. The first is this little story set in what comes off as a desert/westerny place...then they just go nuts with it.

 

I'm not reading them again till it's done and over with though

[Betty Houle 0]

1408 (the only King book that actually freaked me out)

I love that one too. I agree about his short work. I've got 1408 on tape. King reads it himself, and really takes advantage of the book on tape format in a way I've never seen. Music plays the reading in and out, and the way it comes in to close out the story, it makes you jump out of your fucking skin. I've listened to it a couple time, it gets me a little even when I know it's there.

It was on a collection of three short stories loosely connected to smoking... at least one of them was exclusive to the tapes at the time, but they've all been in print by now. The other two stories were ok, but hindered because he tried to do an accent in both and didn't manage it too well. 1408 though... that's a great story.

Does anyone know what the name of this audio collection is? I need to get it!

[Nighthawk 0]

Blood and Smoke. Comes in a box looks like a pack of Marlboros.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Blood and Smoke is only in audio form right?

[Nighthawk 0]

Those three are only together in audio form (for the record, the other two are called Lunch At the Gotham Cafe and In the Deathroom), but they're all in print elsewhere. At the time of it's release they were audio only (except for one, I think). Still worth your time, as audio really is the best format for 1408, the gem of the collection.

[Betty Houle 0]

Those three are only together in audio form (for the record, the other two are called Lunch At the Gotham Cafe and In the Deathroom), but they're all in print elsewhere.

Everything's Eventual is where they're found (in case everyone didn't know that).

[Vyce 0]

Dark Tower just seems to get too big after the first one. The first is this little story set in what comes off as a desert/westerny place...then they just go nuts with it.

 

I'm not reading them again till it's done and over with though

I'm with you. I haven't read the later books, and I don't intend to until the series is complete.

 

It's a major pet peeve of mine to start a series of books and then have to wait for many, many months or years before the next installment comes out. That happened with the Otherland series by Tad Williams - I got into it, but it was something like 4 or 5 years before everything was out and I was able to finish it. This is also why I refuse to start Robert Jordan's "Eye of the World" series, he's taking FOREVER to get the damn thing written.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I read 1-3...then 4 came out and I forgot a lot of what happened. So then I read 1-4. And while 4 is a good story it doesn't further the story much.

 

I will restart it when 6 is out probably. There's only going to be 7 total

[EricMM 0]

Actually "Lunch at the Gotham Cafe" is ridiculously hilarious.

 

Something about trying to save the life of your ex-wife (from an insane Maitre d') while she screams at you to get out of her life; it's just so funny to me.

[chaosrage 0]

As for the gangbang... We totally agree. Not that it was that speculative - if you forget the age of the characters, I actually think it's quite tastefully written, but there really was no need for it, and it just came off wrong. It had no real place there. I can see a place for sex between underage characters as a way of showing that they've left childhood behind, and heck, that's probbly even what he was shooting for, but.... Nah, I usually skip that part, actually.

Not just underage, but 11 heh. It's disturbing. I mean for me at least, when I read it's no different than if I would be watching it. And... man King goes into detail. There's like 10 pages on it. King is a freak.

[chaosrage 0]

I'm with you. I haven't read the later books, and I don't intend to until the series is complete.

 

It's a major pet peeve of mine to start a series of books and then have to wait for many, many months or years before the next installment comes out.

Bah, just start reading it now. DT6 comes out in 3 months and DT7 comes out 3 months after that.

[Vyce 0]

I'm with you. I haven't read the later books, and I don't intend to until the series is complete.

 

It's a major pet peeve of mine to start a series of books and then have to wait for many, many months or years before the next installment comes out.

Bah, just start reading it now. DT6 comes out in 3 months and DT7 comes out 3 months after that.

I've got a whole book reading schedule worked out. I'm currently rereading Pet Sematary right now, and after that I need to reread Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" and Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" (Note to AG fans - "Legends III" was recently published and Neil has a novella in there which acts as a sort of sequel).

 

Plus I'm trying to catch up on reading some of King's other Tower related books - I have to read Talisman & Black House, etc.

[Betty Houle 0]

New question!

Favorite story from each collection?

Here are my answers:

 

Night Shift - Children of the Corn (the movie is awful though)

Different Seasons - Apt Pupil (barely edging out The Body)

Skeleton Crew - The Mist (the first half is better than the second half though)

Four Past Midnight - The Library Policeman (Sun Dog is the worst)

Nightmares and Dreamscapes - too tough to call. great collection!!

Everything's Eventual - 1408