Stephen King

[CWisgood]

Anybody here like Stephen King and his novels/novellas/short stories? I recently bought Skeleton Crew and absolutely loved The Mist. I also read Cell, which I thought was good too. I searched on Wikipedia and found from the plot summaries that I really want to read some of the stories - The Langoliers, for example.

So, anyone have thoughts on his works?

[MarchingDuck]

I have almost all of his older books. Including one of the origional 100 print of the shining (which is my favorite of his books).

I look forward to seeing his new movie...mostly because it does remind me alot of the shining (ghosts trapped in a hotel...you know the story line).

[Paul]

The Langoliers is the best short-story I've ever read ever.. (Yes, I know..)

[Matrinka]

I need to read more of his books.

When I was much younger, I picked up the Stand at my parents' insistence... and fell in love. It is the standard I compare all other epic novels to. Wow. I can't say enough praise for the book -- I felt like the characters were real people. Certain parts of the book actually made me cry when events took place.

The other books I read and adored: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Bag of Bones, Hearts in Atlantis (actually, only the first part), Needful Things, the Shining...

I just bought It, Desperation, and Rose Madder. I just need to get into them.

[thelilbear]

I have an entire bookcase that's just Stephen King books.
But that's cause I collect them, I try to get as many different editions of each that I can (some of the books are worth a fortune, course I don't have any of those).
I've loved Stephen King ever since I was little. I remember being 14 and sleeping with the lights on for a week because I read IT.
I think a lot of people just dismiss him as a horror writer, but there's a lot of substance and thought behind his stories.
My current favorites are Different Seasons (if you liked the movie Stand By Me, read this book! The short story the movie was based on is in it!)
Eyes of the Dragon & The Tailsman, but it changes every time I reread one of his novels.

[MarchingDuck]

I've loved Stephen King ever since I was little. I remember being 14 and sleeping with the lights on for a week because I read IT.

I think I am the only kids in the world that wasnt scared by IT...the book or the movie.

but one thing about stephen king that bothers me in his early book is how he attacks gays and uses the "n" word. thats really what frightened me the most.

[Robin]

I refuse to read/watch IT as I already have a serious fear of clowns *shudders*.

I want to read some of his stuff. And I will just as soon as I work up the courage. *nods*

[thelilbear]

but one thing about stephen king that bothers me in his early book is how he attacks gays and uses the "n" word. thats really what frightened me the most.

He doesn't do it, the characters do it. There's a big difference.

[MarchingDuck]

but one thing about stephen king that bothers me in his early book is how he attacks gays and uses the "n" word. thats really what frightened me the most.

He doesn't do it, the characters do it. There's a big difference.

true true. but hearing homophobic or racial slurs tends to really bother me. but i know it was a common part of speech before and during the 70's when he wrote many of his book (the shining, IT, etc).

but I do love how he uses everyday situations to frighten us. such as:

the women in the bathroom in the shining. hotel bathrooms give me the willies because of that.

or in IT when the kids come back as adults and the people and places they know are turn against them to fighten them away (the library or the general store)

or even the death of our beloved pets being turn into a zombie story.

or our own car trying to kill us.

he really is a brilliant man.

[thelilbear]

but one thing about stephen king that bothers me in his early book is how he attacks gays and uses the "n" word. thats really what frightened me the most.

He doesn't do it, the characters do it. There's a big difference.

true true. but hearing homophobic or racial slurs tends to really bother me. but i know it was a common part of speech before and during the 70's when he wrote many of his book (the shining, IT, etc).

Ah, I see what you mean. That's how I felt when I heard the original title of the Agatha Christie novel which was later called "And Then There were None" or "Ten Little Indians" (not putting the original title here)

Also, I've noticed a lot of people who say they don't like Stephen King or that his writing is bad have never read one of his books.
I especially enjoy telling those people that The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me were based on his novellas

[MarchingDuck]

I have an then there were none. we read it for gifted learning class in middle school. i loved it. I have the stage script (10 little indians) too.

many of the movies we adore are works of stephen king. some people are just too close minded to realize it. you may dislike someone, but you have to give them credit when they have done something the world over loves.

Stand by me was actually the 1st movie that ever made me cry (or well that I understood and made me cry. I cried at the my little pony movie as a kid...but thats because it scared me).

and look how popular the dead zone is. I have no idea what season its on now, but its amazingly popular.

[Matrinka]

I don't know how on earth I forgot about the Talisman! I adore that book - it was such a great adventure. Sad to say, but it kept me up at night. Sometimes with wanting to know what happened next and sometimes with fear. They're making a mini series out of it right now. I'm so torn - I adore the story buy fear the movie being horrid.

Then again, the Stand mini-series was excellent. I loved the casting. The guy who played Larry was PERFECT.

[stickygumdrops]

Gosh I adore his novels! I have so many in my book shelf, that I've read over and over. I keep trying to keep up with his new ones, but I can't keep up!

[Christopher]

Without Steven King we'd never has Johnny Depp killin people with a spade either.

[3lla]

Without Steven King we'd never has Johnny Depp killin people with a spade either.

incredibly true.
Ive read a couple of his books and short stories, but i dont really remember them so i guess im going to read them again. The Shining is my favourite book, and secret window secret garden is one of my favourite short stories