# Stephen King anyone?



## SenorDingDong (Aug 30, 2011)

Needless to say I love reading. In my opinion, reading allows you to fully immerse yourself in imaginative worlds that aren't otherwise attainable in other forms of media (films, games, etc.)

Among the numerous horror fiction authors, Stephen King has remained a favorite of mine to this very day, ever since the day, at the seemingly distant age of twelve, I picked up a copy of _Desperation_. It had been in my basement, my stepfather having bought and never read it, and the basement had flooded. The binding began to mold, the spine and cover warped, but I refused to let it go to waste, and still own it to this day.

His prose, in my honest opinion, is nothing short of phenomenal. His simplistically complex eye for detail and tongue for metaphor have been perfected over the years, and he is my largest writing influence. I have other authors whom I prefer at times (Clive Barker, Dan Simmons, Bentley Little) but his eloquence always keeps me coming back for more, always anticipating his next offering.

I know that he may have had some flops, but even to me those stumbles were the artsiest of them all.

You like King? Discuss. I will be the first to admit I haven't read nearly all of his bibliography, so I will list his novels that I _have _ read.



_Desperation_
_The Stand_ (Unabridged)
_Salem's Lot
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon 
Cell
Everything's Eventual
The Running Man
Blaze_
_Lisey's Story
Under the Dome_


I own at least a dozen more of his novels, but they are among the piles of books stacked in my room that I am in the process of reading through.


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## MFB (Aug 30, 2011)

"Cell" was actually the first thing I read by him and found it to be pretty awesome, despite hearing his stuff being 'alright' from a majority of people and not finding too much interests in the movie adaptations of his stuff.

However, I fucking LOVE the Dark Tower series as stated by the tattoo on my wrist


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## Guitarman700 (Aug 30, 2011)

My biggest influence. 
The Dark Tower is the best series ever..


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## SenorDingDong (Aug 30, 2011)

I own books three, five, six and seven. I have been looking for the right deal on the first two so I can start the series, as I have heard great things about them. I have heard tons of people critique his work, but as with any talented person who achieves success, their will always be a legion of jealous mongrels in their wake. His writing has had an enormous impact on how I approach my own, and he will always be my largest literary influence.


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## MFB (Aug 30, 2011)

Christ man, I'll fucking mail you my copy of Gunslinger, Drawing of the Three and Wizards & Glass so long as I get them back within a reasonable time  They're phenomenal and I feel everyone should read at least Gunslinger given the amount of little messages within it.


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## Explorer (Aug 31, 2011)

King did some of the best speculative fiction/fantasy writing regarding psychic abilities. _Carrie_, _The Shining_, _The Dead Zone_ and _Firestarter_ are pretty good reads. 

I think there's a sequel in the works for _The Shining_ entitled _Dr. Sleep_.


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## The Grief Hole (Aug 31, 2011)

IT is one of the most in depth books out there. Not only does he paint the town's history but he also fleshes out each and everyone of the characters. Shame bout the movie then


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## SenorDingDong (Aug 31, 2011)

MFB said:


> Christ man, I'll fucking mail you my copy of Gunslinger, Drawing of the Three and Wizards & Glass so long as I get them back within a reasonable time  They're phenomenal and I feel everyone should read at least Gunslinger given the amount of little messages within it.



Haha thanks, but actually making this thread made me decide to order the books today 

Now I wait in front of my door until the arrive


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## Blake1970 (Aug 31, 2011)

I read Under the Dome awhile back and enjoyed it!! His short stories are awesome as well.


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## SirMyghin (Sep 1, 2011)

I need to read more of his work, I have only read the Dark Tower (and I concur, best serial fantasy piece out there). I like how he has the 'world' of his novels tied together so well, those details are really interesting. I am not generally a horror/thriller guy, which is part of what has stopped me from reading much of his wokr though.


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## thedonal (Sep 1, 2011)

IT is another great King book. Though it does illustrate his weaknesses too (spending a chapter massively building a character then bumping them off in the final paragraph).

I have read The Gunslinger a few times and love it more with each reading. I keep meaning to read more Dark Tower, but haven't gotten round to it yet...


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## SenorDingDong (Sep 1, 2011)

thedonal said:


> IT is another great King book. Though it does illustrate his weaknesses too (spending a chapter massively building a character then bumping them off in the final paragraph).
> 
> I have read The Gunslinger a few times and love it more with each reading. I keep meaning to read more Dark Tower, but haven't gotten round to it yet...



I of course understand your opinion and point of view, but my own personal opinion contrasts. I feel that is one of King's strengths; the depth of reality he involves in each of his novels. In reality, the protagonist won't necessarily survive. 

Sometimes the people we love most, the people we know best, are torn down just when we want or need them the most. To me, that makes his writing all the more genuine, more human. It has largely impacted the approach I take to my own writing, as reality, over all will always dominate. He beautifully portrays humanities vulnerability, and to me that _makes_ a story.

I respect him so much more for the fact that he looks at a purely fictional work, one that is not representative of our world, one uniquely his own, and adds a realistic, worldly touch.


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## thedonal (Sep 1, 2011)

Jstring said:


> I of course understand your opinion and point of view, but my own personal opinion contrasts. I feel that is one of King's strengths; the depth of reality he involves in each of his novels. In reality, the protagonist won't necessarily survive.
> 
> Sometimes the people we love most, the people we know best, are torn down just when we want or need them the most. To me, that makes his writing all the more genuine, more human. It has largely impacted the approach I take to my own writing, as reality, over all will always dominate. He beautifully portrays humanities vulnerability, and to me that _makes_ a story.
> 
> I respect him so much more for the fact that he looks at a purely fictional work, one that is not representative of our world, one uniquely his own, and adds a realistic, worldly touch.



Completely understand and agree with what you're saying. I just feel that he got a bit formulaic with it. But everyone, I guess, has their 'trademarks'.

But yes- one of his strengths is the characters and settings that he places them in.


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## MFB (Sep 1, 2011)

I will say this to anyone who wants to read The Dark Tower series : be-fucking-ware, if you are a regular Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre reader, because unfortunately, given how well King created the world and ties everything together; nothing else really compares afterwards. I tried reading "The Black Company" immediately afterwards and felt the characters were totally un-relatable, so I felt absolutely no reason to keep reading. But with Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and even little Oy, I ALWAYS wanted to read and keep going back to make sure they were OK.


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## ShadyDavey (Sep 2, 2011)

As I said in another thread - When he's on form he's one of my favorite authors regardless of genre and as my dog-eared copy of The Stand (unabridged) will attest I can re-read his work many times without growing tired, or complacent or even feeling as if the plot has become overly-familiar simply through the depth of characterization.

When he's churning out another novel of "Evil in Suburban America" I can still enjoy the book but even with new faces and places the themes can be somewhat too familiar.

That said, I adored the Dark Tower most recently, and from the time in 1981 I read Cujo (at the tender age of 11) I've been a fan. I must admit there are still gaps in his bibliography that I have yet to attend to (haven't bought a book in years and perhaps intermittently before that) I have promised myself that I will buy the most dog-eared and tatty versions I can find with a goal to re-reading them all.


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## technomancer (Sep 2, 2011)

I read everything up through The Dark Tower series and haven't read anything else since. sections of Dark Tower are proof that King has gotten too big for his own good and needs an editor that will stand up to him 

Don't get me wrong, I really liked the Dark Tower for the most part... but there were bits in the last couple of books where an editor should have hit him with a clue stick and told him to rewrite.


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## SenorDingDong (Sep 2, 2011)

I actually just ordered books I-IV (i needed I, II, and IV) on eBay. First evilbay purchase, so we'll see how it goes. I am not an avid scifi fan, so I have no qualms about future readings being ruined, but I will let you guys know what I think when they get here and I read them.


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## MFB (Sep 2, 2011)

technomancer said:


> I read everything up through The Dark Tower series and haven't read anything else since. sections of Dark Tower are proof that King has gotten too big for his own good and needs an editor that will stand up to him
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I really liked the Dark Tower for the most part... but there were bits in the last couple of books where an editor should have hit him with a clue stick and told him to rewrite.



I know exactly the parts you're talking about, and yes, I absolutely abhorred reading them after the first time he did it. Each time I though "OH this shit AGAIN!?"


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## technomancer (Sep 2, 2011)

MFB said:


> I know exactly the parts you're talking about, and yes, I absolutely abhorred reading them after the first time he did it. Each time I though "OH this shit AGAIN!?"





Spoiler



Yeah any time you get your characters out of shit by putting yourself in a story as a form of Deus Ex Machina your editor should kick you in the nuts and say NO


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## MFB (Sep 2, 2011)

technomancer said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah any time you get your characters out of shit by putting yourself in a story as a form of Deus Ex Machina your editor should kick you in the nuts and say NO





Spoiler



Not to mention the Dandelo/Patrick Whateverhislastnamewas part that was added in for the sole purpose of destroying the Crimson King. Another one of King's famous D.E.M.'s


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## Black_Sheep (Sep 2, 2011)

King is one of the best writers out there. I absolutely love the Dark Tower series. I haven't read all of them yet though. They don't print it anymore on hardcover and im trying to find the ones im missing. 

I've read many other books by him as well, The Cell and Duma Key were great. And some short-story collections are really nice as well.


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## Meatbucket (Sep 2, 2011)

Lobstrosities. 'Nuff said.


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## The Reverend (Sep 2, 2011)

Stephen King is the first author I remember liking. I was going through this really strange phase where I read EVERYTHING in 6th-8th grade. It was like 2001, I was 12, and I had just discovered that adult fiction wasn't boring shit like Great Expectations or Ivanhoe, the only other 'adult classics' I had read. I read Dune and a couple of the sequels, LotR before the movies came out, (I never would have struggled through Tom Bombadil's stupid songs if I could've just watched the movie and been spared the torment) and last but not least, almost every book pre-90s that King authored.

At the time he was dangerous, edgy, evil, in fact. I had been used to Goosebumps and Animorphs, to the good winning without any heavy losses, and Stephen King shattered everything I had known about literature. He scared me, thrilled me, and convinced me that I wanted to be a storyteller.

My tastes have changed over the years, and King's position is more one of personal significance than of merit on my favorite's list. The Dome was a good attempt at capturing that small-town epic, but it fell sadly short, as well as being too similar to Dreamcatchers in it's reveal for me.


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## aeronaut (Sep 2, 2011)

I'm a huge fan of Stephen King. More of his older stuff than anything. Tommyknockers, IT, The Stand, Needful Things, Four Past Midnight and Carrie are on my list of favorites. I just finished up Full Dark, No Stars. Wasn't too bad IMO. When I lived up in Maine a few friends and I went by his house in Bangor a few times. Real nice house but kind of a creepy looking joint at the same time.


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## Mexi (Sep 3, 2011)

I've only read salem's lot and a bit of the girl who loved tom gordon. my dad and my brother are huge fans and we've got a bunch of em at home but I've never bothered reading of em (dark tower, IT, the stand etc). I've heard nothing but good things about these books but since I've been in uni, I've found myself reading a lot more non-fiction stuff. but I really should read more of his stuff.


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## technomancer (Sep 16, 2011)

Oh god, he's adding another book to The Dark Tower... comes out 4/3/1012 titled The Wind Through the Keyhole and goes between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla. I've got to admit I'm sort of dreading this 

Wikipedia page: The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Everybody probably already knows about this, but since I just saw it what the hell figured I'd post it.


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## Guitarman700 (Sep 16, 2011)

I can't wait for this.


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## MFB (Sep 16, 2011)

I've known for a while that he was planning on doing "Wind Through the Keyhole" and I'm pumped since I've wanted to know more about Roland's world and such for a while.


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## SenorDingDong (Sep 16, 2011)

I heard about it a bit ago, but am excited none the less. I'm currently on _The Drawing of the Three_ and am now completely addicted.


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## FACTORY (Sep 19, 2011)

Horn of eld bitches, love both the endings to the Dark Tower, I can't read anymore though (I'm done with King).


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## sakeido (Sep 20, 2011)

I just started reading the Gunslinger yesterday after so many people raved about it. Took awhile for me to get into it, but I'm sold now... he just met Jake.

Interesting you mentioned Dan Simmons. I just finished my third read through of the Hyperion Cantos.. all four books.. on Friday. The first one is incredible. Fall of Hyperion is almost as incredible. Endymion is pretty good, Rise of Endymion is relatively great. Illium & Olympos are supposed to be quite good as well.


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## SamSam (Sep 25, 2011)

I love the dark tower series is definitely my favourite series ever. But the wolves of the calla was a painful read at the best of times...


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## GazPots (Sep 26, 2011)

King's ok, some books are good and some are great. Some are also fucking weird.


"It" being the one that annoyed me the most. Great build up to what i can only describe as lot of random shit going down in the last segment. Giant turtles that puke the universe, giant spiders, weird orange lights, 11 year olds having a gang bang......................


Currently reading Duma Key, which is not bad so far (1/3 in).


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## SenorDingDong (Sep 26, 2011)

I found _The Waste Lands_ dragged on a bit. Especially near the end. It may have been because I was working a lot, but it also might have been because it just dragged on.


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## MFB (Sep 26, 2011)

Wastelands was my favorite in the series, for some fairly obvious reasons but I get some shit for it given it seems to be the midpoint between "OMG HE DRAWS HIS TET TOGETHER" and "OMG YOUNG ROLAND FUCKING SHIT U" but whatevs


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## SenorDingDong (Sep 26, 2011)

MFB said:


> Wastelands was my favorite in the series, for some fairly obvious reasons but I get some shit for it given it seems to be the midpoint between "OMG HE DRAWS HIS TET TOGETHER" and "OMG YOUNG ROLAND FUCKING SHIT U" but whatevs





The reason may have been simply that I was distracted. The part I didn't really care for, though, was the fact the _once again_ Roland was sick. I was kind of like 'really dude?'


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## Nonservium (Sep 30, 2011)

I'm currently going through the Dark Tower series for a third time. This time I've bought all the audiobooks on itunes and am just listening to them as I play games or work on shit. The reader of the first book was amazing. Really captured Roland or at least how I heard Roland in my head. The dude reading books two and three (I'm currently on three right about where Jake finds the bookstore) is good but doesn't capture Roland the way that first book did. I love this series.


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## SenorDingDong (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm on book four and meandering my way through because I don't want Susan to die


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## MFB (Oct 4, 2011)

Tell me young Roland isn't totally awesome, I DARE YOU!


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## tacotiklah (Oct 4, 2011)

Blaine the Train is such a pain. 

Love the Dark Tower series. I'm currently reading Cell for my Speed Reading class. Leave it to King to take your basic zombie story and turn it into some seriously freaky sci-fi shit. 

What I wanna know is what is up with the homo-erotic stuff that he has throughout his novels? Is it for shock value, to increase awareness, or a reference to personal experience?
The book IT is rife with examples. I.e. pat and henry doin' a jerk fest, the gay couple in the beginning; one of which gets his heart eaten out by Pennywise, etc.


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## MFB (Oct 4, 2011)

Cell is an awesome read, and it was actually the first King book I've ever read


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## SenorDingDong (Oct 4, 2011)

MFB said:


> Tell me young Roland isn't totally awesome, I DARE YOU!



I love young Roland!


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## SenorDingDong (Oct 4, 2011)

ghstofperdition said:


> Blaine the Train is such a pain.
> 
> Love the Dark Tower series. I'm currently reading Cell for my Speed Reading class. Leave it to King to take your basic zombie story and turn it into some seriously freaky sci-fi shit.
> 
> ...



I think he has it mostly to explore different aspects of life, to show the things people sometimes do when they think no one is watching, to bring out the darker side in humanity. 

That being said, I am simply speaking from my experience, because in my book there is rape and such, but it isn't for shock value, merely to display that the horrors present pale in comparison to the horrors that people actually commit themselves when given opportunity. 

Basically, it best displays how truly disturbed humanity is as a whole, especially when they believe no one else is watching. 

Once again, I'm only speaking from experience out of my own book. I can't speak for King specifically.


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## tacotiklah (Oct 4, 2011)

MFB said:


> Cell is an awesome read, and it was actually the first King book I've ever read


 

Using this book, my speed reading teacher has tested me as reading at 1,350 words per minute with an 85% reading comprehension. :likeaboss:


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## The Reverend (Oct 6, 2011)

ghstofperdition said:


> Using this book, my speed reading teacher has tested me as reading at 1,350 words per minute with an 85% reading comprehension. :likeaboss:



What in the fuck!? And I thought I could read quickly, holy shit. 

I didn't know speed-reading was a real thing, I always assumed it was a scam to get you to buy books and tapes when I was a kid. 

Have fun spending an assload on books in the future,


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