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Michelle

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Just finished Dolores Claiborne, thought it was very good. The writing is so great and the characters are so vivid that even though the story isn't ground-breaking or in-depth it keeps you hooked completely. I loved the idea of her telling the whole story to the police, her colloquialisms and bluntness are fantastic.

 

I also just finished the film, thought it was really good, a great adaptation..really true to the book, a few small changes but so much of it was lifted straight from the book. Kathy Bates was brilliant.

 

I think Kathy Bates is an exceptional actress :) The book is great, and so is the movie, but they are so sad :( Especially the movie! As much as I like it, I can never get myself to re-watch it :(

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Don't know if this is mentioned earlier in the thread but, for any rich fans of King's It, I just saw that PS Publishing are selling a super deluxe illustrated hardback 25th anniversary edition:

 

http://www.pspublish...king-1183-p.asp

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In fact I thought the whole series went downhill after Wizard and Glass.

 

Just finished reading The Dark Tower, I was so disappointed in the last 3 books. You can tell he rushed to finish them and they were far too long. The ending was very anti-climatic but what annoyed me most was the afterword. He basically says he wasn't happy with the ending either but tough, and although he changes the location of his house in the book he tells people if you happen to be passing please don't stop by to say hello. basically saying he has no interest in meeting his fans who helped him buy the house in the first place. He also states that because he wrote the book and the characters it is only logical that he is in it as well?? and that it wasn't meant to be pretentious.

 

After reading so much unnecessary and pointless plot in the final three books I was at least hoping for a good send off but he is basically a d**k in the afterword. It is upsetting because the Dark Tower series started so well and had so much potential and needed something quite special to mess it up and he provides that in full. Don't think I will be reading the 'Wind through the Keyhole' any time soon. The final instalment was better then the previous two with a few good scenes, but I could count them on one hand... not great in a 700 page book.

 

Apologies if this annoys any King fans, I am still one and will keep reading his horrors and thrillers. But I will stick with Tolkien and George RR Martin for fantasy.

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I read The Gunslinger recently as I thought I'd give the Dark Tower series a go, but from what I've heard the last 3 books aren't all that great. Would people recommend that I carry on reading the rest of the series regardless or is it not worth the bother? Is the dislike for the last 3 books universal it do opinions differ quite a lot?

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The series is a wonderful journey, I quite enjoyed the last three books, I don't see why they can't be read and taken as they are, there's nothing lifeless or contrived about them, it makes a good wheel of a story with each spoke having their own impact and significance within. The Gunslinger is a bit dodgy but it finds its way and the next book packs a mean punch and you're off :smile:

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I'm with Rawr - I liked all the books and didn't find the last three contrived. I struggled a little with the first book but perservered as I know historically (pre Pet Sematary) I used to struggle with the start of Stephen King books. I found each book quicker to get into and the story just swept me away

 

I want to go back and read this whole series again - who knows when I'll find the time to do that!

 

Definitely give them a go and make up your own mind re the last ones, they're definitely not universally condemned :D

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just finished his latest novella collection, Full Dark, No Stars it was quite good, only four in there and one bonus short story. All centred around the same theme of murder and death. The best probably being the first one simply called 1922, quite different from his normal stuff, set in the american mid-west in... you guessed it... 1922. It follows the haunting of a farmer after he murders his wife. The second Big Driver is a nice revenge tail not unlike the 70s movies 'The last house on the left' and 'I spit on your grave'. The third and shortest of them called Fair Extension involves a terminally ill cancer patient making a deal with the devil for 15 more years of life, but for a price. Finally A Good Marriage about a woman who finds out her husband is a notorious serial killer.

 

A nice collection but not his best.

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I'm with Rawr - I liked all the books and didn't find the last three contrived. I struggled a little with the first book but perservered as I know historically (pre Pet Sematary) I used to struggle with the start of Stephen King books. I found each book quicker to get into and the story just swept me away I want to go back and read this whole series again - who knows when I'll find the time to do that! Definitely give them a go and make up your own mind re the last ones, they're definitely not universally condemned :D

I agree. I enjoyed the entire series.

 

On the previous comment by another person, I don'r blame King a bit for not wanting people "dropping in" at his house. I believe all well known people have similar problems. It would be a constant stream of people to the door if they were welcomed with open arms.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I enjoy reading It by Stephen King.

My favourite book is Pet Sematary and the worst for me is Carretera Maldita (I'm sorry, I don't know how say this book in english!).

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I enjoy reading It by Stephen King.

My favourite book is Pet Sematary and the worst for me is Carretera Maldita (I'm sorry, I don't know how say this book in english!).

 

I googled Carretera Maldita out of curiosity and the original title is Roadwork, it's one of the Richard Bachman books, it seems. I hadn't even heard of the book before.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Is it just me? I don't pretend to be an expert...but I haven't read one SK novel yet that I actually think is amazing, I have read much less known authors who are able to tell a horror story much better.

 

Sorry SK, I know I should be a major fan and I know you have succeeded and I applaud you for that...but I personally haven't got to grips with one of your stories yet (long or short)....sorry!

 

Without sounding too negative I do think he has a way of telling a story in an 'easy' way...I never find it hard to pick up one of his stories, the problem is they fail to grab me.

 

I think there must be something wrong with me...as I just don't seem to get it.

 

Andie x

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On reflection I think I have judged too quickly! I am going to go through this thread again and get an idea which books are most popular and I shall read them to see if they change my mind.

 

I really want to be a SK fan!!!!

 

Andie x

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I think his early books are fantastic: The Shining, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone, Cujo, Firestarter, Christine, Pet Sematary, Misery, The Stand - I loved all of those. For me, I started to lose interest from The Tommyknockers onwards, and I gave up after Desperation (very appropriate title!). I'll probably dip into the later titles again at some point, but I'm more interested in re-reading the ones I mentioned at the start of the post, which probably sums it up.

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Andie, which ones have you tried, and what sort of horror do you like? As has been said before, I don't think you can call King just a 'horror writer', and even then it depends on what you like.. because to me there are different sorts of horror novels.

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Don't know if anyone saw but for the UK edition of The Wind Through the Keyhole Hodder were gathering pictures of King fans to make up the back cover. I sent mine in and got accepted. But there are thousands so I'm not sure if it will even be possible to tell that the cover is made up of pictures.. will be interesting to see.

 

http://www.stephenkingfaces.com/#!I=7145

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Hi have read most recently his collection of short stories called Just after Sunset, Salam's Lot and Carrie. So admittedly not very many but I haven't continued because they didn't grab me. I have just started reading Bag of Bones so I will let you know how I get on with that.

 

I think it's right to say he isn't just a 'horror' writer. I think I actually prefer paranormal horror rather than fantasy/sci-fi stuff. Is there any of King's stuff that would come under this genre? What different types of horror novels would you say there are Michelle?

 

Andie x

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Book 8 of the Dark Tower is actually supposed to take place somewhere between Book 3 and Book 4. I am anxious for it to be released. I promised myself that I would start holding my book purchases down to one a month and fill in the remainder with books from the Library. However, there are a number of my favorite authors releasing books soon and I may have to splurge.

 

I will be buying The Wind Through the Keyhole soon after it is released. The Dark Tower were my favorite King books, although IT is high on the list.

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