Stephen King Guide

[Kell]

(Admin Edit - split from a review, as it made a good seperate discussion.)

 

I'd definitely agree about reclassifyng many of King's books - I'd say most of themare more chiller or thriller than horror.

[Maureen]

You know - being classified as horrors are what mostly put me off reading any of his books in the first place. I abhor zombie, mummies,dracula, vampires, hellraising, Freddie krouger stuff. Those Hellraiser and Krouger movies give me the creeps! (I watched them aeons ago!) Give me a plain old murder any time, but once you're dead, kindly stay that way!

[Maureen]

So Kell, are King's books free of

zombie, mummies,dracula, vampires, hellraising, Freddie krouger stuff.

I have bought another King....Cannot remember the name....perhaps "eyes of the dragon"....hope it is zombie free.

[Kell]

Some of them do - there's zombification in Pet Semetary, if I remember correctly (I've not read it, but I've seen the movie & I've got the book on my to read list), vampires in Salem's Lot (I think - again, I've not read it). A possessed car in Christine (well, an evil car at the very least), a teenage girl with telekinetic powers in Carrie & a small girl who can create fire from nothing in Firestarter.

 

Mostly, I think his books are more the chiller/thriller type with psychological implications. I'm not sure how I'd classify the stories in Different Seasons - they're all more "real" than some of his other offerings.

 

Personally, I love vampires - I've always found them fascinating & was drawn to Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series because of the Vamp aspect - there are also shapeshifters in those books. I wasn't disappointed. ANd, of course, Keley Armstrong has themes of werewolves, demons, vampires, Witches, sorcerers & all kinds of other stuff - she even deals with the afterlife - & I love her books.

 

With King, though, I have to admit, I think I prefer the titles where he concentrates more on the person & what's going n in their mind (check out The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon & Dolores Clayborne - they're both good ones).

[Michelle]

Maureen, I've read most of Kings - I'll have a look later, and tr to work out what you may like.

 

We need Jo in this thread, as she's an expert.. some one give her a prod! :wake:

[Acesare*]

Eye of the Dragon is a good book although I read it ages ago. Strangely, this is the only King book I have only read once, mainly because I leant it to my Dad and never got it back. No demons or zombies though.

 

Non horror books:

 

Insomnia - weird, fantasy thriller

 

Firestarter - Pyrokinisis (sp)

 

The Dark Tower series - fantasy western type

 

Hearts in Atlantis - 4 stories

 

The Girl who loved Tom Gordon - survival of a wee girl lost in the woods

 

The Green Mile - brilliant book!

 

 

Avoid:

 

Salem's Lot

IT

From a Buick 8

Christine

 

I'll go home and look at my collection (I know I have 40+ King books), but I have to go home now!

 

Jo xx

[Michelle]

See, I knew our Jo could help!

 

I'm going to split this topic, btw, as it's useful.

[Mamacita]

Give me a plain old murder any time, but once you're dead, kindly stay that way!

 

:rofl: That's just too damn funny Maureen. But I feel the same way, unless it's a comedy.

 

There's a Canadian writer named Lynsey Sands who writes these vampire romance stories that are side-splittingly funny.

 

Imagine a vampire who's an aspiring Broadway actor. His show closes before it opens because of "galloping contagious anemia" among the other cast members. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Hee hee!!

[Acesare*]

Ok. The unofficial Stephen King novel guide:

Fantasy / Non-Horror

 

Cujo - rabid dog

 

The Stand - apocalyptic masterpiece!

The Talisman - co-written with Peter Straub

 

Black House - follow up from The Talisman

 

Misery - a novelist meets his biggest fan.

 

Four Past Midnight - 4 stories including Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption - story of survival and sanity in prison (made into the famous film), Apt Pupil - clever kid gets caught up in something he shouldn't (another film), The Body - 4 boys set off on an adventure that changes their lives (another film - Stand By Me), and The Breathing Method - men telling stories in an exclusive, members only club.

 

Needful Things - Strange things happen after a new shop opens in a small town

 

Gerald's Game - kinky game goes wrong

 

Dolores Claiborne - I seem to remember lots of poo

 

Insomnia - elderly insomniac starts seeing auras and other unusual things

 

Rose Madder - Rose leaves her violent husband and attempts to start a new life for herself, but he's angry and wants her back

 

The Dark Tower Series - parts 1 - 7 and a quest to save existence in a fantasy / western like world

 

The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon - a 10 year old girl struggles to survive alone in the woods

 

Hearts in Atlantis - 4 fantasy stories

 

(as Richard Bachman)

 

Thinner - gypsy curse

 

Boarder Line Books (books I don't consider horror, but are a little bloodier or involve ghosts)

 

Carrie - telekinesis and bullying

 

Dreamcatcher - psychic ability and nasty aliens

 

The Tommyknockers - alien possession

 

The Shining - haunted hotel

 

Bag of Bones - restless spirits

 

(as Richard Bachman)

 

The Regulators - 'special' child causes complete havoc in a suburban street

 

Genuine Horror:

 

Salem's Lot - Vampires

 

IT - kids fight murderous, inhuman monster masquerading as a clown

Christine - car possessed

From a Buick 8 - freaky car with nasty visitors

 

Desperation - evil spirits, possession, blood, living dead

 

The Dark Half - murdered/murderous pseudonym comes to life

 

I think that'll do. Any questions, just let me know!

 

Jo xx

[Kell]

The Stand - apocalyptic masterpiece!

It's one of my favouite books of all times. I have the complete, unabridged version (a whopping tome of more than 1000 pages) in hardback & it's been read about a dozen times. I did have the series on video, but the machine chewed it & broke, so now I have no video & no VCR

[Kell]

Dolores Claiborne - I seem to remember lots of poo

Has brief connections with the events mentioned in Gerald's Game too...

[Kell]

(as Richard Bachman)

The Regulators - 'special' child causes complete havoc in a suburban street

I got this one out from the library a few years back. I got it out again a few months later as it was so good!

[Maureen]

Thanks a lot!! At least now I have an idea of where to tread.....

[Michelle]

Ok. The unofficial Stephen King novel guide:

 

Jo, can you rewrite this slightly so it can be a little 'article' for the main site? (Or, failing that, can I do so for you?)

[Maureen]

I have bought another King....Cannot remember the name....perhaps "eyes of the dragon"....hope it is zombie free.

 

It is "The Eyes of the dragon"

[Acesare*]

Ok. The unofficial Stephen King novel guide:

 

Jo, can you rewrite this slightly so it can be a little 'article' for the main site? (Or, failing that, can I do so for you?)

 

I'd be happy to, it's just a question of time!

 

Jo xx

[Jules]

I have to disagree with Acesare* when she (? Hope I got that right!) says to avoid It. This seems to be widely seen as one of King's most impressive books. It's certainly one of the most popular. I found it chilling (already hating clowns helped with this) and King does some of his best character work with the children who then return as adults to fight the evil. He portrays their relationships and loyalty wonderfully. I would definitely recommend this one!

 

Some of my other favourites (I have all of King's works except his newest one) are:

 

Firestarter

The Shining

Rose Madder

The Eyes of the Dragon

The Dark Tower series

Desperation

The Stand

The Talisman

Needful Things

Insomnia.

 

I didn't care for:

 

Cujo

The Dark Half

Bag of Bones

Black House

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

[Jules]

Desperation

Insomnia.

 

Lol, different strokes, as they say. Those were the two that played a part in driving me away from King

 

Of course, everyone has their favourites! Insomnia was a strange one for me - it's the only King book I've changed my mind about! I hated it on first reading it, but many years later I went back to it and really enjoyed it. :?

 

Desperation I found genuinely chilling. Not many King stories scare me, but that one did!

[muggle not]

I have read many of King's books. Will have to go back and check to see how many. Some of my favorites though were :

 

The Dark Tower Series

It

Insomnia

[kitty]

I have had It on my shelf for a while now, watched the film and have got it on dvd. Clowns really scare me big time. Must admit the reason I have not read it yet is cause its so big and its kind of put me off. At the minute im reading The Green Mile and loving it, so im going to attempt reading it the book after next.

[Michelle]

IT is a big book, but it's a good one! Very different to The Green Mile though. (But then you know that if you've watched the film!)

[Kell]

I adore his novellas (the four in Different Seasons, 3 of which have been successfully transferred to the big screen, are shining examples of just how good he can be) for diping into as a quick read. They're utterly absorbing & not too lengthy like some of his novels can seem. however, the unabridged version of The Stand remains one of my favourite books of all time. Actually, it must be due for a re-read some time soon...

[muggle not]

I have read many of King's books but have yet to read "Stand". I looked at a copy at the library but it was so yucky looking that I didn't pick it up.

 

Guess I will have to break down and spend some money and buy a copy of the book.

[Acesare*]

I have to disagree with Acesare* when she (? Hope I got that right!) says to avoid It.

 

IT is one of my favourite King books. When I suggested that Mau avoided this book, it's because she doesn't like horror books. (Sorry this reply was so long coming - sporadic internest connection)

[Acesare*]

Internest?