Best of Stephen King

[Transmorphers]

Wow. On Writing is that high? Are you a writer? Would a non writer enjoy it or is it more pertinent to writers. Sorry for writing writing that many times.

It's part biography as well. I'd say that the actual part about writing doesn't start until about a third into the book. Of course he talks about his own writing career until he gets there but there isn't a whole lot of practical advice until then.

I found the parts about writing itself to be the most interesting but I've still never read a book about writing that had any advice better than "Know the basics and just write the damn thing". I don't think there's really much else you can say.

Back to the question, unless you're interested in reading about King's childhood, his early writing days or his accident, you probably wouldn't get much out of it if you don't write yourself. Having said that, King is still a pretty good story teller even when talking about his real life.

To anyone who has read The Stand - I saw the TV version a long time ago and hated it. Is the book still worth reading? I've also heard that the uncut edition adds unnecessary clutter. Is that true? Is the original version the better one?

 

[Seano]

Serious question.

I agree that writing himself into the story was a cop out, but how else would you have ended Roland's journey? I think he did it the only way it could have ended.

eh, if you read his thoughts on that book in his foreword, he knew he dropped the ball. He said himself that he knew people wouldn't like it. I think about midway through that series he realized he had no idea where to go with it.

How would I have ended it?

Spoiler

I don't know but I would have at least ended it. You really didn't find it silly that King wrote himself into the story? It felt like a 3rd grader wrote it and then King polished it up before publication. Making himslef the hero in the book.... pfft You didn't say WTF at the Potter references? You weren't disappointed with the Man in Blacks end? The last 3 books felt like they were written by someone else. Like I said, I read a fair bit, maybe not so much as some but I have NEVER been more disappointed in a books ending ever.

 

[Alcoholica]

In random order:

Dark Tower series

The Stand

Desperation

Needful Things

Eyes Of The Dragon

 

[Seano]

Agree. The build up to Roland going in was so intense that it was going to be disappointing regardless. There is a lot about the ending that I love. Specifically, how it punishes Roland and his obsession

It was awesome, Bag of Bones too. King writes some of the best dialogue, really makes the characters come to life.

I can't disagree more.

ewl.. I hated Bag of Bones. King trying to write romance was terrible. King can't write good dialogue for women and children.

You and I have opposite tastes I guess. DT 5,6 and 7 were horrible. Bag of Bones was a mess.

I don't have a ton of criticism for anything else he wrote. Cell was a cheap the Stand rip off. Other than that, his earlier stuff was solid.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: DT ending

Spoiler

i agree that the climax is complet weaksauce. Flagg, the spiderthing, the crimson king especially was a letdown. but I think the ending is great. The whole point was his obsession was his misery. And I disagree about them all living happily ever after. That's was just one possibility. The fact that Susannah left the group means she lives. Everyone who stayed with Roland dies. IMO, the fact that she lives is why he had the horn at the end which he didn't have at th beginning. He's doomed to repeat the cycle and kill everyone he loves until he lets go of his obsession. That I felt was perfect, but the climax and Flagg going out like a punk was awful.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

agree with mr. gray

 

[Bobby Boulders]

My favorite work of King's isn't even a horror.

The Last Rung on the Ladder.

If you've never read it, you should. It's in his Night Shift Collection. It is probably the saddest thing you'll ever read. For me, it was the greatest thing I've ever read.

 

[greygoose]

I went on a tear during a summer in high school reading his books. Desperation was probably my favorite one to read.

 

[Seano]

Re: DT ending

Spoiler

i agree that the climax is complet weaksauce. Flagg, the spiderthing, the crimson king especially was a letdown. but I think the ending is great. The whole point was his obsession was his misery. And I disagree about them all living happily ever after. That's was just one possibility. The fact that Susannah left the group means she lives. Everyone who stayed with Roland dies. IMO, the fact that she lives is why he had the horn at the end which he didn't have at th beginning. He's doomed to repeat the cycle and kill everyone he loves until he lets go of his obsession. That I felt was perfect, but the climax and Flagg going out like a punk was awful.

Spoiler

Admittedly, its been a while since I read that last book and I have no desire to read it again but weren't all of the supporting characters "reunited" in their own worlds? After they all died, didn't they magically meet up again? The things you called weak, I mean, those things are the whole story. The whole story is about his obsession to catch the man in black. The entire series builds up to that confrontation that we never get. There was no real defining event that ended the story. Garbage IMO. Not on par with the beginning of the series. I don't accept that no ending is the ending.

 

[Seano]

agree with mr. gray

I'm willing to fight you both right now. :icon_conf

 

[Bob Gray]

Spoiler

Admittedly, its been a while since I read that last book and I have no desire to read it again but weren't all of the supporting characters "reunited" in their own worlds? After they all died, didn't they magically meet up again? The things you called weak, I mean, those things are the whole story. The whole story is about his obsession to catch the man in black. The entire series builds up to that confrontation that we never get. There was no real defining event that ended the story. Garbage IMO. Not on par with the beginning of the series. I don't accept that no ending is the ending.

Spoiler

The way I took it was that since Susannah left and discarded the gun, she gets the happy ending. Roland can get the same but only if he lets go of his obsession. The characters aren't the same people, but variations of them. In that particular world Jake and Eddie were brothers and Oy was their dog.

Like many of Kings books, for me it feels like it's about the characters as much as the story. just my opinion, though. Can't argue with the endings weak points, though. And they're huge.

I'm willing to fight you both right now. :icon_conf

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

*ready to scrap*

 

[japanese steel]

1) DT series
2) The Stand
3) IT
4) Salem's Lot
5) Insomnia
6) The Talisman
7) The Shining
8) Needful Things
9) Duma Key
10) Pet Sematary

 

[Toda Hiro-matsu]

It's part biography as well. I'd say that the actual part about writing doesn't start until about a third into the book. Of course he talks about his own writing career until he gets there but there isn't a whole lot of practical advice until then.

I found the parts about writing itself to be the most interesting but I've still never read a book about writing that had any advice better than "Know the basics and just write the damn thing". I don't think there's really much else you can say.

Back to the question, unless you're interested in reading about King's childhood, his early writing days or his accident, you probably wouldn't get much out of it if you don't write yourself. Having said that, King is still a pretty good story teller even when talking about his real life.

To anyone who has read The Stand - I saw the TV version a long time ago and hated it. Is the book still worth reading? I've also heard that the uncut edition adds unnecessary clutter. Is that true? Is the original version the better one?

I really liked The Stand but I'm biased because I love long books and I live apocalypse survival stories. This is both, obviously. The TV version was bad though, I agree.

 

[xTommyBoyx]

1.Dark Tower series
2.Insomnia
3. Duma Key
4. Dream catcher
5. Salems Lot

 

[0vary hugger**]

Guys this is going to sound silly but i don't want to read a novel that will scare the shit out of me.

I've seen Dreamcatcher,Green Mile,etc.

Can anyone recommend a good SK novel that isn't too disturbing?

 

[Transmorphers]

I really liked The Stand but I'm biased because I love long books and I live apocalypse survival stories. This is both, obviously. The TV version was bad though, I agree.

If the TV version is considered bad to someone who enjoyed the book, I'll give it a look. Thanks.

 

[barmyone45**]

I actually like "On Writing" the best, it was good to hear how he struggled to establish himself before finally making it, guy came through a lot.

 

[The Sole Truth]

Needfull things, full dark no stars, under the dome, dark tower.

 

[amp_1986]

It and The Stand are my two favorite books of his I've read.

Has anyone read Under the Dome? I noticed I had a copy of it on my bookshelf and was thinking of reading it before the TV series but I'm a little hesitant to read another huge book after reading all of the A Song of Ice and Fire books back to back.