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Thread: Stephen King

  1. #181
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    Quote Originally Posted by elevenism View Post
    They're ALL fucking great.
    From a Buick 8 was NOT anywhere near great, and there's a couple other moments where he put out stuff that almost felt like it was ghost-written. He's so prolific, you gotta admit there's some garbage in there.

  2. #182
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jinsai View Post
    From a Buick 8 was NOT anywhere near great, and there's a couple other moments where he put out stuff that almost felt like it was ghost-written. He's so prolific, you gotta admit there's some garbage in there.
    From a Buick 8 was alright. Bad for King, along with Cell, Outsider, and Colorado Kid.

    Yeah, calling them all great is slightly hyperbolic, but, even the few I don't love were more disappointing than bad.
    They weren't HORRIBLE.

    They just weren't as good as they should have been.

    There's a vibe and cool memory for Buick 8 in my mind, and I'm glad I read it: I can at least say that.

  3. #183
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    Quote Originally Posted by elevenism View Post
    As I've stated before on this board, there is NOTHING that makes me happier than a new SK book: no movie, no tv show, no video game, and VERY few big life events.

    I read Skeleton Crew when I was fucking five years old, lol. My parents were impressed that I was reading it, though, and decided to let me finish.
    In 1991, at eleven, I read Needful Things, and The Wastelands (the third dark tower book,) and I experienced something like you're experiencing now. I'd found my favorite writer of all time. It's just his VOICE- his narrative voice. I don't know how else to explain it. Ever since then, since 91, I've anxiously awaited and devoured every SK novel, short story collection, and novella collection.
    I also backtracked and read everything from the seventies and eighties that I might have missed.

    I am SO happy for you: you're going to find treasure after treasure. SO fucking many of them are masterpieces, and, even with books like The Outsider, when I say it's one of his WORST, that damn sure doesn't mean it's BAD: rather, it's just not one of the best.
    They're ALL fucking great.

    I wish I could unread them, and be where you are, now.

    Edit: oh, and, if you like Outsider, you REALLY need to read the Mr. Mercedes trilogy, wherein Holly is an apprentice to an older detective, and then, after that, the epnymous novella in "If It Bleeds."

    Outsider is basically part four in a five part series.

    That is awesome, you were hooked young. I wish I was too, but I am glad I found him now and have what feels like an endless trove of greatness to sort through. I know for a fact I am going to collect pretty much every thing he's ever written too. I mean, I am DOWN the rabbit hole, watching interviews and speeches on youtube, following him on twitter now lol.

    Part of me wanted to start reading his works in chronological order...but obviously, I'm jumping around. Once I finish the Outsider, I think I'll go with the Skeleton Crew. As a middle school teacher, we do a lot of short stories/excerpts, so I really am curious about reading short stories from King. Ah I can't wait!!

    Oh, and he's got a new book coming out in August!

  4. #184
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    Buick 8 was BAD! That was terrible and I suffered through it... it was like 10 hours of my life, and it sucked!
    But yeah, in general, the rest of it's not a bad call... and Christine and Carrie are the two moments i'm gonna say the movie was better

    And I thought Cell was fun.

  5. #185
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    Weird, I liked Buick. I also read it on a long road trip with TGWTDT score constantly playing in the headphones when it was new. Good times. Maybe it helped.

    The one SK book I hated was Doctor Sleep (fight me)

  6. #186
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    hey everyone...regarding The Dark Tower...thinking of jumping on this, what do you think?
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/22442112860...QAAOSwzyFgc22b

  7. #187
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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    hey everyone...regarding The Dark Tower...thinking of jumping on this, what do you think?
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/22442112860...QAAOSwzyFgc22b
    Buy it... it's worth it. Enjoy the trip. It's intense.

    and yeah, @fillow , I didn't even finish Doctor Sleep.

  8. #188
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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    hey everyone...regarding The Dark Tower...thinking of jumping on this, what do you think?
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/22442112860...QAAOSwzyFgc22b
    I think you could get them cheaper on a site like thriftbooks. But if you don't wanna hunt around for them individually, well, then, hell yeah.

  9. #189
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    Quote Originally Posted by elevenism View Post
    I think you could get them cheaper on a site like thriftbooks. But if you don't wanna hunt around for them individually, well, then, hell yeah.
    Yeah, I kinda wanna just get them in one shot. They average out to about $8 a piece and look to be in pretty damn fine condition too! Plus, I'd pay more for shipping if I bought individually.

    Pulling the trigger on this later this morning, very excited...thanks!!

  10. #190
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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    Yeah, I kinda wanna just get them in one shot. They average out to about $8 a piece and look to be in pretty damn fine condition too! Plus, I'd pay more for shipping if I bought individually.

    Pulling the trigger on this later this morning, very excited...thanks!!
    One thing that will blow your mind about the Dark Tower is how it connects SO many of the books: everything from Salem's Lot, to The Stand, to The Talisman, and It, connect to it.

    The Dark Tower is kind of like the Stephen King Multiverse.

    I really am SO happy for you. These worlds he creates... at best, it's like, they're VERY real.
    When his books come out, I usually just read them straight through. I remember reading Under the Dome all night in bed with my then gf, using my cell phone as a light and not sleeping, even though I had to work in the morning, for a couple of nights.
    Last edited by elevenism; 06-18-2021 at 09:39 AM.

  11. #191
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    Dude, it's such an awesome feeling to know I'm JUST starting out but am already hooked on all things SK. My girlfriend, who does NOT like horror (books or films) has heard me constantly talking about the books and she said "I'd actually like to read The Shining" .
    Can't wait to loan it to her.
    There's so many layers to that book...a haunted hotel, sure, but the constant inner battle of fighting addiction, the perspective of an abused child (who happens to be psychic) , a mother and wife fighting for her dignity...a family that truly loves each other falling apart over time...
    See, I can go on and on, and go on much longer when blabbering to my gf I avoid all spoilers when talking to her though, including what I said above. I want her to be TOTALLY surprised. Especially because she hasn't seen the film (and has no intention to) .

  12. #192
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    those are good versions too, with the illustrations. I don't understand why they ever published any of the Dark Tower without illustrations.

    And yeah, The Shining is a good crossover recommendation for people who aren't into horror. It's just undeniably great, and not too intense really. The Shining is like King in PG-13 mode, but it's a masterpiece. By comparison, stuff like IT and Needful Things are super hard-R rated. My grandfather gave me a copy of Needful Things when I was 12... and clearly he did not read it. The first time I read that book I was wayyyyyyyy too young for it.
    Last edited by Jinsai; 06-18-2021 at 11:38 AM.

  13. #193
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jinsai View Post
    those are good versions too, with the illustrations. I don't understand why they ever published any of the Dark Tower without illustrations.
    We've got some of those illustrations cut out and hanging on the inside of our bedroom door.

    My wife is a fanatic, too. We actually call our marriage An-Tet, ( which refers to an intimate, honest and open bond in the ritual High Speech language of Mid World.)
    We write An-Tet and put the symbols on anniversary cards and gifts and such.

    We're kind of nerds.
    @versusreality I haven't read the shining in forever, but I can still "see" that fucking mask on the elevator floor. That stuck in my head forever. And that's what I mean about the worlds seeming real. I don't think that was in the movie, but I can SEE it, you know?
    Last edited by elevenism; 06-18-2021 at 11:46 AM.

  14. #194
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    I don't think the mask was in either of the film adaptations... I know it wasn't in the Kubrick one

  15. #195
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jinsai View Post
    I don't think the mask was in either of the film adaptations... I know it wasn't in the Kubrick one
    That mask still lives in my head.

  16. #196
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    Ohhh yes...that mask!! Etched into my head too!

    While I was out today, my gf and I went to a local book store. I haven't purchased anything from there in quite some time and wanted to support them. Lo and behold, they had a pretty decent King selection! Picked up The Green Mile, not knowing ANYTHING about the movie except that people seem to like it. I just love the versatility in King's writing. He is NOT just the "horror guy" or whatever pigeonhole he gets put into.

  17. #197
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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    Ohhh yes...that mask!! Etched into my head too!

    While I was out today, my gf and I went to a local book store. I haven't purchased anything from there in quite some time and wanted to support them. Lo and behold, they had a pretty decent King selection! Picked up The Green Mile, not knowing ANYTHING about the movie except that people seem to like it. I just love the versatility in King's writing. He is NOT just the "horror guy" or whatever pigeonhole he gets put into.
    One thing that I LOVED about the Greed Mile is that it was originally released in six parts, like a Dickensian thing. You read one sixth of it, and then waited like a month for the next sixth to come out.
    And they were fairly cheap, being short paperbacks.
    It was pretty damn cool. It was also FRUSTRATING, as I usually binge read books that aren't insanely complicated like Pynchon or Wallace.
    But, it was awesome at the same time, looking forward to the next installment.

    It's one of my favorite King books, and one of the only REALLY good film adaptations, btw.

    On King not being just "the horror guy," that's absolutely true. I think that The Dark Tower has as much in common with Lord of the Rings as it does with traditional horror.

  18. #198
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    awesome!

    I pre-ordered his new book coming out in August, Billy Summers. I'm really excited, as this of course will be my first time buying a King book at release!

    I plan to read it when it comes out too.

    300 pages into The Outsider. Loving it, and even though some say it's not his best, this one will always have a place in my heart as it's the 2nd King book I read...I know they made a TV show of it, which I haven't seen (I'll watch it after I'm done with the book) , but with this book, I am using my total imagination, no reference points so to speak like I had when I read The Shining. For that reason alone, it's special to me. After the Outsider, Salem's Lot and The Green Mile will be my July reads.

    Sept: Pet Semetary
    I'm saving It for the month of October (just seems to be the perfect book to read in the month of October).
    The Stand for November (with a lot of days off from work in November, I may be able to knock it out in a month) .
    December: The Skeleton Crew and Different Seasons (short stories/novella month for me)
    January- The Dark Tower saga begins!

    I'm going to constantly collect in the meantime. I love how I now have literally YEARS worth of reading material!!
    Last edited by versusreality; 06-19-2021 at 06:02 AM.

  19. #199
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    Green Mile is amazing, and it was really fun to read it the way it was originally released, in an episodic format that was supposed to be a tribute to Charles Dickens, in how Great Expectations (I think?) was released originally in segments in some newspaper.

    People like it, and the movie... but this is one of those cases where the book is WAY better than the movie.

  20. #200
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jinsai View Post
    Green Mile is amazing, and it was really fun to read it the way it was originally released, in an episodic format that was supposed to be a tribute to Charles Dickens, in how Great Expectations (I think?) was released originally in segments in some newspaper.

    People like it, and the movie... but this is one of those cases where the book is WAY better than the movie.
    I adored the Dickensian release; I mentioned it above.

    But, with that movie? I mean, man, they REALLY nailed it. It's hard to compare books and movies: it's apples and oranges. The book is almost ALWAYS "better than the movie."
    But, can you name a better King adaptation?

    Shawshank, MAYBE. But, that was a novella.

    Oh, and I don't agree regarding Christine or Carrie. They're both great movies and great books, but I can't say the movies are BETTER.
    Last edited by elevenism; 06-19-2021 at 03:59 PM.

  21. #201
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    Here's a hot take...I just finished watching Doctor Sleep. I obviously haven't read the book yet, but I actually enjoyed it more than The Shining film. It certainly made me want to read the book and see how (in particular, Act 3) many differences there are. I very much enjoyed the story line. Abra kicks ass!

  22. #202
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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    Here's a hot take...I just finished watching Doctor Sleep. I obviously haven't read the book yet, but I actually enjoyed it more than The Shining film. It certainly made me want to read the book and see how (in particular, Act 3) many differences there are. I very much enjoyed the story line. Abra kicks ass!
    That's a VERY hot take

    BUT, I'll concede that Kubrick's Shining was VERY different from King's, while Doctor Sleep was relatively faithful.

  23. #203
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    Well, looks like I'll have a shot to read Doctor Sleep sooner than later. Just won a lot of Doctor Sleep (paperback) , and hardcovers of Cell, Needful Things, and Hearts in Atlantis for $20 total

    And with Billy Hodges being mentioned so much as I'm reading The Outsider..I thought I heard that name before...so ended up using an amazon discount I had to buy the trilogy.

    Ok, I'm DONE shopping for the summer. Thankfully, I live such a simple life that buying books isn't an issue, especially with great deals like that.
    Now off to get a new bookshelf....

  24. #204
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    Ok so I lied with my last post (which felt like last week but was over a month ago...where does the time go.. ) I have still been collecting. Right now, I count only 8 books I don't own yet. I've also decided to go for a complete mid-late 90's signet "colored bottoms/spines" collection because they look great on the shelf (I know these aren't popular as many deem the cover art ugly, especially compared to older editions) . Oh, and that's the other thing, I've decided to get paperbacks only. Meaning, I own more than one copy of some books (one in hardcover, one in paperback ) ...and once I decided to go for that color collection, I already owned some other versions of the books there too, so I have two printings of some of the paperbacks as well. Again, thank goodness for super cheap lots on ebay or 0.99 finds.

    Books I've read since my last post:
    Salem's Lot- (loved this one! )
    The Green Mile (made me cry multiple times...never experienced that while reading a book..such a good book )
    Carrie (enjoyed the book more than the movie)
    The Long Walk (this one fucked me up. so good. one of my favorites so far)
    If It Bleeds (enjoyed this one. Holly is a favorite character )
    Cell (really enjoyed this one!! )
    Just After Sunset (I enjoyed some stories more than others, cool to read short stories for a change)

    Currently reading: Billy Summers (70 pages in and LOVING it so far. very different from what we're "used" to so to speak)
    I actually purchased Summers on my Kindle Paperwhite and...I forgot how much I love reading on this thing (haven't used it in a couple years) . Makes me wonder if I'll read some more of his books on it too.

    Summers is a page turner, I am hooked. Can't wait to dig back into it later tonight.

    currently watching: Mr. Mercedes. Up to season 3. Can't wait to read the trilogy.

  25. #205
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    So @versusreality : big ups. I liked Just After Sunset, but I preferred Everything's Eventual and Nightmares and Dreamscapes. The only King "Collection" I didn't LOVE was Full Dark, No Stars, wherein it seemed like he wanted to prove that he could still write horrific, awful pieces, and...yeah, he could. It was especially rough. edit: I LIKED it, but, good GOD. Some of it approaches Hellbound Heart (Barker) territory.

    Salem's Lot, believe it or not, is IMPERATIVE to fully appreciating the meta insanity of The Dark Tower, so it's good that you read that one! Trust me: you won't BELIEVE how it ties in to TDT.

    In all honesty, I cried reading The Green Mile, too. And then, when the movie came out, I saw it by myself and cried again.

    As for me, I read half of Later, (the new one he did for the little Hard Case Crime paperback imprint,) and I'm about to read the other half.
    It's a detective story, but it ALSO references and is related to one of the GREAT sk classics. I won't spoil it for anyone. I'll just say that it's very exciting when a certain familiar phrase from early eighties King comes into play.
    Last edited by elevenism; 08-05-2021 at 07:34 PM.

  26. #206
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    @elevenism I'm really looking forward to reading Joyland & Later. Heck, I'm looking forward to reading everything I HAVEN'T read yet. It's cool that Salem's Lot is connected to TDT. I know I had a "to read" list a few posts back and I haven't exactly followed it, been choosing books at random, but I am still dedicating TDT to 2022 starting in January.

    I'm grateful to have so much free time this summer. It's my first summer in 5 years where I haven't worked summer school or been in grad school. I spend hours a day reading, it's great. King has taken over my life this summer, and I love it!

    Anyone else pick up Billy Summers yet? I haven't seen any horror related aspects of the book (perhaps yet? if at all? we'll see ) , but, that's perfectly fine with me. It's so well written and seems very concise. Perhaps this is what I have seen some youtubers "argue" about in videos or comments sections, that his new works don't "ramble" as much as his older stuff.
    I am so invested in the character and well...ok, I won't say anything else.

  27. #207
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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    @elevenism I'm really looking forward to reading Joyland & Later. Heck, I'm looking forward to reading everything I HAVEN'T read yet. It's cool that Salem's Lot is connected to TDT. I know I had a "to read" list a few posts back and I haven't exactly followed it, been choosing books at random, but I am still dedicating TDT to 2022 starting in January.

    I'm grateful to have so much free time this summer. It's my first summer in 5 years where I haven't worked summer school or been in grad school. I spend hours a day reading, it's great. King has taken over my life this summer, and I love it!

    Anyone else pick up Billy Summers yet? I haven't seen any horror related aspects of the book (perhaps yet? if at all? we'll see ) , but, that's perfectly fine with me. It's so well written and seems very concise. Perhaps this is what I have seen some youtubers "argue" about in videos or comments sections, that his new works don't "ramble" as much as his older stuff.
    I am so invested in the character and well...ok, I won't say anything else.
    Salem's Lot isn't just SORT of connected to TDT. It's one of the MAIN connections. That's probably the most important tie-in, imho. I'd say Insomnia comes in at a fairly distant second place.

    And, no, I've NOT picked up Billy Summers yet: I forgot it was out!

    I'll grab the digital version here shortly!
    Last edited by elevenism; 08-05-2021 at 08:59 PM. Reason: Contained reference to controversial issue

  28. #208
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    I picked up Billy Summers. Next up on the reading list.

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    Happy birthday you sexy fucker! (Posting the same thing for The Fragile in the NIN section now).

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    I missed this discussion earlier, but yeah… if there is one book that is directly tied to The Dark Tower it’s Salems’ Lot. I wouldn’t say it’s required reading before diving into TDT, but it’s the biggest tie-in by far. A lot of the other books (with the tower keyhole on them) have cameos or plot points that run alongside stuff, and the whole thing oozes suggestions to read deeper and find Easter eggs… but, to avoid spoiler territory, I’d just say that Salems’ Lot is the most vital part of the expanded universe narrative

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