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Stephen King

post #1 of 70
2/8/10 at 5:59am
Thread Starter 
Seems like a pretty accomplished author. I've never read a Stephen King book in my life so can anyone recommend a good, maybe a more gripping Stephen King book for someone who has never read Stephen King?
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post #2 of 70
2/8/10 at 6:14am
Probably The Shining, Carrie or Salem's Lot have the most merit. Which is not to say a lot, but he does scratch a certain itch...
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post #3 of 70
2/8/10 at 7:56am
The Stand Needful things The long walk (Bachman) This is a much shorter work than the first two. I think it was my first SK and wasn't my last.
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post #4 of 70
2/8/10 at 8:02am
I'm a terrible reading snob, but I must admit a soft spot for King. I didn't read my first book of his until I was in my early 20's, but when he's ON, he's on. When he's off, though, he's way off and never comes back. Anyway, for various reasons, I've said in other settings that in 100 years I think he'll be thought of like the 20th century's Alexandre Dumas. Excellent: The Dead Zone The Drawing of the Three On Writing Night Shift Skeleton Crew These last two are short story collections and are a lot of fun, especially to read if you're stuck on a plane/in an airport. AWFUL: Tommyknockers Dreamcatcher The former was written while he was completely high on coke and the latter just after he'd gotten run over. The other famous ones are pretty good and everybody recommends those. I haven't read any of the stuff he's written recently, though.
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post #5 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:18am
Different Seasons (still worth it even if you've seen the movies)
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post #6 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:20am
Don't waste your time.
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post #7 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
Don't waste your time.
Haven't heard of that one. Recent work?
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post #8 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:30am
his earlier stuff, and his short stories, are really the best stuff. carrie, the shining, different seasons. gerald's game was very powerful. he is an excellent writter, at what he does.
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post #9 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:47am
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Originally Posted by CDFS View Post
Haven't heard of that one. Recent work?

It's an unpublished manuscript in which an aspiring author is possessed by a daemon that gives him unlimited powers to conjure up any world from his imagination, yet the daemon tricks him into making the people around him even more unbelievable than his fantasy worlds. In the end, the author banishes the daemon with trite phrases and an army of stock characters and flees to Hollywood.
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post #10 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
It's an unpublished manuscript in which an aspiring author is possessed by a daemon that gives him unlimited powers to conjure up any world from his imagination, yet the daemon tricks him into making the people around him even more unbelievable than his fantasy worlds. In the end, the author banishes the daemon with trite phrases and an army of stock characters.
If one stays in the genre, who would you recommend?
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post #11 of 70
2/8/10 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
It's an unpublished manuscript in which an aspiring author is possessed by a daemon that gives him unlimited powers to conjure up any world from his imagination, yet the daemon tricks him into making the people around him even more unbelievable than his fantasy worlds. In the end, the author banishes the daemon with trite phrases and an army of stock characters and and decides to stop writing and sells movie rights.
This is correct, but within the vast quantity of King are a few things that are actually quality. NO, it's not Spenser, but then again, neither is Dumas. Unfortunately, if you just pick a random King, chances are it might suck. Try one of the ones I mentioned above (if you haven't already.) In fifty years, all of King's books won't still be read, but perhaps 5-6 of them are going to make it. The Dean Koontz's, Dan Browns, etc. however, will not. But, then again, it still may not be your cup of tea. I tend to have very eclectic reading/listening/watching tastes depending on my mood... so Berlioz might be followed by Johnny Cash, Bulgakov by P.D. James.
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post #12 of 70
2/8/10 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDFS View Post


If one stays in the genre, who would you recommend?

Dracula until Stoker gives up on writing an epistolary novel (right around when Van Helsing shows up to drag the plot to its end).
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post #13 of 70
2/8/10 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rach2jlc View Post
I'm a terrible reading snob, but I must admit a soft spot for King. I didn't read my first book of his until I was in my early 20's, but when he's ON, he's on. When he's off, though, he's way off and never comes back. Anyway, for various reasons, I've said in other settings that in 100 years I think he'll be thought of like the 20th century's Alexandre Dumas.

Excellent:
The Dead Zone
The Drawing of the Three
On Writing
Night Shift
Skeleton Crew
These last two are short story collections and are a lot of fun, especially to read if you're stuck on a plane/in an airport.

AWFUL:
Tommyknockers
Dreamcatcher
The former was written while he was completely high on coke and the latter just after he'd gotten run over.

The other famous ones are pretty good and everybody recommends those. I haven't read any of the stuff he's written recently, though.

I slightly disagree, but reading taste is all subjective anyway, so:

Excellent:
Dead Zone
Salem's Lot
The Shining
Bag of Bones
Any collection of short stories/novellas - Night Shift, Skeleton Crew, Four Past Midnight, The Bachman Books (Running Man, Rage, Roadwork, and the Long Walk), Everything's Eventual
The Gunslinger - the original, not the edited one
The Stand - the unedited, later edition
The Talisman
Eyes of the Dragon

Awful:
It (to discourage you from reading it, I'll give away the ending - a prepubescent gangbang saves the town from an evil clown)
Any Dark Tower book after the first three
Insomnia
Dreamcatcher
Dolores Claiborne
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post #14 of 70
2/8/10 at 11:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDFS View Post
The Stand

Needful things

The long walk (Bachman) This is a much shorter work than the first two. I think it was my first SK and wasn't my last.

+1 to The Stand. I read that when I was the OP's age. Entertaining and an easy read.
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post #15 of 70
2/8/10 at 11:07am
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Originally Posted by why View Post
Dracula until Stoker gives up on writing an epistolary novel (right around when Van Helsing shows up to drag the plot to its end).
Thx, I may give it a try. Although if you have only one rec, it may be fair to say you have little love for the genre an sich.
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