Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (Full Version)

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candystripper -> Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 1:09:18 AM)

Somewhere along the line it seems it became 'uncool' to admire the works of Stephan King.  And while I will admit he has produced some marginal work -- 'Insomnia' was a yawn -- in the main he has scared the shit of me for many years now and I've been delighted by the feeling.  He is by far and away my favorite horror author and among my favorite authors, period.
 
I think the reason his work engages me to such a degree is his uncanny ability to capture a character...and to infuse everyone in the story with a three dimensional character to a degree.  And while his work has been uneven, he continues to produce some quality stuff, not all of it horror, and in every case his books have contained passages that to me were memorable.
 
Okay; let fly with how uncool this is, or join me in the minority.
 
candystripper



cravesdom -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 1:13:29 AM)

I have to join you. I love Stephen King. And while I agree that not all of his books are home runs, the majority of them are very enjoyable and scare me in ways many other authors are not able to. My favorite though is one few Stephen King fans seem to have read, Gerald's Game. Something about being handcuffed to a bed in a remote location and having the person who handcuffed you die that really hit home with this subbie!



scifi1133 -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 1:42:08 AM)

I have to join you in the minority as well. I found  The Stand to be a great read and have read it many times.
I read Geralds Game as well and yes from a bdsm standpoint was completely drawn in.
I have been reading his work for years and yes with a few yawns thrown in have generally enjoyed them.



candystripper -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 2:41:22 AM)

I love many of his books.  Read 'Misery' while studying for the Ohio Bar, and it was perfect for the occassion.  Read 'Gerald's Game' at another especially appropriate moment and absolutely tingled at it.
 
But I would have to say my favorite so far is a little-read, nonhorror novel titled 'The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon".  Just so perfectly written.
 
candystripper



Aylee -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 3:23:51 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: cravesdom

I have to join you. I love Stephen King. And while I agree that not all of his books are home runs, the majority of them are very enjoyable and scare me in ways many other authors are not able to. My favorite though is one few Stephen King fans seem to have read, Gerald's Game. Something about being handcuffed to a bed in a remote location and having the person who handcuffed you die that really hit home with this subbie!


I think that it was the dog munching on the dead guy that got to me.  Ewww!



sambamanslilgirl -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 5:48:58 AM)

there are a few Stephen King books that i've started but never finished like Gerald's Game (got bored after the guy died), The Girl Loved Tom Gordon (i'm a big baseball fan but a story about a lost girl in the woods - not thrilling), Bag of Bones (barely finished the first chapter), and Insomnia (instantly put me to sleep). there are others i have of his still unread and packed in a book. i prefer his collection of short horror stories better than his long, drawn out epics.



sub4hire -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 6:21:24 AM)

Who says it is uncool?  Stephan King is still a huge author.  Well respected in the community. 

Anyway, I'm not a huge fan but I'm not a fan of anyones either.  I've liked some of his work but
haven't read most of it.  They just aren't my kind of stuff.
The book's sell though, so im my mind that makes him cool.




Roselaure -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 6:42:21 PM)

I read "The Stand" when I was home in bed with the flu.  Not the best idea I ever had



pissthirstysub -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 6:52:32 PM)

I like the short stories, other then that not a huge fan. My favorite novel is "Heart Of The Dragon".



bipolarber -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 6:55:33 PM)

I guess I'm somewhere in the middle.. I LOVE his early work, and I've yet to read a short story by him that I haven't gone back and read at least three or four times. But the later works... (shortly after Tommyknockers....) Well...

But I really, REALLY admire this man. If you've ever read both "Danse Macabre" and "On Writing" you'll know where I'm coming from. He could have ended up having a hell life, but pulled himself and his family out of it by sheer talent. Moreso, he also helped others become successful. Where would Sam Rammi be, without King's famous review of "Evil Dead"? Or so many other aspiring filmmakers to whom he optioned his books for a $1, just to get things moving?

Above all, he does something that most writers fail to do: he captures the present day in ways that allow the reader to immediately identify with his characters. Yeah, they're mostly fantasy... but who the hell hasn't met a guy like Stu Redman? Or Wendi Torrance? Or had an encounter with someone as weird and scary as Carrie White's mother?






TheHeretic -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 7:23:46 PM)

        I haven't read anything new from him in years.  Night Shift is on the shelf in the guest room, though.  Oddly, some of my favorites were the books originally released under his Bachman pseudonym.



Roselaure -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 7:26:51 PM)

I adore his short stories.  My favorite is "The Reach"



BBWnNC72 -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 7:33:25 PM)

i have read all but the Dark Towers, i just can't get into them.  i am re-reading The Stand right now (for the 3rd time) and before that, i re-read the shorts in Skelaton Crew.  Loved re-reading The Mist. 
i have read almost all of his books at least twice. I have yet to buy the last one Lisee's Story (sp?)
i have been broke :)
He did seem to lose a little edge after his accident.  Some of his darkness.  But i still enjoyed The girl who loved Tom Gordon. i really just wanted to read what happened to the poor girl. 
But my all time favorites have to be his short stories and Rose Madder.



fluffyswitch -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 7:39:55 PM)

i've liked pretty much everything other than Cell. and i like his son's work too.



Level -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 7:42:00 PM)

King is a terrific writer, and I'm proud to be a fan of his work; also, it helps that "coolness" is meaningless to me [:D]



stormgirl -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 8:18:47 PM)

i don't think SK is cool or uncool, although anyone in the Rock Bottom Remainders cannot be all bad, or all good . . .

i don't like his writing style, and i think he pushes the macabre just a little too far - not over the top but overdone.  For instance, I usually prefer books to the movies they are made in to.  But with "The Green Mile", I liked the movie better - more focused, etc.



coupleowl -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 8:29:25 PM)

I like King, though I think he spends just a little too much time on Topics that aren't really needed. Like Hearts of Atlantis should have ended half way through. 



sambamanslilgirl -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 8:35:01 PM)

my only problem with Stephen King isn't the author himself - some of his novels/stories don't translate well on the big screen.  Hollywood loves to take his stories/novels and butcher them for that pseudo happy ending. like most King's stories, there's not much of a "happy" ending (ie the ending of The Cell). i didn't like the movie versions of Needful Things and Room 1408 (totally nothing like the short story) however Misery did stick very close to the book. i cannot wait to see what Eli Roth does to The Cell - loved the book but some apprehensive about the upcoming movie version.

now the tv mini series of his books esp The Stand, i liked very much.



PanthersMom -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 9:13:58 PM)

i have yet to find anyone i like as much as stephen king.  james clavell is dead, unfortunately.  i thought the cell was ok, but not something i'd watch in movie form.  i've never liked any of the films made from his books, always preferred the books.  i would rather read them than have someone else envision the story for me.
PM



candystripper -> RE: Stephan king -- the 'Uncool' Opinion (8/12/2008 9:50:50 PM)

Anyone happened to catch an early-90's mini-series on television King wrote called 'Golden Years'?  To my knowledge it was not preceded by a book but was written directly for the television.
 
Excellent casting and acting went a long way, and without them I am sure the series would not have been watchable.  But as it happened, they did hit the mark and it is another of the *gems* I love from King.
 
It's 'what if' is so insidious and ultimately so creepy...yummm.
 
candystripper



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