Stephen King

This forum is for discussion about authors. You can discuss specific authors, types of authors, groups of authors, or any other topics related to authors.

Related Special Forums: Author Articles | Author Interviews

If you are an author or writer looking to discuss writing and author-related issues, please use our writing forums instead.
Post Reply
daretofail
Posts: 12
Joined: 07 Nov 2014, 01:03
Bookshelf Size: 0

Re: Stephen King

Post by daretofail »

King's collection is so diverse now in terms of plot lines and genres that it doubtful that there is anyone out there who wouldn't love at least one of his books. It has actually become fairly common knowledge now that he doesn't just write horror/thriller. My favourite King classics are Tommyknockers and The Stand. My fave newer ones are The Green Mile and 11/22/63.
User avatar
symanthagattis13
Posts: 23
Joined: 07 Nov 2014, 17:58
Currently Reading: The List by Siobhan Vivian
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-symanthagattis13.html

Post by symanthagattis13 »

Carrie was the first Stephen King novel I ever read, I was really young like 12 but something about it stuck with me. It was beautiful and symbolic and terrifying and inspired me to search out and read more of his work.
User avatar
Carla Hurst-Chandler
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 8227
Joined: 24 Feb 2012, 20:10
Favorite Author: Pirzig
Favorite Book: Zen and the Art...
Currently Reading: The Lost Landscape
Bookshelf Size: 124

Post by Carla Hurst-Chandler »

symanthagattis13 wrote:Carrie was the first Stephen King novel I ever read, I was really young like 12 but something about it stuck with me. It was beautiful and symbolic and terrifying and inspired me to search out and read more of his work.
Mine as well...and I came away with much the same feelings. Terrifying and yet somehow sad and beautiful. It turned me on to a lifetime of reading his work :)
“The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called yourself.”
― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
User avatar
improbable
Posts: 13
Joined: 07 Nov 2014, 15:50
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by improbable »

King is all about character drama. The horror and the supernatural stuff is ornamental and it's strange that it's come to define him. He loves to anatomize the psyche of his characters and he does it well but gets so caught up in it that he forgets to move the plot along. He's an excellent writer but his books bore me. The plot always lacks momentum and the occasional scare, though well-done, just isn't enough to keep me interested.
User avatar
RenaissanceWoman
Posts: 18
Joined: 26 Oct 2014, 21:12
Favorite Author: Variable
Favorite Book: Changes Often
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-renaissancewoman.html

Post by RenaissanceWoman »

I liked Stephen King up until about Dreamcatcher. I guess that was around the time of his accident or perhaps when he announced his retirement. Either way, I stopped reading his work and I've never gone back. Perhaps I should. Nonetheless, I was a Huge fan of 'The Stand' and 'The Talisman' (with Peter Straub).
User avatar
cynthial1904
Posts: 1
Joined: 13 Oct 2014, 19:15
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by cynthial1904 »

I think Stephen King is a genius he's dark yet inspiring.
User avatar
Carla Hurst-Chandler
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 8227
Joined: 24 Feb 2012, 20:10
Favorite Author: Pirzig
Favorite Book: Zen and the Art...
Currently Reading: The Lost Landscape
Bookshelf Size: 124

Post by Carla Hurst-Chandler »

RenaissanceWoman wrote:I liked Stephen King up until about Dreamcatcher. I guess that was around the time of his accident or perhaps when he announced his retirement. Either way, I stopped reading his work and I've never gone back. Perhaps I should. Nonetheless, I was a Huge fan of 'The Stand' and 'The Talisman' (with Peter Straub).
Give his new stuff a try. Full Dark No Stars and Mr. Mercedes are both pure psychological thrillers...no fantasy/ghouls, ghosts or goblins (or aliens). Just human beings being monsters. Much scarier.
“The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called yourself.”
― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
chouk1902
Posts: 21
Joined: 10 Nov 2014, 17:19
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-chouk1902.html

Post by chouk1902 »

I had never had a book enspire any true emotion in me besides happiness. A few years back I read "Pet Cemetery," I lost track of time and read it all in a few hours. I was scared out of my wits, and, in my opinion, that is the mark of a true author, someone who can control the readers emotions with words.
User avatar
hvotruba1
Posts: 35
Joined: 02 Nov 2014, 17:59
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-hvotruba1.html

Post by hvotruba1 »

IT is the only book that has ever given me nightmares (for, like, 6 weeks!) and I'm pretty hard to creep out. I liked the Talisman and BlackHouse. I don't think I've read anything by him I didn't like. Some of his not so mentioned ones are good, too. Like Duma Key, which I bought hard cover from Barnes & Noble for $6, and The Long Walk. I still have some catching up to do. I never read Carrie, Cujo, or Christine. Or the Dark Towet series. I think I'm caught up, besides Mr Mercedes, on the rest.
User avatar
tamara_mc41
Posts: 244
Joined: 10 Nov 2014, 18:10
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tamara-mc41.html

Post by tamara_mc41 »

my all time favorite Stephen king book is "cell".
I love every thing about it.
from the way he takes something that a lot of people cant live with out, and uses it to basically cause society to crumble in the most horrible way. I love that is has almost a zombie feel to it, but instead of the most common undead version you see in movies and most books, this "zombie" apocalypse is living people who have there brain wiped clean except for rage.
and then later begin to flock, and become like one being.
I also really enjoyed the characters.
from the main character, whose sole mission is to find his wife and son, who are in a different state.
and the teenage girl whose only way of being able to cope with every thing around her is to hold close to a tiny baby sneaker tied to her wrist.
and finally what I love about this book is that instead of creating a happy ending where love conquers all which is completely unrealistic. he makes it believable and the main character searching for his son dies in the most horrible way imaginable.
if you haven't read it, and you re a fan of Stephen king, zombie, horror/suspense books, then this is one I suggest you pick up.
OsakaBomb
Posts: 11
Joined: 18 Nov 2014, 10:34
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-osakabomb.html

Post by OsakaBomb »

Another King reader here! He's always been a hit or miss type of author for me, but I can never really say there's any of this stuff that I hated or was bad. It just doesn't always appeal to me personally, but I can always respect him, because he most certainly loves writing and I can respect that.

The first book by him I ever read was Cycle of the Werewolf when I was...10 or 11?
My favorites, I would say, are Cell, Carrie, The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands, The Wind Through the Keyhole and IT. I also really enjoyed the short story collection Everything's Eventual.
User avatar
Thinkswithink
Posts: 6
Joined: 18 Nov 2014, 14:46
Favorite Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Favorite Book: John Dies at the End
Currently Reading: Eats Shoots and Leaves
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2812

Post by Thinkswithink »

My dad is a subscriber to the Stephen King mailing list. He has all his books, except for one that I read in high school. "The Eyes of the Dragon."

If you want high fantasy and Stephen King shoot for that one. Its not like his normal introspective stuff, or his brutal honesty, (which is really what I go for when I look for a good author.) I love it with authors branch out from their comfort zones, and Stephen King continuously tries to do that.

I thoroughly enjoy Stephen King. However, I think he's a tad overrated. His talent is measured in his sheer volume and consistency. I never particularly considered him a writer of great depth. If you want the same kind of grotesque, brutally honesty brevity that leaves you empty and yet thoroughly amazed -- reach for a Chuck Palahniuk.
User avatar
Carla Hurst-Chandler
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 8227
Joined: 24 Feb 2012, 20:10
Favorite Author: Pirzig
Favorite Book: Zen and the Art...
Currently Reading: The Lost Landscape
Bookshelf Size: 124

Post by Carla Hurst-Chandler »

Thinkswithink wrote:My dad is a subscriber to the Stephen King mailing list. He has all his books, except for one that I read in high school. "The Eyes of the Dragon."

If you want high fantasy and Stephen King shoot for that one. Its not like his normal introspective stuff, or his brutal honesty, (which is really what I go for when I look for a good author.) I love it with authors branch out from their comfort zones, and Stephen King continuously tries to do that.

I thoroughly enjoy Stephen King. However, I think he's a tad overrated. His talent is measured in his sheer volume and consistency. I never particularly considered him a writer of great depth. If you want the same kind of grotesque, brutally honesty brevity that leaves you empty and yet thoroughly amazed -- reach for a Chuck Palahniuk.
Try some of his newer stuff. I suggest Mr. Mercedes or the Compilation of short stories
Full Dark No Stars. Neither book has the fantasy or ghouls and goblins...just psychological thrillers. Where the guy next door is the monster. Nice change of pace for this author.

BTW...I LOVE Chuck Palahniuk!!!
“The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called yourself.”
― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
User avatar
Pm7lucas
Posts: 224
Joined: 14 Jul 2017, 15:52
Currently Reading: The Girl Who Knew da Vinci
Bookshelf Size: 60
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-pm7lucas.html
Latest Review: "Escape" by Belle Ami
Reading Device: 1400699169

Post by Pm7lucas »

I love them all, but my favorite is Salem's Lot...yes, I'm a vampire lover...!

Paula :D
"I think therefore I am" - Rene Descartes
Latest Review: "Escape" by Belle Ami
User avatar
Christina Rose
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1272
Joined: 27 Jun 2017, 08:41
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 135
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-christina-rose.html
Latest Review: The Last Leaf to Fall by Amy M. Watson
Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG

Post by Christina Rose »

I am a huge Stephen King fan, and it would be hard to pick a favorite. I guess some that I probably enjoyed the most are …
It
The Long Walk (Richard Bachman)
Carrie
Firestarter
Thinner (Richard Bachman)

I will have to stop there ?
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss Authors”