1. 'Salem's Lot
2. The Stand
3. Insomnia
4. Hearts in Atlantis
5. The Dead Zone
1. 'Salem's Lot
2. The Stand
3. Insomnia
4. Hearts in Atlantis
5. The Dead Zone
1. Hearts In Atlantis
2. The Dead Zone
3. Cell
4. Different Seasons
5. Running Man
"I wish they'd just wipe out humanity and get it over with. It's the waiting I can't stand." -Fry"I know we can't all stay here forever, so I want to write my words on the face of today." -Blind Melon
the most unusual selection hereOriginally Posted by SpaceMaN
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm kind of pleased to see tDZ and HiA getting lots of love, but I personally don't see 'Salem's Lot as nearly his top work. Definitely great for an early novel, but for more people to mention it than mention It? That's just odd.
Path - the reason I have lots of love for 'Salem's Lot and none for IT is that SL was my absolute first King book I read. That gives it a very special place in my heart. I dunno about other people though...had I not read it first, I could probably see better what you mean about it. It is my no means one of the best-writen ones...
As far as IT is concerned,well....I have an intense fear of clowns that was partially brought on by seeing clips of the movie as a small child, so I've actually never read it...don't really plan on it either.
Well, that's really high praise for a horror story.
The book is much scarier, in fact. It's too bad that you'll miss out on Derry and its heroes, though, if you like what SK did with 'Salem's Lot.
Why so? But thanks. I try.
edit: I meant to quote Jean's post.
"I wish they'd just wipe out humanity and get it over with. It's the waiting I can't stand." -Fry"I know we can't all stay here forever, so I want to write my words on the face of today." -Blind Melon
well - because your list doesn't include either The Stand or It, those two monsters, nor either part of the Talisman/BH dilogy, not even The Shining or Salem's Lot, many people's favorites; but it does include Cell that is on most people's "worst King book" lists, and The Dead Zone which is regrettably often altogether forgotten (was nice to see it in alkanto's list, too). I am really really impressed, Aaron, you never cease to amaze bears!
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well thank you. I like all those books, of course, but yeah, my top 5 is different. I really liked Cell, it's the fastest paced SK book ever, in my opinion. Plus I like total destruction and annihalation of humans. The Stand would probably be top 10, but not ahead of any of the DT stuff, (which is like one book to me, I've said that before). I think a lot of the short story books get shortchanged as well. Maybe not every story is fantastic, but enough of them are to give it some love. That's why I put Different Seasons on the list. Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, The Body, (which turned into the movie Stand By Me), and The Breathing Method are marvelously written and told. Apt Pupil too, but it's different and drags a bit, even though overall it is a good story too. I also think Running Man (I can't find my copy of it and I don't remember if there's a "the" there or not) is the most underrated (and possibly under-read) story SK has ever written.
(that's my longest post here ever.)
"I wish they'd just wipe out humanity and get it over with. It's the waiting I can't stand." -Fry"I know we can't all stay here forever, so I want to write my words on the face of today." -Blind Melon
I'll tell you why 'Salem's Lot is a top-5 novel for me, while It is not. It's not like I don't like It. I certainly do. The characters are well-developed and I've often said that King's strength is in his characters rather than his plots.
But the evil in 'Salem's Lot, to me, is much more visceral and horrifying. I can almost imagine such an evil presenting itself in a small town. And by "evil" I don't just mean Barlow, but the house itself, and the familiar, and the town as it turns person by person.
Further, the horror manifests itself and maintains itself throughout the entire novel. And it doesn't hurt that the main characters are well-developed and sympathetic.
It, on the other hand, starts off well enough, horror-wise but before the novel is half over it gets pretty ridiculous. Pennywise has such powers that he is almost a cartoon.Spoiler:Honestly, I'd probably like It better if Pennywise got killed offf about page 700 and the next 700 pages just dealt with the lives of the characters, both as kids and adults.
'Salem's Lot was just absolutely chilling, through and through, from page 1 to the last page.
...wow I need to check on things more oftenThat's cool.Not exactly the way that I see things myself, but it's entirely respectable a top 5. Your tastes are quite literary. How did you like Bag of Bones?
My only big issue would be putting down Black House. I enjoyed the other three you dismiss, but none were what I consider great. I even see your point about DT, except that I think that The Waste Lands is also most worthy as an individual novel.
Interesting. I totally love Desperation, too, but I've noticed that it's "twinner" is not really popular. What is it that makes it a top choice for you?...Regulators
...
Well for me Desperation was to gody for my taste, I can't get into books where god is a major factor in it. Small parts I can easily get past that but it was just to much. Where as Regulators didn't have anything much really do to with it. I also just loved that the kids imagination of those tv guys were coming out killing people.
Novels:
'Salem's Lot
The Dead Zone
Blaze
The Shining
Cujo
Collections:
Different Seasons
Night Shift
Hearts In Atlantis
Full Dark, No Stars
Skeleton Crew
The Long Walk (really all the stories in Bachman books if i can count them as one)
The Stand
Duma Key
Under the Dome
Cell & It (tied i can't make up my mind)
I like them all but there are only two i had trouble reading (haven't read them all yet) in the 14 years i've been enjoying his writing...Eyes of the Dragon & Full Dark, No Stars. I haven't tried to re-read Eyes since i was 17, it might take with me totally different now, Full Dark i tried twice and just couldn't do it for some reason. I did read the "Fair Extension" and enjoyed it though, the others just didn't take with me for some reason.. That being said i killed Under the Dome in 2 days and Duma Key in about the same time frame lol.
it took me about two months to finish Eyes of the Dragon, and I definitely am not planning to go back to it in the foreseeable future
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I disagree. Maybe this is the basic difference in psychology among members of the audience; to me, conventional vampirism is LESS plausible than an incomprehensible spirit creature.Spoiler tags, please.
agree with Mike on both counts
divemaster - I have spoiler-tagged that part of your post
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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