Started this today:
Started this today:
I think the problem with Twilight is that it made tame and corny formerly horrific classic monsters. So this would be a fair comparison to someone who believes that is basically what Cell did to the living dead.Originally Posted by Stebbins
I agree with all this. King has always said "write what you know" and with the last two in this list he wrote what he didn't know and it shows. Especially in RM. He's A) not a woman, B) more important, he's not a woman who's been abused by her husband. I bet it's easier for him to write about the Losers Club in It, than god save us, ZE BOOL. That was one of those "so bad it's good (but it's still sooo bad)" things and that's really not what I expect from King. Overall the book was Ok but "somehow annoying" describes it perfectly.
Reading: Frank Herbert - Dune, Robert Silverberg - The Masks of Time, Lewis Shiner - The Deserted Cities of the Heart
The War of The Dwarves by Markus Heitz
It by Stephen King
John Dies At The End by David Wong
Lisey's Story was thinly disguised autobiography. He almost died, then wrote a book about "what if I had?" If there's one woman he knows, it's his wife. Your point may apply with Rose Madder, but I think the real trouble with these books is that they're just forced. Especially the fantasy elements; arbitrary and tacked-on. Maybe that's why I prefer LS of the two: at least those were a bit creative, even if clearly derivative of Lovecraft et al.I agree with all this. King has always said "write what you know" and with the last two in this list he wrote what he didn't know and it shows. Especially in RM. He's A) not a woman, B) more important, he's not a woman who's been abused by her husband. ...
Good point about Lisey's Story. That story did ring more true than RM and the writting itself was superb. I really should've liked that book but it ranks dead last (sharing the spot with Gerald's Game) because like you said, it's forced. "Big Dumbo's Jumbo?" Oh please...
About to start Philip K. Dick - Radio Free Albemuth
I can see where you're driving at, but even if you didn't like King's take on zombies, I don't believe you can call it tame at least. Especially not in the Twilight sense hahaI think the problem with Twilight is that it made tame and corny formerly horrific classic monsters. So this would be a fair comparison to someone who believes that is basically what Cell did to the living dead.
I just straight up hated it, and I compared it to Twilight because he made the zombies telekinetic and shit. WTF? It's like if some asshole took something classic like vampires and made them sparkly. Yeah, like that.
"So many vows. They make you swear and swear. Defend the King, obey the King, obey your father, protect the innocent, defend the weak. But what if your father despises the King? What if the King massacres the innocent? It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or another."
For ther record, Lisey's Story was barely readable. I liked RM a lot.
"So many vows. They make you swear and swear. Defend the King, obey the King, obey your father, protect the innocent, defend the weak. But what if your father despises the King? What if the King massacres the innocent? It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or another."
I respect your opinion. I don't believe King is just "some asshole" though. Also, IMO, I thought making them like computers tied in nicely to the cause of (the pulse) the infection or whatever you wish to label it. And he even says they're not zombies. But again no one will have the exact same tastes as someone else. For instance: I despised Insomnia while some on this site give it their highest praises.
Not given his connection to George Romero. I'm not a huge fan of the genre myself, though; it's hard for me to say. But I can understand the argument. I personally just felt that's been overdone anyway, and that King himself had done enough apocalypse fiction already.
Why people like Insomnia so much, I have no idea.
glad I keep finding more and more common ground between us (and that at least one other person agrees with me on this point)
I'm on the record in a number of threads putting Insomnia in my King "bottom 5." FTR, I also liked Rose Madder and could barely tolerate Lisey's Story.
Now that I've got that out of the way, what am I currently reading? Still on a major pulp weird tales and golden age sci-fi kick. Right now I'm in the middle of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Treasury (incorporates the anthologies "The Future in Question" and "Space Mail.") From what I've read so far, my top rating goes to "What's It Like Out There?" (Edmund Hamilton), "Who Can Replace a Man?" (Brian Aldiss), and "Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?" (Robert Sheckley).
My apologies dive, I do recall you backing up Insomnia being bad. I'll weigh in on Rose Madder when I've had a chance to read it, which probably won't be till next month at least.
The Dark Tower Companion
Hearts in Atlantis - audiobook
I think it's easily one of King's best. What didn't you like about it?
I agree with Pablo. The slow build-up seems to turn a lot of people off, but I really enjoy the pace.
John
Started reading Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian again.
I say again because I had tried to read it a few years ago but I couldn't get through it. To be frank I have a time tough with his no quotation mark approach, it pulls me out of the novel a bit. Hopefully I have better luck this time, I really want to get through it as I love the visceral element of his stories.
I dug Insomnia but I don't consider it a King classic. I could think of at least 10 classics without even trying and probably 10 more I like almost as much. That said, I didn't think it was slow at all. Just tedious at parts.
I'm reading Never Let Me Go instead of Philip K. Dick, changed my mind when I saw this at the library.
HOW DARE YOU
Which PKD novel were you contemplating?
http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...l=1#post669175I think it's easily one of King's best. What didn't you like about it?
He wrote The Dark Tower, It, The Stand, Bag of Bones, Misery, Black House, Different Seasons, Pet Sematary, The Shining, Dolores Claiborne... and you say Insomnia is "easily" one of his best? Surely you jest!
Radio Free Albemuth. I just finished The Man in the High Castle last week though so I figured I'd give myself a break from PKD.
He has a lot of "bests." That being said, I didn't like Dolores Claiborne so much.http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...l=1#post669175I think it's easily one of King's best. What didn't you like about it?
He wrote The Dark Tower, It, The Stand, Bag of Bones, Misery, Black House, Different Seasons, Pet Sematary, The Shining, Dolores Claiborne... and you say Insomnia is "easily" one of his best? Surely you jest!
Feev, Last time you got on a Cormac McCarthy kick I read The Road, and it was so heartbreakingly depressing I wasn't sure if I liked it. I tried to read No Country but it was a little disturbing. The writing style is difficult enough and I just couldn't get through it. Maybe I'll try again later.
"So many vows. They make you swear and swear. Defend the King, obey the King, obey your father, protect the innocent, defend the weak. But what if your father despises the King? What if the King massacres the innocent? It's too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow or another."
So much as what? So much as Insomnia? So much as The Shining? I merely provided it (just to make sure we're on the same page) as one of many which aren't at all easy to dismiss. I know that Jean didn't care for Bag of Bones very much, to give another example, but that, too, is a case where a specific fanbase definitely exists, regardless of whether any of us/them are definitely right about what qualifies as one of his best.He has a lot of "bests." That being said, I didn't like Dolores Claiborne so much.http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...l=1#post669175I think it's easily one of King's best. What didn't you like about it?
He wrote The Dark Tower, It, The Stand, Bag of Bones, Misery, Black House, Different Seasons, Pet Sematary, The Shining, Dolores Claiborne... and you say Insomnia is "easily" one of his best? Surely you jest!
(Sorry if it is me keeping this thread misfocused when we have an entire other forum for topics of that category. I really had to go on, though, at least as far as asking about just how JB ranks all of SK's books. I am sincerely interested.)
Let me know how it is. The movie is fantastic.
A NEW GAME BEGINS
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