Stephen King

Thought this man deserved a wee thread. Any fans of the master of horror out there? Anyone got a favourite King book? Mine hands down has the be the Dark Tower series, been reading it since I was old enough put down Wheres Wally? and loved it ever since. Can't claim to have read all his books as the man never seems to stop writing or using aliases but I've cut my way through a large amount.
Any film/mini series patter would be nice too, although go easy on the DT talk because I don't think my heart can take it right now
So would be great to talk about King (or Bachman) and his assorted works with other fans of the great man

I haven't read massive amounts of his books, but from what I have read I do prefer his earlier stuff. Salems Lot and the Shinning are great books, also really enjoyed IT. Love his short stories as well, Skeleton Crew is one of my favourite books, also enjoyed the Green Mile, I read it when he first brought it out as a serial. However there have been a few of his books I have found hard going such as The Tommy knockers, Misery and Dolores Claiborne, I've never finished any of those three.

I keep having a look at the Dark Tower series but for some reason choose something else. Might well have a try at them (after A Song of Ice and Fire and Wheel of Time series!)

Also prefer his earlier work, best book by far in my opinion.
THE GIRL WHO LOVES TOM GORDAN, a brilliant simple book,
i fully recemmend it to anyone.

I've read a few of his books. My favourite would be The Dalk Half, but also like The Shining, and I.T. Also really like The Mist, a short story in Skeleton Crew, love the ending to that. Have read his most recent book - Under The Dome. Anyone else? Took me a while to get into it but was a good read.

Cheesehead United wrote:I've read a few of his books. My favourite would be The Dalk Half, but also like The Shining, and I.T. Also really like The Mist, a short story in Skeleton Crew, love the ending to that. Have read his most recent book - Under The Dome. Anyone else? Took me a while to get into it but was a good read.

I.T.?
Is that a clown that scares you through his knowledge of Ubuntu Linux?

TommyKnockers was a good read.

The TV version was quite disturbing. That song "TommyKnockers, TommyKnockers, Knocking at the door"

Considering the amount of books he has written only a very few of them have been turned into a good film. For every Shawshank there is three Sleepwalkers.

Hero wrote:

Cheesehead United wrote:I've read a few of his books. My favourite would be The Dalk Half, but also like The Shining, and I.T. Also really like The Mist, a short story in Skeleton Crew, love the ending to that. Have read his most recent book - Under The Dome. Anyone else? Took me a while to get into it but was a good read.

I.T.?
Is that a clown that scares you through his knowledge of Ubuntu Linux?

Geek to the max!

Next you'll be telling jokes with punchlines in binary!

Back on topic, I enjoyed his short story collections the best.

On that note, has anyone seen the film "the Mist" - truly harrowing!

Never seen the Mist, have always wanted to see it but too worried it would be like most of his other films, rudey poo!

Aqua - its excellent.

Frank Darabont is a genius in my eyes.

Apparantely on the DVD, you can watch it in Black and White which makes it better (and hides some dodgy effects)

I saw the recent version of The Mist with Thomas Jane.

I remember listening to the tape version when I was 10 and it scared the **** out of me!!

Hobo wrote:

Next you'll be telling jokes with punchlines in binary!

There are 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't...

Hobo wrote:Aqua - its excellent.

Frank Darabont is a genius in my eyes.

Apparantely on the DVD, you can watch it in Black and White which makes it better (and hides some dodgy effects)

I'll try and catch it next time it is on sky, I hear the end is pretty good.

very good!

Is it still on SKY? Bet it's not now I want to see it.

I've read loads of his stuff over the years but I think my personal favourite is Needful things - the short story collection 'Skeleton crew' is a close second though
The Mist is indeed a fine film although the ending is slightly different from the short story it's taken from (I'd completely forgotten it was from skeleton crew)

Hobo - am I right in thinking that Frank Darabont is the producer or director of the excellent walking dead TV series, if so then the man is indeed a genius

Cheesehead - I finished reading under the dome a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it.......except for the ending.

If I was going to make one criticism of kings work it's that the endings to his books can sometimes be a little weak, but considering the quantity (and general quality) of his output and the amount of years his career spans I suppose you can't expect to like everything he's written

Hero wrote:I keep having a look at the Dark Tower series but for some reason choose something else. Might well have a try at them (after A Song of Ice and Fire and Wheel of Time series!)

Yeah, I got the first two really young and struggled a bit to get a feel for the first one (so be warned, really enjoy re-reading it now that I'm plugged into DT though) but seriously about midway through the second I was well and truly hooked. Stephen King said that he considers the DT series to be central to most if not all of other books. Many characters from other King works appear for big parts in it, Randall Flagg (The Stand) Father Calahan (Salems Lot) are just a few. Along with someone who I think I read in some geek site is supposed to be a direct relative of Pennywise (IT) who kills with laughter instead of fear. Really Really worth while read.
And sadly I agree with the talk about most of his films being a bit rubbish. But don't forget that a lot of good films out there where written by him under an alias like Running Man (which is due a sequal I hear so who knows). I'm so gutted that the DT film and series has been called to a halt due to budget. Got Ron Howard on as director and a tidy list of producers, they should realise that for every dollar they spend their gonna make about 5 more.
Currently reading another of his short stories collections called Full Dark No Stars. Pretty good

Sway wrote:I've read loads of his stuff over the years but I think my personal favourite is Needful things - the short story collection 'Skeleton crew' is a close second though
The Mist is indeed a fine film although the ending is slightly different from the short story it's taken from (I'd completely forgotten it was from skeleton crew)

Hobo - am I right in thinking that Frank Darabont is the producer or director of the excellent walking dead TV series, if so then the man is indeed a genius

Cheesehead - I finished reading under the dome a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it.......except for the ending.

If I was going to make one criticism of kings work it's that the endings to his books can sometimes be a little weak, but considering the quantity (and general quality) of his output and the amount of years his career spans I suppose you can't expect to like everything he's written

Yeah that was a disappointment for me too. There's a couple of his that i've not finished, because I couldn't get into them, so to speak. Like Rose Madder and Liseys Story. I don't reckon much to Doleres Claiborn either. In my opinion, the best endings i've read is The Shining, IT and The Dark Half.

Actually yeah, Rose Madder was not his best work. Never finished it, kept putting me to sleep. Its like his film Rose Red that lasts about a week

sorry to keep going on about the Dark Tower, but incase you did'nt know he has finished his new one and it should be published next year

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/16/stephen-king-dark-tower-new-novel

I really want to read The Shining as I am too chicken to watch the film again hahaha...Me = Wuss..

The book is 5 times scarier than the film, the bath scene disturbed me when I first read it and that was in broad daylight.
Pet Sematary is another, had to put the book down once when reading in bed as I just couldn't find it in me to continue. As was not so much the case for The Shining the film adaptation of PS also replicated the eerie atmosphere very well. Kept me up hours first time I watched (must have been 15 at the time).
Love Carrie of course. Anyone else read Insomnia?

TipToes88 wrote:sorry to keep going on about the Dark Tower, but incase you did'nt know he has finished his new one and it should be published next year

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/16/stephen-king-dark-tower-new-novel

Slightly late on the uptake, but that is awesome! Wish I hadn't just started the Lord of The Rings as I want to read the DT series again now! Will probably try and read the first 4 before I get the new one.

Just read his lastest book over christmas - 22:11:63. Really enjoyed it and read it within 2 weeks. Better then Under The Dome.

The Bachman Books (sp?) is very good, a selection of short stories he wrote under the name Bachman.
Think the Running Man is one of them which went on to become the Arnie film , the book is 10 times better.

It surprised me when I first found out the Shawshank Redemption was adapted from a Stephen King short(ish) story.

Diggers wrote:The Bachman Books (sp?) is very good, a selection of short stories he wrote under the name Bachman.
Think the Running Man is one of them which went on to become the Arnie film , the book is 10 times better.

Agreed the running man is absolutely fantastically written which captures the misery perfectly and the defiant ending is brilliant.

Ive read the Dark Tower series pretty much cover to cover and loved it. My favourite series it has to be said is the Jerusalem man by David Gemmell.

Hey LP, “The first Day’s Night had come” is one of my favorites.

I've read a few - The Stand and IT are two brilliant novels and would definitely recommend four seasons too, which has the short stories behind the stand by me and Shawshank redemption movies.

Started reading Tommyknockers but found it pretty boring to be honest and gave up... will try and give it another go at some point.

Used to be a massive Stephen King fan but he started phoning it in several years ago and he's dead to me now!

However books like It, Misery, Dark Half, Thinner, Pet Semetary, The Stand, the Bachman Books ("The Long Walk" is pretty good) Diff'rent Seasons, Skeleton Crew will always be something I can re-read.

Agree that some of his adaptations are dreadful. I'd like to see Pet Semetary, IT and The Stand re-made with someone like Darabont at the helm

I agree with others who say his endings are poor and for a some time I stopped enjoying his books with Lisey's story a low for me. 11.22.63 however is IMO a return to form, will be buying Doctor Sleep (The Shining "sequel") soon.

Regarding Frank Darabont, he owns the movie rights to "The Long Walk" which he is reported as saying would basically "get round to making it on a low budget basis".  If it half as good as his other work that will stop me from watchin.

The Body (Stand by Me)

Oasis wrote a song about it