The Stephen King Thread (non Dark Tower series)

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by RegimentML, Mar 3, 2016.

  1. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    I thought we should have a thread to discuss his works outside of the Dark Tower thread.

    I'm currently about 30% through 'Salem's Lot. Like it quite a bit. I'll post thoughts as I go or upon completion.
     
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  2. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    Stephen King books I've read (in order):

    11/22/63
    Under the Dome
    Mr. Mercedes
    The Stand
    Finders Keepers
    Revival
    Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

    Sans Under the Dome, pretty much liked them all in one way or another. Looking forward to the last Mercedes book this summer. Plan on knocking out IT, The Shining, and The Green Mile at some point in the next year as well. Hadn't read a book of his until 2012. Read Under the Dome the next year and then didn't read another one of his until Mercedes at the end of last summer. Yet he's quickly become one of my favorite authors. Love the way he writes and his characters are really fleshed out early in the books.
     
  3. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    I want to read The Stand next. I'm trying to get everything necessary for the Dark Tower pre-read so I can begin those before the movie comes out and be that guy
     
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  4. Lorne Malvo

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    I plan on knocking out The Dark Tower books too. I don't buy the movie being out in less than a year though, so I think I have time.
     
    #4 Lorne Malvo, Mar 3, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2016
  5. Gonff

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  6. ukcats8

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    Dark Tower series (minus 4.5)
    11/22/63
    Mr. Mercedes

    In my queue: The Stand, IT, Salem's Lot


    The Dark Tower was amazing 1-4. I was disappointed in the direction he took -- just felt rushed, and the great world he built in the previous books definitely needed "more." Overall, I loved the series. Has that "epic" feel to the series, similar to LOTR.

    11/22/63 was pretty amazing. He should do more "sci-fi" (I guess you could call it that?). My favorite King book thus far.

    Mr. Mercedes was fun. Not the best ever, but he does a great job creating characters. Not sure if I'll read the sequel or not.
     
  7. Lorne Malvo

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    I liked the sequel almost as much, if not a tad more, tbh. Looking forward to how he concludes the series.
     
  8. ukcats8

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    What could be the plot of part 2? I see that the series is called the "Bill Hodges trilogy." I'm not sure how the Mercedes plot could feasibly continue and still be believable (not that it was anyway). Is it just Hodges investigating different crimes, e.g. Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels?
     
    #8 ukcats8, Mar 3, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2016
  9. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    Books I've read in order of release

    Carrie
    'Salem's Lot
    The Shining
    Rage
    The Stand
    Night Shift (Short Story Collection)
    The Long Walk
    The Gunslinger (DT #1)
    It
    The Drawing of the Three(DT #2)
    The Waste Lands (DT #3)
    Wizard and Glass (DT #4)
    Wolves of the Calla (DT #5)
    Song of Susannah (DT #6)
    The Dark Tower (DT #7)
    Under the Dome
    11/22/63
    The Wind Through the Keyhole (DT #4.5)
    Doctor Sleep
    Mr. Mercedes
    Revival
     
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  10. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    [ spoiler ] [ /spoiler ]

    without the spaces before or after the brackets.
     
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  11. TheGrifter

    TheGrifter It's a trick. Get an axe.
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    I am very, very excited for his conclusion to the Bill Hodges Trilogy.

    The second book was good, but a bit of a letdown in comparison to the first, IMO.

    With that said, it set up for the concluding novel to be something special.
     
  12. Lorne Malvo

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    Second one was a different crime but there was still some ties to the first book beyond the main characters.
     
  13. NCHusker

    NCHusker We named our yam Pam. It rhymed.
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    I've only read 11/22/63 but it's one of my favorite books. Been meaning to read more of his stuff but just haven't. Which one should I go with next?
     
  14. Lorne Malvo

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    The Stand, while long, is pretty damn good.
     
  15. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    "How the cerebrum can force one on and on in spite of the warnings given by that instinctive part, which is so similar in physical construction to the brain of the alligator." - 'Salem's Lot

     
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  16. TheGrifter

    TheGrifter It's a trick. Get an axe.
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    The Eyes of the Dragon is King's most underrated book, IMO.

    It was the first book of his I read as a kid, and it will always be one of my favorites.
     
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  17. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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  18. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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  19. Lorne Malvo

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    Thanks to The Blackfish for reminding me of this thread. I'm pretty much halfway through IT and it's good to do a thought dump to this point:
    First off, the book is absolutely incredible. I love the way it's bounced back and forth between 85 and 58 but how there is still so much left to be told about what happened in July, how they almost won, etc. Some might be annoyed about the length and that so much still needs to happen but I've enjoyed it a lot tbh.

    I'm halfway through the chapter after they all had lunch together for the first time. When they all left the restaurant and then Ben went to the library and It was yelling shit at him? Holy hell. I know it started with him pulling the damn arm off a little kid but I think he's gotten worse and worse as a being/villain as the book has gone on. Like, just pure evil with the shit he's done/the way he's killed kids. So I'm looking forward to (a) finding out what happened in July of 58 + (b) the same thing but for 85.

    Characters are super good/fleshed out. King is the absolute best at writing a character and having him fully formed in like a paragraph. Also, Mike is still not in the picture in 58 so I'm fascinated to see how he joins the gang back then and his place in making the pact to come back.

    I started it last Tuesday and am this far in so my goal is to finish it within the next week or so. But I'll be at a bachelor party this weekend so that'll knock a good 2.5 days of reading out. Hope to read more tonight though. Great stuff so far.
     
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  20. The Blackfish

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    Glad you're enjoying it. I listened to the audiobook with my wife and we both loved it. One of my favorite King books. It is super long but I never really felt like it was dragging. Mike should show up soon. Also there is a crossover character from The Shining so keep an eye out for that.

    Also when the scene I mentioned in the other thread happens, you'll know. So if you're not sure, it's not it. Almost at the very end of the book. Looking forward to your thoughts on that.
     
  21. Lorne Malvo

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    I've actually never read The Shining (I know) but I plan to sometime over the next year.
     
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  22. tylerdolphin

    tylerdolphin My spoon is too big
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    I read "The Stand" a few months ago and I really enjoyed it. Im going to download either "The Shining" or "The Green Mile" in the next few days.
     
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  23. Lorne Malvo

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    I'm 74% in so I'm guessing I haven't gotten there yet but I'm wondering if I've gotten to the scene you're talking about
    That IT might have come from outer space? I don't think that's the moment you're talking about but maybe you are. I was wondering if we'd get a backstory to IT and I liked the way they explained him arriving with Mike and Richie having a vision. Thought that was pretty cool. Odd that IT would be an alien but idk what else could be explained that I'd like more so I was fine with it.

    General thoughts: This book continues to be awesome. I'm kind of surprised that in July of 58 they still haven't encountered IT for their big battle that will cause them to return 27 years later but I think I have one or two more chapters there so it's coming soon. Bev just watched Patrick get got via the fridge. Holy hell. Looking forward to seeing Henry's other friends meet their end as well.

    Still a quarter of the book to go but as of now this is my favorite King book yet.
     
  24. The Blackfish

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    If you have to ask, it's not what I'm talking about. Glad you're still enjoying it. I don't remember exactly when the big encounter of '58 happens but I want to say you've still got a few chapters more than what you're thinking.
     
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  25. Lorne Malvo

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    95% in
    Every one of them had sex with Bev?! Holy shit. I cannot ever remember reading a scene like that were kids who aren't teenagers have sex with the same girl over and over and over. Wow. And as fucked up and weird as that is, I feel like it works, right? In a summer of everything, that really is the final piece to the puzzle of this group. Damn.

    Other stuff: I had known IT would be a spider so that wasn't a surprise. There was some good foreshadowing throughout though, especially early when the balloons were described as looking like spiderwebs. So I was kind of expecting that letdown because "wtf, spider?" The turtle stuff was weird. Didn't expect it to go in that type of a direction for a few pages.

    I don't have much left but it was a long weekend and I am nodding off as I'm typing this. Going to finish tomorrow morning before work. Looking forward to it.
     
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  26. The Blackfish

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    Yeah told you you would know it when it happened. My wife and I listened to the audiobook together. We were on our way to NoLa when this scene happened and we both looked at each other like, is this really happening?

    Read the Dark Tower series for more on Maturin the turtle.
     
  27. Lorne Malvo

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    Finished IT earlier this morning
    Just an incredible book. Last couple chapters after they defeated It damn near had me in tears. Idk if it's the fact that this was an amazing group of friends, that they are already forgetting each other, or both (probably both), but Mike's last chapter of his diary was so emotional and so good. Liked the way it ended with Bill and Audra, that was cool.

    I think it's safe to say that the final showdown with It was just ok, especially after he had been built up the entire book, but I'm fine with that. Because the other ~1000 pages were incredible.

    This is definitely my favorite King book and up there with some of my favorite books ever. Loved most of the characters, loved the stories, loved how it unfolded, etc. 9.5/10.
     
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  28. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Started reading The Eyes of the Dragon. Once I finish it I'll probably get started with The Gunslinger.
     
  29. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    It's really not close to the same plot as Stardust but it has the same mystical, old-style fairy tale feel to it. Though the presence of Flagg obviously adds an ominous, foreboding element.
     
    #29 Gonff, Dec 19, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2016
  30. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Did most of my King reading in middle school/high school so not sure how I'd feel now but based on back in the day:

    GOAT
    It
    The Stand
    Dark Tower 1-4

    Next group
    The Shining
    Misery
    The Talisman
    Needful Things
    Insomnia

    Also enjoyed
    Firestarter
    The Dead Zone
    Pet Sematary
    The Dark Half
    Green Mile
    Bachman Books
    Skeleton Crew
     
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  31. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Finished The Eyes of the Dragon.

    I've now read The Stand, 'Salem's Lot, and this one, so I should be starting The Dark Tower soon (which will be in the other thread). I was told those were the three main books to read prior to starting the series (if I cared at all about doing that--which I guess I did).

    I enjoyed it quite a lot. It's very, very traditional fantasy in the way the world is set up. It felt like reading a fantasy novel written 50+ years ago. But I know that's what King was going for. I thought it was cool how he incorporated Flagg into the story, he made some allusions to characters who we'll follow in other novels (which I haven't read yet--so I'm assuming these will be Dark Tower in some way). It wasn't overly complicated, and it was a quick read. Definitely worth the time. Plus, he's just such a good writer that that alone makes it worth it.
     
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  32. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    First published in 1984 so we're not too far away at this point :cheesy:
     
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  33. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    Got some money for Christmas. Thinking of buying Misery, Salem's Lot, and Carrie. Is this a good idea?
     
  34. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    I enjoyed 'Salem's Lot. Haven't read the other two.
     
  35. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    So I started reading It.

    I guess I was living under a rock because I had no idea this book was 1000+ pages.

    Oh well.
     
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  36. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    I really enjoyed it. Audiobook was great.
     
  37. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    I can't handle that long of a book on audio. Anything over 20 hours is too much. I learned my lesson with Don Quixote.

    I'm kind of flipping between this and one of the First Law standalone books right now on hard copy/Kindle.
     
  38. Lorne Malvo

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    It's daunting but it's sooooooo good.
     
  39. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    I mean, I read about as many thousand page books as I read normal sized ones. No problem there.

    Just didn't expect it to be nearly that long. Pretty interested now.
     
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  40. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    I just reached this scene.

    Quite odd. I'm very curious how that was received in the '80s when this was published. Can you imagine being King's editor and having that plopped on your desk?

    And the strange thing is, like you said, it does, in a weird way, work.

    I feel like I need a shower or something.
     
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  41. Just.Do.It

    Just.Do.It New Member

    Currently reading Finders Keepers.

    Really enjoyed Mr. Mercedes.
     
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  42. TheGrifter

    TheGrifter It's a trick. Get an axe.
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    Anyone checked out Gwendy's Button yet?
     
  43. TheGrifter

    TheGrifter It's a trick. Get an axe.
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    Revival...

    Holy shit at that ending. That has to be one of the darkest conclusions to a book I've ever read. I needed to go hug a puppy or something when I finished.
     
  44. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Watched the first episode of Castle Rock on Hulu last night. I havent read nearly enough King to get all the easter eggs. Ive only read 4-5 of his books maybe.

    Big King fans would probably like it imo.
     
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  45. The Blackfish

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    Can’t wait
     
  46. -Asshole-

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    I’m about 1/3 of the way through the stand. Really like it so far.
     
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  47. ukcats8

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    I'm a big fan of how he shows the world ending through all the various POVs. Some of his best writing
     
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  48. -Asshole-

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    I didn’t realize that there would be a supernatural aspect to this book, but I guess I should have suspected it.
     
  49. TheGrifter

    TheGrifter It's a trick. Get an axe.
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    New book dropped today. Description definitely makes it sound like it has Dark Tower connections.