Stephen King is awesome

[KirkB]

^ Well, check out his latest book 11.22.63 which happens to not only have a great story but a great ending and a fantastic set of characters. The epic novel is back

Spoiler alert - the President get's shot in the head :p

[Akaisoras]

Scary books!

[StephenKingman]

^ Well, check out his latest book 11.22.63 which happens to not only have a great story but a great ending and a fantastic set of characters. The epic novel is back

Spoiler alert - the President get's shot in the head :p

What??

[Carla Hurst-Chandler]

Damn...Kirk B must have been the guy in the theater at The Titanic who kept murmuring "...the boat sinks, you know."
~laughing~

[BryanMPorter]

I have to say that I do like Stephen King, but there is one problem I have with his books. Through out most of novel he is amazing, and perhaps its just me but it feels like in some of his books(specificity It) he isn't quite sure how to end them so they don't gel quite so well with the rest of the novel.

Should of read more of the posts, as it seems like this was already brought up.

[primrose777]

I read "The Fog" when I was very young ( a very long time ago) and it scared me silly. I have never picked up another. Does he write purely horror still???

[Carla Hurst-Chandler]

I read "The Fog" when I was very young ( a very long time ago) and it scared me silly. I have never picked up another. Does he write purely horror still???

Try Full Dark No Stars...a collection of more psychologically based horror. You might like it better

[StephenKingman]

I read "The Fog" when I was very young ( a very long time ago) and it scared me silly. I have never picked up another. Does he write purely horror still???

He does venture off into sci-fi like Dark Tower series, also his novella collection Different Seasons is mostly non-horror, as well as books like Needful Things and Talisman.

[RuqeeD]

After reading 11.22.63 and actually liking it, I've decided to hang up old misgivings and actually give another of his books a try. Was in the library and some books of his were available on the shelves - I think they were Duma Key, Blaze, Black House, Desperation, Full Dark No Stars, Just after Sunset and Under the Dome - so which of these would you recommend?

[StephenKingman]

After reading 11.22.63 and actually liking it, I've decided to hang up old misgivings and actually give another of his books a try. Was in the library and some books of his were available on the shelves - I think they were Duma Key, Blaze, Black House, Desperation, Full Dark No Stars, Just after Sunset and Under the Dome - so which of these would you recommend?

In my opinion if you are looking for a decent long story from your list, I would go for Duma Key as its written in quite a different style than the King of old but has a very intriguing, slow-burning central mystery that never gets weary and is quite terrifying in places (particularly the images of Pegasus ship with all the upturned skeleton hands raising a salute, read it and shiver). Black House is excellent but it assumes knowledge of the Dark Tower series on the reader's part as well as following the main character from his 1981 classic fantasy Talisman, so it helps to have read that book, which I also recommend as probably his strongest sci-fi effort. Under the Dome would be a letdown after the epicness that is 11.22.63, the ending is just a cop out.

As for the short stories, I think Just After Sunset is the superior over Full Dark No Stars. Sunset has quite a few short stories that stick in the mind, especially the first story of he country and western bar. Full Dark No Stars has 2 out of the 4 novellas which are quite decent (Big Driver and 1922), the other two about the deal with the devil and the mysterious husband were poor in my opinion and not his best work. Just my opinion of course, happy reading whatever you pick.

[RuqeeD]

^ Thanks Mike, I'll start with Duma Key and see where to go from there. I didn't even realise Just After Sunset and Full Dark No Stars were short stories, I just glanced at the titles whilst I was browsing.

[StephenKingman]

^ Thanks Mike, I'll start with Duma Key and see where to go from there. I didn't even realise Just After Sunset and Full Dark No Stars were short stories, I just glanced at the titles whilst I was browsing.

Full Dark No Stars is 4 novellas rather than short stories and Sunset has several short stories in it. Let us know what you think when your read Duma Key, enjoy!

[Alexenderbill]

I had read him really nice to study his books.

[Tomcat]

From his novels I have read (The Shining, Shawshank Redemption), I think he is a great storyteller.

[kmsinc28]

I have read a lot of his novels, he is basically all I read unless I am recommended something else by a friend/relative. I love his writing style, he can draw me in no matter what the topic. Even if the subject matter of his story doesn't interest me, I am ALWAYS interested in the characters he creates. He creates so much depth to everyone of his characters and he really makes the reader care about them. Under the Dome had me in tears at times,sympathizing with characters as well as horror. To call him a just a horror writer is misleading. He is a master of storytelling and creating memorable, lasting characters.