Stephen King Fans discussion

It took me five days to read, but I really put on the brakes after about page 800. I really enjoyed it, and was not wanting it to end:*(

I kept getting angry with the 'good guys' for not asassinating a certain character.
NOT a spoiler :) . . . Daaaaaaaaady is probably my all time new scariest word ever.

Tom, I was a little frustrated about that too, but then I thought about it, and in real life, maybe we wouldn't be so quick to commit murder as we have come to expect it in books. If we were the good guys, I mean:D

That's a big maybe for me, with some BIG *ifs*

SPOILER
*if* a person knew in 1940 how many millions would die under his command, would it still be murder if someone killed Hitler?
*if* Barbie or any of the other good guys killed their fav used car salesman, would thousands of lives have been spared?
SPOILER ABOVE

Tom wrote: "That's a big maybe for me, with some BIG *ifs*

SPOILER
*if* a person knew in 1940 how many millions would die under his command, would it still be murder if someone killed Hitler?
*if* Barbie ..."

But really, they didn't know how bad it really was until the end, when Barbie wasn't in a position to do it. I only see Barbie as a plausible "terminator" because of his military background.

It DID bug me, I totally admit that, but I still think I wouldn't be quite so quick in life as I am to urge in books.

Then too, if (ohh, not aGAin!) we were in control of THE Word processor . . . we would be able to edit to our version of "perfection".
That done, we would be left with no novel! gasp!

Who's reading along this month?

I am....i'm about 300 pages in. Trying to get a head start on this huge book.

I actually have to buy this book. It is too long and I only have 3 weeks with it from the library and I am down to two and haven't started it yet. :(

I read it right when it came out, so won't be re-reading it so soon. It's still very fresh in my mind, though, so I am really looking forward to discussion.

Finished it last night.

*******SPOILERS******

Anyone else put in mind of Needful Things? A whole town splitting into 'sides' and being led to self destruction. Seemed vaguely familier to me.

Really enjoyed the book though.

I said that as soon as I got past the first couple of chapters, Jak! I think I was expecting it to be more like The Stand, but, no...

I just finished it the other day. Looking forward to the official start of the month to discuss :)

Finished it last night. I also expected it to be more like the Stand but it has a great Needful Things vibe.

Tom wrote: "That's a big maybe for me, with some BIG *ifs*

SPOILER
*if* a person knew in 1940 how many millions would die under his command, would it still be murder if someone killed Hitler?
*if* Barbie ..."

SPOILER:


You've pretty much gotten down the synopsis of THE DEAD ZONE there buddy! Frankly, that's a question I have puzzled over ever since I read that book. Say you could go back in time to when Hitler was a baby? Could you kill him?

BTW, there was that attempt at the town hall meeting by the recovering oxy addict 3rd Selectman (Andi?), so it seems someone had Rennie's number. But would any of the good guys be able to put their morals aside even if they knew what he was up to?

SPOILER
Andi had, and righteously so IMHO. At that point for her, it would have been immoral to NOT 'do' Rennie. I also think Barbie would have if he could have worked it out; he was OK with it I think. Junior was too, although not for the right reasons. His second in command would have too - tried to - again, for the wrong reasons, not to mention too late to do any good.

Personally, I like to 'think' that I'd be willing to suffer the emotional consequences and 'do' (for example) Hitler, *IF* (big word again) I knew what was to come if he lived.

Betsy wrote: "Tom wrote: "That's a big maybe for me, with some BIG *ifs*


*if* a person knew in 1940 how many millions would die under his command, would it still be murder if someone killed Hitler?
..."

WOW is this the discussion for the December read?! I hope not, being its still November and there is a lot of people here who have fineshed UTD already. Sorry guys but once again can someone point in the right direction, to the fresh discussion for UTD? Thanks.

Wait 8.5 hours and re-read this thread?

Tom wrote: "Wait 8.5 hours and re-read this thread?"

Okie Dokie, thanks Tom!

I'm sorry Fran...I wasn't aware that there was another discussion. But maybe Angie will start a fresh one tomorrow?

Tom...it is truly a fascinating puzzle. What would I do? Of course, for me there would be the consequences of my soul. Yeah, I'm a believer. Would God forgive? Or would I suffer the torments of hell? Is there a hell? Just thinking about all this blows my mind!

BTW...you mentioned "Word Processor of the Gods"...great, great story! I don't know how old you are, but there used to be a show called "Tales From the Darkside". They did WPotG on that show. I saw that before I ever read the story. They also did another SK called "Sorry, Right Number" (I think).

Tom wrote: "welll, *I* am buying a hardcopy :) SIGNED by Uncle Stevie. I got tickets to see him next week and the first couple hundred or so to get event tickets also received a voucher to purchase a signed c..." NEVER buy a book with no intention to read it! You'll never know what you'll be missing- why bother getting the book in the first place?! It's a great book!

God you guys are fast readers! I don't have enough time in my hands to read it faster! But I do treat a book like an induldenge- you don't rush through it! Mind you I'm working on my own book at the mo so busy, busy, busy!

Em wrote: "God you guys are fast readers! I don't have enough time in my hands to read it faster! But I do treat a book like an induldenge- you don't rush through it! Mind you I'm working on my own book at th..."

With King and a few other authors, I usually race through the first reading because I have been anticipating for so long. I savor it the second time around. There's almost always a second time (or a third...).

I'm the same way Kandice...I blast thru it the first time!

Well, this time I tried to put on the breaks at about page 800, but...well, I still finished pretty quickly.

Kandice & Betsy:

I'm SO glad to hear that I'm not the only person who totally blasts thru the first reading of a King -- and then immediately re-reads it, for the details I missed in my race. I still think that SK's putting out an "unedited" version of "The Stand" was one of the best gifts ever, because it WAS a new book, so to speak!!

Totally agree with you there Bondama. And every time I finish a new SK, I miss his writing immediately. I almost get depressed! The only cure for me seems to be to re-read something else of his, which I'm gonna do as soon as I finish what I'm reading now.

lol, I'm older than dirt Betsy; almost as old as SK. I remember 'Tales' very well. My little bro and sister wanted to watch the Munsters while I was fighting to watch Tales.
I remember "Sorry, Right Number" very well too. In fact, I read that again yesterday! BOOOOOOlyaaaaaa!

Betsy wrote: "I'm sorry Fran...I wasn't aware that there was another discussion. But maybe Angie will start a fresh one tomorrow?

Tom...it is truly a fascinating puzzle. What would I do? Of course, for me ..."

Oh trust me, I read them alright, just not the SIGNED FIRST editions.
I have more than one copy of UTD and all of those I have signed copies of. NEVER read a SIGNED copy, especially in the bathroom :)

Em wrote: "Tom wrote: "welll, *I* am buying a hardcopy :) SIGNED by Uncle Stevie. I got tickets to see him next week and the first couple hundred or so to get event tickets also received a voucher to purchas..."

I think those of us that feel addicted to King all do the same things. His books, even though most are classified as horror, are my comfort reads. I've read them all so many times, and when I'm stuck on what to read next, one of his short stories is great for filling in my "cracks".

I "miss" him the minute I finish one of his books. New or old. Doesn't matter. He just touches me in a way no other author ever has. Only one comes close (Colleen McCullough) and they are so different it makes me question my sanity!:)

Fran wrote: "WOW is this the discussion for the December read?! I hope not, being its still November and there is a lot of people here who have fineshed UTD already. Sorry guys but once again can someone poin..."

I try not to have more then one thread for a book or topic. OCD. So this is the thread where we are discussing UTD. I didn't really think there was a reason to start a new thread. I usually do start the next month's threads the day before the month starts. So for example. On November 30th I started to move threads around for the new month (december). Hope this helps!

Okay Hopefully I can start this by Sunday or Monday.

Ok, without revealing too much to those who havent gotten this far yet; Does anybody else find Junior's reaction to Aiden and Alice as strange as I do? Im finding it very difficult to wrap my mind around him behaving that way. It makes me wonder if we're maybe in for a huge discovery about his past.

Fran wrote: "Ok, without revealing too much to those who havent gotten this far yet; Does anybody else find Junior's reaction to Aiden and Alice as strange as I do? Im finding it very difficult to wrap my mind..."

I didn't really find it strange. Sort of like the really big bully jerk that wants to beat up everyone for the honor of some girl. They have a few decent thoughts but are such jerks that they we only remember the bad thoughts.

yeaa, I dont know though, having a decent thought is one thing, but he also ACTED. Maybe Im just projecting, but I could literally feel the compassion he was feeling. UGH, "shiver"

I just thought that he was able to feel compassion for them because they were truly innocent children. Every single adult he encountered he seemed to feel had some agenda or had slighted him (mostly in his imagination) in some way. Perhaps he just felt the children were incapable of that, so deserving of his protection.

They way that I see it is that even the most cruel men of the world can do small acts of compassion, just like the kindest men in the world can do cruel acts on the very odd occasion. We focus so much on the badness in the person, that we forget there`s some goodness inside them as well, however far down it is.

I guess I've always believed that truely cruel people were incapable of feeling, let alone doing, anything compassionate. I dont think I ever met an evil person who was also compasionate in real life. Has anyone?

We should remember that Junior is human, before we put an "evil" label on him. With that I mean, he did not set out to be evil. He did not wake up one day and say, "hey, I want to be a villain and cause mayhem."

Junior is human, capable of love and compassion, as well as greed and cruelty. For the most part, he is insane and his judgment is seriously flawed. Yes, he is evil and does evil things, but that wasn't his goal.

*************************SPOILER undetermined page**************************


Junior also has a BRAIN TUMOR! I mean, it doesn't sound like he was an angel before, but a lot of his feelings now are because of that, not his true personality.

Kandice wrote: "Junior also has a BRAIN TUMOR! I mean, it doesn't sound like he was an angel before, but a lot of his feelings now are because of that, not his true personality."

I hope your guessing at the brain tumor thing since I havent gotten that far yet. But I do think the thought crossed my mind because of all his headaches, but then again a lot of people especially the kids are having issues too.

That's true, Kandice....one big reason that he is going nucking futs.....

Chris wrote: "That's true, Kandice....one big reason that he is going nucking futs....."

Ha ha ha!

in Arnold voice "It's not a toomer!" :)

I think the tumor issues are amplifying the evil. He wanted to beat up Barbie for no reason before the book even starts.

Lonnie wrote: "in Arnold voice "It's not a toomer!" :)

I think the tumor issues are amplifying the evil. He wanted to beat up Barbie for no reason before the book even starts.

"

Well keep in mind that we're plopped into to story right as the dome falls and that Junior and Barbie had already had issues with each other. I'm only 500+ pages in, so I don't know what started the bad blood between them...or if we ever know, but I don't see Junior as evil. I see him as emotionally and mentally incapable of making good or even reasonable judgements. He's deranged and sees more and more people around him as his enemy. For this reason, I didn't find it odd at all that he felt compassion for the children. The other fellow with him did also and wasn't he one of the men involved in the - situation - with Sammey Bushey? (I'm intentionally vague for those who might not have gotten that far.)

Of course my opinion could change at any point....I'm only about half way through. :)

********************SPOILERS AGAIN***********************



Yes, Junior and Barbie had issues before, but they began after he had been expelled from school (or whatever) and it seems as if his possible tumor had already begun to affect him at that point.

i havent read any comments. I will when i have finished but i just want to say

I HATE THE CHARACTORS IN THIS BOOK

in this i mean

SK MADE ME HATE THE CHARACTORS IN THIS BOOK

He has done a good job at making charactors that you will want to see brought to justice hehe. Stephen is a master at this. Im listening to the audiobook at work and i have about 8 hours to go and i keep cringing because.... I HATE BIG JIM!!! :D

I KNOW!! I thought the other guy was one in on that encounter with sammie too. Im just not getting the conflicting personality traits of these guys!

I am avoiding this thread since I don't have my hands on the book... if there happens to be a "problem" in the thread someone let me know (now with great Constant Readers here there shouldn't be any problems right?).

angie this is the same reason why i skipped to the bottom of the page with the page down button just to say.. its a great book...really worth picking up