Stephen King Fans discussion

Two of my favorites:-)

Margaret wrote: "I loved Joyland. It was tender and sweet and reminding of youth insecurity and sensitivity. Not a "standard" SK but still one of his best."

I agree. This is not a classical King's novel, but I liked it very much, for the nostalgic atmosphere and the sensation of 'memories of youth'.

Just finished The Haunting of Hill House (HIGHLY recommended quick read), and just started The Exorcist. Damn, I LOVE October.

Just finished a re-read of Full Dark No Stars... every bit as powerful as the first time I read it... maybe even better. I'm surprised that other than the best in the bunch Big Driver, I didn't remember the others very well. (Review coming). Also just finished Erased, by Margaret Chatwin, great read about a teenage victim of total amnesia. (The review is up). Just started The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross, funny stuff... liking it a lot.

Finished the audiobook Bag of Bones. It was read by Stephen King. He did accents and vocal nuances really well. The audio format had little bits of the Blues songs referred to in the story (as segues) and just a little touch of mood music here and there. While I usually find that distracting and cheesy, this was a good fit. I probably would have given it 3 stars, I'm not sure why, but because the listening experience was a good one I gave it 4
I just started 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill

I'm more than half way through the wolves of Calla, book 5 in the Dark Tower.

That one is coming up soon for me as well Mario. Looking forward to it.
I just finished Neverwhere. I'm trying to drum up an interest in Gaiman so I can try to tackle American Gods again someday. Last time I tried to read it I made it about 25% and bailed on it.

Just getting started with The Goldfinch

Michael wrote: "That one is coming up soon for me as well Mario. Looking forward to it.
I just finished Neverwhere. I'm trying to drum up an interest in Gaiman so I can try to tackle American Gods again someda..."

Just read American Gods a few months ago liked it a lot, but I have to say I liked Anansi Boys even better. It's tremendously funny. You might try that one first. It focuses more on african gods, a very easy read, and as I say funny as hell. Or you could try the audio book. the guy who narrates the book had a big hand in its creation - not sure exactly what but there's so many specifics about the myths and the characters that come from Africa by way of the Caribbean, that I think the guy must have at least had a big role as a content expert.

I finished Song of Susannah. I'm close to the end of "The Dark Tower" Series and yesterday I started And Another Thing..., the last book of "Hitchhiker's guide of galaxy". I should end both these two series in the next weeks.

I agree with Nick that Anansi Boys is a more "entertaining" read than AG. If you have the opportunity to listen to the audio it takes the experience to an entirely different level. He is the perfect reader for the story and it's obvious he really had a hand in it.

You know how sometimes a reader, no matter how good they are, pronounce or accentuate something that feels "wrong"? He never does. It's just a perfect telling.

I just started "Mine" by McCammon, "Little Brother" by Doctorow and Koontz's "Tick Tock" for a group read. I may download "I Am Legend" on audio for driving to work this week.

Just started The Instructions by Adam Levin.

I'm finishing up "Full Dark, No Stars" and set to read "Mr. Mercedes" next.

Currently reading "Born with a Tooth" by Joseph Boyden, a great collection of thirteen stories. Also reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", by Stieg Larsson.

Currently reading ''Der seltene Vogel''. Don't know what I'll pick next. Propably The Dark Tower II.

I'm just getting started with IT; only about 1000 pages to go, see you in the spring ha ha

Rhian-
As with most King, IT is a fast read:-)

@ The long wait I think I could read it reasonably quick but the print is tiny which will send me to sleep when reading in bed

I've finished And Another Thing... and now I'm reading Pet Sematary. Considering the latest books, this is the year of Stephen King for me.

Like Nick says, audiobooks are a great alternative, especially for 1000 + page books or small print, or for time management issues. Often the narration lends a whole new dimension and understanding to the story, and it's soooooo nice to have a story read to you as you drive to work, do chores, wait for appointments.
Joining Audible/Amazon has been one of my favorite things. I've also been told that many libraries offer free downloads of audiobooks with membership (although they aren't yours to keep forever like A/A)
I love the tangible book, the feel (the smell ) the turning of the page, the words themselves. The older I get, and the more crap I accumulate and therefore have to store or move, I've really come to appreciate digital, and especially audio.
=}. #my2cents

E. wrote: "Like Nick says, audiobooks are a great alternative, especially for 1000 + page books or small print, or for time management issues. Often the narration lends a whole new dimension and understanding..."

I really haven't joined audible but I think I should... less expensive I'm sure. The great undiscovered secret I think is that if you buy a paperback of some books they offer you the audiobook at a greatly reduced price.

Audible is $15 per mo, plus they offer 3 extra credits for $30, so that's 4 books for less than $12 each. If course they're not all that expensive, some are $3-$6 depending.
But if I can get 20 hours of entertainment, or a $30 book, for $12 I feel it's a bargain. It's not for everyone, but I'm thrilled with this indulgence.

I so wish I could be able to use audio books. But I'm not. I fall asleep every time. Tried it once while ironing clothes and ended up having a nap in the middle :(.

Rhian, "It" is a great story, you will possibly be surprised how a smooth read it is.

I'm reading Misery now.

I'm still reading an italian rockstar autobiography and American Pastoral by Roth. But I'm completely stuck. It's since the first days of September I'm not able to pick up a book. Does it ever happen to you?

Rhian wrote: "I'm just getting started with IT; only about 1000 pages to go, see you in the spring ha ha"

LOL

I'm still slogging through The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor which is not what I wanted/expected, almost finished with Kissing the Rain which is far better than I expected and inching my way through a short story collection.

The Instructions by Adam Levin is TREMENDOUS! Funny and smart and brilliant. Only on page 272 of 1030, but already moved to my favorites shelf and could move to my desert island shelf.

IT is going quite well so far, I really thought I'd be falling asleep because of the small print but so far its keeping me awake

Rhian wrote: "IT is going quite well so far, I really thought I'd be falling asleep because of the small print but so far its keeping me awake"

Get the e-book version and the Kindle app, and read it on your phone... then make the type bigger... easier to hold in bed and you can turn the pages with your thumb while the rest of you us under the covers. Only problem... the page count will probably rocket up to a few hundred thousand.

Just finished The Atrocity Archives... great sci fi / bureaucratic horror from about 2004... Funny as hell. LongWait, you'd really love it. Check out the review I just put up. Also re-re-re-re-reading my own new romantic thriller novella which will be out in December. Hopefully I'll have some free copies available for any King fans who are interested.

@ Nick I don't use an e reader, I often wake up and my book has fell on the floor so I'm safer with paper :-) I got a very old paperback copy of IT and the pages stay open nicely

Rhian wrote: "@ Nick I don't use an e reader, I often wake up and my book has fell on the floor so I'm safer with paper :-) I got a very old paperback copy of IT and the pages stay open nicely"

One of the things that always bothered me about paper books, even before e-readers was the fact that, at the beginning or end of a long book it was hard to keep them open so that you could read the whole page... know what I mean? If you bend the pages back you cant read the words. and when you get about 100 pages in you have to hold the book with both hands. This is real trivial stuff I know, but, just for ease of reading, holding something light in one hand, being able to adjust the size of the type, ease of bookmarking, I prefer e-books. Of course when I want to look something up, unless I've book marked it, I prefer a paperback. that's why I often buy both... though it can get expensive. But you know if you're a writer and show any income at all you can deduct books. Guess that's why all readers should write.

I have read a couple of booms on my phone, which is nice. But theres just something about holding a book. Feeling its weight and the pages....i dunno. Personal preference...

Currently reading Three Day Road, by Joseph Boyden, a haunting tale about two Cree snipers in WWI, their friendship, and their battle with morphine addiction. Also still working my way through Born with a Tooth, a collection of thirteen stories :)

@ Nick I try to avoid hard covers and always try to read used books they are so much easier to keep open with one hand

@Rhian I normally prefer hardcovers, as they look better in a collection. But if I'm trying a new author than I get the paperback or the ebook. Or if I adore a novel then I get all three (expensive, I know, but all I really do is read).

Cody wrote: "@Rhian I normally prefer hardcovers, as they look better in a collection. But if I'm trying a new author than I get the paperback or the ebook. Or if I adore a novel then I get all three (expensive..."

Right some people just don't understand collecting books, but I want to have and keep a copy of every book I read. As I say if I like it, even if it's an e-book, I go and buy the paperback just so I can go back to it. I agree with Rhian, used books are a lot easier to read... still hard to adjust the size of the type though :-)

Finished Dark Places the weakest of the three Flynn books.There are three alternating POVs which ensures pacing issues.Flynn is great at writing characters with a perverse psyche and a demented past but in this book almost every character is dark and repelling.This instead of making the book gritty makes it a tad too unrealistic.Rating - 3/5.

Aditya, I just had a Flynn marathon as well. Dark Places is my least favourite, Gone Girl second and Sharp Objects definitely first.
What I love in her stories is that she makes female characters so on the dark side. Not beautiful, flawless, good girls that so many books are full of. It just makes it more real and even a bit "naughty" to read ;).
Can't wait for her next novel.

Susan wrote: "Aditya, I just had a Flynn marathon as well. Dark Places is my least favourite, Gone Girl second and Sharp Objects definitely first.
What I love in her s..."

Interesting.

Susan wrote: "Aditya, I just had a Flynn marathon as well. Dark Places is my least favourite, Gone Girl second and Sharp Objects definitely first.
What I love in her s..."

I read Gone Girl because of the hype and really enjoyed her writing which made me finish the other two.I felt Gone Girl was her best book but if you were focusing on the lead female character, then I do agree Sharp Objects had the most relate-able protagonist of the three and even then she was screwed six ways to Sunday!

Her writing is intelligent, witty and provides a fascinating insight into the minds of troubled characters that most other authors will shrink from. I will definitely read any new book she publishes.

I think Flynn's talent is writing characters you simply cannot like or relate to, but doing so in such a way that you still keep reading. Usually that isn't the case with me. I don't have to like the main character, but I need to identify with them in some way to be interested, but I hate Flynn's girls and still can't stop reading.

I can't wait to see what she writes next. (I agree that Gone Girl is her best so far)

Kandice wrote: "I think Flynn's talent is writing characters you simply cannot like or relate to, but doing so in such a way that you still keep reading. Usually that isn't the case with me. I don't have to like t..."

I've only read Gone Girl, but my thought is you don't start out hating the characters. You root for them for a long time and eventually end up feeling... yecch! These are really awful people. I thought Nick was almost as bad as his wife.

Nick, I've found that to be the case in Gone Girl only. I was turned around so many times in that book, but her others I was almost immediately, if not repulsed, at least not sympathetic to the main character.

Yesterday I finished Pet Sematary, for me one of the best books written by Stephen King. Now I'm reading Three Men in a Boat, definitely a lighter book.

Halfway thru The Instructions by Adam Levin. Tremendous book!!!!

I'm half way through The long walk. Next on the TBR pile will beA Monster Calls and The Graveyard Book.

Phew! Your feet must be exhausted, Peggy! ;)