Stephen King Fans discussion

Who's reading along this month? Anyone watch the show? Seen the movie?

I started a little early because I have a few read-alongs scheduled for April. I've been making some notes because I DO have a few questions, and can't wait to discuss it with you guys.

I have not seen the show, and I only saw the movie once, when it first came out. Have to say, I don't remember much. I plan on trying to watch again after I finish.

I plan to read along. I have seen the movie, but like Kandice it was soon after its release. I have seen glimpses of the TV show, but didn't feel compelled to give it a try.

I finished yeaterday, but will wait for others to start so I don't spoil anyone.

*impatient*

This is one of my favorites. I did see the show and have watched the movie twice.

Chris, I do agree with you on the TV show -- there's just no one in the world that can play the part like Christopher Walken. His entire body degenerates, along with his face, with the force of his vision.

Definitely reading along. I've never read it before so I'm looking forward to it. Just picked up a copy yesterday and planning on jumping right into it tonight.

I loved this book.

********SPOILER (tiny one... happens on page 16, lol)****************


I'm on chapter seven and enjoying it so far. This is the first time I've read the book but I've seen several episodes of the tv show so I knew what to expect (vaguely) from the characters. Still, the first encounter with Stillson really got to me. The description of the attack on the dog actually made me whimper. Cruelty to kids and animals is one of my hot buttons, though.

That's one thing I hate as well, Stacie. I cannot stand cruelty to animals or children, or really, anything, but especially something unable to defend itself. :(

That part was a little difficult to read. Shows just what knd of person he is and the anger he has.

I'm about halfway through the book and I'm really enjoying it so far. I've barely been able to put it down the afternoon.

The part about the dog incident that actually made me leak, was when the poor thing licked Stillson's shoe after he already beat it.

I don't recomend ever reading a book called Red by jack Ketchum, the books about a dog owner who's dog is randomly blown away by some teens and how the owner gets revenge. It's a very messy book and none to friendly to the dog.


The show of the Dead Zone is alright but I don't really like the idea of them changing his life around to allow for a series instead of a movie. I liked the movie and Walken as Johnny (its one of the few roles where he's giving off an amiable and relaxed vibe that doesn't have a creepy edge)but I still prefer the book version of him the best.

Oh and Hello everyone. I'm Amanda and I've been reading King since I was 12 and was a fan since I was a kid and saw some of the early 80s King movies before that.

Welcome, Amanda. I can't remember everything about the movie, but one thing I never forget is how perfect Walken was. I always "see" him as I read the book now.

I just got this book last week. I haven't seen the movie in a while, and I did like the TV show. I started it Saturday but haven't got far, Easter and family you know, i'm going to try and read along with you all, and discuss it as well.

I love the book and the movie. Watched the first season of the tv show which was decent. but never followed up onthe other seasons for some reason

I started a bit early too (but only by one day) and now I'm on page 276. This is the first time I've read it.

I haven't seen the TV-series, but saw the movie in the 80's but can't really remember it at all.

I'm very much enjoying the book so far, although I don't find scary. Agree about the dog!

I read this when I was in my teens, and it was one of the first SK books I came across. Just finished rereading it, and really enjoyed it. Johnny's character has this 'doomed' feeling that carries you along, plus the interaction with his girlfriend was interesting.

The part about the dog really got to me, hate cruelty to animals more than anything else!

******************SPOILERS AGAIN (revealed ending)***************
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I really liked most of it, but I thought the end was a bit 'meh'. I guess I feel it would have had a stronger impact if Johnny would have had to deal with the consequences of his assassination attempt instead of dying.

Stacie wrote: "******************SPOILERS AGAIN (revealed ending)***************
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I really liked most of it, but I thought the end was a bit 'm..."

As for me it's a fitting ending for the book. There's no other way the story will go but with (***Spoilar Alert!!!***) Johnny's death and the subsequent "notes" on how his father and Sarah deal with his death. For me it's all about the statement that in the end the assassin was right in killing the future fascist.

Stacie wrote: "******************SPOILERS AGAIN (revealed ending)***************
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I really liked most of it, but I thought the end was a bit 'm..."

I finished it yesterday, and although I liked it, I was a bit dissapointed. Or perhaps not dissapointed because I didn't have any particular expectations. It just wasn't very engaging. The story was interesting and I didn't mind the ending at all, I thought it quite suitable.

But it was some what predictable and I found it hard to get a good image of the characters. I don't mean image as in what they looked like, but they just weren't that well developed.

Despite this, I think it was perfectly alright and I'm glad to have read it.

The charachter I liked the most was Herb, Johnny's dad.

Just finished today and really enjoyed it. I think leaving him alive would have left it too open. As much as I enjoyed Johnny's character, the gift (or curse, however you view it) was really getting to him. After the fire at Cathy's, I got the impression that even though he saved a lot of lives, he felt like he didn't do enough. Things like that could have and probably would have continued to happen to him. Johnny dieing was a decent end to his internal pain and suffering and a good close to the book.

Anyway, just my take on it. Definitely enjoyed this and can't wait for next month's book!!

On a different note from the book, I did enjoy the question Johnny was posing to everyone toward the end of the book about going back in time to kill Hitler. I've found myself wondering that since I read it. Would I possibly sacrifice my life to save all those people? Or would I give my life for the betterment of the world? Definitely a deep thought. Just really enjoyed that.

Jay wrote: "On a different note from the book, I did enjoy the question Johnny was posing to everyone toward the end of the book about going back in time to kill Hitler. I've found myself wondering that since ..."


I've asked friends about that crucial question in the novel. Friend replied: "Where the hell did you get that question?"

Me: "Umm... Stephen King?"

Friend: "King?! I didn't knew he was that profound shit!"

That got him and made him read the book. I think he quite enjoyed it.

Brilliant! Another enlightened mind! ;)

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I did like that one line in Johnny's letter to his dad where he states that it was time to act (or something to that effect) because I almost started to skim over all the 'should I or shouldn't I' whining as it was too much like Hamlet. I almost squealed with joy when I read Uncle Stevie address the plot point/ character development that I absolutely hated in the play. I'm always ridiculously happy when people work Shakespearean references into their work in a completely natural way. What can I say? I'm a nerd :)

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


I've been waiting for more people to read furhter or finish before I asked, but when Mary Kate, the little girl walking to the library, is found dead, the timeline makes no sense to me. She supposedly first walked by the bandstand TO the library at 10:05, but her body was found at 10:30. That's only a 25 minute gap for her to get to the library,do whatever she did there, leave, be raped and killed, another couple of kids to walk by and then be found. TWENTY FIVE MINUTES just doesn't seem enough time to me. Did anyone else find that odd?

Kandice wrote: "***************SPOILERS******************


I've been waiting for more people to read furhter or finish before I asked, but when Mary Kate, the little girl walking to the library, is found dead,..."

I have to check, but did she actually ever reach the library?

Yes. I read the book too early, but I put a post-it on the page with notes because I'd never noticed before how wonky that was.

It was just OK for me, I gave it a 3. Like Katarina on post #22, the story was interesting but not very engaging. I was hurrying to finish the book so I could get to something better.

Some parts, like for example, Johnny teaching Chuck how to read, went on for too long and made the book slow and boring, for me. It did pick up at the the end. I like how the story was told through the witness interrogations.

this is one of the few king books i havn't read, nor have i seen the movie. i'll have to see if i can find a copy at the used book store and start on it

This is my first read-along with you guys, but since April is drawing to its close can one assume that most people have finished it by now so that we can discuss it "freely" or should we still include spoiler warnings?

I would always include spoiler warnings. I myself sometimes lurk on old threads of books I am planning to read.

I still want to know if anyone agrees with my "probelm" with timing on one of the murders. I've re-read that part a few times and don't think I am misunderstanding.

Did any one notice at the first the book, when Johnny took Sarah home from the carnival, that the name of her street is Flagg Street? When the cab pulls out of her driveway, and "cruises up Flagg Street". Coincidence? Who knows!

I thought this is one of Uncle Stevie's sneaky references to some of his work and in this case here "The Stand."

If I remember it correctly there's also a mention of Tibbet's Garage there somewhere which is a nod to 'Salem's Lot and on the later part of the novel as a girl accuses Johnny of something terrible she blurted out this words: “He made it happen! He set it on fire by his mind, just like that in that book Carrie.”

And I got this eerie feeling when I'd manged to locate those references and thing with these allusions it places it outside the book's reality...

So what's you take on it guys?

I just love that about his writing! That references from other works pop up here and there.

And also references to current popular culture! For example in "The Dark Half" when one of the police men has a tendency to throw up at a particularly gruesome crime scene, his wife says that he is just like Deputy Andy in Twin Peaks who cried at crime scenes.

Twin Peaks was really big here in Sweden back then (and I was glued to the television at every episode) I remember thinking "Stephen King, I love you!" when that scene came up in the book.

After reading Firestarter, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. But I loved it! I saw so many cross-overs to other works of Stephen King (in the characterizations). Despite this character coming late in the King Bibliography, I have started pinpointing what I like to call the "Wireman-Character". Even now, heading into Black House, I have already tapped the "Wireman Character". In Dead Zone it is Dr. Sam Weizak. I'll save the Black House reveal for that thread.

Overall, I was thrilled with Dead Zone and it really just started to make me wonder about the kinds of labels that have been put on King. Granted, he has some pretty horrific stories, but when people say "Don't recommend Stephen King books to me, because I don't like being scared" I have to wonder if he has a bum rep. I know with Dead Zone and Firestarter, it was much more of an intense pull that draws you into the book. I wonder if the images that have been portrayed in film and on TV have really distorted your average joe-schmo's view of these really great novels.

I'm currently watching the show (I read the book many years ago) and it's interesting since it's just "inspired by the characters."

I recently got done reading the Dead Zone right before reading 11/22/63. There were some interesting parallels to say the least. Anyway, I enjoyed the Dead Zone.

Just finished a very approachable lit. crit. book, "Hit Lit," which gives some interesting analysis of The Dead Zone in context with other very divergent bestsellers like To Kill a Mockingbird and The DaVinci Code. Interesting exploration of what themes and writing techniques go in to create some of America's all time bestselling novels. Check it out.

Jay wrote: "On a different note from the book, I did enjoy the question Johnny was posing to everyone toward the end of the book about going back in time to kill Hitler. I've found myself wondering that since ..."

Regarding that question, apparently Uncle Stevie had been harboring similar thoughts when he wrote _____ [fill in blank]

Danielle wrote: "Just finished a very approachable lit. crit. book, "Hit Lit," which gives some interesting analysis of The Dead Zone in context with other very divergent bestsellers like To Kill a Mockingbird ..."

Thanks! I put this on my TBR list, and placed a hold at my library. I love doing Literary Criticism, the verb. Those classes were always my fav college courses too.
Danielle, did you post a review of this?

The thing that really stood out to me ,and caught me somewhat flatfooted, was the theme of change. Rapid breathtaking change and the fact that it happens whether we like it or not. In this respect I realized this was a very personal aspect that the story was hitting on.

The Dead Zone was published in 1979. I was eleven years old when it came out. I was just a kid and the world that Johnny is so effected by was just the world to me. Gas lines, stagflation, the Iran Hostage Crisis, disco, the U.S. 1980 Olympic hockey team; all these things (and more) were just part of the world that I was living in. My concerns were that of a child.

As I grew older and the 1980's progressed into the 1990's I grew more aware of the world and my surroundings, but the rapid changes that characterize the society of the United States continued to have no effect on me. Well not that I was aware of.

I was just too busy. School, marriage, starting a family, starting a career, starting a second career ect. But finally , a few years ago, I reached a point in my life where I took a pause. It was as if I came to a stop sign and was able to take a look behind me. I found myself amazed by the fact that over twenty years had gone by since high school and I and my old school mates were no longer kids. We were at the start of middle age. Some of them were dead,Those of us who weren't were starting to get grey hair and the middle aged spread had begun - despite our best efforts. A few had even become grandparents!Basically we had turned into our parents.

It was at this point that I looked, really looked at what had happened in the world since I had turned 18. In many respects I felt like Johnny Smith. And now ,since that pause, I realize that the world continues to move at it's normal breakneck pace and I'm no longer part of it.

Oh I still have my career and my life can get very busy - especially now that the kids are teenagers. But I'm no longer part of the vast, sweeping river that makes up this country.In some respects I've choosen to sit on the riverbank. It's an interesting place to be. For example Twitter and I are strangers and I don't have a Facebook page.

That's the situation Johnny is in except for the fact that he has the ability of second sight. Showing him where the world is going and giving him the opportunity to change the river though it means great sacrifice for him.

Just started this book. Really enjoying it so far

Finished this. Read it very quickly and very impressed. Held my attention the whole way. Now onto the next Trying to decide between Cujo and Firestarter. Going to hold off on The Stand for a while as it is quite long

Ciaran wrote: Trying to decide between Cujo and Firestarter. Going to hold off on The Stand for a while ..."

Personally, I like to pick my reads based upon the seasonal appropriateness if such a thing can be said to be objective at all and not just my subjective tastes. That being said, since it is still summer if you are debating between the two, I'd go with Cujo now and do Firestarter this fall.

This was the first Stephen King book I read. I didn't really know what to expect, I guess I was assuming it would be a horror novel but it wasn't. Still, a very interesting story though. Takes you into the head of a political assassin who had a legitimate reason for doing what he did. Very interesting story. I read it because I had just found the show on USA that is based on this and wanted to dig into the origins. The show is pretty good but the book is by far more true to Stephen King.

I just realized the other day that the actor who plays the lead in the TV show is the nerd from The Breakfast Club!! Anthony Michael Hall !!!