Book Talk discussion

Benjamin wrote: "Recluse wrote: "King's shorter novels tend to work better. He still hasn't learned to contain himself.
Other authors weave multiple plotlines into their novels. King adds another 100 pages.

In the..."

Have you seen the special unedited version of The Stand? A family of four could live in it.

I agree with Charlene and Jon (no surprise there). King's best medium is the novella--enough room for him to develop the story but not so much freedom that he starts adding hundreds of extra pages--or when he keeps the novel short for whatever reason. The Stand and The Green Mile are exceptions of course.

I think that Shawshank, Apt Pupil, and The Body (perhaps as a companion piece to Sherwood Anderson's Death in the Woods) will last. As will Misery, The Shining, Pet Sematary, and Salem's Lot--which are novels without all that extra padding. Maybe Cujo too---which is really quite good.

His treatise "On Writing" is fantastic also. I think it is interesting that most of his best novels involve children as protagonists or major characters.

I think that's interesting too, Chris. In fact, I might go so far to say that King and McCammon have written some of the best child characters out there.
(BTW, I think James Everington can too, The Shelter, though he only has one so far.)


Recluse, I do have both versions of The Stand in hardcover and any one of them would do as a murder weapon. : )

Benjamin wrote: "Recluse wrote: "King's shorter novels tend to work better. He still hasn't learned to contain himself.
Other authors weave multiple plotlines into their novels. King adds another 100 pages.

In the..."

I thought The Stand was terrible. King makes Michener look like he writes epigrams. Unconscionable bloat, IMO. It even works its way into his short stories these days.

Sure he creates characters, but then he can give them nothing to do, sometimes for hundreds of pages. You could cut a thousand pages from The Stand and the book would be vastly the better for it.

Is there no love out there for The Stand at all?

No love for Larry (Baby, can you dig your man?) or pimply, greasy Harold or for poor, neglected, out of his mind Trash Can man?

You all are bumming me out. : (

Charlene wrote: "Is there no love out there for The Stand at all?

No love for Larry (Baby, can you dig your man?) or pimply, greasy Harold or for poor, neglected, out of his mind Trash Can man?

You all are b..."

Well, at least we're not taking 1400 pages to do it. :D

Marc wrote: "Benjamin wrote: "Recluse wrote: "King's shorter novels tend to work better. He still hasn't learned to contain himself.
Other authors weave multiple plotlines into their novels. King adds another 1..."

Sorry Charlene... no love from me on The Stand... I got a few hundred in and was ready to chuck it across the room... but then realize that a pet or small child might lose their life by accidental braining.

I think the Stand will mercifully fade into the abyss as time takes its toll. There are precious few redeeming literary merits (if any) to this marathon like story. If the Stand is to be remembered... it will be for its notoriety as a hefty murder implement... at least IMO.

All kidding aside... I'm not of the "King is Crap" school of thought... but I think there are very few gems in King's prolific output... and if you take out some of the Bachman stories... even fewer. King will be more remembered for the movies that he inspired than his actual written works.

Quite a few people really like The Stand, so I won't say anything bad about it. It was way too long for me too, but I think that the best of his stories/novellas/novels have that magic in them that sets great works apart from the rest. He will continue to be read, I am sure of it.

Most of his great works came when he was younger. I think that there is something about being young and hungry (or at least with still something to prove) that brings out the best in the artist and they lose that edge as they get older and more comfortable. Especially when everyone around you treats you like a genius. You start to believe your own hype.

His inability to edit tends to suggest that on the level of practical craft, he started to believe his hype early on. By all accounts, he's a nice guy and earnestly devoted to being the best writer he can be. But it appears he hopes to get there via major sprawl accompanied by only very minor editing and no outlining at all. That's not a recipe for producing focused work.

He is clearly totally off the leash and I seriously doubt if anyone at this stage in his career as one of the best selling authors of all time will make any suggestions or criticism of his work. Why would they? Anything he writes will go straight to the top of the charts. 11/22/63 is a great example---forget about the story itself, it is obvious that he didn't have anyone from the Dallas Fort Worth area review the book even for factual accuracy.

All that being said, when the sequel to The Shining comes out I will start reading it the day it is released. He has several books on my all time favorite list, and The Shining is one of them.

I agree that his works are bloated.
And when Doctor Sleep comes out, I'll be there the first day as well. : )

I finished William Hope Hodgson's The House on the Borderland and thought it was a pretty trippy read, but all in all, ok.

I started on From Hell. It's a long one.

Never heard of it. Thought at first you meant the graphic novel by Alan Moore that they turned into a Johnny Depp movie.

Never heard of it. : )

The author seems like an interesting guy. He has another book out about his time in the military in South Africa. I have it, but haven't checked it out yet.

Ah. Military memoirs can be great. Amazing and moving. Sometimes!

Allright, From Hell is funny! The book description said:
"A transgender Tolkien meets Terry Pratchett on acid in this epic saga of danger, forbidden love, genocide, carnivorous fish, cunning dwarves, and one man's irrepressible hunger for pizza."

So far, the descriptor is accurate.

In the last few days I finished two light monster romps: "Crustaceans" (fun and entertaining) and "Thaw" (it was ok) and a very good time travel dark novel called The Memory Tree. The time travel aspect was particularly well done but the subject matter (child sexual abuse) was very rough. Honestly I probably would not have read it if I had known that going in, but I am glad that I did and I admire the author for writing it. It really took guts.

Right now I am trying to decide what to read next and am leaning toward James Herbert's "Haunted."

I really liked "Haunted".

I saw that you and Kealan both liked it so I bought it. I like a good haunted house story. The second one in the series doesn't appear to be available in e-book though.

"The Ghosts of Sleath"?
That's another good one.

Real interested in hearing what you think of "Haunted".

Yeah, "The Ghosts of Sleath." I saw you liked that one too. Can't seem to get it in e-book though. Lazy, I know.....

James Herbert books are hard to come by in paperback form, too.

There is always the library. It is amazing how lazy I have become since I have started reading e-books. You mean I have to get up from the couch in order to get this book?

You need to get one of those wide load electric geezer carts.

OUCH!

I have run 3 5K's in the last two months, so I will get off my butt for some things. However, they gave away free beer at the end of the race so I had an incentive...

Sorry.

I didn't know you were a lazy athlete.

......

I think I actually like that term. It is pretty accurate.

The Red Sox pitching staff would understand.

Describes most of Major League Baseball and all of the NBA.
I never run.
I get better exercise if I let them catch me. :P

Chris wrote: "......

I think I actually like that term. It is pretty accurate.

The Red Sox pitching staff would understand."

Plus, they have beer! Oops! Not anymore. : )

I just can't believe that the Red Sox pitchers used to drink beer and eat crap food in the clubhouse DURING games. Some of them even drank beer on days that they pitched. They are being paid millions to perform. They should have to return part of their salaries or take a pay cut. Especially after tanking the season in the last couple weeks.

I know it, Chris. I couldn't believe it either when the story first came out. They have some of the most loyal fans in baseball and they had no respect for that or for the game.

The Sox played the first three games of last season here in Texas and got swept and outscored something like 100 to 3---not that bad, but close. My family and I were at dinner on Sunday when this shocked looking guy in a Red Sox jersey came in. I raised my glass and said "Welcome to Texas" and he just started laughing and said "What the F***!" We laughed about it and drank to how much we both hated the Yankees.

Ha! Hatred for the Yankees is palpable almost anywhere in MA that you could choose to go!
One of my husband's favorite shirts is Yuck the Fankees.

To see a game in Fenway Park though, is a memorable experience. They have that whole thing with singing "Sweet Caroline" during every game that is sooo stupid, but a lot of fun. Plus, it's a very old ballpark, full of history.

We do the Sweet Caroline thing here in the minor league hockey club we watch. They are in their playoffs right now and it is great. Silly, but everyone seems to love it.

I would LOVE to see a game at Fenway. My wife and I want to one day see a game in every park. I guess we could then start on the hockey arenas after that.

By the way, I need that shirt. If I wore it to the next Rangers games I wouldn't have to buy even one beer for myself. LOL.

I miss old Shea Stadium, seeing the Mets and doing "the Curly Shuffle".

You guys are lucky. We have a nice stadium now--it is very similar to Camden Yards if you have ever been there. Our old stadium, however, was a dump. Felt like a minor league park. The Rangers sucked pretty bad back then too.

Look!

A streaking albino!

I think he blinded me. Where did everyone go?

Never stare directly at the butt cheeks, Charlene. You'll burn out your retinas!

Brilliant!

My vision has come back.
Not that I wouldn't look at Kealan's butt cheeks again. Maybe just not full on. : )

Young lust is a beautiful thing.

Old lust is sort of wrinkled.

But you love Kealan anyway, wrinkles and all. :P

Tis true. I didn't see too many wrinkles before my eyesight went.

The glare smooths him out. :P

Oh, is that what it was? LOL

They like reading your butt cheeks.....

Oh! Can I try?! *stretching hands out blindly*

Just fondle some cottage cheese until the urge passes......