Paid Members gadge Posted March 18, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 Dreamcatcher is excellent but my favourite Stephen King by a long way is Insomnia.  Really? I thought it was okay, but if it wasn't for The Dark Tower references I think it'd probably be the weakest King book I've read (that or Bag Of Bones). The first half is very slow and boring and was nearly the first time I gave up on a Stephen King book.  Not including The Dark Tower series I would say his best work is either Salem's Lot or It  I'd go for The Stand as my favourite King. Thought Carrie was excellent too, if not quite as polished. I've just started The Shining, which I can't quite believe I haven't read before.  I then have the fourth volume of The Dark Tower to re-read on the upcoming WrestleMania trip, which will set me up for the new one coming out at the end of April... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningxlock Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Can anybody recommend any Bukowski or Kerouac, please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 18, 2012 Awards Moderator Share Posted March 18, 2012 Can anybody recommend any Bukowski or Kerouac, please? Â For Kerouac: Can't go wrong with On The Road, as far as I'm concerned. I love that book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Halitosis Romantic Posted March 18, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 (edited) LaGoosh is right - King's best book is Salem's Lot - I think a lot of his stuff is great (actually, when I moved I realized I had the full set, and no-one wanted them, so in Edmonton [London] there may well be a full set of King's novels up to 2010 on the shelves of Scope), but there are plenty of flaws and tics that either devloped, evolved, or were just there from the get go but got more annoying as time went on . SL is just a flat out horror classic, where his small-town obsession had yet to be outed as such, and rather than being a soap-opera with some horror components, it's a horror that is informed by its setting. Edited March 18, 2012 by Rosegarden Funeral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Cold Jane Austen Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 After getting most of the way through The Dark Tower, I decided I never wanted to read Stephen King ever again. Beyond the first book, everything in that series is deus ex machina and retcon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightningxlock Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Can anybody recommend any Bukowski or Kerouac, please? Â For Kerouac: Can't go wrong with On The Road, as far as I'm concerned. I love that book. Â Â Cheers mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Halitosis Romantic Posted March 19, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted March 19, 2012 After getting most of the way through The Dark Tower, I decided I never wanted to read Stephen King ever again. Beyond the first book, everything in that series is deus ex machina and retcon. Â I enjoy the deus ex machina elements - we're supposed to know after a while that it's a book-book. I do agree though, it is pretty arch at times. The outcome of The Wolves of the Calla couldn't be more annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drew4primeminister Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 LaGoosh is right - King's best book is Salem's Lot - I think a lot of his stuff is great (actually, when I moved I realized I had the full set, and no-one wanted them, so in Edmonton [London] there may well be a full set of King's novels up to 2010 on the shelves of Scope), but there are plenty of flaws and tics that either devloped, evolved, or were just there from the get go but got more annoying as time went on . SL is just a flat out horror classic, where his small-town obsession had yet to be outed as such, and rather than being a soap-opera with some horror components, it's a horror that is informed by its setting. I've read a lot of King's books but am ashamed to say that I've never read Salem's Lot. The reason why - the awful truth is that I feel I know it already from the tv mini-series I will rectify my terrible mistake but, have to say, I found the tv series (yes it has David Soul in it - but James Mason too!) one of the scariest things ever and I think of myself as a pretty hardened horror afficianado. For it's time the effects were pretty good.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members LaGoosh Posted March 21, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted March 21, 2012 LaGoosh is right - King's best book is Salem's Lot - I think a lot of his stuff is great (actually, when I moved I realized I had the full set, and no-one wanted them, so in Edmonton [London] there may well be a full set of King's novels up to 2010 on the shelves of Scope), but there are plenty of flaws and tics that either devloped, evolved, or were just there from the get go but got more annoying as time went on . SL is just a flat out horror classic, where his small-town obsession had yet to be outed as such, and rather than being a soap-opera with some horror components, it's a horror that is informed by its setting. Â I think Salem's Lot is his only book that is genuinely fucking terrifying. Some of King's books as much as I love the man can be extremely bloated at points and they all have the "small towns hide dark secrets" stuff. I have 'Dreamcatcher' on my desk at work waiting to be read but I feel like it's probably just going to be It but with a different monster. Â One of Stephen King's biggest problems is he writes amazing books but with shit endings. Pet Semetary is so creepy and disturbing up untill the last 20 pages. And I don't see why It had to have the loveable, innocent and brave Beverley get gangbanged by all her friends at the end. Â Actually the short story Jerusalem's Lot is also ridiculously scary, the only book that has given me nightmares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rule One Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Does this thread only apply to physical books or are the bounds open to web-fiction and the like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Halitosis Romantic Posted March 21, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted March 21, 2012 Let us judge you, based upon the web fiction you are reading. Is it that one where Matt and Jeff use Shannon as a dildo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rule One Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 It's about Zombies so Gladstone will inevitably rip me a new one.  The site is Adrians Undead Diary  Normally I wouldn't plug any web fiction site but I've found it to be an enthralling read and well written and even though Zombies are an overplayed cliche at the moment, this deserves some attention. The sites layout is a bit crap and may put people off but I urge anyone who likes zombies to give it a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Halitosis Romantic Posted March 21, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted March 21, 2012 I think that the internet is a great resource for stories, particularly horror, but whenIchor Falls stopped being updated, a little of my horror love abated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rule One Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The problem I've generally found with web fiction is weeding out the good, the bad and the downright awful or that when you find something good it is often left unfinished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanoTheGame Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Anybody know any good literature podcasts? I'm subscribed to PRI: Selected Shorts and looking for more along those lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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