Stephen King at his worst [Archive] - Horror.com Forums

Angra

02-15-2005, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by nine9
Hmmmmmmmmmm. That is hard, Shit .........the one about the aliens and the farting thing............... I forget it right now.......very disappointing.

You are thinking of "Dreamcatcher".

I loved the first half of that book. Thought it was hilarious and entertaining as hell.:D

I hated "The girl who loved tom gordon". Thought it was terrible boring. After reading that one i thought it was the begining of the end for old King.

But the i read "Dreamcatcher"....;)

Wendigo

02-16-2005, 02:08 PM

"Tommyknockers" was rather boring. I didn't like "Gerald's game" too.
On the contrary I liked both "Cujo" and "Christine".

In general, I prefer the old King to the recent one, but there are some exceptions ;)

zwoti

02-16-2005, 02:18 PM

always preferred his short stories over his novels

The Mothman

02-19-2005, 06:52 PM

Stephen King is a pretty wierd dude. I heard an interview with him on the radio. at the end he sang "Stand By Me"

nine9

02-19-2005, 09:00 PM

Originally posted by Angra
You are thinking of "Dreamcatcher".

I loved the first half of that book. Thought it was hilarious and entertaining as hell.:D

I hated "The girl who loved tom gordon". Thought it was terrible boring. After reading that one i thought it was the begining of the end for old King.

But the i read "Dreamcatcher"....;)

Yes that was it..the first half was good.....then it went to shit!

I really don't like it when SK tries to write books that are not horror. He is a good writer. As a horror writer he is one of the best.......but he hasn't got the talent to be a classic writer. Just is not in that league. Those mostly fall short, except for ShawShank maybe.

In horror though.....he rules..........stick to what you do best SK!

lee challenger

02-19-2005, 11:34 PM

THE REGULATORS (writing as Richard Bachman)

BLACK HOUSE (written with Peter Straub)

THE TOMMY KNOCKERS

I could never get into The Dark Tower series of novels and gave up after a couple.

nine9

02-20-2005, 06:46 AM

Originally posted by lee challenger
THE REGULATORS (writing as Richard Bachman)

BLACK HOUSE (written with Peter Straub)

THE TOMMY KNOCKERS

I could never get into The Dark Tower series of novels and gave up after a couple.

I liked two of those books, but haven't read Dark House. That is supposed to be a sequel to The Talisman and I loved that book. I think it may even be my favorite. Why didn't you like them? The Regulators was not fantastic, but ok.

Za'afiel

02-20-2005, 11:37 AM

Check out "The Gunslinger". And the contuning series of that book.

tom-tom

02-22-2005, 12:15 AM

Originally posted by urgeok
yeah he does ...

any of the Peter Strawb collaberations, It, Desperation,
oh hell, pretty much all of them

Don't talk shit...The Talisman was an amazing story...so was It, Desperation (Can't wait to see the movie)! Damn, every story he ever wrote displays his genuis...

tom-tom

02-22-2005, 12:21 AM

When i began reading Geralds Game i found it boring but now that i'm a few hundred pages in, it is getting good. for me, there is no SK creation that stands out as utterly bad, but for me (and i've read almost everything he's released) the hardest SK book to get into is Geralds Game...
What did you guys think of it?

nine9

02-22-2005, 03:01 AM

Originally posted by tom-tom
When i began reading Geralds Game i found it boring but now that i'm a few hundred pages in, it is getting good. for me, there is no SK creation that stands out as utterly bad, but for me (and i've read almost everything he's released) the hardest SK book to get into is Geralds Game...
What did you guys think of it?

I forgot that one............well that one I didn't like much. Not really horror, and I like his horrors better.

urgeok

02-22-2005, 05:37 AM

Originally posted by tom-tom
Don't talk shit...The Talisman was an amazing story...so was It, Desperation (Can't wait to see the movie)! Damn, every story he ever wrote displays his genuis...

i'm not talking shit .. i read better books.

babygirl20

02-22-2005, 05:55 AM

i would have to say "Thinner"/ "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon"/ and "The Dark Half";)

lee challenger

02-23-2005, 07:06 AM

TO CLASSIC BLONDE,

It's not that I don't like the King books I mentioned but if I had to compile a league table of the great man's work then these would be the ones I rate as the 3 weakest.

AUSTIN316426808

02-23-2005, 07:54 AM

I haven't read a bad Stephen King book with that said I've only read 4 of them so I'm sure there's some bad ones.

urgeok

02-23-2005, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by AUSTIN316426808
I haven't read a bad Stephen King book with that said I've only read 4 of them so I'm sure there's some bad ones.

if you read 4, then you basically read them all ...

he's a craftsman .. who has figured out how to reproduce one thing perfectly - over and over again.

nine9

02-23-2005, 04:07 PM

Originally posted by lee challenger
TO CLASSIC BLONDE,

It's not that I don't like the King books I mentioned but if I had to compile a league table of the great man's work then these would be the ones I rate as the 3 weakest.

Oh.........k then........:)

nine9

02-23-2005, 04:08 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
if you read 4, then you basically read them all ...

he's a craftsman .. who has figured out how to reproduce one thing perfectly - over and over again.

I think most of them are different...................splain yourself urge........:p

urgeok

02-23-2005, 05:28 PM

uhmm...lets see ..

author .. with a past ... maybe an alcoholic ...
nasty things happen .. people die ...
author somewhat redeems himself ...

its not just that its his formulae

prologue
today
flashback...
today
flashback
today.

holy cow .. it all ties in togerther !!!

and his prose ...
everything explained for you in great detail.

I wish i could articulate what i mean better ..
all i can say is i read everything that came out when i was younger and then it started to dawn on me that although he was good at hooking you into wanting to 'see what comes next' it wasnt all that interesting.
I just found myself less and less involved.
Recently i went back and read one or 2 books to see if he had improved. I hated Insomnia, I hated Desperation - even worse, and i couldnt read more than 30 pages of Black House or whatever that shit was that he wrote with peter strawb.

The type is rank with smugness ... its tired and worn .. as is most of Horror fiction.

There just arent that many good authors .. i found myself reading
better authors outside the genre and once i did that - i couldnt go back to crap.

that being said - my ceiling is someone elses floor .... so its subjective ... all i can say is that i also thought King was the cats ass, until i got exposure to what i found to be were better authors.

nine9

02-23-2005, 08:02 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
uhmm...lets see ..

author .. with a past ... maybe an alcoholic ...
nasty things happen .. people die ...
author somewhat redeems himself ...

its not just that its his formulae

prologue
today
flashback...
today
flashback
today.

holy cow .. it all ties in togerther !!!

and his prose ...
everything explained for you in great detail.

I wish i could articulate what i mean better ..
all i can say is i read everything that came out when i was younger and then it started to dawn on me that although he was good at hooking you into wanting to 'see what comes next' it wasnt all that interesting.
I just found myself less and less involved.
Recently i went back and read one or 2 books to see if he had improved. I hated Insomnia, I hated Desperation - even worse, and i couldnt read more than 30 pages of Black House or whatever that shit was that he wrote with peter strawb.

The type is rank with smugness ... its tired and worn .. as is most of Horror fiction.

There just arent that many good authors .. i found myself reading
better authors outside the genre and once i did that - i couldnt go back to crap.

that being said - my ceiling is someone elses floor .... so its subjective ... all i can say is that i also thought King was the cats ass, until i got exposure to what i found to be were better authors.

Do you read Classics? Because I have read a lot of them. I have been always very critical about writers in general because I have read most of the best. My brother is a writer and passed on some great books to me. Still being very well read, I think that SK is one of the better modern writers. The quality of his writing is far better than say Dean Koontz or John Saul. Even if the stories are good...........can't stand the writing.....I am just spoiled by reading so much better.

I am not a snob...............do like some trendy authors.....but if I could do better............well I don't want to waste my time, and I am NO writer. :rolleyes:

urgeok

02-24-2005, 04:50 AM

Originally posted by nine9
Do you read Classics? Because I have read a lot of them. I have been always very critical about writers in general because I have read most of the best. My brother is a writer and passed on some great books to me. Still being very well read, I think that SK is one of the better modern writers. The quality of his writing is far better than say Dean Koontz or John Saul. Even if the stories are good...........can't stand the writing.....I am just spoiled by reading so much better.

I am not a snob...............do like some trendy authors.....but if I could do better............well I don't want to waste my time, and I am NO writer. :rolleyes:

i dont think i'm a snob - but i do read modern classics ... and once I got a taste of what i consider to be far superior writing, its hard to go back.
Reading Stephen King is like a huge step backwards..
I never liked Saul - i think he's awful - always did. Koontz is a better science fiction author - he should stick to that.

its the same thing for movies with me ... since seeing more complex and compelling horror films - i cant watch pedestrian slashers anymore .. they bore me to tears ...

lee challenger

02-24-2005, 07:07 AM

I can't believe the comments made accusing Stephen King sticking to a formula.Can someone tell me how these stories are similar: THE SHINING
CARRIE
CUJO
BAG OF BONES
PET SEMATARY
DREAMCATCHER
THE STAND
MISERY
INSOMNIA
CHRISTINE

I could go on but I think you get my drift
The only connection is that they are all horror/supernatural/thriller stories but they all have a totally different formula/plot and character types.
Yes you may come up with a couple of titles with similar themes but any author who has written as much stuff as King has will have some of that in his locker.

urgeok

02-24-2005, 07:58 AM

Originally posted by lee challenger
THE SHINING
CARRIE
CUJO
BAG OF BONES
PET SEMATARY
DREAMCATCHER
THE STAND
MISERY
INSOMNIA
CHRISTINE

but they all have a totally different formula/plot and character types.

uhmm.. no there have been several repeated character types ..
the troubled author ..
the grizzled wise oldtimer

i read this guy progressively from the 1st book on as they were being released.
Its not like i read one or two then said ..meh ..

It just started to feel like the same book over and over again.
I thought Salems Lot was his best book.

He's just not that great a writer in the opinion i developed over years of exposure to his, and other works.

I thought Peter Strawbs Ghost Story was more interesting than anything Kinbg ever wrote ...
And i thought Strawbs Shadowland was brilliant until i discovered it was lifted largely from Robertson Davies: The Manticore.
Proving once again - there isnt any more origionality in horror literature than there is in the films.

Kitty

03-06-2005, 05:09 AM

Stephen King?
dude does any onme even read his books any more?
i just watch the movies!

Bats
Cujo
it some other just cant think of them right now!

The_Return

03-06-2005, 07:01 AM

Originally posted by Kitty
Stephen King?
dude does any onme even read his books any more?
i just watch the movies!

Bats
Cujo
it some other just cant think of them right now!

Bats? What? I checked on IMDb...no movie he was involved with called Bats...I searched google...no book called Bats...:rolleyes:

Angra

03-06-2005, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by The_Return
Bats? What? I checked on IMDb...no movie he was involved with called Bats...I searched google...no book called Bats...:rolleyes:

He hasn´t. Let it go..

Buffy_101

03-31-2005, 06:49 PM

I hated Dream Catcher, i liked it at first but half way through i hated it. I also didn't like The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

MichaelMyers

04-02-2005, 09:46 AM

Wasn't a big fan of "Bag of Bones" and "The Green Mile".

crazy raplh

04-05-2005, 04:16 AM

the worst was langoliers.

virus five

04-05-2005, 10:19 AM

My least faves were "Gerald's Game" and "Langoliers".

One thing to remember about King is that he creates great characters, and has a great ability to make them realistic. At times, his horror is more about putting his characters to the test. "Delores Claiborne", "The Body" (Stand By Me) and "Misery" are less about horror monsters, but more about putting realistic characters in tense situations.

When King started doing this more, I think he lost a lot of "hardcore horror" fans. But honestly, how many books about vampires and werewolves can a person write before being accused of writing the same book over and over?

Strangely enough, some of his best films have been made from these works. It seems that this style lends itself better to the screen than his "monster faire". Even after taking all of the supernatural elements out of "Hearts in Atlantis", at the core is a compelling story. The novel "Delores Claiborne" lost me, but I was able to see what King was getting at when I saw it on the screen.

Films like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile" have received top critical acclaim. Deservedly, if you ask me. He's created characters that we can care about, so we want to know what happens to them. We care what happens to them. And that is the basis of keeping and reader/viewer interested in a story.

I am by no means King's biggest fan, but let's face it: King is on top of the book market. There is no writer more prolific and widely read, so it's easy to knock him.

I,ZOMBIE

04-06-2005, 05:39 PM

it's all his worse.

sweet4dnb

04-06-2005, 05:54 PM

His books are way too boring errr slow.

I tried to start reading Tommy Knockers once.. and the damn lady was digging for ten pages and her stupid dog was barking... I couldnt take it.
Haven't touched one of his books since then. As much as I'd be open to giving him a second chance.. there is no way.

urgeok

04-06-2005, 06:04 PM

Originally posted by virus five
I am by no means King's biggest fan, but let's face it: King is on top of the book market. There is no writer more prolific and widely read, so it's easy to knock him.

its easy to knock him if you prefer better writing.
He is a mass producer ... appealing to the lowest common denominator .. thats why he's so widely read.
The same reason why Survivors was so popular ...
Thats why Titanic was so popular.

not everyone appreciates this kind of formulatic writing ... and those are the ones that knock him ...

HeatherD

04-13-2005, 04:40 AM

For me his early books are classics...The Shining and Salem Lot and The Stand, but he just kept writing on and on and there is a real steady decline...to the point where he's writing huge books that could and should be half the size. This is a shame as it detracts from his great early work. Anyone else ever noticed how, in alot of his books, he kills the main character's (usually a writer) wife off early on and then replaces her with some young bimbo. Firestarter was the creepiest of all, where he killed off the wife and then had the guy run off with the daughter...!!!

jenna26

04-27-2005, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by virus five

One thing to remember about King is that he creates great characters, and has a great ability to make them realistic. At times, his horror is more about putting his characters to the test. "Delores Claiborne", "The Body" (Stand By Me) and "Misery" are less about horror monsters, but more about putting realistic characters in tense situations.

That is why I like King so much I think. His characters are, in general, much more interesting, complex and realistic then most other popular writer's. No, I don't believe he is a great writer. He does have great ideas though and his characters almost jump off the page. I read Koontz, for instance, but his characters do not have the same depth. They are all romanticized to the point of absurdity. And King has never fallen into that trap.

But, as much as I appreciate King, he is responsible for some complete messes. The worst of the worst, in my opinion:

1. Dreamcatcher (started out good, then it just went downhill fast.)
2. Christine
3. From A Buick 8
4. The Tommyknockers
5. Gerald's Game

urgeok

04-27-2005, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by jenna26
That is why I like King so much I think. His characters are, in general, much more interesting, complex and realistic then most other popular writer's. No, I don't believe he is a great writer. He does have great ideas though and his characters almost jump off the page. I read Koontz, for instance, but his characters do not have the same depth. They are all romanticized to the point of absurdity. And King has never fallen into that trap.

i think he falls into a different trap though ... he gives too much detail on his characters in my opinion .. he might as well include their pictures ..

there is a type of writing i find so much skillful - dickens is the best example i can think of - where the writer gives you key clues to a character ... pure characterizations .. that allow you to piece the rest of the character together in your imagination ...
They build an efficient framework in 1/100 of the words king would take to do it, but so deftly that you can still see the characters .. as you visualize them.

Maybe i should be more appreciative of the way king does it ...with pages and pages of information - but for some reason I'm not.

I thought Desperation was aptly named as well ...

jenna26

04-27-2005, 08:06 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
i think he falls into a different trap though ... he gives too much detail on his characters in my opinion .. he might as well include their pictures ..

I'm not saying King doesn't have his problem areas; he does. Yes, he does tend to go on and on. But I believe that his short stories and novellas are usually as effective character wise as his novels are, without a lot of his sometimes unnecessary and cluttered exposition . Apt Pupil is a good example. That story was disturbing on so many levels, because King seemed to have a frightening understanding of the workings of this kind of twisted, symbiotic relationship that the two central characters shared.

And even when the novels get tedious, I am still impressed by that basic understanding of human nature at its best and worst. But I actually do see why some people don't care for King or even outright dislike his work.

Elvis_Christ

04-27-2005, 08:34 PM

I haven't really got into any of King's later books. The Dark Half is probably my favorite....

urgeok

04-28-2005, 02:06 AM

Originally posted by jenna26
I'm not saying King doesn't have his problem areas; he does. Yes, he does tend to go on and on. But I believe that his short stories and novellas are usually as effective character wise as his novels are, without a lot of his sometimes unnecessary and cluttered exposition . Apt Pupil is a good example. That story was disturbing on so many levels, because King seemed to have a frightening understanding of the workings of this kind of twisted, symbiotic relationship that the two central characters shared.

And even when the novels get tedious, I am still impressed by that basic understanding of human nature at its best and worst. But I actually do see why some people don't care for King or even outright dislike his work.

style/prose aside ... i got even sicker of this 'tortured writer' as a main character thing.
it's like he has to pull his pants down in front of the world every time he explores one of his inner demons.

sort of like an actor who is just 'playing themselves' you start to be less impressed when you realize it really isnt acting at all.

anyway i grew up reading King from the 1st book on .. read several of them and it eventually all started to run together.
Even Danse Macabre started to sound like an excuse for his lack of origionality.

or ... maybe i spend a lot of time understanding people - so i'm not all that impressed by someone who is also able to understand human nature ... and includes it in his writing..

i think he is very 'hooky' ..he knows how to make you keep reading to see what's next - unfortunately there never seems to be a payoff ..

Clive Barker is like that too ... although his short stories are very good .. his novels always end with a whimper ..

jenna26

04-28-2005, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by urgeok
style/prose aside ... i got even sicker of this 'tortured writer' as a main character thing.
it's like he has to pull his pants down in front of the world every time he explores one of his inner demons.

sort of like an actor who is just 'playing themselves' you start to be less impressed when you realize it really isnt acting at all.

anyway i grew up reading King from the 1st book on .. read several of them and it eventually all started to run together.
Even Danse Macabre started to sound like an excuse for his lack of origionality.

or ... maybe i spend a lot of time understanding people - so i'm not all that impressed by someone who is also able to understand human nature ... and includes it in his writing..

i think he is very 'hooky' ..he knows how to make you keep reading to see what's next - unfortunately there never seems to be a payoff ..

Clive Barker is like that too ... although his short stories are very good .. his novels always end with a whimper ..

Well, I think that most writers, not all of them, but most of them tend to let their demons take over when they are writing. In a way, every writer writes what they know best. Whether it be something they fear or something they love. Someone they are or someone they want to be. Or someone they are afraid they are. It all comes from somewhere.

But I don't think that people, in general, spend a lot of time observing others and really thinking about what makes them tick. And even if they do, it doesn't mean they come away with an understanding of a person's motivations. I don't think it is an easy thing, to know people that well, since we tend to be such complex creatures. And so basic and simple at the same time. It is that contradiction that makes it hard to create realistic characters on the page.

Don't get me started on Barker.....I will ramble on all day since he is my favorite writer....LOL....:p

urgeok

04-28-2005, 11:43 AM

Originally posted by jenna26
Well, I think that most writers, not all of them, but most of them tend to let their demons take over when they are writing. In a way, every writer writes what they know best. Whether it be something they fear or something they love. Someone they are or someone they want to be. Or someone they are afraid they are. It all comes from somewhere.

But I don't think that people, in general, spend a lot of time observing others and really thinking about what makes them tick. And even if they do, it doesn't mean they come away with an understanding of a person's motivations. I don't think it is an easy thing, to know people that well, since we tend to be such complex creatures. And so basic and simple at the same time. It is that contradiction that makes it hard to create realistic characters on the page.

Don't get me started on Barker.....I will ramble on all day since he is my favorite writer....LOL....:p

sure, get started :)
dont you find that he doesn't know how to end his books .. and like King he felt he had to get more and more raaunchy because he had nowhere left to go ?

I love his books of blood .. very tight stories ... but I'm not a fan of the novels, and I've read quite a few.

(i have his autograph on the script for hellraiser by the way .. (it came in a laserdisc box set)

jenna26

04-28-2005, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
sure, get started :)
dont you find that he doesn't know how to end his books .. and like King he felt he had to get more and more raaunchy because he had nowhere left to go ?

I love his books of blood .. very tight stories ... but I'm not a fan of the novels, and I've read quite a few.

(i have his autograph on the script for hellraiser by the way .. (it came in a laserdisc box set)

Well, to be honest, I agree somewhat. I love his earlier novels and Imajica is one of my favorite novels of all time, though it does tend, at times, to feel like it was an ego trip. Meaning, it does feel self-important in places but, despite that, I think it shows amazing depth of character and imagination. Cabal is my other favorite Barker work and I think it has the same depth, on a smaller scale. I also love The Books of Blood. I have re-read them several times and his short stories are nearly perfect, in my opinion.

But Cold Heart Canyon was a complete disaster, in my opinion. Though I like parts of it, by the end it just seemed pointless. It didn't seem to have anything to say. As I said, I liked parts of it, so I don't think it is completely witout merit. But I do wonder where his mind was when he wrote it. Maybe it is like you said, he had nowhere left to go. But no, I never really got that feeling until Cold Heart Canyon.

I have yet to read the second in the Abarat series, however I did read the first one and enjoyed it quite a bit. It is directed at a young audience, but it is still dark and interesting. But without reading the series as a whole, I can't really make a judgement there.

urgeok

04-28-2005, 02:50 PM

jeeze, he kind of lost me at Damnation Game ! hahaha

i read it so long ago .. i remember liking it until i hit the end .. and it left me cold ..

i read a bunch since and i'm just not crazy about them ... interesting ideas but they get lost in the hepped up extravegance.
its like he cares more about the 'special effects' than the characters once he gets going.

i thought it was a british thing ... the weak endings ..
i remember feeling that way about John Wyndham .. with the Crysalid and the Day of the Triffids. - fantastic books that cant seem to come to a satisfying conclusion.

HG Wells - War of the Worlds ... ended in a whimper ..

maybe its the British way :)

jenna26

04-28-2005, 08:12 PM

Well, he couldn't have lost me at The Damnation Game or I could hardly call him my favorite writer.:D I actually love that book; start to finish.

Have you read Cabal? I'm sure you have seen the movie Nightbreed (and yes, I like the movie, it has Cronenberg in it, I feel obligated to love that movie though it is far from a masterpiece).

urgeok

04-29-2005, 02:25 AM

Originally posted by jenna26
Have you read Cabal? I'm sure you have seen the movie Nightbreed (and yes, I like the movie, it has Cronenberg in it, I feel obligated to love that movie though it is far from a masterpiece).

yes to both ...

i thought it was pretty good ... felt unfinished though .. as if it was going to be part of a series ...

zwoti

04-29-2005, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by urgeok
yes to both ...

i thought it was pretty good ... felt unfinished though .. as if it was going to be part of a series ...

it was supposed to be the first part in a trilogy

urgeok

04-29-2005, 11:00 AM

Originally posted by zwoti
it was supposed to be the first part in a trilogy

i guess it'll give him something to fall back on if he fails in this new direction..

zwoti

04-29-2005, 12:05 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
i guess it'll give him something to fall back on if he fails in this new direction..

he never finished the books of the art trilogy either :mad:

urgeok

04-29-2005, 12:22 PM

what books are considered to be the 'art trilogy' ?

kind of smar though - dont you think ... it really does leave him with something to fall back on.

you want to see some books sell ? wait till this next harry potter comes out.
I predict that it will break the back of every previous record.

like them or not, she's a very smart - or very lucky lady

zwoti

04-29-2005, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
what books are considered to be the 'art trilogy' ?

the great & secret show
everville

the third part never materialized

urgeok

04-29-2005, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by zwoti
the great & secret show
everville

the third part never materialized

oh those ..

shit i thought they were spiralling right out of control anyway.
I loved the beginning of G&SS .. the dead letter office thing ..

i just found the whole thing devolved into a big mess.

His short stories were so tight - controlled and efficient ... but his novels - especially his later works are trying too hard to be 'the ultimate in far out mind bending terror' and just seem like a muddy mess. (this is my personal opinion of course)

I didnt like Everville at all.
I read Weaveworld and Injamica (spelling) as well .. and found the same thing over and over again .. this desire to become so epic .. so fast ... it comes off more as bloated and excessive to me..

I think he's been an influence on Kind too because his last horror novels have a sililar feel ...

jenna26

04-29-2005, 07:40 PM

Originally posted by urgeok
what books are considered to be the 'art trilogy' ?

kind of smar though - dont you think ... it really does leave him with something to fall back on.

you want to see some books sell ? wait till this next harry potter comes out.
I predict that it will break the back of every previous record.

like them or not, she's a very smart - or very lucky lady

I hope that he comes back around to the Nightbreed. Cabal does feel unfinished and obviously with good reason, as has been mentioned. But yeah, it is smart for him to leave those loose ends, so to speak, so later down the road he can come back to it.

I actually like the Harry Potter books myself, I think she does a fine job. I don't think they are perfect by any means, but for what it is and the audience it is directed to, they are not bad at all. And I think she has a bit of both working for her. Luck and smarts, that is. She managed to hit on something at the right time, so really I guess she made her own luck.

knife_fight

04-29-2005, 08:13 PM

I'm going to go ahead and repeat what everyone else has said.

I liked his early stuff when I was in junior high and read everything he put out. Then he put out Insomnia and I hated it. Then I went to college and took "contemporary ____ lit." type classes and discovered a slew of great writers who are still alive and writing.

I don't have a lot of time on my hands and so I have kinda adopted the same idea for books that I have for music, which is "there is so much good music being made, I don't have time for bad, or even mediocre, music." There are so many good books being written these days, and I'm already behind in my reading, that I just don't have time to try and sift through bad and mediocre writing.

urgeok

04-29-2005, 09:01 PM

Originally posted by knife_fight
I don't have a lot of time on my hands and so I have kinda adopted the same idea for books that I have for music, which is "there is so much good music being made, I don't have time for bad, or even mediocre, music." There are so many good books being written these days, and I'm already behind in my reading, that I just don't have time to try and sift through bad and mediocre writing.

thats pretty much exactly how i feel..