Hello one and all, and my apologies for my absence of late.
Backing up a bit, I read 'Doctor Sleep' as soon as it was released, as I am sure most of you did. I do not really want to review it - there are plenty of reviews around, and your best option is just to read it. I will say, though, that I am glad S.K. gave us some closure regarding 'The Shining', letting us know what happened after the book ended, and how all of the characters got on.
I enjoyed 'Doctor Sleep', and thought that Danny had pathos, despite being a terribly flawed person (mind you, we know what happened in 'The Shining' and are fairly likely to forgive him his adult quirks...). S.K. got past the issue of Danny effectively being a representation of an angel in the first book, to a full, troubled, human in this one.
The 'baddies' were fun and creepy too - next time you are holidaying in the States (or, if you live there, just driving about), you will take a lot more notice of all the R.V.s on the road...
Rumour has it this will be made into a movie, there's lots of scope for special effects AND good acting, I think it will translate well.
Looking forwards, then, Mr. King has two more books coming out this year. On 3rd June 2014 (these are UK release dates, sorry if they differ where you are!) we have 'Mr. Mercedes', which is described as a 'suspense thriller'. I will be interested to see Stephen tackle this genre, and no doubt he will manage to put his signature touches in there somewhere.
You can pre-order or read more here
On 11th November , 'Revival' is released. This is going to be a classic King horror, and, given that is features a preacher and a rock musician, sounds like it will be true King Americana too - two for the price of one! You can pre-order it here but you will need to google it to get the blurb.
So, we have much to look forward to this year, and I will try to post regularly once more...
We all float down here! Fan of Stephen King
Wednesday 26 March 2014
Wednesday 2 October 2013
My worst 5...
In the interest of balance, having posted my top five King
books, below are my worst five. There are not many authors with a sufficient
enough back catalogue that you could dislike five books, and still have so many
left that they remain your favourite author...and even after taking my top five
out of the equation, there was still a huge body of work to review. I should
note that these are not necessarily bad books – below-par King is still better
than many other authors – but, for me, they fail to hit the mark, falling below
the quality of S.K.’s other books, or are just not to my taste. I am more
interested in exploring why some work speaks to me yet some does not,
especially when the books that I am less fond of are other’s favourites...this
is not just an exercise in being rude or mean!
So, in no particular order, my least favourite King books are;
Cell
To me, this already felt dated when it first came out. No
doubt entranced by the zeitgeist at the time of writing, it was inevitable that
King would latch on to the idea of cell ‘phones (that’s mobile ‘phones to us in
the UK) as a product for evil, but it felt a bit overdone and unoriginal by the
point of publication. It was an entertaining enough read, but I don’t suppose I’ll
be compelled to reread it any time soon. (To be honest, I even got bored
writing this little section, and took a break to search for a custard tart
recipe...) My hope for this book it that in twenty or so years it will become
charmingly vintage, a tale of a simpler time with simpler technologies and
worries.
Lisey’s Story
Oh Stephen, I really wanted to like this one. I loved the
premise, a story about the secret language that builds up within relationships
and marriages, how this is a private means of communication and how this can be
used to save one another, and how it can even transcend death. But you really
lost me with the giant telepathic worm. Sorry.
From a Buick 8
Not a bad book if taken alone, good and creepy, and if you
are new to King a fair starting point. But I felt that it was too much of a
rehashing of the better novel ‘Christine’. Clearly King had more to say about
supernatural cars (one wonders if there is a phobia being worked through
here...) but for me it was a postscript to a much more evocative earlier work.
Too same-y, I suppose, for me. I will, though, be interested in the movie (if
rumours about one happening are true), as good special effects could turn this
into something special.
The Eyes of the Dragon
When I perused my Stephen King bookcase in preparing this piece,
I became convinced that I had not actually read this, that some disastrous oversight
had happened and that it had been sitting, unloved and unread, for many years.
On closer inspection, I had read it but had forgotten, not an auspicious start
for this poor book when I can to pick my worst five. Doubtless, others will
love this as it ties in with the ‘Dark Tower’ series (previous posts will tell
you I am not a lover of the series, though I’m prepared to try again at some
point). It does work as a standalone, but was very un-Kinglike in style and
just not very memorable. This is a fantasy book, rather than horror or sci-fi,
and so was never destined to be my favourite, but I can see that others will appreciate
it more than I do, those who enjoy the genre as their favourite. I will say, though,
the writing is good, it’s just not for me.
Dreamcatcher
Part of me loved this book, it was so lurid and grossly
descriptive, and I did get caught up in the story. I was torn between this and ‘Firestarter’
for the last one, but in the end I felt that Firestarter offered more to the
reader (and, frankly, had far less graphic descriptions of poo). The awful film
version went a long way towards souring this book for me (much as I love Morgan
Freeman, those dreadful overacting eyebrows will haunt me forever – and not in
a good, spooky, way).
King wrote this when recovering from his car crash;
perhaps this prompted the intense physicality of many of the scenes? It is popularly
known that he wanted to call the book ‘Cancer’ but his wife talked him out of
it, this more brutal title would, I think, have captured its essence better,
but possible have resulted in poorer sales.
It does contain
snippets of classic King, it’s a true buddy story, it’s gross, it’s horrific,
but you’ll remember the worst bits and not the best after reading.
Do try it, make up
your own mind, it is worth a read – as I’ve said before, bad King is often
still good reading – but don’t settle down with it right after eating.
Do you agree? Are you incensed that your favourite is among
those listed above? Let me know!
Saturday 28 September 2013
A doctor at my door!
I've been working on a list of my worst five King books, to balance out the last post of my top five, but it felt too mean to post it last week, with it being Stephen King's birthday! Rest assured it will follow in the next few days, but in the meantime I've been waylaid by the arrival of 'Doctor Sleep' today!
So all normal activity will be paused until I've read it, as I really don't want to see any spoilers before I've finished, and I am now impatient to get started!
This should mean, however, two posts in close succession as I will no doubt be prompted to write a review (with spoiler alerts in place!).
I've also been watching the TV version of 'Under the Dome' (shown on 5 USA here in the UK), and so far, so good. A series was clearly a good way to go with this, as it means that many of the sub-plots have been included with a good level of attention on each. I enjoyed the book, but haven't yet reread it, however I am encouraged to by watching the programme. Doubtless many of you internationally are further ahead with the series - are you enjoying it? Do you think it is doing the book justice?
So all normal activity will be paused until I've read it, as I really don't want to see any spoilers before I've finished, and I am now impatient to get started!
This should mean, however, two posts in close succession as I will no doubt be prompted to write a review (with spoiler alerts in place!).
I've also been watching the TV version of 'Under the Dome' (shown on 5 USA here in the UK), and so far, so good. A series was clearly a good way to go with this, as it means that many of the sub-plots have been included with a good level of attention on each. I enjoyed the book, but haven't yet reread it, however I am encouraged to by watching the programme. Doubtless many of you internationally are further ahead with the series - are you enjoying it? Do you think it is doing the book justice?
Tuesday 3 September 2013
My top 5...
The great thing about writing about an author with a prolific output is that everyone has a different top five books, and no end of debate will often ensue. I’ve been reading King’s books for 20 years so, inevitably, my own top five has shifted as new books have come out, so do expect future amendments!
Unlike so many King fans, none of the Dark
Tower series are on my list, and neither is The Stand. Not because they are
bad, but they are not, for me, his best work. Stephen has so many oeuvres
within his back catalogue that they are
many different takes on what ‘classic’ King actually is – is it the gory horror
(Carrie), the nostalgic works (It, The Body) the ones with the Sci-Fi element (The Tommyknockers), the post-apocalyptic
tales (The Stand), or the books dripping in pathos (Rose Madder)?
Now, I enjoy all of these, but, for me, the
best King books are primarily character-driven, it just happens that those
characters wear overcoats of gore. So the pathos/nostalgia/gory horror books
are my preference.
I’ll look more at his short stories and
novellas later (although a novella collection is included here, I couldn’t
resist); these really deserve their own analysis.
So, my top 5 King books
are (in no particular order);
11/22/63
Duma Key
This one infrequently
appears on this type of list, but is in my opinion an overlooked gem. Released
in 2008, this book did not seem to get the usual level of publicity, and as
such is one many have not heard of. I feel this is the first book that saw King
return to his usual level of excellence following his cessation of drinking and
drugging.
Unusually, it is set away from Maine and the
usual King geography, and is instead based in Minnesota and Florida. This in
itself was fascinating, as it moved King successfully outside of his comfort
zone. Art is a big feature, and the lavish description of the paintings really
draws you into the story. I would recommend this to fans of ‘Rose Madder’, ‘Rita
Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Bag of Bones’. Speaking of which...
Bag of Bones
As I mentioned in an
earlier post, every Stephen King fan has their own preferred King style – for me
it is the quirky combination of horror, nostalgia and pathos so evident in
books like Duma Key and Bag of Bones. Recently adapted into a TV movie with
Pierce Brosnan that really didn’t do it justice, this is a tale of grief and
love, of righting old wrongs, connections to the past, and, almost
incidentally, great horror that springs from hurt and denial. I went to a book
signing with King (more in another post!) when this was released, and that only
added to the hype, but this really lived up to all expectations, and is a book
I can read again and again. Like many of King’s books, the central character is
an author, and this really does make the book seem more personal, and Mike
Noonan more lifelike.
The Bachman Books
(strictly speaking, the first two of
the four novellas contained within)
Before the world knew that
Richard Bachman was Stephen King, he published four separate novellas under the
Bachman name (as well as the novel ‘Thinner’). In 1985, they were published together
as the Bachman Books, featuring an intro by King discussing why he took on a
pseudonym – an interesting read. Comprising ‘Rage’, ‘The Long Walk’, ‘Roadwork’
and ‘The Running Man’, this collection brought together works that fell between
short story and novel lengths.
‘Rage’ has now been withdrawn from publication
by King, so newer versions do not contain it.
For me, ‘Rage’ and ‘The
Long Walk’ really are prime King – long enough to be great stories, not as
overtly long as some of his later works. Both focused on teenagers; this is
nostalgic, angsty King at his peak. Both are also controversial works in terms
of their themes, but have central characters that are likeable (which is a bit disturbing
in terms of ‘Rage’ if you think about it too much!).
If you can get hold of a copy containing ‘Rage’
then it’s worth the read, if not, still do check out the newer edition and read
‘The Long Walk’.
‘Roadwork’ and ‘The Running Man’ are good too,
you get your money’s worth with this collection, but it is the first two that I
find memorable and re-readable.
The Green Mile
I suppose that when you
are as prolific as King, the incentive to try something new, a different
format, must be huge, simply to shake up your routine. With ‘The Green Mile’,
King looked back to prolific authors of old, particularly Charles Dickens, and initially
issued it as a serial novel in six volumes which were available monthly, akin
to older publications that were serialised in newspapers, or sold piecemeal as
penny dreadfuls. Later, ‘The Green Mile’ was issued as a single volume.
This is one of SK’s best known books, largely because
of the popularity of the film which stayed very true to the written story.
Taking team building and workplace bonding to
the extreme, this is a very relatable narrative, in spite of its unusual
setting. The boundaries between the good and bad guys are blurred at best; it’s
a talented author who makes you root for many of the death row inmates we get
to know here. It’s evocative of a gentler time, which is in dramatic juxtaposition
to the action, and as a real bonus, it features a very talented mouse. If you’ve
not read this one, do so, it’s worth it, and if you can get hold of the
serialised volumes, you can take it bit by bit too.
I could go on of course, I
also considered Dolores Claiborne, Rose Madder, Insomnia, The Shining, Carrie,
It, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Misery, and Hearts in Atlantis, and on
another day these might have made the cut. Isn’t it great to have such choice?
I’m sure you will all
disagree with me, or have your own top 5, this is why King’s work works, it
speaks to people on an individual level, and we each form our own relationships
with it. So, which ones are in your top 5?
Thursday 22 August 2013
Unfeasibly excited about a visit from the doctor...
Are you as excited as I am about the next King release,
‘Doctor Sleep’?
Released next month (September 2013), the sequel to the
classic 1977 novel ‘The Shining’ (which was only Stephen’s third novel, but
already showed so much of what we have come to perceive as ‘classic King’), is
long-awaited and so eagerly anticipated that the first chapter has already been
released on the Stephen King Books super fan area of their Facebook page (see
here).
I have wondered, over the years, what happened to Danny
Torrance; has he grown up, led a ‘normal’ life, and lost his ‘shining’ ability?
Or did he become his father, a low-achieving alcoholic?
Whenever I reread
this book (or watch the controversial-in-King-circles movie – sorry but I
love it), I feel oddly dissatisfied that I didn’t find out more about him, and
where he ended up. I can’t
wait to find out, but I am oddly worried that I will end up hating the man he becomes.
Worse than this, though, I worry that I will feel indifferent about him. I hope
not, the Danny of ‘The Shining’ is a great character, so I hope this new offering
pulls off the extreme and allows a surge of emotion, even if just pity, towards
the character, and most of all I hope that little Danny Torrance is
recognisable somewhere within Dan, his grown-up self. There is something extra
thrilling about waiting for a sequel, that return to familiar settings and
characters that you feel are a part of your own history if you have read the
previous book enough, so the risk of let down is far greater in this instance.
What do you think?
Can King resurrect and improve on his own masterpiece? Or can ‘Doctor Sleep’
never live up to the brilliance of ‘The Shining’?
Wednesday 21 August 2013
Roll up, roll up, take your places for a fair offering from King...
Given that ‘Joyland’ has recently been released, looking
at this newest tale from Stephen King seems like a good place to begin.
Each time a new
King book is released I end up lurking around the postman like a rabid Cujo
waiting to bite his hand off if he doesn’t release my parcel quickly enough. Unwrapping
that cardboard sleeve to see the treasure within is, for me, an unparalleled
pleasure, that new book smell and still-shiny unsullied cover adding to the
excitement that comes with starting not only a new book, not just an unread
King book, but a JUST RELEASED THAT DAY Stephen King unknown book...
‘Joyland’ was great in this respect, the bright colours
and retro cover caught my eye like sweeties in a glass jar, the glossy paper
finish catching the light and just begging to be read there and then.
So I did.
This is King’s
second publication in the ‘Hard Case Crime’ series, which was founded in 2004
to focus on publishing hard-boiled crime fiction, both genuine noir, and modern
interpretations of the genre. From Donald E. Westlake, Mickey Spillane, and Ed
McBain, through to authors including Michael Crichton (writing as John Lange),
Robert B. Parker, and Christa Faust, this series enjoys the best of many great
authors, whether or not this is their typical style.
King initially
collaborated with them for his 2005 novel ‘The Colorado Kid’ and this new
release has been hotly anticipated. If you like crime fiction and King’s work,
you’ll be in crossover heaven.
Firstly, this is
much shorter than the majority of King’s work (though longer than ‘The Colorado
Kid’). In keeping with hard-boiled detective fiction, the language is pared-down
and sparer than his typical lengthy prose, but really this is the only
similarity I can draw without fishing for painful commonalities. I enjoyed this
book, but it’s not your typical crime, not your typical detective (there is a
lead character filling the role of ‘crime solver’ but detective he is not), and
not your typical setting. I love the fairground as the location, as close to
clichéd as it is for a horror author, it gives a great atmosphere that flies
around your imagination in glorious Technicolor. King revels in creating an
idiomatic language used between the fairground carnies, and, as ever, treats us
to fabulous dialogue and graphic description. And that, I suppose, is the true
reason this still reads as a hard crime novel – the stark and craven pictures
King can draw from just a handful of words, the banal mixed with the
ridiculous, a sparsity of words leaving room for the imagination to take over.
Personally, I saw a lot of similarities between this
story and King’s 1998 work ‘Bag of Bones’, and felt he was drawing from a
similar emotional well when writing both.
I won’t spoil this for you if you’ve not read it, as it’s
such a recent release - you too deserve
to come to it fresh and eager, with few expectations except for the
pre-released blurb and cover, and to form your own take and your own opinion. I
do feel though, this is a better foray into this field than ‘The Colorado Kid’,
which I enjoyed at the time but now struggle to recall in much depth. ‘Joyland’
paints bright and gaudy mental pictures that will linger after the words
themselves fade, the crime element will hook you, but the fairground tawdriness
will pull you back in for a second go-round.
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