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33rd out of 245 books
—
108 voters
UR
by
Stephen King
As quickly as a spider spins its web, King reminds us why he's the master of the novella - a format which, up until now that is, one might have thought is fast disappearing. In his new novella, UR, King is at his unsettling best as he examines the future of the written word - for better or worse. Following a nasty break-up, lovelorn college English instructor Wesley Smith...more
Kindle Edition, 61 pages
Published
February 12th 2009
by Storyville, LLC
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"Kindle Ur King"
I confess! I have committed a sin I have avoided reading novels from The Grandmaster writer Stephen King!
I repent! I will make my upmost effort in reading my way through The Dark Tower series, one book a month minimum.
King was one of the first to delve into publishing via the kindle from this genre. This novella will be looked upon in the future as the genesis of the kindle era. His talent is to turn anything into a craft from kindle to Riding the Bullet. Great creative story.
E...more
I confess! I have committed a sin I have avoided reading novels from The Grandmaster writer Stephen King!
I repent! I will make my upmost effort in reading my way through The Dark Tower series, one book a month minimum.
King was one of the first to delve into publishing via the kindle from this genre. This novella will be looked upon in the future as the genesis of the kindle era. His talent is to turn anything into a craft from kindle to Riding the Bullet. Great creative story.
E...more
16 likes · like · see review
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UR is an extremely short novella, and also happened to be my introduction to Stephen King. The premise is pretty fascinating - a university English professor, Wesley Smith, orders an Amazon Kindle after a fight with his girlfriend, during which she rages at him for spending too much time reading books. When the device arrives (with alarming speed), it's inexplicably pink, and has a mysterious menu called 'UR Functions'. Wesley quickly realises that this menu gives him the ability to read a pleth...more
on the kindle...heh!
1st sentence +:
when wesley smith's colleagues asked him--some with an eyebrow hoicked satirically--what he was doing with that gadget (they all called it a gadget), he told them he was experimenting with new technology, but that was not true.
he bought the gadget, which was called a kindle, out of spite.
this one has been available for some time. just never got around to reading it...so here i am...on the kindle, as i said. onward and upward.
king never disappoints.
this could e...more
1st sentence +:
when wesley smith's colleagues asked him--some with an eyebrow hoicked satirically--what he was doing with that gadget (they all called it a gadget), he told them he was experimenting with new technology, but that was not true.
he bought the gadget, which was called a kindle, out of spite.
this one has been available for some time. just never got around to reading it...so here i am...on the kindle, as i said. onward and upward.
king never disappoints.
this could e...more
2 likes · like · see review
The Tower trembles; the worlds shudder in their courses. The rose feels a chill, as of winter.
I love this quote and I love this story! Not only is it a giant HEAP of fun, it's filled to the brim with Dark Tower references right down to an appearance by the low men in yellow coats - yes! more please!
The premise is pure King, and would have made an AWESOME Twilight Zone episode. I can just hear Rod Serling now:
Wesley Smith is a professor of literature and his mistress is the book. An unlikely im...more
4 likes · like · see review
Strictly braincandy. Yummy, yummy braincandy. I do love Stephen King. Trust King to not only be an early adopter of new technology where reading and writing are concerned, but to be so totally immersed in it that he treats his fellow Kindle addicts to a delightfully personal novella!
This story was just plain fun. Mild-mannered English prof. finally breaks down and orders himself an e-reader: A Kindle. It arrives, in PINK, and with no instructions...and "experimental" features guaranteed to make...more
This story was just plain fun. Mild-mannered English prof. finally breaks down and orders himself an e-reader: A Kindle. It arrives, in PINK, and with no instructions...and "experimental" features guaranteed to make...more
...... what the hell is this crap?! If you check out my reviews you'll know I am a serious SK fan, for over 12 years I have practically devoured any and everything he's written and while I can't list them all among my favorites, I will say I usually can find SOMETHING in them that garners a bit of affection for the story. Not with this dreck, I have never been more disappointed! I was so excited to find an SK novel exclusive to Kindle readers, and just like Charlie before me I could hardly conta...more
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I really liked this short story and its references to the Dark Tower series. I love it when King ties his stories together like that... connections only the most avid readers might catch. I empathized with the main character's reluctance to move in the electronic mode of reading books, as I find it hard not having an actual book in my hands. I do enjoy my Nook, though, and am glad it is nothing like Wesley's Kindle!
I almost can't believe I've rated a SK book with only 2 stars! I was so disappointed in this book (short story). It took me nearly 1/3 of the way into the story to even comprehend what was going on. Once that happened, I started to enjoy the story a little bit. But then the ending happened. That's it, it just happened. Nothing fantastic about it at all. Nothing even remotely interesting about the ending. It just ... ended. And badly, at that. It's almost as if King got to that point in the story...more
I'm not quite sure what there is to say here. While King is one of my favorite authors, I'm not an apologist. Among some of the best books I've ever read are some real clunkers.
This... this is something special. And by special I mean horrible. Not since Dan Brown have I wanted so badly to throw what I was reading across the room. I could not, of course, as I was reading on a Kindle.
The Kindle shilling and advertisements are shameless, which is all the more frustrating as one can only read the d...more
This... this is something special. And by special I mean horrible. Not since Dan Brown have I wanted so badly to throw what I was reading across the room. I could not, of course, as I was reading on a Kindle.
The Kindle shilling and advertisements are shameless, which is all the more frustrating as one can only read the d...more
More a novella than a full length novel and I am pretty sure that the only format you can get this book is on a Kindle, but if you have one, it's worth the read. The story involves a Kindle with a good deal more options than the one I have, specifically alternative universes and the ability to predict the future. True to the King style (lots of humor mixed in with the serious stuff and plenty of pop culture references (now that I think about it, the whole book is a riff on pop culture, duh), so...more
UR is about a man named Wesley, who, when trying to get through a nasty breakup, decides to order a Kindle online. A large contributing factor to his breakup with his girlfriend Ellen was his love of books, so it was a purchase of spite. He gets it and notices something pretty obvious - it's pink and definitely not what he ordered. Thinking it was a fluke, he decides to keep it, and when exploring it, finds the Experimental area of the menu, and the Ur section. Many authors he loved had many unp...more
A college English teacher purchases a Kindle and gets something that he doesn't expect in this quick read by Stephen King, written especially for the Kindle.
As it is a novella, it's perfect for a Sunday afternoon, or a plane/train or long car trip, provided you're not driving anyway.
It's hard to review anything (at least recent) by King because it's hardly worth stating that the writing is excellent because it always is, the characters are always 3D vivid inside and out, the action paints (somet...more
As it is a novella, it's perfect for a Sunday afternoon, or a plane/train or long car trip, provided you're not driving anyway.
It's hard to review anything (at least recent) by King because it's hardly worth stating that the writing is excellent because it always is, the characters are always 3D vivid inside and out, the action paints (somet...more
I had heard of this Stephen King short story written for (and inspired by) Kindle, and finally tracked down an audio version to listen on my commute to work. Like most of King's work, the central idea is compelling and the characters ordinary, well-drawn people coming to grips with the inexplicable, the weird and the terrifying.
In this case the protagonist is an English teacher who loves books, and is bit behind on new tech like the Kindle. After a fight with his girlfriend (he's not listening,...more
In this case the protagonist is an English teacher who loves books, and is bit behind on new tech like the Kindle. After a fight with his girlfriend (he's not listening,...more
Stephen King is an author who is not afraid of experimentation, especially when it comes to how he releases his works. "The Green Mile" was initially released as six paperback volumes. "The Plant" was an online e-book released in one and two dollar installments online. It ultimately failed and was never finished. "Storm of the Century" is an original screenplay that King wrote.
"UR" (pronounced "ERR) is one of his strangest experiments yet. This novella was released in 2009 exclusively on the Ama...more
"UR" (pronounced "ERR) is one of his strangest experiments yet. This novella was released in 2009 exclusively on the Ama...more
UR proved to be a perfect CD to keep me occupied during a short trip from Southern Utah to Las Vegas and back. The premise of a PINK Kindle that provides a view into alternate universes was intriguing to say the least. Stephen King invites his readers/listeners to imagine an electronic device that allows its owner to download books from parallel planes where authors like Hemingway and Faulkner lived a little longer and created a few more classics. Consider also an alternate universe where Al Gor...more
I've been on a Stephen King kick in this past year, ever since I feel in love with 11/22/63 at the end of 2011. I then listened to The Gingerbread Girl on audio (a short novella, and next up was an audio book (another novella) called UR. The story is about an English teacher in his 30's, named Wesley Smith. He and his girlfriend Ellen have just broken up. She couldn't understand his obsession with books and why he had so many in his house. He decides to purchase an eReader (yes a Kindle) to spit...more
As a book/novella written for the Amazon Kindle, featuring an Amazon Kindle from an alternate reality, I guess this is as good as it gets. In spite of how bonkers the basic idea is, I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially in the beginning. There is something magical about the possibility of there being other works in alternate realities by Shakespeare, Hemingway, James M Cain and others: that part of the novel where he's exploring all the millions of different works by all these authors in millions...more
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In what is sure to prove ultimately to have been a warm-up to his current hit, 11/22/63, Stephen King started playing around with the idea of time travel, alternate timelines and time manipulation in this well-composed novella.
It's a theme he perhaps first touched on in THE LANGOLIERS, but has left relatively unexplored by repeat visits to the theme until recently. Despite being the tiniest bit dated by being two Kindle generations behind current, the story still feels fresh and relevant two yea...more
It's a theme he perhaps first touched on in THE LANGOLIERS, but has left relatively unexplored by repeat visits to the theme until recently. Despite being the tiniest bit dated by being two Kindle generations behind current, the story still feels fresh and relevant two yea...more
In UR, Wesley Smith decides to buy a Kindle after breaking up with his girlfriend - or rather, her walking out of his life. He purchases a couple of titles before exploring the Experimental option on the Main Menu. The usual stuff appears, but it's the UR Functions that catch his attention. Soon after, Wesley discovers several novels from writers like Hemingway that were never published and some that came to being after his death. Soon, realization sets in - this e-reader taps into alternate rea...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
For me, reading involves a certain number of considerations. First and foremost, it must be a good read. To me, that means a good story, well told. By well told, of course I mean well written. The price of books is going up, and sadly because of this, more and more public libraries are dependent on their generosity of patrons for loanable books. Equally sad is that often patrons feel that their generosity endows them with certain entitlements which this reviewer does not necessarily support, nam...more
Definitely a fast paced read that holds your interest throughout. Good for fans of King, especially of the Dark Tower series. It is peppered with references to other books as well, so it is a pleasurable read. A blend of historical/political references are also dispersed that add interest and open new possibilities that tie in to past and current events.
UR is based on discovering new technology and it makes for a good read with modern references. It is slightly reminiscent of Cell, in this fash...more
UR is based on discovering new technology and it makes for a good read with modern references. It is slightly reminiscent of Cell, in this fash...more
Hmmm, well I've gone and done something I said I would never do. I've bought a Kindle. Yep, despite being vehemently opposed to the 'Kindle/death of the printed book' I somehow managed to talk myself round over the course of a day last week while discussing upcoming holiday plans (and realising how big the Lonely Planet for China and India are!) and put an order in. I've been playing with it all day.
I really like it (guilty face).
Anyway, my guilty pleasures aside, to the story, which is a Kindle...more
I really like it (guilty face).
Anyway, my guilty pleasures aside, to the story, which is a Kindle...more
UR is an enjoyable story that focuses on one of King's two strengths, the short story(the other being character depth which is lacking here). The story made me want to go back and re-read some of King's old short stories. I thought the way the device worked was a great way to show the way the human brain can react to stress situations, such as a break-up. That's really where the enjoyment ended for me.
The book feels too much of a cash-in on the Kindle device. Don't get me wrong, I love my Kindle...more
The book feels too much of a cash-in on the Kindle device. Don't get me wrong, I love my Kindle...more
I was a very late adopter to the Kindle, waiting until it got smaller and cheaper, and no longer exclusively available in white (which is a plot point in UR!), but as a dedicated King fan I felt obligated to make it my first Kindle bookstore purchase.
In some ways, it feels like a really classic old school King story; It's set on a college campus, where the main character is a professor (and a writer! That must be an entire glass in a Stephen King drinking game) and it gets you intimately involve...more
In some ways, it feels like a really classic old school King story; It's set on a college campus, where the main character is a professor (and a writer! That must be an entire glass in a Stephen King drinking game) and it gets you intimately involve...more
The very first book I bought for my Kindle 2 was Ur by Stephen King. It is currently a Kindle exclusive, and being a sucker for all things King (a Constant Reader, if you will), I just had to pick it up.
The story revolves around college English professor Wesley Smith, who was chided by his former love as to why he can’t just “read off the computer like the rest of us.” He orders a Kindle from Amazon, and is surprised when a pink one arrives overnight. He soon discovers that not only can he downl...more
The story revolves around college English professor Wesley Smith, who was chided by his former love as to why he can’t just “read off the computer like the rest of us.” He orders a Kindle from Amazon, and is surprised when a pink one arrives overnight. He soon discovers that not only can he downl...more
I don't read Stephen King much because I feel his books are to close to reality.. seems like they could happen. But I did enjoy this book. A college English professor name Wesley receives a pink kindle in the mail.. finally he is going to get more modern like his ex girlfriend told him he needs to do.. But this kindle is different not only in its color but its like no other, this kindles has alternate realities. there are books that were never printed by authors who died long before, but in cert...more
Wesley Smith is an English professor at an average college in America. As his girlfriend breaks up with him, she grabs the book he's reading out of his hands, tosses it across the room and asks him why he can't read off the computer like everyone else. Out of spite, Wesley buys a Kindle but his Kindle isn't normal. First of all, it's pink. Secondly, it gives him access to much more information than he imagined.
UR is the most recent short story/novella by Stephen King. Leave it to Stephen King t...more
UR is the most recent short story/novella by Stephen King. Leave it to Stephen King t...more
Leave it to Stephen King to write a horror story about a Kindle! In this tale, the hero is an English professor who loves books and hates technology. As his girlfriend is breaking up with him, her parting shot is: "Why can't you read on the computer like everyone else?" Out of spite, he buys a Kindle. But when he gets it, it is pink. (All Kindle owners know these devices only come in white.) As he explores its features, he finds in the "experimental" section a place that gives him millions of al...more
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing the E-book waters | 2 | 51 | Mar 11, 2012 02:35pm |
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family...more
More about Stephen King...
Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family...more
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“Kindle, isn’t it?” the waitress asked. “I got one for Christmas, and I love it. I’m reading my way through all of Jodi Picoult’s books.” “Oh, probably not all of them,” Wesley said. “Huh? Why not?” “She’s probably got another one done already. That’s all I meant.” “And James Patterson’s probably written one since he got up this morning!” she said, and went off chortling.”
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