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Full Dark, No Stars
by Stephen King
by Stephen King
Let me preface by saying that my kooky grandmother, bless her soul, got me started on Stephen King in my early high school years. I have easily read all of his books with the exception of 2 or 3, and at one time had the sagging bookcase to prove it (aren't Kindles a God-send?).
I began Full Dark, No Stars with a sinking feeling in my stomach, as the first story was awfully reminiscent of Delores Claiborne.
"Oh, SK, I really do love you, but at times your formulas can get a bit tedious."
But when has SK ever really let me down (please refrain from mentioning the final book of the DT series). I soon fell in love with the psyche of the first main character, for the same reason that I have always loved SK's work. These dark, crazy characters could easily be your dysfunctional neighbor or the teller you speak with every time you go to the bank. SK takes people, as ordinary as me and you, and always straps them in for a wild journey. And I LOVE being the fly on the wall!
I have said it for years that SK may be a master of horror at concocting boogey-men and spooks, but his finest talent is portraying the subconscious that most of us would never want to admit to!
I gave Full Dark, No Stars, 5 stars (and who said there were no stars) because I was glad to see that not a single solitary post-apocalyptic theme had graced this new book.
...and don't you think for a second I haven't read The Stand a dozen times. Thanks for checking out my review, "faithful reader."
-Morgan
I began Full Dark, No Stars with a sinking feeling in my stomach, as the first story was awfully reminiscent of Delores Claiborne.
"Oh, SK, I really do love you, but at times your formulas can get a bit tedious."
But when has SK ever really let me down (please refrain from mentioning the final book of the DT series). I soon fell in love with the psyche of the first main character, for the same reason that I have always loved SK's work. These dark, crazy characters could easily be your dysfunctional neighbor or the teller you speak with every time you go to the bank. SK takes people, as ordinary as me and you, and always straps them in for a wild journey. And I LOVE being the fly on the wall!
I have said it for years that SK may be a master of horror at concocting boogey-men and spooks, but his finest talent is portraying the subconscious that most of us would never want to admit to!
I gave Full Dark, No Stars, 5 stars (and who said there were no stars) because I was glad to see that not a single solitary post-apocalyptic theme had graced this new book.
...and don't you think for a second I haven't read The Stand a dozen times. Thanks for checking out my review, "faithful reader."
-Morgan
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Randy
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rated it 4 stars
Oct 04, 2011 07:12pm
I hate Kindles, anything that may endanger books...
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I know you posted this comment some time back but i just felt the need to comment since it appears you are a big fan of SK. I am too, but you win hands down. What i really wanted to comment on is The Stand. This comment may end up making me sound crazy as one of the characters in his stories, but here goes... I have attempted to read The Stand about three times already and kid you not, but each time I have read it I end up getting really sick. My throat starts to hurt and I end up getting a really bad cold or flu. So weird, but true. The first time i thought coincidence, but the second time I thought weird and spooky if I think too hard about it. Third time, ok what's really going on. In any case, I will at some point try it again, and if I end up getting sick, I will really have to wonder. What I want to know from you is how good is The Stand? Should I trudge on even if I end up getting sick as a dog again?
I have read two Grand Slam post apocalypse books out of many in my lifetime. For my money they are Niven and Pournelles "Lucifers Hammer" and Kings "The Stand", with Hammer winning by a whisker, an also ran to The Postman. Read The Stand, until 11/22/63, I thought it his best.
Thanks Randy. I am not going to give up on The Stand. I'm not into comic books, but my boyfriend told me he saw The Stand in that format also. I haven't heard of Lucifer's Hammer but I will check it out. I will also have to add 11/22/63 to my list. Had not considered it only because I have a super long list of to-read-books, but if it's recommended by you I will have to add it on my list. Since you say it's even better than The Stand, I am really curious now. Question for you: what do you think of "It"? I read this (like most of his books) when I was much younger. This book has always stuck with me. What did you think of the ending? I loved the book so much but the ending was just such a let-down. Such a great book that built to such momentum, only to reveal what the "monster" really was. I still love it despite the ending, but I would be curious to read what you have to say about it.
"It" was not one of my favourites. The clown was just so, undefined, and kind of silly. It's been an awful long time since I read that myself but I do recall that it just didn't work all that well for me. As far as Kings books go, The Shining is his flat out scariest but I say that not having read it once since 1978. I would imagine that my sensitivities will have changed since then. Hey just an aside, while we're talking King here, read his sons first novel, Heart Shaped Box, Joe Hill. What a ride, and yeah, it's a horror story.
Yeah, it's hard to sometimes opine on books you have read years ago. I know there is lots of books that I loved when I first read them, so you grow a sentimental attachment to them, but then you re-read them and you realize it wasn't that great of a story. Some books I feel I should re-read only because I wonder and am sure my take of a story as an adult will be very different than how my younger mind may have interpreted it. I have yet to read The Shining but I will check it out. Thanks for the recommendation of his son's book. I wasn't aware his son was also an author but I'd like to see how he is. I wasn't too crazy about his wife's book (Small World by Tabitha King). Seemed to me like she was trying too hard too imitate SK. From the books I've read by SK, I thought Pet Semetary and Carrie were pretty scary (the rhyme was not on purpose...lol)
Kings son, Joe Hill, man his first book was a collection of short stories, 20th Century Ghosts, which was ok, interesting. After HSB, I was a fan and bought his third book, Horn, in hardbound without reading the jacket. Not that it would have changed my mind about the purchase, just saying about how jacked I was after Heart Shaped Box. If I had read Horn first, that never would have happened. It doesn't play well, becoming very clear about 1/2 way through that kid Joey was a little lost, or lost intetrest but had a book deal to fulfill... Its good writing but a sort of lousy story. Oh well.
So true. Really liking a book will make you want to read the next book, but reading a sucky book first will turn you off that author even if their next book is better. I think that's why I never picked up another Tabitha King book again. Maybe her other books were much better, but I wouldn't be rushing to want to read them. I will definitely check out Heart Shaped Box.
Don't throw in the towel on Tabitha just yet. I fell in love with Pearl and The Book of Reuben. If you appreciate the many layers of SK's characters you may like the aforementioned novels as well. I appreciate all of your comments and reading suggestions. :-)
Licha wrote: "I know you posted this comment some time back but i just felt the need to comment since it appears you are a big fan of SK. I am too, but you win hands down. What i really wanted to comment on is ..."Licha, finishing The Stand is worth buying out the local pharmacy of all of its Sudafed. Grab your hankie and grab your copy of The Stand. You must wonder if The Walking dude prevails or not. It's worth the journey. :-)
Morgan wrote: "Licha wrote: "I know you posted this comment some time back but i just felt the need to comment since it appears you are a big fan of SK. I am too, but you win hands down. What i really wanted to ..."Lol. Thanks Morgan. I intend to do so next month. I set it out on my table so I can have no excuse to not read it.
