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35 Scary Years
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I also came late to the Gunslinger series. I can't imagine what kept me away so long. I've been a fan of King since being a YA. A friend I share books with kept urging me to read the series but I never got around to starting. Seeing his frustration waiting for each book to come out makes me a little glad I withheld. It's all the sweeter for it! I can devour one and move straight into the next. I can take my time when I have none to spare. I think I too will be sad to see the conclusion to Roland and his bedraggled crew.
I only finished the Dark Tower series a few days ago. I`m kind of sad that i haven`t an eight book to look forward to! I can understand people`s frustrations at having to wait years for the next volume of the series. That would have just irritated me. Thankfully I only started the series in March, so they have kept fresh in my mind.
Becky wrote: "I didn't start the DT series until they were all out. I never even thought about them, really, until a conversat'on came up between myself and a 60-something co-worker who said King is her favorite..."
I had kinda the same story..I kept bringing my King books into this coffee shop where i go to read every day and when I was reading Insomnia (I think) one of the barista's asked me if I'd read The Dark Tower series. I hadn't because, like Becky, I thought they were westerns and can't stand westerns. I picked up The Gunslinger at the library and couldn't get into it. Returned it, unfinished. Then I was reading Everything's Eventual, aboutthe time 1408 the movie came out. Same barista asks me, "you read The Dark Tower Series yet?" "Nope. Tried to read the Gunslinger but couldn't get into it before the due date." "I'll lend them to you." Fast forward to last summer when I finally decided to read them, she lends me The Gunslinger and gets me into the series but can't find any of her other books! I was not the only person she was trying to convince. So I went out and bought them as I finished them.
I didn't start the DT series until they were all out. I never even thought about them, really, until a conversation came up between myself and a 60-something co-worker who said King is her favorite author... We got to talking and she found out that I'd never read these (because I thought they were westerns and I don't really like westerns) and so the next day, the first three (with the original Gunslinger, not revised) were on my desk with a note: "Read!" and I fell in love. Even the first book, which is admittedly hard to get into to some, had me hooked. I just had to know more.
Betsy - I completely, totally, agree about the distance between books 3 & 4 in the DT series. I had to go back and re-read 3, as well. Another good place to find King's newer short stories is in "The New Yorker."
Don't regret it Kandice! There were soooo many years between book 3 & 4 that when 4 came out I had to go back and re-read 1-3 before I could even start 4. To be honest, this is one case where I kind of wish I had waited till they all came out before I started.
I've read everything he's ever written. Most of the short stories he writes for Playboy, or other magazines end up in his collections, but I try to read them as they come out. I started reading him from the beginning, fell in love with his style, so just always read each as it was released. Well, other than the DT series, but I am reading them right now.
I agree with Betsy. Reading them in published order does show you all the stitches and seams. I will always regret not reading the DT series as it was published. I'm glad I don't have to wait for each installment now, but still...
Thanks, Bondama. I definitely would like to do that someday. I can definitely see how that would be beneficial. Once I get through all my "missing pieces", that will probably be a project of mine to go through them all in order. :)
I can honestly say that I've read (and own) everything SK has published (not including articles in small journals.) Because I happened to pick up "Carrie" in a grocery store so many, many years ago, I've read them pretty much sequentially. I've even got a signed copy of "Nightmares in the Sky!" -- But I'm not trying to boast, just adding my vote to reading King in the order the books were written.
I definitely have to get myself the updated version. It's totally worth having to give yourself that edge on his books!
Kathy wrote: "I read The Stephen King Universe which was great because of all the connections it listed. It went through everything! Good stuff! "
I agree, Kathy. This book is great, especially if you're not reading them in order. Have they updated it yet?
I haven't read way too many either.. but that is why I like the group read... it forces me to read a King book each month!
I read The Stephen King Universe which was great because of all the connections it listed. It went through everything! Good stuff!
If I were to talk to someone who'd never read an SK book I would actually recommend reading them in order of publication. Some of the stories do tie in together and you do get more out of them if you read them in order. There are connections galore...and I'm not just talking DT! It just seems to me you might miss something otherwise. Even so, I have to admit that it was a lot easier for me because I've been reading them almost from the beginning.
I haven't read:
Danse Macabre
Eyes Of The Dragon
Nightmares In The Sky
Four Past Midnight (Read The Library Policeman and Secret Window, Secret Garden....2 to go)
Needful Things
Geralds Game
Delores Claiborne
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
Desperation
Regulators
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Hearts In Atlantis
On Writing
Black House
Everythings Eventual
That is way to many! :(
Yes, I know. The Little Sisters of Eluria is in that one... I just never seem to have a chance to read it! LOL
No, not all of them. I've never read Christine, or The Running Man or Roadwork, or Thinner (even though that was a group read not long ago - just never got around to it.), or Everything's Eventual... I think that's it, but I'm probably missing a few.
One day, maybe. I do tend to have to mix it up a bit. I can't read too many by the same author in a row. Have you read all of his books yet?
Well... You could do the King Challenge, and start with Carrie and then read straight through by year published... One day, I will do this.
Ya know, what drives me crazy. (In a good way). As many Stephen King books that I have read, there is still so many that I haven't read yet. I feel like I will never catch up! lol
Becky wrote: "The current standing are:
King - 89.3%
Rowling - 8.9%
Meyer - 1.8%
King's body of work is huge compared to both of the other authors listed. Both of Kings competitors in the poll are YA authors, ..."
Why am I lost? Where did this poll come from?
OK, so I happened to stumble on this article, which I thought was funny... http://www.theonion.com/content/node/336... Enjoy if you will. :D
I thought that the concept behind The Host was interesting. But that was one of the worst books I've ever read. It really could have been half the size, I think. I thought the plot was quite boring.
I'm reading Twilight now... (Go ahead, get it all out of your systems. I'll wait until the jeering stops.) I'm not that far into it, but I think changing it to an adult story would have made it, umm... even more unbelievable.
Bella's character is very suited to teenage awkwardness, at least as far as I am at the moment (120 pgs) and that could be converted to an older character, but I think that younger ones play that role better. There's also a level of acceptance that kids and teens have that adults don't, so maybe that played a role too... I dunno. Like I said, I'm only 120 pgs in, so I could be dead wrong about all of this. LOL
I haven't checked out the Host yet. I heard that Twilight was originally going to be an adult novel. I wonder how that would've been?
That I do agree with. The ideas are wonderful, but she has problems bringing them out. I might give The Host a second chance then.
Oh! I agree that Twilight was very poorly written, but the story itself was pretty interesting. I really enjoyed Host and think Meyer's skill was greatly improved over Twilight. I think she just didn't know what she was doing when she wrote Twilight. Also, Host is geared towards adults and the difference was astounding. I think she will improve if she continues to write. I hope she does, because her ideas are great.
Well, the concept just didn't appeal to me. I have nothing against aline concepts, but I think what happened was that I read Twilight, and just didn't want to tackle The Host. Admittedly, I checked it out, and had it at home, but couldn't bring myself to read it. I guess I shouldn't say anything bad unless I've actually read it. (Removes foot from mouth.) And I did read The Tommyknockers, and I actually did like that one too. It was my first SK novel.
I loved the novel the Host. I think any "alien" plotline is going to be weird, and that's why those of us that like those stories DO like them. Tommyknockers is basically the ghosts of aliens making people bad ass inventors. Talk about weird! Loved that book, too.
The concept behind Meyer's stories are appealing, especially to teens, because it's teen romance. Stephanie Meyer, however, is NOT a good writer at all. She's very dry, and not good at getting her point across. I suffered through Twilight to see what it was about, because of all the kids asking for it. I must say that I won't be reading any more of the series, but I can see how it appeals to the age group that it does.
Now, the adult novel, The Host...that concept is weird and I don't see the point of it. Alien beings that take over bodies and make everybody nicer...and then one falls in love. That's way out on the wrong side of the ballpark.
The teen vampire thing isn't MY cup o' tea, but if it gets young folks reading...hey...I'm all for it.
I do think it might've just caught on in main stream. But I read it as a YA. I read Fear Street, Vampire Dairies, and really enjoyed it. I think this vampire and fantasy kick came on the heels of Harry Potter myself. Which isn't a bad thing for me.
What's with all the Tragic Teen Vampire in School YA lit going around? When I was in school people thought I was a freak for reading about vampires. Of course, the vampires I read about were usually evil so maybe that makes the difference,lol.
Really, though, did it just boom or something? I was looking on an Amazon list for a YA book that I couldn't remember the name of and it seemed like every other book was about vampires, or fairies, or elves.
The current standing are:King - 89.3%
Rowling - 8.9%
Meyer - 1.8%
King's body of work is huge compared to both of the other authors listed. Both of Kings competitors in the poll are YA authors, and the poll is on a site primarily visited by adults. And the poll itself is linked to an article about Stephen King. All things in King's favor, but even so, I think the results are accurate.
I can't believe USA Weekend has a poll in that article to vote on who's better, King, J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyer? Rowling's great but Meyer?? She wouldn't know a vampire if it came up and...well bit her. When I voted King was way ahead with 89% of people voting for him.
That's a long time! I grew up reading Stephen King, and remember thinking that he's just always been there, writing his horror and scaring the crap out of people. I never really thought that when I was a kid he was just starting his career! He's been such an icon since he started that it's hard to believe that he wasn't ALWAYS an icon. I just hope he keeps writing as long as possible. I'll be heartbroken when he's no longer writing.
