Mark Gillan answers “I read a couple of Stephen King novels a...”

Lea Ann Cornman asked this question about Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1):

I read a couple of Stephen King novels a few years back....Needful Things and Insomnia. I had a very hard time getting through these and frankly found them boring. I then heard great things about 11/22/63 and I read it earlier this Spring and LOVED, it. What is this one like? I have not read any older King either, Cujo, Firestarter....etc. I want to like King's novels, but I don't want to be disappointed either.

Mark Gillan I love em all, IT, The Stand, The Dark Half (George Stark is probably the best villain I have ever read) is a good start. Just after Sunset and Four P…moreI love em all, IT, The Stand, The Dark Half (George Stark is probably the best villain I have ever read) is a good start. Just after Sunset and Four Past Midnight are collections of short stories that give you a good insight into his range. I reckon start with the shorts, if all good, go the 3 above. Even though I'm a fanboi I'll admit I found Gerald's Game Dolores Claiborne and Insomnia a bit hard going, and the last few of the Gunslinger series he kinda got me confused. But you gotta take Mr King as a job lot. See, it's not just a book or a story, it's a volume of work, for me, a 40 year journey with all the ups and downs, in's and out's that that amount of writing, and reading, takes. I have ended up loving the lows just as much as the highs because without the lows, you just don't get the highs, and the highs are pretty bloody good. I have shivered in fright, regularly laughed out loud, and literally wriggled in excitement as well as shed a tear or two.... and he keeps it fresh, he isn't lazy, he pushes the boundaries and sometimes when you push too hard things get a bit unstuck, he experiments, he is brave enough to travel the less well travelled road, and he is strong enough to get back up again when that road leads astray....I think that's the best way to describe he's work, a journey on a big, long sometimes winding, sometime twisting road, full of wonderful, fun, brave, terrifying, uplifting, desolate and dangerous towns and people, a few stops and breaks along the way, a few blown tires and empty tanks, but ultimately, one hell of a ride.(less)

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