Jessica’s review of The Stand > Likes and Comments

Lately I've been really into crime/suspense novels. I read a couple Chandler books, but they didn't quite do it for me. I like Kate Atkinson for a light read. I've started and put down a few other mystery-types. It's hard to find a well written novel in this genre, no? I'm reading Ellroy's _My Dark Places_ at the moment... no comment yet. Let me know if you have any other recommendations.

the world's gone mad. stephen king SUCKS (and i had to go and read the extended version of "the stand", lest i, y'know, miss the good parts), and raymond chandler is a GOD. oddly enough, king's short stories are better and chandler's are worse.

I absolutely love, love *loved* Bangkok 8, reviewed on here. I'd recommend that to pretty much anyone looking for the kind of read I think you're describing. I know this contradicts what I said above, but on further reflection I don't necessarily recommend reading The Stand, unless you are around fifteen years old, and pretty bored. I enjoyed it a lot then, but I might not as much now. I don't really know.

Matthew, Stephen King does NOT suck. Stephen King is a terrific writer! Why on earth would you read such a long book by an author you say you don't like? Probably because SK is such an engaging storyteller that you simply could not resist his allure.

Honestly, Sammy, I don't really read much crime these days. Don't read horror anymore, at all. Come to think of it, I don't really read much of anything!

(Sigh....)

Good call. I've added that book to my list.

You know, Thinner had a real ending. I'm not saying it was spectacular or anything, but it had one. I can't think of any others off the top of my head, though I'm sure there are some.

no, i read it because it had a really good cover, i was bored, and, at the time, when i began a book i finished it, no matter how bad (i'm also excited by the idea of a humanity-destroying illness) - now, i know better. stephen king is a hack who may as well be writing for the cheaper/younger division of scholastic, or, better, not at all, as i heard he was, in fact, doing.

I love Steven King, but agree that his endings are disappointing. Misery is my favorite, I loved pretty much every line UNTIL THE END. Then I was like, what on earth are you talking about? A skunk in a shopping cart - nonsense. And The Shining just turns into a rainbow.

The Body is good as a complete work - though it's muddled in my mind with "Stand By Me" so maybe that's working in it's favor.

Not interested in horror, sci-fi/fantasy, or graphic violence. It's the mystery and suspense that I like.

I finally finished _Kiss of the Spiderwoman_, by the way, and it was awesome. The form is so unusual and suprisingly effective. Who would have thought you could write a whole novel through one character describing movies to another character? It's a intimate story, really weird and really good.

I have heard good things about Dorothy Sayers's mysteries, though I've never read any of them. I myself enjoy Carl Hiaasen's Florida thrillers.

yeah, dorothy sayers is good light drawing room mystery, with an intellectual... lilt, i'm gonna say. i wouldn't call them suspenseful, though. i hear good things about iain banks (as iain M banks, he writes science fiction, so be careful, you hatas!), but i'm too frightened to read 'im. it could be graphic, but, as i understand it, it's excellent psychological suspense.

you seem to have really specific tastes, by the by.

Thanks for all those ideas!

to whom do you tender thanks? (i almost went with "dost thou", so take that into consideration). i'm going to declare, here, that, when drunk, i shall append "*drunk*" to my entries. i could've said "whilst".

*drunk*

i think that fair.

Oh, I wish Elmore Leonard cared about the environment. I just can't get as excited about Hiaasan as I'd like to be. I mean, he's fine, but maybe not quite energetic enough? Or he doesn't do "gritty" as well, I don't know what it is.... To be fair, I haven't read much of his stuff. Maybe on my next vacation to Florida.

I went through a huge Elmore Leonard phase one summer, though I haven't had any interest in reading him since. What I remember is tasty, high-energy romance novels that men could read, with fantastic dialogue. I know everyone's sick of hearing about this guy's incredible ear, but it's a cliche because it's true.

Elmore Leonard = good times. I might not appreciate them much anymore, especially now that criminals don't seem nearly as glamrorous to me, but I'd recommend checking him out if you haven't.

I loved loved loved Killshot. It was sooooooo exciting. Then when I tried to read another Leonard book, I couldn't get into it. I don't remember which it was. All I know is it kept referring to a woman's ass as her "fanny" or "can" and I just could not read it.

You didn't think _Skin Tight_ was good and gritty?

'it kept referring to a woman's ass as her "fanny" or "can"' - that would be insanely distracting.

Agree with you about King not being able to end his books - hell, in several, he just gives up and blows up everything, or sets the hotel on fire, as the case me be. My favorite of his novels is one of the shorter ones: The Dead Zone

I also think he could do with a tough editor - not someone who would change a word - just someone with a pair of scissors who would chop out huge chunks. Good luck with that though - There's an EXPANDED version of the stand out there - one with all the stuff that was cut (I can't even imagine) stuffed back in. (shudder)

King's short stories prove he's not a hack. I sometimes wonder: if King was judged only by his short stories, wouldn't his reputation be better? Think about Apt Pupil, The Body, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, and Riding the Bullet. Some of his short stories are throw-aways, but little horror gems: The Road Virus Rides North.

that's the edition of "the stand" i was fool enough to read! i hate abridged books, but i steered myself wrong, on that one. it does have a cool cover, though. i did say his short stories were better than his novels.

That's crazy! I was reading this book on a family trip in 1985 and we got stuck in the Lincoln tunnel on our way out of the city. I got claustrophbic and had to stop reading until we were out. An hour. I know probably nothing to u, but I had only been into the city six times coming from Texas where we have no tunnels under rivers!

I agree with you, Jessica. King's endings seldom live up to the story concept. "The Tommyknockers" and "Under the Dome" are perfect examples of your complaint. The one big exception to this, in my opinion, is "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon," which I think is one of King's very best books. I am shocked that it receives such a weak rating on this Board; I absolutely loved the ending and felt very satisfied by it.

While I am typically disappointed with King's endings, getting to the end is pure pleasure.

I am new to this site and I really enjoy reading everyone's reviews. I am a huge SK fan and love talking about his work. I can't say I have read them all, I have 3 stand alone novels and the DT series left, but I will say I really like the way SK chooses to end his novels.

The ending of The Stand and Under the Dome are ones that you hear people bash quite often. I thought the end of Under the Dome was very thought provoking and the end of The Stand had a kind of calm to it.

The one perfect ending that SK wrote is the end of Pet Sematary and I can sum it up in one word...

"Darling"

If you haven't already read them, I strongly recommend:

by Stephen King

by Stephen King

and

by Stephen King

I would also recommend with the proviso that one scene in the book is offensive and inappropriate:

by Stephen King

You're bang on about the endings. A master writer certainly, but just not wrapped up in the best way. I think the shining did tie up pretty well though.

Totally agree with you about "IT"..the ending sucked but the build up was a fantastic book. I love The Stand. total entertainment.

Great review and your summary captures my sentiments on this story exactly. Thanks ;-)

I know what you mean about thinking about it when going through the tunnels. I think about that all the time.

Pattie wrote: "Agree with you about King not being able to end his books - hell, in several, he just gives up and blows up everything, or sets the hotel on fire, as the case me be. My favorite of his novels is o..."

King is an excellent writer when he wants to be. But I suspects he is turning out too much as in the days when he did a lot of speed and pot. Those early druggie days saw some of his best work.

Samantha wrote: "Lately I've been really into crime/suspense novels. I read a couple Chandler books, but they didn't quite do it for me. I like Kate Atkinson for a light read. I've started and put down a few othe..."

You might try Ross MacDonald (the other MacDonald, John, is mighty fine, too) and Dashell Hammett.

Dashiell. I knew that didn't look right. He had one of the world's worst writer's blocks and didn't produce anything in his later years. Don't know if his marriage to Lillian Hellman had anything to do with that.

This is my favorite The Stand review. Cant agree more!

Yep. Clearly many people read for the linear narrative and plot with a satisfying ending. Alternately, you could read for the sheer enjoyment of the writer's style, the way the stories are woven, his thoughts on the human condition, character development, mood, pace etc etc.

Although I don't agree with the ratings, your critique I feel captures my frustration with Stephen King exactly. Great suspense writing, but no pay-off.

King is a pantser, and as such, can't figure out how to end a novel. Most of his ending suck.