IT

[David]

I am starting to think that soon, maybe after I've read more of the DT series, I should reread IT because it is such a great book. true classic. Though it didn't scare me, I loved all the characters, and the plot line as well as the creepiness of the book.

[James]

This book is genius because clowns are the scariest things ever. I don't think I slept for a month after reading this book because I was positive Pennywise was in my closet or under my bed. I was only 10 or 11 when it came out, but it made an impact!

[Donna]

I just purchased this book and am looking forward to reading it. I've liked all the books I've read so far (and I have not even put a dent into all the books he has written. So far my favorite (of the ones I have read) was Under the Dome the book was just so epic and the characters were so real they felt like your neighbors and friends.

[Roni]

this is my favorite book, i read it first when i was in the forth garde, after seeing the movie, and this book scared the shit out of me.

[Scott]

Donna, this is my favorite book also. I first read it when it came out back in the mid 80's and I have read it three times. It is fantastic.

[Blake]

IT is by far my favorite book. I've just always loved monster stories; and what's better than a thousand paged monster story?

[David]

Right? One of my favorites is this book.

[Alondra]

James wrote: "This book is genius because clowns are the scariest things ever. I don't think I slept for a month after reading this book because I was positive Pennywise was in my closet or under my bed. I was o..."

I still don't sleep with a closet or door open. I also never sleep with a limb hanging out of the bed, for fear of pennywise or the ghost from paranormal activity grabbing me and dragging me somewhere!.. hehehehe

[Drew]

Definitely my favorite King novel, I read it first in 1994 and it is what got me into reading. I read it once a year along with Lord of the Rings.

[Onyxia The Dragon]

I'm reading this right now and so far,it's excellent!!

[Tony]

IT is definitely in my favourite SK reads. It was the first SK book I read when I was about twelve, and probably the longest book I'd read up to that point.

I love the fact that SK is a man who can take a childrens balloon and make it scary.

And who ever thought clowns were funny to begin with? They scare the lunch out of me and everyone I've ever met!

[Anne]

I hate clowns and I think it was Pennywise that made me this way. I loved the book much better than the film.

[Zachariah]

Personally, I could have done without the 'coming together' scene..

[Christopher]

I loved this book, and always will. What gets me is SK is always saying he wont write a sequal and that PW is dead, but he throws a crap load of hints in his books that he is still alive. bah

[Melissa]

I love the fact that Stephen King is the main reason that people hate, or are afraid of, clowns. I personally love clowns! Well, maybe I love the reacions a clown will get from an adult who is clearly terrified lol. My sister will be 22 in two days and she hates clowns due to our friend Pennywise. This book was got me started with SK and I can't get enough.

[Christine]

I love this book, and in my opinion, the reason why my generation hates clowns. But, if they actually read the book they would know Penny-Wise turned into whatever you were most afraid of, he didn't have a form anyone could see and not be cataonic like Bill's wife. I also think that J.K. Rowling used Penny-Wise as an idea for the boggart introduced in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". I love her work too. Does anyone else agree?

[Marc-Antoine]

I hear it's being made into a movie, Seth Grahame-Smith is associated to the project...

[Grant]

Hey, has anyone but me made note of the fact that it's 2012, exactly 27 years after the Losers' Club's final confrontation? And is it possible that (view spoiler)[Ben might not have gotten all the eggs? (hide spoiler)]

[Drew]

I wouldn't get too excited Grant, King has stated that he won't be returning to the killer clown again.

[Alondra]

..ahhh, but wouldn't that be something? To wake up to a press release on SK's site talking about a sequel.... one can only hope.

we all float down here... *shudders*

[Drew]

No doubt it would, at least I think so. I've heard arguments from some that it would take away from IT or that the Losers have done enough. My argument is that it wouldn't even necessarily have to be the Losers that take it on. Let's get this straight, Pennywise existed in a place not of Earth. It's physical form was in Derry but it's true form is eternal. IT is not dead.

[Nina]

Pennywise is my favorite villain ever. Well, maybe it's a tie between Francis Dolarhyde from Thomas Harris' Red Dragon and Pennywise, but I love Penny's name. It was one of those things that when I read it I just thought to myself, "Why the hell didn't I think of that?!"
It was my second King novel and I loved it! It's definitely on my list to re-read.

*Not really a spoiler below, but if you don't want to read even the vaguest comments about the end of the book, DO NOT READ FURTHER!*


I think, however, that it starts to lose its momentum towards the end. There is one particular act towards the end involving all the children in the sewer that I have always found bizarre and pointless (I'm sure most of you who have read that far know which one I'm talking about). That, to me, just distracted away from the whole story and threw me into a really confused sort of headspace and not because I was offended, but it just seems to pointless.

[Janie]

I agree Rancour the part you are talking about was pretty pointless and confusing. I think King was trying to demonstrate the bonds of love maybe? A stronger fight against Pennywise. Either way to this day I constantly quote Pennywise. More so now after I recently watched the movie for the hundredth time. Read the book twice. Will probably always be one of my top faves.

[Christopher]

Rancour wrote: "Pennywise is my favorite villain ever. Well, maybe it's a tie between Francis Dolarhyde from Thomas Harris' Red Dragon and Pennywise, but I love Penny's name. It was one of those things that when I..."

It never really bothered me because that part wasnt all that long. Assuming we're thinking of the same thing lol.

For me It is just perfection. It's the only book that's ever scared me, but it also has great characters and their arcs are fantastic. The style in which it's written is just superb. If someone ever asked me what is the one book I wish I had written I would say It, hands down

[Gwen]

I'm in the process of rereading this and I can't help but think that IT would be back in Derry RIGHT NOW if the cycle continued.

[Christopher]

Jaime wrote: "It is and will always be my favorite King novel. The characters are so well-written. If you don't love all the Losers by the end, then you have no heart. Plus, King's writing skills in this are at ..."

Could not agree more. It is a masterpiece. It has a lot of scares, but pretty much every other emotion you could ask for. Just excellent.

[Carlos]

Though I think this is a greatly written novel, I think King's ideal of friendship in this book is totally wrong. (view spoiler)[I mean, they forget before it starts again, and when the deed is done they forget almost completely, like their best-friend's last name. And the Beverly scene at the end, (view spoiler)[ I mean that was just the only problem I had with it. Anyone else feel this way? (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Drew]

Carlos wrote: "Though I think this is a greatly written novel, I think King's ideal of friendship in this book is totally wrong. [spoilers removed]"

This isn't by choice Carlos, they want to stay in touch but I'm assuming that their mind is blocking everything out about what has happened to them. This is called an involuntary defense mechanism, when something very traumatic happens to us(especially when you're young and vulnerable) your mind can shut down that memory completely to protect you from as much emotional damage as possible. In this story I believe it is the Other, or Gan, that is shutting these memories off from them in order to protect them.

[Carlos]

Haven't read the Dark Tower books yet :o . I think I heard that Gan is God? Still doesn't make sense, but maybe that's because I think the whole prospect of (view spoiler)[pre-teen gang bang (hide spoiler)] is nuts.

[Carlos]

Another thing: If I could ask SK a question in an interview about his books I'd ask if writing the scenes of Mike Hanlon's POV and the bullies' POV were exceptionally hard to write, what emotions were brung up, because of the intense bullying scenes and racism used. Because I'm writing a story, too.

[Bondama]

Carlos - for the state of your story you mentioned, "brung" is not a word. Otherwise, Drew - I think you've definitely got the right idea about Gan hiding the memories; if they actually remembered everything, there is NO way they all could go BACK to the horror that was Derry!

[Drew]

Then there is the sex thing with the kids. Look I understand that it seems inappropriate but consider that many kids do have sex at young ages and it isn't like it was with and adult, they were all roughly the same age.

This is Mr. King's thought on it:
"I wasn't really thinking of the sexual aspect of it. The book dealt with childhood and adulthood --1958 and Grown Ups. The grown ups don't remember their childhood. None of us remember what we did as children--we think we do, but we don't remember it as it really happened. Intuitively, the Losers knew they had to be together again. The sexual act connected childhood and adulthood. It's another version of the glass tunnel that connects the children's library and the adult library. Times have changed since I wrote that scene and there is now more sensitivity to those issues."

So in other words, they were reverting to a more natural, child-like state. It wasn't a good time for this mindset and sexuality is an adult thing and through it Beverly was able to help them all hang on to that adult mindset long enough to get out.

[Janie]

Drew wrote: "Then there is the sex thing with the kids. Look I understand that it seems inappropriate but consider that many kids do have sex at young ages and it isn't like it was with and adult, they were all..."

Drew thanks for posting this. :)

[Carlos]

Drew wrote: "Then there is the sex thing with the kids. Look I understand that it seems inappropriate but consider that many kids do have sex at young ages and it isn't like it was with and adult, they were all..."

Sounds good, where's your source though? And yes the turtle knows! The turtle knows!

[Drew]

I can't Carlos, that came from the moderator of his website who stays in constant with Mr. King, he said this only to her in order to relate it to his fans on the site. So take it or leave it but I have no doubts of whether Mr. King actually said that or not.

[Carlos]

I saw the comment on the site! "I wasn't really thinking of the sexual aspect of it," he said. But they're having sex! lol I think it's safe to say that he was probably high when he wrote some of It. I know that he can't even remember writing Cujo.

[Drew]

True dat! So thinking that, he probably just wrote on the most basic of levels what seemed to him to be the best way to unite the Losers again.

[Carlos]

Can't really think of any other way for them to be united--relating to adulthood. Maybe if they were 14 it'd be a little easier to read. See, in On Writing, I think King says that when you write you should paint a picture, but sometimes you can be vague if the reader's can paint there own picture bigger than the writing. And that scene was like, 8 pages long, I think? But aside from all that, it's not too big of an issue with the overall story.

[Jam]

The best book I have read! :-) alongside Pet Sematary

[Colton]

I got so attached to this book that I put off finishing it for days. I would only read maybe 50 pages here and there. Needless to say, this is my favorite Stephen King novel, so far.

[andrea]

Am I the only one who automatically thinks of IT when seeing the trailer for the new kids movie Paranorman?!

[KansasOVGirly]

Been listening to IT on audio on my trip to and from work. Its a long process when I only drive an hour each day. Next on my list for his is The Stand, also on audio. I just finished The Shining and have to say I was disappointed in it. I didn't find it scary at all. Can't wait to see what they do with the film remake. Also since its been 27+ years it would be great if King were to continue the story again with "The Losers". I'm loving how in depth the book goes and really hope that isn't lost in the new movies. "You'll Die if you Try....You'll Die if you Try!!!"

[Christopher]

Ashley wrote: "Been listening to IT on audio on my trip to and from work. Its a long process when I only drive an hour each day. Next on my list for his is The Stand, also on audio. I just finished The Shining an..."

It sure the hell has been 27 years hasn't it. Not sure what story he could though...maybe (view spoiler)[ Ben didn't get all of the eggs? that may be too similar to the orginal though (hide spoiler)]

[Christopher]

Re-reading this now...I'm always struck by the level of details King puts in. While (view spoiler)[ Stan is taking his wife his watching family feud and fawning over Richard Dawson...it's these little things that make his stuff worth re-reading if you ask me :-) (hide spoiler)]

[Brandon]

For all the Stephen King fans who have listed this as one of their favorites of his... I don't understand. Not that this was all that bad of a book. It was in fact pretty good. But I definitely wouldn't list it among my favorites of King's books. There were too many times that I felt bored or wished he would get on with whatever story he was going into and get to the point. But for as many of those as there were, there were some pretty great stories as well and some good detail into the main characters. I will say that the book redeems itself from the movie. The only good thing about the movie was Tim Curry as Pennywise, but the acting was terrible and the adaptation is really bad as well. I realize that maybe I'm getting a little too nitpicky with this next complaint but I really didn't get what was so special about "he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts." Frankly, the obscurity and randomness behind some of that stuff left me feeling annoyed rather than thoughtful about what the symbolism could be which I'm sure King was going for. And finally, I don't see where King gets off putting in a scene where a bunch of 11 year olds gang bang their friend but its not sexual or inapproriate. Stupid. If I ever get lost in a tunnel I hope I have some girl there to hump so I stop panicking. Dumb. Anyway, there were just too many things about the book that bugged me and it was way too long for me to put this on the definitive favorites list.

[Christopher]

Brandon its the journey not the destination. Personally I don't mind if he 'wastes time' and 'rambles on' because it's the little things that I find fascinating. Like I said its the journey, not the destination. Just my two cents.

[Brandon]

Christopher wrote: "Brandon its the journey not the destination. Personally I don't mind if he 'wastes time' and 'rambles on' because it's the little things that I find fascinating. Like I said its the journey, not th..."

Yeah I can appreciate that. It doesn't always bother me, but I found myself getting frustrated and bored with it in this particular book.

[Tony]

I've been seeing a few comments about a sequel to IT...I think the closest we'll get is INSOMNIA and the few chapters in 11/22/63...

[Christopher]

Tony wrote: "I've been seeing a few comments about a sequel to IT...I think the closest we'll get is INSOMNIA and the few chapters in 11/22/63..."

Yeah I agree. And for what it's worth I'm ok with that. IT was one of a kind. I think a sequel would be too much, but alluding to it in other books is perfect. It shows the magnitude of the story without sullying the orginal with a lesser sequel.

[Drew]

I would be okay with a novel that revolves around one or two of the Losers, Richie and Bill were always my favorites, but not in an all out sequel to IT.