IT: New to IT? First thoughts - NO SPOILERS

[James]

I'm about halfway through with It. I have read it once but such a long time ago I don't remember a lot of the details.

So far it's not my favorite SK but it is good so far.

I had to buy a new kindle with the lighting on it so I could read in the dark. I'm reading It at work for the most part. It's in the basement of an old train station, inside a dark exhibit on Pompeii. It's adds to fear since late in the day nobody is there.

[Amy]

James, I'm actually scared of just the description and eerie sounding environment in which you are reading. 8-/

Hahah definitely setting the mood

[Joachim]

250 pages in and I am surprised at well King manages to stay on the point and keep the horror present. In a book this size often you'll find a lot of paged dedicated to set things up. Flesh out the environment and characters (Salems Lot comes to mind). Such passages - though important - can be a bit of a bore sometimes.
Not in It though. It sucks you and does not let you go willingly. Great stuff.

[Kandice]

James wrote: "I'm about halfway through with It. I have read it once but such a long time ago I don't remember a lot of the details.

So far it's not my favorite SK but it is good so far.

I had to buy a new kin..."

I agree with Amy and wish I could read a King book where you are reading It!

[A.D.]

Saw the new trailer, heard all the buzz going on about how good the book is, picked a copy and here I am at page 317.

I'm really enjoying the childhood period of the main characters- how they all meet, how they get along, how each of them had individually faced IT for the first time.

My favourite character for now: Richie Tozier

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

A.D. wrote: "Saw the new trailer, heard all the buzz going on about how good the book is, picked a copy and here I am at page 317.

I'm really enjoying the childhood period of the main characters- how they all..."

THAT, A.D- That. THAT is why Stephen King is my favorite author (well, ONE of the reasons)- he writes CHILDHOOD so very well. His childhood tone/voice throughout *all* of his novels is fantastic, but it is *especially* well done in It , which I discovered when I was about 14 or so-a GREAT age to read 'IT' for the 1st time, btw!-...At *that* age? Man, I was so *quickly* able to identify with all of these young characters, because of King's fantastic way of writing childhood...and its friendships and dialogue...and the WORLD of childhood, really...so very well.
Lately, he has done a great job of writing about childhood via children's POV in the awesome 1st piece found in The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (... It was called Mile 81 ) , and it was also released as a separate story online, I do believe, before the 'Bazaar' collection was released. Check it out if you can- I recommend it highly!--Jen from Quebec :0)

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

Rodrigo Alonso wrote: "I just started reading IT a few days ago and it's also my very first Stephen King book. So far the story has so much more depth unlike the mini series and there's so much character development. I'm..."

Please, please discard the TV mini-series crap from your mind, as It the NOVEL is an entirely different ballgame- and a better one. King creates an entire believable world down in The Barrens, and that is *never* captured in the film as well as in the novel ...that sense of deep, childhood friendship in the mini-series feels/looks/seems...forced and fake, almost whereas the novel always rings so true. (Well, that is just a *teeny tiny portion* of the components that the mini-series missed! THE NOVEL IS THE REAL DEAL! Sorry- hit a nerve there. I was the crazy kid at school pushing the book on you in the hallway when that shit was on TV...)--Jen from Quebec :0)

[A.D.]

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "A.D. wrote: "Saw the new trailer, heard all the buzz going on about how good the book is, picked a copy and here I am at page 317.

I'm really enjoying the childhood period of the main characters-..."

I know right! I was just reading the part where Bill, Eddie and Ben build the dam based on Ben's design of it and I was just awestruck at the simplicity of their characterization! The buildup of friendship shown here, you know, just strangers their whole life and one act of teamwork weaves such a beautiful connection between them. Then Richie and Stan arrive and they are such good characters as well! You know, Stephen King, knows the real deal here. He knows perfectly what being a kid is like even at his age. Even his insights on what kind of psychology goes in each of these boys' minds was well on point; specially Eddie's perception, It was the best!

And thanks a lot for the recommendation Jennifer, I was really looking for something similar to IT's portrayal of young characters. Guess I know which book is going to my to-read shelf.

[mrbooks]

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "Rodrigo Alonso wrote: "I just started reading IT a few days ago and it's also my very first Stephen King book. So far the story has so much more depth unlike the mini series and there's so much cha..."

Jenifer I agree with you completely, you hit the nail on the head when you said all the stuff missing from the mini series. Very few authors can do what Stephen King can do, when writing about children. The fact that he can take what we feel as children being picked on by the local bully because we are different. For me it was my lack of ability to read and write properly and being small and nerdy. He shows how someone who is not special can be special in his or her own way.

[Abraham]

I am Reading It for the first time. I'm 156 pages away from the ending. All I have to say is Wow!!!! I love the way the book describes the bonds of childhood. I am not from the 50s but still I could connect to it. Also loved the detailed little stories about "IT". Those stories are really intriguing. Just Hoping for an Awesome Finish. Definitely going to be my favourite Stephen King Novel.