The Shining question

Psychological horror,Stephen King really messes with your mind in this book. This book creeped me out on so many levels. A true masterpiece. Much better than some of his newer works.

I disagree with many of these comments. I didn't find this book very unsettling, if at all. The middle to end is where I remember it really picked up, but otherwise, this was easily one of my LEAST FAVORITE King books. My heart will always be with Pet Sematary.

It really messed with my psyche but i love it for that very reason. The "horror" in this case comes down to the suspence. Chapter 26 really resinated with me though. Learning of Jack's past, in addition to how he heard his father's voice through the radio. That, along with the dreams he was having and how the radio's destruction pretty much sealed his fait since it was the last remaining method of communication and getting help. His uncontrollable sobbing is when you really start to see his descent into insanity.

It's not the kind of book you can skip through. The whole point is the build and the feeling that something just isn't right is going on. It's a really great book, I just think we expect too much because of movies that give us something every few minutes.

it's about self loathing. whats sacrier than the beast in ones self? the demonds we carry are worse than the ones we find

If you want a book with lots of horror and splatter, try The abandonned by Douglas Clegg.

It's been a long time since I read it, but the way I remember it, the first hundred pages were pretty boring. It didn't really grab my attention until the topiary started moving when he wasn't looking. Shortly after that, I made sure I was reading it somewhere where there were people because reading it home alone was creeping me out.

I think if you're asking "When does the horror start?" then the answer for you is "Never." King's horror scenes, back when I liked his writing, at least, emerge from the buildup. Sometimes I'd get impatient and then later I'd realize all of that 'other stuff' was the foundation for the horror scenes.

If you don't like the foundation, you're not going to like what he builds on it.

This is a great book. The Stanley Hotel is really haunted. There is no horror however it plays on your mind while you are waiting for the suspense to occur. It takes you out of the nice world and puts you into King's world. His older works were the best in my opinion. Yet, there is no equal to King.

This is one of my favorite King books - I'm great fan of his older books. I also read somewhere (I might be mistaken) that parts of the character of the father were based on his (King's) personal experiences.

It was the scariest King book I've read. Definitely horror. Keep with it.

It's there right from beginning. The 'groundwork' for the later horror is being laid by the manager of the hotel about its past etc. Also by the things Jack thinks about himself etc, to Danny sitting and waiting for his dad to come home and everything you find out then about the Torrence family.

The Shining isn't horror in its true sense but it definitely gets creepier the further you read. I really loved this book.

it's a ghost story, not a gore story. if it works it gets under your skin, if it doesn't then it's still a romp - a better book is Peter Straubs Ghost Story - that is just fantastic!

Define horror?

I agree with Lena, although back in the day those slightly creepy supe parts were VERY creepy.

I don't think there's any horror in this book. It's more suspense, psychological thriller type book. There are some slightly creepy supernatural parts, but horror? Not really.