Losing Steam?
Moderator: lucimay
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Mr. Broken
- The Gap Into Spam
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- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:49 pm
- Location: The arm pit of hell, Titusville Pa.
Losing Steam?
Let me start by saying I am a King fan. I own over thirty of his novels, and collections, all in Hard cover. He is responsible for some of the best reads Ive ever had. Until lately. Im not liking his newer stuff. Whats changed?
Wide Eyed Stupid
I dunno, but I thought Duma Key was amazingly well-written and a great story.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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Mr. Broken
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:49 pm
- Location: The arm pit of hell, Titusville Pa.
I enjoyed Cell. I think I might have lasted through 3 pages of Lisey's Story.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
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Mr. Broken
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:49 pm
- Location: The arm pit of hell, Titusville Pa.
Any book or movie that kills off humanity gets a read or watch from me.
I thought Cell was pretty intriguing.
I thought Cell was pretty intriguing.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
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Mr. Broken
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:49 pm
- Location: The arm pit of hell, Titusville Pa.
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Mortice Root
- Bloodguard
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Interesting idea, Mr B.
Assuming you're correct, and more recent King works are "lesser" than older ones, it could be a direct result of his popularity. In the 70s, he had to craft stories that were good enough to sell - and (presumably) the better the story, the better the sales. Now, though, it's his name that sells the book. Sure, a good King book will still probably sells more than a crappy one, but even a crappy one sells pretty well. So maybe he's not trying as hard.
Although, I don't think I agree with your assertion that the newer stuff isn't as good. I haven't read Duma Key yet either - though from what Cail says (and iQuestor, I believe, in another thread) it's pretty good. I really like Lisey's Story, but I thought Cell was a little weaker. What have some of the other newer (post 2000) ones been? Hmmmm... the murder mystery one (?Denver Kid? Colorado Kid?) was a little off, but, I think it was supposed to be. I did like From A Buick 8, and I think Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon was one of my favorites in a long while. Bag of Bones I read, but don't remember much which probably meant I thought it was ok, but nothing special. Dreamcatcher I remember with some great sections early on, though it seemed to run out of steam.
Which ones had you been disappointed with recently?
(Oh, and totally agree with you about The Stand. That was something extraordinary.)
Assuming you're correct, and more recent King works are "lesser" than older ones, it could be a direct result of his popularity. In the 70s, he had to craft stories that were good enough to sell - and (presumably) the better the story, the better the sales. Now, though, it's his name that sells the book. Sure, a good King book will still probably sells more than a crappy one, but even a crappy one sells pretty well. So maybe he's not trying as hard.
Although, I don't think I agree with your assertion that the newer stuff isn't as good. I haven't read Duma Key yet either - though from what Cail says (and iQuestor, I believe, in another thread) it's pretty good. I really like Lisey's Story, but I thought Cell was a little weaker. What have some of the other newer (post 2000) ones been? Hmmmm... the murder mystery one (?Denver Kid? Colorado Kid?) was a little off, but, I think it was supposed to be. I did like From A Buick 8, and I think Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon was one of my favorites in a long while. Bag of Bones I read, but don't remember much which probably meant I thought it was ok, but nothing special. Dreamcatcher I remember with some great sections early on, though it seemed to run out of steam.
Which ones had you been disappointed with recently?
(Oh, and totally agree with you about The Stand. That was something extraordinary.)
"The plural of antecdotes is not evidence."
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Driving down the razor's edge between the past and the future
Turn up the music and smile
Get carried away on the songs and stories of vanished times
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Driving down the razor's edge between the past and the future
Turn up the music and smile
Get carried away on the songs and stories of vanished times
Didn't like Bag of Bones. Didn't read Colorado Kid or Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Even though Dreamcatcher was very similar to It, I thought it was great.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
The thing I really dug about Duma Key was how well I "saw" the story. No kidding, I had the whole book cast, I could see the events of the story, and I really got into it. It's been a long, looooong time since a book has grabbed me like that.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
Just my opinion, but i've always found King to be a bit hit and miss. There are books of his, or sections of books of his, that i've almost been embarrassed to be reading they're that bad. On the other hand a good deal of his stuff i would count as the best i've ever read.
Case in point; Desperation and The Green Mile were released in the same year!! You'd struggle to believe that the same author was the creator of both there's such a massive discrepancy in quality.
Case in point; Desperation and The Green Mile were released in the same year!! You'd struggle to believe that the same author was the creator of both there's such a massive discrepancy in quality.
It'd take you a long time to blow up or shoot all the sheep in this country, but one diseased banana...could kill 'em all.
I didn't even know sheep ate bananas.
I didn't even know sheep ate bananas.
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Mr. Broken
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:49 pm
- Location: The arm pit of hell, Titusville Pa.
Maybe I need to reread The Tommyknockers, because I remember really enjoying it (and really hating the miniseries).
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
The miniseries barely had anything to do with the book. Not one of my faves, but it certainly had its strengths. I told my late lady in comparing the two, that the number of deaths in the miniseries was the same as the number of survivors in the book.
"O let my name be in the Book of Love!
It be there, I care not of the other great book Above.
Strike it out! Or, write it in anew. But
Let my name be in the Book of Love!" --Omar Khayam
It be there, I care not of the other great book Above.
Strike it out! Or, write it in anew. But
Let my name be in the Book of Love!" --Omar Khayam
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Mr. Broken
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:49 pm
- Location: The arm pit of hell, Titusville Pa.