Worst Book Ever

[Wildling]

I think I'd have a multi-way tie for worst book ever.

4. Gerald's Game by Stephen King. Ok, so Tommyknockers wasn't all that great, and Dark Half was a neat idea, though maybe not executed as well as hoped, but Gerald's Game was where I got off the King Express. Aside from the Dark Tower books. Though I haven't finished the last 3 or 4 of those. But anyway, absolutely hated Gerald's Game with a mighty passion that made it part of the exclusive club of books I tried to read that instead learned to fly. Delores Claiborne fits in here as well, though I don't have the same level of frustration with that one.

Gerald's Game is a sick, disturbing, disgusting book with one of the most loathsome villains (Joubert) that has ever darkened the printed page.

Aside from that, however, I'm having trouble understanding your hatred of the book.

It's not the worst-written King book (that's Tommyknockers, a book King was so stoned writing that he barely remembers typing the words).

It's not the most bloated King book (Under the Dome? Needful things? Bag of Bones?).

It's not the King book with the worst plot (Dreamcatcher, by a country mile, Cell bringing up the rear).

So, why the hate for Gerald's Game? Please explain.

To be quite honest, it's been a lot of years since I tried reading it, so some of the reasons have evaporated from memory. However, my over-riding memory of it was just really hating everything that was going on. The fact that it was just her thoughts a lot of the time really got annoying to me. I know Misery was similar in the sense that it was all about the one guy, but at least there was another character to have the guy react to. Gerald's Game, unless something drastically changed after I gave up on it, had nobody but the main character.

If I recall correctly, I gave up about when she heard wolves or dogs or something coming in the house.

[peter]

One of my former students posted "Pixar's 22 rules for storytelling" on Facebook, which was very interesting. One of the rules was about being sure your character has an opinion; their indifference would be "toxic" to the reader. It struck me because that just happened with a book I was reading a few weeks ago. I got so mad at a female character for her lack of spine I couldn't finish reading. It's not that it was a character flaw; it was as if the plot couldn't go forward unless she continued down a path of complete idiocy.

I'd put it on the "worst book" list but I can't even remember the title!

Not Against All Things Ending by any chance DOTD?

[Avatar]

Nah, musta been Mordant's Need.

--A

[peter]

Could well have been Av. I tried three times to read the two books of the series. Third time [the only one where I actually made it to book 2] I got a third way into this vol - then threw it to one side. I decided if it hadn't caught me by that stage it was never going to!

[Avatar]

Teresa annoys the hell out of me. But I still like the books and the concepts. And there are other great characters.

--A

[lucimay]

I think I'd have a multi-way tie for worst book ever.

4. Gerald's Game by Stephen King. Ok, so Tommyknockers wasn't all that great, and Dark Half was a neat idea, though maybe not executed as well as hoped, but Gerald's Game was where I got off the King Express. Aside from the Dark Tower books. Though I haven't finished the last 3 or 4 of those. But anyway, absolutely hated Gerald's Game with a mighty passion that made it part of the exclusive club of books I tried to read that instead learned to fly. Delores Claiborne fits in here as well, though I don't have the same level of frustration with that one.

Gerald's Game is a sick, disturbing, disgusting book with one of the most loathsome villains (Joubert) that has ever darkened the printed page.

Aside from that, however, I'm having trouble understanding your hatred of the book.

It's not the worst-written King book (that's Tommyknockers, a book King was so stoned writing that he barely remembers typing the words).

It's not the most bloated King book (Under the Dome? Needful things? Bag of Bones?).

It's not the King book with the worst plot (Dreamcatcher, by a country mile, Cell bringing up the rear).

So, why the hate for Gerald's Game? Please explain.

To be quite honest, it's been a lot of years since I tried reading it, so some of the reasons have evaporated from memory. However, my over-riding memory of it was just really hating everything that was going on. The fact that it was just her thoughts a lot of the time really got annoying to me. I know Misery was similar in the sense that it was all about the one guy, but at least there was another character to have the guy react to. Gerald's Game, unless something drastically changed after I gave up on it, had nobody but the main character.

If I recall correctly, I gave up about when she heard wolves or dogs or something coming in the house.

really? serrously guys...ya'll need to ixnay on the Stephen King hatin!


neither of you have ever been tied up or restrained to a bed in anyway?
all i can say is you damn well better trust someone if you let em handcuff
you to a bed!
i'll admit it's not kings BEST work but i thought it was okay. entertaining enough for me. do ya not know that a king book is always a crap shoot?
lower yer expecTAtions forgodsake!

[sindatur]

A Crap shoot? As in, "Aw Crap", "Shoot"

I haven't actually read much Stephen King, because what I did experience in the few I've read, is that he starts and builds a story fantastically, and then it seems like he gets bored or forgets where he's at or something, and the book just suddenly ends out of nowhere. (Maybe, if this hasn't changed, he should consider getting a cowriter to help him write his endings ) So, although, I haven't read Misery, I do really like the Movie an awful lot

[I'm Murrin]

I just found I disliked his style in the first four Dark Tower books so didn't keep going.

[Wildling]

Misery was good. One of my faves of his in fact, along with Cujo, It, and The Stand.

But Gerald's Game? Nope. Though I will say that I didn't make it even halfway through, so it may have gotten better. I just didn't feel like it was worth the effort to find out.

[Horrim Carabal]

I just found I disliked his style in the first four Dark Tower books so didn't keep going.

Wow...well, if you didn't like those, you probably won't like any King. The Waste Lands is one of my favorite novels of all time.

Still, though, you should try The Talisman (co-written by Peter Straub) or Eyes of the Dragon before giving up on King totally. Maybe even It.

Misery was good. One of my faves of his in fact, along with Cujo, It, and The Stand.

But Gerald's Game? Nope. Though I will say that I didn't make it even halfway through, so it may have gotten better. I just didn't feel like it was worth the effort to find out.

You didn't even meet Raymond Andrew Joubert then! My vote for the most disgusting villain in literary history.

[lucimay]

Misery was good. One of my faves of his in fact, along with Cujo, It, and The Stand.

But Gerald's Game? Nope. Though I will say that I didn't make it even halfway through, so it may have gotten better. I just didn't feel like it was worth the effort to find out.

that's hilarious! you should read one of my recent posts in the "what are your favs" thread in the sk forum! lol!!!

misery and cujo are in my sk crap file! lol!!! but I LOVED the film made from misery.

thur's no accountin fer taste is thur! heh.
or...
one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I recently (like last night I think) watched a brief interview video
of king speaking about his new book coming out and other stuffs
and he made a point that I realized I hadn't really thought about
before. he was talking about how the academic critics hadn't liked
him at the beginning of his career (I was sorta chuckling cause many
of them still don't!) and said something about how he was writing about
guys that hung out in bars and got in fist fights and rode motorcycles
and women that waited tables for a living and such and I thought to
myself as I was listening to him "well YEAH. that's probably why I
LIKED him." he was writing about people I knew.


now I don't deny sin's point regarding his endings.
I seriously couldn't beLIEVE the ending of It.
such a crappy ending to such a great story.
I don't think he gets bored so much as he doesn't
really have a clear idea how his stories are going to
end most of the time. (this is a thing he has said
over and over regarding his stories)
so yeah, some of his endings are a bit of a let down.
that has never bothered me or put me off his work
for some reason.
his "voice" speaks to me so I keep reading, even the crap. heh.
I sorta like it that he writes crap.
we all (writers) write crap.
the only difference is, his crap get published! lol!!

[Holsety]

Teresa annoys the hell out of me. But I still like the books and the concepts. And there are other great characters.

--A

I loved the science-fiction'y spaceman dude they drew out as a champion. So cool. I haven't finished A Man Rides Through though. I didn't think it was bad but I need to reread A Mirror of Her Dreams at this point if I want to get back into it.

[Avatar]

that's hilarious! you should read one of my recent posts in the "what are your favs" thread in the sk forum! lol!!!

Might as well let my reply to you there stand here as well.

--A

[lorin]

I know I am supposed to appreciate Last Exit in Brooklyn by Selby but I thought it was disgusting and pointless. What a piece of trash it is. Dehumanizing crap.

[michaelm]

I haven't actually read much Stephen King, because what I did experience in the few I've read, is that he starts and builds a story fantastically, and then it seems like he gets bored or forgets where he's at or something, and the book just suddenly ends out of nowhere.

I have tried to read Stephen King and struggled. His stories mostly translate well to movies, but I found his books difficult to read. His style just doesn't grab my interest. I see a good story, but don't enjoy pulling it out of the book.

To me I kind of feel like I'm listening to the man behind the curtain rather than the wizard when he writes. Same words, but the delivery is everything.

[peter]

Tricky to know what is the worst book ever for sure, but flicking through my ms prior to submitting it to publishers for consideration I had a pretty fair idea what *would* have been.

[michaelm]

I once tried to read 120 Days of Sodom. I approached it with trepidation as it was alternately lauded for its satirical philosophy, and criticised for its repulsive nature.

Unfortunately I saw little of the former and much of the latter. The book really had no redeeming features for me, and it is little more than a listing of some very extreme behaviors.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I think it's the only book I have ever owned that I threw in the trash.

[Horrim Carabal]

I have tried to read Stephen King and struggled. His stories mostly translate well to movies, but I found his books difficult to read. His style just doesn't grab my interest. I see a good story, but don't enjoy pulling it out of the book.

To me I kind of feel like I'm listening to the man behind the curtain rather than the wizard when he writes. Same words, but the delivery is everything.

I have a simple test for people who say they dislike King: read the first...I don't know...50 pages of Eyes of the Dragon. If you don't like that and don't get pulled into the story, give up on King. You will not like anything he's written.

[lorin]

I have a love hate relationship with King.

I loved Duma Key, The Green Mile and The Stand.

I HATED HATED Under the Dome and The Cell. Especially Under the Dome. What a piece of crap.

[Horrim Carabal]

I have a love hate relationship with King.

I loved Duma Key, The Green Mile and The Stand.

I HATED HATED Under the Dome and The Cell. Especially Under the Dome. What a piece of crap.

I've read pretty much everything he's written, except My Pretty Pony and Cycle of the Werewolf.

King's work varies from genius to crap. I agree on the two you mentioned, although to my mind Cell was even worse than Under the Dome. Cell is my least favorite King work, ever.

Even his last few books vary wildly. Doctor Sleep was okay (disappointing as a sequel to The Shining, good as a standalone tale), Joyland was great, and Mr. Mercedes was awful.