Kevin's Watch

I just obtained copies of Geralds Game, The Girl who loved Tom Gordon, Just After Sunset, Bag of Bones, and Duma Key. I havent read any of these titles, and Im looking for suggestions as to where I should start?

None of those books depend on each other, so you're pretty much free to read them as you like. I haven't read GG, TGWLTG, or BoB since they were released (and I don't remember them being all that good). JAS and DK are both spectacular, with DK being one of my favorite King books.

I better find a copy of Duma Key and read it then.

I didn't enjoy Bag of Bones at all, and the Girl Who Loved... wasn't much better.

Geralds Game is alright, if unspectacular. It's most interesting aspect was that it "happened" concurrently with Dolores Claiborne, but it's a pretty low-key connection.

--A

Mr. Broken wrote:I just obtained copies of Geralds Game, The Girl who loved Tom Gordon, Just After Sunset, Bag of Bones, and Duma Key. I havent read any of these titles, and Im looking for suggestions as to where I should start?

i liked Tom Gordon best of those. Sunset was also very good.

All righty, this seems to be a good place as any to place my comment.

I have only begun to forgive Stephen King (Not for DT, but for It) and am welling to reluctantly give him another chance. I'm wondering which books I should invest in so as not to regress to the unforgiving hatred that I had for King. Now, here's some info to help with the advisories:
1)I am currently reading Tommyknockers as part of a deal with a friend.
2)I've read Rage, The Long Walk, It, Gunslinger, and the Drawing of the Three
3)I tried to read Salem's Lot but got bored with it sometime around when Susan gets it (presumably) in the old house.
4)I absolutely loved The Long Walk.

So, what are some suggestions for me to read Stephen Kingwise?

The Tommyknockers is sort of......eh.

King's written some great short stories, so I'd suggest any of his collections. I thought Duma Key was magnificent. I thought Dreamcatcher was really good. You have to read The Stand (it's like, the law or something). I enjoyed Insomnia, not many others did. The Dead Zone is really underrated.

But I think your best bet is start with the short stories, as I think he does really well with them.

I'm with Cail. 90% of his best work is in short stories and "The Stand"...I didn't buy Duma the other day since I've been disappointed in his recent novels...but Cail, you just might have persuaded me. [because I also didn't mind Insomnia, Dreamcatcher, and agree on The Dead Zone.
Recycle Tommyknockers.

I really can't say enough good stuff about Duma Key.

Or enough bad about Tommyknockers...It reads more like Koontz than King. (Not that Koontz isn't fine in his place, but much more formulaic than I'd expect from King.)

--A

Wasn't there an extended (uncut) edition of the Stand? I haven't read it yet, but would you recommend this one or the original?

Read the extended one. It adds a lot of texture to the story.

I don't know why Tommyknockers gets bashed so much. I for one liked it. It's like Needful Things with performance enhancing drugs.

Well, I finished Tommyknockers...was a lot better than It, in my opinion, now to forge ahead in the deal I made with my friend, being that I would read:
Tommyknockers, The Stand, The Talisman, and all of his short stories (with the exception of the ones in his new collection)

the new collection of short stories is also good. i enjoyed it quite a bit.

Every King book I have read, i get something thing out of it. Just some books are harder to get into than others in my opinion. Lisey's Story being the hardest but worthwhile in the end.

had a lot of trouble starting Gerald's Game. started and set it down for over a year.

still have not finished Black House.

Dangit I just wish King would knock out a H.P. Lovecraftian novel. He really shines when he touches on the Old Ones.