# Is it me, or is it Stephen King? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848 "2005-03-04T02:21:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/1 "2005-03-04T02:21:33Z")
I’m struggling to get through _The Journals of Eleanor Druse_, the first Stephen King book I’ve ever read. There are flashes of good stuff, but the writing limps more than it soars. I find the protagonist annoying, the characters paper-thin, and the whole thing so tedious that I may not finish it – and I’m a person who almost always finishes books once I start them. I’m about halfway through this thing and already looking at my “To Be Read” pile for the next book. So, am I simply unable to appreciate Stephen King’s brilliance? Or am I reading one of his stinkers? Or is this book typical, and he’s overrated? ---
**Author:** ![Euthanasiast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Euthanasiast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euthanasiast)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/2 "2005-03-04T02:29:35Z")
Haven’t read _The Journals of Eleanor Druse_ so I can’t comment, but I must say that Stephen King is indeed a fantastic writer when he is ‘on’. There have been times when I thought a book here and there was weak, but overall I have always enjoyed his work greatly. If you are looking for greatness in storytelling, pick up \* The Stand\*. _IT_ was another fantastic read, and I find myself re-reading these over and over again throughout my life, adding _The Shining_ as another desert island book. If you haven’t read these yet, I envy you; you are in for some of the greatest storytelling of all time. Euth ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/3 "2005-03-04T02:46:23Z")
> [@Euthanasiast](#): > > If you are looking for greatness in storytelling, pick up \* The Stand\*. _IT_ was another fantastic read, and I find myself re-reading these over and over again throughout my life, adding _The Shining_ as another desert island book. > > Euth I second these recommendations. I’ve given up on King’s more recent works and don’t even look at them, but the early stuff was great. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/4 "2005-03-04T02:47:32Z")
King has written a few snoozers, but even at his worst he’s usually more readable that 90% of the other writers in the genre. I agree that _The Stand_, _It_, and _The Shining_ are examples of great storytelling. If you don’t like these, you don’t like Stephen King. Don’t judge him on the basis of a book that has not been ranked among his best. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/5 "2005-03-04T02:54:57Z")
I don’t think Stephen King wrote that. It seems to be ancillary to the American version of The Kingdom, which he engineered, but I doubt he actually wrote the book. Go read _The Stand_. You’ll be much happier. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/6 "2005-03-04T02:56:29Z")
King’s earlier novels are his best. In addition to what’s already been mentioned, \*Salem’s Lot, Carrie, The Dead Zone \* and _Firestarter_ are all quite good…as are most of the Bachman books. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/7 "2005-03-04T03:02:19Z")
> [@AerynSun](#): > > I don’t think Stephen King wrote that. It seems to be ancillary to the American version of The Kingdom, which he engineered, but I doubt he actually wrote the book. > > Go read _The Stand_. You’ll be much happier. I did note that the copyright is to “Sony Pictures Television Inc. and Touchstone Television” so perhaps this is some novelized script of a TV movie. That would certainly explain the uneven quality of the writing and the sketch-thin characterizations. I’ll definitely have to try some of his early stuff. And I’m going to quit reading this book – why waste any more time on it? I don’t even give a rat’s patootie how it all comes out. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/8 "2005-03-04T03:04:01Z")
I’ve never been a big SK fan. I liked The Stand and Insomnia but didn’t really care for any other of his novels (I read Christine, Gerald’s Game and the first 4 Dark Tower books) I like a lot of his short stories and novellas more. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/9 "2005-03-04T03:32:25Z")
When I was in college back in the late 70s, Stephen king was my favorite author. _The Stand_, _Firestarter_, _Salem’s Lot_, _The Body_, \*Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption \* were all outstanding. But somewhere along the line, he lost it. _Dreamcatcher_ was barely readable and I could not get through his latest tome, _From a Buick Eight_. I kept thinking to myself, “I remember reading this already when it was called _Christine_”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/10 "2005-03-04T03:36:41Z")
I wouldn’t recommend _The Stand_ to somebody just starting on King - it’s a pretty massive dose of his work for a first timer. I’d say start instead with _Carrie_ or _Salem’s Lot_ or _The Shining_. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/11 "2005-03-04T03:47:03Z")
You’re reading something that was meant to be a tie-in to a TV show that Stephen King had nothing to do with, but basically lent his name to for publicity. Try an actual King novel! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/12 "2005-03-04T03:55:57Z")
> [@Freejooky](#): > > You’re reading something that was meant to be a tie-in to a TV show that Stephen King had nothing to do with, but basically lent his name to for publicity. > > Try an actual King novel! 🙂 Yep. I buy every King novel the day it comes out in hardcover, and I don’t own this book, because it’s not a King novel. I would also recommend **The Dark Tower Series**. It’s finally finished, so you’re not going to be strung along for over 20 years (or in my case, 10). It’s great work from start to finish. I second all the other recommendations made. Also, check out his short story collections. His most recent, **Everything’s Eventual** , is a brilliant book that I adored. I think he does some of his finest work in short story form, despite his seeming fondness for epic length novels. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/13 "2005-03-04T04:00:04Z")
After seconding all of the King recommendations of my fellow Dopers, I would perhaps add _Misery_ and _The Dark Half_, the latter being a sentimental favorite of mine. If you like the idea of a pseudonym coming to life and coming after you, you might dig it, too! ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/14 "2005-03-04T04:04:04Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > His most recent, **Everything’s Eventual** , is a brilliant book that I adored. I think he does some of his finest work in short story form Absolutely. “That Feeling, You Can Only Say What it is in French” is one of the most terrifying things he’s ever written. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/15 "2005-03-04T04:04:46Z")
I’d submit that some of his best stuff isn’t the straight horror he’s most known for. _Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption_, _The Body_, _Dolores Claiborne_ were all non-horror, and were great stories to boot. I’ll second _The Shining_ and _It_ and also add _Eyes of the Dragon_ to the list. It has a medieval fantasy bent and less creepy gooey horror than some of his other fare. ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/16 "2005-03-04T04:37:55Z")
King’s early stuff is his best. _Four Seasons_ Is a good one to start out with. Three of the stories have been made into memorable movies. It may be something that you can connect with. I am surprised that nobody has mentioned _Cujo._ I read that whan I was 11. Yeah, a really good novel to read when you’re that age (yes I was reading novels when I was 11). I didn’t sleep for a while. I picked it up again 20 years later and still got chills when I read it. Didn’t help that my friend had a St. Bernard. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/17 "2005-03-04T04:44:22Z")
I’ve read _The Stand_ and thought it sucked. I’ve read a number of his early short stories and thought most of them sucked. IMO, King is a third-rate hack on a _good_ day. **EddyTeddyFreddy** , you may just be another person who doesn’t like his writing. ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/18 "2005-03-04T04:51:33Z")
Oh! Then there’s _Misery._ ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/19 "2005-03-04T05:46:57Z")
Oh, don’t start with _Salem’s Lot_ if you’re looking for good characterization. It’s really weak in that respect, especially compared to his other early works like _Carrie_ and _The Shining_. The only time I’ve ever read it, I looked up at one point and realized people were dying left, right, and sideways and I just didn’t much care. And I’m the one who threw _The Stand_ across the room and stomped around in a sulk when I thought he’d killed off one character. King’s real strength, imo, is his characters. The thing about a character writer, though, is that the characters either resonate with you, or they don’t. If they do, you adore the writing. If they don’t, you think it’s all utter crap. I love Stephen King, because his characters tend to resonate with me. I would read a novella where the plot consisted of Roland Deschain washing his socks and hanging them up to dry, that’s how much that character resonates with me. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/20 "2005-03-04T05:53:13Z")
Heh, I’d read that novella too. It could be called “The Minutia of Gunslinging” or something. He can brush his teeth too. Maybe clean his gun. Whatever. > [@](#): > > ``` > I've read The Stand and thought it sucked. I've read a number of his early short stories and thought most of them sucked. IMO, King is a third-rate hack on a good day. EddyTeddyFreddy, you may just be another person who doesn't like his writing. > > ``` I actually kinda agree with you. I loved him when I was a teenager, but in the past year or so, I forced myself to read final books of the **Dark Tower** because I really, really needed to see how it ended–I had the “gottas” as he called them in **Misery** , but I really couldn’t stand his writing style. But I really loved Roland. So there ya go. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848.md?page=2)