# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/21 "2005-03-04T12:55:19Z")
I loved, loved, loved Stephen King novels and bought everyone I could get my hands on until about 15 years ago. The last few novels I read by him were just too formulaic and just plain boring. The older books that have been mentioned are all pretty good. My favourites would have to be _It_, _Carrie_ and the books he published under the Bachman pseudonym. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/22 "2005-03-04T13:04:50Z")
From King’s website: > [@](#): > > Who wrote The Journals of Eleanor Druse? > > It was written by author, Rick Dooling, who also wrote episodes 6, 7, 8 and 11 as well as co-writing episode 5 of Kingdom Hospital. Rick also served as a technical advisor and producer for the series. He is the author of White Man’s Grave and Brain Storm. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/23 "2005-03-04T13:06:16Z")
Hunter Hawk, before we can say ETF doesn’t like Stephen King, he should probably read something actually written by Stephen King. I wouldn’t necessarily pick one book and use that as the bell weather for liking or disliking King, grab up a few that have been suggested and give it a go. I would strongly suggest including The Gunslinger from the Dark Tower series, it’s a short lead in to his biggest work, if you like that you’ll have a bunch more books to get, if you don’t, you wouldn’t have wasted much time on it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/24 "2005-03-04T13:12:59Z")
I love Stephen King’s works “that could actually happen.” He started out good with the supernatural element, but that’s gotten very old and lame–tease me with it, don’t hit me over the hit with it. **Misery** and the first three stories of _The Four Seasons_ are the best of his “it could happen” works. **Rose Madder** would have been wonderful as a simple story of revenge–in the end, Rose beats the shit out of Norman. But he had to bring that stupid painting into it. The Bachman books work as “it could happen” except for “Thinner.” Which is a great one. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/25 "2005-03-04T13:41:23Z")
I have only read 1 or 2 of King’s books that I enjoyed. The rest I find to be quite arduous to read and I have given up trying. So, to answer your question, I think it is King. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/26 "2005-03-04T13:54:50Z")
Read his short story collections… At novel length he tends to go on and on, but at short story length he packs an unbelievable wallop. The Graveyard Shift collection contains some real goodies. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/27 "2005-03-04T14:00:02Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I have only read 1 or 2 of King’s books that I enjoyed. The rest I find to be quite arduous to read and I have given up trying. So, to answer your question, I think it is King. Cripe’s sake. The book in the OP wasn’t _written_ by King, so at this point we can’t say **EddyTeddyFreddy** doesn’t like books written by King. It’s not a difficult question, folks. YOU may not like King, but we don’t have the data necessary to say whether **ETF** likes King. ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/28 "2005-03-04T14:09:28Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Read his short story collections… At novel length he tends to go on and on, but at short story length he packs an unbelievable wallop. > > The Graveyard Shift collection contains some real goodies. I second this. His novels range from engaging (_The Stand_, _The Shining_) to dismal (most of the rest, especially _Cujo_). But his shorter stuff is consistently terrific. ---
**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, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/29 "2005-03-04T14:12:43Z")
Yep, at this point it’s up to me to go data-gathering. It sounds as if I might be best served to get one of his short story collections first, rather than plunging into a monster-length novel – although I _like_ immersing myself in monster-length novels if they’re good. I like monster-length trilogies and so forth too, things like Robin Hobb’s three trilogies that are really one mega-serial novel. So it sounds as if I’ll have a lot to enjoy if King takes my fancy. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/30 "2005-03-04T14:37:41Z")
I will probably get burned for saying this, but don’t start with the Dark Tower-series. They are not very typical King-fare. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/31 "2005-03-04T14:43:32Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Yep, at this point it’s up to me to go data-gathering. It sounds as if I might be best served to get one of his short story collections first, rather than plunging into a monster-length novel – although I _like_ immersing myself in monster-length novels if they’re good. My suggestion, for what it’s worth, is to read _The Shining_. That book, to me, is one of the best examples of King’s predominant style. The characterization is good, and he sets up the scenarios quite well, I think. He was “on” when he wrote that one. I would second **vinryk** ’s suggestion to stay away from the Dark Tower series … that’s like somebody asking you for a snack and you buy them a grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/32 "2005-03-04T14:53:32Z")
While I’d recommend THE STAND to people starting on Stephen King, it would be the original edition- and THEN the expanded version. Now, is the original edition still available? I’d really recommedn CARRIE as the real intro, however. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/33 "2005-03-04T14:59:06Z")
Both editions are easy to find, if you don’t mind buying secondhand. I’d recommend starting with Carrie too, and then read the books in publication order. If I had read Insomnia or Gerald’s Game or Rose Madder first, I would never have bothered with the others. Insomnia’s great for characterization, but my gosh does that story ever drag. I disagree that From A Buick 8 and Christine are the same book. The only thing they have in common is a car as the center of attention. I’m looking forward to The Colorado Kid. It’ll be interesting to see how King does as hard-boiled. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/34 "2005-03-04T15:34:13Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > Cripe’s sake. The book in the OP wasn’t _written_ by King, so at this point we can’t say **EddyTeddyFreddy** doesn’t like books written by King. > > It’s not a difficult question, folks. YOU may not like King, but we don’t have the data necessary to say whether **ETF** likes King. I still think its King. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/35 "2005-03-04T15:34:27Z")
I have been a hard-core King fan for decades but gave up for a few years because the writing had lost some of it’s warmth and resonance. I thought ‘Tommyknockers’ was awful and I hated the main characters so I slowed down on buying his books. Then I read ‘Bag of Bones’ and was wowed by the amazing love story it told. It gave me the incentive to try a few more of the recent works but I have been very slow to follow up. I did, however, get to read the finale of the Dark Tower series. Amazing, really. I can’t believe he wrapped it up so well. I love his stuff (mostly) but I always buy his books as used paperbacks these days. ---
**Author:** ![sweetfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sweetfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweetfreak)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/36 "2005-03-04T15:40:53Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > 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? Stephen King was good, back in the day, **It** and everything before it was good. After that, he got too fond of his own voice, IMHO. Nothing wrong with writing just to scare or entertain, but when you are writing just to write because you have run out of good ideas, that’s when it’s time to throw in the towel. But, people still buy his stuff, so I can’t fault him for knowing how to make the big bucks. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/37 "2005-03-04T17:35:35Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > 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 did read this. It was called “Roland and Susannah spend 30 pages killing deer and making leather” in “The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower.” It was completely gripping and compelling, if a little slow. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/38 "2005-03-04T17:51:42Z")
I keep flashing on the scene in _Family Guy_ where SK is giving his latest plot outline to his agent. It’s obvious that he’s coming up with it off the top of his head. He looks around on the agent’s desk, then picks up a lamp and waves it spookily in the agent’s face: “They’re attacked by a . . . LAMP MONSTER!!! WOOOO!” The agent stares him down and says, “You’re not even trying anymore, are you?” ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/39 "2005-03-04T19:44:44Z")
> [@Euthanasiast](#): > > 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 And if I may - add in _Tommyknockers_ , _Dead Zone_ , _IT_ and _Firestarter_ . ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848/40 "2005-03-04T20:13:06Z")
If I had to give someone one King book, a “make-it-or-break it, read this one if you only read one King book,” I’d suggest Pet Sematary every. single. time. If you’d rather hit short stories, I thought Skeleton Crew was better than what I had read of Everything’s Eventual, but you know how it is with books: YMMV. Not that all the other recommendations aren’t great, they are, I really like most of King’s non-recent work plus the DT series, but Pet Sematary has always been, for me, the pinnacle of horror writing. I’ve never been as engrossed in a story in my life, never been as scared, etc. Gods, I love this book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-it-stephen-king/292848.md?page=3)