# Stephen King: Good or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2002, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343 "2002-12-22T06:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/21 "2002-12-22T23:41:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Czarcasm \* > \*\*Bette lat the neve. > Czarcas \*\* No wonder he didn’t answer your email. He’s been drinking. 😉 Topic? Oh, yeah. I think King is all over the map. Some of his stuff I really like (The Stand, The Green Mile, Salem’s Lot), the other stuff I really hate (Insomnia, Dreamcatcher, Tommyknockers). ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/22 "2002-12-23T01:31:01Z")
As others said King can be unsteady. When he is good he is great but when he sucks, well dog poo comes to mind. I think his early work stands out. His middle period was really uneven. King has [URL=http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen\_King]admitted[/UR] to drinking rather heavily for awhile during that period. IIRC King said he really didn’t remember writing The Tommyknockers(Which I could believe as that IMHO is his worst book). His later stuff got better. I have recently read “From a Buick 8” and “Everything’s Eventual” and found them to be some of his better work. “Autopsy Room 4” from “Everything’s Eventual” has one of the funniest yet sick endings I have ever read. Slee ---
**Author:** ![SmileyDeath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@SmileyDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmileyDeath)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/23 "2002-12-23T02:28:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Czarcasm \* > \*\*Bette lat the neve. > Czarcas \*\* What? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/24 "2002-12-23T02:42:45Z")
> [@](#): > > . “Autopsy Room 4” from “Everything’s Eventual” has one of the funniest yet sick endings I have ever read. **Sleestak** , I agree wholeheartedly. That book contained some **totally** “eventual” stories!! ---
**Author:** ![3\_14159265358979323846](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/eada6e/32.png) [@3\_14159265358979323846](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_14159265358979323846)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/25 "2002-12-23T02:50:11Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by SmileyDeath_ > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by Czarcasm_ > > Bette lat the neve. > > Czarcas > > What? That would be: _Translation:_ “Better late then never Czarcasm” with the last letters of each word missing. This leads nicely into _my_ question, “Why are the last letters of each word missing?” ---
**Author:** ![3\_14159265358979323846](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/eada6e/32.png) [@3\_14159265358979323846](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_14159265358979323846)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/26 "2002-12-23T02:51:45Z")
Oh, nevermind. I figured it out. Mocking the OP for leaving the “d” off of “Good”. Anybody else hear a “whooshing” sound? :smack: ---
**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:** [December 23, 2002, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/27 "2002-12-23T05:58:36Z")
I pretty much concur with **Slee** down the line on this one. He can be great or he can suck badly.King is capable of writing great stories and characters as long as he doesn’t take himself to seriously. I also agree with Slee as to the qualitative arc of King’s work. I like most of his early stuff (_Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, The Stand, The Dead Zone_) but some of his stuff after that got a little too ponderous and self-indulgent. I think that when he takes a simple idea and keeps it lean and mean (_The Running man, Misery_) he can be as engrossing and entertaining as it gets, but sometimes he just gets too windy or has ideas that are just plain silly (_Insomnia, Desperation_. He seems to be getting some of his mojo back lately, though, as Slee pointed out, with his last two books. I guess the drinking probably was hurting his work quite a bit. I think King will be remembered for his great stuff and people will forget all about his crappy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/28 "2002-12-23T06:29:36Z")
I like most of his books, but haven’t read that many of his recent works. I am a BIG Dark Tower fan, though, and I recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it. I know some people read _The Gunslinger_ and didn’t love it, but I think many of these people would be hooked if they read _The Drawing of the Three_ and subsequent DT books. There was a recent thread here about the Dark Tower series if you’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/29 "2002-12-23T12:52:34Z")
**Tangent** , for years I said “I don’t want to read DT, I don’t want to read DT,. . .”, then my MIL found The Gunslinger at a library sale for a quarter. Not knowing much about King except that I was a fan, she bought it for me. I still didn’t want to read it. But when I ran out of other stuff to read, I finally picked it up, I LOVED it!! Couldn’t wait to read the next ones! IMHO, the most recent one was the worst of the bunch. ---
**Author:** ![SmileyDeath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@SmileyDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmileyDeath)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/30 "2002-12-23T12:57:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by norinew \* > \*\ ***Tangent** , for years I said “I don’t want to read DT, I don’t want to read DT,. . .”, then my MIL found The Gunslinger at a library sale for a quarter. Not knowing much about King except that I was a fan, she bought it for me. I still didn’t want to read it. But when I ran out of other stuff to read, I finally picked it up, I LOVED it!! Couldn’t wait to read the next ones! IMHO, the most recent one was the worst of the bunch. \*\* That last one was just ugh. Sometimes less is better. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/31 "2002-12-23T18:19:56Z")
What makes King work, for me, is his ability to get you into each one of his characters. They all become real, to a certain extent. With some authors, if a character disappears for thirty or forty pages and then pops back up again, I have to stop and say “Now who was that?” and go back and reread. With King, that almost never happens. In my opinion, that’s why he writes some of the scariest, funniest and most intriguing books around – he combines good plot (usually) with great characters (almost always). Now, there have been some stinkers, without doubt. But King has become, for me, one of those authors (along with Harlan Ellison, Charles Beaumont, James Thurber and others) whose books I will pick up with no hesitation whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/32 "2002-12-23T18:35:26Z")
This thread was more fun when it was **Stephen King: Goo or Not?** BRING BACK THE GOO!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/33 "2002-12-23T18:54:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sauron \* > \*\*Now, there have been some stinkers, without doubt. But King has become, for me, one of those authors (along with Harlan Ellison, Charles Beaumont, James Thurber and others) whose books I will pick up with no hesitation whatsoever. \*\* Ditto here… and it’s been that way for me for some time. Despite a few stinkers here and there (_The Tommyknockers_ and _Dreamcatcher_ come leaping to mind), most of King’s work is quite good. Also, it’s interesting to see his substantial growth as a writer over the years. From simple, “lean and mean” (thanks **Diogenes**!) books like _Carrie_ or _The Dead Zone_ to his more expansive, complex efforts such as _Everything’s Eventual_ and _From a Buick 8_, I am rarely disappointed by King’s work. If anything, I have been pleasantly surprised. Overall, King’s is a voice I am comfortable with, even as he explores new territory. My favorites among King’s work are probably _On Writing_, and the whole of the Dark Tower series so far. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/34 "2002-12-23T19:42:25Z")
I hated most of what King’s written since The Stand. **It** had some good moments, but the resolution that the only way to beat the evil cthulhoid space spider is through tantric kiddie-sex was just stupid and ick. I hated the stated message of **The Stand** (that Satan loves techies and God loves Luddites. A more desperate plea for ignorance, I’ve never read.) That said, it’s powerful and compelling. The other thing I hate about King is that his characters are _always_ so _dumb_. When given a choice, they always make the most stupid, obviously self-destructive one. Carrie votes for herself in the prom. Stu turns the gas off. Harold doesn’t let go of his anger. And on and on and on. I don’t enjoy reading about losers. Frankly, the earlier you go in his work, the better the stuff is. Somewhere around **Misery** , King seemed to decide that he was an artiste’, not a writer and has stopped telling stories and instead just vomits out what he seems to think of as art. (and whoever said that reading **Dreamcatcher** was like chewing on tinfoil was dead on. So was **The Tommyknockers**.) Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/35 "2002-12-23T20:03:19Z")
Yes, Stephen King is a good author. Want to know why? Because people read his books and enjoy them. All the English teachers and English majors in the world can stick their deconstructionism up their wahoos, AFAIC. Sometimes a red wheelbarrow is just a red wheelbarrow. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/36 "2002-12-23T20:30:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > I hated most of what King’s written since The Stand. **It** had some good moments, but the resolution was just stupid and ick. Minor nitpick: They’d already defeated It (the first time) when the scene you mentioned occurs. > [@](#): > > The other thing I hate about King is that his characters are _always_ so _dumb_. When given a choice, they always make the most stupid, obviously self-destructive one. Carrie votes for herself in the prom. Stu turns the gas off. Harold doesn’t let go of his anger. And on and on and on. I don’t enjoy reading about losers. I’m not sure I understand this. People make self-destructive choices in their lives every day. To me, King has the ability to show people at their best and their worst, and to articulately express his characters’ thoughts. And how is Stu turning off the gas “self-destructive”? (I’m assuming you’re referring to the opening of _The Stand_.) That action saved his life, and the lives of the others in the gas station. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/37 "2002-12-23T23:41:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sleestak \* > \*\*IIRC King said he really didn’t remember writing The Tommyknockers \*\* Unless I’m being completely wooshed here, **sleestak** has trouble separating truth from[The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/onion3517/i_dont_remember.html) ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/38 "2002-12-23T23:57:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MaxTheVool \* > \*\*Unless I’m being completely wooshed here, **sleestak** has trouble separating truth from[The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/onion3517/i_dont_remember.html) \*\* That may be so, but to throw him a bit of a bone, I do remember King saying (perhaps in _On Writing_?) that during the period he was heavily into drugs, he has large gaps in his memory. He apparently doesn’t recall writing (or re-writing) large portions of _Cujo_, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Firebat023](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Firebat023](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firebat023)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/39 "2002-12-24T00:32:33Z")
King is by far my favorite writer, and yes, I think he’s very good. I haven’t read all of his books, but I’ve read a few from each part of his life. His books are a bit uneven from one to another, each with different tones and different pacing, but for the most part he’s one of the best writers on the market today. I don’t read stories for symbolism or allegory; I like to read them because almost all of his characters are lifelike and easy to identify with. You don’t find Koontz’s perfect characters, or Clancy’s single-dimensional ones. In King’s stories, the characters take precedence, and the story evolves around them, like the best fiction always seems to do. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343/40 "2002-12-24T03:03:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MaxTheVool \* > \*\*Unless I’m being completely wooshed here, **sleestak** has trouble separating truth from[The Onion](http://www.theonion.com/onion3517/i_dont_remember.html) \*\* Well, first of all I never read “The Onion”. I hate The Onion. Second, [here](http://www.stephenkingnews.com/books/onwriting.html) is a link that quotes King as saying: > [@](#): > > There’s one novel, Cujo, that I barely remember writing. So I got the wrong book. Sorry, I should have googled for it. Right idea, wrong book. And in my post I meant to say that King didn’t remember writing parts of the book, not that he didn’t remember it at all. Slee [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-good-or-not/144343.md?page=3)