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The Stephen King Thread


dcbc

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On 1/16/2020 at 10:47 AM, 4th&Five said:

sure. show is off to a good start.  his kid wasn't dead in the book, right?  i remember him being at camp but might be confusing it with something else.

Yes, his kid hadn’t died in the book, but I thought the change in the TV adaptation hasn’t detracted from the story.

Really enjoying it so far.

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Just did the audiobooks for The Dead Zone and Pet Sematary.  Enjoyed both.  Against my better judgment (since I don't consider myself to be must of a reader of the Fantasy genre), I'm about to start the audiobook for The Gunslinger and, if I enjoy it, work my way through the Dark Tower series. 

 

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It's helpful to have read the stand and Salem's Lot when reading the Dark Tower books. Other books that expand on it are eyes of the dragon and black house. 
I've read both 'Salem's Lot and The Stand. About an hour and some change into the Gunslinger, I tabled it and am relistening to The Stand. Hard to pass judgement without finishing it, but that first hour was hot garbage.
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On 2/1/2020 at 6:16 PM, dcbc said:
On 1/28/2020 at 3:59 PM, Viper said:
It's helpful to have read the stand and Salem's Lot when reading the Dark Tower books. Other books that expand on it are eyes of the dragon and black house. 

I've read both 'Salem's Lot and The Stand. About an hour and some change into the Gunslinger, I tabled it and am relistening to The Stand. Hard to pass judgement without finishing it, but that first hour was hot garbage.

I tried several times to read The Gunslinger and have never been able to get into it. And I'm a well-documented fan of most of King's work, and The Stand is one of my favorite books ever. This one just didn't sit right with me.

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A bit of a mixed book/movie post:

I enjoyed the bits in IT where they bag on Bill for having bad endings, the common criticism of some of King's books, a criticism I think is exaggerated, for the record.

Anyway, my kid and I are watching Stand by Me, and it gets to the Lard Ass's Revenge story.  At the end of the story, the three others---Chris, Vern, and Teddy--- all bitch about the ending to Gordy's story.

So I'm wondering if this is the original version of this gag in movies based on Stephen King works?  Or, and its been a while since I read The Body (and SBM follows the novella really closely), is that reaction lifted straight from the text. And, if so, is Stephen King referencing his own critics that early on in his writing?

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On 2/21/2020 at 10:03 PM, dcbc said:

A bit of a mixed book/movie post:

I enjoyed the bits in IT where they bag on Bill for having bad endings, the common criticism of some of King's books, a criticism I think is exaggerated, for the record.

Anyway, my kid and I are watching Stand by Me, and it gets to the Lard Ass's Revenge story.  At the end of the story, the three others---Chris, Vern, and Teddy--- all bitch about the ending to Gordy's story.

So I'm wondering if this is the original version of this gag in movies based on Stephen King works?  Or, and its been a while since I read The Body (and SBM follows the novella really closely), is that reaction lifted straight from the text. And, if so, is Stephen King referencing his own critics that early on in his writing?

It's the same.  Never occurred to me that it might be self-referential, but it might be.  I always took at as Gordy being more mature than the rest of them.  SBM is nearly verbatim The Body.

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3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

It's the same.  Never occurred to me that it might be self-referential, but it might be.  I always took at as Gordy being more mature than the rest of them.  SBM is nearly verbatim The Body.

Yeah, that's how I remember it.  Same with Shawshank Redemption.

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On 2/26/2020 at 5:17 AM, Viper said:

The stand practically blacks out the board 

I was saying for where I am in the book, which is post plague, but main characters still just starting to think about heading to Nebraska.  But this being my second time through the book, remind me . . . will there be:

1.  Someone shitting/pissing self (I feel like that probably happened during the plague maybe in the Project Blue room).

2.  Reference to another SK book

3. Narrator tells us someone makes decision she will  regret.  It gets close a few times with predicting that someone won't be around too long.

4. Aliens

5. Someone kicked in the balls (I feel like this might have happened in one of the fights in which Nick was involved in Choyo.

6. Major character a writer (I don't think so, unless you count Larry's songwriting).

 

Now, IT, absolutely obliterates the board.

Edited by dcbc
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I was counting Harold as a writer (at least aspiring).

It's been a year or two so I can't remember specifically 1, 3, or 5, but I think they're in there. 2 and 4 aren't. 2 because it was so early in his career I think, though there are other books that reference the stand.

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On 2/29/2020 at 12:56 PM, Deej said:

Been thirty years since I've read Pet Semetary. Starting the audio book, now. I find his books work well as car listening, at least the ones with good narrators. 

Listened to that one recently.  It's well done.

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On 2/28/2020 at 11:04 AM, Viper said:

 2 and 4 aren't. 2 because it was so early in his career I think, though there are other books that reference the stand.

Actually, 2 is.  Just got to the part where Mother Abiegail says of her abilities that her mother used to call it Shining.

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The most notable "ball-kicking" scene is when Buddy Repperton squeezes Arnie Cunningham's  balls in Christine.  I don't remember it from many others. But the description is memorable, and accurate:

Quote

The initial agony is only the start; it fades, to be replaced by a dull, throbbing feeling of pressure that coils in the pit of the stomach. And what that feeling says is Hi, there! Good to be here, just sitting around in the pit of your stomach and making you feel like you're going to simultaneously blow lunch and shit your pants! I guess I'll just hang around for a while, okay? How does half an hour or so sound? Great! Getting your nuts squeezed is not one of life's great thrills

 

Edited by TwiceHorn
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16 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

The most notable "ball-kicking" scene is when Buddy Repperton squeezes Arnie Cunningham's  balls in Christine.  I don't remember it from many others. But the description is memorable, and accurate:

 

For me, it's Ben, and later, Beverly kicking Henry Bowers in the balls in IT.

In the Stand, either Dana or Susan grabs one of the guys holding them as harem hostages by the balls during the shootout before Harold shoots him in the elbow and she bludgeons him with the shotgun.  Also, an inmate named Mathers hits Lloyd in the balls on the guard's command after Lloyd popped off to the guard before the hearing.

Also, following the shootout, Harold is fairly certain he has pissed his pants.  There's reference to Stu crapping himself when he has the flu in the hotel where he and Tom are staying when they're trying to get back to Boulder.

As for 3 (decision they will regret), I haven't found that one yet, but Mother Abigail definitely says on multiple occasions that she is going to die in a strange land and this will be her last summer, etc.  Under the Dome had lots of "a decision she later would regret" lines.

 

So it's darned near a blackout. 

Edited by dcbc
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1 hour ago, FunkSoulBrother said:

Looking for another book similar to 11/22/63. My coworker recommended The Talisman. Just started it and kind of hard to follow what's going on.

Which of his books have you read other than 11.22.63?  Have you read IT?  If not, read IT.

 

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1 hour ago, dcbc said:

Which of his books have you read other than 11.22.63?  Have you read IT?  If not, read IT.

 

Shamefully that's the only one. Mainly because I've seen most of the movies that are based off his books like IT. I know books and movies are different but I feel like reading a book after seeing a movie takes away some of the suspense. 

The book doesn't necessarily have to be by Stephen King. 11/22/63 was one of those books that just kept me anticipated most of the time with a sad ending. 

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1 hour ago, FunkSoulBrother said:

Shamefully that's the only one. Mainly because I've seen most of the movies that are based off his books like IT. I know books and movies are different but I feel like reading a book after seeing a movie takes away some of the suspense. 

The book doesn't necessarily have to be by Stephen King. 11/22/63 was one of those books that just kept me anticipated most of the time with a sad ending. 

Still recommend IT.  Pretty much impossible to properly translate it to the screen.  Tremendous character and world building.

The Stand is timely, given our current pandemic. 

Under the Dome is pretty good as well. 

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14 hours ago, futureman said:

who has read the outsider and also watched the show?  can someone explain what’s going on with holly at the end?  why did she ask who terry was?  and what’s the deal with that scratch?

Haven't read or watched yet, but someone in the TV Series thread said around episode 4 it changes a lot from the book.

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On 3/13/2020 at 10:47 PM, futureman said:

who has read the outsider and also watched the show?  can someone explain what’s going on with holly at the end?  why did she ask who terry was?  and what’s the deal with that scratch?

I read the book, but I stopped watching the series about midway through. I liked it, but the pace and deviations from the book started to irritate me, and I just haven’t carved out the time to catch up.

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On 3/15/2020 at 7:44 AM, South Austin said:

I read the book, but I stopped watching the series about midway through. I liked it, but the pace and deviations from the book started to irritate me, and I just haven’t carved out the time to catch up.

same.  i was having trouble even following the show because i thought i knew where they would take it from the book.  from reading that thread it sounds like the end was similar.  the characters were so much different (and more likable) in the book though.

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On 3/12/2020 at 4:39 AM, South Austin said:

Was going to recommend this one. Also great character and world building as you say (although a much smaller world).

Better pacing, too.  Very similar story arc to the Stand. 

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On 3/14/2020 at 1:35 PM, Elmer_Fudd said:

How is Needful Things?  Was thinking if getting it.

I think it's great.  Small town bigotry and covetousness writ large.  Hilarious. Ratfuck baptis and mackerel snappers.  And the immortal "gobble my crank."

Edited by TwiceHorn
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