I didn’t realize I’ve turned into a literary elitist snob. I can’t tell you the last time I’ve read a Stephen King book -what with them being for the unwashed masses and all. It has to be upwards of two decades. I USED to read every book he wrote, every time it was released. Then I got my degree and his works were beneath me. Fast forward to now. I have a disabled sister who recently moved into long term care. When I visit, I read to her. She requested that I read Cujo. I read Cujo when it was first released in 1981, 40+ years ago. Reading it now, all these years later, I just cannot express how impressed I am with the craftsmanship of the writing. Read it, that’s all I have to say - that man, he knows how to write a thriller.
Stephen King just wrote the world’s worst-written 17 year old. It’s perfectly fine to acknowledge that his quality has fallen off. It’s not snobbery.
He certainly knew back then. Now he tends to ramble. I suspect he gets paid by word count these days.
I think I quit reading King after “Tommyknockers”.
did you hear about the man who forgot his wedding anniversary?
You should try 11.22.63 next. It’s worth the read.
My book club read that last month. I enjoyed it, but I felt like it needed an editor. Lol
100% agree. Could have been 300 pages shorter.
11/22/63 might be my all-time favorite book.
11.22.63 was my first King. Did I make a mistake? Is the bar already too high? Because damn this was an amazing book.
First of all, I would not classify my post as a ‘rant’. Secondly, I have no idea what you are on about. The soul and express purpose of my post in a subreddit called ‘BOOKS’ is that I have discovered some QUALITY writing and I felt necessary to share (in what I consider to be my learned opinion) my view that this is some quality writing. Take it or leave it.
Well that’s harsh. I have had my comeuppance-indeed I used the wrong ‘sole’ and realized it and corrected it. At the end of the day though, I’d really hate for a reader to be me and decide a book was beneath them and miss some really good writing.
Well, so glad you realized that you are not as smart as you thought you were, what’s next, yoga?
I have ADHD so my novel reading as an adult is very feast and fallow, but Stephen King books translate especially well to audiobooks which are excellent for me. I just finished The Dark Tower series for the first time and… wow. The ending is perfect, and I encourage everyone to make the journey.
I had stopped reading Stephen King when he was taking so damn long to finish The Dark Tower books. I started up again when I heard from friends how good Doctor Sleep was and picked him up again.
I’m glad I did. Reading is a recharging time for me, and immersing myself in a good story is one of the best ways to do it.
I always felt he was a great storyteller and a lousy writer.
I have a master’s degree in Rhetoric and Composition. I work as a professional writer and have for almost 20 years. Neither of these facts make me any better - or more intelligent - than anyone else. I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to attend school and find a career I enjoy. That is all.
Horror is one of my favorite genres. I also love poetry and literature.
People read what they enjoy. Sometimes they read to escape incredibly cerebral jobs. Sometimes they read to be intellectually stimulated.
I am glad that you rediscovered an enjoyment of Stephen King. However, I truly hope that you do not see people in terms of being part of “[the] unwashed masses.” Such a point of view is genuinely revolting.
We are humans. Period.
What’s even more impressive is that King has virtually no memory of writing the book. He wrote it during the height of his addiction and doesn’t remember much, if anything, of writing it. He has said that he enjoys the book and wishes he remembered more about writing it.
If the point of this rant was “Stephen King is a weirdo that writes kid orgies,” then you got me at “I can’t tell you the last time I read a Stephen King Book” because I’ve never fucking read one and I’m not gonna start now.
I’ve been spending my book money buying Jack London and Madeline L’Engle because I want for my kids to have a great home library to choose from.
Some of his early stuff can be clunky, I think. He’s never had the best prose style, tbh, though it has gotten much better over time. But he has a great imagination, and I think Bag of Bones really is a great book. His books aren’t all hits, but I love that he just keeps going. Writing is a way of life for him. I usually read “classic” literature, but I’m down for a Stephen King book now and again. Especially good if you’re at a cottage in the summer (sorry, cabin for Americans - I’m from Canada).