Got a Favorite?

[LitEditor]

The last time we counted, Stephen King was the author of over sixty works of fiction and nonfiction -- from compelling short stories to psychological dramas, to multi-volume fantasies, and of course his classic works of modern horror.

What's your favorite King? Do you prefer the author in fantasy or realist mode? At uncut, Stand-length, or as a writer of deft novellas such as the stories in Different Seasons?

[KathyCW]

My favorite of Stephen Kings will always be "The Shining". I was in high school when this was first released. Totally creeped me out! Still enjoy re-reading it.
Kathy

[queentori]

My all time fav. is The Stand. It took me three days to read it when I was in HS. I read walking in the halls, eating and even when I should have been paying attention in class.

[Stephanie]

My own favorite Stephen King novel is Dolores Claiborne. There is an element of that novel that just works so well. The suspension of disbelief is amazing. I never once even remembered that the book was written by a man.

Stephanie

[Bibliocrates]

The Talisman, so far, but I haven't yet read them all. I haven't read The Stand yet, and I have only recently started The Dark Tower series, so we'll see what I think after I read those. I also really liked Salems' Lot. I always love a good, freaky vampire tale. I have liked most of King's work that I have read.

By the way, what happened to BNU? I've been gone awhile due to my school schedule. I'm trying to figure out this new system. It's pretty confusing so far!

[Stephanie]

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Bibliocrates wrote:
The Talisman, so far, but I haven't yet read them all. I haven't read The Stand yet, and I have only recently started The Dark Tower series, so we'll see what I think after I read those. I also really liked Salems' Lot. I always love a good, freaky vampire tale. I have liked most of King's work that I have read.

By the way, what happened to BNU? I've been gone awhile due to my school schedule. I'm trying to figure out this new system. It's pretty confusing so far!

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This is the new book club format, just launched this week.

Welcome back! I'm sure after you get the hang of it, that confusion will abate.

Stephanie

[LizzieAnn]

Hands down, my favorite SK book is The Stand. I absolutely could not put it down and just constantly read it. The story and it's complexities took the whole "good-versus-evil" to a whole new level. The characters were so real that I found myself rooting for the heroes and growling at the villians. It was such an intriguing story, and the final pages illustrated that evil never truly dies - it'll always exit.

Liz

[Bonnie824]

I loved that book, and read it twice. "Thinner" was probably my next favorite.

[Bibliocrates]

I have the book, but due to my schedule I haven't picked it up yet. I've heard so many great things about it! I'm afraid I won't put it down if I do pick it up, which would be bad because I should be studying instead of reading novels. I'm definitely reading it over break if it's as good as everyone says it is!

[leakybucket]

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LizzieAnn wrote:
Hands down, my favorite SK book is The Stand. I absolutely could not put it down and just constantly read it. The story and it's complexities took the whole "good-versus-evil" to a whole new level. The characters were so real that I found myself rooting for the heroes and growling at the villians. It was such an intriguing story, and the final pages illustrated that evil never truly dies - it'll always exit.

Liz

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I'm not a fan of horror type books but I really liked The Stand. I found it particularly desturbing when the the Bird Flu was in the news. Hey, this could really happen. I even got he movie and enjoyed that as well.

I also like the whole Dark Tower series. I read some of Stephen Kings other books while waiting for the series to finish up. I only read the ones that had relevance to the Dark Tower Series. I think that is why I picked up The Strand. I was very let down by the last book of the Dark Tower series. I really was expecting more then him to have so many major characters disposed of without much fanfare, write himself into the story (and even Harry Potter which had no relevance), and then just turn it into a neverending story. I think he had too many loose ends by the end of the book. Maybe he should have started to cut down on his character load earlier. But then maybe he never knew where he was going and at book Seven he had to end it.

[billemsick]

My favorite King novel would be Salem's Lot - but I think that is because it was my first and I loved it. I couldn't stop putting it down, and I remember sleeping in the living room (an aunt had my bedroom) when I was reading the part describing the vampire breathing on the boy's window. It was about 4 a.m. and I thought, I have school in a couple of hours, put the book down and then turned off the light. As I lay there waiting to fall asleep - I remember hearing some breathing and it bothered me so much, that I had to search the house - it was one of my brother's deep breathing in and upstairs bedroom.

So many others would be place in my top list of favorites - but Salem's Lot is definitely my favorite King novel.

bill

[Kathy]

The Stand is my favorite. I got the worst sinus infection I had ever had while reading this book, lol. Power of suggestion?

[Sensorymoments]

The Stand is the whole reason I got interested in Stephen King in the first place.

[Stephanie]

Kathy,

It's so funny you should say you got sick after reading The Stand - the week that the mini-series was on television in May 1994 I had some flu-type virus the entire week. It was a little creepy!

Stephanie

[jweinstein]

They say that your first - because of discovery - is often your favorite.

For me it was "Firestarter" excerpted in OMNI magazine. Anyone remember that periodical?

-Jerry the Mod(erator)

[jazzlady1031]

If I have to pick one favorite? The Stand. No question-magnificent and timeless. The premise is chillingly possible. It's Good versus Evil, at it's best.

[Kathy]

Hi Jerry!!!
Glad to see your familar typing here. I'm heading over to the bookstore tomorrow to get the new Stephen King. Then I can join in the discussion. This format is sort of ok. I think I'd still rather have it the old way though.
Kathy

[Robyn66]

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jweinstein wrote:
They say that your first - because of discovery - is often your favorite.

For me it was "Firestarter" excerpted in OMNI magazine. Anyone remember that periodical?

-Jerry the Mod(erator)

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I agree with Jerry that often the first one will be your favorite. I have been reading King for almost thirty years and my first "adult" book that I received was one of his and is still one of my many favorites "The Dead Zone". It is harder for me to choose one that I dislike over a favorite. Many more of the favorites than the dislikes.
And to answer the next question, I did not care as much for "The Cell" as all his others.

[Stephanie]

Kathy,

I have a feeling you're really going to enjoy King's new novel. It's extremely thought-provoking, and there's an element of humor that's very appealing... erg! I'm trying to be too careful not to spoil anything for anyone!

Stephanie

[Rosebear]

My first SK read was The Shining, and I was hooked! Since then, I've owned, lost, borrowed, and read almost everything including Danse Macabre! Insomnia was one that really caught me up...and did Bag of Bones. Cujo transfixed me...I had a Pinto station wagon with exactly the same carburetor problem, and I had owned two St. Bernards...too real to believe! I really enjoyed Cell, and Lysie's Story is stashed as a Christmas gift, so please! No spoilers! *grin* I have almost all of the Dark Tower books, and plan to read them back to back sometime soon.