Got a Favorite?

[lizard365]

I just discovered this group today and am ecstatic that it exists! I've read just about all of his books and am currently reading "The Stand." I got "Lisey's Story" for Christmas and that's next on the list. My favorite is still the first one I read in the 6th grade "The Shining." I had to have a note from my mom so I could read it b/c the school thought it was too scary and mature for an 11-year-old.

I truly love "Rose Madder" and the Dark Tower series, and a newer one, "Cell" really caught me offguard, I couldn't put it down. "Bag of Bones" was also quite good. My favorite thing is that now that I have read the Dark Tower series, I see how a lot of the books are intertwined. King is the only author I never tire of reading.

[ebarcelona]

I got favorites: The Talisman, IT, The Stand, The Tommyknockers, half of the Dark Tower series (haven't finished reading all), The Green Mile... hmmm, what else? I think I just love all his books!

Have yet to read Cell and Lisey's Story...

[Borg]

---

LitEditor wrote:
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?

---

You never know what your going to get when you pick up a SK book. Some are my favorites and some I don't care for. My favorites are The Green Mile, Misery, Desperation, Hearts in Atlantis and Gerald's Game. I have not been able to get into the Gunslinger series. I have read the first three books, but it's not done it for me. Although I do like the references to the Tailsman series. I do think it is amazing how King can take a character and pin him to one spot and come up with a entire book.

[Borg]

I must agree, I thought the Stand was way to long and the story boring. Sometimes I think I just might not get it, when it comes to certain authors or books. I did love "The Green Mile" which is much better then the movie and I liked Hearts in Atlantis, although the first story sounds like something Koontz would write.

[Borg]

If you liked Gerald's Game then you will want to read Misery if you have not yet. They are similar. Misery is kind of a version of Gerald's Game only with a guy. It may be a little scarier because of the badguy (woman)

[bemused4915]

I caught the end of "Misery" on cable the other night and realized it was time for a re-read - think I only read it once when it first came out, and not since I saw the movie.

I think that the book most like Gerald's Game is not Misery, but A Girl with Tom Gordon. In both, there is very little going on except what is happening in the (female) narrator's head.

I am finding that King has gotten even more long-winded most recently than he was earlier in his career. I still love him (#1 fan and all that but find his latest works (since the car accident???) a bit droning...

[Borg]

I read Tom Gordon some time ago. I remember it was about a little girl in the woods and that Tom Gordon was a baseball player she liked, but I can't remember much more of the story. I do remember that I liked it.

I have found that several authors have a tendency to get long winded toward the end of there careers. Orson Scott Card is one of my very favorites and his early stuff is full of wonder and great ideas. His later stuff sounds more like Preaching. Crichton's last two books "State of Fear" and "Next" are less story and more talking.

It even happens on TV. Early MASH episodes are fall on the ground laugh out loud funny. In the latter ones Alan Alda preaches the whole episode.

I think with some authors the pressure becomes to intense to put out another book, that they write when don't have a story to tell. I also think that some get told how great they are for so long that think we all want the hear what they have to say.

[bemused4915]

Ah, so are we saying that Stephen King, like many tv shows after they reach their peak, has "jumped the shark"?

[bookking]

The Stand, with out question is my all time favorite. I admire the strength and courage all of the heroes displayed. I was impressed by the growth of the characters and the disintegration of the bad gunky. Was King articulating the value of all life?
The heroes were so oedinary, fallible, less than perfect. And then there was Tom!

[sandie]

yes, i do remember omni mag. i use to subscribe to it....my favorite book is the shining,the lady in the bath still creeps me out,but my first,was firestarter..

[sandie]

rita hayworth and the shawshank redemption,and stand by me were awesome...my son could not believe that they were king books,now he is hooked on the dark tower series..the only thing i can say is please read the books,before you see any of the movies..the movies lose alot..

[redwing480]

I started reading King when I was 12 and I'm 40 now and I love them all, although I have not read the Dark Tower series yet, I've only gotten about half way through the first one. I just don't seem to be able to get into them, but I am still planning on completing the series.

I guess the ones that really stand out to me are The Stand, The Talisman, Eyes of the Dragon, and Hearts in Atlantis.

[Sonny_Disposit…]

My first and favorite Stephen King book is The Eyes of the Dragon. I feel in love with the story's style, it was very easy to imagine myself as a child listening to the story of Delain's hardships and heros in a poorly lit tavern. I have been a Stephen King fan ever since and I still have the copy I read when I was 12.

[Bookend]

I think that since King has changed his style so much over the years it's really hard to pick one as I have been reading his stuff since I was about 13. I would have to say out of his old stuff.. I really like the story Quitters, Inc. The Breathing Method is perfect (actually all of different seasons is great).

As for newer stuff. I just read Cell and loved it.(Made me want to cancel my service)
I am starting on Lisey's story next.

[frenchbluehen]

My favorite thus far was also the first King book I ever read in 6th grade- They Eyes of the Dragon. I have read a few of his others, although I have them all and just don't find the time to plough through some of the longer works. I love the description that King has in the book, and although it is a "fantasy" type novel, I appreciate that he can move toward different genres so easily. I have re-read Eyes several times and I hope to get to it again in the near future.

[Hollisterite666]

Hi! i'm new to the whole book club scene and i could'nt help responding. i'm currently reading SKELETON CREW and i think he is best at horror. Me being a horror lover has drawn me into Kimg's Nightmareish world.

[xAnime_Freak_A…]

"Rose Madder" is my favorite of them all.

[violet]

---

xAnime_Freak_Awardx wrote:
"Rose Madder" is my favorite of them all.

---

I loved the Shining-kept me up at night. I also enjoyed the film version. A lot of SK's books have been adapted to film...with mixed results. Carrie was a good example, along with Misery but some have been truly aweful. I am new to this club, so I hope I'm doing this right. Does anyone else have a Stephen King film they liked? I also enjoyed Shawshank Redemption.

[SALi]

I like most stephen king films, even the crappy one's are entertaining if for nothing more than a laugh. two of my favorites are misery and the dark half.

[violet]

---

SALi wrote:
I like most stephen king films, even the crappy one's are entertaining if for nothing more than a laugh. two of my favorites are misery and the dark half.

---

That's true. I read It when I was about 17 and it scared the pants off me. I found the movie a hoot. Did SK also write 'Sometimes They Come Back'? That movie was terrible-and hilarious. Is it true that SK didn't like the Stanley Kubrick version of The Shining? i still have to hide under a blanket whenever that movie is on, (Jack was great) although I haven't seen the newer version so maybe I should compare the 2 and see if the second is more true to the book. Any thoughts on which is better?