Author Topic: The Stephen King thread  (Read 62942 times)

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #120 on: November 29, 2008, 01:26:27 pm »
Just about to buy 'Duma Key', anyone know anything about 'Just After Sunset' or has anybody already read it?

Got it last week. It's a collection of short stories dealing with death or it's aftermath. Two are previously released - The Gingerbread Girl and The Stationary Bike - in audio format. Short stories are really my thing, but it;s decent so far.

Also just out is the second Dark Tower graphic novel, dealing with events immediately after Susan's death. It's good too!

Offline Corkboy

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #121 on: November 29, 2008, 06:58:01 pm »
Just about to buy 'Duma Key', anyone know anything about 'Just After Sunset' or has anybody already read it?

No, but I got Duma Key and never finished it, if that's any sort of recommendation.

Offline Super MAC

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #122 on: November 29, 2008, 10:22:58 pm »
I read all his early stuff including his Bachman back catologue avidly right through to Dreamcatcher - maybe its just me getting old and cynical but I stopped at that point because I felt he was getting lazy in his writing - the main character generally seemed to be an author which implied to me that he couldnt be arsed with his research. Anyway for what its worth id say The Stand, IT then Firestarter are my top 3. I like the way he namedrops characters from other books into his stories, pulls them together. As for films dont know why cos fuck all happens really but I love stand by me, always gets me for some reason...rights of passage and all that shit!
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Offline thredworm

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #123 on: November 29, 2008, 11:59:28 pm »
Got it last week. It's a collection of short stories dealing with death or it's aftermath. Two are previously released - The Gingerbread Girl and The Stationary Bike - in audio format. Short stories are really my thing, but it;s decent so far.

Also just out is the second Dark Tower graphic novel, dealing with events immediately after Susan's death. It's good too!

Ta mate.
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Offline Johnnyboy1973

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #124 on: December 13, 2008, 08:28:35 pm »
If you had a choice of The Dead Zone, Needful Thingz or The Dark Half, which would you go for first?

Wanna be scared. Shining scared not Tommyknockers confused.
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Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #125 on: December 13, 2008, 08:31:33 pm »
Then Dead Zone. I don't know that's it's scary, but it's more like Shining because his early work was a bit more raw.

I like Dark Half (first one of his I read, actually) and Needful Things, but they require a greater suspension of disbelief. In context that they're all Stephen King books so all require it :P

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #126 on: February 13, 2009, 05:32:46 pm »
This one came out last month, straight to paperback. Should be quite interesting, and he's clearly not simply going for the most popular films (The Mangler? Never even heard of the film). I think I'll try and get hold of each one before reading that particular section

In Stephen King Goes to the Movies, the bestselling author revisits five of his favorite short stories that have been turned into films: The Shawshank Redemption, 1408, Children of the Corn, The Mangler, and Hearts in Atlantis. This collection features new commentary and introductions to all of these stories.

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #127 on: February 13, 2009, 05:36:48 pm »
The Mangler gets a glowing review:

This isn't going to get the most gory movie award ever, but it does have some blood and gore in it. Granted I never saw the unrated version though. This is another of King's short stories that were changed around a bit to make a feature film. The story was about a press that through a series of accidents becomes possessed by a demon. Two guys figure this out and try and perform an exorcism on it, but ultimately fail. The press comes to life...the end. Here there are other factors. One of the main changes or additions added is the Robert Englund character as the sort of villain. I am guessing the person who adapted the screenplay figured you couldn't use an inanimate object as your lead villain. So the series of accidents from the short story are no accident here. A bunch of conspiracy stuff is included as well as a haunted refrigerator. Though that may have been in the story as well. This movie has its moments for me and I certainly would not put it in my bottom one hundred movies of all time, but I also do not question those that do. If you want to watch a horror movie late at night and you don't care about the quality then this one fits the bill quite nicely. Otherwise, you should probably listen to all the other reviewers who say stay away.

Can't wait ;D

Offline John C

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #128 on: February 13, 2009, 05:44:50 pm »
If you had a choice of The Dead Zone, Needful Thingz or The Dark Half, which would you go for first?

Wanna be scared. Shining scared not Tommyknockers confused.
The Dead Zone isn't scary, but it is one of my all time favourite films.

Offline jaffod

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #129 on: March 13, 2009, 01:19:45 pm »
Just finished Duma Key. Started reading it about 6 months ago and just couldn't get into it, but once I got halfway through it I couldn't put it down.
 Not among his greatest but a lot better than some of his more recent ones. Thought Wireman was one of his most likeable/memorable characters.

Offline Finn Solomon

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #130 on: March 14, 2009, 08:19:39 am »
The Dead Zone is very underrated, as one of his earlier works. I like Needful Things a lot, but like Redferlife says it's a little far fetched. The Dark Half is okay, but nothing really scared the crap out of me in that book like the way Salem's Lot or the Shining did.
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Offline hassinator

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #131 on: March 14, 2009, 12:00:16 pm »
as a teenager i devoured stephen king but as i got older i found some of his stuff a little repetitive and that's when i found out he used to write after doing loads of speed - 'the stand' is a great concept and i can understand why it has its fans but it comes across as one massive amphetamine fuelled rant that stops dead when his drugs ran out: after well over a 1,000 pages didn't anyone else think the ending seemed a wee bit abrupt?

still i don't think any writer in the horror genre has had more impact on popular culture in my lifetime.  he's taken the comic mythology espoused by howard phillip lovecraft - the cthulu mythos - and developed into almost a counter reality to our own.  this point really dawned on me while i scared the shit out of myself reading his novella 'the mist' - the point at which they realise the soldiers trapped in the super market have committed suicide as they know what's coming through the mist was one of the most wonderfully despairing moments i've read from any novellist.

i disagree that king's work hasn't translated well into film.  sure there have been the mediocre adaptations like the made for tv version of 'it' - a real shame for such a massively evoked sense of scale, character and true evil - but for every 'lawnmower man' there is an absolute banger waiting in the wings.

if you haven't checked them out already you NEED to see one of my all time favourite films from the greatest director to ever walk the earth stanley kubrick's 'the shining' but i'd also advise not missing 'carrie';  'the running man'  - "sing if you love dynamo!" - and even 'christine'

i know i'm the exception to the rule but while i enjoyed 'shawshank' as a short story i found the film a wee bit sentimental.  'the green mile' on the other hand is just a masterpiece of character and storytelling.  it took me ages to watch it but when i finally did one hungover morning i was blown away. 

weirdly the film encapsulates king's flair as a writer for blending the every day with the super real or fantastic - magic doesn't seem that odd when couched in folksy country terms.  you can suspend disbelief and just sink into the narrative. 

great thread by the way.  nice to have something to take my mind of pre-match nerves...

EDIT: worth looking at this IMDB link to see just how many films and tv adaptations are based on kings work or money:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000175/
« Last Edit: March 14, 2009, 04:46:37 pm by hassinator »

Offline Bangers N Masch

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #132 on: March 14, 2009, 03:48:29 pm »
Haven't read any of his works but Shawshank and The Green Mile are amazing films (Y).
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Offline ynwa83

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #133 on: April 18, 2009, 03:02:37 pm »
I'm just going to put it out there that "The Stand" is one of the best books I have ever read. I read the extended version and I just couldn't put it down. A true epic.

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #134 on: July 17, 2009, 10:55:54 pm »
King weekend on Zone Horror...

Offline binge

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #135 on: October 21, 2009, 11:13:09 pm »
read most of kings books and as everone else  I think the stand is the best. Just started Lisey's story this week but its been lying around for about 2 years. Got up to about 200 pages and fuk all has happened, waiting for that despo moment about three pages in when the bizzie finds the bag of weed in the boot of the car to grab me:

your under arrest
you don't have to say anything that you might rely on in Court
I'm going to kill you

I thing desperation was belter
any way might bin lisey's off as ive just read a few posts here that say its not up to much and im getting bored with it like i did with bag of bones( bag of shite as someone said )and insomnia

top 3
The stand
desperation
needfull things

ps anyone know ov any new ones out latley or in future

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #136 on: October 22, 2009, 01:38:48 pm »
read most of kings books and as everone else  I think the stand is the best. Just started Lisey's story this week but its been lying around for about 2 years. Got up to about 200 pages and fuk all has happened, waiting for that despo moment about three pages in when the bizzie finds the bag of weed in the boot of the car to grab me:

your under arrest
you don't have to say anything that you might rely on in Court
I'm going to kill you

I thing desperation was belter
any way might bin lisey's off as ive just read a few posts here that say its not up to much and im getting bored with it like i did with bag of bones( bag of shite as someone said )and insomnia

top 3
The stand
desperation
needfull things

ps anyone know ov any new ones out latley or in future

There is one called Cell, which is a bit like The Stand. I'd say try Duma Key, too, but if you didn't like Bag of Bones, you probably won't like Duma. Just After Sunset is a collection of short stories, nad has some crackers in it. Coming out next month is Under The Dome, which has a good premise, and I'm looking forward to it.

That should be you updated.

Offline se9R.F.L

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #137 on: October 22, 2009, 03:06:25 pm »
I thought the cell started off so well, the way everything kicks off at once, and remember thinking it would make a wicked film but then it does tail of into the ridiculous.

The Stand and Talisman/Blackhouse are wicked. The stand does end abruptly though and the speed influence is apparent as someone said above.

The Shining is a masterpiece. I liked insomnia. IT is great save the ending.
I've not read any of the dark tower stuff so i guess i should do that next as i've read most everything else he's written.

Offline Uhoh AureliOs

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #138 on: October 22, 2009, 03:13:35 pm »
I'm rereading the Dark Tower series for the 3rd time. Currently a few chapters into Wizard and Glass.

Offline rotistgeil

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #139 on: October 22, 2009, 03:29:13 pm »
I'm rereading the Dark Tower series for the 3rd time. Currently a few chapters into Wizard and Glass.

Still need to start them

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #140 on: October 22, 2009, 03:46:54 pm »
You're in a good position, being able to read them all in one go. I know a fair few people who got pissed off as they had to wait years between books and then they didn't live up to anticipation. I loved it, personally.

Offline Uhoh AureliOs

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #141 on: October 22, 2009, 03:53:55 pm »
You're in a good position, being able to read them all in one go. I know a fair few people who got pissed off as they had to wait years between books and then they didn't live up to anticipation. I loved it, personally.

Same here. Overall they're up there with King's best and I love how connected they are to all his other books in various ways.

Offline Corkboy

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #142 on: March 25, 2010, 11:56:26 am »
Re- reading Different Seasons at the moment, first Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and now The Body (which was made into the movie, Stand By Me). Marvellous stories.

Oh, and The Body also contains another story, within the story, as told by the main character to his buddies. It's called The Revenge Of Lard Ass Hogan, and it's just as good as it sounds.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2010, 12:03:29 pm by corkboy »

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #143 on: March 25, 2010, 02:15:45 pm »
Re- reading Different Seasons at the moment, first Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and now The Body (which was made into the movie, Stand By Me). Marvellous stories.

Oh, and The Body also contains another story, within the story, as told by the main character to his buddies. It's called The Revenge Of Lard Ass Hogan, and it's just as good as it sounds.

The Lard Ass story is in the film, albeit a shortened version.

I'm currently about 700 pages into 'Under the Dome', and so far it's been a great read.

Offline Corkboy

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #144 on: March 25, 2010, 08:21:50 pm »
The Lard Ass story is in the film, albeit a shortened version.

I think I had forgotten that. No wonder I could picture them all so clearly.

I'm currently about 700 pages into 'Under the Dome', and so far it's been a great read.

Got it at Xmas, then watched The Simpsons movie and one Dome story was enough so I haven't picked it up since.

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #145 on: March 25, 2010, 08:27:05 pm »
I think I had forgotten that. No wonder I could picture them all so clearly.

A highlight of a great film. That book has produced two great films, and one pretty good film. Breathing Method would be quite hard to adapt and not be silly.

Quote
Got it at Xmas, then watched The Simpsons movie and one Dome story was enough so I haven't picked it up since.

Luckily Under the Dome is much better than the Simpsons movie.

Offline Corkboy

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #146 on: March 25, 2010, 08:29:27 pm »
Luckily Under the Dome is much better than the Simpsons movie.

It may be but 50 pages in and I was still picturing Maggie popping up on the other side of the Dome.

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #147 on: March 25, 2010, 08:30:05 pm »
It may be but 50 pages in and I was still picturing Maggie popping up on the other side of the Dome.

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Offline Corkboy

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #148 on: August 8, 2010, 11:18:42 pm »
I was on hols recently and got myself all King'd up in advance with the unexpurgated, 1325 pages of The Stand, a book I hadn't read since I was a teenager and that was in the 80s, folks.

Smashing.

Offline MichaelA

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #149 on: August 9, 2010, 09:05:16 am »
Anyone read his son's books? Joe Hill. I read 63 pages of Heart Shaped Box on holiday and haven't dared open it since.

Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #150 on: August 9, 2010, 12:08:44 pm »
Anyone read his son's books? Joe Hill. I read 63 pages of Heart Shaped Box on holiday and haven't dared open it since.

I've listened to both novels. They're trash, but if you're in the mood for it they're fine.

Offline Rusty Oysterburger

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #151 on: August 9, 2010, 12:43:14 pm »
I thought 'Heart Shaped Box' was a lot of fun, the style was very similar to his Arl Fella's 80's heyday which is kind of predictable but there were some effective creepy bits. It's better than anything King has done for a decade too.

Also read his short story collection '20th Century Ghosts' which is a bit hit and miss but the first story about the horror book publisher (surprise surprise!) is fantastic.


I feel like I've got a bit of battered wife syndrome with King, he was the first writer I really got into as a young lad, I love a lot of his stuff and led me into reading fiction but he has burned me so many times. The last half of the 'Dark Tower' sequence is insultingly, lazily fucking awful. I wanted to beat him around the head with the book after I finished, I don't think any other writer of a series with so much potential has dropped the ball so spectacularly at the end. I know his big weakness has always been wrapping up his stories (and what stops 'The Stand' being an all time classic) but he might as well of typed, "Fuck you, Constant Reader" at the end. It put me off him for a few years but I couldn't help myself crawling back to him and reading all his latest stuff, the only one I've really enjoyed was 'Under the Dome', it really felt like the crazy cokehead King and it actually felt relevant and interesting. The Rennie's are the best villains he's done in years too.
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Offline StormyDog

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #152 on: August 9, 2010, 01:15:16 pm »
Anyone read his son's books? Joe Hill. I read 63 pages of Heart Shaped Box on holiday and haven't dared open it since.
Thats a really good read, didn't know that it was written by SK's son.
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Offline pascoli

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #153 on: August 9, 2010, 01:29:16 pm »
Insomnia is my favourite King book, recently re-bought it in a charity shop and shall be giving it another go shortly.

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Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #154 on: November 20, 2010, 05:17:13 am »
I finished Under the Dome last week, and thought it was excellent. It took me a year to finish, but that is no reflection on the quality, more on my getting out the habit of reading in bed. I even thought it had a very good ending, which is King's weak point normally.

In the meantime I also listened to UR, which I think is only on Kindle and in audio format. It's a short story, about two hours long. Although it's a giant ad for Kindle I really enjoyed it, and it's a must for Towerphiles.

I picked up Full Dark, No Stars last week, but haven't cracked it open yet, but it sounds good. It's a collection of four stories, three hundred and a bit pages.

Right now I am listening to Blockade Billy, only in audio book form, I think. I'm not far in, but it's okay so far. I'm sure it will pick up, and the reader is very good.


Has anyone read the book about the Red Sox first World Series win for 80-odd years? King co-wrote it,but I'm wondering if it's worth a read for anyone not interested in baseball. The only King book I've not completed was On Writing, and I hate to have a gao, but I fear the baseball one will bore me to death.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2010, 05:18:57 am by King Richard IV »

Offline bellinter

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #155 on: November 20, 2010, 11:06:12 am »
I loved under the dome, took me a while to get through it too, as it's roughly the size of a small house. Will disagree with you slightly on the ending, was hoping for a lot better, but the journey there was so good that it didn't really matter. Great characters all round, Jim being one of his best villains in a long time.

Picked up the new collection last week in a 3 for 2 last week, but haven't started it yet, willget around to it some time.
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Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #156 on: January 14, 2011, 06:57:10 pm »
I've just about finished "Full Dark, No Stars" and have enjoyed it. Nothing outstanding, but four well told tales. The third one was my favourite.

Also saw this on AICN.

Promoting his Vince Vaughn comedy “The Dilemma” on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show Thursday morning, director-producer Ron Howard mentioned a few things I did not know about the "Dark Tower" project.

* He described the project as still being merely in development and seemed uncertain that any component of his version of the project – which would span three Universal big-screen features and a bridging NBC TV series – would reach screens at all.

* The plan now appears to integrate only a six-hour miniseries between the first two movies. If you suck out the commercials, that’s only about 4.5 hours of small-screen time, and I wonder how effectively seven or eight novels and a comic-book prequel can been crammed into three movies and TV show that’s about as long as two more movies.  (The limited size does help explain how a big-deal movie director can find time to direct an entire TV series.)

* When asked by a caller if “The Dark Tower” wouldn’t be a good fit for HBO, the filmmaker seemed at first reticent to discuss it, then seemed to indicate that the series might find its way to one of NBC/Universal’s cable channels instead of the less permissive broadcast outlet NBC. (Since NBCU doesn’t operate a censorship-free channel like Showtime, Encore or IFC, I’m thinking Syfy or USA might provide a destination.)

* Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) and Javier Bardem (“No Country For Old Men”) are apparently the current frontrunners for the role of Roland Deschain. So I guess Deschain might speak with a Spanish accent?

Offline bellinter

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #157 on: January 14, 2011, 08:26:17 pm »
I think there is just too much in it for a film / tv series to do it justice. Think Viggo would make a good Roland though
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Offline Brian Blessed

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #158 on: January 14, 2011, 08:29:01 pm »
I think there is just too much in it for a film / tv series to do it justice. Think Viggo would make a good Roland though

I agree about Vigo. I think a massive HBO series could do it, but the budget needed would prohibit it from being faithful, unfortunately.

Offline Jensen

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Re: The Stephen King thread
« Reply #159 on: January 14, 2011, 08:35:44 pm »
There are many King stories I could mention as favourites (not a few have been mentioned in this thread). One which particularly sticks in the mind is Apt Pupil from Different Seasons. It's the usual King mix of good and bad writing but, in some ways, I feel that it's spot-on: the idea of holding the power of life or death over people is very attractive to the young, and I think King summed that up perfectly with his Aptly-named character 'Todd'. It's this entire want of empathy that is surely the root of many of society's problems...this seems very relevant considering the recent shooting incident in Arizona.