Author Topic: The Stephen King thread (Read 64291 times)

bellinter · « **Reply #160 on:** January 14, 2011, 08:54:11 pm »

Quote from: King Richard IV on January 14, 2011, 08:29:01 pm

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

If it was announced as a full HBO production then I think it could work. The idea of a couple of films and a mini series or 2 just seems a bit much and it would be ridiculously uneven.

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #161 on:** January 14, 2011, 09:14:56 pm »

Quote from: bellinter on January 14, 2011, 08:54:11 pm

If it was announced as a full HBO production then I think it could work. The idea of a couple of films and a mini series or 2 just seems a bit much and it would be ridiculously uneven.

I assume the mini series is going to cover book 4/the comics, which is fine...well, just the book, anyway. But three films for the other 6 books is ridiculous, really.

bellinter · « **Reply #162 on:** February 1, 2011, 01:49:45 pm »

The Stand to be made into a film/franchise series by Warner and CBS. Nice

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30030

jaffod · « **Reply #163 on:** February 1, 2011, 06:51:38 pm »

Quote from: bellinter on February 1, 2011, 01:49:45 pm

The Stand to be made into a film/franchise series by Warner and CBS. Nice

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30030

Fantastic news, although I doubt they'll do it justice. There's no way they could do it in a one-film format, even the mini-series they made missed out huge chunks and that was 4 two hour episodes.
Needs about 16 hours I reckon!

bellinter · « **Reply #164 on:** February 1, 2011, 07:13:23 pm »

I agree it will be very tough. As with The Dark Tower I'd prefer the idea of a HBO mini series, but time will tell I guess

rowan_d · « **Reply #165 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:33:24 pm »

Currently reading Wolves of the Calla.

Spoiler

Hoping he manages later to stitch Callahan into the Dark Tower universe properly from Salem's Lot. 150 or so pages in and it seems a bit like he's the same character for the sake of it. Not sure what the point is of sharing the character, feels like he's a shallow device to add a layer of strangeness the plot so far. 'No, really, there are vampires in The Dark Tower universe. Look, even the Priest from Salem's Lot is in it, if that doesn't make it palatable, I don't know what will.'

I understand that there's a lot of weirdness in the books, but Vampires seem like a bit of a bridge too far. One of the things I like about the books is that there's an alternate universe, the one we live in. But with Callahan, he destroys the plausability of the events taking place in the universe which serves as the link to reality, the universe in which Eddie, Susannah/Detta/Odetta and Jake live in. Unless Callahan comes from a different world to the one those 3 come from, which I'm kind of hoping for.

[close]

Wizard & Glass is my joint favourite so far with The Wastelands, but I don't think W&G will stand up much to re-reading, given its slow pace and excruciating detail, which is great first time you read it as a 'world-builder,' but may be laborious on second reading.

Rusty Oysterburger · « **Reply #166 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:34:44 pm »

Quote from: jaffod on February 1, 2011, 06:51:38 pm

Fantastic news, although I doubt they'll do it justice. There's no way they could do it in a one-film format, even the mini-series they made missed out huge chunks and that was 4 two hour episodes.
Needs about 16 hours I reckon!

It'll probably be a good thing that loads is left out, the book is incredibly flabby.

I watched that 90's miniseries for the first time recently and thought it was surprisingly good. Got the casting spot on 'an all

bellinter · « **Reply #167 on:** February 1, 2011, 08:43:07 pm »

Molly is great in it

rowan_d · « **Reply #168 on:** February 21, 2011, 04:29:30 am »

Just finished Wolves of the Calla, strange ending. interested to see what happens from here, although the crossed universes seemed a little...self-indulgent. The second half is terrific, especially the

Spoiler

betrayal of Slightman and Andy

[close]

One thing disappointed me though.

Spoiler

Throughout the book, King constantly mentions how Roland's plan fails, and doesn't go at all as he planned. But when it comes down to it, and you're expecting the death of a major character, the foreshadowing and forewarning is exposed as nothing but baseless teasing. The only two to die are Slightman Junior (pointless, thus far) and Eisenhart's wife (also pointless.) The only thing that's really gone wrong is Susannah/Mia's escape.

I hate to come over all Garry Cook, but its almost as though he bottled the ending after realising the ramifications of the events his intricate yet constant warnings suggested.

[close]

Not looking forward to Song of Susannah as much, as her character bores me.

Les Willis · « **Reply #169 on:** February 21, 2011, 04:39:28 am »

I've read every Stephen King novel, including the Dark Tower series. I must admit, I didn't like those books as much as his others, but once you start them, you have to read all seven, just for the sake of completeness.

Andy @ Allerton! · « **Reply #170 on:** February 21, 2011, 08:51:16 am »

Quote from: Les Willis on February 21, 2011, 04:39:28 am

I've read every Stephen King novel, including the Dark Tower series. I must admit, I didn't like those books as much as his others, but once you start them, you have to read all seven, just for the sake of completeness.

Yeah. But they are very disappointing. After all the hype they could never be as good as people said.

bellinter · « **Reply #171 on:** February 21, 2011, 02:18:43 pm »

I thought the first 4 from the Dark Tower were all wonderful. The last 3 not so much. Writing himself into the story was a good idea in theory but here it just comes across a little too over indulgent. The ending (like, it has to be said, most of his endings) was poor. But I still think overall its a very good collection, just not the great one it should have been after the first 4.

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #172 on:** February 21, 2011, 02:41:12 pm »

I do wonder how it would have shaped up had he not had his accident.

Andy @ Allerton! · « **Reply #173 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:28:25 pm »

Quote from: bellinter on February 21, 2011, 02:18:43 pm

I thought the first 4 from the Dark Tower were all wonderful. The last 3 not so much. Writing himself into the story was a good idea in theory but here it just comes across a little too over indulgent. The ending (like, it has to be said, most of his endings) was poor. But I still think overall its a very good collection, just not the great one it should have been after the first 4.

Spoiler

Thought that battle one was the most tedious book I have ever read in my life. Wolves of the Calla? Utter total shite.

Actually thought the Ending was terrific. I had no idea how he could end it and the way he did it was genius IMO.

That Stephen King being in it bollocks was the worst bit about the books though

Thought the concept of the Universe being within a rose in a random place was a great idea. Although it's been done before here and there.

[close]

bellinter · « **Reply #174 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:38:42 pm »

Quote from: Andy@Allerton on February 21, 2011, 03:28:25 pm

Spoiler

Thought that battle one was the most tedious book I have ever read in my life. Wolves of the Calla? Utter total shite.

Actually thought the Ending was terrific. I had no idea how he could end it and the way he did it was genius IMO.

That Stephen King being in it bollocks was the worst bit about the books though

Thought the concept of the Universe being within a rose in a random place was a great idea. Although it's been done before here and there.

[close]

Spoiler

thought it was a bit of a cop out to be honest.... you get to the destination and then right back to the start. To be fair it was built up so much that I dont think any ending could have completely satisfied, but this one certainly didn't do it for me.

Still, its all about the journey, right?

[close]

Andy @ Allerton! · « **Reply #175 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:45:20 pm »

Quote from: bellinter on February 21, 2011, 03:38:42 pm

Spoiler
thought it was a bit of a cop out to be honest.... you get to the destination and then right back to the start. To be fair it was built up so much that I dont think any ending could have completely satisfied, but this one certainly didn't do it for me.

Still, its all about the journey, right?
[close]

That's it

Spoiler

If you think about it, Roland IS the Universe. He is the force that keeps its light burning throughout eternity. The Tower is him. It is his source and his ending and his light. From one point of view he is doomed to walk and follow through eternity his dream, but from another he is as eternal as the beams and as intrinsically part of the fabric of reality as if he were the Tower incarnate himself.

[close]

bellinter · « **Reply #176 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:51:12 pm »

That's got me thinking there, a lot..... Nice one

Ginamos · « **Reply #177 on:** March 8, 2011, 01:31:14 pm »

This new one sounds interesting, but then I've always been a fan of time travel stories.

Stephen King pens 1,000-page JFK novel

Horror giant Stephen King has become the latest in a long line of novelists to settle on the defining moment that was the 1963 assassination of US president John F Kennedy as his inspiration.

King's next book, due out in November, will be titled 11/22/63 – the date Kennedy was shot dead while travelling in an open-topped presidential limousine in Dallas, Texas – and will feature a time-travelling Maine schoolteacher, Jake Epping, who tries to prevent the killing.

Epping's era-hopping habit begins when he learns that his friend, Al, who runs the local diner, is harbouring a portal to the year 1958 in his storeroom. Al enlists Jake on a mission to try to prevent the assassination of the 35th president of the United States by returning to the days of Elvis, James Dean, big cars and root beer. Jake duly makes the journey, and finds himself meeting not only troubled loner Lee Harvey Oswald, but also a beautiful school librarian, Sadie Dunhill, set to become the love of his life. But will Jake succeed in his attempt to change history? And if so, what will happen next?

In writing 11/22/63, King joins a considerable roster of novelists who have tackled the subject of Kennedy's life and death. Don DeLillo explored the assassination in his novel Libra, while James Ellroy made it the stuff of noir fiction in his book American Tabloid, the first volume of his Underworld USA trilogy, whose subsequent volumes track the fallout from the killing. Stephen Baxter presented an alternate version in which JFK survived the attack, in the 1996 novel Voyage. JG Ballard wrote a short story in the 1960s called The Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Considered as a Downhill Motor Race, and Kennedy's promiscuous love life was also the subject of Jed Mercurio's 2009 novel American Adulterer.

Alternate versions of American history are also popular, from Philip Roth's novel The Plot Against America to the newly released Then Everything Changed: Stunning Alternate Histories of American Politics by Jeff Greenfield.

But King promises to bring his own unique skills to the project. Phillippa Pride, King's editor at his UK publisher, Hodder, described 11/22/63 as "the best 'What if...?' novel I have ever read," promising that, at 1,000 pages in length, it combines "the best of Stephen King's intimate suspense stories with the scope of an epic".

US literary agent Chuck Verrill, meanwhile, whose company is handling the American rights, called the novel "big, ambitious and haunting", saying King had "absorbed the social, political and popular culture of his American generation as thoroughly and imaginatively as any other writer."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/mar/08/stephen-king-jfk-novel

bellinter · « **Reply #178 on:** March 8, 2011, 01:49:17 pm »

Interesting..... I read something recently about a Shining sequel too

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #179 on:** March 8, 2011, 01:52:06 pm »

Brilliant, sounds great I cannot wait.

I found his books week for a while a few years ago, but I've really enjoyed the last 3 or 4. It's a renaissance for me.

rowan_d · « **Reply #180 on:** March 8, 2011, 05:54:14 pm »

Fuck me. Half way through Song of Susannah and his self-indulgence has put me right off the entire series. He'd better be able to salvage this car-wreck of a twist, or he's completely fucked up the entire franchise.

Finn Solomon · « **Reply #181 on:** March 9, 2011, 09:11:26 am »

That JFK book sounds amazing. I will be first in line to buy it.

bellinter · « **Reply #182 on:** April 7, 2011, 09:44:27 am »

Javier Bardem to play Roland.....? not a bad choice

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30638

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #183 on:** April 7, 2011, 01:37:31 pm »

That's an inspired choice.

There is an eigth book coming out next year - a collection of four stories taking place been books 4 and 5.

bellinter · « **Reply #184 on:** April 7, 2011, 01:49:43 pm »

nice one. Overkill perhaps at this stage but will still be good to get some more

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #185 on:** April 7, 2011, 02:37:38 pm »

Quote from: bellinter on April 7, 2011, 01:49:43 pm

nice one. Overkill perhaps at this stage but will still be good to get some more

Yeah, here is the wiki

The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole is an upcoming novel by Stephen King. As part of The Dark Tower series, it will be the eighth Dark Tower novel, but, according to King, chronologically set between volumes four and five. First mentioned by King in 2009, after the conclusion of the series with the seventh novel, it was announced on the author's official site on March 10, 2011. It is scheduled to be published in 2012.[1]

Background information
In an interview in March 2009, King stated, describing an idea for a new short story he recently had: "And then I thought, 'Well, why don't I find three more like this and do a book that would be almost like modern fairy tales?' Then this thing started to add on bits and pieces so I guess it will be a novel." According to King, the idea is a new Dark Tower novel. King said, regarding the Dark Tower series, "It's not really done yet. Those seven books are really sections of one long über-novel."[2]

While promoting his then-new novel Under the Dome, Stephen King confirmed this during his TimesTalk event at The TimesCenter in New York City on November 10, 2009, and the next day King's official site posted the information that King will begin working on this novel in about eight months, with a tentative title being The Wind Through the Keyhole.[3]

On December 1, 2009, Stephen King posted a poll on his official website, asking visitors to vote for which book he should write next:

I mentioned two potential projects while I was on the road, one a new Mid-World book (not directly about Roland Deschain, but yes, he and his friend Cuthbert are in it, hunting a skin-man, which are what werewolves are called in that lost kingdom) and a sequel to The Shining called Doctor Sleep. Are you interested in reading either of these? If so, which one turns your dials more? [We] will be counting your votes (and of course it all means nothing if the muse doesn't speak).[4]

The voting ended on December 31, 2009. The following month it was revealed that Doctor Sleep received 5,861 votes, while The Wind Through the Keyhole received 5,812.[5]

However, King's previous description of the premise seems to contradict his own statement announcing the release of the book:

The major story of Roland and his ka-tet was told, but I realized there was at least one hole in the narrative progression: what happened to Roland, Jake, Eddie, Susannah, and Oy between the time they leave the Emerald City (the end of Wizard and Glass) and the time we pick them up again, on the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis (the beginning of Wolves of the Calla)? [6]

Really interested in The Shining sequel, too.

Andy @ Allerton! · « **Reply #186 on:** April 7, 2011, 03:09:32 pm »

Quote from: King Richard IV on April 7, 2011, 02:37:38 pm

Yeah, here is the wiki

The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole is an upcoming novel by Stephen King. As part of The Dark Tower series, it will be the eighth Dark Tower novel, but, according to King, chronologically set between volumes four and five. First mentioned by King in 2009, after the conclusion of the series with the seventh novel, it was announced on the author's official site on March 10, 2011. It is scheduled to be published in 2012.[1]

Background information
In an interview in March 2009, King stated, describing an idea for a new short story he recently had: "And then I thought, 'Well, why don't I find three more like this and do a book that would be almost like modern fairy tales?' Then this thing started to add on bits and pieces so I guess it will be a novel." According to King, the idea is a new Dark Tower novel. King said, regarding the Dark Tower series, "It's not really done yet. Those seven books are really sections of one long über-novel."[2]

While promoting his then-new novel Under the Dome, Stephen King confirmed this during his TimesTalk event at The TimesCenter in New York City on November 10, 2009, and the next day King's official site posted the information that King will begin working on this novel in about eight months, with a tentative title being The Wind Through the Keyhole.[3]

On December 1, 2009, Stephen King posted a poll on his official website, asking visitors to vote for which book he should write next:

I mentioned two potential projects while I was on the road, one a new Mid-World book (not directly about Roland Deschain, but yes, he and his friend Cuthbert are in it, hunting a skin-man, which are what werewolves are called in that lost kingdom) and a sequel to The Shining called Doctor Sleep. Are you interested in reading either of these? If so, which one turns your dials more? [We] will be counting your votes (and of course it all means nothing if the muse doesn't speak).[4]

The voting ended on December 31, 2009. The following month it was revealed that Doctor Sleep received 5,861 votes, while The Wind Through the Keyhole received 5,812.[5]

However, King's previous description of the premise seems to contradict his own statement announcing the release of the book:

The major story of Roland and his ka-tet was told, but I realized there was at least one hole in the narrative progression: what happened to Roland, Jake, Eddie, Susannah, and Oy between the time they leave the Emerald City (the end of Wizard and Glass) and the time we pick them up again, on the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis (the beginning of Wolves of the Calla)? [6]

Really interested in The Shining sequel, too.

It's set in Salford.

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #187 on:** April 7, 2011, 04:12:54 pm »

rowan_d · « **Reply #188 on:** April 7, 2011, 07:17:06 pm »

Javier Bardem looks nothing like Roland, in facial structure or physique. Wonder is Guy Pearce was considered. Also rumours that Susannah will be white, which is absurd.

Zaffarious · « **Reply #189 on:** April 8, 2011, 01:32:16 am »

god its been a while since i talked about the dark tower. engrossing set of books, agree with many here about the ending.

Spoiler

it didnt satisfy me at all . though i loved the whole connection between his books and the universe.

[close]

looking forward to the movie / series... Javier Bardem... hmmm. he will need to lose weight.

Brian Blessed · « **Reply #190 on:** April 8, 2011, 01:48:37 am »

Quote from: rowan_d on April 7, 2011, 07:17:06 pm

Javier Bardem looks nothing like Roland, in facial structure or physique. Wonder is Guy Pearce was considered. Also rumours that Susannah will be white, which is absurd.

guy is too young for me. Let's face it, casting the perfect Roland is impossible, and I'm resigned to it. Javier is a great actor and can obviously do the cold hearted driven killer part of Roland.

Susan being white is a joke, as obviously Odetta plays off of her being black. Yo hear me, grey meat?

rowan_d · « **Reply #191 on:** April 8, 2011, 07:30:17 am »

Quote from: King Richard IV on April 8, 2011, 01:48:37 am

guy is too young for me. Let's face it, casting the perfect Roland is impossible, and I'm resigned to it. Javier is a great actor and can obviously do the cold hearted driven killer part of Roland.

Susan being white is a joke, as obviously Odetta plays off of her being black. Yo hear me, grey meat?

God damn, Detta gets on my nerves.

Uhoh AureliOs · « **Reply #192 on:** April 8, 2011, 08:32:37 am »

A trilogy of films and a tv series?

Javier Bardem is a sign it that it'll be good quality, I'm intrigued to see if they manage to pull it off.

Does the gap between books 4 and 5 really need a whole new novel? I'm not a fan of authors wedging in sections of a story after they've completed it.

Gojedo · « **Reply #193 on:** April 8, 2011, 09:10:54 am »

Quote from: jaffod on February 1, 2011, 06:51:38 pm

Fantastic news, although I doubt they'll do it justice. There's no way they could do it in a one-film format, even the mini-series they made missed out huge chunks and that was 4 two hour episodes.
Needs about 16 hours I reckon!

And better casting. Gary sinese as Stuart Redman was probably the only casting that came close to truly representing the character portrayed in the book.

Corkboy · « **Reply #194 on:** April 8, 2011, 11:01:48 am »

Quote from: Gojedo on April 8, 2011, 09:10:54 am

And better casting. Gary sinese as Stuart Redman was probably the only casting that came close to truly representing the character portrayed in the book.

Except I remember Redman as being a big enough man, whereas Sinise is about 5'9".

J-Mc- · « **Reply #195 on:** April 8, 2011, 11:19:02 am »

Watched The Mist the other day for about the 10th time, think that, even though I'm not a fan of Stephen King, it's a great film and book.

Gojedo · « **Reply #196 on:** April 8, 2011, 11:22:10 am »

Quote from: corkboy on April 8, 2011, 11:01:48 am

Except I remember Redman as being a big enough man, whereas Sinise is about 5'9".

Never really got the jist of his height reading the book (2 times thus far) but character wise, I think his casting was very nearly spot on. I'm glad that I got to read the book before I had the unfortunate experience of watching the mini-series.

Uhoh AureliOs · « **Reply #197 on:** May 6, 2011, 10:26:49 pm »

Argh. Possibly cancelled.

Quote

UPDATED "Universal Pictures has put pre-production staff on hiatus as they discuss ways to bring down the budget," reports Deadline. "One thing for sure, even though staffers have been told there's a chance they will return, the plan to start production in September is scratched."

The rest is here "Is The Dark Tower Collapsing?"

Bob Loblaw · « **Reply #198 on:** May 6, 2011, 10:28:56 pm »

currently reading 'under the dome'. struggling to get into it to be honest, very slow and plodding thus far.

John C · « **Reply #199 on:** May 8, 2011, 12:56:40 am »

Quote from: Finn Solomon on March 9, 2011, 09:11:26 am

That JFK book sounds amazing. I will be first in line to buy it.

We agree on something finally. Oh wait, no we don't..... I'll be ahead of you in the queue

.