Stephen King just stopped trying...

by **Alien Redrum** » Tue May 22, 2012 10:35 pm

I actually agree with Shiki on that. Taking Full Dark No Stars (or whatever) out of the equation, his work post-Misery has been mediocre at best.

by **19itmicmac** » Tue May 22, 2012 11:45 pm

Alien Redrum wrote:I actually agree with Shiki on that. Taking Full Dark No Stars (or whatever) out of the equation, his work post-Misery has been mediocre at best.

Like I said, I love King and I disagree with you on this point, but I'm not going to debate it. I will agree to disagree.

by **Neon Maniac** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:45 am

Full Dark No Stars was great, and I agree, a return to the 'old King' for sure. I love a lot of his big books, like The Stand, It, and a couple of others. When he's good, he's really damn good. When he's not, he's kind of lame. That's just me though, I wouldn't fault anyone for liking him.

I've been a fan of his since I was about 11 and picked up a copy of Night Shift in a used book store for a dollar. His short stories are great, some of his novellas decent, and a lot of the longer ones just epic.

What I haven't liked about him in the later years, is he builds up a fantastic story, just completely great, no win situation that keeps me on the edge to find out what's going to happen next. Then, some kid prays, or a mentally challenged character has a psychic moment, and it's all over. LAME. Desperation got me with that, and Cell just drove it home. However, I really was a fan of Under the Dome as well as Duma Key.

by **19itmicmac** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:56 am

Neon Maniac wrote:Full Dark No Stars was great, and I agree, a return to the 'old King' for sure. I love a lot of his big books, like The Stand, It, and a couple of others. When he's good, he's really damn good. When he's not, he's kind of lame. That's just me though, I wouldn't fault anyone for liking him.

I've been a fan of his since I was about 11 and picked up a copy of Night Shift in a used book store for a dollar. His short stories are great, some of his novellas decent, and a lot of the longer ones just epic.

What I haven't liked about him in the later years, is he builds up a fantastic story, just completely great, no win situation that keeps me on the edge to find out what's going to happen next. Then, some kid prays, or a mentally challenged character has a psychic moment, and it's all over. LAME. Desperation got me with that, and Cell just drove it home. However, I really was a fan of Under the Dome as well as Duma Key.

We obviously have different ideas of what makes a great novel. Personally I really liked Desperation and The Regulators, Cell, and Dreamcatcher. The ones that disappointed me were The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Rose Madder, Cujo, Firestarter, The Bachman Books, Delores Claiborne, and Blaze. That doesn't mean I hated them, they just weren't as good as his others. Truth is that I think he has honed his craft into a well oil machine and actually writes better than ever.

by **Neon Maniac** » Wed May 23, 2012 4:52 am

I really didn't like any of the ones you mentioned either. A lot of them were small stories in big books. Delores was well written, but just didn't do it for me. I really liked Desperation until the kid prays. Then it was like I just wasted all of my time. Because, any conflict can now be resolved by asking God to fix it for you, and he will. So it's not a matter of how something is going to be solved, it's just going to be a matter of when a character prays.

by **19itmicmac** » Wed May 23, 2012 5:14 am

Neon Maniac wrote:I really didn't like any of the ones you mentioned either. A lot of them were small stories in big books. Delores was well written, but just didn't do it for me. I really liked Desperation until the kid prays. Then it was like I just wasted all of my time. Because, any conflict can now be resolved by asking God to fix it for you, and he will. So it's not a matter of how something is going to be solved, it's just going to be a matter of when a character prays.

I won't lie and say that was my favorite part (I am in no way religious) but it just wasn't enough for me to dislike it. To be honest, if I let little things like that get under my skin, I doubt that I would have anything left to read. Not one book that I have read has been complete and satisfactory.

by **Alien Redrum** » Wed May 23, 2012 7:41 pm

Neon Maniac wrote:I really didn't like any of the ones you mentioned either. A lot of them were small stories in big books. Delores was well written, but just didn't do it for me. I really liked Desperation until the kid prays. Then it was like I just wasted all of my time. Because, any conflict can now be resolved by asking God to fix it for you, and he will. So it's not a matter of how something is going to be solved, it's just going to be a matter of when a character prays.

Wait, am I to understand it that God is a the magical negro in Desperation?

(I have not read Desperation.)

by **Neon Maniac** » Thu May 24, 2012 2:12 am

Alien Redrum wrote:

Wait, am I to understand it that God is a the magical negro in Desperation?

(I have not read Desperation.)

No, this isn't one of the magical negro books, it's a smarter than the adults kid book like Cell. The sequel/companion to Desperation (Regulators) is a mentally handicapped kid book. I'd recommend Desperation for sure since I know you're a big King fan (surprised you never read it). It's a really gripping story. I read it in like 2 days on a business trip a few years ago, it was that good to not want to put it down in the hotel. It's got great characters and a really interesting Big Evil. Just know that it builds to an awesome climax, you're down to a few pages and are wondering, "How the heck is this going to end?!?!", the kid who's smarter than the adults prays to God to fix everything, He does, the end.

The movie was decent, but the book was seriously WTF crazy as hell in a lot of parts, with a good mystery component to it. If you want to read it, I'll make up a new ending for you. Just tell me when you get to the part at the end where the kid prays and I'll PM you what really happened.

New Guy is not going to get what we're talking about with Magical Negro. Really, it's not being used offensively. Google it! :lol:

by **Neon Maniac** » Thu May 24, 2012 2:19 am

19itmicmac wrote:

I won't lie and say that was my favorite part (I am in no way religious) but it just wasn't enough for me to dislike it. To be honest, if I let little things like that get under my skin, I doubt that I would have anything left to read. Not one book that I have read has been complete and satisfactory.

It was for me, because I thought it was a great book (see post above) and I felt cheated by the ending. Religiosity aside, I think it's unfair to the readers. For me, a big part of any story is seeing how it's going to be wrapped up at the end, that fantastic climax to see how the heroes win. But you can just write anything you want, make it as hopeless as you want with the most helpless heroes, and have them pray and that's that. The ancient Greeks used to do this, it's called deus ex machina. They'd create some totally crazy situation, when you had no idea what was going to happen next one of their gods would descend from the sky, fix everything, and go away. I just think King could do a better job, he's a creative guy. Dean Koontz has done that too.

by **19itmicmac** » Tue May 29, 2012 4:06 pm

Neon Maniac wrote:
19itmicmac wrote:

I won't lie and say that was my favorite part (I am in no way religious) but it just wasn't enough for me to dislike it. To be honest, if I let little things like that get under my skin, I doubt that I would have anything left to read. Not one book that I have read has been complete and satisfactory.

It was for me, because I thought it was a great book (see post above) and I felt cheated by the ending. Religiosity aside, I think it's unfair to the readers. For me, a big part of any story is seeing how it's going to be wrapped up at the end, that fantastic climax to see how the heroes win. But you can just write anything you want, make it as hopeless as you want with the most helpless heroes, and have them pray and that's that. The ancient Greeks used to do this, it's called deus ex machina. They'd create some totally crazy situation, when you had no idea what was going to happen next one of their gods would descend from the sky, fix everything, and go away. I just think King could do a better job, he's a creative guy. Dean Koontz has done that too.

I get what you're saying and yes it was a message from "God" that told the boy what to do but it wasn't like he swooped out of heaven or whatever to save them, they still could have screwed it up. You know though, I believe that is the only time King has used that "God" scenario.

I get the "magical negro" reference, lol.

Listen guys I don't want you to think that I don't notice these kind of things, it is just that no other writer gets me excited like King does, I always enjoy his works even when they are not his best because usually his worst is still better than the best of most others.

by **19itmicmac** » Wed May 30, 2012 12:00 am

I take that back, The Stand had a similar scenario, probably why it isn't among my top 10 favorites of his.

by **Neon Maniac** » Wed May 30, 2012 2:35 am

No, don't get me wrong, different strokes and all that. Like what you want to like. I like him to, and I know AR does as well, but it's just damn frustrating when he calls on an invincible power to solve it all.

by **Alien Redrum** » Wed May 30, 2012 3:48 am

Or a magical negro. :mad:

by **TGM** » Wed May 30, 2012 11:50 am

Stephen King is the Nickleback of the literary world.

by **Alien Redrum** » Wed May 30, 2012 12:48 pm

I like Nickleback.

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