I haven't read the book, but on a thread dedicated to King's stories am I ok to give a shout-out to John Carpenter's adaptation of Christine?
It's a film that you expect little from beforehand, regardless of how mint both King and Carpenter, but then you're about half way through and staggered at just how good it is.
Great adaptation of a great book. I haven't read it for years, but I think Ramrod and Cadillac Ranch are quoted in the chapter headings, along with a bunch of 50s and 60s car songs.
Nice! I think I've read before that the songs played on the radio are (maybe obviously) used to indicate how Christine is feeling at that particular moment. I like the idea of "Ramrod" and "Caddy" telling us something about 'her'.
"Misery" is another King novel that was a successful film. In a way it's horror, but the horror is in the situation, and there's no supernatural elements.
I'd also recommend his early dystopian novella, "The Long Walk". Again the horror is in the situation.
If you're not already a horror fan, I cannot recommend highly enough that you start with one of his short story collections—Night Shift and Skeleton Crew are his first—or one of his collections of novellas: as mentioned, Different Seasons is the first and three of its four stories have been turned into films, with the only one that did, "The Breathing Method," actually being my favorite.
Stephen King is erratic, when he's good he's brilliant, but he's also written some right clunkers. I agree with the suggestion of dipping into the short stories and novellas. There are some real gems in there, and if you don't enjoy one you can quickly move on to another.
As with Kurt Vonnegut Jr, I find Stephen King is actually at best when writing short stories and novellas; I love The Stand and much of The Dark Tower, but it's quite clear when he became Stephen King and no longer had to listen to an editor, and the shorter forms force him to reign in some of his worst tendencies and make it all about the story, the story, the story.
This thread also reminds me to tell everyone that the soundtrack to his collaboration with John Mellencamp, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, is a fantastic album.
@whispered secret Some of his classics like Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, I LOVE the Dark Tower books (but they may not be everyone's cup of tea) The Stand is an incredible epic, The Outsider was recently made into a TV Series, but I think perhaps starting with one of his excellent volumes of short stories might be a way to see if you like his writing? I've just finished If It Bleeds, but others like Four Past Midnight and Just After Sunset also contain some excellent stories.
I must clarify that my post wasn't a dig at Kay, its just one of those things that as a King fan frustrate me. Everyone likes different things. I know folks here who love certain music I just don't 'get'....
@Kay Some great adapations of his books as already mentioned here (The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me) but also some terrible ones. Awful. Even he admits to not liking many of them, including the famous version of The Shining with Jack Nicholson. He has been very vocal on his dislike for that adaptation.
@Kay I actually read that book after seeing the TV series. I really liked the characters and the one character, Holly Gibney, appears in a few of his books. I think he likes her too. I didn't mind the TV series but I know it wasn't universally liked.
I should say, Kay, that King is one of my favorite writers, and I think he is nearly unsurpassed as a storyteller--and I mean by any writer writing in English, ever. But he's not a great writer, a superb master of the language, the way Hemingway, Twain, Morrison were, so again, by all means, he might not work for you.
In my opinion King's strenght is that he can come up with really good stories. Stories that make good movies in the hands of someone else. I don't like the way he writes his books. He describes things with to much detail and leaves very little to the reader to imagine. If someone is fat and in a bad physical shape, Kings writes "He's fat and in a bad physical shape" instead of writing about "creaking floorboards" and the man "panting from getting up from his chair and walking across the room".
Unfortunately, King has a reputation for being a HORROR WRITER and that's all a lot of people know about him... Much like people go 'Springsteen? Ugh... Dancing in the Dark, no thanks'.
I've been a little smug and self satisfied a few times when people have given me the old 'I HATE Stephen King's books' and a few minutes later I ask if they've seen The Green Mile. Bar none they always say its one of the best movies they have ever seen and are then shocked into silence when I tell them it was a near faithful screen adaptation of a Stephen King story.
I've just finished a short story volume titled If It Bleeds and i wouldn't class any of the stories in there as horror, although a couple were among the best stories I've read in ages.
@Jerseyfornia I was...fortunate? I guess? that one of my good friends is an even more devout King fan than I, and he was extremely let down by the final three books, and absolutely hated the last volume.
I had put off reading them for quite some time after the series had ended, but finally started all the way back at the beginning, reading the first for probably the fifth or sixth time, but first time in 20 or so years, and with the knowledge that I was going to hate the final volume, just enjoyed the ride until it spun off the track...and therefore, because I expected it to be nigh upon unreadable, I didn't hate it all that much.
I still hold out hope that he'll redo the last few books at some point and fix the obvious problems, but in the meantime, having such incredibly low expectations was a definite boon.
King has quoted a lot of Springsteen songs in his books. Notably, The Stand and It open with lines from Jungleland and Born In The U.S.A., respectively. Some of his characters and narrations have mentioned Bruce and he even wrote an insane Springsteen fan into The Stand.
While King made his name writing horror, and has certainly returned to that genre again and again throughout his career, he's far from exclusively and maybe even primarily a horror writer. But either way, of course, his stuff isn't for everyone, and that's obviously fine.
And, yes, he's a massive music fan, including specifically Springsteen. I believe for a while he owned the rock and roll radio station in Bangor.
I remember reading the first Clarence reference in IT and beaming. I won't lie in admitting I never picked up the "Wendy, let me in" reference in The Shining though 😬
I haven't read the book, but on a thread dedicated to King's stories am I ok to give a shout-out to John Carpenter's adaptation of Christine?
It's a film that you expect little from beforehand, regardless of how mint both King and Carpenter, but then you're about half way through and staggered at just how good it is.
"Misery" is another King novel that was a successful film. In a way it's horror, but the horror is in the situation, and there's no supernatural elements.
I'd also recommend his early dystopian novella, "The Long Walk". Again the horror is in the situation.
Ok, you have convinced me! I will visit the library and see what they have.
Stephen King is erratic, when he's good he's brilliant, but he's also written some right clunkers. I agree with the suggestion of dipping into the short stories and novellas. There are some real gems in there, and if you don't enjoy one you can quickly move on to another.
This thread also reminds me to tell everyone that the soundtrack to his collaboration with John Mellencamp, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, is a fantastic album.
@whispered secret Some of his classics like Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, I LOVE the Dark Tower books (but they may not be everyone's cup of tea) The Stand is an incredible epic, The Outsider was recently made into a TV Series, but I think perhaps starting with one of his excellent volumes of short stories might be a way to see if you like his writing? I've just finished If It Bleeds, but others like Four Past Midnight and Just After Sunset also contain some excellent stories.
I have never read any Stephen King because I assumed they were horror stories which I would not like. Maybe it is time to try one - suggestions?
I must clarify that my post wasn't a dig at Kay, its just one of those things that as a King fan frustrate me. Everyone likes different things. I know folks here who love certain music I just don't 'get'....
I should say, Kay, that King is one of my favorite writers, and I think he is nearly unsurpassed as a storyteller--and I mean by any writer writing in English, ever. But he's not a great writer, a superb master of the language, the way Hemingway, Twain, Morrison were, so again, by all means, he might not work for you.
Unfortunately, King has a reputation for being a HORROR WRITER and that's all a lot of people know about him... Much like people go 'Springsteen? Ugh... Dancing in the Dark, no thanks'.
I've been a little smug and self satisfied a few times when people have given me the old 'I HATE Stephen King's books' and a few minutes later I ask if they've seen The Green Mile. Bar none they always say its one of the best movies they have ever seen and are then shocked into silence when I tell them it was a near faithful screen adaptation of a Stephen King story.
I've just finished a short story volume titled If It Bleeds and i wouldn't class any of the stories in there as horror, although a couple were among the best stories I've read in ages.
King has quoted a lot of Springsteen songs in his books. Notably, The Stand and It open with lines from Jungleland and Born In The U.S.A., respectively. Some of his characters and narrations have mentioned Bruce and he even wrote an insane Springsteen fan into The Stand.
King tells about first meeting Springsteen:
https://pagesix.com/2016/06/08/stephen-kings-epic-first-meeting-with-bruce-springsteen/
Dunno if I've ever been in such a huge minority but consider me a non-fan of Stephen King. Don't get it, don't enjoy horror, and that's that.
Though certainly didn't know about a Clarence reference.
King is quite the music fan however, didn't he tweet about Justin Townes Earle's death before most of the media?
I remember reading the first Clarence reference in IT and beaming. I won't lie in admitting I never picked up the "Wendy, let me in" reference in The Shining though 😬