Do you think steven king is a good author?What are some of his best books? What are they about?
2007-04-02 06:42:42 · 11 answers · asked by nickelback726 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Who else is good but has less scary books? I like books that are maybe historical or have to do with crime/mafia?
2007-04-02 07:05:07 · update #1
i love his books. you should read the dark tower series. the first book (the gunslinger) is hard to get through, but the rest of them are fantastic (there are 7 all together, however most of his books connect to the dark tower series in some way or other). a lot of his books/short stories are not scary, he has just been stereotyped as a scary author!
2007-04-02 09:18:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stephen King's best work is by far his earliest work. The novels Carrie, The Shining, and 'Salem's Lot are some of his best books, and they were also the first three he wrote. King is very good at setting the scene, and he always has a very intimate knowledge of his setting and characters. However, recently his books have become poorly developed. Many of them read as though there was little thought put into the plot or the characters. I believe this is a result of King feeling the need to churn out new books every month or so (or so it feels like). He's partially redeemed himself with his Dark Tower series, which is a dark fantasy that also revisits some of his earlier characters and ideas. I highly recommend starting with either Carrie, The Shining, or 'Salem's Lot if you're interested in King.
Carrie is about a girl with a very overbearing, malicious mother. She's also picked on at school by just about everyone, until she learns she has telekinesis. Very intense, character-driven book. The Shining is about an alcoholic writer who accepts a position as the overseer of a summer resort during the winter months. He lives there alone with his family, but things are not as peaceful as they might be. Another great, character-driven thriller. 'Salem's Lot is King's take on a vampire novel. The inspiration was a stray question of what things might be like if Dracula came to modern America. The result is a very chilling, gripping story.
If you're more interested in crime novels, I also have some suggestions. First of all, Mario Puzo's The Godfather is the quintessential mafia novel. It also inspired the movie trilogy of the same name. You may also be interested in classics like Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, which is a very psychological book.
2007-04-02 14:14:49 · answer #2 · answered by ap1188 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really like his earlier books - The Shining, and Salem's Lot - they're scary, but not gory. Another good author is John Saul.
2007-04-02 14:13:07 · answer #3 · answered by Cindy B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES!!! My favorite book is Misery. It is about a writer who gets into a car accident and is taken hostage by a crazy fan of his. All of his books are really great. The only ones I didn't absolutely love were the girl who met tom Gordan and cujo. If you look for books by King check out Richard Bachman too. that was his pseudonym. For more info on him and his books check out http://www.stephenking.com/
2007-04-02 13:53:34 · answer #4 · answered by crazy_for_writing 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
stephen king has been aptly named in some writing circles as a pulp fiction writer, meaning that his books are not necessarily classified as fine fiction or classical writing but more along the lines as a mass produced writer such as clive barker, danielle steele etc. stephen king though is undeniably an exellent writer who subscribes to the classic vision of writing a good story. too often poets and writer such as myself dismiss stephen king merely as a writer for the untrained artist, but that in itself would be a phallacy of literature. stephen king is a great read especially if you are in the mood for some intellectual horror writing, he does weave a good tale, i would recommend THE STAND, ROSE MATTER, DOLORES CLAIBORNE, THE GUNSLINGER SERIES, THE SHINING---well heck just pick up a book and began the adventure. whats important is that you are reading, keeping your mind acute.
2007-04-02 14:40:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read "Cycle of the Werewolf" and see how he describes what a small town is like.
I think his scariest book was "The Shining".
I think his best book was "It", followed closely by "The Stand".
2007-04-02 13:51:49 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. My two favorites are Shawshank Redemption and The Long Walk.
2007-04-02 15:55:33 · answer #7 · answered by Optimistic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of his books are good; but he has become a little bit too commercial
2007-04-02 13:51:36 · answer #8 · answered by jose g 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
correct me if i'm wron, but its stephen.
He is great at plot development, and character development. But the man can't write an ending to save his life.
2007-04-02 13:55:09 · answer #9 · answered by Monc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is decent. Two of his best books are "Misery" and "The Shining."
2007-04-02 14:20:10 · answer #10 · answered by JAWBONE!!!! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋