Stephen King?

Question

Who all likes Stephen King's Novels/Movies? and What are your opinions about him? (I'm a writer myself, and he's my favorite author)

Thanks for your opinons so far! My *short stories* are compared to his ideas, MAybe if somehow, some way, we'd meet, I could ask him if he'd like to work with me? I bet that would get alot of people more interested then, what do you all think?

Thanks again everyone so far. Everything is such excellent information!

Answer 1

I adore his older works. His new books just don't strike the same chord with me, but that could be me getting older, as well.

I really miss Castle Rock. All of the books written in or around Castle Rock are the best. And in my opinion, no one can write a better short story or novella. His collections are amazing, especially Night Shift and Skeleton Crew.

I really miss the feeling I got the first time I read Misery. Or The Shining. 'Salem's Lot.

And The Stand? The best of the best.

As for his movies, again, the older ones were great. Creepshow, The Shining, etc. The ones now are hit or miss for me. But I still watch them.

That said, when he's good, he's the best. When he's not so good, he's still better than the next guy. He can weave a tale like no other. As long as he writes them, I'll keep reading them, I've been doing so since I was 10 years old, I see no reason to stop now. ;) (I used to sneak my mother's copies when she wasn't looking)

Good luck with your writing!

Answer 2

I've never read a novel, novella or short story by him that I did not like, but that's because if I start reading something by him, and I don't like it, I set it down and don't force myself to continue reading it. The most recent one I couldn't get into was "Lisey's Story" and I simply gave it up at around 150 pages because it was boring me.

I have mixed feelings about the films made from his writings. Some of them have made a better transition to the screen than others, in my opinion. I enjoyed The Stand, Pet Sematary, and The Shining, but I didn't think Salem's Lot was so great (bad casting in both versions), and some of the lesser known ones, like Maximum Overdrive were just awful, in my opinion.

I do think he's one of the best contemporary writers out there, and that's not just limiting him to the horror or suspense genre. I think some of his best writing is stuff that doesn't fit into either genre. There's a story in "Night Shift" called "Night Surf" that I think is one of the best and most beautiful short stories I have ever read.

I think there are other writers who write horror or suspense as well as King does, but the biggest difference is that King is a real wordsmith, with an excellent ear for language. Of all horror writers, I would say he writes the best dialogue, and also that he is best at setting a mood, especially using the setting or weather to do so. But his dialogue is really brilliant.

I wish that he'd been an "accepted" writer when I was in college. Back then it was suicide for an English major to admit to liking him, so all my professors seriously doubted my judgement. I am glad he is more generally accepted now for the good writer that he is.

Answer 3

I have been an avid Stephen King fan since Salem's Lot came out way back in the Dark Ages. I am one of his "Constant Readers". ( Hey, Stephen, if you see this, how about another note to we constant readers sometime in one of your books?) In my opinion, it would be hard to beat one of his books. Even his bad ones are good.
If they are making a movie out of one of his books, see the movie first, then read the book. Hollywood, most of the time, has a way butchering the book, so it is better not to go see the movie with preconceived notions in your mind. Out of all the movies that have been made from his work, by far, The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile were the best. That is because the filmmaker followed the novella and the novel to a T. He did absolutely splendid work in bringing the atmosphere and emotion of the original work to the screen.
With Mr. King it would be difficult to name my favorite work. If pressed, I would have to say The Green Mile or Different Seasons are my favorites. The Stand is a very close second or third. I absolutely loved The Talisman, which he cowrote with Peter Straub, but many of my family and friends weren't as enamored of it as was I.
My opinion of him as a writer is very good indeed, as you can tell. There are many who think of him as a hack, but I couldn't disagree with that opinion more. His work will live on long after he is gone, and one couldn't get a better opinion than the one posterity bestows.

Answer 4

In my opinion Stephen King is the MASTER of horror. I was 14 when CARRIE hit book stands and 16 when the film was made. I've been hooked since I was 14! His novel THE STAND is the scariest bit of work to come along since Edgar Allen Poe's THE TELL-TALE HEART. The man is amazing. Films made from his works are seldom as good as the book but most are good enough, I'm an avid reader so I'd almost always choose the book over the film. Did you know that Stephen King is a living enigma? When he was 8 his father went out to 'buy the proverbial pack of cigarettes' and was never seen again? His mother dragged him and his siblings across half the country when he was a child in order to work and support her kids. He was born in Bangor, Maine in 1947, is the father of 3 and now also writes children's stories for his grandchildren. He is living proof that applying ones self towards a dream CAN lead to that dream coming true.

Answer 5

I tend to read either non-fiction ...or stephen king ( and also some classics .. eg Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations)..

I think my favourite Stephen King would have to be THE SHINING .. the book i enjoyed LEAST was THE DARK HALF... I just didn't get into it.

Because his books are so detailed and intricate ( you just couldn't fit everything he writes into a movie) the movies are usually a little short of the book.. although I recently watched the most recent 'Salem's Lot and that was quite good... BUT nobody beats Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrence.

By King's own admission .. many of his earlier books were written in an alcohol and drug haze ... he said in one interview ( i think you can find it on YOUTUBE) that IT was written when he was right out of it and he's amazed that it turned out as well as it did.

Danse Macabe (sp) gives a great insight into his mind ... .It's a scarey interesting place to visit BUT i don't think I'd like to live there

Answer 6

He's one of my favorite writers, his books are so much more fantastic then the movies. Because he can pull you down into this other world that you end up forgetting things around you and you become engulfed in the story. Too bad stories come to an end, but then you know there is another story to take up, since he has written many more books.

Answer 7

Try his son's new book...The Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill, it was great. I do like Stephen King...I just bought the book of short stories called Everything's Eventual it has the story for his new movie1408. my favorite by him is The Shining.

Answer 8

My favorite books are The eyes of the dragon, Dolores Claiborne, Rose Madder, Green Mile, Geralds Game.

My favortie movies are Creepshow, IT, Dolores Claiborne, Green Mile and a few others.

I think he is a really good arthur. I haven't gotten to read any of his longer novels yet but I look forward to doing so.

Answer 9

I find that he's getting a bit stale, though Cell was good and I haven't started Lisey's story yet.

He seems to be rehashing old ideas, and not really changing them too much.

Hell he's even putting out an abandoned book that he found in a drawer

Answer 10

He is one of my favorite writers,but Hollywood doesn't always do him justice.Some of my favorite books by him would be The Shinning (one of the best books in the world!),Salem's Lot,Desperation and the Long Run.
The thing is that when you read one of his books,you feel stuff you don't really get to feel in real life,like chills down your spine,plus his characters are so likeable.I want to read the dark tower books cuz they are soooo famous!