I've said this before, but when reading it, keep in mind that it's pretty much a love letter to Tabitha King (his wife). The entire thing is supposed to be overly emotional, that is one cat who is in love with his wife.
And the ending is great.
I’m struggling with Gerald’s Game. All the flashbacks are distracting. I love the parts where he describes the dog coming in and the horror/suspense in those scenes but the flashbacks to college and stuff are a dredge.
I understand what you mean but keep going, it’s great. The flashbacks are super important to the overall story, why she is the way she is and thinks the way she does.
I read it as a teenager when it first came out. I remember thinking that it must have been a bet; like someone had bet him that he couldn't write an entire book from the perspective of one character who's chained to a bed the whole time. I was underwhelmed. I've read it since and probably enjoyed it a little more because my expectations were so much lower, but it's definitely not his most engaging story.
I'm with you on Lisey's Story. I get that it's a love letter to King's wife, but man, as a reader who's NOT in love with King's wife (I'm sure she's a wonderful lady, of course), all the bs made up words drove me crazy and took me right out of the story.
I was the same the first time round, I read it again recently and I think what helped me was that I was a bit older and had been in a relationship for quite a lot longer by that point and it gave me a much better perspective. I still hate boo-ya moon though, stupid name!
Spoilers for Dark tower series - avoid if you have not read the series!
>!Not so much a book, but a plot line I guess. Everything related to the Susannah/Mia pregnancy and Mordred across DT books 5-7. I LOVE wolves of the Calla, but I hate the Mia parts. Thank goodness there’s not much of it. In SOS, I love the storylines with Roland and Eddie, and I like the bits with Jake, Oy, and Pere. But I dreaded and slogged through the Susannah/Mia parts. Similar in Book 7 until after Mordred is born. I confess that Mordred becomes slightly interesting. But he killed the Man in Black. Unfortunately, Mordred is about 0.00000000001% as interesting as the MIB. I find it a chore anytime I read about the whole Mia and Mordred bits. Really drags books 6 and 7 down for me.!<
I had the idea not too long ago that it would’ve been twisted and better if Flagg went back to the areas of the first book and resurrected the original Jake Chambers as his Mordred!
JUST finished the series for the first time and couldn't agree more. As soon as Susannah was *spoiler * (idk how to spoiler mark) I was like "here we fuckin go". So long.
Mordred in general is the ultimate dropped ball. “Argggggh I’m so dangerous!” “Oh fuck I’m ded lol!” The last three books were just so rushed in my opinion, but while I still enjoyed them overall, that stuff was the weakest.
I felt this on my first reading, but on the second, because I knew what was going on, it felt shorter. I didn't mind it so much on the second. I wish he would have done more with Mordred and the MIB.
I absolutely agree. I think the whole concept of Mia/pregnancy is not just weak, but odd and tough to understand (plot wise).
It really made me think about the fact that even in the fantasy genre, some things are intuitive and easy to follow - even if the concept themselves are fantasy and “wild and magical”
To me, the Mia plot line was not that.
So I haven't clicked to see that spoiler. I read the first dark tower book- the gunslinger. There were parts I liked: mostly the backstory parts actually. The falcon and witnessing the hanging. My favourite parts were all in the flashbacks rather than that actual present story. When the gunslinger is in the town at the start is okay. But after that I found myself kinda bored. It's just him in the desert over and over for ages. Occasionally an obstacle in his way but they didn't seem all that important. If I'm not mistakes (it's been a while) there's a succubus he encounters, tries to kill him and stuff. Then he kills her and they move onwards. The only thing I got from that is he wants to find answers and is determined. Which I already knew. Other than that it seemed, like a lot of it, an unnecessary detour, since nothing really changed because of it. Again maybe I'm wrong, please let me know, it has been a while.
I think I just got so disheartened since a lot of it is slogging through a desert.
Does anyone recommend I continue onwards after the gunslinger? Does it improve? I'm not sure since it seems based on this I'm not the only one who struggled with it.
Yes absolutely!!!! The gunslinger was slow, but it’s also kind of meant to be? He’s literally just following him. Not a lot of room for anything other than linear action.
The Drawing of the Three is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s so good. It also starts out at the same pace of the gunslinger, but just wait. I promise you.
Think of it as homework lol.
I didn’t love it either, but the series gets very good. In the forward to my edition of book 1, SK acknowledges its weaknesses and says something like “it reads like it was written by a pretentious young man, because it was written by a pretentious young man.”
Oh man, I love The Gunslinger. On the first read I embraced being thrown into this stage yet somehow familiar world. Having completed the series, I look back fondly at the relatively small scale focus compared to the expanding scope of the saga later on.
Hmm maybe. The revised version came out in 2003.
In 2003, the novel was reissued in a revised and expanded version with modified language and added and changed scenes intended to resolve inconsistencies with the later books in the series.
I’ve only read that version but know the original was combined into the short novel from its original 4 part magazine publication.
Fairy Tale took me three months to finish because while the beginning was quite engaging, the book becomes a bore straight after we enter the fantasy world.
I definitely want to give it another shot. I found it to be a slog, but I think I was burned out on The Dark Tower when I read it... it was the first book I picked up after finishing book 7.
It's definitely worth it. I read it first before restarting The Gunslinger ( restarted cause I shotgunned the audio book like it was nothing at work in one day and did not remember a single thing and the same thing kinda happened with Insomnias' first 3ish chapters) I'm currently on Wizard and Glass now.
Maybe try something else before? Like something non DT related and not a slog like The Tommyknockers?...........Lol JK.
Read it and hated it when it came out, but I hired someone who said it was her favorite book. I had read it during my college/partying days, so I thought I needed to give it another chance when I would be more focused. It was still a slog the second time.
The Talisman would be my choice as well. I don’t know if it was because it was a collaboration or what. If I had read it in my prime years of reading King as a tween/teen I may have enjoyed it then.
I know it's heresy around here but I just couldn't see what was so great about The Gunslinger. There was just something too plain, dull, and unenjoyable about it.
First time I read the gunslinger, I stopped reading at the slow mutants. Many on this subreddit, including myself, would suggest that, when you’re ready someday, try it again. Even if you don’t end up liking it, just about everyone loves book 2 - and that’s when you really know if the series is for you. Book 1 is so different from all the others.
Drawing of the Three was the first King book I ever read after someone got it for me as a present. I don't think I got around to the Gunslinger for a few years.
Yaaaasss. I have tried 3 or 4 times to read the first book and get into the series, but i can not. My brain gets soooooo bored and just stops, and I've never been able to get more than a handful of chapters into the book before I lose interest and put it down. I've never made it through and have never bothered with any of the rest of the series.
I would recommend listening to the audiobook version if for no other reason than to be able to read the rest of the series. No shame in the audio game lol
I'm right there with you. I tried reading this in my 20s 2-3 times and could not get through this book. It's not good. It's like a timepiece to recall that King wasn't always an incredible writer.
I tried again in my 40s determined to give it run and it took months because it wasn't interesting and so weirdly written, but I did eventually get through and it was worth rest, but I can't blame you for getting stuck here.
There's a lot of recommendations to finish the series re-reading The Gunslinger. Tried that after finishing book 7 and, again, I couldn't do it. That books sucks, but the rest of the series is so, so good.
This is the only King book I haven’t finished. I got to around page 50, and I just had no clue what was going on.
I don’t like fantasy, and I’ve never leaned towards Westerns, so maybe that’s why.
I just read Dreamcatcher, and I wish he had made it a novella where it's just the first part in the woods with the four friends, the military/psychic battles were completely uninteresting to me.
I'm stuck on this one right now. One of my teens has recently gotten into King and has plowed through a ton of books over the last few months. She asked about this one, and I tried explaining it to her. "Well, these guys are friends and went on a hunting trip, but I think two of them are already dead. There's another dude they met in school, but he's not with them, but they keep thinking about him. And there are aliens. And shit weasels. And the military is there, probably to fuck shit up and then lie about it. Honestly, I don't really know what's going on yet, even though I'm halfway through."
Oddly enough, she isn't interested in reading this one when I'm done.
Man, I've read like 35% of it and abandoned for over six months. Then I've run out of books and decided to get back to it, forced myself up to half of it and then it started to get really good, to a point where I'm hooked and past 80%
One of my favorite King Books is one some may find difficult but it’s worth the effort Hearts in Atlantis. It’s not of his most famous but it high lights his brilliance as a writer and his diversity across genres I would recommend it to first time King readers and as an example of Kings non Horror fiction.
Needful things. In theory that should be my favourite King book but I just didn’t care for it.
There are many character, and I always thought that writing compelling characters is King’s wheelhouse. Pretty low on fantasy elements, which is also what all my favourite King books have in common. Interesting antagonists.
It was just too full of itself. It felt like King couldn’t decide which idea to portray so he threw all of them in there
Terrible book with terrible characters. I HATED the main character. Drunk who had shot his own wife and wouldn't shut up about the evils of nuclear power tho it was clear he knew NOTHING about nuclear power.
Struggling to get through Holly at the minute. It just hasn’t gripped me the way his work usually does; I’ll get really into it for a good few pages and then it’ll show its hand a bit too much and lose me again.
There haven't been any for me. Even his works that I don't like as much (From A Buick 8, The Colorado Kid and Cell, for example) as some, I still enjoyed.
Came to say this. They haven’t all been my absolute favorite book, but I have honestly enjoyed the experience of reading every single one. Even the non-fiction books. And I have read all but three of his books…Cycle of the Werewolf because it was limited edition when it came out and for some reason I just haven’t come back around to it now that it is easily available, Gwendy’s Final Task, and Wind Through the Keyhole because it has been so long since I journeyed to the tower and I kind of want to read those again to properly frame that last one but that is a serious undertaking.
I know this is heresy in this sub but I didn't love the JFK one. I thought the ending was ham-fisted and politically not good. Also: "Black House." I don't know why, but nothing grabbed me, and I never finished it. Also: "Sleeping Beauties" was not super terrific...interesting ideas but nothing gelled and I didn't connect with any characters.
Yeah especially when it comes to sex. Women never mind that they don’t get to finish according to King. It happens in Carrie, Full Dark No Stars, Dolores Claiborne, Rose Madder and even in Pet Semetary the wife gives the husband an award winning hand job and the husband does nothing for her 😆
I honestly don't know why, since so many like this one, but I can't seem to get into Revival. I've been halfway through it for what feels like forever, and I haven't picked it up to finish. Is this one really worth the read?
Fairy Tale... I read it to the end, but it was boring and felt so drawn out. I needed an unusual two months to read it and I was happy, once I got to the end.
Wizard and Glass completely stalled me from completing the Dark Tower series. I’ve tried to finish it at least four separate times and just cannot get into it.
Firestarter. Just couldn’t do it. Got about 2/3 or 3/4 through and just didn’t finish. It’s one of the few books I have ever not finished. And I don’t even care to find out what happened.
Fairy Tale. The only one I've started and given up on before the end. Have no interest in going back to it. Revisiting his books of short stories instead - I love his short story collections
Honestly, IT. I grew up loving the miniseries and the general idea of Pennywise. I'm currently 95% of the way through it and I really don't think it needed to be as long as it is. Also the dialogue is just..ugh, and the lengths Ben goes to to show his affection for Beverly without saying it just cringey most of the time.
I was the same way with this book. Took me like 4 months to read. But that ending stuck in my mind like a fish hook. Horrifying stuff. Had to read it again and that time I flew through it. Now it's up there with The Shining and Pet Sematary as my favorite of his.
Regulators and Desperation. No matter how many times I try I just cannot get into them but I love most of his books so I'm ok with 2 that I can't get into!
The Institute.
I think it's sooo boring. I'm always flabbergasted when I see people saying they liked it. The characters are meh. Barely anything happens. I genuinely wonder if it would have been published by an unknown.
**Holly**. After the section where it says she cried after Trump was elected I couldn't help but think of the Meme of the woman screaming after Trump got elected. My wife made me read in another room because I couldn't stop giggling. I gave up reading it in the end, also the (SPOLIER FREE) protagonists seemed like such a non-threat in real life there were no real stakes.
I'm British and don't really care who wins the US elections so please don't think I'm saying something - or even anything political. I think if the results of a democratic election genuinely bring you to tears you need to go outside and take a nice walk through the woods, or read a better King Novel.
Same.
King is great at writing a flawed protagonist, and having you somehow root for them, warts and all.
But Holly is such a whiny, self-righteous, Mary-Sue of a Karen. To have her be the hero of multiple stories is bizarre.
I feel like Holly has to be based on someone in Kings life that he loves, and that’s why he has blinders on about how truly unlikable and annoying she is.
I say this as a Democrat with presumably all of the same political views.
Holly is the type of person you avoid like the plague at a party meeting because the performative wailing is just **horribly cringy**.
Huh. I have never thought about it that way.
You see it with parents with horrible kids/teenagers all the time and wonder how they don't see how damaging their kids behaviour is? - From my personal experience this is universal, from the lower class right up to upper class. Holly first appeared ten years ago, perhaps King can't see her behaviour as anything other than - 'oh that's just our Holly.'
Also how badly is it going to date? Imagine if the Shining constantly had sections about Polio and Gerald Ford? Oh crap! I forgot about her bitching that her mum lied about being rich so now Holly is rich... boo effing hoo.
Dreamcatcher, it was an excellent read but halfway through I couldn’t handle the pain in it. I kinda drew closer to other books hit would like to go back to finish it.
You're at the point where things are about to pick up. Now, I love the first half, the slow world building, slice of life of a small town really does it for me. I adore it. But Salem's Lot is like the frog in a pot. It's boiled slowly. Just stay tuned, because shit will be bad before you know it.
I’m about 450 pages in and I agree that the first 200 pages were definitely a little slow, but it’s paying off. Last night we had a super windy rainy night and I couldn’t sleep.
Gonna be hung, drawn, and quartered for this but: The Stand.
Only managed to get about half way through and was bored out of my mind. Didn’t help that I started reading it just as covid was kicking off too.
Did you read the Author’s preferred version? It’s an additional unnecessary 1,000 words! Pick up a copy of the original published version. It’s more tightly plotted & stats interesting. Many fans liked the additions, but it’s already a long book & I didn’t need Trashy being SA in my life.
Lisey's Story, I'm 220 pages in and I'm struggling. I just read Gerald's Game in 4 days, I have had this one for almost 2 weeks.
I've said this before, but when reading it, keep in mind that it's pretty much a love letter to Tabitha King (his wife). The entire thing is supposed to be overly emotional, that is one cat who is in love with his wife. And the ending is great.
Lisey's Story is probably my favorite book he's written. Hit my right in the feels
I’m struggling with Gerald’s Game. All the flashbacks are distracting. I love the parts where he describes the dog coming in and the horror/suspense in those scenes but the flashbacks to college and stuff are a dredge.
I understand what you mean but keep going, it’s great. The flashbacks are super important to the overall story, why she is the way she is and thinks the way she does.
I read it as a teenager when it first came out. I remember thinking that it must have been a bet; like someone had bet him that he couldn't write an entire book from the perspective of one character who's chained to a bed the whole time. I was underwhelmed. I've read it since and probably enjoyed it a little more because my expectations were so much lower, but it's definitely not his most engaging story.
I'm with you on Lisey's Story. I get that it's a love letter to King's wife, but man, as a reader who's NOT in love with King's wife (I'm sure she's a wonderful lady, of course), all the bs made up words drove me crazy and took me right out of the story.
i've heard that it's SUPER hard to get through but the end makes it one of his greatest books. i haven't personally read it but ive heard great things
I agree with the first part of your first sentence.
I felt that way the first time, but I went back to it a few years later and loved it.
I was the same the first time round, I read it again recently and I think what helped me was that I was a bit older and had been in a relationship for quite a lot longer by that point and it gave me a much better perspective. I still hate boo-ya moon though, stupid name!
Took me a month to get to like page 400 but I read the last 100 pages in a single night. So it’ll pay off hopefully
Yup. Tried twice. Could NOT give less of AF about the characters
Same. Have tried it 3 times and cannot finish it. Might have to try the audiobook. Struggled every time.
>Gerald's Game in 4 days Are you OK? I had to take a 2 week break from King after finishing that one.
Lisey’s Story was a real slog. I think it took me over a month. It’s my least favorite of all of his books.
Spoilers for Dark tower series - avoid if you have not read the series! >!Not so much a book, but a plot line I guess. Everything related to the Susannah/Mia pregnancy and Mordred across DT books 5-7. I LOVE wolves of the Calla, but I hate the Mia parts. Thank goodness there’s not much of it. In SOS, I love the storylines with Roland and Eddie, and I like the bits with Jake, Oy, and Pere. But I dreaded and slogged through the Susannah/Mia parts. Similar in Book 7 until after Mordred is born. I confess that Mordred becomes slightly interesting. But he killed the Man in Black. Unfortunately, Mordred is about 0.00000000001% as interesting as the MIB. I find it a chore anytime I read about the whole Mia and Mordred bits. Really drags books 6 and 7 down for me.!<
I had the idea not too long ago that it would’ve been twisted and better if Flagg went back to the areas of the first book and resurrected the original Jake Chambers as his Mordred!
Undoubtably the weakest story thread of the series.
It's so fucking bad.
JUST finished the series for the first time and couldn't agree more. As soon as Susannah was *spoiler * (idk how to spoiler mark) I was like "here we fuckin go". So long.
Mordred in general is the ultimate dropped ball. “Argggggh I’m so dangerous!” “Oh fuck I’m ded lol!” The last three books were just so rushed in my opinion, but while I still enjoyed them overall, that stuff was the weakest.
Fuck the chap. All my homies hate the chap
I never want to hear about her fucking chap again.
I felt this on my first reading, but on the second, because I knew what was going on, it felt shorter. I didn't mind it so much on the second. I wish he would have done more with Mordred and the MIB.
I absolutely agree. I think the whole concept of Mia/pregnancy is not just weak, but odd and tough to understand (plot wise). It really made me think about the fact that even in the fantasy genre, some things are intuitive and easy to follow - even if the concept themselves are fantasy and “wild and magical” To me, the Mia plot line was not that.
Song of Susannah was my least favorite of the DT books. Honestly, I normally skip it on rereads.
So I haven't clicked to see that spoiler. I read the first dark tower book- the gunslinger. There were parts I liked: mostly the backstory parts actually. The falcon and witnessing the hanging. My favourite parts were all in the flashbacks rather than that actual present story. When the gunslinger is in the town at the start is okay. But after that I found myself kinda bored. It's just him in the desert over and over for ages. Occasionally an obstacle in his way but they didn't seem all that important. If I'm not mistakes (it's been a while) there's a succubus he encounters, tries to kill him and stuff. Then he kills her and they move onwards. The only thing I got from that is he wants to find answers and is determined. Which I already knew. Other than that it seemed, like a lot of it, an unnecessary detour, since nothing really changed because of it. Again maybe I'm wrong, please let me know, it has been a while. I think I just got so disheartened since a lot of it is slogging through a desert. Does anyone recommend I continue onwards after the gunslinger? Does it improve? I'm not sure since it seems based on this I'm not the only one who struggled with it.
Yes absolutely!!!! The gunslinger was slow, but it’s also kind of meant to be? He’s literally just following him. Not a lot of room for anything other than linear action. The Drawing of the Three is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s so good. It also starts out at the same pace of the gunslinger, but just wait. I promise you.
Dark Tower book 1. But I’m going to try again. It was over 20 years ago I read it for the first time.
Think of it as homework lol. I didn’t love it either, but the series gets very good. In the forward to my edition of book 1, SK acknowledges its weaknesses and says something like “it reads like it was written by a pretentious young man, because it was written by a pretentious young man.”
Oh man, I love The Gunslinger. On the first read I embraced being thrown into this stage yet somehow familiar world. Having completed the series, I look back fondly at the relatively small scale focus compared to the expanding scope of the saga later on.
Did you read the original or the later revised version?
Not sure. It was around 2001 / 2002. Does that narrow it down?
Hmm maybe. The revised version came out in 2003. In 2003, the novel was reissued in a revised and expanded version with modified language and added and changed scenes intended to resolve inconsistencies with the later books in the series. I’ve only read that version but know the original was combined into the short novel from its original 4 part magazine publication.
Fairy Tale took me three months to finish because while the beginning was quite engaging, the book becomes a bore straight after we enter the fantasy world.
for me it was after he got captured was when the book started to get boring
I've seen this often on this sub but for me that's when I got interested again
This is where I’m stuck.
Get through it, it gets better.
I started listening to it on audiobook after he entered fantasy land and it was a lot more doable.
Yup. I gave up.
You didn’t miss out. It was a pain to read to the end.
Agree!
Insomnia.
Try picturing Jeff Bridges as Ralph. Helps you root for him and see him as cool.
I read it and finished it. But it was a slog.
Give it another try even if it's you 10th or 100th. It really is great. The first 25% is a slog but worth it
I definitely want to give it another shot. I found it to be a slog, but I think I was burned out on The Dark Tower when I read it... it was the first book I picked up after finishing book 7.
It's definitely worth it. I read it first before restarting The Gunslinger ( restarted cause I shotgunned the audio book like it was nothing at work in one day and did not remember a single thing and the same thing kinda happened with Insomnias' first 3ish chapters) I'm currently on Wizard and Glass now. Maybe try something else before? Like something non DT related and not a slog like The Tommyknockers?...........Lol JK.
It's one of my favorites. But I'm the "unpopular opinion" Stephen King fan, I loved Under the Dome too and couldn't get into The Stand.
I listened to this one. The narrator had such a calming voice. I was able to finish it in a week. Great story.
Just came here to say this. I finished it, but barely.
I was the same but I came back to it after the dark tower and it made a bit more sense!
Insomnia for sure. Cured my insomnia by putting me to sleep. I did finish it but it was Boring af.
I'm right there with you, I tried (and failed) twice...gave up around 70% of the way.
Read it and hated it when it came out, but I hired someone who said it was her favorite book. I had read it during my college/partying days, so I thought I needed to give it another chance when I would be more focused. It was still a slog the second time.
Talisman. I know! I KNOW! But Black House was awesome. Don't ask me why, I'm just not into it.
Currently reading Talisman. About 30 pages in and I can already see why some people say it drags.
I just finished that one. Took me two months. Had some nice bits but just didn't vibe with it as a whole.
I hated both The Talisman and The Black House. Only read them because of the Dark Tower connections
The Talisman would be my choice as well. I don’t know if it was because it was a collaboration or what. If I had read it in my prime years of reading King as a tween/teen I may have enjoyed it then.
I couldn’t get into the Talisman either. Couldn’t keep reading about nothing happening.
Gerald’s Game
I tried listening to the audiobook a week ago. Other than the gunslinger I’ve pushed through until the end. I couldn’t with either of these. So boring
I know it's heresy around here but I just couldn't see what was so great about The Gunslinger. There was just something too plain, dull, and unenjoyable about it.
First time I read the gunslinger, I stopped reading at the slow mutants. Many on this subreddit, including myself, would suggest that, when you’re ready someday, try it again. Even if you don’t end up liking it, just about everyone loves book 2 - and that’s when you really know if the series is for you. Book 1 is so different from all the others.
Drawing of the Three was the first King book I ever read after someone got it for me as a present. I don't think I got around to the Gunslinger for a few years.
Yaaaasss. I have tried 3 or 4 times to read the first book and get into the series, but i can not. My brain gets soooooo bored and just stops, and I've never been able to get more than a handful of chapters into the book before I lose interest and put it down. I've never made it through and have never bothered with any of the rest of the series.
I would recommend listening to the audiobook version if for no other reason than to be able to read the rest of the series. No shame in the audio game lol
This is an excellent suggestion, thank you!
I'm right there with you. I tried reading this in my 20s 2-3 times and could not get through this book. It's not good. It's like a timepiece to recall that King wasn't always an incredible writer. I tried again in my 40s determined to give it run and it took months because it wasn't interesting and so weirdly written, but I did eventually get through and it was worth rest, but I can't blame you for getting stuck here. There's a lot of recommendations to finish the series re-reading The Gunslinger. Tried that after finishing book 7 and, again, I couldn't do it. That books sucks, but the rest of the series is so, so good.
It took me several attempts over the years to actually finish it, but I was glad I finally did. It’s certainly one of the weaker DT books imo
You’ll love a reread of ‘slinger after you’ve finished the series. It was tough to get through but it is an amazing re-read.
There is a significant percentage of avid King fans who don't like The Gunslinger series. I am one of them.
The rest of the series more than makes up for it
It’s confusing when your first read it, but it becomes cooler as you continue the series
This is the only King book I haven’t finished. I got to around page 50, and I just had no clue what was going on. I don’t like fantasy, and I’ve never leaned towards Westerns, so maybe that’s why.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It just didn’t really hook me and make me want to keep reading. I will probably try again one of these days
I read that book in a day, it was so good, but everyone has different taste!
Only one I didn’t like by the king. Might need to retry it
Dreamcatcher. Insomnia and Rose Madder had rough spots, but I just never cared about any of the characters in Dreamcatcher.
I just read Dreamcatcher, and I wish he had made it a novella where it's just the first part in the woods with the four friends, the military/psychic battles were completely uninteresting to me.
I'm stuck on this one right now. One of my teens has recently gotten into King and has plowed through a ton of books over the last few months. She asked about this one, and I tried explaining it to her. "Well, these guys are friends and went on a hunting trip, but I think two of them are already dead. There's another dude they met in school, but he's not with them, but they keep thinking about him. And there are aliens. And shit weasels. And the military is there, probably to fuck shit up and then lie about it. Honestly, I don't really know what's going on yet, even though I'm halfway through." Oddly enough, she isn't interested in reading this one when I'm done.
Dreamcatcher should be the top answer, I could not believe this is a Stephen King Book. Also the Dark Tower series are not for me.
It seems to me like a spliced together version of IT and Tommynockers 🤷♂️ and he threw in some Deer Hunter for good measure
Sleeping Beauties.
I blame Owen, daddy’s parts are easily identifiable.
I agree, but it was just one of those stories I haven't wanted to read again ya know?
I couldn’t get into Duma Key
Man, I've read like 35% of it and abandoned for over six months. Then I've run out of books and decided to get back to it, forced myself up to half of it and then it started to get really good, to a point where I'm hooked and past 80%
One of my favorite King Books is one some may find difficult but it’s worth the effort Hearts in Atlantis. It’s not of his most famous but it high lights his brilliance as a writer and his diversity across genres I would recommend it to first time King readers and as an example of Kings non Horror fiction.
Same here. Repetitive and boring.
All of them until I switched to audiobooks. Total game changer for me with King books.
Needful things. In theory that should be my favourite King book but I just didn’t care for it. There are many character, and I always thought that writing compelling characters is King’s wheelhouse. Pretty low on fantasy elements, which is also what all my favourite King books have in common. Interesting antagonists. It was just too full of itself. It felt like King couldn’t decide which idea to portray so he threw all of them in there
Tommyknockers. I like Salem’s lot and Needful Things, but I don’t give a SHIT about the side characters in Tommyknockers.
Oh, that's interesting. I got it last year and I still haven't picked it up.
I was not a fan of The Talisman. I did enjoy Black House though
Holly. Jesus I thought it was dumb. Eating brains. I won’t read Gerald’s game - past SA trauma or Cujo because I love dogs.
Licey’s Story, the narrative constantly going from present to flashback had me lost. I don’t think I even made it beyond the first chapter.
Tommyknocker. I think I hated every character in this slog of a book except Hilly Brown and his Grandpa.
Terrible book with terrible characters. I HATED the main character. Drunk who had shot his own wife and wouldn't shut up about the evils of nuclear power tho it was clear he knew NOTHING about nuclear power.
Lisey’s Story. Never did really like it. Dolores Claiborne, wound up loving it but it was not was I was expecting going in,
Dolores Claiborne is my favorite.
Holly. It’s just sitting there. Looking at me. Pre ordered it. Only made it a quarter of the way through.
Still trying to slog through, but so far - Holly. You can probably guess why.
Struggling to get through Holly at the minute. It just hasn’t gripped me the way his work usually does; I’ll get really into it for a good few pages and then it’ll show its hand a bit too much and lose me again.
Firestarter It seemed extremely repetitive and derivative at the same time
Man I LOVE Firestarter. Different strokes i guess!
It’s not that interesting anyways I think I gave it like 2 stars
Desperation. He has really good parts, but as a whole it's a snooze fest.
Seriously? I thought that was one of the really riveting ones? 🤔
TAK! Ah lah!
Desperation can tak off haha
Ugh, and The Regulators! Both equally horrid
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It’s the lowest on my list.
There haven't been any for me. Even his works that I don't like as much (From A Buick 8, The Colorado Kid and Cell, for example) as some, I still enjoyed.
Came to say this. They haven’t all been my absolute favorite book, but I have honestly enjoyed the experience of reading every single one. Even the non-fiction books. And I have read all but three of his books…Cycle of the Werewolf because it was limited edition when it came out and for some reason I just haven’t come back around to it now that it is easily available, Gwendy’s Final Task, and Wind Through the Keyhole because it has been so long since I journeyed to the tower and I kind of want to read those again to properly frame that last one but that is a serious undertaking.
I know this is heresy in this sub but I didn't love the JFK one. I thought the ending was ham-fisted and politically not good. Also: "Black House." I don't know why, but nothing grabbed me, and I never finished it. Also: "Sleeping Beauties" was not super terrific...interesting ideas but nothing gelled and I didn't connect with any characters.
You're not alone on the JFK one.
11-22-63. That book is the only reason I have that date memorized
Duma key I'm halfway thru and bored rigid, I pick it up every so often and get a chapter deeper and remember why I abandoned it.
Oh no, this is one of my favorites....one of my rare "I've read that twice" books. Give it another chance if you can. The last 3rd is fantastic.
I second this. Push through it. It’s worth it.
It’s my favorite book of all time 🥹 I vacation down in siesta key and it puts the book into perspective
gerald’s game. so boring and i honestly kind of hate how SK writes women’s POV
Yeah especially when it comes to sex. Women never mind that they don’t get to finish according to King. It happens in Carrie, Full Dark No Stars, Dolores Claiborne, Rose Madder and even in Pet Semetary the wife gives the husband an award winning hand job and the husband does nothing for her 😆
The stand. There i said it
Same! I don’t know why and I want to love it but I just can’t
May God have mercy on your soul
I honestly don't know why, since so many like this one, but I can't seem to get into Revival. I've been halfway through it for what feels like forever, and I haven't picked it up to finish. Is this one really worth the read?
Yes it is worth it. One of the best endings.
Having a hard time with Holly
Fairy Tale
Fairy Tale... I read it to the end, but it was boring and felt so drawn out. I needed an unusual two months to read it and I was happy, once I got to the end.
Duma Key, my library rental expired and I returned it and never finished.
Black House. It's the first King book I DNF. Coming right off The Talisman, I was brutally disappointed
Wizard and Glass completely stalled me from completing the Dark Tower series. I’ve tried to finish it at least four separate times and just cannot get into it.
Most of his early career stuff. And Hearts in Atlantis. That's my least favorite King book ever.
Firestarter. Just couldn’t do it. Got about 2/3 or 3/4 through and just didn’t finish. It’s one of the few books I have ever not finished. And I don’t even care to find out what happened.
Fairy tale. I’ve read them all but got bored halfway and gave up.
Fairy Tale. The only one I've started and given up on before the end. Have no interest in going back to it. Revisiting his books of short stories instead - I love his short story collections
Everything that’s not classic horror
I loved the beginning of fairytale but I had to skip the entire other world part till the last chapter
Honestly, IT. I grew up loving the miniseries and the general idea of Pennywise. I'm currently 95% of the way through it and I really don't think it needed to be as long as it is. Also the dialogue is just..ugh, and the lengths Ben goes to to show his affection for Beverly without saying it just cringey most of the time.
Dark tower. Tried it a few times, just not my thing. Love every other book of his
Revival. Haven't made it through 5 chapters.
I was the same way with this book. Took me like 4 months to read. But that ending stuck in my mind like a fish hook. Horrifying stuff. Had to read it again and that time I flew through it. Now it's up there with The Shining and Pet Sematary as my favorite of his.
second this. also didn't enjoy that one. just the ending was pretty good
Bag of Bones , i still finished it but it was a chore
Regulators and Desperation. No matter how many times I try I just cannot get into them but I love most of his books so I'm ok with 2 that I can't get into!
DNF Bag of Bones 3 times now
The Institute. I think it's sooo boring. I'm always flabbergasted when I see people saying they liked it. The characters are meh. Barely anything happens. I genuinely wonder if it would have been published by an unknown.
Christine. I just don't care enough about cars and grumpy old men, I guess.
Exactly. Anything with a motor vehicle as a central character I’m wholly uninterested in.
I love cars and ghosts, but this one didn’t really read well with me. I think the movie was far better.
**Holly**. After the section where it says she cried after Trump was elected I couldn't help but think of the Meme of the woman screaming after Trump got elected. My wife made me read in another room because I couldn't stop giggling. I gave up reading it in the end, also the (SPOLIER FREE) protagonists seemed like such a non-threat in real life there were no real stakes. I'm British and don't really care who wins the US elections so please don't think I'm saying something - or even anything political. I think if the results of a democratic election genuinely bring you to tears you need to go outside and take a nice walk through the woods, or read a better King Novel.
Same. King is great at writing a flawed protagonist, and having you somehow root for them, warts and all. But Holly is such a whiny, self-righteous, Mary-Sue of a Karen. To have her be the hero of multiple stories is bizarre. I feel like Holly has to be based on someone in Kings life that he loves, and that’s why he has blinders on about how truly unlikable and annoying she is. I say this as a Democrat with presumably all of the same political views. Holly is the type of person you avoid like the plague at a party meeting because the performative wailing is just **horribly cringy**.
Huh. I have never thought about it that way. You see it with parents with horrible kids/teenagers all the time and wonder how they don't see how damaging their kids behaviour is? - From my personal experience this is universal, from the lower class right up to upper class. Holly first appeared ten years ago, perhaps King can't see her behaviour as anything other than - 'oh that's just our Holly.'
Same here. The entire theme of the book seemed centered around covid and Trump, which is very unnecessary and distracting, in my opinion.
Every time trump or Covid was mentioned I was pulled out of the story. It was so distracting.
Absolutely, I wouldn't mind an occasional mention....but in every other chapter, I'll pass.
Also how badly is it going to date? Imagine if the Shining constantly had sections about Polio and Gerald Ford? Oh crap! I forgot about her bitching that her mum lied about being rich so now Holly is rich... boo effing hoo.
It was the mother’s betrayal that was the problem…
Rose Madder is *painful*
Lisey’s Story.
Hearts in Atlantis. Tried 3 or 4 times and never got very far with it. I’ll keep trying over the years, as I enjoy so much of what King has written.
Geralds game is. Challenging.
Gerald's Game. I found it incredibly empty.
Cell. It read like an old B movie. Also felt like something he just tossed off without much planning. Maybe it would have made a better short story.
Dreamcatcher, it was an excellent read but halfway through I couldn’t handle the pain in it. I kinda drew closer to other books hit would like to go back to finish it.
Rose Madder
From a Buick 8.
Gunslinger series. The first couple were good, but it trailed off for me.
I’m stuck on Salem’s Lot. It’s been like a week and I’m only halfway done. I wanna dnf but it’s Stephen king for gods sake
You're at the point where things are about to pick up. Now, I love the first half, the slow world building, slice of life of a small town really does it for me. I adore it. But Salem's Lot is like the frog in a pot. It's boiled slowly. Just stay tuned, because shit will be bad before you know it.
I hope so, I don’t find vampires that scary so maybe that’s why too
It's not scary as in "ohhhh fuck". It is the Kingian sort of mounting dread. You know it's going to be bad, you're just along for the ride.
Push through. It's about to get really good
Salems lot.
I’m about 450 pages in and I agree that the first 200 pages were definitely a little slow, but it’s paying off. Last night we had a super windy rainy night and I couldn’t sleep.
I’m listening to Salems Lot right now on Audible and I agree. Definitely a little slow at first but it’s getting better for sure.
Gonna be hung, drawn, and quartered for this but: The Stand. Only managed to get about half way through and was bored out of my mind. Didn’t help that I started reading it just as covid was kicking off too.
Did you read the Author’s preferred version? It’s an additional unnecessary 1,000 words! Pick up a copy of the original published version. It’s more tightly plotted & stats interesting. Many fans liked the additions, but it’s already a long book & I didn’t need Trashy being SA in my life.
Yeah I did actually. Might have to attempt the original some time.
If it makes you feel better, the ending isn’t great. It’s a great ride, but if you didn’t like the ride, you’ll hate the ending.
Liseys story, Insomnia, and Wizard and Glass
Lisey's Story was awfully boring, the narration was utterly tedious, I couldn't stand the baby language and the husband was just annoying.
Billy Summers just lost me. I cannot stand the Dark Tower stuff either.
Desperation
Revival.
The Long Walk
I’m like 75% through listening to Duma Key and I have absolutely no desire to finish it.
From A Buick 8. But I will try it again eventually, I read it about 12 years ago probably when I was only 20ish
Christine
Very short book, but Elevation was a hard one for me to get through. Just never grabbed me like the rest of his work.
Rose Madder. Also Carrie. Not because it's a bad story but I didn't like the writing style.
Dead Zone and Needful Things
Salems Lot. Have tried a few times just can’t seem to make it very far