plain madness

Baron Munchausen · #1 June 24th, 2002, 05:40 AM

Ewww... you actually watch Stephen King movies? Do you seriously think even a 'great' actress like Cate Blanchett could have saved that kind of material?

Jmenschenfresser · #2 June 24th, 2002, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Ewww... you actually watch Stephen King movies? Do you seriously think even a 'great' actress like Cate Blanchett could have saved that kind of material?

Which essentially asks the question (although King might be a skilled or possibly talented writer) does he write good books? As in quality.

Baron Munchausen · #3 June 24th, 2002, 06:04 AM

Actually, I think I just answered that question. But if the hint is too vague let me say that I don't think you should waste any money actually buying a Stephen King book to find out. Check one at the library. Unfortunately, he's very popular and lots of libraries will have some of his books.

Gandalph · #4 June 24th, 2002, 06:12 AM

So, who is your suspense writer of choice. I like Dean Koontz and have read most of his works. He has a way of immersing and involving his readers IMHO.

Baron Munchausen · #5 June 24th, 2002, 06:21 AM

Suspense? I don't read it.

The closest thing I have any interest in is 'mystery' stories but even there I'm old school, as in Sherlock Holmes. Modern stuff is generally stupid and sensationalistic. The only fiction I read with any regularity is Scifi and Fantasy.

The current crop of "SE IV Fiction" on these Boards is quite interesting if a bit simplistic. Of course that's not surprising given the venue.

With thought some of it might be developed into pretty decent stories, though.

geoschmo · #6 June 24th, 2002, 06:33 AM

Well, I can't really speak for King's body of work as a whole. I read The Stand and enjoyed it very much, although I have never read anything else he wrote. I read The Stand not because I like Stephen King, but because I enjoy dark, apocylyptic stories.

The Stand miniseries was not very good, although it had some moments. I just don't think the book could be translated to the screen. I also saw the Langoliers, and that was pretty close to aweful. Four hours long, and just hideous. It might have made a halfway decent 30 minute Twilight Zone episode. You might have even got a 2 hour movie out of it if you stretched it. I have no idea why they tried to drag it out into a miniseries. No suspense in that one at all. And the special effects were even bad by TV standards.

Geoschmo

Jmenschenfresser · #7 June 24th, 2002, 06:53 AM

Don't bother with the great beast of sarcasm Baron...oddly enough, I know of no one who buys King's books, but somehow they have one to lend to you.

Read several, including The Stand (all from the library

).

King's biggest flaw as a writer, or creator of stories, are his endings. There are other faults, but that's the worst.

Come on--a kiddie sex scene in IT to find the correct path in the sewers? The hand of God in the Stand igniting the A-bomb? (being that the endings suck, I can't see how these spoil the them for anyone). It's like he tries to cross a metaphysical ending with a hollywood shootem-up ending....and ends up with lameness in excess.

Right now, I'm reading a stack of Philip Dick novels. When I get to the end of them, I think, "That was pretty good," having at that very moment forgotten that the first 150 pages of it, bored me half to sleep. Like enjoying the flavor of a bite of food only after you've swallowed it. Odd.