Dreamcatcher/Any good recent Stephen King novels?

Ardent

Bit of a review/request here...

I used to read a lot of King books when I was younger and some of his works were excellent, e.g., The Stand, IT, The Shining etc. One of my favourite writers.

However, I just finished Dreamcatcher - my first King book in a while - and thought it was a load of balls. The story wasn't one of his best but, worse, I found myself skipping whole paragraphs and sometimes pages throughout. He certainly wasn't aggressive enough with the red pen, well over 600 pages, much of it filler.

Before DreamCatcher, the last book of his I read was Gerald's Game and that was terrible. I reckon he wrote the plot on the back of an envelope in half an hour.

I'm beginning to worry that King has lost the form that made him the biggest selling author of his time. Can anyone recommend me a good book to retore my faith?

LoLth

King had a pretty bad car accident a good while ago and imho, he started to write complete crap after it. "the girl who loved tom greene" , "bag of bones" etc. He finished up his writing career with "from a buick 8" toted as "The last ever stephen king novel".... until Cell came out.

Cell is a rehash of The Stand but not as in depth and all in all a bit flakey. Lots of loose ends (which is good in a way) but way too many similarities to the stand and too many plot conveniences. Definitely better than anyhting he has written recently but still not up to "classic" king standard (christine, carrie, cujo etc).

King summary (with details on his accident)
http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/crime/story/0,,1306991,00.html

John

The Dark Tower books are the beat ones he's done in years but they aren't as good as the earlier books in the series.

DonkeyStyle \o/

Yeah definitely read the DarkTower series... excellent books.

TerrorFirmer

Dreamcatcher had a good opening but dragged on badly as the book progressed on.

Cell, his newest one - I haven't read it yet but I have bought it and at the very least it sounds extremely promising and a better return to form then some of the more recent books. Which are, to be honest, okay as far as books generally go - but just not Stephen King.

meldrew

Check out Everythings Eventual , his last collection of short stories

py2006

Stephen King is my favourite all time author! I have tried reading other authors but they don't even come close to King. There is a shelf beside me here with 90% of his books gathering dust on it.

I went from reading the Famous Five to picking up a 2nd hand copy of Pet Semetary and I was enthralled!

He has kind of gone off the whole Horror thing in recent years alright. He has also written some books that I just couldn't finish like Geralds Game for instance!

His older books are definitely the best. (Pet Semetary, the Shining, Carrie, IT)

I think he is at his best when he does the short stories.

I have yet to start reading the Cell, I might start it 2nite!

TerrorFirmer

I read half of Cell last night. It's good, but that said, it unfortunately is one of those novels which gathers pace, unlike his older books which are instantly enthralling.

The beginning is very poor, and very unlike King; but it does get going into something brilliant about a quarter of the way through as you progress into the story.

I know what you mean about King being unmatched, I've read alot of horror books in the hope of finding something in the same style and vein and King, but not much luck...

But definately check out Dean Koontz.....didn't like alot of his books to be honest, BUT, he had one great one that was a collection of short stories, just as good as Kings in my opinion and very similar in style. The name of it escapes me.

John

I bought Cell yesterday. I'll probably start it this weekend. Is it just me or does the cover look like it was designed in 1992 as a class project for sixth class pupils doing some basic form of graphic design?

meldrew

The Dean Koontz collection of short stories is called Strange Highways and you're right its excellent . If you're looking for somrthing a bit different then try out Richard Laymon , no great plot twists just sheer thrills and great entertainment , he's been dead the last five years but they are still releasing stuff from him .

Eoin

meldrew wrote:

Check out Everythings Eventual , his last collection of short stories

I quite enjoyed that, having gone against my gut reaction not to buy anything new from him again - though some of the stories in it aren't that new.

These aren't recent books but having re-read them earlier, I think they are among his best: "The Dark Half" and "The Dead Zone".

Dean R Koontz has some cracking plots, but he is one of those authors - like James Patterson - who throws in some absolutely vomit-inducing "hallmark card" like sentimental crap into the middle of the books.

Demetrius

meldrew wrote:

Check out Everythings Eventual , his last collection of short stories

Best thing Ive read of him. One or two stories in there that really stick in the mind

Ho-Hum

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

Yeah definitely read the DarkTower series... excellent books.

Love The Dark Tower series first four are some of his best work, the last three aren't quite as good but still excellent.

Just bought Everythings Eventual and I am about halfway through, some really great stories in there. Another collection I would reccomend is Hearts In Atlantis.

All of the above are great (especially The Dark Tower seies) and if you haven't read them you really should they might just rekindle your faith in the master.

Ardent

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've decided to go for the the first book in the Dark Tower series. The Gun Slinger is the name of it, right?

I might also buy Strange Highways by Dean Koontz.

Ho-Hum

Yep it's The Gunslinger, you won't regret it

iregk

Personally I think Firestarter and Insomnia are great books. The dark half also as someone said is a great read as well.

I do agree though he last pieces have been woeful.

Still think my fav book that he did was Firestarter, basically because of the never ending chase and suspense that he builds up.

_blank_

Big King fan here.

Cell wasn't worth the money, I have to say, although I did enjoy Bag of Bones, I've just finished it, so meh.

I absolutely loved the Dark Tower series, and was more than pleasently surprised to find a Roland story in Everything's Eventual, which, by the way, is an excellent collection.

'Salem's Lot was the first King book I picked up, a really old tatty copy, and it scared the bejesus out of me. I had nightmares!

When I read The Stand I thought I'd never read a better book, but then I read Hearts In Atlantis.

Needful Things was the worst pile of tripe I've read.

John

seansouth wrote:

When I read The Stand I thought I'd never read a better book, but then I read Hearts In Atlantis.

Really? I thought Hearts in Atlantis was all right but it was nothing on The Stand. Stephen King fans eh? What a weird bunch!

Limerick Dude

just bought my first stephen king book today, 'salems lot'. i was going to buy 'the stand' but it wasnt there!

really looking forward to reading this.

meldrew

Did you buy the new extended version? , there are more pages and illustrations I saw it on play for about €20

_blank_

meldrew wrote:

Did you buy the new extended version? , there are more pages and illustrations I saw it on play for about €20

Extended version of 'Salem's Lot?

I'll have to get that myself. Wow, I'll be reading that when it's not dark out, I can tell you.

John

I thought the extended version of Salem's Lot was limited to something ridiculous like 100 copies?

Ho-Hum

Nope its definitley on there

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=BOOK&title=846205&p=91&g=148&pa=sr

John

Just I remember being on a waiting list for a copy from the publishers as it was a madly limited edition, bound in cloth and stuff like that. This must be a normal new edition.

Limerick Dude

nope there are no illustrations in this book.