The Shining - Stephen King

The_Minister

I've started reading this, but I've seen the movie, so I know what

REDRUM

means. The feeling I get from the first few chapters is that this is one of the big shocks of the book.
Is it worth reading anyway, or should I move on?

Floyd Soul

I don't think that was ever a spoiler for me. The book isn't really a mystery as such and I highly recommend reading it anyway. What I love about the book is the slow change of Jack as the hotel slowly influences him. Fantastic book, and way better than the film.

nc6000

Just finished the audiobook version of this. I spend a lot of time driving so I subscribed to an audiobook site and have an ipod connected in the car.

It's a very good book and better than the film which I also liked. Are any other Stephen King books as good? I was considering getting into the Dark Tower series.

Captain Slow IRL

He's got a new book out "Blaze" - very good, if a little short.

shockwave

Try The Stand, IT, Salems Lot, Misery and Pet Semetary. All good books.

Ho-Hum

nc6000 wrote: »

Just finished the audiobook version of this. I spend a lot of time driving so I subscribed to an audiobook site and have an ipod connected in the car.

It's a very good book and better than the film which I also liked. Are any other Stephen King books as good? I was considering getting into the Dark Tower series.

I'd be a big King fan and I can't recommend The Dark Tower series enough but to get the most out of it there's a few books you should read first.
The Stand
Salem's Lot
Hearts In Atlantis
The Black House

It wouldn't be essential to read them beforehand but it makes The Dark Tower books a much richer experience and they're all brilliant books in their own right as well.

The_Minister

Right, I was 51pages into The Shining, and I was struggling, so I gave it the boot.
Maybe some day I will return to it.

Killme00

Ho-Hum wrote: »

I'd be a big King fan and I can't recommend The Dark Tower series enough but to get the most out of it there's a few books you should read first.
The Stand
Salem's Lot
Hearts In Atlantis
The Black House

It wouldn't be essential to read them beforehand but it makes The Dark Tower books a much richer experience and they're all brilliant books in their own right as well.

Dont read the Black House without reading the Talisman first.

And the Dark Half is very very good too.

Ho-Hum

Yeah sorry about that, forgot about The Talisman

Green Hornet

The Shining is certainly worth a read. As stated earlier most of Kings early material is good but in my opinion got progressively worse the more popular he became. I think most of the post "Christine" stuff is pretty bad to be honest.

Eoin

land9 wrote: »

He's got a new book out "Blaze" - very good, if a little short.

I didn't think much of it. I don't think it's a new story, just a re-hashed version of a short story.

As mentioned; Misery, The Stand, IT, Pet Cemetery are all good. The Talisman is excellent (co-written with someone else). I recently re-read Salem's lot, and it wasn't as good as I remembered.

Not mentioned is The Dark Half and The Dead Zone, both of which are worth a go. Not always popular, but I like The Tommyknockers.

If you like short stories, 4 past Midnight is a good collection of 4 of his - including The Langoliers and Secret Window, Secret Garden which you may have seen on TV.

ncmc

land9 wrote: »

He's got a new book out "Blaze" - very good, if a little short.

I have to say I hated this book, to me it was really obvious that this was a short story fleshed out to try and become a novel. I have to agree with the previous poster who said is new stuff isn't up to much, it's all about the money now!

I have to give a mention to Needful Things, one of my favourite SK's, a cracking story. Many (incl me) think that The Stand is his masterpiece.

jcatony

nc6000 wrote: »

Just finished the audiobook version of this. I spend a lot of time driving so I subscribed to an audiobook site and have an ipod connected in the car.

It's a very good book and better than the film which I also liked. Are any other Stephen King books as good? I was considering getting into the Dark Tower series.

Try Salems lot, Christine and The Tommy Knockers
King was at his very best in his early days.

nc6000

Will do.

BroomBurner

Would second all recommendations for Salem's Lot and Needful Things. Both excellent. As are Firestarter and The Green Mile.

Please avoid Eyes of the Dragon (was that the proper title?). King's forray in to the world of fantasy and wizardry (without any good old fashioned horror) was a complete waste of time. It felt like reading a book a ten year old would have written.

ncmc

BroomBurner wrote: »

Would second all recommendations for Salem's Lot and Needful Things. Both excellent. As are Firestarter and The Green Mile.

Please avoid Eyes of the Dragon (was that the proper title?). King's forray in to the world of fantasy and wizardry (without any good old fashioned horror) was a complete waste of time. It felt like reading a book a ten year old would have written.

The Eyes of the Dragon was aimed at a younger audience. King said at the time that he wanted to write something that his young children could enjoy. I think if you read it knowing this you'll enjoy it more.

BroomBurner

ncmc wrote: »

The Eyes of the Dragon was aimed at a younger audience. King said at the time that he wanted to write something that his young children could enjoy. I think if you read it knowing this you'll enjoy it more.

Oh my God, regardless of who it was aimed at, it was insulting to read. The Hobbit was aimed for kids, and, dare I say it, Harry Potter, however, they are all better written than Eyes of the Dragon As I started reading SK fairly young, I would never have continued to read his stuff if I started with EoTD.
So no, I disagree with your comment that I would enjoy it more if I knew that. In fact, I kinda dislike SK a little more now for patonising his young readers.

wandatowell

I loved the fairytale feeling of Eyes Of The Dragon,

paddybar

while imo The Stand is Kings masterpiece I would strongly reccomend Different Seasons as a wonderful book.3 out of the 4 stories are sheer genius,(shawshank,the body and apt pupil)the last one is so so

stannis

The Shining novel and The Shining film have quite different feels, which I suppose is natural. The flaws of the film become more obvious on repeated viewings, but it still has a suitably spooky atmosphere. The novel is a good read, not my favourite King work but respectable.