yellowwing
Joined: May 21, 2002
# Posts: 2526
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 06:51
I really started following King tales after seeing the movie Stand By Me. I still wasn't really convinced after reading the Bachman stories. Road Work was a real stinker. But The Long Walk and The Running Man were great stories. Better than the cheesy Swarzenegger movie!
The Dark Tower series really hooked me. When I twice read through the whole series, it was great to follow up with Dreamcatcher. That's when I started noticing King evolve to more complex stories. The hints of other worlds overlapping into the current stories. The tough choices of people thrown into terrible situations of horror and evil.
I've always been a fan of humanity. We've lasted over 20,000 years through all kinds of adversity. Seeing King's characters persevere, reminds me that we all have the Right Stuff!
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 08:13
Have you read The Talisman or Black House (both co-written with Peter Straub) or Insomnia?
I got into the Dark Tower series around when the 3rd book first released. I missed alot of the connections until receintly (smacks self on forhead). Desperation and The Regulators really brought the tie-ins home for me. Those were a strange but good read by themselves.
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excell
Staff
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14513
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 08:54
Insomnia was the first SK book I read, pretty vivid stuff.
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 18:11
Insomnia was a great book on it's own. But if you don't know the Dark Tower series you miss alot of the meaning.
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steb
Joined: Aug 16, 2001
# Posts: 157
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 18:30
Ive never read the books, but IT scared the life out of me when I was younger. Ive hated clowns ever since 
I think i got half way thru the book..not sure why I didnt finish it. hmm...
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WinningWays
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 3433
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 18:43
The Stand and Insomnia were great. I was always a big SK fan, but I haven't had a chance to read the Dark Tower series yet...
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yellowwing
Joined: May 21, 2002
# Posts: 2526
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 18:45
The evil clown was in "IT". The clown was played by Tim Curry aka Rocky Horror. Dreamcatcher made strong reference to IT. Dark Tower is a terrific epic series. It's one of those stories that you can glean more information as you read it again, (or as you get older and wiser).
The Stand extended version was so much more detailed than when the novel was first released. Some of the story line was a lot harsher and more graphic than I could easily stomache!
[ Message was edited by: yellowwing 02/17/2003 12:48 pm ]
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 22:39
Dreamcatcher is being turned into a movie  I think it might be done filming or almost..
The Stand is def one of my fav. I've read both versions and def preferred the unedited. Ever read Swan Song by Robert R McCammon? Very Similar.. Very.. Kinda like the same plot line given to 2 different writers. weird.
I loved IT, and Pet Semetary (book versions) the IT movie wasn't bad.. but Pet Semetary was laughable. They could have done it sooo much better.
I'm still working my way thru Dreamcatcher.. just can't seem to get into it like I do the others.. reminds me of Rose Madder and Misery days - had a hard time with those as well.
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2003-Feb-17 22:42
oh - Everything's Eventual (SK's new collection of shorts) has a nice stand alone that provides more background/side story on Roland. It's about his meeting the 'Little Sisters' and explains what they are. That's got a tie in to Black House as well.
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yellowwing
Joined: May 21, 2002
# Posts: 2526
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Posted: 2003-Feb-18 10:22
My Mrs. listens to those audio books. 'Little Sisters' was on one of them. I don't know if I could work and listen to audio books. Either or, I like kicking back and holding a real book now and them!
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yellowwing
Joined: May 21, 2002
# Posts: 2526
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Posted: 2003-Jun-30 19:59
StephenKing.com has been updated! :D The new site has links to an awesome audio excerpt to the new Wolves of the Calla. Hardback to be released November 2003. Whoo-hoo!
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skiguide
Joined: Feb 02, 2001
# Posts: 761
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Posted: 2003-Jul-01 04:39
hey now, one of my grade-school friends was in Pet Semetary- and her performance as young rachel watching her sister die was top-notch!
It was way better than the cheesy sequel.
i haven't gotten into any of SK's new stuff -i don't have the time to read any books for 'fun' - except for those i have to review.
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e10
Joined: Dec 10, 2002
# Posts: 409
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Posted: 2003-Jul-01 12:38
Loved The Stand. Both versions. Have always had a thing for these apocalyptic end of the world type stories. Never heard of Swan Song but will be looking out for it. No-one has mentioned Gerald-s Game yet. Found it creepy as hell.
IT - well I was scared to go for a pee in the middle of the night for about two months after reading that one, in case the clown pulled me down the bog.
Haven-t seen Dreamcatcher yet. Think it has a good cast, including Morgan Freeman?
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2003-Jul-01 19:24
I still haven't managed to finish reading dreamcatcher.. it's the first book from him I haven't been able to pick back up! I had a hard time with Misery and Rose Madder but I could atleast force myself through them.
Considering re-reading Desperation and The Regulators. Those are some great ones.
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yellowwing
Joined: May 21, 2002
# Posts: 2526
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Posted: 2004-Feb-03 10:12
I finished reading Deperation not long ago, pretty spooky. I think SK borrowed that kid's character profile for Jake in the Dark Tower series. Just finished reading Wolves of the Calla. Terrific story. He has spun the tale to way out in left field. I just hope he hasn't pushed the envelope too far.
A few years ago I was a reading a very interesting and entertaining 'next decade' war novel. The storyline was very believable and plausible with the next generation technologies melding with good characters and conflicts. The very last chapter had the hero deorbiting a spy satellite and sinking an enemy warship! How frelling absurd is that? I threw the book across the room!
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fefe
Joined: Dec 26, 2003
# Posts: 28
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Posted: 2004-Feb-03 16:48
hehe...very absurd...I myself read a lot of stephan king...I'm reading 'Salem's Lot' right now...But u know something?...I really like the plot and all that, but really, it's getting way too familiar...I mean in this book, a generation ago, this town starts losing people, I mean they all start disappearing for no reason and no one can tell why, and then in the next generation, the same thing starts happening, and this group of people want to investigate it and get rid of the evil...sound familiar?...like IT maybe??! And then the villain (straker) is this tall dude who always wears black or something and walks around and he's half supernatural...sound familiar?...Like the villain from 'Needful Things'??! (forgot his name A...something). And all his books have a strange ending that doesn't seem to fit, like the villain suddenly is a vampire and the good guys are gonna stab at his heart with a atake, or suddenly bald doctors are in control of the world...almost as wierd as urs, yellowwing
I know this sounds like I'm being a hateful critic...but I still read so much of his work...what can I say?...I'm a Stephan King sucker...
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2004-Feb-03 16:57
If you haven't read The Regulators (written under Richard Bachman) yet, do so soon. Esp since you just read Desperation. You should read them both together.
And, as for Jake being borrowed.. The Dark Tower was started long before Desperation came into existence - it's the other way around, but you will 'get it' more once you read The Regulators. Try hit Peter Straub collaberations as well.. The Talisman and more recent Black House (a sequile).
If you think back (or read back) you will see that the Dark Tower ties into almost every book King has written in one way or another. Sometimes just a mention, sometimes just a hint, and sometimes (like the Black House) a major tie in.
I've had Wolves sitting collecting dust for some time now, just not in a reading mood lately, but I still haven't finished Dreamcatcher either.
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pjnunn777
Joined: Jul 17, 2003
# Posts: 381
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Posted: 2004-Feb-03 18:25
The Stand for me definitely, I prefer the older stuff to the new though.
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crash
Staff
Joined: Dec 02, 2003
# Posts: 10626
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Posted: 2004-Feb-03 21:44
Kingdom Hospital is starting on 3/3/04 here. Haven't made up my mind, trying to stay open until I actually see it, but I'm afraid it will be cheesy. While his made-for-tv shows are worth watching they rarely compare to his writing.
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taudette
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 72
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Posted: 2004-Feb-07 10:58
I will never watch "IT" again. Still terrified of clowns too.
In fact, if I were to look a clown in the face I could instantly lose my life.
And I take a run & jump over any storm drain I come across.
No foolin
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