[CAT] Scratching Post

Ate "Needful Things" in English.

I've been reading alot of Stephen King novels recently. Heh, I guess I could be called a late King bloomer, because I've only read a handful of his stuff up till a few months ago.

I started out with Insomnia, and while I liked that book to a degree, I thought it turned out kind of childish. Still, it lured me to check out some of his others. The Stand was next on the list. Saw the movie (Which I thought was okay) never read the book. To review that one thoroughly would take ages, so I'll keep it short and just say that its probably one of the best emotional rollercoasters a novel has ever put me through. It was over a thousand pages and I sliced through it like a bayonet strike to a watermelon.

After The Stand I purchased The Long Walk, written under his other pen, Richard Bachman. Its a quick and brutal read. Both the concept of the story and the chilly way its structured gave me goosebumps. It was short, though, and the ending was kind of strange and open to interpretation. Not that thats a bad thing, just not how I prefer books to end. I either want it to be a cliffhanger that will stretch to another book, or neatly wrapped up. Good read all in all.

Then I took a break from King and bought a stupid crime book. It featured a determined female public attorney trying to figure out and take down a brutal serial killer, and it sucked rather horribly. I wont even mention the name or the author because I dont want it to maybe come up in a google search somehow, inspiring another moron like me to read it. In my case I purchased this hunk of manure while in a Walmart, quickly trying to find a book on my lunchbreak because work was slow and I needed something to read to get by. I slogged through it eventually, because sometimes you just cant even put a shitty book down. You have to see how it turns out. I predicted it would be crap in this case, and sure enough my instincts were correct. How the fuck does a piece of shit like that get published I wonder??? Its actually inspired me to try my hand at writing a book, because after a quick google search of this novel, it turns out that it is part of a long series (Over a dozen!) that has sold millions. Millions! What kind of people read this fucking trash? It pisses me off that someone out there has read one of these books and decided to go back and get another. Scum is what they are. I want to berate each and every one of those fucks in an email and CC their parents or children

So I moved back to King, I already missed his style and his prose. Say what you want about him, but his books usually have that effortless charm of settling you and the books characters into perfect harmony. I intend to read everyone of his books over the course of time.

I just finished reading The Dead Zone. Probably my favorite so far among my small King collection of read books. I saw the movie a real long time ago, so long that it didnt effect the outcome of the book at all for me. The characters in the book are so clearly defined and all the exchanges between them are vividly real. There was only one instance in the book that wasnt really believable and seemed out of sync with a characters normal behaviour, but it was minor. Overall it was an excellent story. Well crafted, it inspired many strange thoughts and emotions for me. Right after reading it I just had to listen to Pink Floyds 'Good Bye Blue Sky' and the song produced in me the same feelings as reading The Dead Zone. Beautiful and frightening at the same time, a glimpse into the very fabric of the human soul in all its pretty uglyness.

So, I'll be off to Borders to select a new King novel tomorrow. Anyone have any suggestions?

Gerald's Game and Needful Things.

Spandex wrote:Oh and if you can afford all 8 his Dark Tower series is pretty good - Particularly the early few. Roland the Gunslinger is a badass.

These. I finished them a year ago. The first book is my favorite...prolly followed by Wolves of the Calla.

I liked them because they were not his usual fare. Yeah I remember the Dark Tower series. I loved the Lobstrosities

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to go with The Shining next. I once picked up one of the Dark Tower books, but never made it through because I was totally lost. It was one of those pickups at a whim and I think I got like the 3rd or 4th one. No clue what was going on, pretty strange all around from what I recall.

I've always said my humour preferences lean towards the 3 Stooges, etc. This comic (one of my regular favourites) just killed me this morning:

Downloaded a new book to my Kindle last night.

So far, t's been really interesting. It's amazing to think that less than a hundred years ago, men we're still setting off into the utter unknown. It kind of blew me away that he arrived at the South Georgia Islands ready to jump off, and despite all kinds of Southern Ocean whalers telling him "it's as bad as we've ever seen it out there, don't go" he set off...without any real idea of how to get through the ice pack.

That book is new to you only.

I didn't say it was new. It was published in the late 50's, I think.

DickSchittlippz wrote:Downloaded a new book to my Kindle last night.

We have a technical.

He's delightfully behind the curve.

Did anyone notice the musical reference in my last post?