The dark Tower

[Menis]

I have been reading some threads in this board and I recognize that the people here like to talk about classic literature all the time. I love reading. I've read all kind's of books. From a hundred years of solitud to the iliad . But right now, I'm excited about the forthcoming new release by Stephen King titled the wolves of calla.

I wonder if there is anyone else in this board who apreciates the dark tower series.

[Sindhu]

I CAN"T read Stephen King, just like I can't watch horror movies- I get screaming nightmares! Talk about being a scaredy-cat! :oops:

[lazy cat]

Well I just finished reading "Salems Lot" and it is strange:I like the plot,it is very interesting and scary ,as it's supposed to be,but...I hate it at the same time.I don't like the dark universe S.King creates with all those horrible people...I think he's talented but his books put me in a miserable ,hateful state of mind. :-? I don't think I 'll try reading his work again. :rolleyes:

[IWilKikU]

I for one think that King is a genius. I havn't gotten to the Dark Tower series quite yet, but The Stand is one of my favorites of all time. Also I had to put down Needful Things several times because it made me angry at King for being such a damned good writer. Its just not fair how good he is. He takes like twenty different characters, all bent on doing twenty different things, and brings them together in one BIG, explosive ending. It's incredible. But I understand what you mean about him making you miserable. He's the only author that has been able to change my mood with his writing. After reading Bag of Bones, I just sat down and stared at the wall. I was depressed for the rest of the day!

[lazy cat]

Well Izabel Allende always manages to change my mood ,but in a very good and positive way.I absolutely adore her. :D

[crazycaleb]

I haven't read much King, but what I've read I've liked. The first book of his I read was The Stand (newer unabridged version that came out after the miniseries), and I loved it. It took me forever to actually get around to reading it, but once I did it was hard for me to put down (as you can tell from the horrible shape that my paperback copy is in... I carried it everywhere). The trashcan man is my hero 8)

But anyway, as for the dark tower series, I've only read The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three so far, but I loved both of them as well. I don't own any of the books though :-? I borrowed the first two from a friend, and that friend doesn't have any of the others in the series, so it may be a while before I get to read the wolves of calla.

I haven't read any other king books, but my mom did buy me some stories on tape of his called "Blood & Smoke" which were only released on tape. I listened to the first two, and they're pretty cool, slightly eerie. Stephen King has a strange voice :P

[jesse sutton]

I have yet to read the Dark Tower series, but i wouldnt mind getting into them, except i have way too many novels and such on the dinner plate already, so they can be added later in the list.

I love reading scary books, but hate seeing scary movies. I like the basic thrasher flicks, that are too unbelievable to be scary, so its just entertaining, like for instance i just saw the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, and i wasnt scared at all, but i was more just laughing and **** throughout it. I am more scared by the more suspenseful ones, that are more believable, cause then i am thinking "holy ****, maybe there is a guy like that in my city, or neighbourhood, and he could be sitting outside my window right now. I'm such a large nerd.

I havent read many King books, but i have IT and i have read that at least 10 times, without a doubt. That is the ultimate scary book.

[Aesopone]

[quote="jesse sutton"]
I like for instance i just saw the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, and i wasnt scared at all, but i was more just laughing and ***** throughout it. [quote]

The Tommyknockers is good, it's one of his more science fiction related books but it's not a blatant alien invader story it's really well done. Cujo is scary as hell and so is It...those are the only ones i've read


i laughed throughout Texas Chainsaw Massacre too

[crazycaleb]

I kind of liked the new texas chainsaw massacre, but I enjoyed the old one a lot more, it had a more "raw" (something like that anyway) feeling to it, not quite sure how to explain my love for that movie. It's rather unreasonable.

The dark tower series aren't really scary books though (at least, not the two that I've gone through). They're more of a strange fantasy/western mix, only uh... well, not too sure how to describe them. It's good stuff though, and there are some very tense/suspenseful moments, just not really scary.

[DumbLikeAPoet]

The Dark Tower series is easily one of the best book series I've read. Roland is an awsome character as are the of the Ka-tet. I'm currently re-reading the series before I start on "Wolves of Calla". I hope it is as good as the rest of the series.

Jonus

[DumbLikeAPoet]

I just finished "Wolves of the Calla" last night. All in all I thought it was an awsome book. I'm not sure how I feel about him bringing his own books into the story though.....I havn't had enough time to think about it.

[Robert E Lee]

I liked Stephen King when I was a pre-teen, but eventually I realized what kind of commercial crap his writing was.

[IWilKikU]

Maybe someday you can look past his publisher's heavily commercialized marketing campaigns and realize that he's an amazing fiction writer, and just as good a non-fiction writer.

[Robert E Lee]

Originally posted by IWilKikU
Maybe someday you can look past his publisher's heavily commercialized marketing campaigns and realize that he's an amazing fiction writer, and just as good a non-fiction writer.

Not really. His books have one purpose: to frighten. It's commercial fiction. Sure, it might be good fun to read; but it's like eating a Big Mac - enjoyable while it lasts but forgettable. And Hearts in Atlantis, like much of his later works, was insulting to my intelligence, even for a commercial novel. It was the biggest load of crap I've ever read.

[David J]

I like the Big Mac analogy. King himself actually once described his books as the "the literary equivalent of BigMac and fries" but I think he is still a hugely gifted storyteller.

I didn't like the Wizard and Glass book. To me it didn't have the special feel of a Dark Tower book. It was more like a tedious romance. To be honest it bored the hell out of me. One of the great things about the first three are that they are unique as both King books and Fantasy genre books. I hope the Wolves of Calla is a return to form.

Plus I love the artwork Michael Whelan does for the series. Especially the cover of the first book.

[Blade]

Originally posted by IWilKikU
I for one think that King is a genius. I havn't gotten to the Dark Tower series quite yet, but The Stand is one of my favorites of all time. Also I had to put down Needful Things several times because it made me angry at King for being such a damned good writer. Its just not fair how good he is. He takes like twenty different characters, all bent on doing twenty different things, and brings them together in one BIG, explosive ending. It's incredible. But I understand what you mean about him making you miserable. He's the only author that has been able to change my mood with his writing. After reading Bag of Bones, I just sat down and stared at the wall. I was depressed for the rest of the day!

i disagree wholeheartedly, king has yet to write a piece of recognized literary merit, i for one will never read him

[IWilKikU]

Blade, if you have never read him, than your oppinion is worthless is worthless to me. Even though I dissagree with Robert E Lee, at least he can back up what he's saying about him. By the way, the big mac analogy does make alot of sense. The thing is, damn I love big macs. Try reading some of King's nonfiction though, the man really is a genious.

[Blade]

although i have never read him, i have seen pieces of his work and discussed it with many of my professors so i have a good idea as to what i'm talking about

[Isagel]

I think that King´s writings varies a lot in quality. There are books like "Rage" , and short stories like "Stand by me" that I think are brilliant. I love the way he captures the way society works. And his charcters feels like real people. But then we have Tommyknockers that is plain awful. My point is that it´s not enough to read pieces of Kings work.

I have only read pieces of Joyce, and have a strong dislike for him. But I know that what I´ve read is not enough to grasp his works. So this holiday I will read Ulysses. (Wish me luck) It is a good thing to try and put a questions mark to the things you take for granted.

[Robert E Lee]

Originally posted by Isagel
I think that King´s writings varies a lot in quality. There are books like "Rage" , and short stories like "Stand by me" that I think are brilliant. I love the way he captures the way society works. And his charcters feels like real people. But then we have Tommyknockers that is plain awful. My point is that it´s not enough to read pieces of Kings work.

I have only read pieces of Joyce, and have a strong dislike for him. But I know that what I´ve read is not enough to grasp his works. So this holiday I will read Ulysses. (Wish me luck) It is a good thing to try and put a questions mark to the things you take for granted.

Yeah, "Rage" is the only novel of King's that I still consider good. Too bad it's out of print.

IwikkikU or however you spell it: King may be a genius, but his writing is commercial fiction - pure and simple. You read his stuff, and you forget about it. I prefer to call this "airplane fiction" because it's useful for long flights. I don't think he deserves to be discussed on a literary message board. I've read parts of his "On Writing" - nothing extraordinary.

[IWilKikU]

If anyone has read ALL of Kings works, and says the 'Rage' is the only one thats any good, than cool. You did your research, you know what your talking about. Hell, if you've even read a good solid chunk of his stuff than I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But Blade, I would love for you to enlighten me on what you know about King, with examples no less, based on what your professers have told you.

I'll admit that King writes commercial, but like I said before, some great writers have been heavily commercialized. I mean, take a look at how many commercialized Hollywood fims have been based on great writer's works! If you can name a great classic novel, 9 times out of 10 a commercial film has been made for it. King has written some strait up unintellectual commercial fiction, but he also has his masterpieces that delve into sociological philosophy and deal with universal themes such as loss, doubt, addiction, overconfidence, hubris, ect. ect. You just have to read with an open mind. Everytime I read, I approach a novel, or nonfiction with "this is a book" not a piece of literature, or a classic, or a commercial piece of sh*t. If everyone could do that rather than preconcieving ideas about every book that they read, alot of literary snobs would appreciate contemporary writers alot more. As I said before, not every book that was written in a classic era is a work of genious. Not every book that was written for a commercialized capitalist publishing company is crap. You have to read them to find out.

[IWilKikU]

By the way, Rage is still in print under a King compialation called "The Bachman Books". It's four titles that he wrote under the psudonym "Richard Bachman". It also includes "The Long Walk" which is a great novel about how professional sports has become a barbaric capitalist venture, "The Running Man", commentary on pollution in America and the TV age take over of propoganda, and another that I can't remember the title, a man refuses to let technological progress force his life to change. All 4 books are great social commentaries. None of these four books are thrillers! They all have something to offer if you look beneath the surface, which is what you must do with any great piece of lit to find a deeper meaning. I havn't read the other two Richard Bachman pieces, "Thinner" and "The Regulators", but "Thinner" is on my list for December/January. When I'm done with that I'll let you know what I think of that one as well. Anyone want me to elaborate on some actual KING novels? Oh, and Blade, lay it on me. Bash the hell out of King. I want to see what your lit professers have told you. Examples.

That's all I have to say about King




for now...

[Azoic]

Weren't Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile King short stories? I liked the movies. I suppose I should read the books.

My complaint with most King literature is that it's too looong. My friend just finished The Stand, abriged version, and it was about 1100 pages. That just seems a bit much for my feeble mind.

[Robert E Lee]

Originally posted by IWilKikU
By the way, Rage is still in print under a King compialation called "The Bachman Books". It's four titles that he wrote under the psudonym "Richard Bachman". It also includes "The Long Walk" which is a great novel about how professional sports has become a barbaric capitalist venture, "The Running Man", commentary on pollution in America and the TV age take over of propoganda, and another that I can't remember the title, a man refuses to let technological progress force his life to change. All 4 books are great social commentaries. None of these four books are thrillers! They all have something to offer if you look beneath the surface, which is what you must do with any great piece of lit to find a deeper meaning. I havn't read the other two Richard Bachman pieces, "Thinner" and "The Regulators", but "Thinner" is on my list for December/January. When I'm done with that I'll let you know what I think of that one as well. Anyone want me to elaborate on some actual KING novels? Oh, and Blade, lay it on me. Bash the hell out of King. I want to see what your lit professers have told you. Examples.

That's all I have to say about King




for now...

I read The Bachman Books about 7 years ago, but I thought they stopped publishing it and instead published the three books other than Rage. The one whose title you can't remember is Roadwork. It was probably the second best of the four, but the style was still so painful to read. I don't know if you know what I'm talking about. King writes like the writing in a comic book, and it's just painful. The Running Man was just plain bad, in my view. It just seemed like the script of an action film with flying cars exploding and what not. Aside from a few cool descriptions of people with their intestines hanging out, The Long Walk was repetitive, and I still can't make any sense of the ending.

[IWilKikU]

Roadwork! Thats what it was called! Thanx E. Lee. I'm sad that you dont like King's writing style. I like it alot. He's one of the writers that I can't put down and before I know what the heck happened, I've read like 150 pages. He holds my short attention span very well.

Azoic, The Green Mile was a serial novel published in 5 parts and eventually turned into a sigle volume novel. The movie is far better than most King addaptations, but naturally, if you read the book first you'll be dissapointed in the movie. "Shawshank Redemption" is a short novel (96 pages long) that appears in Different Seasons, a collection of 4 short novels, one taking place in each season. "Apt Pupil" is also in that collection and has been addapted into film. If you liked those films, I strongly suggest that you read the books, regardless of what the majority of people on this forum may tell you.

[Isagel]

Loved the Green mile!My fiance gave me one book a day , for 5days until my birthday. Sweet.

The only really good King movies I think are Shawshank and Stand by me. Have you seen Stand by me?

[DumbLikeAPoet]

Originally posted by Blade
although i have never read him, i have seen pieces of his work and discussed it with many of my professors so i have a good idea as to what i'm talking about

If by "Good idea" you mean "No Idea" you are correct.

King is a comercialized author but there is no reason to dismiss a book because the author makes money. Kings characters are pretty deep compared to most modern authors. Sometimes he even gets carried away with how much information about characters he presents.

As for
Sure, it might be good fun to read; but it's like eating a Big Mac - enjoyable while it lasts but forgettable.

I agree and disagree at the same time. I agree that most of his books are fun to read and some of the stories are forgettable. However when to this day whenever a lot of people get sick like this current flu outbreak I always think of Capt Tripps from The Stand.

Oh well I guess it doesn't matter. I'll continue to like his works and you will continue not to.

Jonus

[IWilKikU]

Well said poet!

[Azoic]

Kik, I haven't seen all of Apt Pupil, but I'll keep that one in mind.

As far as listening to other people in the forum, I'd prefer to choose my own books, usually based on my own, however flawed, criteria.

[AbdoRinbo]

Alright everyone, buckle the fùck up. Stephen King brings in less than $100,000 per year. He's no commercial writer, so drop it. Danielle Steel is. Annie Proulx, Jonathan Franzen (that pussy-whipped soap star), John Grisham: all have capitalized on producing volumes of pulp fiction. Annie Proulx even signs Stephen King's paycheck (ha!).

Robert E Lee, I thought I already schooled your àss on this topic. You need to chill out.

[DumbLikeAPoet]

$100,000 there is no way that is true unless either:
A. he gives the rest to charity.
B. he gets royally screwed by his publishers.

Not saying your wrong but I just find that hard to believe.

Jonus

[AbdoRinbo]

There was an article written in 'Book Magazine' (August, '03) on the incomes of popular authors. Stephen King is rather poorly paid compared to Tom Clancy and others.

[IWilKikU]

Because, he's never been one to complain about money and he's never threatened to leave his publisher unless they start cranking out the big bucks. In his autobio on his website it says that he's fairly proud of himself that he has been able to support his family and two decent sized houses based on his writing income alone. A multi-millionaire wouldn't say stuff like that. Also, read some of his non-fiction (hey, didn't I say somthing like that before???) you'll see that he's generous to his agent and has never discussed how much he'll get paid with any publisher. He writes for them and they give him what they want to for it. For additional income he also owns a classic rock radio station in Bangor, Maine.

[Azoic]

Wow, so like, the guys writes, because he likes to write. What a novel idea!

[Miriam]

King's Dark Tower Series is awesome. At first i wasn't one for his work, i found it way too mainstream for my tastes, i did however find a few of his stories good like the green mile but for the most part i was unimpressed. This summer someone recommended that i read the dark tower series being he is a sort of junkie for it, i put aside my dislikes and gave it a shot. I found that his story telling had matured greatly since the last book of his i read, the vastness and vivid characters are compelling. The basic idea is mind blowing. It is intriguing to contemplate the source of the dark tower, Browning's Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Come, a quote in Shakespeares King Lear mentions it, even to Song of Roland which may or may not hold elements of the story. There are all sorts of conspiracy theories as to where the story is going but the only way is to wait for the rest of the series to come out,

As for people who make judgements about books without reading them moreover taking your professors opinion without yourself making an effort, i hope you don't do that in the rest of your life you will end up in a sad state

[DumbLikeAPoet]

Ok I read "Salems' Lot" last week because it has something to do with the next DT book. I didn't see anything that would help the guys in the DT books do what they need to. I guess I'll just wait.

Jonus

[IWilKikU]

DT ties ALL of Kings novels together. You dont actually NEED to read Kings others to enjoy the DT series, but if you have read some other King work you'll notice things that will make you go, "OOOOh!"

[DumbLikeAPoet]

Yeah I've read a lot of his stories. It seems that most of the ones that have a heavy connection with DT are the ones I haven't read. I plan on reading Eyes of the dragon, hearts of atlantis, Black House, and all the short stories(Men In yellow coats, Sisters of ElSomethingOrOther). But in the meantime I'm reading LotR series. There are a good deal of similarities between the two stories.

Jonus

[JediFonger]

Dark Tower is Stephen King's magnum opus... there is no doubt about it. if he suddenly dies tomorrow this series of books will be what he will be remebered from here to eternity. the juxtaposition of epic classic hero structure vs that of modern pop culture is what made king's works so admirable. that and king gives us an open life to glimpse into what a true author is. in "On Writing" he details how in the morning he wakes up, writes for a few hours and reads at night to absorb info. that writing shouldn't mean you give up reading... those real life tidbits are astounding given the amount of text he has written! i mean his lifestyle is pretty consistent EVERY DAY. persistence is what makes the write. anyway DT is awesome. i eagerly await the final chapter in book 7's "The Dark Tower" coming in September i think.

[Ender]

The Dark Tower series is good, but it's falling victim to what I hate most about King novels. He doesn't know how to write a decent ending. I've never read a King novel that had a decent ending, and I have to say I'm really disappointed by the last 2 or 3 DT novels. Wizard and Glass on really. Wolves of the Calla was such a blatant ripoff of Kurasawa's Seven Samurai, and Song of Susannah added nothing to the series. The two novels could have been combined, and still printed at less than 200 pages.

But that's my beef with the later Wheel of Time novels too.

Now George R. R. Martin, that guy knows how to write.

[JediFonger]

i've not had a chance to read wolves+song (waiting for dark tower), i'll probably start re-reading dt through wizard+glass soon in anticipation for the final book. wiz+glass is my fav. it gives you back history of gunslinger... pretty tantalizing experience. i like the part when the lovemaking was compared to fireworks... i thought you could only do that in movies... but king blends in novel form.

[GatsbyTheGreat]

Stephen King had been one of my favorite authors since I learnt to read, though my appreciation for his work has tapered off in the past few years. I enjoyed the first Dark Tower because of the mysticism, and was extremely disappointed in the next two. But the fourth had romance, and a young gunslinger (sans arthritis and missing fingers), so my faith in the series has been renewed. The fifth was alright, and I have yet to read the sixth.

Stephen King is a great author, and I especially loved Bag of Bones. The only catch is that sometimes his philosophy on life in general deviates from my own, but being that I can tolerate another person's opinion, this is a minor drawback.

[JediFonger]

well i liked the 2nd and 3rd one cause it explained how the world 'has moved on'. =). i luv the lobster bit.

[odin2]

King is the greatest modern writer that there is and his dark Tower books are his greatest work.......So says the wise odin.....

[seeker]

my opinions on the depth of the series are too deep for me to translate them right now (just woke up), but yes, i love the series

†
seeker

[baddad]

I have grown to abhor Msr. King. My reading addiction does, of course, require my reading his books, if only so that I may, with a clear conscience, suggest Kings books are weak, mimeographed scenarios defying any literay merit (prodigious little fellow though, 50 some odd books and still counting) . NOw, snobbiness displayed for all to see, I MUST SAY THAT PROTAGONIST 'ROLAND' FROM THE 'DARK TOWER' SERIES IS NOTHING SHORT OF ONE GREAT HERO/ANTI-HERO, KING'S BEST, maybe my all time favorite......

[JediFonger]

i feel similarly about King... his other works really pale in comparison to his Dark Tower series.

[Dunpeal]

'Salem's Lot is cool.
Dreamcatcher is awesome.
Bag of Bones is good (and King's words really take you there).
The Running Man is also good.

Everything's Eventual is all right. One thing though.. didn't understand the ending of "The Road Virus Heads North".

[verybaddmom]

ooohhh, i am reading 'Salem's Lot right now. yesterday i finally got to unpack all of my books for the first time in a year, and my son was inquiring if he was old enough to read Stephen King yet. i gave him "the eyes of the dragon" and he hasnt put it down yet. but as i was flipping through them all, i realized that i havent read "Lot" in years and years, so i have been lying on the couch most of the day (to the detriment of my unpacking plan) reading it. scary...as always!

[JediFonger]

just wanted to bump this thread back up cause book7 THE DARK TOWER is coming out 9/21! i've already made a point to go back and quickly read through The Dark Tower series (yes even the "special edition" revised version of book1 through book3). i haven't read wolves nor song yet... but will look forward to them.

[baddad]

Good news Jedifonger! Oh yeah! I'll set aside my dislike of Msr King and actively hunt out the gunslinger's most recent trail.....

[JediFonger]

you read it baddad?

[baddad]

you read it baddad?




Read what? The dark tower series, or at least what has been available so far? The answer to that would be "Si" seniorita. I was just expressing my joy at finding out the story will continue, just expressing my joy at the news you imparted concerning Msr. King's impending release which you mentioned. Am I completely off track here..?

[JediFonger]

well what i meant was did you read the special edition of dark tower 1 through 3. cause i think stephen king altered or added to the existing text. so it's a bit different.

[baddad]

well what i meant was did you read the special edition of dark tower 1 through 3. cause i think stephen king altered or added to the existing text. so it's a bit different.


No, haven't seen any revised editions of the Dark Tower. But it is 'Roland The Gunslinger' I find myself enamoured with, not mr. Kings writing or any of his latest 'literary' (used loosely) twitchings. I originally read the books......maybe ten or more years ago, and so any changes would not neccessarily be that apparent to me. But honestly, I do wish he would finish the story and not leave poor Roland hanging in the wind.........so to speak...

[seeker]

The palm of his [right] hand was dull red. Not a good sign.
I jerk off left handed, he though. At least thats something.



-hahah, I love the candidness of Stephen King

[JediFonger]

after consideration i think i'll buy the entire series. do any of you know if the entire series will be available in a box set?