Stephen King: Trash, or Literature?

[ravilobo]

If I could change one thing, I would probably wish Stephen King to be a normal writer than a horror writer. King is a talented writer, unforutantely most of his stuff is supernatural.
However some of the movies based on his books are great movies. For e.g. Shawshank Redemption , Green Mile , and Hearts in Atlantis.
I read green mile. There is a little bit of supernatural stuff, still it is a good book.
I abolutely don’t like horror , sci-fi, travelling into past/future literature. However King has a good style. His book – On Writing is a nice book. I want to give him one more try.
Could any one suggest me his normal books (no horror/no super natural)?

[LitNetIsGreat]

I think this is one of the problems with the publishing world you can easily get 'stuck' in a particular genre, you build up a fan base and all the publisher is interested in is when the next horror novel is ready. I guess though that he has enough money to break from the genre and write what he wants, should he so wish, but I doubt he would sell many copies should he announce to the world that his next book is a romance!

It is a long time since I read anything by Stephen King, over ten years, but I seem to recall (at that age) I thought he a fair enough writer, though his plots would soon turn crazy in order to conform to the wants and constraints of the genre - shame.

[Captain Trips]

Different Seasons is good, it is a collection of four novellas including The Body and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redmeption, which are both excellent. I am reading Blaze right now, and although its not as well written as some of his later stuff, it has a really good story and I am really enjoying it.

[Dark Muse]

There is nothing wrong with horror and there is nothing wrong with a writer choosing to write in the horror genere, or any other genre, just becasue one person might not like it , does not mean they should not write in that genre anymore

[MattG]

If I could change one thing, I would probably wish Stephen King to be a normal writer than a horror writer.

I think, perhaps, the problem with your statement is twofold. First, why would you classify horror or the supernatural as abnormal? Horror happens around us everyday as does a belief in things supernatural (consult your favorite religion). Writing about those things isn't abnormal.

Secondly, I think it's difficult to classify 'horror' as a genre. What makes a horror book? Generally, a horror book is like any other book in that there is a theme, there are characters, there is a progression of story and there is an outcome. The horror aspect of any given work is fleeting and momentary. Would you consider Dicken's A Christmas Carol a horror book, for example? What about Puzo's The Godfather? Certainly horrific things happen in either of those books.

One could create quite a long list of King's work that has nothing whatever to do with the supernatural. The same could be said for his work that probably shouldn't fit into the common perception of what a horror novel is comprised of.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I think, perhaps, the problem with your statement is twofold. First, why would you classify horror or the supernatural as abnormal? Horror happens around us everyday as does a belief in things supernatural (consult your favorite religion). Writing about those things isn't abnormal.

I think to defend the threat starter though he did state that he didn't like horror novels "I abolutely don’t like horror, sci-fi, travelling into past/future literature". With it he is not necessarily attacking the genre (however you define it) but merely stating personal preference.

For me too I have read and seen some films based upon King's novels and feel that they are weakened at times by some bizarre supernatural encounters, reminds me a bit of X-files. At times you have a fairly good episode involving a serial killer and then it turns out to be a bounty-hunting alien who can transform appearance at will!

[ravilobo]

Thank you for saving me Neely.

I don’t have anything against horror /sci-fi books. By choice I don’t like them. Harry Potter is a widely famous series. However that is not my cup of tea.

I don’t want to totally ignore King, because he is a talented writer. Since I have a taste for non-horror/ non sci-fi literature, I am looking for the ones written by King.

[MattG]

Sorry, didn't mean to come off as prickly as I did.

Dolores Claiborne and Misery are good ones, neither are supernatural but one is scary (Misery).

The Shining does have supernatural elements but it's primarily about a man's battle with himself.

Cujo isn't supernatural, but has some horror elements.

Gerald's Game is a good one too, nothing supernatural there.

I think King's literary Kung-Fu is really that he understands people and every one of his characters are interesting. I would agree that sometimes the stories themselves turn south but his characters are always fun to read about.

King has a lot of short stories too that would possibly fit your criteria. They are probably further and fewer between though and you'd have to buy 10 you wouldn't like to read one that you might like.

[ravilobo]

Dolores Claiborne and Misery ....

Thank you for suggesting - Dolores Claiborne and Misery. They look like my kind of books. I read the review on Amazon, the books have been appreciated by non-regular- King readers.

On the other hand I am skeptic about -Gerlad’s Game. I will finish the other two first and comeback to this one.

[MattG]

Thank you for suggesting - Dolores Claiborne and Misery. They look like my kind of books. I read the review on Amazon, the books have been appreciated by non-regular- King readers.

On the other hand I am skeptic about -Gerlad’s Game. I will finish the other two first and comeback to this one.

Yeah, Gerald's Game is an odd one. If you were to read it casually it might not seem all that brilliant. If, on the other hand, you were to picture yourself in the place of the protagonist and apply your own experience as you go, you might come away with a better picture of yourself than you had prior to reading. I've personally never strayed far from the idea that reality is very thin... particularly the reality constructs of society, the illusion of safety etc.

The other two are quite brilliant in a different way. Be sure you catch Dolores Claiborne on DVD if you get a chance (after reading of course). There is an inspired cat and mouse game going on that underpins the entire plot. The film catches it and really brings it to light but perhaps in a more salient way to those who have read the book.

Happy reading!

[ravilobo]

Happy reading!

My office is right across – Borders. Just bought both the books. (Misery, Dolores). I am also reading at the moment – Hearts in atlantis. Even that one is good. I loved the movie.

Thank you again.

[MattG]

Hearts in atlantis. Even that one is good. I loved the movie.

Thank you again.

That one is a small part of the much larger "Dark Tower" series. It almost stands on its own but a real understanding of who the low men are would ...

never mind, shouldn't say too much if you're not done yet.

[ravilobo]

That one is a small part of the much a real understanding of who the low men are would ...

I have seen the movie. The low men don’t really make much difference. Somewhere I had read that in the movie low men refer to – intelligent agency like FBI or CIA.

But the in the book version they are aliens or similar things.

I am sad that low men had to be aliens (where as the movie version looks more real).

The book has 5 stories. Is any of them has –horror/sci-fi/aliens? Please tell me, so that I can skip it.

[MattG]

I have seen the movie. The low men don’t really make much difference. Somewhere I had read that in the movie low men refer to – intelligent agency like FBI or CIA.

But the in the book version they are aliens or similar things.

I am sad that low men had to be aliens (where as the movie version looks more real).

The book has 5 stories. Is any of them has –horror/sci-fi/aliens? Please tell me, so that I can skip it.

They are not aliens. King's Dark Tower series presents an alternative universe that exists alongside the one we live in. Odd occurrences, unexplainable phenomena etc are sometimes the result of the universes overlapping (as it's germane to the canon of this story). The low men have a specific function and it's far afield from what you've said you're interested in.

That being said, I don't think Hearts in Atlantis goes very far at all into explaining who or what they are (been a while since I've read it). That story focuses mostly on Bobby & Brautigan if I remember correctly. There will be some things that will remain unexplained to you at the end of the book, low men included.

[SirRaustusBear]

I havn't read the dark tower series but I read Hearts in Atlantis and the only story that I remember having aliens or whatever the low men are is the first one. The second story, the one called Hearts in Atlantis, is great and realisic. Its my favorite thing Stephen King has written and really worth reading.