Books Stephen King's next... - Page 2

keg in kc · 03-03-2011, 05:02 PM

This seems odd. Which for King is saying something.

Quote:

11/22/63

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas,
President Kennedy died, and the world changed.

If you had the chance to change history, would you?
Would the consequences be worth it?

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

keg in kc · 08-12-2011, 11:25 AM

Apparently it's a week for Stephen King news:

Quote:

Helmer Jonathan Demme has optioned the feature rights to Stephen King's upcoming novel "11/22/63" and is set to write, direct and produce the adaptation through his Clinica Estetico banner.

Book follows Jake Epping, a 35-year-old high school English teacher from Maine who travels back in time to try to prevent President John F. Kennedy's assassination.

Ilona Herzberg ("Rachel Getting Married") will produce the sci-fi project, while King will exec produce.

Project has yet to land a distributor, though Demme is aiming to start shooting in fall 2012.

vailpass · 08-12-2011, 11:40 AM

Steven King must have more money than Davy Crockett.

Red Brooklyn · 08-12-2011, 01:04 PM

Looking forward to this. I thought Lisey's Story and Under The Dome were both exceptional books. Certainly worthy to stand next to some of King's best.

I didn't mind the end of Under The Dome at all. Not sure what else I would have/could have expected from the end. Felt right to me.

keg in kc · 08-12-2011, 02:16 PM

The last 100-150 pages of under the dome were among the worst things I've read in recent memory.

I don't mind the size and length of King's books. In fact I like long books, but the man just can't seem to stick the landing, for whatever reason. I can't think of a single King novel where I haven't felt let down in the end, and that includes The Stand, which is one of my overall favorite reads. Maybe Salem's Lot, although it's been a few years since I read it. But in general, the endings seem to wither and die.

I've long been someone who has agreed with King about outlining (i.e. don't need it) but I'm starting to wonder if maybe that's not the issue. In the end.

unlurking · 08-12-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I like his short stories better than when he tries to go Epic.

Have to agree with this. Survivor Type is is one short, instant, fireball of pure emotion (for me as a reader). One of my all time favorites.

Red Brooklyn · 08-12-2011, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

The last 100-150 pages of under the dome were among the worst things I've read in recent memory.

I don't mind the size and length of King's books. In fact I like long books, but the man just can't seem to stick the landing, for whatever reason. I can't think of a single King novel where I haven't felt let down in the end, and that includes The Stand, which is one of my overall favorite reads. Maybe Salem's Lot, although it's been a few years since I read it. But in general, the endings seem to wither and die.

I've long been someone who has agreed with King about outlining (i.e. don't need it) but I'm starting to wonder if maybe that's not the issue. In the end.

What did you dislike so much about the end. Was it literally just the execution of the ideas or the ideas themeselves? Just curious.

vailpass · 08-12-2011, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlurking

Have to agree with this. Survivor Type is is one short, instant, fireball of pure emotion (for me as a reader). One of my all time favorites.

That was gross and wrong, written back when King still had his full power.

Hydrae · 08-12-2011, 03:01 PM

Until Tommyknockers I didn't have a problem with his endings. After that though...yeesh.

Still not as bad as Koontz though, he just goes along until he stops. I got to where I couldn't read him anymore and haven't in years now.

keg in kc · 08-12-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

What did you dislike so much about the end. Was it literally just the execution of the ideas or the ideas themeselves? Just curious.

It's been a year-and-a-half (?) since I read it, so it's a little hazy, but I think it was the execution I had a problem with.

I just remember that I really, really hated it.

(Which for me is saying something...)

unlurking · 08-12-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vailpass

That was gross and wrong, written back when King still had his full power.

And yet the character was so ****ing deadpan it was brilliant. You're right, that was King being King. If people wanted him to have an editor to keep him from being "too crazy" back then, this story would never have been published.

Red Brooklyn · 08-12-2011, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

It's been a year-and-a-half (?) since I read it, so it's a little hazy, but I think it was the execution I had a problem with.

I just remember that I really, really hated it.

(Which for me is saying something...)

That's cool. I can understand it. Maybe I just lowered my expectations enough with his work that I wasn't bothered.

vailpass · 08-12-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlurking

And yet the character was so ****ing deadpan it was brilliant. You're right, that was King being King. If people wanted him to have an editor to keep him from being "too crazy" back then, this story would never have been published.

Agreed. And don't get me wrong, that story was brilliant. Just about everything he wrote back then was powerful.
Different Seasons, Bachman Books, Four past Midnight
etc. etc. were all full of great short stories. Dude was cranking out goodness back then.

**Bowser** · 08-13-2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

What did you dislike so much about the end. Was it literally just the execution of the ideas or the ideas themeselves? Just curious.

Not to answer for Keg, but for me, it felt like he just got really lazy with it. The story was actually clicking along pretty well, then it just felt like he told himself to wrap it up post haste, which is what it felt like he did.

keg in kc · 11-10-2011, 10:20 AM

Just picked up the audiobook. I'll let you guys know what I think. Eventually. It's 30 hours long.

keg in kc · 11-11-2011, 02:22 PM

A couple of hours in now, and it's started really well. And really strangely. Wouldn't call it horror so far, which is fine. Kind of what I expected (in that sense).

08-12-2011, 11:40 AM	#17
vailpass Psycho Bag Of Squanch Join Date: Sep 2001 Casino cash: $9594244	Steven King must have more money than Davy Crockett. __________________ “Education is a weapon whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.” Joseph Stalin
Posts: 69,591

08-12-2011, 01:04 PM	#18
Red Brooklyn Veteran Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Casino cash: $8151398	Looking forward to this. I thought Lisey's Story and Under The Dome were both exceptional books. Certainly worthy to stand next to some of King's best. I didn't mind the end of Under The Dome at all. Not sure what else I would have/could have expected from the end. Felt right to me.
Posts: 3,833

08-12-2011, 02:16 PM	#19
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	The last 100-150 pages of under the dome were among the worst things I've read in recent memory. I don't mind the size and length of King's books. In fact I like long books, but the man just can't seem to stick the landing, for whatever reason. I can't think of a single King novel where I haven't felt let down in the end, and that includes The Stand, which is one of my overall favorite reads. Maybe Salem's Lot, although it's been a few years since I read it. But in general, the endings seem to wither and die. I've long been someone who has agreed with King about outlining (i.e. don't need it) but I'm starting to wonder if maybe that's not the issue. In the end.
Posts: 58,682

08-12-2011, 03:01 PM	#23
Hydrae Sandbox: Leander Lasercats Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Austin, Tx Casino cash: $2367000	Until Tommyknockers I didn't have a problem with his endings. After that though...yeesh. Still not as bad as Koontz though, he just goes along until he stops. I got to where I couldn't read him anymore and haven't in years now.
Posts: 14,684

11-10-2011, 10:20 AM	#29
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	Just picked up the audiobook. I'll let you guys know what I think. Eventually. It's 30 hours long.
Posts: 58,682

11-11-2011, 02:22 PM	#30
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	A couple of hours in now, and it's started really well. And really strangely. Wouldn't call it horror so far, which is fine. Kind of what I expected (in that sense).
Posts: 58,682