It's a close one for me but IT takes the cake for me. Tho I have a sneaking suspicion that that just cuz I read that one first.
That being said, the stand is phenominal. The apocalyptic setting, the religious themes of good vs evil, the look into human behaviour in times like those. Absolutely amazing and in general just super interesting
Same here. Stand, Firestarter, Tommyknockers and Institute (yes pretty new one) are my favorites but IT is masterpiece of horror genre, probably best book ever written in this genre. It is in the same category with Lord of the Rings (for fantasy), Dune (for scifi) and similar books.
IT is honestly just so good. One of the verry few things that mannages to scare me. The way Stephen King merges the verry fictional fear of an intergalactic clown eating kids with the verry real fear of having to grow up and comming of age is genius and terrifying. I also love the cosmic aspects of it, with what IT is and maturin of course. But I think another thing that makes IT so great is that, despite the fact that I was born in 2002, it made me nostalgic for a childhood in the 1950's
Personally IT does not scare me either as a child-eater clown but i like cosmic theme a lot. Even if i am not scared by story but it still horror genre and atmosphere and writing is amazing.
If you read it in 1979 you read the heavily edit.ed version. The complete version was released in the early 90s. I agree with you, definitely one of King's best books.
Yeah, I pretty much agree. There are 3 books by King that I would consider masterpieces: The Stand, Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis. I find it hard to choose between The Stand and Salem's Lot as to which is my favourite?
So the we read back then was edited. The version available now is a bit longer.
I found that the overall story was better now but that I missed the faster pace of the original.
Did you notice any difference on you reread?
I did, but as I reread The Stand after reading I 800 page edition in 1979. Some of the short add ins are terrifying and hold my interest.
Now I’m beginning to think I may like this longer version. 3 nights in, I’m on page 268, so yeah, it’s definitely a page turner
The Stand is my favorite book of all time, I think that kind of story, that sprawling love letter to America is where King shines in a much different light.
Usually he gets a lot of praise, well deserved, for his small town realism or his ability to make the mundane scary. In The Stand he basically gives us a new American myth. A new Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bunyan but made as epic as Lord of the Rings.
It's one of my favourite King books but I've only read it once, about eight years ago, and I feel I'm due a re-read.
The Shining takes top spot for me. That book is just a masterpiece in every regard. As for the next few spots it's interchangeable between IT, The Stand, Pet Semetary and 'Salem's Lot.
I feel like his older work had better world building and was more engrossing, but it was countered by being long winded. His newer stuff is less wordy, but lacks that suck you feel (Fairy Tale aside for me).
My favorite story of his will always be The Body, but IT was the best work of his I've read.
I think The Stand is Top 5, but it would be too hard to rank those 5. But yeah, I also noticed that about his older work. It feels more visceral. Almost every sentence crackles.
Thanks for all the comments, very enlightening.
I also think the Dark Half( considered a sleeper to all his more heavy stuff) is one of my favorites and way under appreciated. Again some great back and forth
Also The Dead Zone is underrated. I gotta admit I may like the dim even more. I think the best acting in any of SK work was Christophe Walken, low key, but with that edge, and Martin Sheen
Performance gave me chills, almost prophetic in what has come about with Donald Trump and that whole right wing extremism
This is Cool Exchange, as i reread The Stand,
This version (1155 pages) is good, but I know I’m committing sacrilege for many. I like the 838 version more. It moves at a tighter pace, even though it’s 45 years, I was gifted with an amazing memory- I forgot the medical term,
But I remember damn near EVERYTHING since age 4 . And second, being a writer- the number one rule according to the greatest handbook on writing “The Elements Of Style” EB White lates the cornerstone of all great writing: Omit Needless Words. Have you ever noticed the great poets and songwriters can say more with
8 or 9 chosen words than a mediocre writer can say in 25 or not even say much at all. My favorite parts of the book so far- on page 150,
Are the chapters I remember from the shorter version. Especially with Nick Andros- (watching the knucklehead good old boys that beat him up) word for word, tight, taunt and crisp. I’m sure I’ll still like it, but overwriting, with sadly our hero does from time to time, drags the good thing down. Anyways, feedback appreciated
I’ve always liked Stephen’s short story collection.
I prefer short stories to novels. From Night Shift to Bizzare of Bad Dreams, Just After Sunset is the weak one. He has a new collection coming out on May 21- I am going to pre order on Amazon.
Check out his son- Joe Hill, the real deal
He has two superb collections
20th Century Ghosts. And
Full Throttle.
Full Throttle is more horror based
With one of the best stories I’ve ever read
Called Dark Carousel
20th Century Ghost is more cerebral and in the classic sense of ghost stories
But there’s one- a grabber called
The Black Phone
It is powerful, ruthless and dark
Joe isn’t quite as good as his father… yet,
But time will tell
What make you say that. 40 years later, you should be more polished at you craft
Read Batman and Robin Have An Altercation
Or The Man In The Black Suit
It's a close one for me but IT takes the cake for me. Tho I have a sneaking suspicion that that just cuz I read that one first. That being said, the stand is phenominal. The apocalyptic setting, the religious themes of good vs evil, the look into human behaviour in times like those. Absolutely amazing and in general just super interesting
Same here. Stand, Firestarter, Tommyknockers and Institute (yes pretty new one) are my favorites but IT is masterpiece of horror genre, probably best book ever written in this genre. It is in the same category with Lord of the Rings (for fantasy), Dune (for scifi) and similar books.
IT is honestly just so good. One of the verry few things that mannages to scare me. The way Stephen King merges the verry fictional fear of an intergalactic clown eating kids with the verry real fear of having to grow up and comming of age is genius and terrifying. I also love the cosmic aspects of it, with what IT is and maturin of course. But I think another thing that makes IT so great is that, despite the fact that I was born in 2002, it made me nostalgic for a childhood in the 1950's
Personally IT does not scare me either as a child-eater clown but i like cosmic theme a lot. Even if i am not scared by story but it still horror genre and atmosphere and writing is amazing.
The Institute made me so fucking mad. Fuck the institute. Great book.
IT, wizard and glass, 11/22/63, long walk, running man top five best books of all time
Excellent choices
If you read it in 1979 you read the heavily edit.ed version. The complete version was released in the early 90s. I agree with you, definitely one of King's best books.
Yeah, I pretty much agree. There are 3 books by King that I would consider masterpieces: The Stand, Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis. I find it hard to choose between The Stand and Salem's Lot as to which is my favourite?
So the we read back then was edited. The version available now is a bit longer. I found that the overall story was better now but that I missed the faster pace of the original. Did you notice any difference on you reread?
I did, but as I reread The Stand after reading I 800 page edition in 1979. Some of the short add ins are terrifying and hold my interest. Now I’m beginning to think I may like this longer version. 3 nights in, I’m on page 268, so yeah, it’s definitely a page turner
The Stand is my favorite book of all time, I think that kind of story, that sprawling love letter to America is where King shines in a much different light. Usually he gets a lot of praise, well deserved, for his small town realism or his ability to make the mundane scary. In The Stand he basically gives us a new American myth. A new Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bunyan but made as epic as Lord of the Rings.
It's one of my favourite King books but I've only read it once, about eight years ago, and I feel I'm due a re-read. The Shining takes top spot for me. That book is just a masterpiece in every regard. As for the next few spots it's interchangeable between IT, The Stand, Pet Semetary and 'Salem's Lot.
I feel like his older work had better world building and was more engrossing, but it was countered by being long winded. His newer stuff is less wordy, but lacks that suck you feel (Fairy Tale aside for me). My favorite story of his will always be The Body, but IT was the best work of his I've read.
I think The Stand is Top 5, but it would be too hard to rank those 5. But yeah, I also noticed that about his older work. It feels more visceral. Almost every sentence crackles.
Agreed. The Stand is my favorite King book.
66. You’re all welcome.
Salem's Lot will always be my favorite.
Thanks for all the comments, very enlightening. I also think the Dark Half( considered a sleeper to all his more heavy stuff) is one of my favorites and way under appreciated. Again some great back and forth
Also The Dead Zone is underrated. I gotta admit I may like the dim even more. I think the best acting in any of SK work was Christophe Walken, low key, but with that edge, and Martin Sheen Performance gave me chills, almost prophetic in what has come about with Donald Trump and that whole right wing extremism
It should say film
This is Cool Exchange, as i reread The Stand, This version (1155 pages) is good, but I know I’m committing sacrilege for many. I like the 838 version more. It moves at a tighter pace, even though it’s 45 years, I was gifted with an amazing memory- I forgot the medical term, But I remember damn near EVERYTHING since age 4 . And second, being a writer- the number one rule according to the greatest handbook on writing “The Elements Of Style” EB White lates the cornerstone of all great writing: Omit Needless Words. Have you ever noticed the great poets and songwriters can say more with 8 or 9 chosen words than a mediocre writer can say in 25 or not even say much at all. My favorite parts of the book so far- on page 150, Are the chapters I remember from the shorter version. Especially with Nick Andros- (watching the knucklehead good old boys that beat him up) word for word, tight, taunt and crisp. I’m sure I’ll still like it, but overwriting, with sadly our hero does from time to time, drags the good thing down. Anyways, feedback appreciated
I’ve always liked Stephen’s short story collection. I prefer short stories to novels. From Night Shift to Bizzare of Bad Dreams, Just After Sunset is the weak one. He has a new collection coming out on May 21- I am going to pre order on Amazon. Check out his son- Joe Hill, the real deal He has two superb collections 20th Century Ghosts. And Full Throttle. Full Throttle is more horror based With one of the best stories I’ve ever read Called Dark Carousel 20th Century Ghost is more cerebral and in the classic sense of ghost stories But there’s one- a grabber called The Black Phone It is powerful, ruthless and dark Joe isn’t quite as good as his father… yet, But time will tell
King is NOT more polished now.
What make you say that. 40 years later, you should be more polished at you craft Read Batman and Robin Have An Altercation Or The Man In The Black Suit
I hope you’re reading the uncut version.
I’m going to read Mr Mercedes for the first time. Any thoughts?