Stephen King 2025 read-along discussion
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Thinner
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Have any of you read cell and if so what are your thoughts on it? I’m currently on page 271 so no spoilers please
Thinner is one of the books written under King's pseudonym, Richard Bachman, and was published in 1984. The story centers on obese lawyer Billy Halleck, who, driving carelessly, kills an old Romani woman while she is crossing the street. He escapes legal punishment due to his connections, but the woman's 106-year-old father then curses Halleck to physically waste away, and the lawyer must find a way to undo the curse. King, who was overweight at the time of the novel's writing, created the novel's outline following an annual medical examination.
Following the book's release, media outlets discussed the similarities between the works of Bachman and King. Eventually, bookstore clerk Stephen Brown, a fan of King's work, located evidence from copyright data held in the Library of Congress that Bachman and King were the same person. After the secret of King's pseudonym was revealed, sales of Thinner increased tenfold. In total, over three million copies of Thinner have been sold. Critical reception to Thinner was polarized; some reviewers disliked the authorship deception, while others held this same point as a merit of the book. The literary style, however, was generally praised.
A film adaptation was released in 1996 directed by Tom Holland (ala Child's Play, Fright Night, and The Langoliers fame), and stars Robert John Burke and Joe Mantegna. It did not garner great reviews and grossed $15.3 million against a budget of $8 million. The effects are very of its time and it can be seen as a little hokey but it's a fun watch. As far as I can tell by the time this post goes live the only place you can watch it for free is on Pluto TV.
A thinner (pun intended) pick as we start easing into the holiday season. Are you excited for November's pick? Did you have a fun Halloween if you participate? Let us know all the things down below!