The Sleepy Conscience Club discussion

I am listing to the gunslinger on Audio and I hate it. Hate it!!!! Every sentence makes me cringe. I remember some sentence about a golden stream of urine or such when hes pissing on some corn.

I am trying to enjoy it and give it its due. But come on. Did Bevis or Butthead write this. Cornholio for your bung hole? "Why Yes I think I just might."

I'm glad you are liking it so far Jack! I'm going to pick it up so I can read it on my flights this week.

Rob, it took me a few readings before I really appreciated Dark Tower 1. You have to remember, King wrote this as a series of entries in a periodical, so basically you have a young writer, getting paid to publish short entries of a series in what I can imagine was a really short time frame. However, after reading the whole series I went back and re-read the first one and it really became clear to me how amazing it really was. As Jack says, the first book draws you into this hard, crude world that is dying from rot. It's supposed to make you feel shitty. Sure, some sentences are awkward, but you have to take the context in which the book was written in order to fully appreciate the story, with its flaws and all.

On second thought, I might put the wind through the keyhole on hold in order to read 11/22/63. Since I am going to be staying a block away from where Kennedy was assassinated this weekend, I thought it might be timely to read King's novel about the events. Have either of you tackled this one yet?

Jack wrote: "Did you see how 11/22/63 was called one of the ten best books of 2011, and there was a huge uproar because Stephen King isn't literary enough to be on the list? I've never gotten this criticism of him, or why it seems to be a fixation of people. To my knowledge, King doesn't consider himself a literary writer, he doesn't want to be a literary writer, and he has never TRIED to be a literary writer. I really hate the whole bias that something has to be literary to be good."

It seems that some folks are just aversive to approachable authors like King. You're right, King has never tried to be a literary writer, he's a storyteller, and a good one. He certainly has put out some less than perfect novels, some downright awful (i.e. blockade billy, Tommyknockers), and he himself will admit this on a regular basis. However, when he hits, its always a grand slam. I guess some folks can't wrap their heads around the concept that a writer doesn't have to be perfect all the time to be great. I also agree with you about the Long Walk, and the Dark Tower (specifically the Wizard and the Glass). I will also throw the Stand in the mix, just because to me, that book defines the word epic. The journey that he takes us on is incredible.

Many authors have stinkbombs though, so I imagine that over time King's best works will become staples in the literary community, but only after King is long gone.

Nice, I'll pick it up next. I'm on page 525 of 11/22/63. Really great book. The Derry scenes were paced really well, but I thought it lost a bit of steam with the Jodie portion. Now it's picking back up again as the events surrounding Kennedy's assassination start to unfold.

Dude, that book was siiiiiiiiiiiiick! I finished the last 300 pages yesterday, couldn't put it down. I actually could have read another 200 pages expanding on the green/yellow/orange/black card men and the alternate post-JFK time tangent. However, that's a slippery slope and could have gotten messy so a part of me is happy that he kept the present day stuff at the end very simple.

I feel completely different about the Derry part thought. Seems to me like George was super judgmental in Derry, and I was enthralled with the first 300 pages or so of the book. The part that never really come to life for me was Jodie. I liked the characters, but, aside from Sadie they all seemed like caricatures. I love his descriptions of the Book Depository. When I visited it, I went alone around midnight and sat on the grassy knoll and took it all in. There is definitely still an odd energy around Dealy Plaza. Perhaps not outright evil as King described it being in 63, but there is still something off key about that location, and the building in general.

11/22/63 is going up on my shelf as a keeper, I think I'll be back for a re-read in a year or so...

I ordered wind through the keyhole last night, should be coming in on Friday.

Do you know that his next novel is going to be a sequel to the shining? Danny is grown up and is an orderly who "helps" elderly patients die...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Sleep