How you deal with reading other Authors

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bigkingfan91

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2014
190
921
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WV
I know I'm a little behind the times here, as most of you have read most of King's work and now enjoy other authors as well, but do any of you still have quite a bit of King's work left to read for the first time? And if so, how do you deal with reading other authors, when you have so much left by King that you want to read? Do you skip around a little from time to time, to take a break from King & save a few of his titles for later? Do you read a couple books at the same time, maybe one at a certain part of the day and the other at another part? I read a lot of true crime & history type stuff, and while reading that stuff I've found it very easy to read a fiction book at the same time, as long as I make sure to keep up with all the characters and even keep notes if needed.

A good example of this is my current situation. I've been back into reading for a few months now, after many years of simple non interest in books, & as far as King books go there are many I either need to re read since it's been years, read for the 1st time, or start over since I never finished them. I just finished The Stand for my 1st time recently, and one hugely popular book that I still have not read, is IT. I'm currently reading Strangers by Koontz, along with a 900+ pager called The Manson File by Nikolas Schreck, but I find it hard to enjoy other authors, when there are so many King titles left to dig into. It's not impossible, but I'm just finding it hard to truly enjoy other fiction authors right now, but at the same time I'd love to mix it up some and not read all the King works straight through, 1 after the other, and draw it out some & make them last.

If anyone on here is like me and still has plenty of unread work by King, would you suggest sticking with King and enjoying the crazy ride, or mixing it up some when you are recommended other authors & titles? I want to enjoy "Strangers" as much as possible but I cant help feeling like I'm wasting time or something... Ya know?
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
I know I'm a little behind the times here, as most of you have read most of King's work and now enjoy other authors as well, but do any of you still have quite a bit of King's work left to read for the first time? And if so, how do you deal with reading other authors, when you have so much left by King that you want to read? Do you skip around a little from time to time, to take a break from King & save a few of his titles for later? Do you read a couple books at the same time, maybe one at a certain part of the day and the other at another part? I read a lot of true crime & history type stuff, and while reading that stuff I've found it very easy to read a fiction book at the same time, as long as I make sure to keep up with all the characters and even keep notes if needed.

A good example of this is my current situation. I've been back into reading for a few months now, after many years of simple non interest in books, & as far as King books go there are many I either need to re read since it's been years, read for the 1st time, or start over since I never finished them. I just finished The Stand for my 1st time recently, and one hugely popular book that I still have not read, is IT. I'm currently reading Strangers by Koontz, along with a 900+ pager called The Manson File by Nikolas Schreck, but I find it hard to enjoy other authors, when there are so many King titles left to dig into. It's not impossible, but I'm just finding it hard to truly enjoy other fiction authors right now, but at the same time I'd love to mix it up some and not read all the King works straight through, 1 after the other, and draw it out some & make them last.

If anyone on here is like me and still has plenty of unread work by King, would you suggest sticking with King and enjoying the crazy ride, or mixing it up some when you are recommended other authors & titles? I want to enjoy "Strangers" as much as possible but I cant help feeling like I'm wasting time or something... Ya know?
Knowledge is Power. It keeps a person interested and interesting. I say read all sorts of things. Read many authors. Read fiction. Read nonfiction. The more well read you are, the better chance you have of understanding the world and the people in it. Not always, but it helps to have a lot of sources to draw from.. ;-D
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Knowledge is Power. It keeps a person interested and interesting. I say read all sorts of things. Read many authors. Read fiction. Read nonfiction. The more well read you are, the better chance you have of understanding the world and the people in it. Not always, but it helps to have a lot of sources to draw from.. ;-D

*Standing Ovation* Read anything and everything that catches your fancy, and some things that don't (immediately, that is).

I haven't the same issue, as I'm a King-junkie and read everything right away (and have for years), but it never hurts to mix things up when you're in a rut. When you go back to Mr. King, it will be with a broader worldview--a good idea, because The Man himself is well read and draws inspiration & makes allusions to current and classic literature, historical and current events, all of the time. Being broadly read will help you appreciate the subtlety of his art, even while you are absorbed in the stories.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
*Standing Ovation* Read anything and everything that catches your fancy, and some things that don't (immediately, that is).

I haven't the same issue, as I'm a King-junkie and read everything right away (and have for years), but it never hurts to mix things up when you're in a rut. When you go back to Mr. King, it will be with a broader worldview--a good idea, because The Man himself is well read and draws inspiration & makes allusions to current and classic literature, historical and current events, all of the time. Being broadly read will help you appreciate the subtlety of his art, even while you are absorbed in the stories.
Absolutely. Said in a very good, writerly way. ;DD
 

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
9,682
65,192
59
sweden
Im with Skimom. on this one. There is just a few King i haven't read so don't have the same problem but my experience, from other authors i discovered later in their career, is that if you read to many in a row you don't get quite as much out of it as you could. I read 2or 3 books in a row and then took a break reading other authors and subjects for a while. Than back to the world of the author. But the author i was backreading used the same character in the lead so i guess it is a little bit different than King. But I would think of it as a deliciuous meal and the advice then is to eat slow and the taste and experience will be bigger then than if you just cram everything in your mouth as fast as possible. That is what i would do in your position but i understand that the temptation is great.... And, as Oscar Wilde said, "The only way to beat a temptation is to fall for it". He wasn't thinking of King but he has a point.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
I don't see a problem...read all of King and move on. When you want to reread something, do so. Loved Strangers from Koontz...he does have some great stories, despite the qualifier that many post here..."but he's not as good as King"...as if enjoying the story from another is unfaithful to...what? a religion? Check out Elmore Leonard, Charles Willeford, Harry Crews, and Dennis Herrick, too...Dostoyevsky, Cervantes, Tolstoy, Eliot...keep reading.
 

bigkingfan91

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2014
190
921
32
WV
It helps you to develop your style of writing too, if you are into writing. I read a lot of what has to do with history, crime history, JFK, Manson, etc. while much of it may be controversial. I always have to have me a good fiction book going to, which i'll turn to when I'm ready for a break from the non-fiction stuff, which I'm doing now with Strangers & the Nikolas Schreck book I'm reading. Walter, I haven't heard of any of those you mentioned, going to have to look them up, thank you!!!
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
I have been reading King since the late '70's. I read everything he published when it was published. Therefore, I do not have a backlog of stories or books that have gone unread like you do.Consider yourself lucky that you did not have to wait years for the next Dark Tower novel! As for other authors that I read, there are alot of them: Dan Simmons, Joe Lansdale, Koontz (as long as there aren't any Golden Retrievers in it), John Grisham, Joe Hill, Don Robertson, John Steinbeck, Patricia Cornwell, Fannie Flagg, John Irving, John Lindqvist, Ira Levin, Whitley Strieber, Charles Grant, JA Jance, Shirley Jackson, Scott Smith, Tobias Wolff, Peter Straub, Michael McDowell, Tabitha King, Anne Rice, Justin Cronin. Each of these authors have their own 'voice' and style of writing and each offers me something different. I enjoy reading other authors. As someone stated earlier- do you really want to eat the same thing for lunch all the time and if you do then won't you get sick of it? Try different writers. It's not like Uncle Steve is going to get mad at you. Heck, he reads many, many books by many authors. He has a somewhat eclectic taste, too. Just enjoy yourself, noone's going to think badly of you.
 

JoannHBuchanan

Well-Known Member
May 20, 2014
70
379
If you're reading only for pleasure I don't see it as an issue reading other authors. If you're reading because you yourself are an author then to me, it's a whole different story. I'm an author and I read all kinds of books from all kinds of authors. Some are AMAZING others not so good. However I learn from both. In fact, I have found that you can literally learn more from a not so good author than a great one because you learn what not to do. After I read a book by an author like that, I will pick up a King or David B. Coe book so I can see the difference. In the end, it's all about entertainment and what you like as a reader.

When people were talking about 50 Shades of Grey I was curious...then I read an excerpt and found the writing to be horrible. I mean seriously how many paragraphs do you need about brushing your hair? Then the phrase that really did it for me was "He's abusive but that's ok because he's hot." REALLY???
I had to roll my eyes. I chose not to buy this and I can honestly say I'm glad for it.

Soon after I picked up an old book by Stephen King, Tommy Knockers...first thought, now this is how a story is told. I guess my point is as long as the story, characters, events or what have you, speak to you then it shouldn't be an issue. There are several books on my kindle I will never waste my time on reading again. There are also some on there I will read a few times, just because they were amazing the first time.

As an author I have to say I would rather entertain than not, as a reader I would rather be entertained than not. That's all there is to it.
 

Lord Tyrion

Well-Known Member
Oct 24, 2013
1,582
6,257
I've only read one SK book and I plan on reading more. I don't plan on reading any of his books that have been turned into films (I've seen IT and the Shinning). I plan on going through Joyland quickly and then perhaps starting with the Dark Tower series. I like mixing up what I'm reading. I also plan on reading the Game of Thrones books, Freakonomics and Timothy Geitner's autobiography focusing on the Great Recession. Mixing it up keeps it interesting.
 

Angrybeaver2

New Member
May 23, 2014
4
26
34
I tend to get most of my books from second hand / charity shops, unless it's something i'm really looking forward to. Cheap as chips and there's always the odd gem you might not stumble across otherwise. So there tends to be a 'pot luck' element as to who or what i'm reading.
 

Sundrop

Sunny the Great & Wonderful
Jun 12, 2008
28,520
156,619
I've only read one SK book and I plan on reading more. I don't plan on reading any of his books that have been turned into films (I've seen IT and the Shinning). I plan on going through Joyland quickly and then perhaps starting with the Dark Tower series. I like mixing up what I'm reading. I also plan on reading the Game of Thrones books, Freakonomics and Timothy Geitner's autobiography focusing on the Great Recession. Mixing it up keeps it interesting.

Please reconsider reading these two books. If you only rely on the film, you're missing out on a lot.
 

blunthead

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2006
80,755
195,461
Atlanta GA
I know I'm a little behind the times here, as most of you have read most of King's work and now enjoy other authors as well, but do any of you still have quite a bit of King's work left to read for the first time? And if so, how do you deal with reading other authors, when you have so much left by King that you want to read? Do you skip around a little from time to time, to take a break from King & save a few of his titles for later? Do you read a couple books at the same time, maybe one at a certain part of the day and the other at another part? I read a lot of true crime & history type stuff, and while reading that stuff I've found it very easy to read a fiction book at the same time, as long as I make sure to keep up with all the characters and even keep notes if needed.

A good example of this is my current situation. I've been back into reading for a few months now, after many years of simple non interest in books, & as far as King books go there are many I either need to re read since it's been years, read for the 1st time, or start over since I never finished them. I just finished The Stand for my 1st time recently, and one hugely popular book that I still have not read, is IT. I'm currently reading Strangers by Koontz, along with a 900+ pager called The Manson File by Nikolas Schreck, but I find it hard to enjoy other authors, when there are so many King titles left to dig into. It's not impossible, but I'm just finding it hard to truly enjoy other fiction authors right now, but at the same time I'd love to mix it up some and not read all the King works straight through, 1 after the other, and draw it out some & make them last.

If anyone on here is like me and still has plenty of unread work by King, would you suggest sticking with King and enjoying the crazy ride, or mixing it up some when you are recommended other authors & titles? I want to enjoy "Strangers" as much as possible but I cant help feeling like I'm wasting time or something... Ya know?
Yes, I know. What's prevented me from continuing from sK to sK has been either that I haven't gotten a copy of the next one I choose to read in the mail yet, or I decide I need to read a certain novel in order to deserve the designation of "Horror Fan". Sometimes these two reasons happen at once; for instance, a while back I hadn't gotten a copy of WTTK, the sK I'd decided to read next, but had just read 'Salem's Lot and realized I needed to read Dracula, so did. Then realized I needed to read Frankenstein, so did (do you realize that virtually every single sentence in Frankenstein contains at least one semi-colon?! But I digress).

Meanwhile, I grow dangerously old enough to risk never completing the sK canon - that is, if he himself would ever stop writing it - a failure I consider unacceptable. Couple that realization with the one about how slowly I read, and you have an imposing, irritating cold sweat.

I don't think I can read two books concurrently, though I like your plan of accomplishing it via their not both being fiction. The problem with that, though, is I only read fiction.

I recommend reading Strangers. I haven't myself, but intend to one day, almost certainly not prior to my catching up remarkably on sK, though. There are a whole bunch of sK left for me as we speak. Here comes the cold sweat.