Classic books you wish Stephen would do his special take on

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

raperm

Active Member
Aug 22, 2016
28
112
53
I still say that King is every bit as talented a writer as many of the biggies we're taught to admire in school. King has the perfect balance of a master story teller AND a great writer. He's got the gift of telling a compelling tale, and he does so with all the skill of the most talented writer you can think of. Amazing, really. No one does characters quite like he does.

And while I'm sure it's considered absolute black heresy to suggest this, I think some of the "classics" we all get introduced too really aren't that good, and only remain classics through sheer proliferation. Each generation is taught this or that book is great, so when it comes time to teach, they do it too...the arguments are already firmly developed so it's easy.

One example to me of a story with great potential that was totally ruined by a ponderous, over-blown style of writing was Moby Dick. Simple story, really, and about three times as long as it needs to be. Long, Latinate sentences that would surely get you dinged for points as run-on sentences if you dared turn in a work with them in it. Weird asides that take up whole chapters right in the middle of the story. Just...bad.

But the STORY, or the potential of the story, is really great. And when I tried to read it yet again, I remember thinking this has all the makings of a great King story. A supernatural enemy in the shape of a whale. A simple protagonist who is out of his depth, and his somewhat exotic best friend. And, above all, an antagonist character in a position of power who's already mad, and slowly growing madder with each passing day.

I mean, really...King could do WONDERS with that.

So would I pay to read Stephen King's Moby Dick? Damn right I would. Won't happen, I guess, but man do I wish it would.

So...what other classic stories would people like to see King do his take on?
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
47
United States
He's done ghosts, vampires and werewolves, but as far as I know he's never done something like a Frankenstein story. I'd love to see his take on that. He has a few "mad scientist" stories lurking in him ("The End of the Whole Mess" comes to mind).
I felt like Revival was basically a riff on Frankenstein. (Maybe you mean in a more literal sense? Like digging up corpses?) Needful Things had an Our Town feeling, complete with narrator at the beginning. The Shining was his homage to Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. As far as an outright reimagining...I can't think of anything.
 

Steffen

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,233
12,800
Most of the horror tropes have already been covered, but I do have a short wish-list of my own:

1) Another werewolf story. Yes, he did Cycle and Talisman, but I'd love for him to tackle this particular mythology once again.
2) I enjoy his Lovecraft tributes, and since a lot of Lovecraft's stories had to do with "denizens of the deep," I second the suggestion made above by GNTLGNT .
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
He's done ghosts, vampires and werewolves, but as far as I know he's never done something like a Frankenstein story. I'd love to see his take on that. He has a few "mad scientist" stories lurking in him ("The End of the Whole Mess" comes to mind).
Revival reminded me strongly of Frankenstein in tone, until that ending *shudder*. I think that was his closest take on that tale.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
I felt like Revival was basically a riff on Frankenstein. (Maybe you mean in a more literal sense? Like digging up corpses?) Needful Things had an Our Town feeling, complete with narrator at the beginning. The Shining was his homage to Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. As far as an outright reimagining...I can't think of anything.
Great minds think alike! :)
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
The Grapes of Wrath.

Stephen's quick but poignant tale:

"Tom Joad? Is that you?" Rosasharn said in shocked disbelief as she tipped over the pan on the stove containing grandpa's fingernails sauteing in a little bit of sweaty salt from pa's pits. The shack went up in flames. There were no survivors to pick oranges in California.

The turtle giggled.

The End.
 
Last edited:

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
9,682
65,192
59
sweden
SK is a classic and some of his books will be considered classics long after he and i and you are gone. No doubt about that. I think Moby Dick is a good idea. Also i wonder what he would do with a variation of the classic revengetale "The Count of Monte Cristo". A great book but i'm sure King could spin the basic story in an interesting way.
 

danie

I am whatever you say I am.
Feb 26, 2008
9,760
60,662
60
Kentucky
The Grapes of Wrath.

Stephen's quick but poignant tale:

"Tom Joad? Is that you?" Rosasharn said in shocked disbelief as she tipped over the pan on the stove containing grandpa's fingernails sauteing in a little bit of sweaty salt from pa's pits. The shack went up in flames. There were no survivors to pick oranges in California.

The turtle giggled.

The End.
This reminded me of an SKMB member, Rosasharn. Do you remember her?