I always thought Insomnia was a pretty popular one. P'raps not. I distinctly recall being especially fond of it (I like Sai King's longer books more than his shorter ones).
Controversial SK Opinions/Confessions
- Thread starter CriticAndProud
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Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the "loser" King novels -- based on general consensus i.e. What I've observed -- seem to be:
Tommyknockers
Gerald's Game
Insomnia
From a Buick 8
Lisey's Story
....keep in mind I love all five of these novels-- just saying what I've observed.
I really liked Lisey's Story but the rest are not my favs.
But -- and I think we can all grok this -- the worst Stephen King novel is better than most of the junk that gets sold nowadays.
I liked Lisey's, Insomnia, and Gerald's Game, but the ones you named might be generally unpopular. For me, the five worst would be the 4 'Alien' books and Regulators.
Kubrick essentially wrote his own story. I think this is the fundamental reason sK hence demanded to have some control over what a filmmaker can do with his stuff. sK has said a number of good things about the movie's production, and I don't think he and Kubrick got hostile with each other as it were face to face. The problem with Kubrick was Kubrick himself, imho. Lots of actors and others in the industry have said he was exceptionally difficult to work with. He was probably something of an egomaniac.
I most definitely agree, Kubrick was an arsehat (albeit a very talented one).
The only sK I've not finished yet is 11/22/63, which I picked up after having started Doctor Sleep and thinking I'm not getting this, but honestly it seemed too much, the subject matter too evil. I didn't feel much like reading anything, but despite being intrigued with 11/22/63, felt I should hang in with Doctor Sleep after all, which immediately came alive for me.
There have been a few novels which I found a little mystifying, at least upon first reading, such as Hearts in Atlantis and Lisey's Story. I know though that my second reading of Lisey, which I expect to accomplish by the year 2030, will be wonderful. Insomnia and Rose Madder were as strange as anything I'll ever read but I loved them.
I assume that rereads are the solution for most CR's chagrin.
There have been a few novels which I found a little mystifying, at least upon first reading, such as Hearts in Atlantis and Lisey's Story. I know though that my second reading of Lisey, which I expect to accomplish by the year 2030, will be wonderful. Insomnia and Rose Madder were as strange as anything I'll ever read but I loved them.
I assume that rereads are the solution for most CR's chagrin.
I'm sure he was a genius, but that isn't always synonymous with "nice guy".
This almost depends on which thread the subject has appeared in (all of them I believe being impossible to find and merge). My observation is that many CRs dislike Tommyknockers, Insomnia, and Lisey's Story more than they dislike any other three. I think Gerald's Game is pretty popular but not Buick 8. Experts would rank sK books according to literary value, but I'm no expert. I just know what I like when I read it and while I've liked some more than others I've never been let down by an sK yet.
Hmm.... From a Buick 8 was one that didn't really leave an impression. I think, to this date, that is the only King book I have still left unread. Lisey's Story was tough hauling for me, but I read finished it. I didn't mind The Tommyknockers so much though. I agree with whoever said that it could have used another run-in with an editor, but I didn't wholly dislike it at the time that I read it.
Dreamcatcher and Black House really didn't impress me too much. Both felt a little too long and the first person plural narrative voice from Black House seemed a little too experimental for my taste. Just didn't take with me that much.
Gerald's Game was an okay novel to me, but nothing special, IMO. Effective at moments, but maybe it could have been trimmed a bit too. Closer to novella format, maybe.
I enjoyed Insomnia. I'm not sure I remember anything about the story right now, but I did have a lot of fun while reading it.
And yes, I'm one of those that enjoyed Kubrick's movie version, too. However, I despise most other King adaptations.
All that being said: I don't really consider many opinions to be controversial. I don't love everything SK has written, but he's a talented writer and he makes novels and stories I otherwise wouldn't pursue much more interesting. Even when I don't fully enjoy a work of his I still get something out of it most of the time. I learned a lot more from his works than I did from most teachers.
Dreamcatcher and Black House really didn't impress me too much. Both felt a little too long and the first person plural narrative voice from Black House seemed a little too experimental for my taste. Just didn't take with me that much.
Gerald's Game was an okay novel to me, but nothing special, IMO. Effective at moments, but maybe it could have been trimmed a bit too. Closer to novella format, maybe.
I enjoyed Insomnia. I'm not sure I remember anything about the story right now, but I did have a lot of fun while reading it.
And yes, I'm one of those that enjoyed Kubrick's movie version, too. However, I despise most other King adaptations.
All that being said: I don't really consider many opinions to be controversial. I don't love everything SK has written, but he's a talented writer and he makes novels and stories I otherwise wouldn't pursue much more interesting. Even when I don't fully enjoy a work of his I still get something out of it most of the time. I learned a lot more from his works than I did from most teachers.
So, you're a head?
Ok, we'll get controversial here: now, bear in mind, this is just a silly idea of mine, one of many that swirl around inside my cracked eggshell-- this isn't meant to spark any heated debates about morality, mortality, responsibility, nothin...( most of what I say is said in jest, especially if I sound mean and evil)...ready? Ok.
I'd like to lock King in a room with about a pound of cocain and an old Underwood typewriter and say, "get to work, old man." Heh heh heh--sorta like a Gonzo Annie Wilkes. Oh, that sounds cruel and crazy, but think of the BOOK he'd write!
Now, I don't like cocain, never have--and I realize the man was killing himself back in his coke head days...but GOD, those books were great.
Okay, poor the tar...I'll find my own feathers to roll in.
I'd like to lock King in a room with about a pound of cocain and an old Underwood typewriter and say, "get to work, old man." Heh heh heh--sorta like a Gonzo Annie Wilkes. Oh, that sounds cruel and crazy, but think of the BOOK he'd write!
Now, I don't like cocain, never have--and I realize the man was killing himself back in his coke head days...but GOD, those books were great.
Okay, poor the tar...I'll find my own feathers to roll in.
Thanks for that. My controversial SK opinion is not specific to SK, but this is the example that most comes to mind. I can't help thinking that if you're prepared to sell the rights to something you've written, and you're prepared to take the money for it, then you should also be prepared to keep your opinion to yourself if you don't like the end result.
As it was, my first exposure to The Shining was the Mad magazine adaptation, and that is absolutely, hands down the best version of the story there is. I was too young for the movie or the book back in 1980, but my folks figured Mad was just a comic, so that was okay. But discounting that version, I did read the book before the film, and I thought it was awesome, obviously. But the fact that the film even existed had already coloured my view. I had seen posters, I had seen trailers on TV, I had friends who had seen the film on video. I remember being thrown for a loop by the fact that Wendy Torrance was described as having blonde hair. How could that be? I seen pictures. I knew she was a brunette.
When I did finally see Kubrick's movie, I thought that was awesome as well, and the fact that it wasn't the same as the book was one of the most awesome things about it.
I've cooled on the movie as I've got older, but this is still soemthing that sits uncomfortably with me. It feels a bit like selling you house to the highest bidder and then coming back a year later and complaining about their choice of decoration.
I know you wouldn't want him to come to any harm and I am a bit prejudiced but it wouldn't be an acceptable trade-off for me.
I know you wouldn't want him to come to any harm and I am a bit prejudiced but it wouldn't be an acceptable trade-off for me.
Well, gosh...I am his number one fan!
Heh heh heh...don't worry, just that old warped muskrat humor of mine. Trust me, I'm much too lazy to pull any such pranks.
It's ok. I got what you were saying.
It's ok. I got what you were saying.
Cool beans. Besides, I'm much too busy trying to get Robert Downy Jr. back on smack.
Are you sure you're not The Thing of Evil? ;P
