Thoughts on a Re-Read

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Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
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Chicago Suburbs
Hi All:

New to the forum but certainly not to SK. After reading many of the discussions, I've been thinking about which book I might want to revisit. In the past 2-3 years or so I've re-read: Salem's Lot, It (still my personal favorite), The Shining, and The Stand.

I've always thought about those as the heavy-hitters, but maybe I should go back to one that I wasn't blown away by the first time and see how my perspective has changed. I interpreted The Shining in a much different way reading it over the age of 40 than when I first read it as a teenager. The first one that comes to mind is The Tommyknockers. I wasn't particularly thrilled with it the first time - maybe I'd like it better now. Firestarter is another.

What would you suggest and is there any particular reason for your choice? Thanks!
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Hi All:

New to the forum but certainly not to SK. After reading many of the discussions, I've been thinking about which book I might want to revisit. In the past 2-3 years or so I've re-read: Salem's Lot, It (still my personal favorite), The Shining, and The Stand.

I've always thought about those as the heavy-hitters, but maybe I should go back to one that I wasn't blown away by the first time and see how my perspective has changed. I interpreted The Shining in a much different way reading it over the age of 40 than when I first read it as a teenager. The first one that comes to mind is The Tommyknockers. I wasn't particularly thrilled with it the first time - maybe I'd like it better now. Firestarter is another.

What would you suggest and is there any particular reason for your choice? Thanks!
....your perspective will have changed on all of his work as you've grown older, just as his writing has changed as he's matured...
 

Doc Creed

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Nov 18, 2015
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I took a fifteen years break from reading King and upon revisiting his work I not only had forgotten many details but, like GNT said, gained a new perspective. I second the suggestion for The Tommyknockers; The Town portion can test the reader's patience (it deviates too much from the main plot momentum of Bobbi and Gard) but it is filled with some of the zaniest characters he ever created. Welcome to the boards and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on your reread.
 

Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
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Chicago Suburbs
Thanks for the responses and suggestions everyone! My Kindle is playing charging games with me and I have a business trip coming up, so it looks like a lunchtime stop at the library is in order. I read The Tommyknockers about 20 years ago and I remember being somewhat frustrated by it. Part of it stems from the fact that I didn't expect the novel to go down the path that it did. I know SK wasn't in the best of shape when the book was written, but there are still a few scenes that stand out in my mind even now.
It will be interesting to revisit this one.
 

Haunted

This is my favorite place
Mar 26, 2008
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The woods are lovely dark and deep
542680~Welcome-Mat-on-Forest-Trail-Posters.jpg
How about UTD? It is rich with characters and mysteries. Looking forward to hearing about your choice and what you learned this time around.
 

Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
1,829
Chicago Suburbs
542680~Welcome-Mat-on-Forest-Trail-Posters.jpg
How about UTD? It is rich with characters and mysteries. Looking forward to hearing about your choice and what you learned this time around.
Thanks. Under the Dome is a pretty mammoth undertaking and it's not been that long since I read it the first time, so I'll have to revisit that one later. There were some elements in it that I wasn't all that crazy about.
 

Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
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Chicago Suburbs
I recently Re-Read Pet Semetery. Loved it still, I think its one that your perspective changes of as you get older, especially if you have children.
I have three, all of which are still reasonably young. I've found that I have a much harder time with stories that involve children that are ill or being abused or perish accidentally.
However, It still ranks as my favorite book and that's pretty perilous. It might be easier for me to digest since so much is written from their POV.
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
47
United States
Hi All:

New to the forum but certainly not to SK. After reading many of the discussions, I've been thinking about which book I might want to revisit. In the past 2-3 years or so I've re-read: Salem's Lot, It (still my personal favorite), The Shining, and The Stand.

I've always thought about those as the heavy-hitters, but maybe I should go back to one that I wasn't blown away by the first time and see how my perspective has changed. I interpreted The Shining in a much different way reading it over the age of 40 than when I first read it as a teenager. The first one that comes to mind is The Tommyknockers. I wasn't particularly thrilled with it the first time - maybe I'd like it better now. Firestarter is another.

What would you suggest and is there any particular reason for your choice? Thanks!
Hi, Zone D. Is your profile name a reference to The Dead Zone or does it have something to do with baseball? Strike zone?
 

Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
1,829
Chicago Suburbs
Hi, Zone D. Is your profile name a reference to The Dead Zone or does it have something to do with baseball? Strike zone?
Hi Doc: It's a reference to having 3 kids. When you have one child you have the benefit of double-coverage, 2 children means you play man-to-man and with 3 kids you play zone defense.
I didn't even consider the Dead Zone as a reference. That's another one that should be on my re-read list. I loved it the first time.
 

Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
1,829
Chicago Suburbs
So the winner is...Firestarter. It's a default selection as my library didn't have the Tommyknockers. I didn't check the computer (wow, I almost actually typed the words "card catalog"!), so it might just be checked out. I also realized while I was there that I've never read Carrie. Wondering how this could possibly be?
 

do1you9love?

Happy to be here!
Feb 18, 2012
9,284
70,566
Virginia
So the winner is...Firestarter. It's a default selection as my library didn't have the Tommyknockers. I didn't check the computer (wow, I almost actually typed the words "card catalog"!), so it might just be checked out. I also realized while I was there that I've never read Carrie. Wondering how this could possibly be?
=D It happens. This morning, on my drive into work as I was listening to the local All 80s station and belting out Missing You by John Waite, I realized that "Like a Facebook Post to your Soul" would not have quite the same ring to it.;;D
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
So the winner is...Firestarter. It's a default selection as my library didn't have the Tommyknockers. I didn't check the computer (wow, I almost actually typed the words "card catalog"!), so it might just be checked out. I also realized while I was there that I've never read Carrie. Wondering how this could possibly be?
421d78d2647535a203531800e9a17710--funny-life-school-stuff.jpg
 

Zone D Dad

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2017
359
1,829
Chicago Suburbs
I LOVE The Talisman. I've been through that a few times as well and even got my 14-year old to slug his way through it (it's tough to get a teenager to make it through those first 200 pages to where the story really takes off). One of my absolute favorites and filled with some of my favorite characters. As much as I love Pennywise, Osmond/Sunlight Gardner is possibly my all-time top SK villian. Wolf, Speedy Parker...just great characters.

The Talisman is the one I'd love to see a premium channel like HBO adapt to a limited series format. It would be incredible.
 

Jimpy

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2014
75
394
65
The Stephen King novel I've read the most times is The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon. The Dead Zone, Thinner and The Regulators. I'm not saying they're his best books, but for some reason I keep coming back to them. The novels by other authors I have read the most are Arthur C. Clarke, A Rendevous with Rama, Alistair MacLean's Ice Station Zebra, and Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour. While mulling over my response for this thread it occurred to me, my most read books are not exactly Moby Dick, Catcher in the Rye or To Kill a Mockingbird. Oh well, I like what I like.