Endings

[Doc Creed]

The Dark Half, Pet Sematary and Cujo may have the bleakest endings but, according to King, some endings were meant to be darker than what they eventually became.

Spoiler: 'Salem's Lot

He had initially planned to have the entire town become vampires but became attached to his main characters.

Spoiler: Misery

When he first conceived the idea for this book he was going to have Annie kill Paul in the end and bind his manuscript in his skin.

Carrie and Revival had dark endings but there was some sense of resolution and balance. Needful Things, The Stand, and IT have endings that are of a cyclical nature; the Evil is banished but it returns in another incarnation. Duma Key, Lisey's Story, and Joyland have sad, reflective endings. The Tommyknockers and The Shining have bittersweet endings.

Are there other novels that were intended to have a happier outcome?

What say you?

 

[AchtungBaby]

One of my favorite endings is Roadwork. Talk about bleak.

 

[Doc Creed]

One of my favorite endings is Roadwork. Talk about bleak.

I didn't even consider the Bachman novels. All of them were bleak, especially Roadwork. The reader feels burdened from the very beginning. Good call.

 

[morgan]

Duma Key, Lisey's Story, and Joyland have sad, reflective endings.

I would add Bag of Bones to this list as well.

 

[morgan]

The reader feels burdened from the very beginning.

I couldn't even finish Blaze. Will try again someday.

 

[Doc Creed]

Firestarter and Insomnia were sad but hopeful. In retrospect it seems like post-Insomnia King began pondering his own mortality. Maybe it's just me. Even some of his later short stories and novellas took on a more optimistic look at death.

 

[Doc Creed]

I would add Bag of Bones to this list as well.

Absolutely. Bag of Bones and Lisey's Story, to my mind, read like 'what if' documents of the hypothetical death of either Steve or Tabby.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...I think EOW had a bittersweet wrap as well...

 

[Doc Creed]

...I think EOW had a bittersweet wrap as well...

I haven't read it yet, I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Steffen]

Pet Sematary is still my favourite ending of a King book. That bad feeling that lingers long after you're done with the story.

 

[muskrat]

1922's ending t'werent no sunny picnic, pickle pants.

 

[staropeace]

Cell had my favorite ending. It was perfect.

 

[not_nadine]

Thinner's ending was pretty sweet.

 

[signals2112]

1922's ending t'werent no sunny picnic, pickle pants.

I had to walk away from Full Dark, No Stars after reading 1922. That book fully lived up to it's name

 

[muskrat]

I had to walk away from Full Dark, No Stars after reading 1922. That book fully lived up to it's name

Well, you just walk (or rush) yourself right back to Full Dark, 2112, and have another go. Turn some lights on if it helps. You can take it.

 

[signals2112]

Well, you just walk (or rush) yourself right back to Full Dark, 2112, and have another go. Turn some lights on if it helps. You can take it.

I've gone back and finished it, but it did take nearly a year before I was able to pick it up.

 

[Shoesalesman]

Pet Sematary is still my favourite ending of a King book. That bad feeling that lingers long after you're done with the story.

Agreed.

 

[Srbo]

Pet Sematary is still my favourite ending of a King book. That bad feeling that lingers long after you're done with the story.

Yup.
The saddest book I have ever read.
There is just no hope.
The one book I will never re-read.

Blaze is AWESOME, IMO, love that book.

 

[carrie's younger brother]

Carrie is my favorite ending of all SK's books, followed by Firestarter.