What Are You Reading?

[Wulfman]

Sphere is the last book I read. Very odd read, but read it in a week because I couldn't stop reading.
Dead Wrong, J. A. Jance is a book I read before Sphere. Not really into crime or mystery. Met her, she suggested Hour of the Hunter. Well now, I read her books time to time.

 

[kingricefan]

I am halfway through The Elementals (I can be a slow reader sometimes, even when the book is terrific) and I am really struck by how good the writing is. As a big fan of the horror explosion that took place during the 1970s and 1980s, I know the writing can vary from author to author. I have read a lot of John Saul books, but I will be the first to say they are not well written and very formulaic. Michael McDowell has quite a sense of humor and a gift for character development.

I am so happy that you are liking McDowell's writing! You are correct, the writing is good. I wish he had broken through the publishing ceiling and became a huge success! He emerged during the horror 'craze' and I think was overshadowed by the King, Straub, McCammon, Saul, etc. books. His writing is miles above what Saul was churning out back then. I've only read Saul's first 4 or 5 books, and they were pretty much the same thing to me. Nothing new and exciting. I can tell you, tho, when the Blackwater series was announced I was at the bookstore every month to snatch up each new installment! The last one was delayed by two weeks (if I remember correctly) and, man, was I frothing at the mouth!

 

[carrie's younger brother]

I am so happy that you are liking McDowell's writing! You are correct, the writing is good. I wish he had broken through the publishing ceiling and became a huge success! He emerged during the horror 'craze' and I think was overshadowed by the King, Straub, McCammon, Saul, etc. books. His writing is miles above what Saul was churning out back then. I've only read Saul's first 4 or 5 books, and they were pretty much the same thing to me. Nothing new and exciting. I can tell you, tho, when the Blackwater series was announced I was at the bookstore every month to snatch up each new installment! The last one was delayed by two weeks (if I remember correctly) and, man, was I frothing at the mouth!

Have you ever read The Sentinel by Jeffrey Konvitz or Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco? I found these two books to be above average in the genre and pretty well written, too.

The Sentinel is the reason I read Carrie back when it first was published in paperback and started my lifelong "affair" with SK. I was actually looking for The Sentinel at the card store in my neighborhood (it also sold books) since I kept seeing a scary (to 13-year-old me) commercial for the book on TV. When I went to the store, they did not have it but I spotted Carrie, opened that gatefold of the city in ashes, read the description and have been "in love" ever since!

 

[kingricefan]

Have you ever read The Sentinel by Jeffrey Konvitz or Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco? I found these two books to be above average in the genre and pretty well written, too.

The Sentinel is the reason I read Carrie back when it first was published in paperback and started my lifelong "affair" with SK. I was actually looking for The Sentinel at the card store in my neighborhood (it also sold books) since I kept seeing a scary (to 13-year-old me) commercial for the book on TV. When I went to the store, they did not have it but I spotted Carrie, opened that gatefold of the city in ashes, read the description and have been "in love" ever since!

Yes, I read and enjoyed the Sentinel very much! Even had a hardback 1st of it but it was one of the books I donated when I moved and had to downsize (the book collection). Truly a creepy novel! Haven't read Burnt Offerings tho. Too bad you can't go back in time and tell your 13 year old self to buy up as many hardback 1st printings of Carrie to keep for awhile!!!

 

[Dana Jean]

Yes, I read and enjoyed the Sentinel very much! Even had a hardback 1st of it but it was one of the books I donated when I moved and had to downsize (the book collection). Truly a creepy novel! Haven't read Burnt Offerings tho. Too bad you can't go back in time and tell your 13 year old self to buy up as many hardback 1st printings of Carrie to keep for awhile!!!

I also liked The Sentinel. It was truly creepy. I've read Burnt Offerings and if you have seen the movie, it is probably the most faithful adaptation I have ever seen from book to movie. I mean, it follows that books right down the line.

 

[Dana Jean]

I am reading The Dark Half.

No. I have never read it.

 

[Tim D.]

I just started reading The Wolf's Hour by Robert McCammon. It's about a Nazi killing werewolf in WW2. Needless to say it's a little different take on the werewolf story, but so far it's very good.

 

[skimom2]

Me before You (Jojo Moyes) for book club. So much better than her next book (which I read a while ago for review-not sure if it's out yet) that it almost seems like a different writer. Really well done!

 

[skimom2]

I am reading The Dark Half.

No. I have never read it.

I remember liking that one. It's one of the stories that run hot & fast, with a lot of over the top action that felt perfectly reasonable at the time. Oh to be so young again-lol.

 

[kingricefan]

I just started reading The Wolf's Hour by Robert McCammon. It's about a Nazi killing werewolf in WW2. Needless to say it's a little different take on the werewolf story, but so far it's very good.

This is a great book! McCammon has fun with this one.

 

[The Nameless]

I've been trying to read Misery but a few things are conspiring against me.

1, a bit of readers block
2, my long standing reservation about not really liking isolated stories about a very small group of characters
3, in 4 of my last 5 King stories, the main character or a main supporting character has been a stubborn author who, despite being a protagonist is a bit of an a**hole. It's all becoming a bit of overkill.

Having not finnished the regulators, I didn't want to not finnish this one but it'sbeen over a month and I've read only 45 pages. Not good going. I might start another book, one that doesn't have an author as the main character.

 

[Kurben]

I've been trying to read Misery but a few things are conspiring against me.

1, a bit of readers block
2, my long standing reservation about not really liking isolated stories about a very small group of characters
3, in 4 of my last 5 King stories, the main character or a main supporting character has been a stubborn author who, despite being a protagonist is a bit of an a**hole. It's all becoming a bit of overkill.

Having not finnished the regulators, I didn't want to not finnish this one but it'sbeen over a month and I've read only 45 pages. Not good going. I might start another book, one that doesn't have an author as the main character.

Misery is really good but it is kind of isolated. It is a game between Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes. And, by the way, much better than the Regulators.

 

[carrie's younger brother]

I also liked The Sentinel. It was truly creepy. I've read Burnt Offerings and if you have seen the movie, it is probably the most faithful adaptation I have ever seen from book to movie. I mean, it follows that books right down the line.

Yes, very true. The original Rosemary's Baby is also pretty true to the book, if I remember correctly.

 

[cat in a bag]

Me before You (Jojo Moyes) for book club. So much better than her next book (which I read a while ago for review-not sure if it's out yet) that it almost seems like a different writer. Really well done!

I really loved this book. Have not read any of her other titles, they're not as good?

I started The Strain last week but between kids, grandbaby, running to and fro and my sore eye, have not gotten very far into it.

 

[Christine62]

Mr. Mercedes

 

[skimom2]

I really loved this book. Have not read any of her other titles, they're not as good?

I started The Strain last week but between kids, grandbaby, running to and fro and my sore eye, have not gotten very far into it.

The only other I've read by her is One Plus One (her newest), & it was okay. Nowhere near as good as Me Before You. The Strain was pretty good, but I lost steam on it by the end. I have the second book, but haven't felt inclined to open it yet.

 

[Shasta]

I'm reading 77 Shadow Street by good old Dean Koontz. It's awful. (Sorry, Tim.)

 

[Tim D.]

I'm reading 77 Shadow Street by good old Dean Koontz. It's awful. (Sorry, Tim.)

Now I'm going to have to stop what I'm reading and start reading 77 Shadow Street just so that I can argue with you. Why do you do these things to me?

 

[Shasta]

Now I'm going to have to stop what I'm reading now and start reading 77 Shadow Street just so that I can argue with you. Why do you do these things to me?

Gives you something to do while you're not sleeping.

 

[Tim D.]

Gives you something to do while you're not sleeping.

Very true.