Which terrible book have you read to appreciate how good King is?

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Matt4444

Well-Known Member
May 2, 2016
50
214
53
England, near Durham
I remember a few years back being at an Aunties house helping out while she recovered from hospital. One day while she slept rather than drive home then drive back a few hours later I had the misfortune of looking at her bookshelves. Some good old thrillers there, too big to start reading today, then a little paperback edged forward. James Patterson the Quickie, I still shudder at it now. With an old china tea pot brewing and a few of Aunties sweets I began. Ten pages in I kept looking at the cover just to check the author. Further reading and the tea like the book tasted bitter. Now I'll admire anyone who can write a book, long or short but this one, no. With no characters, no chapters no anything really, I page skipped all the way through and still got the ending right. The only good thing from this is to fully appreciate a great book, thank god for Mr King!
I hid the book to keep Auntie safe.
 

Arcadevere

Gentle Lady From Brady Hartsfield Defense Squad
Mar 3, 2016
793
3,689
Manila, Philippines
steamcommunity.com
Not gonna lie, the japanese mangaka named Sakae Esuno (the one who wrote and ilustrate the manga, Future Diary (Mirai Nikki (未来日記)) made me appreciate SK a lot, i think Sk's worst was way better than this series (not gonna lie, and i was bashed at facebook by a lots of fan of this series because of my unpopular opinion about this anime and manga)

And some of modern romance (YA romance *cough*)
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
I was so hard up for something to read over the weekend (waiting for End of Watch) I pulled his Velocity out of the bookcase to give another go. Ended up doing laundry.
I have attempted to read Koontz over the last (insert # of years he has been a bestselling author here) and every time I do (about every 5 or so years) I have to force myself to finish the book then hit myself over the head with it and move on.
 

Mynxie

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2010
93
218
Merseyside, UK
hahaha I chuckled a bit when that came up. Set up in good ol' l/pool ......... I gave it a try but wasn't quite for me. Think my perspective was tainted because I'm so close to the city and couldn't distract myself from what I know lol.

Sorry - to be fair though, it was the least offensive to my senses out of all of CB's stuff that I have read (not claiming to have read loads). Unless you have any recommendations ??
 

Out of Order

Sign of the Times
Feb 9, 2011
29,007
162,154
New Hampster
I have attempted to read Koontz over the last (insert # of years he has been a bestselling author here) and every time I do (about every 5 or so years) I have to force myself to finish the book then hit myself over the head with it and move on.

I don't want to turn this thread into a DK bashing one (well it would be fun but ummm yeah...) but some books are just plain difficult to get through. Do you find the annoying (is that the right word?) attention to detail overwhelming at times? The landscape, buildings or animals in particular? I mean setting the scene, okay, but do I really need to know just how weathered the cedar shakes are? Or the exact exit speed of the unladen hawk?:D
 

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
William Shakespeare.

Let's compare...

The Tempest.
“Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands.
Curtsied when you have and kissed
The wild waves whist,
Foot is featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.”


The Stand.
“The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there...and still on your feet.”

I mean... Come on! I want to understand what I'm reading. :)
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
William Shakespeare.

Let's compare...

The Tempest.
“Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands.
Curtsied when you have and kissed
The wild waves whist,
Foot is featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.”


The Stand.
“The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there...and still on your feet.”

I mean... Come on! I want to understand what I'm reading. :)
Shakespeare was writing in verse, plus the people of his time fully understood this. Plus, his writing was meant to accompany visual cues. It is because we are reading it out of its time and place that we find it hard to comprehend. When Shakespeare is performed by talented actors who have the cadence down, it is very easy to comprehend.

But you have to admit, SK's attention to minutiae sometimes is annoying. But we love him anyway.
 

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
Shakespeare was writing in verse, plus the people of his time fully understood this. Plus, his writing was meant to accompany visual cues. It is because we are reading it out of its time and place that we find it hard to comprehend. When Shakespeare is performed by talented actors who have the cadence down, it is very easy to comprehend.

But you have to admit, SK's attention to minutiae sometimes is annoying. But we love him anyway.
Perhaps... then why force kids to suffer through it in high school? And I agree with you about seeing Shakespeare performed live. I used to really enjoy going every year to the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut. Best performance ever was seeing Fred Gwynne starring in the Twelfth Night.