Your favorite SK scene type?

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Tanith

Well-Known Member
Apr 29, 2009
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So I am revisiting the Kingverse in The Stand, and it came to me over the weekend that one of the many, many many reasons I keep returning to his “long tale of dark Christianity” are certain scenes. The unraveling of American society is one, of course, and then I realized how much I enjoy the “fellowship” scenes, to use Mother Abigail’s phrase. Nick and his all-too-short time with the Bakers, enjoying some homecooked food. Mother Abigail’s own feast she prepares for her visitors. Even Larry and Rita’s steak dinner in the dying Big Apple has a certain charm that anyone who’s ever enjoyed a good meal in good company can “ken”.

Nor is it restricted to The Stand, of course. One of my favorite scenes from the entire “Dark Tower” saga is the hearty welcome given to Roland’s ka-tet in River Crossing. And in tale after tale we see this theme too…a brief time of peace and comfort, to act as a counterpoint to the horror that hangs over the tale. And it’s perfect. It’s my favorite type of scene, and sai King writes them very well. Which I hope means that he is writing from pleasant experience.

How about all of you? What’s a type of scene in a King book that will bring you back again and again? He can certainly bring the horror and the wonder, but he can bring lots of other things too. What’s your favorite?
 

Rrty

Well-Known Member
Jun 4, 2007
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4,588
I don't know if this is necessarily considered a scene, but I always enjoy when he writes an internal monologue-type thing, or something that almost approaches an essay. For instance, I love the italicized sections in It detailing the creature's ruminations near the latter part of the book.

Going to your examples, I agree, they are fun to read and have value...
 

Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
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The Netherlands
Good question. But hard to answer. I don't know if I have a favourite scene type. He can do any kind of scene pretty well. I'm inclined to say the scariest scenes, isn't that why you read him in the first place?
And among those the reveal of the moonlight man in Gerald's Game is my favourite. That's the only time I really was shocked. It might have happened with the bathtub scene in The Shining too, but I had seen the movie first so that spoiled the surpise probably.
 

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
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sweden
I love the scenes where everything is normal in the midst of the horrorstory. An example from IT is where the Losers plus a certain Bradley play pennies (trying to make penny fall so close to wall as possible, winner takes all pennies). There are several of those in IT and i love them all. They are in his other books too