Originally posted by RonClinton
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The Outsider by Stephen King
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I didn't have a great deal of interest to begin with, and now that I understand it has some connection to the Bill Hodges trilogy which I've not yet read I have even less. As well, the fact that it appears to be a procedural with all-too visible seams of supernatural content doesn't help -- I actually enjoy hybrids of genres, seamless blendings of fantastical tropes, but not two halves just hammered together -- nor does King's recent injection of sociopolitical agendas into his work.
I don't know what kind of novel I'm waiting for King to write that will reignite that interest I regained in his work with 11/22/62, JOYLAND, and (to a somewhat lesser degree) UNDER THE DOME but fizzled with the Hodges trilogy, REVIVAL, and SLEEPING BEAUTIES...but I don't think THE OUTSIDER is it.
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You'll certainly get to the book before I do -- please let us know how it was, or even how it is going in the early stages, when you acquire it. I think the next book I am going to read will be the Bentley Little collection that is soon to arrive...
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Originally posted by JJ123 View PostI read a review of The Outsider by Stephen King. Sorry, don't have the link handy, but you can find it by doing a Google news search (as of when I did the search, there was only one review).
What I read seemed on the mark: per the review, apparently the author was disappointed that it wasn't a mystery with no supernatural overtones. The review stated that having the story turn into a battle with a monster, while not something we wouldn't naturally assume from King, weakened the book. In other words, have it be some weird locked-door type of detective tale that would keep readers guessing.
I sort of get that. It probably would have been better as just a mystery story. Here's a specific point: apparently there is a prosecutor who wants to progress in the system by becoming a star from putting the innocent protagonist on trial. The prosecutor goes so far, according to the review, as to basically dismissing the great alibi -- three colleagues with the guy on some trip, with a video to prove what is being stated as an alibi. It made me think that maybe a conspiracy story would have been better. Imagine getting to that part about the alibi and the video has suddenly gone missing and the three colleagues say, no, we were never with him. That would have made the story exciting. It could have turned out that the prosecutor was just trying to manufacture a case against someone to climb the system's ladder. Maybe the man goes to prison, and when he gets out, it becomes a revenge tale (the protagonist could say "I did time with no crime attached; since I did the time, I am owed a crime"). Of course, maybe such a plotline has already been done.
I still want to read this, but the review specifically pointed out that the first couple hundred pages is mostly procedural; then, the supernatural kicks in. That deters me. Nevertheless, I think I will win out in the end and read it (I hope; no guarantees).
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Review of "Outsider"
I read a review of The Outsider by Stephen King. Sorry, don't have the link handy, but you can find it by doing a Google news search (as of when I did the search, there was only one review).
What I read seemed on the mark: per the review, apparently the author was disappointed that it wasn't a mystery with no supernatural overtones. The review stated that having the story turn into a battle with a monster, while not something we wouldn't naturally assume from King, weakened the book. In other words, have it be some weird locked-door type of detective tale that would keep readers guessing.
I sort of get that. It probably would have been better as just a mystery story. Here's a specific point: apparently there is a prosecutor who wants to progress in the system by becoming a star from putting the innocent protagonist on trial. The prosecutor goes so far, according to the review, as to basically dismissing the great alibi -- three colleagues with the guy on some trip, with a video to prove what is being stated as an alibi. It made me think that maybe a conspiracy story would have been better. Imagine getting to that part about the alibi and the video has suddenly gone missing and the three colleagues say, no, we were never with him. That would have made the story exciting. It could have turned out that the prosecutor was just trying to manufacture a case against someone to climb the system's ladder. Maybe the man goes to prison, and when he gets out, it becomes a revenge tale (the protagonist could say "I did time with no crime attached; since I did the time, I am owed a crime"). Of course, maybe such a plotline has already been done.
I still want to read this, but the review specifically pointed out that the first couple hundred pages is mostly procedural; then, the supernatural kicks in. That deters me. Nevertheless, I think I will win out in the end and read it (I hope; no guarantees).
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After reading the premise at Simon/Schuster, I myself am wondering whether or not this will be a tale of the supernatural...has a Dark Half-kind-of feel to it. I suppose it might be more entertaining/unique if it was a straight mystery, but a supernatural plotline might also be compelling.
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Originally posted by Martin View PostKing stated on the Sleeping Beauties book tour that the reason he was not providing more detail was because it would feature a character people would be familiar with.Last edited by Brad88; 12-13-2017, 06:33 AM.
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Originally posted by bsaenz24 View PostLOL! I'm actually reading GwtDT now.
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Read a brief description of the story and it is a murder mystery. The names mentioned are Terry Maitland (Baseball Coach) and Ralph Anderson (Detective). I am not familiar with those names so I assume the name we will know was not mentioned. Since when we last saw Holly Gibney she was running Finders Keepers, although with a new partner, I assume this book could feature her. Not a story about her past though.
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Originally posted by bsaenz24 View PostDidn't he say somewhere that he was writing a book about the introverted girl who works with the detective in the Mr. Mercedes books??? I forget her name now.
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Lisbeth Salander? I might be continuing my characters.
Originally posted by bsaenz24 View PostDidn't he say somewhere that he was writing a book about the introverted girl who works with the detective in the Mr. Mercedes books??? I forget her name now.
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