What are you currently reading?

[Xiabei]

Please post back with your opinion on this one. I've debated picking this one up but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Ok, probably in a few days. The prologue was quite interesting, but that's as far as I've gotten.

[Xiabei]

I was sitting on the couch and suddenly the desire to read something by King popped into my head, so I decided on "Nightmares & Dreamscapes", which I don't think I've re-read since it came out. I actually remember the day, because I was working at a music store at the time. I had to open the store but I was late, because more importantly I had to go to the mall and pick up the book first! The store was never busy anyway, so I got paid to sit there and read and listen to music. Awesome.

Anyway, I'm getting a bit off track here. As I was reading the introduction to N&D, I found myself thinking that I wish he would write a story the way he writes introductions or his other non-fiction stuff. Even though I don't know him personally, it's like sitting by a fire listening to a friend telling you something. His stories, on the other hand (many of which I love), just don't come off that way to me. His characters always seem like just that - characters. Almost caricatures, at times. The stories may be good, but for me, the characters generally seem to be missing something; they are characters, not "people" to me. I realize everyone's perception is different; this is just the way I see it. To contrast, a character like David Eddings' Sparhawk comes off as a person to me, though I can't really explain why.

Anyway, I'm just babbling.

[Teriw]

I agree on the introductions, forewards, afterwords, ect. They're always great to read. its One of the reasons I love starting a new book or finishing and old one. As soon as my 25th IT came in the mail I read the new Afterword...even though I have yet to read the book.

The Characters however are usually my favorite part of the story itself, so we don't agree there. Some of the older stuff I would agree the characters didn't always draw me in...IT for example. I, so far anyway, find these characters shallow and undeveloped. Like he was too busy with the story to bother with the characters but he is developing them as I move along so I may think differently as I move through it.

Carrie is another example. That one I can't explain very well. I just feel like Carrie's feelings were not portrayed as they could have been and the bullies reasonings for their torture. Usually there is an underlying factor that would cause such behavior, mind you not always. I guess King was likely the bullied and not a bystander or the bully itself. Maybe things were just much different then. Anyway, I just thought more character development would have been nice in this one. I do LOVE that book though. Fantastic book.

It seems to be hit and miss with the older stuff when it comes to Characters because The Stand was just amazing for characters. In The newer king books he seems to have found his voice when it comes to great characters. Such as Lisey's Story, Bag of Bones, and Under the Dome. I found the characters were developed perfectly in those books. Except for Maybe Jim Renny. His motivations didn't seem to get enough attention.

Anyway, thats my opinion. Long winded but I'm at work at 8am with nothing better to do...

[Xiabei]

I think I'd agree about his characters getting better as time goes on, but for me it's a flip-flop - now I don't find his newer stories as good. Oh well!

But last night I read "Dolan's Cadillac" and it was better than I remembered it. Perhaps because there wasn't a lot of fluff, and he just told us what we needed to know about the characters, no more.

edit: I read N&D when it came out, but for some reason I think I'm enjoying it more now. Of course, I don't really recall much from any of the stories, so this time, when I finish one, I write up a quick synopsis. Amazing how that can make it stick in the head a lot longer (works on dreams too; I can still remember dreams I had from 20 years ago, but if I don't write them down, I'm lucky if I can remember them after a day)

[paperdragon]

Just finished Cthulhu's Reign, and Dead But Dreaming 2. DBD2 was the finest Lovecraftian collection of shorts I have ever read. A story that particullary resonated with me was "N is for Neville" by John Goodrich. It is a true horror story for us bibliophiles. Kind of made me sit up and go "Whoa".

[bsaenz24]

Good read, Brad! I've read it 6-7 times over the last 30 years.

I'm about half way through it and it's holding up wonderfully consideringI last read it in 1982. Very little reading time lately, so it might be a bit before I finish it, but I am reading the first two trilogies before Fall 2012 when I read the last 4 book set as soon as he completes it.

[RJK1981]

Started reading Snow Shadows yesterday

[ozmosis7]

Among the Stoker recs list, I am about 3/4 of the way through Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts and digging it.

[Teriw]

Still haven't read In The Tall Grass yet. Have both issues but haven't gotten around to reading it. Might start on it tonight. No sure if I am taking any books when I move in case I come back so I should probably read it before I go. Unless theres an ebook of it now. Or at least a pirate copy someone typed up themselves. I hate reading my books mainly because i like to read at work. lol

[peteOcha]

You can readily find Esquire issues off of torrents, haven't seen the story by itself though. I'm sure you could just cut up the pdf file to only have the story if you don;t want the whole magazine.

[peteOcha]

Finished Snow Shadows yesterday. Really liked the artwork and it was a pleasant read.

Now onto 11/22/63

[bookworm 1]

Started The Fall.Loved The Strain.Hope that this series does not suffer from the middle book slump a lot of series do.I like it so far.

[TerryE]

I finished "In the Tall Grass" last week. Good story, and yes, part 2 did have some icky bits.

I know it's not just me, because King has been criticized for repeating himself lately, but I kept getting echoes of older works. Maybe it's because I've read nearly everything he's ever written, or do you guys also get these feelings. I hope I'm not giving anything away, but throughout the story I often thought of "Children of the Corn", "N", and for some reason "The Raft"

[frik51]

Now onto 11/22/63

I LOVE this book. I'm a bit more than halfways and am dreading the moment it'll be finished.
It is so much better than Under the Dome.

sk

[peteOcha]

I'm just about 30 or so pages in, have been very short on time these past few days. I'm hoping to get some good reading time over the weekend. I really like it so far!