09-30-2013, 09:15 AM
I quit reading King around the time of 'The Tommy Knockers' It just felt to me his stories were silly. Obviously, he is a great writer. I love the way he writes, I just don't care for the stories he tells. I did read 'On Writing' which was great. His short stories which used to be shiny gems seemed to have lost their luster. But recently, I read his pulp fiction novel 'Joyland' which was fine. It was a coming of age story depicting a particular time in a young man's life. I also read 11/22/63 which was a great overview of Lee Harvey Oswald but was a little creaky in the story element that surrounded it. I could probably have left King off my reading list after my brief foray back into the King world.
But the news that he was writing a sequel to 'The Shining' resparked my anticipation for a new King novel. I even went out and bought the hardback, just like old times. And just like old times, I was left a bit disappointed by the latest King novel.
It was a tough act to follow to live up to the standard set by 'The Shinging'. It still is the scariest book I ever read. I had to spend the whole night reading it so I could get a bit of closure before I closed my eyes. I can still picture me alone in the Limerick house in my bedroom reading that book at 4am.
Which brings us to Dr. Sleep. The book tells the tale of what has happened to Danny Torrance after the events at the Overlook Hotel. But it is more the story of Dan's struggle with alcoholism than it is a horror story. There are horror element centered around the Knot, a group of psychic vampires, and their hunting of a psychic child but they are not scary. the problem is there is no mystery to them. You get to know everything about them and the familiarity doesn't make for anything scary.
Another problem was that it was derivative of so much of his earlier work. A psychic kid in jeopardy being helped by a psychic relative was done in the book 'Firestarter'. Wasn't roving bands of Vampires in Salem's Lot? And all the characters in New Hampshire sounded just like most of his Maine characters. It seemed liked he was just going to the same old well. Although I will give him props for setting his local near North Conway which is where I used to go as a kid.
And the whole Dr. Sleep thing wasn't all that exciting. You would think it was some great magical power but upon examination it doesn't appear to be all that magical. I would say more but no Spoilers.
So, the story wasn't that scary, but then how could it be? It was derivative. But it was well written. No sword fights. You can always borrow my copy.
But the news that he was writing a sequel to 'The Shining' resparked my anticipation for a new King novel. I even went out and bought the hardback, just like old times. And just like old times, I was left a bit disappointed by the latest King novel.
It was a tough act to follow to live up to the standard set by 'The Shinging'. It still is the scariest book I ever read. I had to spend the whole night reading it so I could get a bit of closure before I closed my eyes. I can still picture me alone in the Limerick house in my bedroom reading that book at 4am.
Which brings us to Dr. Sleep. The book tells the tale of what has happened to Danny Torrance after the events at the Overlook Hotel. But it is more the story of Dan's struggle with alcoholism than it is a horror story. There are horror element centered around the Knot, a group of psychic vampires, and their hunting of a psychic child but they are not scary. the problem is there is no mystery to them. You get to know everything about them and the familiarity doesn't make for anything scary.
Another problem was that it was derivative of so much of his earlier work. A psychic kid in jeopardy being helped by a psychic relative was done in the book 'Firestarter'. Wasn't roving bands of Vampires in Salem's Lot? And all the characters in New Hampshire sounded just like most of his Maine characters. It seemed liked he was just going to the same old well. Although I will give him props for setting his local near North Conway which is where I used to go as a kid.
And the whole Dr. Sleep thing wasn't all that exciting. You would think it was some great magical power but upon examination it doesn't appear to be all that magical. I would say more but no Spoilers.
So, the story wasn't that scary, but then how could it be? It was derivative. But it was well written. No sword fights. You can always borrow my copy.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit