Stephen King Book • Page 77

Not to say the rest of the series isn't great because I love it tremendously (besides Song of Susanah ... only weak book of the series for me) but Wizard & Glass is absolutely my favorite part of the Dark Tower.

So glad you are loving it! I think I could make the argument W&G is a top 5 SK story for me.

 

Cranked out The Colorado Kid and Cycle of the Werewolf this weekend.

Now — onto The Dark Half.

 

I just finished Wizard and Glass. Fuck. What a ride.

 

Did not know this was happening!

 

It’s taking me some time to get through Holly. I’m 200 pages in and the story is really starting to pick up, but he has really lost me with the heavy handed Covid stuff. It takes me out of it at times. These characters just don’t talk like anyone would talk in reality. It’s hard to shake off.

 

It’s awful.

 

I like to think I was cautious of Covid. My mom had cancer at the time and was immune compromised, I wore a mask, I got vaccinated… I still wasn’t talking like some of these characters talk, haha. If it were the first like 50 pages of the story and then it ended, I’d get it. But 200-220 pages in and people are still making social commentary on being double vaxxed and it being a hoax and all of that… just let me enjoy the plot. I’ll always love King but this is just not great.

 

After it took me the better part of last year to finish The Stand, I took a little King break. But I'm back on my bullshit. Kind of going chronologically through the ones I haven't read. Finishing up Carrie right now, and moving on to Firestarter next, then jumping around a little bit to Christine.

Really enjoying Carrie. I had always thought it was written in the form of a diary for some reason, so the format with the excerpts isn't really bothering me as much as some. It's a strong debut and a great story, but his characterization just get so much stronger by Salem's Lot. Nobody writes a bully like King, and I love that in this with Billy you can see that almost preternatural evil/sinisterness that his subsequent bully characters have.

 

Any thoughts on Firestarter? Should I put some distance between that and Carrie, or are they really not that similar?

 

My feelings too. King basically defending his choices in the afterward are to me pretty telling. Not a favorite and not one I’d return to but that’s alright.

Anyway - I’m halfway through The Dark Half and feel like a dumbass for not reading this BEFORE Needful Things. Didn’t know Alan was a key character.

 

I know we have been through this before in the past but someone remind me… I finished Wizard and Glass. I am taking a short break before I pick up Wolves of the Calla. Should I read Salem’s Lot before I do that?

 

I say yes, but you won’t be lost or anything if you don’t feel like it and just want to read more DT. You’ll know more about a certain character and you’ll probably get more out of their appearance, but you wouldn’t be lost. It’s up to you. Also imo any reason to read Salem’s Lot is a good reason.

 

I’m not trying to rush through so I think I’ll do it. It’s been on my list anyway, so I might as well.

 

YLID just arrived. Can’t wait to dive in.

Will probably wait til I wrap up The Dark Half which I’m about 60% through.

 

I can’t answer in relation to Dark Tower but any reason to read ‘Salem’s Lot is a good one.

 

I’m midway through Salem’s Lot. I’m always impressed with King’s ability to have so many characters and weave them perfectly into the plot. I love the way the story is broken down with a focus on either a specific character or the townspeople in general.

 

My wife’s little brother (who’s still in high school) has started reading this year and has only read Harry Potter.

He decided to try horror and has picked up It. He read a few chapters and said: “he likes to mention penises a lot”

He’s in for it

 

Gutted. Wampler was a joy to read and follow.

 

Thanks for sharing that. That's awful.

 

Bummer! RIP

on a more positive note, has anyone checked out The Reformatory by Tananarive Due? Strong King vibes but really awesome book I just finished!

 

I read The Stand a long time ago and loved it but don’t remember much outside generalities about the main characters and big plot points. I just started listening to it on audiobook ano am about 4.5 hours in and 1) I very rarely do audiobooks and I remember why now. I read really quickly through parts I find boring and boy with a book this big there are a lot of those parts early on. The pace of the audio is killing me at times. Larry’s character and backstory in particular I really find tedious 2) related, I did not remember just how long the book takes to really get into the main plot, over 4 hours in and not even there yet!

 

I cannot imagine listening to a book be read to you, honestly.

That said, Larry's actually one of my favorite characters from that book and his backstory is so important to his character development.

 

All the backstories are important but his is hard to listen to because he’s just a selfish asshole for most of it lol
I do remember enough to remember liking him by the end though

 

I guess I can understand that, for sure. He's not an easy character to like, but the fact that it gets easier as the story goes on is because of his growth from someone who thought only of himself to someone who was willing to sacrifice himself for others.

I like characters that want and struggle to do better, and I like them more when they succeed.