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I'm looking for a new , non 40k read and i've heard good things about Stephen king and i was wondering if his books , more specifically if the dark tower series is anygood? What do me fellow dakkanauts think.


Thanks


'claw


Automatically Appended Next Post:
alternatively whats a good book by stephen king anyway?

I really liked the first DT book, but didn't bother reading further. Lots of people love him, but I always found most of his stuff unnecessarily lengthy and in need of an editor. His shorter stuff is almost uniformly of high quality.

The Mist and The Body are great stories.

It's a good series. I would recommend at least giving the first book a try.

The first book was amazing, then things drop off into WTF land.

You're in a different position than I was, I started the series when I was in junior high and the last book didn't come out till more than 20 years later. So it was a bit frustrating. I actually never finished it because I found the interdimensional plot twists and King's crossovers with his own books (the Stand, Salem's Lot) much too annoying.

I hear the ending is a real downer too.

So I strongly recommend the first book but after that tread carefully and feel free to walk away.

As for good King books, I have fond memories of the Dragon's Eye and the Stand.

They're the only thing of his I like. Very surreal dark fantasy.

Get yourself a copy of every book ever written by H Rider Haggard.

They are free in digital format and make a great read.

I personally don't think he's done anything good since IT (which was good until the ending, then went straight down the rabbit hole of self indulgence).

The Dark Tower series were a fairly feeble attempt to emulate Clive Barker's works of 'Adult CS Lewisism' like Imajica, Weaveworld, The Great and Secret Show etc.

He didn't come close and even ardent King fans like my wife admit he seems to have totally climbed up his own backside in the dark tower series.

I'll pick up the first book and borrow the second from the library , but i will definitely take a look at the h rider books , anything i can get for my kindle is a bonus.

Thanks

blackclaw1 wrote:alternatively whats a good book by stephen king anyway?

I liked 'Liseys Story', espically the flashbacks.

Not really a fan of The Dark Tower books,I wanted to like them but they just bored me.
IT and The Stand are much better King offerings IMO.

Read The Book of the New Sun.

If we're recommending other authors, than yeah, Gene Wolfe is awesome. I love his Knight, and Wizard.

I recommend Gene Wolfe in every sort fiction related conversation.

I get far too many "spluh?!?" responses when I mention his books.

Gene Wolfe is right up there with Jack Vance and Tolkien for my favorite fiction writers. A bit above folks like Stephenson, Gaiman, Howard, Cornwell and O'Brien. Hughhart could be in either category, but I've just read his Bridge of Birds so far.