NOW READING: The Stand

Guys, I did it! I finally finished Stephen King's The Stand. All 1200 pages. And I loved it. All 1200 pages.

Gotta love a book with a side of cookies

It took months - probably 3 months. But, it was absolutely worth it. I highly recommend the book. The character are engaging, and plentiful. Some I loved, some I hated, some I feared, some I rooted for. Some surprised me - good and bad.

I naively thought the book would largely be about the Captain Trips outbreak itself - and I'll say that (hopefully without too many spoilers) I was (gladly) wrong. Though post-apocalyptic literature typically isn't my thing (I just can't bring myself to read/see the Hunger Games), but I loved this one. I think because it breaks from the typical mode of delivery at least in my mind.

My biggest disappointment in the book is Frannie's character development. She goes from a fiercely independent young woman (a character I always look for and typically love in books) to one who is dependent (maybe even co-dependent, though I won't say to whom). Very disappointing.

But, as I feel any good book (especially Stephen King), there's a balance. While Frannie's development was disappointing, Stu and Larry's was pleasantly surprising. Also, Kojak is my favorite (I may name my next dog this. Followed by Glen Bateman.

Read it. Read it now, and always be looking over your shoulder for The Walking Man.

NOW READING: 'Salem's Lot

I guess you could say I'm having a Stephen King phase. It started with Hearts in Atlantis, which my Recommender thought I would enjoy - and I did. Then, he said 'Salem's Lot was one of his favorites, but he thought it would be "too much" for me. Challenge accepted.

What can I say? I like my books dark and my coffee darker.

Here are my honest-to-goodness summary thoughts of 'Salem's Lot. Not scary. Not scary at all. Creative, engaging, enthralling and thrilling, but not scary. I've been told this is not the majority opinion.

I could see how living in 'Salem's Lot would be terrifying. For me, there's a mental separation between reading a book and watching a movie - or reading a book and walking up the driveway at night. I think its related to the various media richness - walking up the driveway is happening now. at this moment in time. I'm actually experiencing it. It cannot be more media rich than that. What would parrot most closely, would probably be 3D skype (I don't think this exists yet). But a movie would not be much further down the line, between seeing and hearing the action, a movie is still media rich. But a book? That's only words and open to your interpretation. By reading the book as fantasy, I'm able to separate myself from the action and view it as fantasy, where a movie would seem more real.

Please don't argue that this means I'm missing King's creative brilliance, as 'Salem's Lot is probably the best book I've read-to-date. To say I greatly enjoyed it, would be a gross under-representation of my feelings. I just wasn't scared by it. I think perhaps its the idea of vampires, which like many of the residents of 'Salem's Lot, I find difficult to conceive of as plausible.

We'll see if my feelings hold true for my next King Adventure: The Stand.

NOW READING: Hearts in Atlantis

I always thought Stephen King would be too scary for me. I get scared easily. Actually that's an understatement. I get scared ridiculously easy and have some rather irrational fears. I hate large glass windows, fearing that at night I'll see a face peering in. I hate walking the 10 feet from the driveway to the front door late at night for fear of kidnapping.

So, I was reasonably hesitant when a Stephen King book was recommended to me. Fortunately, my recommender knew me well enough and assured me that Hearts in Atlantis is not a scary book. (I also knew him to be a trusted source as he'd previously assured me the movie The Room is not a horror film as I had thought based on the title.)

Hearts in Atlantis is a nostalgic series of novellas set in the 1960's to 1999. With recurring characters providing a consistent narrative and engaging story line. Quickly drawing me in, I fell in love with several of the characters, including Bobby, Sully-John and Carol. Though unlike many likable characters, I did not find the predictable and was often surprised by the choices they made. Just creative enough to make the story line intriguing, and realistic enough to remind me of people in my own life, I would highly recommend Hearts in Atlantis with the caveat, "not scary at all."