Right! Lets have an almighty barmy about Stephrn King

I know you're joking Ralph but I'm gonna rise to the bait like a willing and hungry trout. I can almost feel the line tightening and the hook going through my big fat lip even as I type. By the way, the 'big fat lip' thing is not just me taking the trout-fishing metaphor one cast too far - I really have got big fat lips - think Michael Portillo if you can possibly bear to do such a thing. I read 'Christine' ages ago and I really liked it mainly because the two mates dialogue seemed so real. Also I can sympathise with anyone who has those types of problems wirth machinery. That kind of thing happens to me all the time. And I read 'The Running Man' and quite liked that. But that was a bit of a cheat because, as I read it, I didn't realise it was even him. This was on account of it had Somebody Bachmann on the spine of the book. If I'd have realised it was Kingy I'd have tried much harder to dislike it. The Shawshank Redemption is certainly a half-decent film but the reference to Rita Heyworth is a complete and total mystery to me. Was she the one who Howard Hughes built a special bra for or was that Jane Russell. For God's sake a bloke is mean to know these things. Enjoy San Francisco Ralph and give Fisherman's Wharf a big kiss for me. If you should by any chance make it to Las Vegas say hello to my money for me will ya. By the way, are you the same Ralph who started that massive rumble about Nick Hornby and Tony Parsons or is that a completely different Ralph? All you Ralphs seem to be merging into one just like all the big-bosomed 1950's starlets. Must see a doctor. Oh, my opinion on whether Mr. S. King is great. Great is a much over used word Ralph believe me. But he has got a great big bank account. Has he, by the way, recovered from the car accident thing? As for Salinger he wrote loads more stuff than 'Catcher' - it's just that he chose to keep it to himself. If ever it gets published it'll be great, of this I'm certain - as Alan Partridge might say.

Sorry, but I do like Stephen King. I don't want to read some great literary work all the time. Sometimes, I just want to read some interesting story without having to think about and analyze what a wonderful work of fiction it is. Personally, I think some of his books are quite good. I particularly loved 'Bag of Bones'. I know I will be ridiculed for this viewpoint, but what the hell.

King is a writer who was good and who went distinctly offthe boil, a bit like Anne Rice who goes mad now with most of what sdhe says and does, - Up to BPet Semetary King was a great writer of horror, Tommyuknockers sww the startof a terrible decline, padded out from a short novella to an epic as he tried to recapture the scale of The Stand and Salem's Lot thinking big equals impprtant, forgetingthat he wrote some terrific short stories, *the Skeleton Crew selection) King is also variable in the various film versions, Carrie is good as is The Dead Zone, (cutting out a lot of unnescary chaff and wheat to give the best King on screen) and then there's real dire stuff like Cujo (one of the better books) one to definately see however is Dance Macabre, his history and appraisal of the genre, lots of good stuff there, AC arthurchappell@clara.net www.arthurchappell.clara.net/contents.htm

Good on yer, Lisa! I liked The Stand... (I say liked, because I lent to someone and never got it back. Perhaps he lit his fire with it)

(Sticks his head up defiantly above the parapet and throws cans of beans at the rabble below..) I think Stephen King is great! Ok, he has written a few stinkers in the last few years but that's just the way it goes. I think Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption is just fantastic - one of the best short stories you're likely to read. I like it so much that I even refuse to watch the film in case it spoils it for me. He may not be a classical novelist, but he has interesting characters, a huge imagination and the ability write a 900 page book with dozens of different plot-lines and make them all come together at the end satisfactorily* - and how many of us here would give our right arm to be able to do that? So Stephen King = Good as far as I'm concerned, although I'm just a humble nonsense-rhymist so who am I to judge :) (...falls of the parapet as he drops a can of beans on his toe...) *See 'Needful Things' as an example.

Quite right, Primate! Sour grapes, I say! Nothing in The Book that says that you can't enjoy Tolstoy AND King, as far as I know...

or even 'off' the parapet...damn modern education system...

King-bashing is a popular pastime amidst literary wolves; I totally agree that you have to read The Shawshank Redemption before any rash judgements. The man is incredibly prolific and it has to be said that some of his longer works do feel incredibly long; they diverge, meander and at times, completely lose the plot. The Tommy Knockers is a dreadful, farcial book. I think that the man is a very intense writer, possessed of a remarkable imagination and a rather spooky empathy with children and old people. He can capture them very adeptly. I do prefer his short story writing, it makes him more disciplined and comparatively succinct. In longer works, sometimes an excellent idea is spread a little too thin. His work is variable but I adore 'On Writing'. It's a book which would make any writer want to write, it gives shape to all that we do. I consider it a comfort book and quite a remarkable baring of a writer's soul. I admire him but do not always rate everything he produces. I'm not a basher. Did anyone enter his competition in 'On Writing'?

"Christine" and "The Running Man" are also the only king that I have read, I enjoyed them but they didn't make me want to devour King as a writer, others have such as Ian Rankin, George Pelacanos, Chrsitopher Fowler, I read one and had to read them all....of Kings counterparts, James Herbert rings a bell and the 4 or 5 of his I have read have been more enjoyable than King....so sorry ralph....can't agree with you....good topic though.

I must apologise. I meant to write Wolfgirl in the 'your name' bit and I got carried away and wrote Stephen King. Whoops.

John Cheers. First dog out of the trap and you have caught the mood well. I am indeed the Ralph of the Hornby- Parsons fiasco. Nice letter mate. Off to SF Ralph

Yes, Yes!!

I like stephen king books some of his stories are great and true okay he may not be a literary genius but if i want to read some great literature i'm not going to pick up a King book am i? I can't help but think that some of you read more for the writing itself meaning the quality of the english than the quality of the story and ideas...or in the case of poetry the emotion. But then again i am an uncultured fool!

Liana Read 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption'. Its from a collection titled 'Different Seasons' If you dont like it, I will refund you the money, I am that confident. Ralph

To be fair, everything since (and including) Dolores Claiborne has been utterly awful, to the point where I wouldn't bother anymore. Geralds Game, I would say is one of the worst books I have ever read by any author. I still partially believe in the suggestion that his wife began writing big chunks of his books after that point - the style changes quite dramatically and fits more with her previous work than his. But, but, but, in my humble opinion, he is the best horror writer around and more than that, when he was on form, one of the best dialogue writers around. And Primate, you would not be disappointed by The Shawshank Redemption, a marvellous film, in which Tim Robbins delivers a masterfully quiet performance and Freeman is dignified as ever. Is he a "great" writer ? This gets us into all sorts of knots. I would say that he is probably not a great writer, but he is / was certainly an extremely good one (the genre he works in has probably led to him being underrated and encouraged him to rush stuff out that would have been better left to soak).

I have only read one or two of King's novels: Pet Cemetary and one other I can't remember. I've seen many of the film/TV adaptations. What little of his writing I have read, is ok but nothing special. HOWEVER, and this is a BIG HOWEVER, I have listened to the audio version of his book ON WRITING (he recorded it himself) and it is absolutely wonderful. I can highly recommend it to any aspiring writer. I may well go back and read more of his novels and stories now that I have listened to his 8 hours of talking about his life, his development as a writer, and his suggestions for aspiring writers. Many of the later are very practical, addressing grammar, punctuation, dialog, etc.

Andrea!!! What do you mean, "you lent 'the Stand'" that was my book!! Any way, I used really enjoy a good horror story. My alltime favourite was Skeleton Crew, which was basically a collection of short stories. Particularly 'The Raft' Is indellibly printed in my mind.So even if it's not thoreaux I think things do not have to be masterpieces just to be appreciated. P.S. mum for my birthday I would like a subscription to private eye, so forget the Stand

Liana, I have read alot of King's books and I could not make it more than 1/3 of the way through 'Gerald's Game'. It was truly horrible, that I totally agree with you on. I have enjoyed many of the others though. 'On Writing' was great. I read books for the story and King tells a pretty damn good story most of the time. The short stories are great reads. Yet, I do like many of the longer works too because he does have a special ability to tie things together in a neat package. His stories take you places and we can all use a little escape sometimes.

Sod off.

sod off?? well I'll remember that on the 19th buggering bollocks.

19th what? You a golfer, Reflex, by any chance? You *are* talking balls, I see.

curious smellow, 19th nov. thats her b-day as opposed to mine on the 16th. If you think I'm talking balls, my advise would be not to jump to conclusions based on little in-jokes, but just ask what they are. toodles

Deepest apologies, Dope, I'm sure.

I see I am late (no suprise there!) in joining the debate I have to say that I started reading King when I was about twelve or thirteen. My dad gave me "Skeleton Crew" to read and I was hooked from there on.... Sadly however, more recent efforts have set me cringing with embarrassment and I have lost the desire to read them now. I used to defend the film adaptions of his work, and quite honestly none of my mates would read his books because of them! I feel a slight twinge of shame at knocking his work coz (?) he is a great writer, just used up all his ideas me thinks. I would much rather read Wilbur Smith now... Oh God..did any one see the Langoliers? (shocking) Book was good tho.... Anyway I have bored my self stupid now, so I will go..... Laters!!! Linsi.

I've read On Writing too, and I totally agree with you! Unfortunately, I've not got around to reading anything else of his yet so I can't comment on his other books…