In middle school I saw the Kubrick version of The Shining and loved it. So I read King's original book and was really bored. Never read any other King. Then when IT: Chapter One came out, I liked the movie so I read the book. And I hated it.

Recently I have decided to get back into writing because I loved that when I was younger. Somehow I was talked into reading On Writing and I am loving it. It is making me think that maybe I had King all wrong and should try reading him again.

Any recommendations for other King material based on what I said?

        • Neckbeard_Prime [they/them,he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          It was around 1991-1992, so there are definitely some classics in there. There's also some utter garbage, and a lot of forgettable stuff. I can't even remember WTF happened in Hearts in Atlantis or From a Buick 8 anymore. On the other hand, I remember the primal terror in Cujo, even if the story was an unmitigated clusterfuck from a narrative structure standpoint.

      • Neckbeard_Prime [they/them,he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Not really; he was still pretty hit or miss. On the one hand, Needful Things. On the other, whatever the fuck this is.

        The Stand, Cujo, and the first few Dark Tower books are pre-sobriety. Of course, so are Insomnia and The Tommyknockers.

        More info, if you can stomach Quora:

        https://www.quora.com/Did-Stephen-Kings-writing-change-after-he-got-clean