Sleeping Beauties [A Review]

Sleeping Beauties, by Stephen King and Owen King

   [Image courtesy of Amazon.com]

Okay, this is not one of my favourite Stephen King works. The only thing I like about this story is its interesting premise – What if women disappear from men’s lives? Do we want to? 

I think the problem with this book is that there were too many characters in there who didn’t have enough depth or distinctiveness, and that made it difficult for me to remember who’s who, especially at the beginning. And the pace was not fast enough to make it a page-turner. Neither was the narration gripping enough to send chills down my spine. The sub-plots were rather weak, and didn’t really work to beef up the characters. Despite having a story overflowing with characters, I couldn’t find one that I liked, and not even one that I hated.

So yup, the premise was the only thing that was anything Stephen-King-like in this book. 

VERDICT: Unless you are a hardcore Stephen King fan who must read every single publication of his, I think you can give this a miss. 😦

Christine [A Review]

Christine by Stephen King

   [Image courtesy of Goodreads]

This title is one of the very few Stephen King ones that I’ve not read before. I think it’s because I tried it when I was a young teenager, and I didn’t like the first chapter. Yes I know, the story happened to Arnie and Dennis, who were teenagers themselves. But I think I couldn’t understand some of the slang and references to car parts then. With the recent hype about “IT” on the silver screen, I decided to try this again.

Well, I think this is not one of my favourites. It felt like watching a super old horror movie with limited and weak special effects, and it wasn’t scary at all. 

This book probably also reinforces a phrase that I must have read somewhere before: There’s a time for every book. 

Somehow, both my times with “Christine” were not right.

VERDICT: It feels odd to give a verdict for such an old book. I can only say it reads like a conventional Stephen King work, except that it didn’t scare me as much.

End of Watch [A Review]

End of Watch, by Stephen King

   [Image courtesy of Goodreads.com]

 

I love Stephen King’s books, and this one has not disappointed me. 

The pace of the book is so fast, that I would have devoured it in one reading marathon if I could, but of course family and work duties didn’t give me that luxury. In the end, frustrated from having to tear myself away from the book each time I had to put it down, I sacrificed two hours of my sleep and finished the second half in one seating. 

King writes in a way that few can, and draws me into his characters every single time I read him. His mastery of the language helps, because the dialogues he creates give life to his characters, and his no-nonsense way of delivering a scene means it doesn’t come with pretentious descriptions or snotty words that some writers like to produce (and which, more often than not, tend to irritate me so much that I will just dump the book).

Some may say this finale to the trilogy is not as good as the first, and I have to admit, the ending was rather predictable. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. It didn’t stop that chill running down my spine either. King knows his craft well, and in the last decade or so, he has been using that craft to write about horrors that can be very real in today’s world.

Oh, and besides that chill, King has managed to make me cry at the end.

VERDICT: Read it!!! Get the entire Bill Hodges trilogy, if you haven’t read the first two books yet.

Practical Tips On Writing Still Hold True [A Review]

On Writing by Stephen King

   [Image courtesy of bookdepository.com]

This was my second time reading the book (the first time was more than ten years ago) and I found myself still enjoying Stephen King’s no-nonsense, yet humorous and practical approach to the topic.

I like his emphasis on telling the truth in one’s stories, because readers will know.

I also like his take on plots, theme and story. He writes and grows his stories from situations presented to his characters, and he lets them “guide” him in developing the story based on how they “react” to the situations. The plot and theme will follow naturally as the story takes shape and he starts to think about what it all means to him. Some lecturers in creative writing may not agree with him, but I think that’s an effective way of making the story realistic, because it also allows the writer to reflect and consider the situation as if it were happening to him. And it feels so similar to what I used to do as a kid when I made up stories. 

Finally, I like his advice on writing simply, and removing words and information that do not help the reader get on with the story. This is useful advice not just for writing fiction, but also for all kinds of writing. I mean, who likes to read long and tedious paragraphs that seem intent on hiding the main point and yet don’t give any relevant information right?

I’ve been a long-time fan of King’s books, and now I’m reminded of why I’m still one. 

VERDICT: This is a book for folks who want to know more about writing well. Despite the fact that Stephen King wrote it from the point of view of a fiction writer, a number of his tips will apply in other types of writing too. So if you want these tips and be entertained at the same time, this book will be an enjoyable and informative read.

For those who want a short description of the book, here’s an overview from bookdepository.com:

Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999–and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it–fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

What better way to start a blog than share a quote from one of my favourite authors? This is from Stephen King, in “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft”.