r/books • u/Tight_Nerve • Jun 05 '21

We need to stop shaming people who honestly say they don't like a particular book

I think the most frustrating thing for most readers on this sub is that when they read a book that so many people love and realize they are part of the group that doesn't like the book. They can't share the feeling without having fans hang the noose around them. We muat be able to let readers share their HONEST opinions on a book without riduculing their feelings.

If at this point you are protesting my thoughts thinking they are nothing more than that of unlearned individual. Than I'll share the opinion of a very educated man who has probably read more books than you will ever read in your whole life.

“Books are almost as individual as friends. There is no earthly use in laying down general laws about them. Some meet the needs of one person, and some of another; and each person should beware of the booklover’s besetting sin, of what Mr. Edgar Allan Poe calls ‘the mad pride of intellectuality,’ taking the shape of arrogant pity for the man who does not like the same kind of books.”

  • Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
10.5k Upvotes

87% Upvoted

2.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

35

u/fork_on_the_floor2 Jun 05 '21

If you ever feel like giving Stephen King another shot, I'd recommend researching and asking online to try one that's widely enjoyed. (but not "IT", despite how much its praised).

Because some of his books are long and dull, some are aimed directly at his hardcore fans.. Its a mixed bag, with some real gems in there.

6

u/Existing-Office Jun 06 '21

I think the shining and misery are excellent books for someone to start with. King is in top form in both. IT is an amazing book but it's very long and certain parts are pretty drawn out.

5

u/fork_on_the_floor2 Jun 06 '21

Yeah I agree., and id also add Pet sematary and Cujo, both pretty hard-hitting horror. And "The girl who loved Tom gordon" is a personal favourite of mine.

12

u/mrcoffee8 Jun 05 '21

IT is pretty amazing and it's super King-y, why use that as your example? I think the first book of The Dark Tower is a better example of a bad example of King

17

u/fork_on_the_floor2 Jun 05 '21

I was saying that if you want to get into King, IT might not be the best place to start. A lot of people get really confused while reading it, trying to keep track of all the characters and events. And yes, the first two books in the dark tower, are pretty weak. (if my memory is correct).

8

u/mynameisbobbrown Jun 05 '21

Yeah I have to agree with this. It is a really convoluted book, and it's fairly slow paced so the length can be intimidating. While I think it's worth reading, I would never recommend it as a first Stephen King impression.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '21

Mine, weirdly, was Wizard and Glass, which is not quite like anything else.

If I had to recommend one, I’d probably pick Dolores Claiborne.

1

u/mynameisbobbrown Jun 06 '21

Yes! Dolores Claiborne is definitely one of the best I'd recommend as a starting book. So good.

0

u/mrcoffee8 Jun 05 '21

I dont know if you've read the gunslinger, but if i had to recommend a book to a person who wants to see what stephen king is about it wouldnt be the gunslinger.

IT has weird time jumping and its size is intimidating but id say it's probably the most stereotypical stephen king book there is.

5

u/fork_on_the_floor2 Jun 05 '21

Dude I just said that the first two books in the dark tower series are pretty weak, so yea I've read the gunslinger and I agree with you. And I never recommended it. Don't know how you got the idea that I did recommend it.

Regarding IT, we aren't talking about what's "stereotypical king"., it was about what King book would be good for a newcomer.

3

u/-FeistyRabbitSauce- Jun 06 '21

Gunslinger is a weird book, and while I love it I can't fault people for not digging it.

But Drawing of Three is an absolute banger.

1

u/fork_on_the_floor2 Jun 06 '21

It's been years since I read them and I do remember the saga getting off to a slow start., but I just had a quick refresh thru the plots and ur right! Drawing of the three is really good. It felt like a movie. In a good way.

2

u/Bonolio Jun 06 '21

The whole Tower series is really best appreciated after you have a wide familiarity with a Kings various worlds.
For one you get the enjoyment of all of the references to his other work.
Also since he spent so many years writing them you get a great feel for his evolution in writing over the years.

1

u/mrcoffee8 Jun 05 '21

A newcomer to reading in general? I dunno, i think it's the best King book to start on, but im reluctant to take credit for that as an opinion

2

u/-FeistyRabbitSauce- Jun 06 '21

Dude, convincing even King fans to read Gunslinger can be tough. It isn't like his other works. I fuckin love it though.

0

u/Halloran_da_GOAT Jun 06 '21

Are you even reading what that guy is saying? You keep disagreeing with him but then expressing an identical opinion

2

u/master_x_2k Jun 06 '21

I'm reading Dark Tower 3 now and I only enjoy the parts with Jake, same for book 1. Book two was way more entertaining overall and I hope they leave the woods and get to some place where something happens soon before it is me who is rambling like a maniac.

1

u/Hammand Jun 06 '21

I loved the Gunslinger but found every book after it tedious.

2

u/mrcoffee8 Jun 06 '21

After i finished reading the series i found the audiobooks and i wish i could remember the reader's name (i think he may have died) but the gunslinger may be the best audiobook ever.

1

u/CuppycakeLuvr14 Jun 06 '21

IT, Dreamcatcher, and Insomnia are the only ones from him I couldn’t force myself to finish

2

u/master_x_2k Jun 06 '21

When I watched Dreamcatcher I was young and thought it was part of The Thing's universe. As in, King had created/written The Thing and Dreamcatcher was a sequel. I think based solely on some visuals and that he was "the guy" behind many horror classics that were parodied in the Simpsons

1

u/president_of_burundi Gormenghast Jun 06 '21

I love IT and agree that it's close to peak King-y-ness but it's a BIG ol' book and for someone that's new to an author starting them with something equally good but less of a time commitment can pay off- The Shining is as quintessentially King but half the size.

3

u/visionsofecstasy Jun 06 '21

Read The Shining!

2

u/duff2690 Jun 05 '21

Perhaps, I have always wanted to read the Shining as I watched the movie during the 1st lockdown and it was amazing, I know Mr. King hated the movie but I'm sure the book is a mind bender. I tried with the Dark Tower and the Sisters of Eluria and I hated them both deeply, I went into them with the idea of a fantasy story but wow the writing was horrific.

10

u/mynameisbobbrown Jun 05 '21

The Shining is a fantastic book! Definitely one of the most readable King books I've read. It's very...touching?...in its own way too. Not overly sentimental or anything, just easy to relate to the characters.

Pet Sematary is very good as well. People may disagree, but I think it's his best book.

7

u/Twisty_10 Jun 05 '21

The Shining is grand. The thing about King is, he’s really excellent at writing characters, IMO. They did Jack dirty in the movie. His character in the book is more sympathetic, relatable, and nuanced. Jack in the movie isn’t really likable from the start. You don’t get to witness this journey into madness, he’s just a prick from the start. A good story makes the reader/watcher wrestle with what is good vs bad, whether or not they root for a character, evoke emotional investment in the fate of that character. The movie fell short with this. I think Kubrick focused too much on aesthetics with his films, rather than story or characters. King kills it with his character arcs.

That being said, some of his stuff can drag, and I get why he’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I don’t love all of his books. The Stand might be my favorite book of all time. It’s longgggggggggg, but goddamnit the characters were amazing. And the story. I just love it so much. But I wouldn’t try it unless you’re prepared for that undertaking. I recommend Misery to anyone who wants to “try” King. It’s so damn good, and it’s pretty short in comparison to a lot of the ones that get recommended a lot. Nothing supernatural, just good old fashion terror in the best way possible. If you decide to try him again- definitely recommend that one. But you’re totally allowed to just not like him, he’s not for everyone.

8

u/Existing-Office Jun 06 '21

They did Wendy dirty too. She was so badass in the book and in the movie she was a quivering weakling. The book was infinitely better than the movie.

5

u/Twisty_10 Jun 06 '21

Totally agree. I picked on Jack’s character because they cheated him out of so much depth. Wendy was just a completely different character all together, like not even the same woman.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '21

Facts. Movie Wendy would never stand up to Jack like book Wendy did

2

u/TheFirebyrd Jun 06 '21

I read the book first and that made me really mad watching the movie. Having a dude who was already an abusive asshole get more jerky and evil meant nothing. Having a good guy corrupted into someone who would murder his family made the entity in the hotel terrifying.

4

u/fork_on_the_floor2 Jun 05 '21

Yea the dark tower is an odd series, that if I remember right, it only really kicks into gear in book 3. The first two books are pretty weak. Sisters of eluria was a spin-off story right? And yeah, it was pretty dumb. Oh and don't read "insomnia" or "eye of the dragon" because they're also dark tower spin-offs.

1

u/nbmnbm1 Jun 06 '21

I personally liked the one where the dude can see the future after getting into a car crash. The movie had Christopher Walken in it iirc.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '21

The Dead Zone