Stephen King Book Club - A book a month, chronologically

Okay, feel like upping my reading, and felt like a cram, but leisurely taken. So, the idea is 1 Stephen King book a month, read in the chronological order of publication. This will include the Bachman books. It will include collections, and non-fiction. It will only be books, not comics or any other non-print experiments King tried. Exceptions will be books longer than 1000 pages (which I think means It, The Stand, and Under The Dome) will be 2 months. So, I start in April, aiming to review and discuss Carrie on the last day of that month, or earlier. I will not start any books before the 1st of the month I've chosen. For this year: Carrie - April Salems Lot - May The Shining - June Rage - July Night Shift - August The Stand - September + October The Long Walk - November The Dead Zone - December I invite fellow travellers.

by therightdeal m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=42745604#post42745604)

Already read quite a bit since I got a tablet and I'm now going through The Stand. I hated the ending of The Long Walk and in all honesty didn't particularly like it overall.

Wait til you see the ending of the movie! Always worth noting that Long Walk was the first novel he began and completed, as a 19yo college freshman. 2nd best novel written by a teenager?

by legend42 m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=42756783#post42756783)

The Shining holds up really well. So does Christine. The Dead Zone not as much. I'm sure you know Night Shift is a collection of short stories. I switch out Different Seasons or Four Past Midnight for that, unless you want a long thread about which story each reader liked best. I'll hopefully be keeping in touch with this one. King is a great writer.

Christine absolutely & without question is his novel that’s aged the finest. Pondering The Dead Zone in 2026 is different than in 2014 for sure. IMO it’s still his highest floor/checks the most boxes novel. Sonny Elliman meeting Greg Stillson for the first time is one of his greatest scenes, supernatural or not. It also could’ve been a full blown great serial killer novel with a few tweaks.

by moo buckets m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=42788805#post42788805)

I liked the stand, but the copy I have is the undedited one and it definitely drags. I'd like to read the original, shorter version.

There’s definitely a happy medium but overall i’ve always preferred the original.

lets revive this thread / start a new club . King has been my favorite author since I picked out The Running Man from a bookstore with my grandma when I was 12. I'm sure I would like to have a reason to get back into his books.

I'd be happy to be part of that

The manic use of "I see what you did you there" & "coppiceman" in OWTT should alarm his loved ones.

Agreed that King is better suited to a Book Club/Containment thread than a general What Books Are You Reading thread.

I was never a habitual reader except for on vacations and at select times during my upbringing. And definitely not as an adult, my capacity for sitting alone with a book is desperately needing to be nurtured. I think I'm going to purchase and read The Stand. Released in 1978, it's King's 5th novel and the first one that I either haven't read or have no understanding of. Ouch, gotta fork over more money for hardcover. Delievered via Prime tomorrow versus waiting 3 weeks. That's okay I guess.

It would be nice to be able to go into a book completely unaware of the story about to be told. Given there are summaries attached to every store page online that seems to be near impossible.

by Tuma m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59420440#post59420440)

I was never a habitual reader except for on vacations and at select times during my upbringing. And definitely not as an adult, my capacity for sitting alone with a book is desperately needing to be nurtured. I think I'm going to purchase and read The Stand. Released in 1978, it's King's 5th novel and the first one that I either haven't read or have no understanding of.Ouch, go... See full post

That's awesome Tuma! I've probably read about 30 SK books and The Stand might be my favorite

by Tuma m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59420440#post59420440)

I was never a habitual reader except for on vacations and at select times during my upbringing. And definitely not as an adult, my capacity for sitting alone with a book is desperately needing to be nurtured. I think I'm going to purchase and read The Stand. Released in 1978, it's King's 5th novel and the first one that I either haven't read or have no understanding of.Ouch, go... See full post

Hopefully you got the extended version. If not, return that one and reorder. Lucky you to get the read The Stand for the first time. It's his best.

I stopped buying the physical version, but I bought them as soon as they came out for a lot of years. I have a signed 11/22/63 and a signed fancy edition of The Shining. Now just waiting for him to kick the bucket, haha. I had a first edition The Shining long ago and ruined the value when I fell asleep reading it and tore the dustcover off. Ugh. But yeah, I think you can tell he was, and still is, my favorite:

()

The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition Yeah Mark, I am getting the bigger version. Didn't realize it's 1,000 pages. The last book I read of that length was Under The Dome. I also liked 11/22/63 very much. Seems that one is universally loved.

Good call Tuma, I've only read the complete version and it never got boring for me

I tried to read the extended THE STAND version way back when it was released. I gave up rather quickly. Way too much other stuff talked about that really wasn't important to the plot and I didn't care about. At least what I read before I gave up. The original version is always the best I have found imho...whether it be books or film.

By King's own admission the most important thing cut from the original Stand is

Spoiler Show

Trashcan Man's journey to Vegas

and it was noticeable back in the day though he did as good as possible papering it over. Other than that 30-40 pages, I very strongly disliked him changing the time setting, dialogue, etc. I usually also very strongly prefer the original versions of the stories collected in Skeleton Crew and N&D. Should be noted the other big gap is Spoiler Show

Mother Abigail's disappearance from Boulder

and this was addressed wonderfully with a story in the End Of The World As We Know It tribute collection.

hopefully that's not a significant spoiler. I don't think it is 😃 .... tapatalk doesn't register spoil tags unfortunately. if anyone wants to read The Stand at the same pace as me...I'd welcome that. We could farm a discussion ITT..... I understand if nobody wants to do this again.

I prefer the original Stand. I find it more tightly written. The second edition seemed bloated to me, but I did make it all the way through.

I'm gonna try to Stand. Now let's see if I deliver. edit: Just now seeing this isn't the original, so it'll have new surprises in store I guess. Only read the original before, I think. re-edit: lol, I'm already losing confidence. Where is my misplaced reading stamina.

I've read 15 Stephen King books. To think this one could be his best is kind of incredible. I feel like tomorrow - when I start Standing - is going to be like a holiday.

I recently reread The Stand in preparation for The End of the World As We Know It. Held up. The End was a pretty big disappointment though. A few stories I enjoyed, but most I didn't.