It's really hard to choose because my list of King favorites include both his new and old books. However, there are more "new" than "old" ones in there, so I guess I have a tendency for New King. However, this may change soon because I am thinking of giving some older King books a go
IT is a tricky book for me to judge. Whenever I say to myself "it is way too bloated and long," I ask myself "What would I have cut out?" And I can't think of anything.
When I was a kid @nd facing one of King's multi page descriptions of whatever (the moon, a crossing guard, a bead of sweat, etc) I'd just skip ahead to the next line of dialogue. Bad reader. 😣
I think if anything he cut his stories down more than he should have. He always had trouble closing out a story. Perhaps that because he felt the need to push toward the end rather than letting the story run its natural course.
@@MrRezRising books like the stand and it are known for being overling. For me they arent long enough. Once somebody builds a world i enjoy and characters i like i can stay in the story forever. As an aexample. I think the wheel of time could use a few more books focused on the original dragon. And eragon needs a story or two focused on broms life before meeting eragon. I like long books. Lol
I have all of King's books, including special limited editions of IT, The Shining, From a Buick 8, 'salem's Lot, Insomnia, etc. I have read every book multiple times and continue to do so. For me, when I reread a King book it's like revisiting old friends. I love his newer works just as much as the older ones. His style has evolved over the years, a natural thing to happen as new techniques are learned and the way language has changed over the decades. Stephen King is able to adjust his style to suit the story and the time it is written. With IT, we are treated to the creation of characters that are "real". We see these adults as children and get to witness everything that made them the adults they become. Even the town of Derry lives and breathes, chapters given over to its history and involvement with IT. Whilst his newer works can be said to be tighter in the telling, no other story comes close to the epic scale of IT. But King is still able to create full characters that live and breathe in our imaginations. 11.22.63 is a fantastic book, a classic of his modern era. It's not wholly original as even the British British sci-fi comedy, Red Dwarf, did an episode where they saw the consequences of changing the assassination of JFK. But King writes it in such a way that you become invested in the characters, sitting on the edge of your reading chair as our protagonists are in danger. Anyway, great video, thank you.
What you said. I've journeyed to The Dark Tower a dozen times, and I'm not done. I read The Stand, non stop during a 3 day stay at home with the worst flu of my life, and scared out of my mind, but I could not put it down. I own everything in audio, too.
@@esmewvimes2901 ,there must be something about The Stand. Everytime I start reading it I seem to get the flu. It freaks me out every single time, lol.
I had the fortune of reading old Stephen King and New Stephen King when I encountered his work. 'Under The Dome' is one of the best stories he has written, we respect New Stephen King in this house.
I love his skill, stories and how they make me feel different/uncommon emotions. (Can’t speak for others) Having a discussion on the changes in his focus/style through the history of his works is great! Heck, a class or two could be taught on it! I sincerely wish that change and difference wasn’t so divisive - in general. That is a separate societal commentary on a whole but it really bothers me that variations in such high level fiction, within a single author’s body of work would be in argument.
For me, the tonal shift whacks me hardest with the Dark Tower series. The last three books (not "The Wind Through the Keyhole") really show the changes with his Voice, and it took me a bit to get used to it. Otherwise, it's more a natural transition with his more "stand-alone" novels and short stories. I don't mind it so much. There was so much that he went through with the accident, it's no doubt it affected his writing style. You have to be flexible enough to accept that.
I agree completely! King has evolved with the times. He has streamlined his writing style to reflect and correlate with today's modern world and our overall need for instant information. Gone (or nearly gone) are the epic descriptions and characterizations. I love all of his work, old and new! He's incredible to me.
THERE IS NOTHING HORROR ABOUT IT. Cause of people like you I bought the book and was left disappointed as fuck to the point of wanting to sell the book, but the end saved it for me, but there's nothing scary about it other than the zombie /demon guy and the lights and weird sounds they were hearing and seeing while taking the cat to the pet cemetery, other than that the book is pretty much a fucking thriller/drama, it feels like a movie, the only strong thing about it was the relationship between the main character and the old man, them drinking beer together and watching the sunset, having a dad/son moment was beautiful. But is rly not scary AT ALL, maybe sad, but not scary.
I’m reading my first Stephen King novel (11/22/1963) because of you! I’m almost to the halfway point but I’m really engaged with it, more than I thought I would be. There’s so much character work and character insight in this book, so it’s a wonder that the “old Stephen King” books had even more of that in them.
I've been reading King's books since 1978, I read each new one as it came out and have loved the changes in style over the years. I have enjoyed being able to read his differing focus of character, plot, world-building etc. The volume of his work and differences in style allows me to have my cake and eat it. I can enjoy the whole spectrum. I don't prefer either, when he hits the mark, boy does he hit it regardless of his focus.
I've been reading King since Carrie was first released, and before it was famous. I picked it up because of the cover art ( and the fact that I was facing two weeks of bed rest due to an illness). I finished The Institute the week it was released. I love his characters. They seem real to me.They have foibles and quirks. They have nobility and they have base motivations. They have histories and hopes and dreams, and they are (generally) not all saint or all demon. I love that he will kill a character I love and reward one I hate, then kill that one too. I love the real sacrifices they make... I love when they chicken out. I don't know if you have read The Talisman, but that's one of my favorite stories ever, and Wolf is so the friend I wanted when I was a kid. The Dark Tower is my favorite on one day, and The Stand on another. I believe in letting an author tell his story. I don't want to tell him where to go with it or how it should have been different. In the end, I like it or I don't, but I live for the story.
Lori Hart - very well stated, Ma’am. I remember seeing Carrie in paperback racks, but it was when the movie came out and the cover was a photo of Spacek, so I dismissed it as a “novelization.” I was at a checkout line at the grocery store when the shiny paperback cover of the shining caught my eye. Bought it, loved it, went back and read Carrie and ‘Salem’s Lot, and have read all his stuff new ever since. I, too, greatly enjoyed The Talisman, but I love Black House more. Insomnia is the one I’ve reread most.
@@unrulysimian3897 , I loved Insomnia. It's probably my favorite Dark tower "related" book. I don't think I really liked Black House the first time I read it... but gave it another chance a few months later and now it's one I reread every couple o years.
I prefer the older, more rambling, more past-obsessed King (My God, THE STAND). But his new stuff is still great. Especially Under the Dome and 11/22/63!
I can't think of another King story where he was able to flesh out an entire town the way he did in Under the Dome. I mean, he devoted a chapter to a WOODCHUCK and was able to make you care about it!
I think his old stuff might be a little more "literary". Maybe it just seems that way because they are established as classics now. But I enjoy both of them a lot and I always read his new books.
That's just how history tends to go. People thought HP Lovecraft was a pulp author, same is true with Poe to an extent. The thing with king is he's been writing so long where people see his old and new work as completely different things.
Personally, I find Stephen King my favorite author... the last couple of years I have been reading mostly King's books. The first book I read was Under The Dome, which was a fairly new book back when I read it. I fell in love with that book and also with King's writing style, later on I read his more classic stuff and his newer stuff, and I found a King who was more focused on developing twisted characters rather than a more complex story, like he's been doing lately, just read The Outsider or Revival. I cannot choose which King is better, I enjoy them both equally. Just read and enjoy this writer 🤟🏻
I've read damn near just as much "old" King as I have "new" stuff and I've at not one point EVER found the slightest fault with his "meandering" as far as elaborate backstory detail regarding secondary characters goes. His exquisite mastery of character creation & development is easily the main reason I adore reading his stuff. My two favorite novels of his are Under the Dome & The Stand (the uncut version), two of his longest novels. It's the glaring reason so many of the movie adaptations are miserable failures. So many foolishly focus on the horror/gore setpieces, which in the books only ever succeed to affect you because they happen to characters that've first been beautifully established & expertly rendered. It's WHY adaptations like Misery or Gerald's Game were such magnificent achievements. They put character before everything else.
This was a really interesting video, I didn't even know this divide existed haha. I haven't read any modern King yet since I'm reading in publication order but I'm really enjoying his books so far :)
StuckOnStories, I admire you for sticking with reading King in chronological order. I chose to go back and forth from some classics like the Shining and the Stand to 11-22-63 and Under the Dome and short stories Everything's Eventual and Full Dark no Stars. I am holding off on the Dark Towers series until I've read most of his work up to that publication so I can enjoy the "King universe" references as best I can! I've read a lot and love the ride so far!🙂
Old King for me. I loved getting lost in his "over the top" descriptions of people and places and then picking up the little gold nuggets of information that he drops every now and then that gives me chills. Also, I started reading his books when I was in my early teens so for me the older books hold a level of nostalgia that I can't get from the new books. While saying that I still think his newer books are still on a level of their own.
I'm reading The Shining now for the first time after reading The Institute a month or so ago. I agree the writing style is very different now but I really enjoy both. 11/22/63 is honestly one of my favorite books ever. I read it when I was over seas and fell in love with the book. My heart was broken when the book ended. it was a masterpiece
I started reading King in the 70s. I haven’t read everything he’s written. I loved his early books because they let you see what people were thinking. You really were let inside of people.
Old King. I miss the feeling while reading that King was telling me this story with all the tangents and unnecessary info, like a friend would. Lean King is technically more correct but more boring to me. I still like the imagination and the stories but less the storytelling. Also, I miss 1st person King. He has not done that since I think Revival and that was one of his best novels ever.
11/22/63 and The Institute are my two favorites in King's lineup. One is a meandering blissful romp through Texas and history, the other is a concise exciting run through special abilities.
My favourite books by King are The Stand (amazing) and The Talisman, a touching and brilliantly haunting fantasy he wrote with Peter Straub. 11/22/63 is also amazeballs.
Working my way through IT right now. Havn't read a book for pure enjoyment in years, but I was having trouble sleeping and read somewhere that reading a book before bed could possibly help. So I picked up IT at Walmart and I'm hooked, cant put the thing down. Already picked up The Stand for when I'm done with IT.
Both Kings are great. I wasn't as enamoured with the Mr Mercedes books but otherwise the guy can do no wrong. And I would expect a 70-year-old to write a different book from a 30-year-old. For my money, the best of the new Kings are 11/22/63 (which really should have been retitled 22/11/63 for Europe) and Joyland. Both have more than a little of old King about them, come to think of it.
The Mr. Mercedes trilogy is some of his best work. I have read those three books 3 times now. I love all the characters, especially Holly Gibney. I hope he brings her back again, like he did in The Outsider.
I discovered SK when I was eleven and have read everything until Sleeping Beauties. This was a very articulate and well-thought-out opinion piece, congratulations. And for the record: I like SK in all phases of his career. If people want the "greatest hits" balls-to-the-all horror output, check out his 70s & 80s work. But King has grown into his craftsmanship very well, and I enjoy his "new" stuff just as much.
I honestly prefer old king. Not because it's taboo to enjoy his new books, I still do, but because the seemingly endless ramblings of character backstory and details and such reminds me of myself. That's the way I think and write and it's so very enjoyable to see that.
You should read “Lisey’s Story” if you haven’t already perfect blend of that Old King character backstory exploration and it’s ramifications on the current character, but was released in what I’d call the New King era. One of my favs from his too and I’m a die hard fan
I've been reading Stephen King since about 1976 give or take when I was a senior in high school . So, I'm really an old Constant Reader. That being said I'm really impressed with your deep dive into all the books not only the King books. I do prefer the old King myself. It seems like he's taken a little off his fast ball lately. He rushed the Dark Tower series and you hit it on the head in the way you discuss how he used to deep dive into his characters. I remember way back ( do I sound like an old fart yet?) in the seventies coming across a paperback novel at the bookstore in my hometown mall in Gadsden, Alabama. I pick up this book with a blurb on the back talking about the horror of this small New England town. A clerk comes up and say's "Ya know, I hear this young writer named Stephen King is a good one." I bought "Salem's Lot" and devoured it. I remember thinking that he really knew small town America in general not just New England towns. It reminded me so much of the small rural southern town my grandparents lived in. After that I found that he had actually written a novel before Salem's Lot called Carrie. Talk about feeling stoked to go right out and read it. Anyway, of such was a Constant Reader born.
I think a lot of it has to do with what you grew up with. I'm 48, so I grew up reading and loving all of the early books. If however, you are in your teens or early 20's right now, you have several more books of his to choose from. So whether you end up liking new or old, who cares, because almost all of them are pretty dam good!
I read my first Stephen King novel when I was in the seventh grade. I was so impressed, I ended up doing a book report on it! The novel was Salem's Lot. It had just recently hit the bookstore shelves, and one afternoon, my mom came home with a copy. That book scared my mom so bad, that one evening while she was engrossed in her reading, the telephone rang. She was so startled, she screamed, and nearly jumped out of her chair! I knew right then when she was finished with that book, I had to read it too. Well, she finished it finally, and when she handed the book over to me to read, she just said, "son, you're in for a real treat." I soon realized that she wasn't kidding. Constant King fan ever since. That was many years ago, and lot's of things have changed since then. But one thing I can say hasn't changed, is I still love and enjoy reading Stephen King, old or new. Spoken like a true Constant Reader I'm sure, but in that regard, I know im not alone.
I have been reading stephen king ever sincs i was young, i was born in the 90s, i have watched all his film adaptions and own most of them. King inspired me to become a writer and his new and old works to me are king, they are different in style but still king. I can't say his new stuff is bad when it isn't. Fantastic writer. Also love your channel Daniel, your alwayd releasing great content, and i always love hearing people hail the king
I honestly couldn’t choose my favourites are split across both era’s his characters are so staying, particularly villains haven’t aged badly at all. He’s one of a kind and I will always be a Constant Reader happy to read his fiction
@@codylakin288, I totally agree! So poetically descriptive and unsettling at the same time. It made me feel like I was on an old ship in a storm while in a dream!🙂
For me Duma Key is the best of both worlds. It combines the mature characterizations and world building of his later work with the balls-to-the-wall horror of his early work.
I am a "constant reader" I'm currently working through The Dark Tower and some linked books. I must say though, I am in the last 100 pages of The Tailisman and I have struggled, I'll be relieved when I'm done.
I use to think King was over-rated but after reading the stand I was hooked on that book. But I do wish he wrote longer books again bc some of his newer ones are like 200 pages I can read through that in 1 sitting
Just now stumbling onto this video a year late. I'm 57 years old and have read SK since high school. I've read almost all as they came out (my goal this year is to go back and read the ones that fell through the cracks over the years). I've lived his writing style change as it happened...slowly over the years but I, too, am aware there's a difference. I have more of my favorites that fall into the new King era than the old. 11/22/63 is freaking amazing but I also really love The Green Mile and Mr. Mercedes.
I agree with EVERYTHING you said about his change in style.... but I love all Stephen King. I have EVERY book he's written including his Richard Bachman books and his novella books like Four past Midnight.
I love everything the man writes, old, new, and in between. I think he could write anything and make it interesting. He has an uncanny way of putting you in a place and time and making you feel it, I mean really feel it. You feel like your in the book with the characters, experiencing everything with them. Now that being said, I don't always like the story as a whole, or I might not like the ending, etc., but that is all personal preference and will change from person to person. However, I cannot say that there is one book that he has written that I did not like the journey that he takes you on, the fun of being in those times and places. His writing is like life, you don't always like the situation, the people, the time, the place, the world, but in the end, your happy to be alive. Just happy that you got the opportunity to be you. Isn't that why you pick up a book in the first place. Thanks, Daniel for your wonderful channel, keep up the good work.
Naturally, writers grow over time. But I think to completely understand his growth, knowing what authors he's read would be necessary. It's often as important, perhaps more, than one's personal life.
Excellent description of the two broad “King Styles” in your video Daniel. As someone who has spent the last year reading 50+ of King’s works spanning his entire career, I have struggled to understand the community debate on this. “Deep character/symbolism/meandering” versus “Clean/focused narrative” explains some of the difference between older and newer styles King shows, but there have only been one or two books that I genuinely didn’t really enjoy. The man is a legend, and I appreciate you elevating his work to a new generation of readers!
I couldn't imagine reading the edited version of The Stand. I couldn't get enough. I thought Needful Things was pretty concise but I haven't really read his newer stuff much but thanks for giving me the itch.
If anything, I think King's mature work is even more character driven than his early work. It's just that his character work has become a lot more subtle. He no longer needs to bludgeon you with details about a character's past to give you a sense of who they are in the present, or lean as much on past trauma as a means of character development (which I actually feel he sometimes did too heavily in his early work). I see the value in both approaches and can appreciate both for what they are (my list of King favorites is fairly evenly spread across his canon), but I do think his more recent character work, for the most part, shows greater maturity and craft.
Im reading 11 22 63 right now. And the book is phenomenal. Ive read about 3 dozen of his books and i think this book easily adds up to some of his best.
I love the new King and the old King. All the work I read of his was great, but there’s something about 80’s King that I love reading and rereading. ❤️
Ahhhhh Stephen King. I was 13 when I read Carrie and Salem’s Lot. And I devoured The Stand when it came out. I even read it again when it was rereleased with the edited scenes. But in my 20s something changed. I went back and read Carrie and realized that I liked the meta-fiction of articles and such telling the story. I reread Salem’s Lot and realized I why I remembered the cover more than I did the story. Then I read Cujo. At this time (and to this day) I used chapters to remind me to stop reading. The book has no chapter breaks and I was halfway through before I realized! And I didn’t even like the damn story when I was done. But people kept urging me to give him another shot or, worse, gave me one of his books as a gift. So in my 30s I suffered through Misery (conceding that I liked the claustrophobia of it). Then I read It. I couldn’t give it away fast enough. I tried to read The Eyes of the Dragon but didn’t even finish it and this was when I still firmly believed if I started a book, I had to finish it. (At this point I want to remind you that you did ask us to tell you about our thoughts on King so here we are.) So the recommendations keep coming, as fo the gifts, and a miracle happens! I enjoy his book On Writing. I really and truly did. I started having second thoughts. Maybe King gets better. Maybe I am just a better reader. Who knows? Now we move into my 40s. I still love The Stand and I read The Body which has a sentence in it that gave me such joy at the time I gasped aloud at its perfection. Then someone recommended Insomnia. Whyyyyyy? It took me forever to finish that book. Why? Because, ironically enough, I kept falling asleep before I would even finish a chapter. Remember Cujo? I finished it in one day because it didn’t have chapters. Insomnia took over three months. At the same time EVERYONE is insisting I give The Dark Towers a try. After book 2 I realized I knew precisely how the series would end. I couldn’t imagine slogging through more of the story just to get to that ending. And at that time the last book hadn’t even been published. (Hint: I was right and all my King friends hated me for it.) But you see, I am a glutton for punishment and I read Hearts in Atlantis (because NYT gave it a good review) and suddenly I see why the appeal again. So how many books (and how many pages) and I still only really like TWO books??? All of this to say that I am going to put a hold request for 11/22/63 (when I get close to the end of my current read) and, on the basis of your effusive praise, give King another try. Maybe there will be a sentence in there somewhere that makes me gasp with its perfection. At this point, I don’t expect more than that. And there you go. My history with King. I didn’t even include all of the books I read because this is easily the longest UA-cam comment I have ever written. So with apologies to anyone else who has nothing better to do...I’m sorry. Regards to Pip. Such wisdom!
Where were you.... 11/22/63. Lived Massachusetts, came home from kindergarten to my mother crying with neighbors in my home. Will never forget that day.
I like how he meanders in his older work. Recently, I read On Writing and he explains that he writes/wrote that way because it's more authentic -- our existence is plotless and meandering. Sometimes it makes a story phenomenally believeable and terrifying and sometimes it drags, but it feels more genuine to me. I'm open to reading his newer stuff (I'm one of those who skimmed a new King, I think it was the one with the Buick, and retreated immediately to the classics), but I think I'll always like the old stuff better.
Just think about an author that is more productive than Stephen King - see? I can't think of any. And even then it is just human to have a few works that may be not his best pieces. But still, I've been reading his books in chronological order and I have to say most of my favorite books came from him. No other author can make me anxious, laugh out loud or ball my eyes out as much as King has done. That's why I will always treasure him and his talent. And I think he really became a master when it comes to human emotions, at least I am often surprised by how deep he can go.
11/22/63 had sort of that same epic feel as IT did. It went so indepth, and I love that, because it’s a story I can really delve into and get lost in. I love books like that.
I can't get over the ending. The characters were great as they always are but that ending was pretty dumb. King's stories seem to be just shitty pulp premises in order for him to get to the more interesting parts of his stories which are the characters and their interactions.
If you want to know when King changed, you might want to read his book 'On Writing' in which he detailed that his family performed an intervention to get him to stop doing drugs. It was during this time period that this writing changed drastically. He wrote books such as Gerald's Game, Rose Matter, and on. These became the books people liked the least, and during this time frame he went from the most sold writer in the world--meaning that he sold more peoples than anyone else in the world--to having a lot less reading who were reading his books. During this time period he also started writing prefaces at the beginning of his books of he needed to communicate something to his reading before the purchased the book in question. This is were he starts using the words 'Dear Constant Reader.' So yeah he changed and it great to see him having a resurgence of people liking his books again and making them into movies. But the 90's is when he changed when he was approached by his family that they would leave him if he didn't end his massive drug habit.
I feel like Stephen King just adapted to the new social climate. Smartphones are a thing now. People aren't as patient. The pace in movies is quicker. The pace in books is quicker. He just adapted to the times. I don't think he's got as much of a unique style nowadays compared to his older writing style, which I think is a shame. I also feel like he writes completely different characters now compared to what he used to, which is both positive and negative. Specifically The Institute was 3.5/5 for me. The pacing, entertainment I got from it etc was really good. But the entire premise is... Dumb. When you stop and think about it. It doesn't make sense and it makes it hard to completely buy into the world and the story. It's hard to suspend your disbelief.
I think your interpretation is most likely....like in Music, we will never get the "experimental" music again, because everything is produced to fit the taste of many without ever trying to expand their horizon. And musicicians that do not fit that bill but actually try to do something out of the box are at best successfull in a niche, but never on the top 10. The same goes for books.....People want easier to digest standard productions and King understands this very well :)
I watched a few of Kings movie/series adaptations, from IT, 11/22/63, Shining, Pet Sematary before I started reading. So i am reading all the books that do not have an adaption yet or haven seen it yet, only reason being the books feel kind of spoiled. Read a few of the Dark Tower books and Misery, loved it so far. Salem's Lot and The Stand is up next.
I've been a fan of Stephen Kings since I was 13, that's 23 yrs! And I can't choose between old and new King. As much as I love The Stand and It, I also love 11/22/63 and Doctor Sleep. He's just a fantastic author.
To be honest, I haven't read much new King because I can't keep up! He's still pumping out stories like crazy. Also I would love to see an interview with you and Stephen King.
i am not a reader but i enjoy so much your videos that i've been trying to read a little bit more, recently i finished the hobbit and loved it, made me look at the films differently than before and it gave so much needed depth to characters and scenarios. thanks for your videos.
I have only read IT and currently read "Under the dome" , like both but I feel like i missed some of the complexity in IT which is not the Case with under the Dome so I might actually prefer it over IT (no pun intended)
Herr Gdiduoo If you liked Under the Dome, you should try The Stand! Under the Dome is basically like an apocalypse of a town, and The Stand is the apocalypse of the world, focusing in on America. The uncut edition is the best, imo. It does have a lot of death and destruction in it though...I mean ALOT, from plagues to atom bombs. Long time King fans usually pick The Stand as their favorite, it’s truly EPIC!!
@@annaleigh5321i actually am torn between the stand and shining(Just saw Kubricks movie) but I will probably go for the Stand next with your rec in mind
I plan on reading some of King' s books starting next year, and I'm terrified. I've never been a big horror story lover so I'm treading new ground here. But I'm kinda looking forward to it. I'm going to start with Under The Dome, cuz it seems to be a tame place to start.
I actually haven't read many old Stephen King novels. Mostly new ones. But that's just coincidence because I read whichever one I stumble upon in my library. I'm definitely going read a lot more of both King's older and newer books since he's such an amazing writer.
I read IT two different times. When I was young (20's) and then again about a decade ago in my 40's, I am now reading it again (at 52)--each time I've read it I've gotten something different out of it. The first book I read by King was Salem's Lot in 1977 (I was 10 and my 5th grade teacher introduced us to it in October--scary books, vampires). I fell down the rabbit hole and then read Carrie, then Christine... Though I have not loved every book, it would be expected that his writing style would evolve, improve. He ROCKS! I'm a Constant Reader, and have a whole tall bookcase dedicated to his works Thanks for a great video. I loved the Institute.
My biggest problem with his newer books is about how much they feel like a rehash of past books. The Institute doesn't even acknowledge the Shop in Firestarter when it's the same premise with a slightly different plot. The Outsider has a direct mention of the shining but no one stops to compare the child emotion-fear feeding shape shifting demon to Pennywise. And as for the prime example of good new King, i.e. 11/22/63, that book was originally developed, and I think started, when he was younger much sooner after JFK died. It was put on hiatus because it felt too recent a tragedy. The implication is that it may be the impression of his younger self that led it to being so damn good. All that said, I don't have a massive preference over old or new King. There are plenty of shitty old King and plenty of pretty damn good new King. But if I had to choose, probably I'd lean old based off what I've read and my general impressions of the concepts of his newer works that I've yet to read.
I've read a ton of King's work and enjoy/love most of it, regardless of when it came out. I adore his rambly nature and how deeply he immerses you into the worlds he creates.
I love the old stuff, it is genuinely great work. I also really like the new stuff, it is really great writing too. They are different yes, I can appreciate both without hating either.
I love both. I think it is very advantagous for us to have a change. For example I read his books roughly by turns. One newer (from the 2010's) and one older. However I think between Misery and Duma Key (late 90's - early 00's) he did not produce as well-written books as before and after
The Stand and IT. Hands down my favorites. I read these both in the late 80s and have re read them over the years. Most of the new stuff I could pass on. I am not convinced some of the stuff is even written by him.
Just finished 11.22.63 and it was so incredible. Never thought I'd love a book with loads of romance but I do prefer the ending to It which I overall like more
Just wanna say, I watch your videos daily and I'm very happy you went fulltime UA-camr. I'll hit the Patreon one of these days when I stop spending all my money on books and vinyl. Thanks, homie
The last two Stephen King books I've read were 11/22/63 and Doctor Sleep. I've read many books since those two and they still remain two of my all-time favorite books.
So far I've read Misery, Dolores Claiborne, 11/22/63, The Institute, and If It Bleeds, reading The Shining right now, and I have Doctor Sleep and Revival lined up. So mostly newer works but a few old ones in there, and I'm enjoying all of it.
I like both old and new King (Dead Zone and 11/22/63 are my favorites of his and those touch both "versions" of the guy). But whether or not it's the new and old King I gravitate to love the more character focused stories more than the ones that are plot driven.
You might want to check out a band called Rush. Career as long as King's, with same artistic trajectories and parables. Also, it's great music. 🤟🙄🤟 You didn't mention King's silent partners - his editors - who had a major hand in what we read from King. Bill Whatshisname at Doubleday went away right about the time I saw that change in focus as you put it, in the mid to late 80s. For me, Needful Things in 1991 was the first in his "modern King" library to cement his new style. "It", was the beginning of a transition period for him. Simply put, NT read like a screenplay, like he was watching a movie in his head instead of just telling us a story, like in It. BTW, Old Stuff vs New Stuff is a timeless Rush argument, but most fans agree, in one way or another, it's all good.
Do you prefer old or new King?
both :)
No preference.
Still have to read more King, give me 5 years and I will come back to this comment.
I've read more "new" King (Mr Mercedes, Finders keepers, End of watch and 11/22/63) than "old" (The gunslinger and It) and I've enjoyed both.
It's really hard to choose because my list of King favorites include both his new and old books. However, there are more "new" than "old" ones in there, so I guess I have a tendency for New King. However, this may change soon because I am thinking of giving some older King books a go
IT is a tricky book for me to judge. Whenever I say to myself "it is way too bloated and long," I ask myself "What would I have cut out?" And I can't think of anything.
When I was a kid @nd facing one of King's multi page descriptions of whatever (the moon, a crossing guard, a bead of sweat, etc) I'd just skip ahead to the next line of dialogue. Bad reader. 😣
I think if anything he cut his stories down more than he should have. He always had trouble closing out a story. Perhaps that because he felt the need to push toward the end rather than letting the story run its natural course.
@@scratch5120 His latest editor had to keep writing "Faster, Steve, faster!! in the margins while she worked on it with him. Guy likes words. A lot. 🙂
@@MrRezRising books like the stand and it are known for being overling. For me they arent long enough. Once somebody builds a world i enjoy and characters i like i can stay in the story forever. As an aexample. I think the wheel of time could use a few more books focused on the original dragon. And eragon needs a story or two focused on broms life before meeting eragon. I like long books. Lol
I have nothing but time to listen while im driving down the road though. Im probably not the typical fan.
Pip's thoughts are always 100% relevant.
Old daniel: "I can't stand steven king's writing style"
New daniel: "King is a master at his craft and his writing shows his experience"
I think old Daniel is the one telling the truth. Stephen Kings writing style can feel like bee stings sometime.
You spelled stephen king wrong
@@saulgoodman7858 for impatient readers, maybe
@@saulgoodman7858nope
I have all of King's books, including special limited editions of IT, The Shining, From a Buick 8, 'salem's Lot, Insomnia, etc.
I have read every book multiple times and continue to do so. For me, when I reread a King book it's like revisiting old friends. I love his newer works just as much as the older ones. His style has evolved over the years, a natural thing to happen as new techniques are learned and the way language has changed over the decades. Stephen King is able to adjust his style to suit the story and the time it is written.
With IT, we are treated to the creation of characters that are "real". We see these adults as children and get to witness everything that made them the adults they become. Even the town of Derry lives and breathes, chapters given over to its history and involvement with IT.
Whilst his newer works can be said to be tighter in the telling, no other story comes close to the epic scale of IT. But King is still able to create full characters that live and breathe in our imaginations.
11.22.63 is a fantastic book, a classic of his modern era. It's not wholly original as even the British British sci-fi comedy, Red Dwarf, did an episode where they saw the consequences of changing the assassination of JFK. But King writes it in such a way that you become invested in the characters, sitting on the edge of your reading chair as our protagonists are in danger.
Anyway, great video, thank you.
Agreed 11.22.63 is great😁👍👍
Awesome comment! Thank you.
@@DanielGreeneReviews have you read Roadside Picnic?
What you said. I've journeyed to The Dark Tower a dozen times, and I'm not done. I read The Stand, non stop during a 3 day stay at home with the worst flu of my life, and scared out of my mind, but I could not put it down. I own everything in audio, too.
@@esmewvimes2901 ,there must be something about The Stand. Everytime I start reading it I seem to get the flu. It freaks me out every single time, lol.
I've been noticing lately you're editing is getting tighter and tighter. Well done mate. Keep it up!
Ah, so you prefer the new Daniel Greene? ;-)
I had the fortune of reading old Stephen King and New Stephen King when I encountered his work. 'Under The Dome' is one of the best stories he has written, we respect New Stephen King in this house.
I love his skill, stories and how they make me feel different/uncommon emotions. (Can’t speak for others)
Having a discussion on the changes in his focus/style through the history of his works is great! Heck, a class or two could be taught on it!
I sincerely wish that change and difference wasn’t so divisive - in general. That is a separate societal commentary on a whole but it really bothers me that variations in such high level fiction, within a single author’s body of work would be in argument.
For me, the tonal shift whacks me hardest with the Dark Tower series. The last three books (not "The Wind Through the Keyhole") really show the changes with his Voice, and it took me a bit to get used to it. Otherwise, it's more a natural transition with his more "stand-alone" novels and short stories. I don't mind it so much. There was so much that he went through with the accident, it's no doubt it affected his writing style. You have to be flexible enough to accept that.
John-Patrick Alexander absolutely agree!
I agree completely! King has evolved with the times. He has streamlined his writing style to reflect and correlate with today's modern world and our overall need for instant information. Gone (or nearly gone) are the epic descriptions and characterizations. I love all of his work, old and new! He's incredible to me.
I still to this day think that his greatest written masterpiece is Pet Sematary. A horror masterpiece.
Its real creepy!
That was a great read. My personal favorite is Needful Things.
I really like his short stories like "n"
THERE IS NOTHING HORROR ABOUT IT.
Cause of people like you I bought the book and was left disappointed as fuck to the point of wanting to sell the book, but the end saved it for me, but there's nothing scary about it other than the zombie /demon guy and the lights and weird sounds they were hearing and seeing while taking the cat to the pet cemetery, other than that the book is pretty much a fucking thriller/drama, it feels like a movie, the only strong thing about it was the relationship between the main character and the old man, them drinking beer together and watching the sunset, having a dad/son moment was beautiful. But is rly not scary AT ALL, maybe sad, but not scary.
Archons there are a lot of things horror in this book. It’s just not your type of horror, that’s all.
I’m reading my first Stephen King novel (11/22/1963) because of you! I’m almost to the halfway point but I’m really engaged with it, more than I thought I would be. There’s so much character work and character insight in this book, so it’s a wonder that the “old Stephen King” books had even more of that in them.
Its great
I've been reading King's books since 1978, I read each new one as it came out and have loved the changes in style over the years. I have enjoyed being able to read his differing focus of character, plot, world-building etc. The volume of his work and differences in style allows me to have my cake and eat it. I can enjoy the whole spectrum. I don't prefer either, when he hits the mark, boy does he hit it regardless of his focus.
I've been reading King since Carrie was first released, and before it was famous. I picked it up because of the cover art ( and the fact that I was facing two weeks of bed rest due to an illness). I finished The Institute the week it was released. I love his characters. They seem real to me.They have foibles and quirks. They have nobility and they have base motivations. They have histories and hopes and dreams, and they are (generally) not all saint or all demon. I love that he will kill a character I love and reward one I hate, then kill that one too. I love the real sacrifices they make... I love when they chicken out. I don't know if you have read The Talisman, but that's one of my favorite stories ever, and Wolf is so the friend I wanted when I was a kid. The Dark Tower is my favorite on one day, and The Stand on another.
I believe in letting an author tell his story. I don't want to tell him where to go with it or how it should have been different. In the end, I like it or I don't, but I live for the story.
Lori Hart - very well stated, Ma’am. I remember seeing Carrie in paperback racks, but it was when the movie came out and the cover was a photo of Spacek, so I dismissed it as a “novelization.”
I was at a checkout line at the grocery store when the shiny paperback cover of the shining caught my eye. Bought it, loved it, went back and read Carrie and ‘Salem’s Lot, and have read all his stuff new ever since.
I, too, greatly enjoyed The Talisman, but I love Black House more.
Insomnia is the one I’ve reread most.
@@unrulysimian3897 , I loved Insomnia. It's probably my favorite Dark tower "related" book. I don't think I really liked Black House the first time I read it... but gave it another chance a few months later and now it's one I reread every couple o years.
Do you have Carrie as a First Edition...?
@@sirandrelefaedelinoge . nope. I lost everything in a flood years ago.
New drinking game for Daniel's Videos: Take a drink every time WoT is mentioned in a video about something else! (not that I don't love it!)
😂😂👍
Cant.... I watch at work and working drunk is a no no :)
You'll have to call an ambulance
One of my favorites and creeped the hell out of me is his newest one, Revival.
Its not the newest
I absolutely loved Revival and I cannot recommend it enough
@@turtleanton6539 okay, but it is a New Stephen King 😊 2014 not that old for me
The ending left me depressed for a few days
That was a great book
Love old King horrors, new King thrillers
Yuup
This is exactly how I feel.
Pretty accurate
Totally accurate indeed!
I prefer the older, more rambling, more past-obsessed King (My God, THE STAND). But his new stuff is still great. Especially Under the Dome and 11/22/63!
I can't think of another King story where he was able to flesh out an entire town the way he did in Under the Dome. I mean, he devoted a chapter to a WOODCHUCK and was able to make you care about it!
Under the Dome is so underrated and one of his stories that sticks with you the most!
I've just started with King so far IT and The Green Mile were amazing. I'm excited to explore it all new and old.
I think his old stuff might be a little more "literary". Maybe it just seems that way because they are established as classics now. But I enjoy both of them a lot and I always read his new books.
It's funny you say his old stuff might be more literary because he used to be seen as nothing but a pulp author. Still is, in some circles, I'm sure.
That's just how history tends to go. People thought HP Lovecraft was a pulp author, same is true with Poe to an extent. The thing with king is he's been writing so long where people see his old and new work as completely different things.
Personally, I find Stephen King my favorite author... the last couple of years I have been reading mostly King's books. The first book I read was Under The Dome, which was a fairly new book back when I read it. I fell in love with that book and also with King's writing style, later on I read his more classic stuff and his newer stuff, and I found a King who was more focused on developing twisted characters rather than a more complex story, like he's been doing lately, just read The Outsider or Revival. I cannot choose which King is better, I enjoy them both equally. Just read and enjoy this writer 🤟🏻
I've read damn near just as much "old" King as I have "new" stuff and I've at not one point EVER found the slightest fault with his "meandering" as far as elaborate backstory detail regarding secondary characters goes. His exquisite mastery of character creation & development is easily the main reason I adore reading his stuff. My two favorite novels of his are Under the Dome & The Stand (the uncut version), two of his longest novels. It's the glaring reason so many of the movie adaptations are miserable failures. So many foolishly focus on the horror/gore setpieces, which in the books only ever succeed to affect you because they happen to characters that've first been beautifully established & expertly rendered. It's WHY adaptations like Misery or Gerald's Game were such magnificent achievements. They put character before everything else.
Doctor Sleep is my third fav book behind It and The Stand
Its a goodbook
@@turtleanton6539 you did read The Shining, the first book, right? Necessary to really enjoy Dr. Sleep.
This was a really interesting video, I didn't even know this divide existed haha. I haven't read any modern King yet since I'm reading in publication order but I'm really enjoying his books so far :)
StuckOnStories, I admire you for sticking with reading King in chronological order. I chose to go back and forth from some classics like the Shining and the Stand to 11-22-63 and Under the Dome and short stories Everything's Eventual and Full Dark no Stars. I am holding off on the Dark Towers series until I've read most of his work up to that publication so I can enjoy the "King universe" references as best I can! I've read a lot and love the ride so far!🙂
Old King for me. I loved getting lost in his "over the top" descriptions of people and places and then picking up the little gold nuggets of information that he drops every now and then that gives me chills. Also, I started reading his books when I was in my early teens so for me the older books hold a level of nostalgia that I can't get from the new books. While saying that I still think his newer books are still on a level of their own.
I'm reading The Shining now for the first time after reading The Institute a month or so ago. I agree the writing style is very different now but I really enjoy both.
11/22/63 is honestly one of my favorite books ever. I read it when I was over seas and fell in love with the book. My heart was broken when the book ended. it was a masterpiece
Just finished the Shining. Masterpiece. Starting 11/22/63 tomorrow. Stoked.
I started reading King in the 70s. I haven’t read everything he’s written. I loved his early books because they let you see what people were thinking. You really were let inside of people.
My library has 11/22/63 and I’m gonna read it after I finish the Stand, which will take a while lol
😂😂👍
Dont watch the show before you do,also when youre reading the ending make sure no chicks around! If so say ya got something in your eye.
I’m sure Dr. Tenma loves it too
tfw i discovered this channel today and now am early to a new vid
Coolstory bro.
I love both. We are blessed to have enjoyed his stories.
I picked up Full Dark No Stars and it’s some of the best king I’ve read
Sure is.
I'm reading that now! Finished Big Driver yesterday, it's extremely good
Checkout my Joe Hill book Full Throttle review
A Good Marriage is phenomenal.
Carnola Sluggs ya it’s definitely the best of the 4
11-22-63 is my favorite with Institute, The Stand, The Shinning, and Dr Sleep. I relay love Under the Dome too.
Old King. I miss the feeling while reading that King was telling me this story with all the tangents and unnecessary info, like a friend would. Lean King is technically more correct but more boring to me. I still like the imagination and the stories but less the storytelling. Also, I miss 1st person King. He has not done that since I think Revival and that was one of his best novels ever.
11/22/63 and The Institute are my two favorites in King's lineup. One is a meandering blissful romp through Texas and history, the other is a concise exciting run through special abilities.
My favourite books by King are The Stand (amazing) and The Talisman, a touching and brilliantly haunting fantasy he wrote with Peter Straub. 11/22/63 is also amazeballs.
Working my way through IT right now. Havn't read a book for pure enjoyment in years, but I was having trouble sleeping and read somewhere that reading a book before bed could possibly help. So I picked up IT at Walmart and I'm hooked, cant put the thing down. Already picked up The Stand for when I'm done with IT.
Both Kings are great. I wasn't as enamoured with the Mr Mercedes books but otherwise the guy can do no wrong. And I would expect a 70-year-old to write a different book from a 30-year-old. For my money, the best of the new Kings are 11/22/63 (which really should have been retitled 22/11/63 for Europe) and Joyland. Both have more than a little of old King about them, come to think of it.
The Mr. Mercedes trilogy is some of his best work. I have read those three books 3 times now. I love all the characters, especially Holly Gibney. I hope he brings her back again, like he did in The Outsider.
Check out If It Bleeds, she's the focus in one of the stories.
I discovered SK when I was eleven and have read everything until Sleeping Beauties. This was a very articulate and well-thought-out opinion piece, congratulations.
And for the record: I like SK in all phases of his career. If people want the "greatest hits" balls-to-the-all horror output, check out his 70s & 80s work. But King has grown into his craftsmanship very well, and I enjoy his "new" stuff just as much.
I honestly prefer old king. Not because it's taboo to enjoy his new books, I still do, but because the seemingly endless ramblings of character backstory and details and such reminds me of myself. That's the way I think and write and it's so very enjoyable to see that.
You should read “Lisey’s Story” if you haven’t already perfect blend of that Old King character backstory exploration and it’s ramifications on the current character, but was released in what I’d call the New King era. One of my favs from his too and I’m a die hard fan
I love everything that I have read of Stephen King.
I've been reading Stephen King since about 1976 give or take when I was a senior in high school . So, I'm really an old Constant Reader. That being said I'm really impressed with your deep dive into all the books not only the King books. I do prefer the old King myself. It seems like he's taken a little off his fast ball lately. He rushed the Dark Tower series and you hit it on the head in the way you discuss how he used to deep dive into his characters. I remember way back ( do I sound like an old fart yet?) in the seventies coming across a paperback novel at the bookstore in my hometown mall in Gadsden, Alabama. I pick up this book with a blurb on the back talking about the horror of this small New England town. A clerk comes up and say's "Ya know, I hear this young writer named Stephen King is a good one." I bought "Salem's Lot" and devoured it. I remember thinking that he really knew small town America in general not just New England towns. It reminded me so much of the small rural southern town my grandparents lived in. After that I found that he had actually written a novel before Salem's Lot called Carrie. Talk about feeling stoked to go right out and read it. Anyway, of such was a Constant Reader born.
I think a lot of it has to do with what you grew up with. I'm 48, so I grew up reading and loving all of the early books. If however, you are in your teens or early 20's right now, you have several more books of his to choose from. So whether you end up liking new or old, who cares, because almost all of them are pretty dam good!
I like any King, but I do prefer his older books. I 100% agree that 11/22/63 is a masterpiece!!!
I read my first Stephen King novel when I was in the seventh grade. I was so impressed, I ended up doing a book report on it! The novel was Salem's Lot. It had just recently hit the bookstore shelves, and one afternoon, my mom came home with a copy. That book scared my mom so bad, that one evening while she was engrossed in her reading, the telephone rang. She was so startled, she screamed, and nearly jumped out of her chair! I knew right then when she was finished with that book, I had to read it too. Well, she finished it finally, and when she handed the book over to me to read, she just said, "son, you're in for a real treat." I soon realized that she wasn't kidding. Constant King fan ever since. That was many years ago, and lot's of things have changed since then. But one thing I can say hasn't changed, is I still love and enjoy reading Stephen King, old or new. Spoken like a true Constant Reader I'm sure, but in that regard, I know im not alone.
I have been reading stephen king ever sincs i was young, i was born in the 90s, i have watched all his film adaptions and own most of them. King inspired me to become a writer and his new and old works to me are king, they are different in style but still king. I can't say his new stuff is bad when it isn't. Fantastic writer.
Also love your channel Daniel, your alwayd releasing great content, and i always love hearing people hail the king
I honestly couldn’t choose my favourites are split across both era’s his characters are so staying, particularly villains haven’t aged badly at all. He’s one of a kind and I will always be a Constant Reader happy to read his fiction
Always like watching ur videos!! Thank u for all ur updates too!!
I love Duma Key. It's such a wonderful book about friendship.
That's my favorite king book!
I honestly think Duma Key is his most poetic work. It’s also terrifying, and uncommonly eerie
@@codylakin288, I totally agree! So poetically descriptive and unsettling at the same time. It made me feel like I was on an old ship in a storm while in a dream!🙂
For me Duma Key is the best of both worlds. It combines the mature characterizations and world building of his later work with the balls-to-the-wall horror of his early work.
I just got it on audible. I'm excited!
I’m loving The Outsider. Thanks for recommending.
I am a "constant reader" I'm currently working through The Dark Tower and some linked books.
I must say though, I am in the last 100 pages of The Tailisman and I have struggled, I'll be relieved when I'm done.
11/22/63 has been on my to be read pile for a while now. You’ve just convinced me to dive into it this afternoon! Happy reading!
I love every tangent and ramble. I don't need the story to constantly roll forward to enjoy it.
I use to think King was over-rated but after reading the stand I was hooked on that book. But I do wish he wrote longer books again bc some of his newer ones are like 200 pages I can read through that in 1 sitting
If someone puts a gun to your head over choosing new vs old King, I strongly encourage you to just give a snap decision. Not worth your life. Haha 😝
Just now stumbling onto this video a year late. I'm 57 years old and have read SK since high school. I've read almost all as they came out (my goal this year is to go back and read the ones that fell through the cracks over the years). I've lived his writing style change as it happened...slowly over the years but I, too, am aware there's a difference. I have more of my favorites that fall into the new King era than the old. 11/22/63 is freaking amazing but I also really love The Green Mile and Mr. Mercedes.
I agree with EVERYTHING you said about his change in style.... but I love all Stephen King. I have EVERY book he's written including his Richard Bachman books and his novella books like Four past Midnight.
I love everything the man writes, old, new, and in between. I think he could write anything and make it interesting. He has an uncanny way of putting you in a place and time and making you feel it, I mean really feel it. You feel like your in the book with the characters, experiencing everything with them.
Now that being said, I don't always like the story as a whole, or I might not like the ending, etc., but that is all personal preference and will change from person to person. However, I cannot say that there is one book that he has written that I did not like the journey that he takes you on, the fun of being in those times and places.
His writing is like life, you don't always like the situation, the people, the time, the place, the world, but in the end, your happy to be alive. Just happy that you got the opportunity to be you. Isn't that why you pick up a book in the first place.
Thanks, Daniel for your wonderful channel, keep up the good work.
Naturally, writers grow over time. But I think to completely understand his growth, knowing what authors he's read would be necessary. It's often as important, perhaps more, than one's personal life.
- 11/22/63
- The Outsider
- The Institute
All fucking *AWESOME* King books
Excellent description of the two broad “King Styles” in your video Daniel. As someone who has spent the last year reading 50+ of King’s works spanning his entire career, I have struggled to understand the community debate on this. “Deep character/symbolism/meandering” versus “Clean/focused narrative” explains some of the difference between older and newer styles King shows, but there have only been one or two books that I genuinely didn’t really enjoy. The man is a legend, and I appreciate you elevating his work to a new generation of readers!
I couldn't imagine reading the edited version of The Stand. I couldn't get enough. I thought Needful Things was pretty concise but I haven't really read his newer stuff much but thanks for giving me the itch.
Yes! YES! 11/22/63 is a masterpiece, one of King's best, and by far my favorite from him.
If anything, I think King's mature work is even more character driven than his early work. It's just that his character work has become a lot more subtle. He no longer needs to bludgeon you with details about a character's past to give you a sense of who they are in the present, or lean as much on past trauma as a means of character development (which I actually feel he sometimes did too heavily in his early work). I see the value in both approaches and can appreciate both for what they are (my list of King favorites is fairly evenly spread across his canon), but I do think his more recent character work, for the most part, shows greater maturity and craft.
Im reading 11 22 63 right now.
And the book is phenomenal.
Ive read about 3 dozen of his books and i think this book easily adds up to some of his best.
I love the new King and the old King. All the work I read of his was great, but there’s something about 80’s King that I love reading and rereading. ❤️
Ahhhhh Stephen King.
I was 13 when I read Carrie and Salem’s Lot. And I devoured The Stand when it came out. I even read it again when it was rereleased with the edited scenes.
But in my 20s something changed. I went back and read Carrie and realized that I liked the meta-fiction of articles and such telling the story. I reread Salem’s Lot and realized I why I remembered the cover more than I did the story.
Then I read Cujo. At this time (and to this day) I used chapters to remind me to stop reading. The book has no chapter breaks and I was halfway through before I realized!
And I didn’t even like the damn story when I was done.
But people kept urging me to give him another shot or, worse, gave me one of his books as a gift.
So in my 30s I suffered through Misery (conceding that I liked the claustrophobia of it). Then I read It. I couldn’t give it away fast enough. I tried to read The Eyes of the Dragon but didn’t even finish it and this was when I still firmly believed if I started a book, I had to finish it.
(At this point I want to remind you that you did ask us to tell you about our thoughts on King so here we are.)
So the recommendations keep coming, as fo the gifts, and a miracle happens!
I enjoy his book On Writing. I really and truly did. I started having second thoughts. Maybe King gets better. Maybe I am just a better reader. Who knows?
Now we move into my 40s. I still love The Stand and I read The Body which has a sentence in it that gave me such joy at the time I gasped aloud at its perfection.
Then someone recommended Insomnia. Whyyyyyy? It took me forever to finish that book. Why? Because, ironically enough, I kept falling asleep before I would even finish a chapter.
Remember Cujo? I finished it in one day because it didn’t have chapters. Insomnia took over three months.
At the same time EVERYONE is insisting I give The Dark Towers a try. After book 2 I realized I knew precisely how the series would end. I couldn’t imagine slogging through more of the story just to get to that ending. And at that time the last book hadn’t even been published.
(Hint: I was right and all my King friends hated me for it.)
But you see, I am a glutton for punishment and I read Hearts in Atlantis (because NYT gave it a good review) and suddenly I see why the appeal again.
So how many books (and how many pages) and I still only really like TWO books???
All of this to say that I am going to put a hold request for 11/22/63 (when I get close to the end of my current read) and, on the basis of your effusive praise, give King another try.
Maybe there will be a sentence in there somewhere that makes me gasp with its perfection. At this point, I don’t expect more than that.
And there you go. My history with King. I didn’t even include all of the books I read because this is easily the longest UA-cam comment I have ever written. So with apologies to anyone else who has nothing better to do...I’m sorry.
Regards to Pip. Such wisdom!
Where were you.... 11/22/63. Lived Massachusetts, came home from kindergarten to my mother crying with neighbors in my home. Will never forget that day.
I like how he meanders in his older work. Recently, I read On Writing and he explains that he writes/wrote that way because it's more authentic -- our existence is plotless and meandering. Sometimes it makes a story phenomenally believeable and terrifying and sometimes it drags, but it feels more genuine to me. I'm open to reading his newer stuff (I'm one of those who skimmed a new King, I think it was the one with the Buick, and retreated immediately to the classics), but I think I'll always like the old stuff better.
Just think about an author that is more productive than Stephen King - see? I can't think of any. And even then it is just human to have a few works that may be not his best pieces. But still, I've been reading his books in chronological order and I have to say most of my favorite books came from him. No other author can make me anxious, laugh out loud or ball my eyes out as much as King has done. That's why I will always treasure him and his talent. And I think he really became a master when it comes to human emotions, at least I am often surprised by how deep he can go.
11/22/63 had sort of that same epic feel as IT did. It went so indepth, and I love that, because it’s a story I can really delve into and get lost in. I love books like that.
If you want a great example of very well fleshed-out "new" Stephen King, give Under the Dome a try. It's a great read!
I can't get over the ending. The characters were great as they always are but that ending was pretty dumb.
King's stories seem to be just shitty pulp premises in order for him to get to the more interesting parts of his stories which are the characters and their interactions.
If you want to know when King changed, you might want to read his book 'On Writing' in which he detailed that his family performed an intervention to get him to stop doing drugs. It was during this time period that this writing changed drastically. He wrote books such as Gerald's Game, Rose Matter, and on. These became the books people liked the least, and during this time frame he went from the most sold writer in the world--meaning that he sold more peoples than anyone else in the world--to having a lot less reading who were reading his books. During this time period he also started writing prefaces at the beginning of his books of he needed to communicate something to his reading before the purchased the book in question. This is were he starts using the words 'Dear Constant Reader.' So yeah he changed and it great to see him having a resurgence of people liking his books again and making them into movies. But the 90's is when he changed when he was approached by his family that they would leave him if he didn't end his massive drug habit.
Cool
I feel like Stephen King just adapted to the new social climate. Smartphones are a thing now. People aren't as patient. The pace in movies is quicker. The pace in books is quicker. He just adapted to the times. I don't think he's got as much of a unique style nowadays compared to his older writing style, which I think is a shame. I also feel like he writes completely different characters now compared to what he used to, which is both positive and negative.
Specifically The Institute was 3.5/5 for me. The pacing, entertainment I got from it etc was really good. But the entire premise is... Dumb. When you stop and think about it. It doesn't make sense and it makes it hard to completely buy into the world and the story. It's hard to suspend your disbelief.
I think your interpretation is most likely....like in Music, we will never get the "experimental" music again, because everything is produced to fit the taste of many without ever trying to expand their horizon. And musicicians that do not fit that bill but actually try to do something out of the box are at best successfull in a niche, but never on the top 10. The same goes for books.....People want easier to digest standard productions and King understands this very well :)
This drives me crazy. Personally I think what you described is making us dumber.
I watched a few of Kings movie/series adaptations, from IT, 11/22/63, Shining, Pet Sematary before I started reading. So i am reading all the books that do not have an adaption yet or haven seen it yet, only reason being the books feel kind of spoiled.
Read a few of the Dark Tower books and Misery, loved it so far.
Salem's Lot and The Stand is up next.
You should probably read The Stand last, because anything you read after The Stand will be a let down. That book is Epic.
I've been a fan of Stephen Kings since I was 13, that's 23 yrs! And I can't choose between old and new King. As much as I love The Stand and It, I also love 11/22/63 and Doctor Sleep. He's just a fantastic author.
To be honest, I haven't read much new King because I can't keep up! He's still pumping out stories like crazy.
Also I would love to see an interview with you and Stephen King.
Probably not gonna happen.
Daniel will have reached god-level if he got a King interview
i am not a reader but i enjoy so much your videos that i've been trying to read a little bit more, recently i finished the hobbit and loved it, made me look at the films differently than before and it gave so much needed depth to characters and scenarios. thanks for your videos.
i'm in the middle of reading the institute and it is an incredible read. i'm going to be binging on King for the next few months.
I have only read IT and currently read "Under the dome" , like both but I feel like i missed some of the complexity in IT which is not the Case with under the Dome so I might actually prefer it over IT
(no pun intended)
Herr Gdiduoo If you liked Under the Dome, you should try The Stand! Under the Dome is basically like an apocalypse of a town, and The Stand is the apocalypse of the world, focusing in on America. The uncut edition is the best, imo. It does have a lot of death and destruction in it though...I mean ALOT, from plagues to atom bombs. Long time King fans usually pick The Stand as their favorite, it’s truly EPIC!!
@@annaleigh5321i actually am torn between the stand and shining(Just saw Kubricks movie) but I will probably go for the Stand next with your rec in mind
The Stand is a fantastic journey! The only book I've ever read twice!
I plan on reading some of King' s books starting next year, and I'm terrified. I've never been a big horror story lover so I'm treading new ground here. But I'm kinda looking forward to it. I'm going to start with Under The Dome, cuz it seems to be a tame place to start.
I actually haven't read many old Stephen King novels. Mostly new ones. But that's just coincidence because I read whichever one I stumble upon in my library. I'm definitely going read a lot more of both King's older and newer books since he's such an amazing writer.
I’ve waited so long to ask this; what editions of a song of ice and fire do you have
www.juniperbooks.com/products/game-of-thrones-armor-set
@@DanielGreeneReviews Thank you so much!
I read IT two different times. When I was young (20's) and then again about a decade ago in my 40's, I am now reading it again (at 52)--each time I've read it I've gotten something different out of it. The first book I read by King was Salem's Lot in 1977 (I was 10 and my 5th grade teacher introduced us to it in October--scary books, vampires). I fell down the rabbit hole and then read Carrie, then Christine... Though I have not loved every book, it would be expected that his writing style would evolve, improve. He ROCKS! I'm a Constant Reader, and have a whole tall bookcase dedicated to his works Thanks for a great video. I loved the Institute.
My biggest problem with his newer books is about how much they feel like a rehash of past books. The Institute doesn't even acknowledge the Shop in Firestarter when it's the same premise with a slightly different plot. The Outsider has a direct mention of the shining but no one stops to compare the child emotion-fear feeding shape shifting demon to Pennywise.
And as for the prime example of good new King, i.e. 11/22/63, that book was originally developed, and I think started, when he was younger much sooner after JFK died. It was put on hiatus because it felt too recent a tragedy. The implication is that it may be the impression of his younger self that led it to being so damn good.
All that said, I don't have a massive preference over old or new King. There are plenty of shitty old King and plenty of pretty damn good new King. But if I had to choose, probably I'd lean old based off what I've read and my general impressions of the concepts of his newer works that I've yet to read.
I've read a ton of King's work and enjoy/love most of it, regardless of when it came out. I adore his rambly nature and how deeply he immerses you into the worlds he creates.
This really makes me want to finish IT. And maybe even pick up Outsider after that. Also, unrelated, but damn I LOVE those bookshelf lights!
Read Mr Mercedes 1-3 before Outsider
@@turtleanton6539 Will do! Thank you
11/22/63 is some of the best king I've ever read and I've been reading all his works for 25 years.
I love the old stuff, it is genuinely great work. I also really like the new stuff, it is really great writing too. They are different yes, I can appreciate both without hating either.
Revival is absolutely an example of a modern King novel that goes into incredible detail regarding the past & present of it's two central characters.
I love both. I think it is very advantagous for us to have a change. For example I read his books roughly by turns. One newer (from the 2010's) and one older. However I think between Misery and Duma Key (late 90's - early 00's) he did not produce as well-written books as before and after
Stephen King is a master of storytelling. After his dead, just like Charles Dickens, his value will be greater
The Stand and IT. Hands down my favorites. I read these both in the late 80s and have re read them over the years. Most of the new stuff I could pass on. I am not convinced some of the stuff is even written by him.
Just finished 11.22.63 and it was so incredible. Never thought I'd love a book with loads of romance but I do prefer the ending to It which I overall like more
Just wanna say, I watch your videos daily and I'm very happy you went fulltime UA-camr. I'll hit the Patreon one of these days when I stop spending all my money on books and vinyl. Thanks, homie
The last two Stephen King books I've read were 11/22/63 and Doctor Sleep. I've read many books since those two and they still remain two of my all-time favorite books.
So far I've read Misery, Dolores Claiborne, 11/22/63, The Institute, and If It Bleeds, reading The Shining right now, and I have Doctor Sleep and Revival lined up. So mostly newer works but a few old ones in there, and I'm enjoying all of it.
Lifelong King fan. Love both eras though I do miss his more in-depth character moments.
I like both old and new King (Dead Zone and 11/22/63 are my favorites of his and those touch both "versions" of the guy). But whether or not it's the new and old King I gravitate to love the more character focused stories more than the ones that are plot driven.
Hi. My personal favorites are 'The Stand', 'Dr. Sleep' and, of course, 'The dark Tower', especially the 2nd and 3rd book. Oh, and the Salems Lot stuff
You might want to check out a band called Rush. Career as long as King's, with same artistic trajectories and parables. Also, it's great music. 🤟🙄🤟
You didn't mention King's silent partners - his editors - who had a major hand in what we read from King. Bill Whatshisname at Doubleday went away right about the time I saw that change in focus as you put it, in the mid to late 80s. For me, Needful Things in 1991 was the first in his "modern King" library to cement his new style. "It", was the beginning of a transition period for him. Simply put, NT read like a screenplay, like he was watching a movie in his head instead of just telling us a story, like in It.
BTW, Old Stuff vs New Stuff is a timeless Rush argument, but most fans agree, in one way or another, it's all good.