Cell by Stephen King

Have not read it, Josh. Actually, I didn't even know it was out yet:) I might need to pick it up (or buy the e-book)...if it is good. However, what I DO know, is that they have pretty much set in stone a movie option BEFORE IT WAS FINISHED. So, expect cell phone zombies to be on the big screen by no later than '08.

Another tasty zombie movie tid-bit. Romaro is going back to his Indie roots to make yet another "Dead" movie without a big studio backing. It starts production in October. Basically, it's about a group of college kids making some kind of student film when a zombie outbreak comes to pass. Kinda like "The Blair Witch Project". Working title right now is "The Zombie Diaries"...might need to work on the title a bit there, George:rolleyes:

Sorry about the thread derailment. Who here HAS read Cell. I'm looking forward to any Cantina reviews:)

Jake
 
Can't read it! until I finish H.P. Lovecraft's "Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre," "Transitions of H.P. Lovecraft," and "Dreams of Terror and Death."

Pretty much spending my summer in Arkham, but it's paying off: I have a job interview with Cthulu's people next week. :thumbup:

King writes a fine forward in one of them acknowledging H.P.

I do feel that King cranks them out like printing money; earlier works of his seem best.


Mike
 
I've never forgotten the deep fear Lovecraft gave to me as a child. I guess there wouldn't be a King without a Lovecraft, and probably not a Lovecraft without a Poe.


munk
 
I read it once and listened to the audiobook once. The second time was easier to digest than the first, but I won't read it again.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!







Other than a premise, their was no real plot. Think War of the Worlds meets Left Behind. I went thru this book twice because I kept missing the part where the PULSE is explained. An Accident? AI robots? Nothing really, except for an explanation about our brain chemistry.

It started out good, but I never felt anything for the characters. Ususally I can identify with several.

My favorite book of all time is The Shining, but this was not even close.

Jeremy
 
That's no joke about Lovecraft. The sheer size of his terror is incredible. It's so big that at times it's hard to wrap your mind around it. Great beings that could crush man with no more effort than a man crushing an ant. I think i might go find one of my paper back Lovecraft books I have here at the office. it's suppose to rain this afternoon. Sounds like a perfect way to kill some time.

On a related movie note, there has been some talk for some time about adapting "At the Mountains of Madness" into a movie. Now that would be a sight to see. That's my favorite (well at least in the top 3) Lovecraft story.

Jake
 
I don't think it's his best book, that's for sure. The last King novel I read was Tommyknockers, and this seemed to cover some of the same ground in a slightly different way.

I agree with nygiantsfan3342 for the most part.
 
When I first read The Stand, I was impressed by the first 150 pages. I thought King was on the verge of a masterpeice. By the end of the book, though it was a lot of fun, it was pulp. Hey- I love pulp. But there was a glimpse of something deeper and more substancial in Mr. King.

I know he has written 'serious' material to great aclaim. I haven't read it- anyone have?


munk
 
Stephen King is a hack. There, I said it. His characters are formulaic, his writing is tired, and ever since he got it in his head that all of his stories were somehow connected -- well, things have gone downhill since then in the story department. There is nothing wrong with every one of your books being completely different; in fact, it shows the world just what kind of an author you are: one that is not afraid to whip up a completely new backdrop each time, rather than trying to prop each new work up on the older, better-established material of before. (See anything by Dan Simmons for the definition of good writing in multiple genres; while he's best known for his award-winning "Hyperion" series of SF masterpieces, he's actually a better horror writer if you ask me. Dunno what he thinks.)

That being said, I have a certain fondness for the Dark Tower series, which I have yet to finish. The writing is fair, the efforts to patch things in to his other works are at times painful (and don't get me started on him writing himself into the story...sweet Jesus, he ought to kick his own ass for that), but the basic story being told is one that I like and despite his best efforts, I'm entertained. I'll finish it when I get around to it.

But don't tell anyone that I'm reading King's stuff, okay? Let's just keep that on the DL.

Now, Lovecraft...well, you already know my thoughts on the man.
 
I took some time out of my day to re-read From Beyond by Lovecraft. What an interesting little story that so fills me with dread within it's 4 or 5 page length. I had a psych professor that actually used the story to explain perception. It boggled my mind. Even to this day, I'm a little leary of open spaces. Not because they are open, but because Lovecraft has told me that they are not.

Jake
 
I'm a person who knows Dark. Lovecraft took my breath away. More than most, he was otherworldly, bent, deep, frightening. Those words became adverstising and cultural cliches. IN his case, and in Poe's, they were not pretend or make believe. Take the fantasy away, the fiction, and you still have a view of genius which reflects an honest alternative world- at least, we hope it is alternative.


munk
 
My Dad had a block of first editions from a publishing house called "Arkham House" from the late 40's and early 50's. They were some of the few books I got from him before he died. Lovecraft, his protege August Derleth, and two firsts from a brilliant but little known writer named William Hope Hodgson. Lovecraft mesmerized me, Derleth was just as good in many of his stories, and Hodgson just scared the living S*&T out of me! God that guy could write. "The House on The Borderland" especially.

I read them all by the age of 12, then started on Poe, whose fantastic mind made me susceptible to Verne and Wells and later Conan Doyle and his short fiction (The Prof. Challenger stories, etc.) Needless to say I was a very odd kid. :D

5 years ago I got a 4 volume set at Borders of the complete tales of Lovecraft, and have been re-reading it all, starting with "The Shuttered Room."

I like King, especially his old stuff, and have early editions of all his work. I snagged a nice first trade paperback of "Christine", along with a collectible model of the 1958 Plymouth Fury namesake (CA license CQB 241 ;))

The Stand (both versions) is one of my least favorites. His best efforts IMO are "Insomnia", "The Green Mile", "From a Buick 8", "Needful Things", etc. I like most of his work very much. I guess you could say he is formulaic, in that he continues to write good, scary stuff very consistently.

Norm
 
nygiantsfan3342 said:
What does Lovecraft have to do with anything?
Click to expand...

Thread drift, friend;) It's the lifeblood of the Cantina. you're probably right. You and Josh might be the only two that have read the book in the Cantina. However, the rest of us tend to pratter on to keep conversation going. You'll have to forgive us our cracker-barrel conversations. Such is the dynamics of a social collection, common interests tend to gel when in a group of the like-minded. I would venture to say that H.P. Lovecraft is almost as universally loved by the members of the Cantina are our beloved bent knives. However, it seems that all of these gentlepeople that are much more worldly than myself regard all good reading as worth while.:)
Me? I don't read enough. I watch too much TV and too many movies. THe written word strains my eyes, so i limit myself to stories 50 pages in length or less since I tend to read until the reading is done. I have made it through a few King books, but great googly moogly they are THICK.

Jake
 
Thread drift is a beautiful thing! Especially when it involves Lovecraft. Ia! Ia! Shub-Niggurath!

Here, I'll introduce some more thread drift. Anybody ever read I Am Legend by Richard Matheson? King dedicates Cell to Matheson and Romero.
 
Instead of Horror, how about Brothers by William Goldman? Its the sequel to Marathon Man. Brothers is one of the best cold war espionage action books ever with a great ending! Scylla is always one step ahead of the bad guys!

I also like the early Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
 
I'm reading the Richard Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell. I'll know more about the Napoleonic peninsular campaign than any of you when I'm done.:D Nobody describes a big battle better than Cornwell. When you're done, you need a shower. Not to mention a drink. And this stuff really happened.:eek:
 
Bri in Chi said:
I'm reading the Richard Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell. I'll know more about the Napoleonic peninsular campaign than any of you when I'm done.:D Nobody describes a big battle better than Cornwell. When you're done, you need a shower. Not to mention a drink. And this stuff really happened.:eek:
Click to expand...

:thumbup: been there (portugal that is, spent a number of nights in walled towns high above the plains, walking the battlements & waiting for the french to come; they never did, they knew i was there), done that (read 'em all) & have recorded all the sean bean tv movies....one of the best historical action series ever. his other series are also worth reading.
 
Josh Feltman said:
Thread drift is a beautiful thing! Especially when it involves Lovecraft. Ia! Ia! Shub-Niggurath!

Here, I'll introduce some more thread drift. Anybody ever read I Am Legend by Richard Matheson? King dedicates Cell to Matheson and Romero.
Click to expand...


Josh, I really hope this doesn't break your heart (it did mine), but they are making a movie adaption of I Am Legend. Sounds exciting, right? However, I have heard that 1.) It stars Will Smith as the lead (not bad, but not who I would have cast for the role). 2.) They are changing the vampires into zombies I think. Now, I love me some zombies, but the book was WONDERFUL the way it was. Bah:grumpy: Hollywood:grumpy:

Jake
 
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