Too much expectations about Stephen King books?

[Avaruusorava]

So a few years ago I read Shining (after watching both films, usually I try to avoid this but I watched Kubric's Shining when I was 6 soo unavoidable) and I was actually kinda disappointed, it wasn't as scary as you would think. Like Pet Sematary is an awful movie but the book made hairs rise on my neck!

Now I am starting the third book of the Black Tower series, read two of them already. Many have said that these are King's best work but for Kings book, at least the first two are.... average?

Have my expectations just been too high after seeing the awesome movie and hearing praise about the series or are these book just average Stephen King's books?

[paigegreenpurba]

I think this a matter of personal taste. I love King's writing style, and have thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read from him. I'm not, however, going in with the expectation that I'll be scared per se, but rather that I will be immersed in a creepy world where events of the day are unsettling rather than mundane.

Then again, I enjoyed the Pet Sematary movie, so it may just be a matter of different taste!

[Letora]

King is marketed as a horror novelist, but really he writes in all genres. I actually generally like the movies better than the books, because I just don't like his writing style. I agree though, the original Pet Sematary was bad. I am hoping the new movie is better.

[Bruster]

I am a king fan that's for sure but I wouldn't say the dark tower is his best work and I do think it's been oversold, but agree that the fact is that everybody has different tastes and King is not writing to scare you it's to put yourself into a different place where things are just as scary as your imagination can conjure.

[CinWin]

So a few years ago I read Shining (after watching both films, usually I try to avoid this but I watched Kubric's Shining when I was 6 soo unavoidable) and I was actually kinda disappointed, it wasn't as scary as you would think. Like Pet Sematary is an awful movie but the book made hairs rise on my neck!

Now I am starting the third book of the Black Tower series, read two of them already. Many have said that these are King's best work but for Kings book, at least the first two are.... average?

Have my expectations just been too high after seeing the awesome movie and hearing praise about the series or are these book just average Stephen King's books?

I love the Dark Tower series. The thing about it is that you have to really just keep reading them and they get better and better. The first two just set the stage and then the weirdness begins.

[NetMassimo]

I agree that a lot depends on what you're expecting. Many years ago I started reading Stephen King's novels expecting horror stories and when the genre was different I got puzzled, for example when I started the Dark Tower series, where any genre label is very limiting, especially after the first books.

[Tahahiro23]

To me, honestly, it depends not only on the person's individual tastes, but also the film director that produces the movie.

I know I use to love the Dark Tower series and really wanted to see it be turned it to a movie so very badly. However, when they made it into a movie I feel that they just rushed it. Since there's 8 or 9 books in the series I dont see how it could all be done nicely in a 2 hour or less movie. I think it either needed to be done the way the Harry Potter movies were done, or done as maybe a t.v. series to really get the in depth dimensions of the book.

[NetMassimo]

The Dark Tower movie is a case where you really wonder what they were thinking. I guess they were assuming that the book series' fame was enough to make the movie a success even if it's just a summary of the whole story lacking almost all its epics and character development.

[Nym182]

Stephen King has a pretty distinct writing style, and not everyone is into his use of detail and such. I'm a pretty big fan of him myself. The Dark Tower series is one of my favorites. I think it's also a series that should be read after reading a few of his other books first... It has a lot of nods and references to other books he has written, especially The Stand. If you don't really like his scary books, I would recommend some of his other non-scary stories

Some books/stories I would recommend: It , The Stand, The Green Mile (non-scary), Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (non-scary), Needful Things, 'Salom's Lot, The Body (more commonly known as Stand By Me - non-scary)

The movies that are made based on his books are pretty hit or miss...

But I would recommend The Stand mini-series, It mini-series (the new one is pretty good too - although I haven't seen the 2nd chapter) Stand By Me, Shawshank Redemption, The Shining Miniseries (actually filmed at the real Stanley Hotel and more true to the books)

I would definitely stay away from The Gunslinger movies. it's poo.

[Cross game]

I like the way Stephen King writers because he just explains the scene in just such a way that it make the scene imaginable. You can actually picturize the scene that are going on as you read the book. Though sometimes it becomes too much he doesn't need to explain a scene so much . It makes the story go at slow pace.