I used to be a big fan. But sad to say, I really don't read his books anymore (The Green Mile was his last bestseller I actually enjoyed). I did read the book on writing that he wrote a few years back. And I thought that was excellent. But I'm not even aware of his fiction anymore. Does he still sell a lot of books? Anybody out there still reading him on a regular basis? Peace, PD
I agree fully with you. The last thing that I've seen was The Dark Tower's completion besides that I have no clue what he's been up to.
He still writes. He's just not producing books as often anymore because rich and popular and doesn't have to. Anything he writes will go to number one once he puts it out regardless of quality (which explains Dreamcatcher), so it's not as important to always have something out. Also, keep in mind that he's not a young man anymore. He has basically said on his website that he doesn't have the energy to produce at the same speed as he used to. Mostly, he's doing Dark Tower stuff, which bugs me because I'm not too interested in that series. But I think he's going to put out another short story book soon. I like a lot of the stuff he put out in the late 90s (especially Bag of Bones) and I'm kinda hoping he'll put out a novel at some point. Outside the Dark Tower series.
Also, wasn't he hit by a car, and almost died? And then became addicted to meds he had to take for pain? Then had to overcome his drug addiction? I think I recall reading about that in his book on writing. That might explain a lot. I wish he would write more stuff like he used to: Carrie, The Shining, The Dead Zone, Misery, The Green Mile, etc. I totally loved those books. Peace, PD
He was hit by a car. He was walking or riding a bike or something and a car hit him. He made it but just barely, the driver of the car died. The driver was in his early 40s. It was really sad. I don't know what the deal was. It sounded like a "It was late and the driver didn't see him" type thing. I don't know anything about him becoming addicted to meds, but it's not all the improbable. I know he was an alcoholic in the early 80s (which explains why half of those books written in that time period where so terrible. Sorry, but I'm still pissed about that damn book about a fucking devil possessed car. My g-d). I don't know, I still like most of his books. I just wish he'd put out something that's not in the Dark Tower Series. It's not that interesting, and it's like the only thing he does anymore. He put out From A Buik 7 a few years back, but I'm don't want to read it because it looked like another car book, and I'm living in fear that it's going to be as bad as Christine was.
So what's the last book of his (that you read and actually liked)? I really think that most of the stuff that followed The Green Mile was pretty lame. And that's why I stopped reading all his more recent stuff. But maybe I somehow missed one or two good ones? I do think he is a talented writer. His imagination alone is awesome. Peace, PD
I don't actually know the order the books came out. I really like the Green Mile, Bag Of Bones, and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Those were all the late 90s, I think. After that, it was mostly dark tower stuff and that short story book. Some of the short stories were okay, but in my opinion, horror is better in novels unless it's written by Poe. Whose dead.
It was based on the Lars Von Trier series The Kingdom, with some of the original still there, but with a story about a guy who gets hit and run cack-handedly crowbarred in. It was renamed Kingdom Hospital, and it was in my view pretty awful, simply because everything he added seemed ridiculous compared to what was kept from the original.
Oh, and there was a giant ant-eater in it for no reason. And they left out the pregnant man. And the ambulance races. And the very slow chase scene.
I read this morning on the AP network news, he's on the lecture circuit. Did a Uni this morning or yesterday.
