Book of the Day:
The Stand
by Stephen King
Another post-apocalyptic book. Sorry guys, but its also pretty good, give it a chance.First of all, if you have any inhibitions about reading Stephen King, lose them. Some people can't stand his books, although when I ask why, they always reply "he is just so twisted." Why is that a reason not to read his work? If you don't like horror novels, fine. However, when you read some "teen fiction" crud and come running to me saying "Omg it was so freaky I was up all night reading and then I couldn't sleep. Jacob is sooooo dreamy!!!" I really want to smack you. Read some actual literature. Stuff with meaning, stuff without vampires. PLEASE.
My rant aside, "The Stand" is currently my favorite Stephen King novel. There are just so dang many that I can't say its the best (and I haven't read them all). So "my current favorite" will have to do.
Anyways, it starts with some sort of modified super-flu escaping from a secret army base. The disease is referred to in the book as "Captain Trips" which I think is a pretty awesome name for a disease. Anyways, the disease spreads across the US, and one assumes through the rest of the world. It kills off something like 99.6% of everyone. I don't want to give much more away, lets just say it ends up with a pretty sick showdown between good and evil. Although the beginning is a little bit dry, stick with it, you won't be disappointed. If you don't have the patience for that kind of thing, I suggest you go back to "teen fiction", some author out there will pander to your tastes.
Best part of the novel? Well for me that would be when the Trashcan Man walks through an empty city. He is a schizophrenic pyromaniac. And he finds some huge propane storage pressure vessels. And they are full. :D Later he comes across some of those massive round oil and gas storage tanks. Setting some timed fuses on them, he walks out of the city as they explode, pretty much covering everything with fire. Lotsa fire. King's description of his madness puts you right into his head, and thats pretty exciting. For me at least.
Further Reading:
"The Tommyknockers" (also by King) is another good one. Just FYI, don't watch the movie of the TV miniseries for "The Stand", its not worth it at all. Bleh. I think that is the last post-apocalyptic book I have to recommend, so I'm sure a few of you will be a little relieved. Then again, if you have a good one, feel free to recommend it. I'll probably end up reading it (unless it has vampires).
-Torwch
HOMOHOMOHOMOHOMOHOMOHOMOHOMO
ReplyDeleteWell, he may have the iq of a vcr, but he can type 3 letters like no ones's business.
ReplyDeleteand in a pattern no less. wow.
ReplyDeleteIm impressed. I totally thought he was a talentless peasant, but I guess not.
ReplyDeleteThe intellectual integrity of the 'anonymous' is always impressive.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with you about teen girl books (I glanced down the teen aisle the last time I was in a bookstore. Vampire books, as far as the eye could see. There was a reason it was only a glance.), Stephen King is rather twisted. I'm not sure how much the movie diverges from the book, but "The Mist" movie ending was just pointless. I wouldn't even call it a twist, it was just "Let's drive the protagonist to suicide, shall we?"
I applaud your reading choices.
ReplyDeleteImproving on the cliche: "Don't judge a book by its movie." Although I haven't read The Mist itself, I have watched a lot of movies that were good books. Very often I am disappointed.
Sure, they are twisted. But thats really the attraction. I'd say read one of his books then decide if you like his stuff. The first of his books that I read was The Stand, and it hooked me. Try it out, tell me what you think.
Fake and Gay
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