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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
funny
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
This was an interesting read as it was interesting reading about Mr King's thoughts about he's books, his life, horror, fantasy and many things. I found it was a good read for anyone who wants to learn about the mind of the writer behind the books that he has written.
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
Interesting to hear King's take on horror fiction in movies, novels, and occasionally TV and radio. He goes into some elements of horror and fantasy and what makes them work (or not work).
I wish I would have read some more of the books he mentioned and watched more of the movies to get a better understanding when he talks about them, but even so I've added a few titles to my list to read because of this book, so the journey never does end I guess.
I wish I would have read some more of the books he mentioned and watched more of the movies to get a better understanding when he talks about them, but even so I've added a few titles to my list to read because of this book, so the journey never does end I guess.
Quick impressions: Overall, it is a good but not great book. If you are a hardcore horror fan, you have probably read this already, and if not, what are you waiting for? If you want to learn about the horror genre, this is a good selection, but keep in mind it is like being in a series of college lectures with a professor who drones a bit too much at times (King mentions he does teach some college courses). Still, if you want a good overview of the genre, this is worth the effort.
(Full review on my blog later)
(Full review on my blog later)
El libro perfecto para el fanático del terror, en especial de los libros y del cine.
King hace todo un desarrollo sobre el tema, el cual temo no comprendí del todo por no estar familiarizada con las pelis y libros que menciona, los que si leí o vi comprendí por completo lo que se refería, y no saben como se agrando mi corazón por eso.
Luego de esta lectura, mi lista de pendientes se duplico. Cabe rescatar el tipo de lenguaje que King utiliza en esta novela, es como hablando con mi amigo, al cual puedo insultar y reír lo que hace que el libro sea mas cercano.
Lo único malo, es que es muy viejito, me gustaría una parte 2 de este libro, con filmes y novelas mas actuales.
King hace todo un desarrollo sobre el tema, el cual temo no comprendí del todo por no estar familiarizada con las pelis y libros que menciona, los que si leí o vi comprendí por completo lo que se refería, y no saben como se agrando mi corazón por eso.
Luego de esta lectura, mi lista de pendientes se duplico. Cabe rescatar el tipo de lenguaje que King utiliza en esta novela, es como hablando con mi amigo, al cual puedo insultar y reír lo que hace que el libro sea mas cercano.
Lo único malo, es que es muy viejito, me gustaría una parte 2 de este libro, con filmes y novelas mas actuales.
I am not a horror fan. Really, I think King is the only horror author I read, and I prefer his stories that don't involve the weird, interdimensional monsters. Like 11/22/63 - does that even count as horror? The more psychological studies of everyday people. I bought this because I like his writing and I thought he probably has some interesting insights on the horror fiction world. He does. It's just that his references are beyond mine. You know. He's my mom's age... he's seen and read a lot of stuff I haven't. So, while I found the discussions of the different books, movies, and TV shows pretty interesting, some of the comparisons and other references he makes are sometimes lost on me.
Here's an entry in the King canon that I'm guessing is less visited than his fiction works. It's a very entertaining discourse on horror in literature and film. King is completely charming when he writes non-fiction. He writes well of course but what is most appealing is he's an enthusiastic fan who is eager to share things that he loves, as anyone who reads his Entertainment Weekly column already knows. He also apparently is single-handedly responsible for nearly every reading of [b:The House Next Door|104217|The House Next Door|Anne Rivers Siddons|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171509777s/104217.jpg|2886217], a book he lists as one of the definitive haunted house novels, on Goodreads. I've read it too and wouldn't have without his suggestion. Don't miss this book just because it's non-fiction. It's a fun read.
Good overview of the horror genre. He should do an update.
My first nonfiction by King and it was on the perfect subject: horror in popular culture.
Beginning in the 50s, King examines horror in film, radio and books and how current events shaped the form horror took over time. He discusses the main archetypes of horror, the werewolf, vampire, thing and the ghost, and how they are expressed and have been changed in different works.
Mixed in with some anecdotes about his childhood and youth, King did an excellent job discussing the genre and his own favorites, from Night Stalker to Frankenstein to Straub's Ghost Story.
I love horror, in film and in novels, and really enjoyed listening to this work. Some ideas I hadn't thought of were discussed, as in the dive into Jekyll and Hyde, and some works that are my favorites, such as The Descent, were mentioned and I now have a list of works to watch and read that I hadn't heard of before!
All in all, a fascinating read and I recommend it if you're interested in horror at all
Beginning in the 50s, King examines horror in film, radio and books and how current events shaped the form horror took over time. He discusses the main archetypes of horror, the werewolf, vampire, thing and the ghost, and how they are expressed and have been changed in different works.
Mixed in with some anecdotes about his childhood and youth, King did an excellent job discussing the genre and his own favorites, from Night Stalker to Frankenstein to Straub's Ghost Story.
I love horror, in film and in novels, and really enjoyed listening to this work. Some ideas I hadn't thought of were discussed, as in the dive into Jekyll and Hyde, and some works that are my favorites, such as The Descent, were mentioned and I now have a list of works to watch and read that I hadn't heard of before!
All in all, a fascinating read and I recommend it if you're interested in horror at all