Red Mosquito

tragabigzanda wrote:

bada wrote:I was thinking about reading IT next.

Have you never?

Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

bada wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

bada wrote:I was thinking about reading IT next.

Have you never?

Never.

I've kinda jumped around his bibliography randomly without any sort of plan of attack.

'Salem's Lot
The Shining
The Stand
Night Shift
Dark Tower
Pet Sematary
Cycle of the Werewolf
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Under the Dome
Doctor Sleep

bada wrote:I've been holding off reading it because of Joey. I don't want to bother reading 1100 pages if it sucks at the end. I'm torn.

Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

durdencommatyler wrote:There you go, bada. We've each stated our case. I guess you'll have to just decide for yourself. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it. It's not a terrible reading experience. There are great scenes. But I found it lacking and uninspired at the end of the day. If you haven't read 'Salem's Lot or The Stand or Lisey's Story or 11/22/63 or The Dark Tower series or Four Past Midnight or Different Seasons or The Shining or Dolores Claiborne or even Under the Dome, then I'd say get through all of those first. They are far, far more rewarding and interesting.

But plenty of people really like IT and think it's one of his best. This may be one you can't take on faith and have to experience for yourself to see where you stand.

Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

bada wrote:I'm no closer to making a decision.

Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.

tragabigzanda wrote:

durdencommatyler wrote:I don't think King as yet to (nor will he probably ever) top 'Salem's Lot. That's a goddamn fantastic book. Like, maybe one of my all time favorites in any genre.

Agreed. There's an elemental quality to it. If it were the only book he ever wrote, he would still sit comfortably in the same discussions as a Lovecraft, Poe, etc.

durdencommatyler wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

durdencommatyler wrote:I don't think King as yet to (nor will he probably ever) top 'Salem's Lot. That's a goddamn fantastic book. Like, maybe one of my all time favorites in any genre.

Agreed. There's an elemental quality to it. If it were the only book he ever wrote, he would still sit comfortably in the same discussions as a Lovecraft, Poe, etc.

Absolutely. Well said.

wease wrote:

durdencommatyler wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

durdencommatyler wrote:I don't think King as yet to (nor will he probably ever) top 'Salem's Lot. That's a goddamn fantastic book. Like, maybe one of my all time favorites in any genre.

Agreed. There's an elemental quality to it. If it were the only book he ever wrote, he would still sit comfortably in the same discussions as a Lovecraft, Poe, etc.

Absolutely. Well said.

The only book to absolutely scare the shit out of me.

bune wrote:The Mr. Mercedes trilogy is a wild ride. I liked the first one a lot (amazing characters, but then he's always been good at that). The second one was also enjoyable and I liked the way he changed the story up, keeping it grounded. And that's where the third one lost me. I loved how - not to use the word too much, but it fits - grounded the stories were and then he does that. It's not a bad story, it just fits oddly into the narrative.