The Dead Zone

[Connavar]

I must say this book was alot better than expected.

The story was so emotional and dark. I mean you really felt for Johnny Smith from the start to the end. The movie i hated the ending with Johnny diying cause i didnt like seeing the good guy die in the end. The book did a good job showing Johnny didnt have any choice doing what he did in the end. He didnt have the time to come up with a way to bring him down with himself having to pay for what he does.

Johnny Smith is by far the best SK character i have read so far. He was so interesting, not so special just a normal guy with the creepy ability.

Must say SK improved alot from the days he wrote Salem's Lot my last SK book before this. The prose and pace of the book was alot better. There werent any dull moments in the hole book. Which is specially impressing cause there were times he was building up the story slower parts that still wasnt dull.

[HoopyFrood]

I haven't read Dead Zone (shock! A King book that I haven't read! ) but I just wanted to comment on that 'Salem's Lot was one of the first books that King wrote; well, among his earlier work anyway, and like any writer he obviously improves as he produced more work. Even he says that he looks back at 'The Shining' and cringes when he reads it, mainly because he can see his young author's arrogance running through it, (that was also one of this earlier works, it's been a fair few decades since he wrote it) so I guess it's like any writer when they come across an old piece of work.

The things that I love about King's books is that they centre around very normal people who get pulled into things that they don't understand or like but have to involve themselves in just in order to survive. He also tells the story in a 'normal' way, in that descriptions concern everyday things that we all know and can relate to. And especially I love the grittiness with King -- there's very little reprieve with this guy and you don't often get a happy ending; even when it seems the character's life is getting back on track, there's an underlying tension, something still hanging around. But I love that. Hell, I love King.

I'm glad you're enjoying his work. Another one for the Cult of King perhaps? Another, as King himself says, Constant Reader?

[Allegra]

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

The things that I love about King's books is that they centre around very normal people who get pulled into things that they don't understand or like but have to involve themselves in just in order to survive. He also tells the story in a 'normal' way, in that descriptions concern everyday things that we all know and can relate to.

I agree, Hoopy, from the few King books I've read - mind you I have many more King's on the shelf to be read. The way he's telling is so conversational, you almost feel like that he's sitting next to you, by the fire in the woods in the bleak winter of Maine, telling you all the spooky stories while we sit around him with jaw open, eye glittering... Some suspicious shadows are quietly moving behind the trees... King and pTerry are the two authors I must return from time to time.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Allegra

I agree, Hoopy, from the few King books I've read - mind you I have many more King's on the shelf to be read. The way he's telling is so conversational, you almost feel like that he's sitting next to you, by the fire in the woods in the bleak winter of Maine, telling you all the spooky stories while we sit around him with jaw open, eye glittering... Some suspicious shadows are quietly moving behind the trees... King and pTerry are the two authors I must return from time to time.

Exactly the way he writes is so conversational that it feels like you are in the story, the character/writer is talking to you. I think thats what makes him a great storyteller. He is alot better than i thought. Now i really see why he is so popular.

[faerietalegoddess]

While I personally liked the content much more in 'Salem's Lot than in The Dead Zone, just because I'm more of a fan of his more horrific writings, I thought that The Dead Zone was awesome as well.

The character of Johnny Smith is what made it so good for me...I really got quite attached to the guy and was really sad by what had to be done in the book. People say that Stepen King can be a shoddy writer, but after reading most of his stuff, I think that he's a great character writer. Even with books he isn't too fond of, like "The Shining", I still enjoy the personalities he gives to the different characters.

It's sort of like "The Body" for me..."The Dead Zone" focused a lot of energy on the characters themselves, and it definitely paid off. I think if you care what happens to a character by the end of the book, the author's written a good one!

[Connavar]

Me im not one of those that thinks he is bad or decent , i will call him a great one. Sure i almost hated first DT but i loved his writing in The Lot and this one.

He writes interesting characters like very few can. People like Johnny Smith has made me a member in the Cult of The King

The only thing i wished was better was the ending where i would liked to see Stilson going down hard. Maybe by some news clips that showed how destroyed he became or in the hearing.

That could have made the reader felt alittle better about what happened to Johnny.

[HoopyFrood]

Ah, the thing about King...you don't always get what you want with his endings. And they're rarely happy. But that's what I love...you get a 'real' ending, rather than something contrived.

And like I said before, I think The Gunslinger is a difficult book to get into. And it's another of his books that was written quite some time ago (I think it's taken over twenty years for the entire series to be written). Perhaps once you've read a few more of his books, you'll go back to the Dark Tower. I assure you, it's back to pure King style in the second book, The Drawing of the Three! And also, if you've read more of his work, you'll be able to feel proud when you pick up on the little allusions to his other books that can be found in The Dark Tower books. Oh, and some characters that you've meet previously in other books as well

And yay, another Constant Reader! I'm such a silly King fan that I'm actually happy when people say they love his work so.

[Connavar]

I know Salem's Lot is early only years older than The Dead Zone which is why i was shocked how much his writing improved since The Lot. The Dead Zone was like ten times better written than The Lot.


I dont expect happy ending from him actually i expected sad endings specially from his horror. The end in DZ was almost perfect done expect not seeing Stilson burn. Atleast Johnny knew he won.

The age of his books dont bother me.

[hopoffhopon]

It was okay for King. I wouldn't rate it as one of his best novels but it was still good. Johnny had a sense of reality in his character (as King's characters usually do) and the intrigue was interesting. Using superpowers, comas and especially ex-girlfriends mourning while you are in a coma seem bit battered subjects to me but all of those were well written so I'll forgive the author.