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Stephen King's "Cell"--a good summer read?

Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime

Defender of Freedom
I finally got around to reading King's "Bag of Bones" last summer. It was great, and I needed something immense to last the week of vacation, as I'm a fast reader.

So what about "Cell?" Anyone here read it?
 
^^^I'm afraid I'm one of those many.

I was looking forward to this novel, which I started Saturday and finished this morning. It's a quick read, and really draws one in, per King's usual style.

But it's really strange for King, and I feel as if he's losing his mojo. There were a number of times he used the situation in the book to take some political digs at current events and the Bush administration, as well as the war in Iraq. He's entitled to his opinion, of course, but it took me out of the book. Another moment that took me out of the story and really surprised me was when the main character is offered an Altoid and thinks, "Even though it was the end of the world, it was curiously strong." How truly horrid and pitiful for someone with King's rep and the work he's built thus far. He drops a couple of other references to contemporary entertainment and I think these will also serve to date the book down the line.

As for the ending. I don't think King knew what he wanted to do with this whole "Pulse" idea. He never reveals who created it and why, and he apparently wrote himself into a corner with the ending, which I felt was a great betrayal after a 448 page committment.

Unless King's got a follow-up for "Cell," I recommend avoiding it altogether, as it's a work that feels unfinished and weak, though filled with potential.

001
 
The last Stephen King book I read was "Dreamcatcher" and that one pissed me off so bad, I haven't read anything by him since.
 
I recommend "Bag of Bones," but after "Cell," I'm going to go back and just re-read his classics, some of which I haven't read. I read a King novel at the start of every summer vacation, so next year I'll read "Carrie" and maybe re-read "Salem's Lot."

I'm tempted to jump into "The Dark Tower," but I haven't heard consistently good things from people who aren't die-hard, read-every-novel King fans.

001
 
King is still a great tale-spinner who creates great characters and situations but can't finish a book to save his life. Most of his recent stuff has sucked ass, basically since he had that near-death thing IRL.

Even his Opus Dark Tower had him as a character, and a VERY sloppy finish to what should have been a great series...
 
I liked the Dark Tower, even the end.

Lissey's Story is excellent, for a new book.

Most dissapointing to me recently was the movie version of 1408.

Another WTF ending.
 
I'm a huge fan of his short stories... I loved Everything's Eventual and Graveyard Shift (I think that's what it's called).

I haven't read much of his other stuff, but I grabbed Lisey's Story from my mom - she hasn't read it, so I don't know how it is. She keeps telling me to read Misery though, apparently that's awesome.
 
Cacophony said:
I'm a huge fan of his short stories... I loved Everything's Eventual and Graveyard Shift (I think that's what it's called).
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Definitely get to Skeleton Crew, when you can.
 
Wow...wish I'd read this before I dived into "Cell."

It was very shitty. Shitty for King, that is.

I'm going to actually see if I can get Wal-Mart to take it back. It's that bad.
 
I loved the DT and all of his other books that tie into it. Didn't even mind the ending.. only the part about Mordred bugged me, he seemed like an unfinished idea or something.

Loved The Green Mile, also.
 
The new Bachman book "Blaze" is pretty decent so far. Only 10 chapters in, but it still hasn't made me want to puke or throw it across the room.
 
Optimus Prime said:
I finally got around to reading King's "Bag of Bones" last summer. It was great, and I needed something immense to last the week of vacation, as I'm a fast reader.

So what about "Cell?" Anyone here read it?
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Jessus fuckin christ who the fuck reads unless they gotta go to school? Wanna talk bout some real art try Get Rich Die Tryin by 50 Cent or All Eyez on Me by Tupac. Thats art niggas. this fanatasy cave shit aint nothin. Thug dont get all the fascination w/books and fantasy shit like Harry Potty and The Lord of the Rings. serously that shit retareded and not bout nothin

Holla 5000
 
Thug Angel said:
Jessus fuckin christ who the fuck reads unless they gotta go to school? Wanna talk bout some real art try Get Rich Die Tryin by 50 Cent or All Eyez on Me by Tupac. Thats art niggas. this fanatasy cave shit aint nothin. Thug dont get all the fascination w/books and fantasy shit like Harry Potty and The Lord of the Rings. serously that shit retareded and not bout nothin

Holla 5000
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I've got a bullet for you, G-Money.
 
Punisher said:
I've got a bullet for you, G-Money.
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60250f75.jpg
 
^That's kinda dirty.

King movies that were better than the books:

Silver Bullet/Cycle of the Werewolf-tho the paintings were nice

Dreamcatcher-Jason Lee saved that movie for me.
 
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