I like about 60-70 percent of King's work, but the one story that has always chilled me to the bone since my first reading of it back in 1990 is The Long Walk.

I agre that about 50% of King is brilliant, whereas the other 50%... It makes me wonder if I'm reading a story written by the same author sometimes - think Cujo/The Body (terrible/brilliant).

Now one to watch is his son (Joe Hill) and his book 'Heart Shaped Box'. If you haven't already, you should pick it up; brilliant. I just hope he doesn't pick up his father tendenies of a good book, followed by a let down, good book. let down etcetra.

Now one to watch is his son (Joe Hill) and his book 'Heart Shaped Box'. If you haven't already, you should pick it up; brilliant. I just hope he doesn't pick up his father tendenies of a good book, followed by a let down, good book. let down etcetra.

Welcome aboard. I loved Heart-Shaped Box and his short story collection 20th Century Ghosts is wildly inventive and mostly outstanding. The good news is that his next project has been awesome; Locke and Key is probably the best horror comic I've read. The first issues have been collected in 2 trades: Welcome To Lovecraft and Head Games. I see his next novel, Horns, is due to come out in February.

Welcome aboard. I loved Heart-Shaped Box and his short story collection 20th Century Ghosts is wildly inventive and mostly outstanding. The good news is that his next project has been awesome; Locke and Key is probably the best horror comic I've read. The first issues have been collected in 2 trades: Welcome To Lovecraft and Head Games. I see his next novel, Horns, is due to come out in February.

Hi Scott - I'll definately be giving 20th Century Ghosts a go then. I'll have to fit in in between all of FPW books (only read the tomb and Night Sister (Sibs), and I've still got a couple of Masterson books to get through. Just finished the Chosen Child which was decent and will probably read Ikon while I await my copy of Legacies.

Going back to King, a colleague at work is reading through Duma Key which she says she can't put down. She's going to try the Tomb next after my reccomendation

Hi Scott - I'll definately be giving 20th Century Ghosts a go then. I'll have to fit in in between all of FPW books (only read the tomb and Night Sister (Sibs), and I've still got a couple of Masterson books to get through. Just finished the Chosen Child which was decent and will probably read Ikon while I await my copy of Legacies.

Going back to King, a colleague at work is reading through Duma Key which she says she can't put down. She's going to try the Tomb next after my reccomendation

You got some good reading in your future. Don't expect too much horror from 20th Century Ghosts though, it is more like The Twilight Zone.

The weird thing is I can't stand King's books; I've never finished one.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

You mean Joe Hill's dad!

Okay. I'm with you now....

Mutant... Love it! I like to think im a mutant. Maybe a mutant reincarnate, being sixteen and all. Saddly mutants are sparse in public highschool in Alaska. Thats why I love you guys. *sniffle*

Actually, I think the appreciation goes both ways. When I was a young lad (circa 1992), I worked at a library as a shelver during the summer, and I asked if I could do a Stephen King display in the front display case. The head librarian agreed, and I wrote a letter to Stephen King, telling him what I was doing and asking him what his favorite influences/authors were.

He graciously sent back a letter along with a box full of free promotional materials to put in the display case. And, in the letter, he highly recommended FPW's The Touch as a novel because he appreciated it for its value as both literary and horror fiction. Interestingly enough, I didn't follow his advice until about 18 months ago, when I picked up "The Keep" and devoured it.

Actually, I have loved Stephen King since I was 13 (which rougly means I have been reading him for about 20 years), and I JUST recently discovered FPW (I went through a period of time where all I read was academic journals...I was such a nerd...okay, still am). And I think they are both equally talented in very different ways. I never thought I would enjoy a series as much as "The Dark Tower" Series, but I have to say that the Adversary Cycle is equally enjoyable.

Also, I do agree that Joe Hill is quite a promising young author, and his obsessive attention to character detail is very much like his old man. Heart Shaped Box was very good, and I am just about to finish Horns, and I am finding it even more enjoyable.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw out the fact that Stephen King obviously thinks very highly of FPW as well, and I have the document to prove it (not that it was really in question at all).

- Jesse

Actually, I think the appreciation goes both ways. When I was a young lad (circa 1992), I worked at a library as a shelver during the summer, and I asked if I could do a Stephen King display in the front display case. The head librarian agreed, and I wrote a letter to Stephen King, telling him what I was doing and asking him what his favorite influences/authors were.

He graciously sent back a letter along with a box full of free promotional materials to put in the display case. And, in the letter, he highly recommended FPW's The Touch as a novel because he appreciated it for its value as both literary and horror fiction. Interestingly enough, I didn't follow his advice until about 18 months ago, when I picked up "The Keep" and devoured it.

Actually, I have loved Stephen King since I was 13 (which rougly means I have been reading him for about 20 years), and I JUST recently discovered FPW (I went through a period of time where all I read was academic journals...I was such a nerd...okay, still am). And I think they are both equally talented in very different ways. I never thought I would enjoy a series as much as "The Dark Tower" Series, but I have to say that the Adversary Cycle is equally enjoyable.

Also, I do agree that Joe Hill is quite a promising young author, and his obsessive attention to character detail is very much like his old man. Heart Shaped Box was very good, and I am just about to finish Horns, and I am finding it even more enjoyable.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw out the fact that Stephen King obviously thinks very highly of FPW as well, and I have the document to prove it (not that it was really in question at all).

- Jesse

Yup. By all reports, Stephen King is a true gent. Not too many around anymore.

I LOVE Stephen King. I must say he is my favorite author, with FPW (of course) Robert Mccammon, Richard Laymon, and sometimes Dean Koontz, rounding out the bunch. All these guys have given me great scares, and much, much, more. I still remember reading It when I was a kid, and the feelings of adventure, horror and wonder it created. Then later on reading Repairman Jack, and hooting and hollering in my parents basement as he took a drink of that cursed coffee.

As someone who hopes to one day take the time to actually complete a damn novel, I think FPW and the others are probably the MAIN reason for doing so. They gave me the inspiration to want to do the same type of magic.