Why don't I like Stephen King's novels?

I agree that he's not for everyone and I am always surprised when I hear about his die-hard fans, because I find him very hit-and-miss. I think you're right when you say he has some good stories, and I also thought Christine was good. I'm different to you, though - if the style suits, I don't need an explanation for supernatural phenomena in a story! I'm happy to roll with it and let it go. But what surprised me most about Stephen King's work, was how similar some of it is. The Tommyknockers is one of my favourite books ever, then later I saw one of the Children Of The Corn films so made a point of tracking down the original text, and realised that many of his stories seem to follow the same structure - a lone believer who stands firm against a throng of enemy threat. It's there is so many of his works, and I've only read a few, and mostly seen film adaptations, like Pet Semetary. That's why I'm often amazed that his following is so strong, but I'm sure others that don't seem to follow that trend are fantastic. Cell looks like an interesting read, for example.

In an unrelated note, I became involved in an interesting debate about whether Stephen King would be remembered for as long as William Shakespear this past weekend. I said that Stephen would be, but I like to take the side of the underdog, I think, and he has writen a lot of books considered to be classics, and award winning filmic adaptations, so why not?

I think the investigation of human truths can sometimes oppress the need for an explanation of phenomena, which you seem to seek out. I think I love his work for the same reason you dislike it: he leaves out all the nuts and bolts when putting a story together. Instead, his tales are held together by the glue of human experience, albeit an impossible experience, but still one incurred by a representative of our own reality.

Example: Pet Semetary. The how and why of the dead returning to life isn't as important as the human need for loss, which is what the book is really commenting on.

Aside from that, well, every writer has a boring book or two in 'em.

You're probably into the Richard Bachman books because they have slightly more blood and violence and that sort of stuff. Desperation is one of my favorite books by SK, I don't know why you wouldn't like it, maybe you just enjoy the fast paced, blood on every page type of story, which you won't find with Stephen King.

The only one of his books that I've been able to finish is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It's about a girl who gets lost in the woods and is being followed. Short and no unexplained phenomena.

i read Desperation... and i thought it was really good but the ending seemed kinda rushed...

dont get me wrong i did enjoy it... but you get what i mean

it seems Stephen king like starts out really good and then just starts slowly running out of ideas as time goes by ((in the book))

and when hes done writeing that one and moves on to the next...

read Pet Cemitary (sp?) its actually one of the good all the way trough books..

and i wouldnt suggust The Dark Tower series..

i heard the ending to the series was a HUGE dissappointment...

and even if you cant get in into any of his books...

dont worry...

theres alot more authors out there!!

and nobody can enjoy everyone :)

i think hes great,

you seem to like some f him books,

maybe because there so hyped up you are dissapointed with him

The Shining