Dylan asked Michael J. Sullivan:

Hello Michael, I'm looking into reading your books because of recommendations on goodreads. I noticed your influences include Stephen King who most would say falls in the category of horror/thriller. King is one of my favorite authors and I was wondering if you write a darker fantasy or if they are filled with suspense like King's books? Maybe like the suspense and adventure from The Dark Tower series? Thanks!

Michael J. Sullivan Hey Dylan, thanks for asking. While I've read a lot of King's books, I've never read The Dark Tower series. Originally, I was turned off by the "western setting" so I put down the first book without reading very far. But I will give it another go at some point.

My favorite King book of all time is "The Stand" - great characters, a fascinating premise, and excellent execution (right up until the end - which I thought was a disappointment, but given all the other great things, still one of my top 5 reads. I've also really enjoyed: Salem's Lot, IT, Different Seasons, The Shining, Doctor Sleep. Well I could go on and on, pound for pound King almost always delivers.

No, I don't write "dark fantasy." Yes, there are deaths, and the heroes don't always win, but at the heart of my works is a more traditional view of fantasy where good people struggle to do what is needed and in general are rewarded for the trials and tribulations I put them through.

I think my influence is mostly due to how King gets into the heads of his characters and breathes life into them. It comes from a really close POV where the scene is relayed through the eyes and minds in a way that gives you a really clear idea of who they are and how they would react to various situations. King is a master of the technique, and I would never claim to be on the same level, but I do see a lot of similarities in that aspect of our writing styles.

flag