Stephen King Fans discussion

For those of you who've finished this, feel free to talk about anything you want here, and spoil up the joint as you will. ;)

Oh man was this book a blast! I remember when I finished it the first time I cried that it was over. The librarian (Mike I'm pretty sure) said it all with his closing statements almost as effectively as Gordy in The Body actually.

Amanda wrote: "The librarian (Mike I'm pretty sure) said it all with his closing statements almost as effectively as Gordy in The Body actually."

Oh, Gordy! King does such a great job of giving the reader wonderful narrators, but they always tug at the heartstrings in a way that really hurts. You're right, Amanda -- Mike is definitely cut from the same cloth. (view spoiler)[I'm always simultaneously impressed and saddened when he talks about forfeiting success and financial security to stay behind in Derry as the watchman. It's a noble and necessary thing to do, but he certainly doesn't get repaid for it in any positive way. (hide spoiler)]

I call IT the Moby Dick of horror novels, not just because of its length, but its expansive scope...the encyclopediac discussions of architecture and dambuilding, the traveloguelike views of Derry, the lowbrow humor stylings of Richie Tozier, the prehistoric myths of the ancient Turtle, and the sociographic stories within the story collated by Mike Hanlon...really, its Literature with a Capital L.

Agrimorfee wrote: "I call IT the Moby Dick of horror novels, not just because of its length, but its expansive scope...the encyclopediac discussions of architecture and dambuilding, the traveloguelike views of Derry,..."

Yes I think it is too.

It's my favourite of King's books and I thought that was partially for nostalgic reasons but upon revisiting it, I found it even more of a rewarding read. As a teenager, my identification was with The Losers in their younger days and reading those sections again as an adult, when I'm more familiar with the latter day experiences, was most refreshing. The message I take away from it now is that one should not forget one's youth and completely put away childish things because one never knows when you will need the inner child to help you fight your battles.

I haven't quite finished IT yet, but it is my second time around for it. I find that I am enjoying it much more this time than when I first read it. I grew up in the same era that The Losers did. Many of King's references to pop culture items during that time really make me nostalgic. One example would be the playing cards attached by clothes pins to the spokes of your bicycle to make a motor noise (or so we thought). There are numerous "blasts from the past" in this book and I am really enjoying it.

I just ran across a great quote coutesy of Eddie Kaspbrak and had to share because I loved it: "Some stuff has to be done even if there is a risk. That's the first important thing I ever found out I didn't find out from my mother."

Dani wrote: "I just ran across a great quote coutesy of Eddie Kaspbrak and had to share because I loved it: "Some stuff has to be done even if there is a risk. That's the first important thing I ever found out ..."

Oh, Eddie! Here's my favorite bit about him: "Myra, like his mother, had reached the final, fatal insight into his character: Eddie was all the more delicate because he sometimes suspected he was not delicate at all; Eddie needed to be protected from his own intimations of possible bravery."

Well, his aspirator WAS nothing but water, after all . . .

Oh Eddie :( I cried for him and Larry Underwood in The Stand at least Eddie got to go doing something he chose. I thought Larry got ripped off :(

I read "IT" last year and I absolutely loved it! It became my favourite book and I wouldn't mind re-reading it.
I can even say that this novel changed my life: I am no longer amused or entertained by clowns and I don't plan on going to the circus any time soon. Does anyone else feel the same?

Bianca wrote: "I read "IT" last year and I absolutely loved it! It became my favourite book and I wouldn't mind re-reading it.
I can even say that this novel changed my life: I am no longer amused or entertained ..."

Clowns have never bothered me. However after reading the I don't like them. My kids on the other hand are terrified of clowns. They refuse to read It. Lol

My oldest daughter to this day hates clowns. She blames ME, because I allegedly "made" her watch IT when she was little.

I never made her watch IT. If anything, she was sneaking out of bed and peeking from behind the couch when I was watching, thinking that children were asleep.

Oh, and my stepdaughter hates clowns. She blames her father for making her watch IT.

See a pattern? At least that one's not my fault.

Chris wrote: "My oldest daughter to this day hates clowns. She blames ME, because I allegedly "made" her watch IT when she was little.

I never made her watch IT. If anything, she was sneaking out of bed and pee..."

I can relate to you Chris. My kids don't like clowns and to tell the truth I don't like them either. All because of the book and movie. Stephen King is truly a master of description.

Glenda wrote: "Chris wrote: "My oldest daughter to this day hates clowns. She blames ME, because I allegedly "made" her watch IT when she was little.

I never made her watch IT. If anything, she was sneaking ou..."

My mother told me she disliked clowns from childhood. She always thought they were creepy

Veronica wrote: "Glenda wrote: "Chris wrote: "My oldest daughter to this day hates clowns. She blames ME, because I allegedly "made" her watch IT when she was little.

I never made her watch IT. If anything, she wa..."

I never liked them either. I always wondered if they were child molesters. I have no idea where I got that idea, but there it is.

a lot of authors do write them as drunks or child molestors Glenda especially in horror so clearly you're not alone ;)

This was one the first King book I read - and I read when I was about 12 years old. It's the only book that's ever scared me, as in the "sh*t something's under my bed and I cant look cause it will eat me and I can't get to sleep because I'll never wake up sh*t" scared. Such a wonderful book that I've now read about four or five times.

Pete wrote: "This was one the first King book I read - and I read when I was about 12 years old. It's the only book that's ever scared me, as in the "sh*t something's under my bed and I cant look cause it will..."

Reading your post just made me remember the Simpsons episode where Homer makes Bart a bed that the headboard looks like a deranged clown. Then you see Bart sitting awake at night saying, "Can't sleep. Clown will eat me." over and over.

Amanda wrote: "a lot of authors do write them as drunks or child molestors Glenda especially in horror so clearly you're not alone ;)"

I don't think John Wayne Gacy helped much either.

I didn't know how to post the picture here but here is a link.

http://librarianavengers.org/wp-conte...

Scott wrote: "I didn't know how to post the picture here but here is a link.

http://librarianavengers.org/wp-conte..."

That was a great episode!

Lonnie wrote: "Amanda wrote: "a lot of authors do write them as drunks or child molestors Glenda especially in horror so clearly you're not alone ;)"

I don't think John Wayne Gacy helped much either."

Yep, John Wayne Gacy, what a monster. Totally a lunatic. Both my boys were scared of clowns when they were young.

The clown from Poltergeist was the beginning of my clown phobia - Pennywise ensured it would last for the rest of my life!

This book also guaranteed I would never be able to look down my bathroom drain ever again. Seriously. Whenever the water makes gurgles as it goes down, my heart does a little flip up into my throat. :D

Oh I hate that! When it rains real hard here, our leach bed or something makes all the drains in the downstairs bathroom burp and gurgle, sometimes for hours. First time I heard it, I was home alone, and it scared the crap out of me!

Scott (msg. 22)

Thank you for finding that!! I'd forgotten that particular episode of my all-time favorite show!!

Speaking of drains and pipes and such... Our downstairs neighbors installed a washer and dryer in their apartment, and the pipes in the house aren't really quite up to handling the volume of water from it, and they rattle. We can relieve the pressure by flushing the toilet (oddly enough), but the first time I heard it, it made a kind of rattling and then groaning noise that sounded like someone was dying in the wall behind the toilet.

In the middle of the night... I was a little freaked out. If I wasn't already on the toilet, I'd have probably peed myself.

Lmao. Yea that would've freaked me out too!

Oh, the clown in Poltergeist terrified me!! Tim Curry as Pennywise is one of the few good things in the movie version of IT. The casting is just horrible, not at all how I picture the characters.

I am enjoying this reread immensely. This was the 3rd King book i read when I was 19 and I read it three times in six months! It is incredible. I just read the reunion scene, the bugs are seriously creepy. For some reason, the book is scaring me more now than ever before. Oh, and I adore Ben Hanscom. I know Bill is really the "main" character, but Ben has always been my favorite. I have a soft spot in my heart for fat kids :-)

I also notice with this reread what sad characters Mike & Eddie are (especially knowing Eddie's fate in the end). Mike's life has been all about It, which is super depressing. And poor Eddie...kid never had a chance with a mom like that.

Jaime wrote: "Oh, and I adore Ben Hanscom. I know Bill is really the "main" character, but Ben has always been my favorite. I have a soft spot in my heart for fat kids :-)"

I'm a fellow Ben-lover too. Bill was ok, but Ben was the one I had a sweet spot for. :)

So far Im a Billy fan - not discrediting Ben. Ben is a sweet kid. But Billy is a stonger force.

I was a Ben girl too :) I identified very heavily with him.

FInally finished this today (took me much longer than I wanted it to), but I have to say, I got much more out of this book this time at age 36 than I did at age 14! King is brilliant.

Dani wrote: "FInally finished this today (took me much longer than I wanted it to), but I have to say, I got much more out of this book this time at age 36 than I did at age 14! King is brilliant."

I agree. I was surprised at how much I forgot in almost 20 years. Plus, this was the third time I read it.

You're supposed to forget... ;)

Becky wrote: "You're supposed to forget... ;)"

LMAO

Good one, Becky! LOL!

Hi all. I'm new to this group. I recently finished reading IT and I loved it. I didn't find it scary. I'm not afraid of clowns. The part that gave me the creeps was the spider and its lair. The part I didn't like was Bev having sex with all the boys. I just didn't get that part? I know to her it was a defiance against her father, but still...Overall, I really enjoyed the book. ;)

I'm a Bill fan, too. I think it had a lot to do with Jonathan Brandis playing him in the miniseries -- I thought he did a great job portraying Bill as the leader of the group without also being above everyone else.

I had the biggest teenybopper fangirl crush on Jonathan Brandis when I was a kid. Oh man SeaQuest DSV... I religiously watched that show. I can't remember anything about it now, other than he was in it with the guy from Jaws. LOL

I was really sad to find out he committed suicide a few years ago. He was one of the great actors of that generation that died too young.

That was sad, Rachel, but no one's death has affected me quite like River Phoenix'. His role in "Stand By Me" and all of his other rolls stand out with a brilliance that is extremely rare. I do miss seeing him in the movies very, very much - especially what he COULD have done.

Becky wrote: "I had the biggest teenybopper fangirl crush on Jonathan Brandis when I was a kid. Oh man SeaQuest DSV... I religiously watched that show. I can't remember anything about it now, other than he was i..."

Yes, definitely. I watched that show for him and the dolphins lol. Y'know what young actor I miss is Brad Renfro. I used to have a big crush on him too, ever since I watched Tom and Huck that he was in with Jonathan Taylor Thomas... He did crazy pretty good in Apt Pupil I thought. I was sad when I saw he died :(

-The part I didn't like was Bev having sex with all the boys. I just didn't get that part? I know to her it was a defiance against her father, but still... ;)
i>

I didn't get the impression that it was defiance against her father at all . . . the impression I got was that it was to bring the group back together as she could feel them losing their strength. For example, Eddie (or Richie - I can't remember which one was good with directions) was beginning to lose his sense of direction in the tunnels, but afterwards, he felt much more focused and was able to find their way back out of the tunnels. I remember some of them saying they felt much more clear/focused/powerful or something similar.

I miss Brad Renfro also.

Dani, this group has been having this same argument since
we first talking about this book. Neither side ever budged, and that's why I simply opted out of this time's discussion of "It" -- it's just the same old same old.

Rachel wrote: "I miss Brad Renfro also."

I'm starting to see a theme here. It sure seems like a lot of young male actors that have been in Stephen King movies have died young.

Bondama wrote: "Dani, this group has been having this same argument since
we first talking about this book. Neither side ever budged, and that's why I simply opted out of this time's discussion of "It" -- it's ju..."

Yeah, the Bev scene is a touchy subject.

I just got to the bit about Henry Bowers being in the (view spoiler)[institution and thought I'd see if y'all have any thoughts on Henry taking the fall for the murders. He wasn't a nice guy by any stretch of the imagination and I don't think he could have been saved from being convicted, but he still didn't commit the crimes. It never bothered me before, but this time around it hit my unfair button. (hide spoiler)]