Cell discussion

I loved the story from the first page, made me think twice about using my cell phone lol. But I was kind of dissapointed by the ending.
So what did everyone else think?

I agree. I thought the first 100 pages or so when the world goes nuts was great. From there it fizzles out.

yep as it all began happening it was gripping. And makes you think if something like that happens, everyone will be affected, first thing you do in a crisis is phone family. SO its like going back to basics and having to contact people in other ways. But the ending was so flat in my opinion. I was hoping they would fight back.. and survive.

Yes I really loved this book...except for the end.

Yeah, I was hoping it would be more like a George Rammero movie, but instead it started ok, ended really week. Even the whole floating cell phone infected people thing was week.

It was another weak ending to an otherwise good beginning. He did this with The Mist and most glaringly with It. Maybe he needs to get a ghost-ender. Someone who will come up with a better ending than he sometimes does.

I actually liked the whole thing. I was kinda sad at the end, that things didn't work out, but I don't necessarily dislike an ending just b/c it isn't happy...

I really loved this book, and thought it was going to be an amazing story until that god-awful ending occurred. I don't dig cliffhangers as endings without a sequel.

I never hated a SK book as much as I hated CELL - I loved his early work, but in my opinion, I found his recent books not very good - they're ok or god awful! - but I keep reading them, hoping. LOL

Nope - not one of his better ones.... A good idea in theory, but this read just like the Stand, only with a cell phone... Not one to recommend (unless you're telling people to avoid it!)

I really enjoyed the story. At first I thought there was going to be a sequel, which would explain why he ended the book the way he did. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen, unless someone knows something I don't.

I loved this book. I am partial to end of the world stories, but I loved this one from beginning to end. I thought the ending was good , don't really see why people seem to dislike it so much but hey to each his or her own!

In one of the writing work shops I attended; I soon learned that writers can't please everyone:)

I think it is one of his better newer novels, though I know that's a minority opinion. I like the concept a lot, that this ubiquitous tech item could become a source of such a disaster. I haven't liked much he has done since Firestarter, and more than a few of his since then I've tossed aside a third of the way in, but this one I read through to the end. It's scary in a way that sometime makes me laugh, too, like a George Romero film.

I liked this King novel better than some others -- maybe because of the plausibility rather than impossibility of the concept, although I still use my mobile phone. The ending was a bit of a downer though.

I'm a huge Stephen King fan, but, as is the norm for his work, the story was wonderful and the ending left something to be desired. I threw the book across the room in a rage upon completion, and quite seriously contemplated burning it thereafter.

Meegz, I too thru' the book across the room - it hasn't stopped me from reading SK books, but I no longer pay for them; I now head to the library! Oh, I did enjoy Duma Key, the firt book in a long, long time!!

The first 30 or so pages are a George Romero movie in text form, King never has written so much action so well. Damn that ending all to hell.

Cell is one of my favorite Stephen King novels. The book was action packed, intense and the characterization was very rich. The opening certainly makes you think twice before answering your phone! Lol.

Yep lol it sure does do that. I hesitated the next time mine rang!

This book kept me excited to turn the next page. I am one that wants to know what happens after the story ends, so now I really want a follow up. LOVED IT

yes a follow up would be great, it ends with no clear answer. Did they turn or did they find a way to fight back.. thats what i want to know lol

Like many others here, I was fine up until the last few pages when the non-ending happened. That opening sequence? Blew me away. King's a great writer, and those first few chapters when the world's going to hell are phenomenal.

But that non-ending? That's a cheat. A cop-out. You can't lay down a story where the protagonist is fighting his way towards the conclusion for one reason and one reason only, then reach that point and tell us, "Now you decide what happened, Constant Reader."

I decided I had wasted my time, and it was years before I took a chance on another one of his books.

I actually enjoyed it. I'm never too sure about his newer books but this one was very good, it had a lot of appealing characters.

...I've forgotten what happened at the end though :P

Dislike! I share King's hatred of Cell phone use and abuse but this attack on cell phones failed to win me over. What is next, exploding cigarettes?

I was freaked out by the idea of the cell phones being able to kill us. I thought the ending left something to be desired though.

I agree with everyone... it was okay up until the non-ending... I was like. WHAT??? Maybe he left it that way because he may want to revisit it one day

I didn't think it was one of his better books at all.
I think his best, by far, is Gerald's Game mainly because much of the novel takes place in the mind of a single character. Extraordinary!

I read this years ago, when it first was released. I really enjoyed it. I do agree with Frank that "Gerald"s Game" was one of his best. I loved "Rose Madder" as well.

You never know with stephen king. that ending left himself open to whatever. but i don't think there will be a sequel. he gave enough info to draw your own conclusion. not to say i liked the ending anymore than anyone else. although i could see how this book could have stretched on quite a bit more.
just made me glad i don't own a cell phone.

For all the so called Stephen King fans that didn't like the ending .... since when does Stephen go for happy endings that are tied up with a bright red bow ?? But my hatred for cell phones and the levels of rudeness and danger they have brought to this generation had me loving this book !!

I really enjoyed this book and agree that it definitely made me think twice when my cell phone rang shortly after reading the first chapter or two.As for the ending I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Even for King it left me with more questions than anything. I do think that it was probably the best way to end that story though. I do hope that he revisits the story some day but I don't count on it.

I loved this story, all the way up until the end. It just fizzled.
But the ideas and characters kept the pages turning.

I'm glad I read it; can see it as a movie but the ending... Meh.

Karen wrote: "Nope - not one of his better ones.... A good idea in theory, but this read just like the Stand, only with a cell phone... Not one to recommend (unless you're telling people to avoid it!)"

I couldn't agree more, i was recommended to read this book by a close friend who raved about it endlessley until i finished and I was just disappointed from the first page.. I love Stephen King to no end but although the story stands as a good idea, I sadly did not enjoy this book, and therefore my opinion on my friends recommendations and dropped significantly.

I love Stephen King, but The Cell is not a book I would recommend to anyone reading their first King novel, as I think they would never read another one!
The plot is disappointing and totally unoriginal, the storyline drags, even what should be suspense is predictable.
I read to the end because I was on a long flight and had nothing else to read.
After reading The Cell and then the (for me) tedious Lisey's Story, I actually stopped reading King for a while, but now I realise he is almost back to form (in Duma Key for example), I have some catching up to do.

What did I think?

Meh.

That's what I thought.

Agree with meh. It had potential (apocalypse is always fun), but somehow failed.

A predictable end just does not make me excited about the story.

Bence de.

This was an awesome book. Like some others, I was kind of disappointed in the ending, but overall it was a great book. I love a good horror story and the more zombies, aliens, or whatever there is the better. This book had me so absorbed one night reading that I slept with the light on. LOL! I love it.

This is probably one of my favourite books. I loved it *because* of the ending, it was just realistic to me. Life doesn't have sugar sweet happy endings, and most of the time nothing is resolved we just have to keep moving on, I guess maybe that's just the way I looked at it.

I recall loving this book when I read it. I had been so excited about it that I had gone and bought the hardback. Anyone else that has bought a Stephen King hardback will know that thing is HUGE.

Thing is, I tried rereading it a while ago and stopped after the first few pages..

Hmm... I kinda liked it, but it's not one of my favourite King books- there are so many others that he has written that I've preferred. I really disliked the ending though. It wasn't what actually happened at the end that I disliked, it was the abruptness I felt

Brilliant concept, loved every page. Must admit, the thought of the raggedy man sent chills up my back.

It's quite a long time since I read this, but quite liked it at the time.

I suppose these days, there wouldn't be anything too spooky about mobile phones frying your brain, either that or the problem was just a clever ap.

Deborah wrote: "I loved the story from the first page, made me think twice about using my cell phone lol. But I was kind of dissapointed by the ending.
So what did everyone else think?"

I completely agree with you! I loved it, but the ending not so much! I wanted to know what happened with Johnny-g, but it left me hanging. It should have atleast let us know what happened after Clay gave him the phone.

I was fairly disappointed with this book. It started out great, but lost it not even half way through.

It's been awhile since I listened to this as an audiobook . . . but I thought it one of King's better offerings in recent years. Perhaps because I felt it was poetic justice to those who carry a cell phone with them constantly and are rude enough to ignore the people to whom are supposedly interacting with in a social setting. I don't consider myself a Luddite as I have many eToys myself but I try to remember to interact with with my friends and set aside the eToys long enough to have FaceTime with real people.

Maybe my most favorite book of Stephen King! I liked it until the last page.

The last page made me think there'd be a sequel, but looks like that's not happening... or is it? Loved the whole story. Told it to my sister while working -translates well to live narrative. Definitely not one of his classics, but still a cool story.