Soapstreet

Can someone explain the ending to me? I read it and can't make any sense out of it!! This is the first Stephen King book to do this to me. I have read at least 15 of his books in the past. Use spoiler tags if need be.

Thanks.

Michael Corvin

Which part/aspect are you referring to?

Soapstreet

I must have missed that. It was such a short read. I must have missed it. What a crock. I hate that book now! LOL.

Thanks for the info.

Jason Bovberg

I didn't care much for the book. One reason is that it didn't fit the Hard Case line. I've come to expect a particular type of hardboiled crime novel from this great line, and King's novel just sticks out like a sore thumb.

Another reason is its characters seem like caricatures of past King characters, with their self-conscious northeastern drawls and peals of laughter and smug "Ayuhs"--a bastardization of "Yeah" that King feels compelled to overexplain AGAIN.

Another reason is King's insistence on defending himself in an afterword. I have no problem with ambiguous endings, and in fact I might have enjoyed this ending more had it JUST ENDED. King's whole attitude in that afterword (and, incidentally, in his brand-new EW column) is that "if you don't like it, fuck you." A real turn-off.

I think there's still good work in King. Generally, it's his shorter stuff that I like best. I'm heartened by the fact that CELL is fairly short, at under 400 pages.

darkside

I commented on this in the Cell thread, but I also hated this book. I seemed like he started a novel and then didn't feel like finishing it. The fact he actually printed a defense for it in the book shows that he knew it was crap. Definitely the worst Hard Case Crime novel released so far and doesn't belong in the collection. I feel bad for them as they have tried so hard to create a nice little niche for the hardboiled detective stories and noir to live again and King has to come in and turn their most anticipated book into garbage. No teling how many people will read that as their first Hard Case Crime novel and never buy another book from them.

Geofferson

Yup, it is very unfortunate. King's installment was one of the worst HCCs I've read (and I've read them all, thus far).

Jason Bovberg

I've tried to keep up, but haven't gotten to all of them. My favorite of what I've read is still the first, Grifter's Game. What have been your favorites (not to hijack the thread too much)?

Jason Bovberg

All this being said, if you were Hard Case Crime and had the opportunity to publish a King novel that at least fit your word-count requirements, wouldn't you do it? They have gotten a ton of publicity because of this book.

Qirt

I agree with JB. That book really pissed me off. I wanted to throw it across the room after reading King's justification. The whole book felt like a bloated half-finished short story. I've stuck up for King a lot in the past, but not for this one.

bishop2knight

Can you be a little more clear on your stance? I'm sensing a lot of uncertainty here.

Geofferson

My favorite thus far is Little Girl Lost by Richard Aleas.

Other favorites:
The Confession (winner of the Edgar) by Domenic Stansberry
Plunder of the Sun by David Dodge
Top of the Heap by Erle Stanley Gardner
Grifter's Game is good too

darkside

The Confession was my favorite, but I haven't read Little Girl Lost. Definitely added that one to my list to read.

JMLEWIS1

so what do you guys think could have happened? simple case of suicide or something supernatural?

djmont

I liked The Colorado Kid more than most have. I see how some might find it frustrating, but I enjoyed it as a strong piece of narrative. If you go into it expecting a tidy mystery plot, though, it will likely disappoint.

The two Block reprints were both excellent, as was the Westlake book. I've heard very good stuff about the McBain, but haven't read it yet.

The originals haven't been as strong, although I did like Richard Aleas' book. (Interesting note: Aleas -- a great pseudonym -- is actually series editor Charles Ardai.) The original I have the highest hopes for is the Ken Bruen/Jason Starr book. Should be a good one.

Some of the other stuff they have coming up is also cool, including reprints of the John Lange (aka Michael Crichton) books, for those who never read those. They're also doing a non-Parker Richard Stark novel, which I've never read and am looking forward to.

Geofferson

Brilliant! I had no idea.

Wallet Boy

The only thing I came up with was tied to Dark Tower stuff. I thought the Colorado Kid may have jumped to the other world from The Talisman, because the distance from Colorado to Maine in that world takes less time to cover - but that doesn't really hold water because I don't remember them having anything remotely as fast as airplanes over there.