Firestarter

I started Firestarter Sunday night 26th September. The reason there's a day's gap between me finishing The Dead Zone and moving on to the next is that I got a little confused and decided that Roadwork actually came after The Dead Zone. I'd only got a few pages in and was feeling it, ready to see where we were headed. Out of interest, I took a quick look to see what came after that and how long I had before I got to a book I hadn't yet procured. I then saw my error and had to dig out my copy of Firestarter. As it happens, I've read both before but, quite pleasingly, none of it seems too familiar so far. In truth, at fifty pages, I'm questioning my memory with a fervour as I'm sure I've already read Firestarter, but I don't remember any of what I've read in the first fifty pages. I read it while I was at school and either borrowed it from the school library or the main library in Barnsley. Fucked it I know. My memory is clearly bollocks.
 
p.s. fuck the Prodigy.

The Dead Zone 30th August - 24th September

As I said before, going into it, I didn't know the first thing about this book. In the end, I came to see that Cronenberg made a film based on it. I haven't seen it, but I'm going to. Mainly because I'd like to see if there's any horror in it as I didn't find any in the book.

That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the book. I really did. I was with him to the end and, after the 'all tied up in a bow' ending of The Stand, it was nice that he didn't pussy out on getting Johnny killed. I know there was coda to exonerate him and Stillson was revealed to the world as a cunt. But still, the hero died. Good for you Mr King.

I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm a bit old for this or maybe too cynical and indulgently jaded. I already hate myself for saying it. What I mean is that I don't know whether I'm going to get the desired effect, particularly when the subject of the book is telekenesis, psychic abilities and supernatural powers etc. I don't believe in any of them. Fuck, I know that none of that matters. I don't believe in ghosts and yet I nearly babbed my pants watching Ju On:The Grudge. I can't be arsed to list all the other films where I bit my nails until my fingers bled, sweat like a beast through the suspense and yelped in fright at the jumpy moments, but I do, no matter that I don't believe in the phenomena or whatever's providing the threat. I'm sure I've espoused this sort of reaction earlier in the blog, but this book's utter failure to hit me as a horror brought it out again.

If anyone wants to weigh in on how or if it's possible to fear something we know is not real or to what it is that we are actually reacting, then feel free to leave comments.

Bed covers

Well, they're not far from covering the bed.  It's been a while since I looked at the collection so far.  The top row is the read/reading.  Clearly there's still a way to go.

As far as collecting all of his books, these are the ones I'm missing...

1983 Cycle of the Werewolf

1986 It
1987 The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
1989 Dolan's Cadillac
1989 My Pretty Pony
1990 Four Past Midnight -Short stories
1993 Nightmares &Dreamscapes - Short stories
1995 Umney's Last Case
1996 The Regulators - Bachman
1997 Six Stories 1997 - Short stories
1999 Storm of the Century
1999 The New Lieutenant's Rap
2004 The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
2004 The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
2005 The Colorado Kid
2007 Blaze - Bachman
2009 Ur
2010 Blockade Billy
2010 Full Dark, No Stars

I included the last one because it'll be out by the time I get to it.  So will a few more, I should imagine.