The IBIC Guide to Books By Stephen King

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Remarks from the IBIC Editor's Journal

May 17, 1996

I'm not a King maniac--in general, I don't much like the horror genre--but I have read about half of his ouevre, and thoroughly enjoyed several of those books. I'd have to say that my current personal favorite is MISERY, the story of a best-selling author trapped by a psychotic fan who demands that he produce more books in his series--or else. MISERY is an almost perfectly constructed novel that combines gripping terror with sly, audacious observations about the relationship of reader with author. For this reason, I'd recommend MISERY before any other King book as a thought-provoking choice for the book-lover.

I've had an interesting series of responses to THE GREEN MILE. I loved the idea of a return to serial publication of novels. That's an automatic for anyone who, like me, is a huge Dickens fan--I'm about half-way through the life-time project of acquiring and reading the entire Oxford Dickens.

When the first book, THE TWO DEAD GIRLS (#1) came out, I liked the Death Row setting and the vivid characterization; but I was bothered by the graphic description of the title crime, I thought the prison guard narrator was way too nice to be plausible, and I thought the mouse was silly. After THE MOUSE ON THE MILE (#2) and COFFEY'S HANDS (#3), I had the same misgivings, but imperceptibly, I had become hooked. I definitely want to finish the series. If King can pull off a good ending, this will be a very good novel.

After that, the issue will become whether serial publication is a viable alternative, or merely a stunt.


Comments from IBIC Readers

Comments from IBIC readers are welcome. Please send a letter to the editor, subject line "Guides [Author/Genre]." Be sure to mention the URL of the page about which you are making a comment.


Related Internet Resources

Usenet newsgroup alt.books.stephen-king--a high-volume newsgroup

The Green Mile Web site--includes a letter from King; current publication info; and some gratuitous Java animations.


Editor's Recommendations, Summer 1996

In this inaugural edition of IBIC's Featured Books, I'd like to draw your attention to several titles which have helped to shape my life and thinking.

  • When I was around fifteen, I came across Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's science fiction novel, INFERNO. This '70s remake of Dante's classic describes science fiction writer Allen Carpentier's descent into Hell. It's still a very fresh, accessible take on the classic. What a great movie it would make!
  • The Niven/Pournelle INFERNO immediately inspired me to read the original Divine Comedy. I've read a number of translations over the years, but my favorite is the one by Dorothy Sayers (INFERNO; PURGATORY; PARADISE). The notes are excellent, and Sayers had such a knowledgeable and witty mind that reading her prose is a pleasure in itself. (For those interested in a more contemporary translation, I should mention that Robert Pinsky received excellent notices for his 1995 THE INFERNO OF DANTE : A NEW VERSE TRANSLATION; it's a very handsome book.)
  • I also want to tell you about the late Henry Fairlie's THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS TODAY, which probably did more than any other single book to galvanize me into a lifetime interest in Christianity that led me, eventually, to faith. Ironic, because Fairlie was a self-proclaimed agnostic socialist! But reading between the lines of this insightful and deeply feeling book, one realizes that the love of God cannot have been far from Fairlie's heart.
  • Finally, I should draw to your attention a more recent acquisition, the very handsome NIV STUDY BIBLE (10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) from Zondervan, indexed and bonded in leather in IBIC's theme color, burgundy (black and brown are also available). The notes to this Bible are amazing. They appear to provide you with a very substantial portion of what you need to know to have an intelligent layman's appreciation of the linguistic and historical issues involved in understanding Scripture.

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