awesome possum Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 So this is King's new 800 page novel about a guy time traveling back to try to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing JFK. I've read all of King's books, and I'll be reading this one as well. While I don't consider myself the King fanboy that I was in my teens and early 20s, I still enjoy the hell out of his novels and this one sounds intriguing as well. Here are a couple reviews with minor plot spoilers:Lev Grossman's review in Time. He says this is only the third King book he's read, but it was good enough to make him want to read a 4th.I started 11/22/63 because I was curious, just from a technical, writerly point of view, what King was up to. I finished it because I liked it. 11/22/63 isn’t your typical King outing: it’s a time-travel novel about a guy who finds a portal back to 1958 and uses it to try to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. It’s not a horror novel. It’s hard to say what it is, exactly....The build-up is better than the payoff, as it almost always is. But there’s a lot to be said for a good build-up, and it’s not a cop-out. 11/22/63 asks a good question: what if this world—as cruel, tragic and horrifying as it is—really is the best of all possible worlds? If there’s no good answer to that question, it’s not King’s fault.NPR review.The combination of King's love of the '50s and his deeper search into the Kennedy assassination make this novel a terrifically entertaining work of fiction. King wrote this extremely long book between 01/09 and 12/10. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have him change a single page.Anyone else looking forward to this? Comes out next Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slurktan Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I had not heard anything about it, but I'm a big King fan and the premise seems intriguing. I wonder if its like a Butterfly effect type story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me399 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I'm gonna give this one a shot. I read under the dome and liked the first 90% of it. I'm used to being let down by Kings endings but it's normally a fun ride until he derails the train. The premis of this new book caught my eye so.... I'm in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Advance reviews have been positive, pretty much all that I have seen really. Full Dark no Stars, his novella collection fron last year has also been well received. It's been suggest that King's been on a roll these last few years after a lull in his career. New Dark Tower novel due in April as well.I've yet to read so much King though, I don't think I'll buy this one now, especially as I also want to get Full Dark, No Stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the maid of woodlynne Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Looking forward to this one. Should have it in-hand by the end of next week.Have not had a chance to read Full Dark, No Stars yet - it is definitely on my list! I've heard nothing but good things about it.Even the worst King book is still entertaining to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kese Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Have been waiting for this for while. Big King fan and i have read lot about JFK conspiracy theories, so it's interesting to see what my favorite author makes of this subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me399 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Have been waiting for this for while. Big King fan and i have read lot about JFK conspiracy theories, so it's interesting to see what my favorite author makes of this subject.Well... I just finished this book today and I can say I really enjoyed it. I have complained about King dropping the ball on his novels endings but I think he nailed it with this book. What I really liked was the love story between the two main characters. This book IS a love story wrapped up in a time traveling, political, what if, history thriller. I don't know if it's just me being a mushy idiot but the end of this book was nicely done and very touching..... I don't want to say much because I don't want to spoil anything but I did want to say that this was a really good read, at least for me. In my opinion, this is Kings best book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawkcabi Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I haven't read in a King book in about 15 years and I've only read a few of them in my life. But as a time travel fan boy looks like I'll be getting this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the maid of woodlynne Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I finished it the other day - thoroughly enjoyed it. I expected it to end sooner than it did, and was pleasantly surprised at how he wrapped things up. Then I saw in the notes that SK's son "came up with a better ending" and that explained a lot. :)I'll read it again after my Dad gets around to reading it. He is a SK fan and knows quite a bit about the different JFK conspiracy theories. He'll certainly enjoy it. Plus it was nice (well nice isn't really the right word) to see Derry again. It is one of my favorites.Currently I'm rereading Bag of Bones in advance of the TV movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kese Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Well... I just finished this book today and I can say I really enjoyed it. I have complained about King dropping the ball on his novels endings but I think he nailed it with this book.What I really liked was the love story between the two main characters. This book IS a love story wrapped up in a time traveling, political, what if, history thriller.I don't know if it's just me being a mushy idiot but the end of this book was nicely done and very touching..... I don't want to say much because I don't want to spoil anything but I did want to say that this was a really good read, at least for me.In my opinion, this is Kings best book.Great to hear this.Just started reading, so far it's very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Just read an interview with King, in which he mentions among other things, his next novel:Over the years King has talked of slowing down, or possibly retiring, but at 64 with over 50 books published and sales of more than 300 million, his need to tell stories remains undiminished. The day before we spoke, he finished going through the proofs of his next novel, The Wind Through The Keyhole, to be published next spring, and tomorrow he will return to the manuscript of Dr Sleep, a sequel to The Shining. He now feels bad if he doesn’t write each and every day: “You become habituated. If you stop there is withdrawal and it brings bad stuff: insomnia, irritability with my family. I still like stories and stories take me away and I write the ones that I can’t find in the bookstores.”So the Shining sequel is actually coming within a year or two. But his most recent book continues to garner rave reviews all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mya Stone Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 My dad just gave this to me on Thanksgiving to read. I'm excited, especially hearing the positive remarks here. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awesome possum Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 It was a really good book, one of King's best. And as the maid mentioned above, thanks to his son he actually landed the ending this time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me399 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 It was a really good book, one of King's best. And as the maid mentioned above, thanks to his son he actually landed the ending this time!Has King talked about how he initially planned to finish the book. I would really love to know how his original ending differed from what was published. I still can not believe that more people are not talking about this book on this site. What a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awesome possum Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Not that I know of, but I'd be interested as well.And it is a shame, this isn't just a good Stephen King book, it's a good book. It's actually higher on my "must re-read" list than ADwD.One of my favorite parts, and the part I wish he'd had more of was Derry. Seeing young Richie and young Beverly gave me chills when I first recognized them. I've actually suckered some former King fanatics who have cooled on him in recent years into reading it by saying, "the early plot involves him traveling to 1958 in Derry to stop some murders."The two who have started reading it have forgiven me for "lying" to them because the book is that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the maid of woodlynne Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 So I mentioned earlier that I'd read it again after my dad finished - fully expecting to lend him my copy. There it was sitting on the bookshelf when I came home for thanksgiving. He couldn't wait to borrow mine. I'd really like to know how King planned to end it, too. If anyone comes across info please post it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaldanya Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I'm hoping to get this for Christmas this year, which means my Christmas day is sorted!N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbor Gold Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Surprised to see this book on the NYT list of the 10 best books of 2011 yesterday. I have never read a King book, might give this one a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me399 Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Surprised to see this book on the NYT list of the 10 best books of 2011 yesterday. I have never read a King book, might give this one a shot.I would highly reccomend trying it. I've read a mixed bag of things from King, some good, some not so good. This book is fantastic, one of his better ones if not his best one. I say it's his best book. If you give it a shot let us all know what you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lannes Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 I finished this last week and thought it was excellent overall. The last few pages really got to me in a way King never has before...and that's saying something seeing how I read my first King book in 1978... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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