No one's seen Firestarter?

[Guin]

Come on! It's great! Evil government mind-control drug experiments gone haywire! Psychokinesis that puts Carrie to shame! Rolling Stone magazine as the only trustworthy media outlet in the USA!

Am I really the only one who has an opinion?

[Moderator]

When Jordan reorganized the Forum so that there were sub-forums for each title, many of the old posts were purged so it looks like we are starting without any comments. No reason not to start a new discussion, though.

[michal]

I just finished re-reading Firestarter, and there was even a nice thread discussing it. But since you asked , it is a fantastic book. I read it for the first time when I was no more than 13 or 14, and reading it now over a decade later (my GOD I feel old), I enjoy it much more. I like the idea of a gift being a curse and of how Charlie gets older and smarter as the book moves on.

[Jake Featherston]

I read it back around 1986, I believe it was.

I don't recall it being one of his better works (while I like his older stuff too, I tend to one who thinks Mr. King has become a better writer since the early 1990s), but in all honesty, I don't recall it that well at all. A lot of my memories of it seem to derive more from the film (which I actually saw before I ever read my first Stephen King novel), rather than from the book itself. 1986 was a long time ago, after all.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

No indeed not, Ms. Mod.

We had some discussion about it last year and the general consensus was that everyone should read it in an election year in the US, as it's perhaps one of Sai King's most 'political' novels (along with The Dead Zone) IMO. Guatanamo Bay anyone?

REALLY marvellous book (who doesn't love Charlie?) and I think I'm in a minority of one in that I really enjoyed the movie too, despite it's failings I think George C. Scott was chilling as Rainbird.

Long days and pleasant nights

[aptpupil]

John

Totally agree with your assessment of both Firestarter and The Dead Zone. For me, however, The Dead Zone was the better novel. Firestarter, may though, have had an edge as a movie.

One of my personal claims to fame is that, in the early 1980's, when I was a young man, I spent a full three hours in the departure lounge at Prestwick Airport sharing a table with George C Scott and his wife Trish Van de Vere, while our flight to New York was undergoing repairs. I think he took pity on me because I was young and travelling alone, and probably looked lost. It actually took a third party to whisper in my ear and inform me who the couple actually were. George was a real gentleman, and very friendly. His wife, unfortunately, wasn't having a great day, and left the table every five minutes to give a mouthful to the poor British Airways representative who was standing in the corner.

I guess some of us can handle life's little inconveniences better than others. I'm sure she's really nice, though!

[Bostonbaby_21]

I just recently got it with a number of other books, and hope to be reading it soon

[Patricia A]

One of the best. I read that when it first came out, then again a few years back.
I agree with John about it being socially significant even still.
I may read it again soon.

[aneaglesangel]

I just re-read this again not so long ago. I lucked out and got a nice hardcover edition in the Unitarian church for 50 cents! It's not in as bad shape as The Shining that I got the same way, but still a little beat up. Either way, it's still a good story. But I think there was only one Stephen King story that I didn't like as much as the rest of the ones I've read and I can't even remember what it was. So I guess I'm a little biased!

[Atlana]

I have not read the book yet. But I have watched the movie. I want to read the book but it's hard to fine where I live because no one else like Stephen King