The Colorado Kid Thoughts

[bopropadop]

Hi all!

I just finished listening to The Colorado Kid on audiotape today. It's one of the few SK novels that doesn't receive much attention. So, I figured I'd listen to the audio in case it was not to my liking...

I have to say that I didn't enjoy it that much. It was really slow and the dialogue was a bit tedious. Although the entire reading was done in about 4 hours. I don't want to steer any Constant Readers away from it, I'm only offering my personal opinion and seeking other's thoughts.

So, for those of who have read TCK, what did you think? Did I just not get it, or is it one of SK's lesser works?

[Bluey Lunger]

i read the story and although it isn't a favorite, i liked what sk did with it. people telling tales to each other, and that's what tck is, stephanie getting an earful from the two old codgers. it works better in other sk stuff. is there an sk story w/o someone telling tales, a la, the chapters dedicated to telling tales in the dark tower books. isn't there a whole genre dedicated to this kind of story? seems like there was a page you could pull out of the book and acquire more in this vein, a whole passel of them, as i recall, maybe a good rainy tuesday read when nothing else is available and you know the sun will be out in four hours. :dunno:

[EMARX]

He wrote that book for a specific genre publisher but I enjoyed the novel. It was a departure for him and some readers may have gone into it with pre-concieved ideas, so they may have been disappionted.

[karend3]

The novel was different but great. It definitely left something to the imagination as the case was never solved.

[Speedygi81]

I keep meaning to read this: but I just couldn't get past the first chapter...it was boring and not like a noir crime book at all.

[JohnDalglish]

So, for those of who have read TCK, what did you think? Did I just not get it, or is it one of SK's lesser works?

Hi,

Well, I like it very much but I'd certainly consider it one of his lesser works, more a novella than a novel.

I think of it rather like Sai King playing with literary form, it's one of the slowest paced of his stories IMO, but I think it would make a great movie (even a TV series?) in the right hands, along with his other contemporary 'writing exercises', like Blaze (the sparsest prose he's ever used, but what a film it could make!) and Gingerbread Girl (the fastest paced, and I hope they use his 'treatment' to film it).

A very enjoyable story but not to be compared with Lisey's Story or Duma Key IMO.

Long days and pleasant nights

[richardmiller]

Spoiler!

I got nothing against TCK but one downer for me (if memory serves) is that it has no solution (if the guy was murdered at all) the last person to release an incomplete who dunnit was Charles Dickens and that was for the very good reason he died half way through.

[arachnapheobia]

some readers may have gone into it with pre-concieved ideas, so they may have been disappionted.

a truer word has never been said. i really agree.
i personally really enjoyed the book. you just have to be in the right mood for it. again, i dont really enjoy audiobooks so have no idea how this would turn out, but am glad i read it. also, ending.... i like having a bit of a think and enjoyed the flow of the overall story and how it took me. but then again, thats just my view.

[ihavepromisestokeep]

John D kindly sent me TCK a while back, when I posted I had never read it. I remember I said at the time, that it filled a gap, but was no James Ellroy.

[Spideyman]

Hi all!

I just finished listening to The Colorado Kid on audiotape today. It's one of the few SK novels that doesn't receive much attention. So, I figured I'd listen to the audio in case it was not to my liking...

I have to say that I didn't enjoy it that much. It was really slow and the dialogue was a bit tedious. Although the entire reading was done in about 4 hours. I don't want to steer any Constant Readers away from it, I'm only offering my personal opinion and seeking other's thoughts.

So, for those of who have read TCK, what did you think? Did I just not get it, or is it one of SK's lesser works?


I loved this book. I think many have never read the old pulp fiction paperback novel of the 1940's- '50's and '60's. This is the style SK used. Just like that of Hammett and Greene. The pulp fiction paperbacks were the orginal crime novels- a lot of storytelling and very visual to the mind.
It was left up to the reader to decide the ending. Imagination was a big part of reading back them.

Even the size of the book- done in paperback, not hardcover and smaller in size was kept true to the pulp fiction novel.

I would never call it a lesser work of SK, just a demonstration of a different writing style. Maybe, if you ever have time, read the book and use "your voice" to visualize the storytelling.

[sb8]

I haven't read this one yet, but I've gotten several of the books of the series (Hard Case Crime) and in general they've been very good. But i guess so many people having negative opinions of this one have kept me from getting it.

[hemingway2z]

The idea of finding a "stiff" somewhere is freaky. looking at vacant buildings over and over agin and thinkiung about finding a stff in them is more freaky as well.

[bopropadop]

Maybe, if you ever have time, read the book and use "your voice" to visualize the storytelling.


Great advice, Spidey! Thankee. I plan to do exactly that. Though the narration by Jeffrey DeMunn (see his acting in the films The Mist, Green Mile, and Storm of the Century) is very good IMO.

And thanks to all who have contributed. I appreciate your thoughts!

[bopropadop]

I haven't read this one yet, but I've gotten several of the books of the series (Hard Case Crime) and in general they've been very good. But i guess so many people having negative opinions of this one have kept me from getting it.


Please don't let my review influence you... I still plan to read the book and suggest you do so, too. You're the only one who can decide if it's good or not.

And thanks for the review of the series. I'd like to explore some of the other stories.

[Neil W]

I loved it. A mile away from what I am accustomed to reading from King, more of a character/mood piece.

[danie]

Just finished The Colorado Kid a few minutes ago, and it was okay, I guess. The dialogue seems to be a bit bogged down (lots of talk about air strips, etc.), but I'm still of the type that likes a solution at the end. I realize that was the point of the story, to not have a solution, but I still feel like I'm left hanging, and will never know what happened. King's characters, as usual, are very likable, and I'm glad I read it, but just not one of my favorites.

[Matthew.Degnan]

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a copy of this novel in Britain, I saw ones in Waterstones, limited edit. £25 ($40 approx) but im not paying that for a book, not even SK.

[danie]

Wow, Matthew, I paid $1.58 for my Colorado Kid at a flea market! (And I'm surely glad I didn't pay $40, because it definitely wasn't worth it, IMO!) How much would it cost for me to mail you a copy? I'll keep an eye out for another one!

[tillyn]

Hey Bop, i must admitt i haven't read it. Shame:down: I have commented that i have read all Sk's books, the cover has convinced me to pick it up. I will i promise and when i do, i'll pm you and tell you what i think.

[Neil W]

koff ebay koff

[DerekRuiz]

Couple friends of mine told me they didn't like this to much. But I love seeing writers working outside there normal sandbox so I'm really interested in getting my copy some time next week from the Ebay lot I won. I won 17 Hard Case Novels. For some reason I want to read crime stuff.

[betterjedi]

I just wanted to say a big "Thank you" to Mr.King. I loved 'The Colorado Kid'. It was a case of being more interesting than entertaining - if that makes any sense at all. As I got close to the end of the novel, I had already built up in my mind what I suspected the circumstances of the crime were. Then I feared that I was going to be so far off the mark and that I actually might like my conclusion better.

Then he did an awesome job with the ending of the story, leaving it up to the reader to decide for ourselves how the crime happened. That was awesome. In fact, I found a lot of unexpected freedom in the way the story played out; as if I was able to take an active part in telling the rest of the story.

I can understand how, for a lot of folks, this novel is frustrating because of the lack of conclusion. As for me, I wish there were more stories like this. Present the mystery and some 'facts' and then let me figure out the rest.

Too cool!

[Terry B]

I finished this book last night and I loved it. I could totally visualize those three people sitting around and talking about this "mystery". The two old guys and the young woman. I even loved that it was left unresolved. Very clever Mr. King. I think it would make a great TV movie. I would be fun to cast this one.

[JohnDalglish]

I finished this book last night and I loved it. I could totally visualize those three people sitting around and talking about this "mystery". The two old guys and the young woman. I even loved that it was left unresolved. Very clever Mr. King. I think it would make a great TV movie. I would be fun to cast this one.

Hi,

Couldn't agree more, Terry, and I'd go so far as to say that it could even be expanded into a TV series a la Dead Zone.

Long days and pleasant nights

[yog-sothoth]

As a Cornell Woolrich fan I liked TCK.

Did you know there was an Eddie Dean Woolrich's "Cigarette"

;)

[Patricia A]

I think it's probably a matter of taste really. I thought it was a nice evening's read. I read it when I was down with a cold last year, it worked for me.
I think somewhere he had mentioned that he was experimenting with a different style for this book.
Plus it wasn't horror, so that might have been a contributing factor.
I wouldn't call it a Pulitzer candidate, but they can't all be. :smile2:

[Blaze_04]

I finish it 4 days ago...Its not bad..And its not horrible...Only horrible thing is Dead man at beach...I like it...And murder is still unknown..Im not like this unknown ends : )..Like a Long Walk...
However He is Stephen King...And him every works is great

[the_constant_reader]

I got the style and can appreciate the work, but I felt it was just very... blah. I didn't connect with any of the characters and found it a hard read, which I rarely feel with SK. Maybe because I knew there was no explanation of the artists death before I read it, I didn't really care. But over all for the sake of the lost pulps, its good, just not my taste. Glad to have read it but will never return to it for a 2ND read.

[worddance]

Hate to say it, but I didn't like his one much. I loved the whole idea of SK writing a pulp detective novel and I was OK with the concept of a mystery with no ending, (very SK to explore the concept of mystery itself) but I thought the presentation fell flat. Just people talking about the past and nobody actually doing anything in the present.

Oh well. Can't win every time.

Mary

[mgencarelli]

I originally read this book in a few hours and I thought i wasnt happy with it, then once it sat with me for a little i really liked the idea of create your ending in your mind!! Def an interesting concept.

[evilduck]

thank you for telling me its crap because its the only SK work that I havent read or listened to

[JohnDalglish]

thank you for telling me its crap

Hi,

I don't think anyone said that, I'd read it and make my own mind up before misinterpreting others opinions as 'crap'.

Long days and pleasant nights

[pixiedaark]

I love this book. It is different than Stephen King's other books and writing style, but that is what makes it so cool! I got a special edition of this book with Glen Chadbourne as the artist and it is beautiful!

Actually, I think that this book could in a way tie in with other Stephen King books. (Dark Tower Series, Hearts in Atlantis)At least in my far-fetched imagination. :biggrin2:

I think Colorado Kid could have something to do with The Low Men in Yellow Coats and Blue Heaven:

I think that the "Colorado Kid" was kidnapped by the Low Men In Yellow Coats to be taken to Blue Heaven to be a breaker (sort of like Ted Braugthin in Hearts in Atlantis) He got kidnapped in Colorado and ended up in Maine. He was trying to escape from the Low Men. The Low Men got angry and killed him by making him choke

What do you guys think?

[bopropadop]

thank you for telling me its crap because its the only SK work that I havent read or listened to


AWJS (And What John Said) exactly! Wasn't my cup of tea but it's apparent from other posts that many did enjoy it. Try it yourself. It's short enought that you won't be wasting your time.

[Spideyman]

thank you for telling me its crap because its the only SK work that I havent read or listened to

Have to agree with Bop and JD. Do not recall it being referred to as "crap". Just differences in opinion as to liking or not liking the contents and style. It is ,after all, a pulp fiction style of writing. Give it a try.

[Bluey Lunger]

Actually, I think that this book could in a way tie in with other Stephen King books. (Dark Tower Series, Hearts in Atlantis)At least in my far-fetched imagination. :biggrin2:

I think Colorado Kid could have something to do with The Low Men in Yellow Coats and Blue Heaven:


What do you guys think?

the geographical in tck is interesting, as it relates to father callahan, no cutting up, that's a big ten-four, heading out on his own geographical. seems like there's others, as well, geographical. ted? sure, pourquois pas? ted took a geographical and i don't think the reason why the kid took one was ever answered, was it? :dunno:

[Liasis]

I had to buy a copy of Ebay because I couldnt get it here and yep, i didnt like it and it was so ....small.... There wasnt enough "grab" in it for me. Towards the end I kinda lost interest in even wanting to know how he died... no offence to anyone :)

[glyde69]

My personal opinion of this book is "complete rubbish." HATED IT.

[Terry B]

Like it or not it doesn't matter. You have to read it or you haven't read all that Steven King has to offer.

[Sony02]

Hi!

I liked it, though a little hurt that there is no end ..

[jcadams]

I liked that there was no ending, it gave my boys and me a chance to discuss it and come up with our own theories, and now that we have, SK should bring in the CSI's and tell us what really happened.

[Audaciousfox]

Hi all!

I just finished listening to The Colorado Kid on audiotape today. It's one of the few SK novels that doesn't receive much attention. So, I figured I'd listen to the audio in case it was not to my liking...

I have to say that I didn't enjoy it that much. It was really slow and the dialogue was a bit tedious. Although the entire reading was done in about 4 hours. I don't want to steer any Constant Readers away from it, I'm only offering my personal opinion and seeking other's thoughts.

So, for those of who have read TCK, what did you think? Did I just not get it, or is it one of SK's lesser works?

It isn't one of my favorites, but I don't think that makes it 'lesser'. It took me a long time to get to this one (I couldn't easily find it and heard nothing from King fans to give me cause to rush out and grab it), and I've only listened to it (my daughter found it on audi at the library). While I do plan on buying the book eventually, I've a strong feeling this one is better listened to than read...it seems it would give it a more authentic feel, considering the way in which it is written - two old fellas telling a tale. I enjoyed it very much. I liked the direction King took -- I always enjoy it when he breaks new ground. Very good story.

[mr.jingles120]

the book is great if you want my opinion
but the cover got me in an argument with the principle
but it got cleared up

[mr.jingles120]

i think was an ok book
i mean cut stephen some slack here im sure he worked hard on it

[Jack Roman]

I have to agree. I listened to the audio book, and I just didn't get it. The whole time I felt like I was listening to Elmer Fudd.:dunno: