Recommendations

**Mr. Palmer** · October 7th, 2009

Do you put trust in Stephen King's recommendations? Whether it's for books, film, or music?

If so, what has he turned you on to?

Personally, I've been burned a time or two by his recs. It's rare that I follow them anymore. Now, the only time I put stock in them, is when I'm positive it's a surefire bet. Like when I enjoy a band's previous album, and he mentions that the follow-up is decent. Times like that...

How about you?

**rjt65** · October 7th, 2009

Shhh to be honest i tried a bunch of the books and suffice it to say we have different thoughts! There were loike 2 that i stopped reading--- and that was the end of that....

but he also recommends some good ones (see R. Mccammonn, and Gaimen) not sure if he rec. them but i do believe he has....

to each his own

**cinephonic** · October 7th, 2009

I read 'Case Histories' by Kate Atkinson based on his recommendation and I really enjoyed it. When I get a chance I'll read the rest of her Jackson Brodie books.

**Drawn to Ka-tet** · October 8th, 2009

Music.
Sai King turned me on to Slaid Cleaves. I listen to his music all the time now.

Long days and pleasant nights.

**Mr Nobody** · October 8th, 2009

Mixed bag, for me. The ones I've enjoyed, I've loved. The ones I've not got into, I've more or less loathed (they're often also the ones I've had to work hardest to get).
Still, if we all liked exactly the same stuff, the world would be a dull old place.

**jlessl** · October 13th, 2009

Actually, I posted a separate thread about book recommendations. I've only been disappointed in one (The Road, by Cormac McCarthy), but the following have been great -

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain.
The Ruins by Scott Smith
The Night Gardiner by George Plecanos
The Terror by Dan Simmons

I've since read Collins' recent book, Catching Fire, which is the second in her trilogy started with The Hunger Games.

Another SK recommendation, The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III, I'm awaiting from my library, which lame as it is, had to request it from another better resourced library. I'm looking forward to reading this.

As for music recommendations, well, I have no comment on that. But with regard to his his recent column (entitled "The One That Got Away") in the 10/09/09 issue of ET, he recommends the (pretty much straight to DVD) movie, Carriers, and I have reserved that on Netflix. I'll try to remember to report back once I've seen it.

**Mr. Palmer** · October 13th, 2009

I've read the Simmons and Smith material. I agree that they were both decent.

**Mr Nobody** · October 13th, 2009

I recently read The Road. I, too, was underwhelmed by it. I don't know what I was expecting, really. In a lot of ways, it was what I got but for some reason the story never really took off, for me. It was pretty obvious how it was all going to end, and it kind of blathered on without answering any of my Big Questions (i.e. what the hell had happened? Nuclear war? Supervirus? Both? Neither?). Maybe the answers were there but I never got them (nor was I much interested by that time, but I'd got over halfway through and I hate quitting on a book).

About the only positive from The Road was that it was a library loan, not something that had cost me hard cash.

**jlessl** · October 19th, 2009

Mr. Nobody - I did buy the book. Wish I hadn't really. Hoping the movie will be better (which would be unusual, usually the books are better, but hey, who knows?).

**Twilight2388** · October 19th, 2009

I have only been fortunate enough to read 2 of His EW articles and I don't remember any recs in those but I will always buy books at my used book store that have his critiques on them, the best of all of these were The Ruins and Edgar Sawtelle. Don't forget that every person has different criteria and tastes when it comes to books, a rec is just someone elses opinion. I don't count on them unless I am at a loss as to what I want to read next, otherwise I go by what I know I like.