Distracting Political Opinions

[ReelScience]

I've noticed a disturbing trend (well, for me) in Mr. Kings 4 most recent novels. That is, his tendency to interject his distaste for the Republican Party, especially George W. Bush into his novels. I wouldn't presume to criticize Mr. King for his opinions, but feel that it is presumptuous of him to expect me to pay him for the privilege reading these same opinions. To be clear, I am not talking about character description, but the kind of comments that seem to come out of left field with no addition to the story whatsoever. It's distracting and completely interferes with my ability to suspend my disbelief. I finally quit reading Under the Dome, for this reason, and would like a refund. I have to assume that one of three scenarios is at work here: 1) Mr. King is unaware that he is doing this (not likely), 2) Mr. King's success has convinced him that his opinion is just too valuable to not give it the widest possible distribution, or 3) Mr. King doesn't care that up to 50% of his Constant Readers are having their reading experience diminished.

Does anyone else feel this way (or not). If so, why do you think Mr. King is doing this?

[michal]

I'm not American, so maybe I'm not very sensitive to political views one way or the other. I am of course aware of Mr. King's political views, but have always supposed that writers write whatever they choose to write or, better phrase - the stories they can tell the way they can tell them. It's just how creative writing roles. I have seen characters in Mr. King's books kick a dog to death (yet do not think of him as a dog-killer), have seen some of them eat children (yet I do not thinking of him as a child eater) and have heard them pronounce both antisemitic and racist remark (but do not think of him as a racist.
So, I just take the remarks, whatever they are, as part of the story, not personally.

But maybe I am just less sensitive.

[Derwood]

The beauty of living in the US is that you have the freedom to have your opinions, and Mr. King has the freedom to have his. He also has the freedom to write about anything and anybody he chooses, and you have the freedom to put his books down if you do not agree with him.

What you do NOT have the right to is a refund because you disagree with said opinions. You bought the book of your own free will (after, as you admitted, disagreeing with King's opinions about the GOP in his previous 3 novels).

[flaggwalkstheline]

meh if u arent liking it, then dont read it
lotsa authors interject bits of their personal opinions into their stories, people only get mad when it contradicts their own
I didn't appreciate Anne Rice's sudden leap to writing about jesus, so I stopped reading her

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Welcome to the MB, and keep posting, I was wondering how long it would take before you showed up.

I think you might be more at home on the Tom Clancy site.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Doc Wilson]

Wayne, there's a more measured discussion of this issue going on this thread: http://www.stephenking.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=15815

I think you left out the most likely possibility: uncle steve has reached an age where he doesn't really care what other people think of him (I know because I'm right behind him). Witness his comment last year about the poor quality of Stephanie Meyer's writing. I don't believe he would have said that publicly ten years ago about another writer, even if asked directly.

I too get irked by his politics but what are you going to do? He's my favorite author, by a long shot, and I'm not going to give up reading his stuff until one of us dies.

To give another example, I've been a fan of Neil Young's for thirty years now, but I've made my peace with the fact that he is what Lenin would have called a useful idiot.

[rjt65]

I used to get worked up over things like this but now i learned who cares... People are getting to wrapped up in my way or the highway.... We all need to be more tolerant of opposite viewpoints. No matter, Life is boring if we all agree all the time, no?

I think will better digest this stuff on a reread of UTD..but i feel he takes = pot shots at all politicians in the novel.... Bush negatives also some new potus Obama negatives from the characters....

All are entitled to their opinions, but if you get to upset over your perception of his liberal leanings you are missing out on a great book! so I hope you reconsider.... Keep it

PS- More concerning to me (sites #1 Yankee fan that is the world championship Yankees) is the input of Boston red Sox fans and listening to games where the Sox are winning hahahahaha pure fiction!!! ;-)

[Sundrop]

Hi,

Welcome to the MB, and keep posting, I was wondering how long it would take before you showed up.

I think you might be more at home on the Tom Clancy site.

Long days and pleasant nights

I've said it before, but I love you John!!

[Bryan James]

I'm a voting Gosh Darn Independent (I watch both Fox News AND CNN), but I agree with the Original Poster's "distracted" reaction. Those parts of the book just seem contrived as they leap off the page. They don't flow the story. C'est la me.

(I didn't add the 'rde,' but I was thinking it =) )

~BJS

[wally wonder]

said on another thread that we ought to march on sk's house, occupy the foyer, maybe raid the pantry--he's in florida, right?--but imagine the symbolism, like those dark armies of the night (alluded to in udt), maybe you could give a speech while we munch on his fritos...wait a minute...isn't it, like, really cold in maine now?