Is Stephen King King?

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I read his stuff as a teenager but in the past few months I decided to go back to the beginning and read his books. I am onto The Stand (half way through) and I've not read that one before. I have read over 600 pages in just 3 days.

He seems to write in such a way as to make the reader just keep reading even though nothing may be happening and he is just going on about some character backstory. That is the mark of a brilliant writer.

Any other fans out there? And what is your favourite book by him?

The Shining is my personal favourite. I'll post more later...

He's a great writer, one of my all time favorites. However, no writer is king. There may be writers out there, like Faulkner, Fitzgerald, or Shakespeare, who will never be forgotten, yet they'll never be on the top of the mountain. A perfect writer is like Jimmy Hoffa. You just can't find one.

Somethings he does are cringe inducing, especially some of his endings, but he does a lot of interesting stuff.

I also like The Shining but I think one of his best works is actually Pet Semetary.

I like The Stand a lot - as well as The Shining, and IT - in IT I like the chapter with the psychopath boy and the things in the fridge... meaning, it's the chapter that creeped me out the most.

I dunno about endings being cringe-inducing as much as what he does in the midst of the book. Like that bit in It with the Losers after they stop It for the first time. People who have read the novel will know what I'm talking about.

That being said, he's a pretty damn good author at times. Like I said, The Shining was my favourite, probably because he kept the story confined and claustrophobic, rather like one of those 'base under siege' stories Doctor Who seems to enjoy. The Stand is good too, as is The Green Mile, and what I've read so far of The Dark Tower series. But some threaten to collapse under their own weight.

I will just say he is accused of invoking a Deus Ex Machina ending when he just gets tired of writing. I do think that applies to the Stand.

Otherwise, I hafta say just keep reading the Dark Tower.

I like some of his classic stuff but really disagree with him being king of anything. His stuff is really hit or miss for me.

He still writes after being run over by a van. That counts for something.

I love the Dark Tower series! I am currently reading them again, after reading the new one ( The Wind through the Keyhole). I liked the stand too. I am thinking about reading Insomnia or Under the Dome next.

My personal favorite is "Hearts in Atlantis", most notably the "Low Men in Yellow Coats" story. Just a great all around story that really pulls at your emotions. I also heavily enjoyed "The Langoliers".

I've been meaning to start the Dark Tower series, as I have all of them on my Kindle but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Pretty much that. I really need to read the stand. 11/22/63, Misery, and The Shining are my favorites, particularly Misery.

King has written some excellent books, and some dire books. Cell was terrible. The Stand was great. Insomnia, The Dark Half, Pet Semetary, Misery, Carrie, The Dead Zone and Cujo were all good. I could never get into the Dark Tower books.