Does a stories ending matter? Sometimes. But if you're a Stephen King fan, you've learned that the landing can sometimes be a bumpy ride.
Hey, sometimes, like in the case of The Mist, he doesn't end the story. He just leaves it for the reader to choose their own adventure. Remember choose your own adventure books? I want a Stephen King choose your own adventure story.
This is pretty random. My six favorite story endings. And some of my least favorite.
Some stories with great endings:
1. Pet Sematary. Would there be another way to end that novel? What happened to Rachel after she killed Louis?
2. The Dead Zone. This book kept me turning pages to the end. I hate saying that because. . . it's so over used.
3. The Green Mile. Yeah, it's sad and all, but I like it. So there.
4. The Shining. King once said that his original idea was to kill them all. A total blood bath. I'm glad he didn't go with that.
5. Joyland. Yes, I do think it worked. In fact, I think Joyland is one of King's strongest books. There's some magic in that little novel that can't quite be described. Maybe it's King's ability to time warp the reader back into the 1970's. He so beautifully describes young love, and old love revived.
6. Mr. Mercedes. But now that I read the novel, I don't have any desire to go back too it. Because once you understand the end, it doesn't seem like a road that needs to be traveled again and again.
And a few that weren't so great. . .
I find that often the larger books are the ones I feel fail to really end with a bang. They build and build and build and then King brings them in for a nice, gentle landing. I think this is the case in both IT and The Stand. I liked both endings. In the case of The Stand, the final battle against evil takes place, and then the story continues with the long journey home. The plot tension is the question: Will Stu survive? Will humanity survive? Will Fran's baby the the flu?
I have begun to come to terms with the ending to The Dark Tower series. Maybe I even like it. Bev Vincent just about convinced me in an interview he did with me and in his wonderful Dark Tower companion book.
Needful things did not end well in my opinion. The whole video tape of Pangborn's wife's death was strange. King did such a good job moving multiple storylines together, and then at the very end it just didn't play out quite right.
Duma Key was a great ride, but it took so long to get to the end that I wasn't sure I was still fully engaged in the story.
Under The Dome has got to be the novel which has, in my opinion, the worst ending -- yet is one of the best stories. the entire cause/purpose of the Dome made little sense in the novel. If the TV show is doing anything, it is redeeming the Dome itself. Giving the giant structure purpose.
Some of the classic books leave me wanting more. Carrie was a great book! I wish there had been more to it at the end.
Your turn. . .
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I have to say I agree with pretty much your whole list. I loved Joyland. It was beautifully written and though the ending wasn't a total surprise it was still satisfying. I also like the Dark Half and Bag of Bones. The ending I had trouble swallowing was IT. I understood it but it didn't make it any less awkward.
ReplyDeleteI really like the end of "Baf of Bones" and "Dr. Sleep". I hate the end of "Cujo". I wish more of Carrie too.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Mexico.
I have to agree with what seems a general consensus that the ending to The Stand is its weakest point. None of the heroes actually accomplish anything by going to Vegas, even with Glen's heroic last stand. God just steps in and saves the day.
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