So That's How You Read A Stephen King Book!

image credit: albanykid.com
It’s not the same year as the one in “From a Buick 8″, but pretty close.
 All I could think of when I saw it was “Low men in yellow coats”
 driving big shiny cars.

I'm waiting for Revival.  It's like watching the clock with an hour left the day before school lets out for summer.  Time is moving ever slower.  Ticktock.

In the meantime, I've started my way back through books I never finished the first time.  Wizard and Glass and today the novel From A Buick 8.  I tried From A Buick 8 at least 3 times before -- and no magic.  Sorry.  Is something wrong with me?  What gives? I snapped it up on my way out the door because -- well, it was there on the shelf.  It's hard not  to pick The Stand up again.

As I drove, I listened to From A Buick 8.  I expected nothing; honestly, I've listened to this first CD already.  But as I listened, I forgot about the "plot" and got involved with the characters.  Especially a kid named Ned.  As I got more interested in the book, I realized what my problem has been with this particular novel.  I know there is something up with a  Buick; it's an alien car or something.  And I'm so excited, I think the story is about the Buick.  After all, Ned isn't in the title;  the Buick is!  But the novel isn't really as much about the Buick as it is the human characters.  

When I read From A Buick 8, I want King to tell me early on what's up with that car.  GET TO THE CAR!  But he takes his time with a lot of police jargon and character background.  Impatience has been my downfall.  But as I listened this time, King's magic worked and the characters and plot found a rhythm that worked for me.  I started falling in love with this little book.

So, not to self and the rest of you stuck on a King book -- stop worrying about plot and spaceships and settle into the characters.  As King talks about people, he will start to unravel a pretty awesome plot.

The book is also distracting because it's told from multiple points of view.  And, to make matters worse, it starts with a lady named "Sandy."  Only, Sandy is a guy.  But the opening line just says, "Sandy."  Only when I LISTENED  to the novel did it dawn on me, "OH!  Sandy is a dude!"  How long before I was supposed to pick up on that in print?

There are actually quite a few Stephen King books I never finished.  Do I feel bad about that?  No.  It just means I got impatient with the story telling and lost interest; but I'll be back.  But I do notice that many of the books I find most frustrating come from an era stretching from the mid 90's to early 2000's.  Books like Rose Madder, From A Buick 8, Gerald's Game and Cell.  (I did finish some of these books, they just didn't sweep me away.)  

The most recent story King has written that I failed to complete was Lisey's Story.  Yes, I get impatient with it.  There's a lot of build  up, and I can't figure out what this book is about!  I prefer the likes of 11.22.63 -- which runs hard  on plot early on and then settles into character development mid novel.  But King doesn't always play that game.

Finally, The Talisman is a novel I find difficult to engage with.  Why?  I don't know.  Maybe things feel a little forced to me; Jack Sawyer = Tom Sawyer and I roll my eyes.  The Talisman has one other  thing working against it, and I'll admit right now it's a stupid reason to complain.  I don't like the cover.  It doesn't say to me, "come read me."  It says to me, "If we print King's name big enough, you'll buy the book."