(That Renfield book I was reading–started off so good then wound up as flat as an abandoned can of Coke. I hate it when good books go bad. Thanks for ripping me off, B & N.)

One of my favorite authors is Stephen King, one of America’s preeminent writers, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know what it is about his
writing, but it is incredibly rich.  Like the literary equivalent of Divinity fudge.  It seems that he channels people from another dimension to
ours through his written words.  His characters almost feel real, and the danger in some of the books is tangible.

I think it’s in all the details he provides in his novels.  He’s got a firm mastery on how to create tension in his plots, but I like how he creates
characters, how he makes them spring to life in my mind and how I am loathe to close the book because I don’t quite want to leave the characters he had so carefully constructed.

IT, for example.  That book is an epic like Lord of the Rings, except Pennywise (the antagonist) is much more evil and crazy than Sauron was ever drempt up to be. IT has, I believe, a similar ending.  The friends, having got rid of the evil, eventually forget each other and move forward with their lives.  I guess in a way, forgetting is sadder than being left behind.

IT is my favorite non Dark Tower novel of his.  There are so many contrasting ideas in that 1000+ page novel.  Friendship, courage, death, and standing true to yourself and your friends are just some of the themes found here.   Yeah, there is a lot of profanity and subjects on sexuality that are pretty much taboo, but oh well.  I love the book anyway.