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PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2000 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I finally read this one this week. After I finished it, I threw it across the room. Not because it wasn't good, but because it did its job too well. I found it to be one of King's most frightening with a number of curse-inspired, disturbing images. Hell, no-one escapes unscathed or with there dignaty and humanity intact.

Now I know why someone in a previous thread concerning King's Finishes gave it as an example of one of his novels that didn't end with any hope. But I guess it's typical, in a way, of most of the Bachman works by King. Did any of them have even a glimmer of light at their endings? Maybe THE RUNNING MAN because he took down that entire TV network building Cool.

But I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of novels that don't have a 'happy' ending, at least in the context of the story, anyway. The reason that I read horror is that I like to see human beings go up against an abomination of some type, supernatural or real, and eventually triumph over the evil. I mean, there's enough successful evil in the real world, that I don't like inviting it into my fictional world. Hmmm, I guess that's why I'm such a big fan of mystery series. A lot of people die but the series heroes eventually solve the mystery and ensure that justice prevails. Very rarely do continuing characters die. Except in the aptly named EVERYBODY DIES, the Matthew Scudder novel by Lawrence Block. Still, there was justice in the end.

Submitted By: Layback76
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 07, 2000 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't say that I've read this one Layback but I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it enough to throw it across the room. Actually, the only Bachman book I have read was THE RUNNING MAN. Didn't really like that one.

Submitted By: Mr Self Affliction
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2000 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am a fan of horror novels and films without happy endings. Too often the "happy" ending seems forced. Especially if you take the themes of horror seriously. Give me the bleakness of Pet Semetary, Cujo, The Blair Witch Project, Rosemary's Baby any day.

It seems like many horror films want to be "Action" films and leave the audience cheering the good guy to beat the bad guy in the end. To me this is the cop out to the main point of supernatural horror-that there are forces out of our control and understanding. That suffering and death are an inextricable part of the human condition.

Submitted By: Eric
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2000 11:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here, Here! I totally agree with Eric. Horrid, hopeless endings are the best! At least ones that don't resolve anything. Horror should be about presenting an unusual circumstance and scaring the pants off someone, not "let's catch the killer and all go home happy." The most terrifying stories are the ones that leave you believing the threat is still out there somewhere. It eases the blow if you think there's nothing left to fear.

Submitted By: Deena
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2000 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's only one thing I care about when it comes to great horror: great story which usually needs to be original but not always. Bleak ending, happy ending. Makes no difference to me as long as the story works in the end.

But I do love those bleak endings. Favorites being OFF SEASON and THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. Both by Jack Ketchum.

Submitted By: Mr Self Affliction
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