I read that a while ago and still get worried whenever I use my cell phone. I think that story was great for me, is that I live close to Stephen King (we're nextstate neighbors lol) and I've been to Boston a couple of times (my Dad had to get heart surgery on his aorta, and one of his valves) so the terrain was really familiar.

I've never read it... was it good? Like, better than most of his - which is, I know, hard to compare?

It was better than his other ones, basically because it was more new than the other ones, and it was easier for a teenager like me to relate to. He's a good writer.

Cloud, could you possibly tell me what it is about?

sry. Here's a quick summary:

A strugling comic artist is in Boston. He thinks he's closed in on a deal. At some time that I dont remember a signal is sent through all the cell phones and anyone on their cell phone basically gets their minds wiped. And then they start to evolve.

The comic artist and some people he mets up with that weren't on their cell phones and thus were safe now are trying to destroy the population, while the comic artist is looking for his son.



very good story

Wow that sounds elaborate and very exciting.

Hopefully this isn't considered Hi-jacking your thread!

I read cell a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt that in this book stephen king had gone back to his classics,like IT,The stand and dreamcatcher to name but a few. It was one of his good ole' fashioned pure horror books I heard that some people didn't like the ending as it wasn't "finished" but I liked that. It made the story more interesting. A few twists I really didn't expect but I'm not gona reveal them incase anyone wants to read it who hasn't already. Cloud if you don't mind me asking what did you think of the ending?

That wouldnt be considered jacking the thread,thanks for the review.

I thought the ending was fitting given the viewpoint of the entire book. Only ever from that one guys POV, Perhaps he did this to avoid any similarity with his other book of similar scope ‘The Stand’. I think I enjoyed the stand more for its wider viewpoints, getting to see everything was much better in that situation, but Cell was more that guys (Name forgotten, read months ago) personal quest with his rag tag crew or helpers. Never do we get any mention of anything beyond his sphere, no news on Europe or Asia or anywhere else, did the signal get stuffed up there or will diplomatic relations get very tense over the next few years?
We don’t know, and really it doesn’t concern us, because he is in a very creepy situation and it doesn’t matter to him whether there are phone zombies in Guatemala or not…
It was just a little more reserved then I was used to from other books of his, like he was holding back towards the end, not the ending, but with the spectacular events that turned out to be only mildly fizzing. Still, I was satisfied- As usual

Very cool. I just checked it out from the library... will start reading tonight!

Forgivew me for this, but, I have yet to be aquainted to Stephen King's stories, what genre does he write?

Forgivew me for this, but, I have yet to be aquainted to Stephen King's stories, what genre does he write?Horror, primarily, with some fantasy thrown in for good measure.

I've not read this as of yet, but I shall.

I lived in Maine a year or so back, so alot of his layouts are really creepy to me as well :)

Horror, primarily, with some fantasy thrown in for good measure.

Yeah, check out the Dark Tower series for the fantasy elements. It's excellent...

I borrowed Cell off a friend and I'm looking forward to reading it...as well as the new one - Lisey's Story.

Well, after the girl in the book got hit by a big rock on the head I kind of lost interest and never finished it.

Ooops. :redface:

Cell was a pretty strong book with a lot of similarities to The Stand, but I've just finished Lisey's Story, and I was blown away. It's up there with The Shining and The Stand - right there with his best books.

Cell was a pretty strong book with a lot of similarities to The Stand, but I've just finished Lisey's Story, and I was blown away. It's up there with The Shining and The Stand - right there with his best books.

You've seriously tempted me very badly to go out and buy Lisey's Story. I got the sample chapter at the end of Cell and I was thinking: "This is actually quite impressive". So for you to say it's up there with his best I have to go buy it.

Cell was similar to The Stand with all the journeying, and to be honest, I think King is at his best when he does this. A great sense of being alone with the main character(s) is just so gripping when he writes. Evidence of it was strong, very strong, in The Stand but also the final Dark Tower book, and of course Cell. He's not my favourite author without good reason. :D

How ironic. I consider this his worst book--along with Lisey's Story, the Colorado Kid, and From a Buick 8. King fell off; he needs to retire writing. Or give him coke and booze like before, when he was writing short stories and novels that actually raised the scalp. It's hilarious how he breaks almost every rule in his own rules of On Writing.

His best works are The Shining, Misery, Night Shift, Rage, The Long Walk, Different Seasons, and Skeleton Crew. Everything else is pretty much crap, long winded, drivel.

I actually thought From A Buick 8 was a good read, even though it sort of dragged in the middle.

King does different things now. He's not just about the scare (like in The Shining, which is by far the scariest book ever written). Lisey's Story is an exceptionally well written piece of modern fantasy. It's not terribly scary, though there are some gruesome moments in it. But it's more about drawing the reader into the memories this woman is recalling. Putting questions out there that need to be answered.

Exceptional book. And yes, I think Carrie, The Shining, Cujo, The Stand and Misery were all incredible books. But I think King exceeds anything he has attempted before with this book - with what he tries to do with the book. I don't think he's tried this before.

He talks about Lisey's Story as an important book for him, and you can tell why when you read it. I can't recommend it enough. It stands out in his lexicon, and not just because the image of the Long Boy is so successful, unlike the image of the monster at the end of It.

The Long Boy, do go on...

In Lisey's Story how much does it feature of Lisey's venture into her husband's "world"?

I'm shamed to say I haven't got to The Shining yet, always thinking it'd be just like the Stanley Kubrick movie with my ignorant viewpoint. However, I'm halfway through Cujo, where Joe Camber is about to die, and I can't say his writing has been at a good standard, but he's certainly built the tension to the eventual "horror" of the story. I look forward to the rest of it.

I enjoyed the book [*sings a tune suspiciously similar to "backpack" from dora the explorer* Kashwack, Kashwack!] I also enjoyed the fact that I could trace where they were in an atlast ... except when they got to maine ... because stephen king is absolutely paranoid and doesn't like writing about actual towns there too much ...

Stephen King is freaking awesome. He is definitely my favorite author. I loved Cell. I heard that they are making a movie adaptation...

Euuugh. Why? Some books should not be made into movies, like this one. It's gonna end up being 3 hours long, and they'll try to add their "own" suspense because obviously stephen king isn't suspensful enough [Is that why Speedy Park might be white?]

Or ... it may be a great movie. I dunno.

cell, cell, cell... wasnt bad. enjoyed it, and the close to final twist was like a light from the all-emcompassing dark - quite unpredicted. i liked the whole theory on it too, although i dont believe it will ever happen, especially as you can see who calls you nowadays. if it says 'brain wiping virus' on my phone ill simply hang up :D.
so yeah, good book. not much more i can say, typical stephen king style, and it all sets off at a wicked fast pace, something i like

8/10

EDIT: oh, and talking of stepen king adaptions, i heard the guy who made the lost seires brought the rights to the dark tower series. not sure though, could be just hear-say

Crashbang - I heard the same thing about the Dark Tower Series. Stephen King did say that if someone was to make the Dark Tower series into movies it should be the guy from Lost. I think the best way to make it would be to do it as a mini-series, but done through HBO.

Man o man, I just loved Cell! It was a tad silly and cheesy, but it was really haunting in the begining. When they started becoming psychic it pushed the boundaries of willful-suspension of disbelief for me. It still is one of my favs though.

Has anyone read desperation by Stephen King? I've just seen the movie and i thought it was really good - full of suspense.

I think the best way to make it would be to do it as a mini-series, but done through HBO.
J.J. Abrams would make it apparently, but he's busy with Star Trek and other projects. I agree, HBO would be a wise decision. Carnivale, Deadwood and Rome are all excellent shows.

The Desperation telemovie was pretty poor, but the book was reasonable. Both forms have many factors preventing them from being amongst King's best work.

Well, the starting of the Desperation movie was good - the first half hour, but then it kinda went flat.

Also, i wanted to ask, which is the best book of Stephen King?