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Rating: 
Summary: Really well done except for Blind Willie.
Review: As a slow reader (my excuse is looking for the imagery), I finished this book in 4 days (nearly a record for me). I especially liked the characterization of Bobby's mom in Low Men. We've all met those people who are just never happy and are maybe just an innocent comment away from being mean. Hearts in Atlantis seems very real for me only we had contract bridge disease and dope at Northwestern in 64-65, but I remember the signs posted in the bathroom near the end of the quarter reading: "Study Now Or Vietnam" or maybe it was a rhyme. It's been a long time and thank God, when I was drafted, they didn't take me anyway. Blind Willie was an interesting story that just didn't seem to fit. It should have really gone on longer and it seemed contrived as far as its connnection to the other stories (you really don't have to read the Author's Note to realize that). A personal aside to Mr. King who's not going to read this: Don't do that again. We know where you live. Why We're In Vietnam did a nice job of tying up some loose ends and untying some others. A look into Carol's life since U of M might have been fun, but I'm hoping she meets a gunslinger soon.
Rating: 
Summary: King's maturing style gives the best King ever.
Review: Born in 1970, I grew up on Stephen King. From the time I was old enough for my own "orange library card" (see the book!) I have seized and gobbled up every King I could get my hands on. I stayed up all night and scared myself silly, reading about frightening other-worldly entities. Over the last few years, I've seen King move away from the "scary monster" genre into a style that is increasingly philosophical, almost metaphysical; increasingly these stories have a feeling of "This could happen". "Hearts in Atlantis" is definitely one of these. From the moment I recognized elements of the Dark Tower creeping in, to the finale that comes around full circle 40 years after the story starts, I was enthralled, lifted to new heights, and plunged back down into the underground tunnels of a runaway mine train. By the time I got to the end, I was breathless. Literally. As I closed the book and slowly put it down, exhaling, I could do nothing else but remain thoughtful. Wanting to pick it up again right away, read it again. That had never happened to me before, with anyone's work. It took me a while to realize I'd been virtually holding my breath over the last few pages. Even when I scared myself as a child in the middle of the night, reading "Carrie" or "Salem's Lot", that had never happened to me before, either. I think he must be very proud of this book, for in his own style he is emulating L. Ron Hubbard, a writer who influenced his career by virtue of the admiration King holds for his work. I think he is doing a wonderful job.
Rating:
Summary: The rebirth of a King fan
Review: I had really lost all hope of ever reading another Stephen King book after trying to attempt reading "Dolores Claiborne", which was the worst of his.
Well, some ten odd years later, I picked up "Hearts in Atlantis" at a yard sale. I had heard it was a good book, and that the movie was great. I always have to read the book before seeing the movie, so opted for the written page.
It was awesome.
"Hearts...." is a book broken down into five separate stories that all have a connection is some form. The first story "Low Men in Yellow Coats" is the longest and best of the group. It is set in the Summer of 1960, Bobby Garfield, Carol Gerber, and Sully John are all 11 yrs. old and enjoying their youth in adventurous ways. Enter Ted Brautigan, who is an older man. He takes a room in the house that Bobby and his not so nice mother live in. He becomes Bobby's father figure, and the boy becomes emotionally attached to Ted much to his mother's chagrin.
He askes Bobby to read to him, pays the kid for it, and thus they begins their bonding.
It is extremely well written and the characters just burst with life. I felt as if I really knew Bobby, who was my favorite character in the book. I am glad that this story dominates the pages of this thick novel because it is the best work of fiction here as it's the most endearing.
The four stories left, "Hearts In Atlantis", "We Were in Vietnam", "Blind Willie", "Heavnely shades of Night falling" all have a character in them that appeared in "Low Men". This is the connection of them all. In some stories, they are older, and the men have seen the horrors of Vietnam, and they have all had the war effect them in some way. Carol becomes a protestor in "Hearts in Atlantis", which is set at a college in Maine. This was my second favorite.
The book certainly doesn't have much closure, as some reviewers were looking for, but I don't think that this is what King wanted with this work. He is just showing how life was in the 60's, and how the Vietnam war shaped the lives of the characters in the stories, which span from the summer of 1960 up til 1999.
There is a lot of sadness, humor, and realism to this piece of writing.
Worth reading!!! Just skip "Blind Willie" as I don't think it adds anything but just annoys. I hated it but read the whole thing anyway. It was annoying and boring. We get to see how the bad kid from "Low Men" turns into a bad man basically. Highly recommended!! Eileen Famiglietti
Rating:
Summary: Recommended
Review: I'm not a big thriller fan, and this is not a thriller. I want to read more king books because of this one.
Rating:
Summary: glimpse back into the 60's compelling for all readers
Review: Let me begin by saying I am sixteen years old. Obviously, I did not experience the sixties, so this novel had no chance from the beginning to strike a chord within me or launch a wave of nostalgia. However, as I'm sure other non-sixties readers have experienced, this novel neevrtheless transported me back into that era, particularly during the first two sections. Its keen character development and plots that were thought provoking, wildly funny, satirical, and just flat out fun to read all at once were at a level elevated even from King's usual grandeur.
The first section of the book, novel-length in its own right, details the experiences of twelve year Bobby Garfield living with his bitter single mother and his mysterious old friend, Ted Brautigan. Ted is a character similar to The Green Mile's John Caffey, in that he has mysterious mental powers that transform Bobby's life.
The true gem of this novel, however, is the long middle section entitled "Hearts in Atlantis". Though the name suggests some profound plot or content, it should be taken literally; the story is about college boys who become hooked playing hearts at the University of Maine while under the constant shadow of the Vietnam War and flunking their courses. There are many reasons why I love this section; mainly, it is just so much fun to read. The characters, from the obscene and sarcastic Ronnie to the wise voice of Nate become developed and fimiliar to the reader, to the point wherethe reader truly feels like part of the action. The plot is often hilarious, as conflicting attitudes and people within the dorm lose their collective mental sanity while playing the addictive game. however, there are also many throught provoking and meaningful scenes, especially those involving Stokley the cripple's opposing the war. The section is especially entertaining for Hearts enthusiasts, due to the countless references to nuances of the game.
Ultimately, Hearts in Atlantis is a strange novel that is a departure from the usual King theme of Horror. However, in this case I believe he came through beautifully; even the mini sections I didn;t mention in this review were good. Definitely pick it up or rent it if you get the chance; you don't have to be an avid reader, King fan, or survivor of the sixties to enjoy it thoroughly.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic & Original!
Review: This book is simply amazing. I took it on holiday and read the whole doorstop of a book in 2 days. Firstly this could be the best characterisation king has done since, er let me think,yeah! thats right 'the dark tower' (what do you mean you havent read it....go on, get off your arse and go buy it) as you feel the characters come alive you the more the story progresses. As many know these are a series of interlinked stories, the emphasis on quantity & quality lies within the first two main stories 'low men in yellow coats' and the second 'hearts in atlantis', the last three are relativley short by S. King's standards and generally tie up events that occured within the first two tales. Low men in yellow coats is a tale I cant wait to read again, I mean there is so much in there, you've got bobby, a wonderful little boy who makes a strange friendship with the new lodger in his mothers rent house, a fantastice bully avenging sequence and loads more. It grows progressivley more supernatural as it develops, and although essentially this book is no where near a horror novel, there is one dream sequence that will certainly have some people widening their eyes and putting their hands over their mouths and saying ,'jeeesus'. I will say no more. Humour is ever present and there is also a 'dark tower' tie in which will leave readers of this book and dark tower fans none the wiser..........cheers steve!. Now on to Hearts in Atlantis. I couldnt help but feel that King put his all into this story as it almost flawless. All the way through this tale I kept thinking back to J D Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye' as it makes a point of telling us how important it is to get on with the things that matter and growing up, rather than dropping out and thinking that loser behaviour is ok and remaining immature. After finishing this tale I said to my girlfriend, "Darling, our children are to read this when they are 13 yrs old!", (she rolled her eyes to the heavens and carried on reading 'Last Chance Saloon'). The other three as I said earlier tie up the lose ends and if there is a duff tale here its got to be 'blind willie' but its only 10 pages so I refuse to let it spoil the overall quality of the book. Yeah, so thats that, and when I finished this book I started on 'Needful things', which was absolutley brilliant.........what you havent read this either...........!!??
Rating:
Summary: A Heart in Maine
Review: Young, carefree children start King's latest and in my opinion best novel in their home town of Harwich struggling with the pressures every eleven year old faces. They eventually grow apart and like in so many King novels all face greater problems and the hardships that follow us all into adulthood. The content for me isn't overly important in this novel but never has a King novel touched me on so many different levels and never have I read a book where almost everything from childhood to college seemed so familiar to me and my own life. Not since I first read Christine have I ever read an entire novel in one sitting and that was over a decade ago. The monsters in this book aren't as big as usual, you won't find them hiding under the bed either. They are small demons in your face and by God do they have sharp teeth. They are real life King has produced a masterpiece. Like the vulgar DeSoto found in the first story this book is alive.
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