Dreamcatcher

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Read!
Review: While I know it sounds trite, this novel was a bit like King getting back to his roots. Not just in theme, either, but in overall "feel." I just couldn't help but think that King was having fun again; writing for the sheer joy of telling a good 'ol page turner. Not his most intellectual work, but surely one of his most enjoyable. Though the text comes in over 600 pages, I still found myself lost in the struggle of the wonderfully drawn characters, and page-flipping pace. An old fashioned sci-fi extravaganza, told a la King-style. In DREAMCATCHER, King once again creates memorable characters, and one of the most memorable is Duddits. Duddits was not only the glue that held the gang together, he also served to hold the book together as well. Familiar themes that include friendship, good vs evil, and an exploration into the human psyche make this one fun read. Throughout, King begs us to answer: who are the real monsters? Them or us? A must read for King fans and those new to the author.

Rating:
Summary: Tried to like it...
Review: As a huge fan of early Stephen King works, I had heard that this was so much like "IT" and "The Stand" and so I was excited about reading it. In my opinion it was totally vulgar and I don't think that all that vulgarity was necessary to create the story. I found the book to be confusing as well, towards the end. There were times when I had to stop reading it as I felt sick to my stomach....maybe that's a good thing??!! King is still in my opinion an extremly great writer but I think

at times he tries too hard to be gross. All in all, I was disappointed...hopefully the next one will be better...

Rating:
Summary: Not his best but fun to read
Review: I mean, Dreamcatcher is alright. It's no Talisman or anything. But it was fun to read. I'm watching out for Black House in September.

Rating:
Summary: Stephen King has grown a lot! This book is just amazing!
Review: It's really true! I thought 'The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon' is his superior work but I failed! Stephen King writes now in a diffrent style than that he did until a few jears ago. It's more psychology than monsters. I think that Stephen is now on a level that you just can get to after you have lived a life and seen almost everything. And especially seen under the surface! -One of the few heart melting aspects in this novel is the relationship between the four boys (after a wile- men) Jonsey, Henry, Biber and Pete and the handicaped boy (who always stays a boy) Duddits who is kind of PSI. When they meet the first time in the story, it's like they would change hearts. From that moment on they're one heart and one soul! When you read this and you don't have already such near friends you really whish you had! -Although the book's about some aliens and some kind of virus whitch threats to kill all organic forms on earth using Jonsey to infect drink water, it's actually about the five friends! And although I think it's a bit too long, the book's a must read! I know you won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Hard to Sum Up...
Review: Let us start with the end, shall we? Stephen King writes in his author's note that he is grateful to have been able to write this novel at all. Given that he almost died, that would be an absolute truth. We, as faithful readers, are also glad he was able to write this novel. The fact that it is one of his worst works yet should be a moot point.

Dreamcatcher is not a good book. It is not completely terrible, but there are so many things wrong with it that it might as well be. It took me almost two weeks to finish it; I can safely say that in the 16 years I have been reading King faithfully, it has never taken me less than a few days to devour one of his works, even when I was under ten years old. Dreamcatcher is ultimately a long, tedious read, one that becomes boring, repetitive, and derivative almost at once.

The story itself starts out promising; four men, childhood friends, join for their annual hunting trip in the woods. Things immediately go crazy with the arrival of a lost man, sick and gassy, and from thereforth the story explodes. Alien landings, intestine-invading creatures, telepathy, military commanders, down-syndrome, murder, car (or Humvee) chases, and ravenous cravings for bacon abound. The story is a mish-mash of several ideas that never quite add up.

King's strongest point has always been his characters, but with all the "action" going on here, we never quite get enough of that. We touch down on several different people, back-pedal a bit to witness a few scenes from several pasts, but not enough to satisfy what we need. To center around a group of men who have a meaningful bond since childhood, King does not focus enough on this point to make us care for the story. It is easy to start to like Jonesy, Henry, Beaver, Pete and Duddits, and want more of them, but King simply doesn't give it up.

Dreamcatchers is one of King's weakest works. Many compare it to Tommyknockers, and I agree. If you didn't like that one much, don't expect to get more from this latest work. One can only hope that his next novel is better. It can't really get much worse.

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointed
Review: The Dreamcatcher started out great! The pace was good, the content exciting and building and then BANG! Everything stopped dead and this book got boring, boring, boring. Plus, it made me feel bad. Usually King's books either excite, scare, or make you want to duck under the covers. This book just felt bad.

The pace picked up some further on, but it really never got it's rhythm back. I usually can't put a Stephen King book down, this one took me a couple of weeks to finish. What a disappointment. Stephen....what were you thinking? It does have a certain feeling of the book "IT", a little Langoliers and a few other of his books. I felt like I was reading Stephen King's version of the movie "Aliens". I bought it because I buy all his books for my library. But, it wasn't one of his best.

Rating:
Summary: Chilling Fun
Review: Only Stephen King can turn a normal body function into something to be afraid of. That being said, I had a great time with his latest stab at horror involving four friends who go hunting every year, and have their plans disrupted by the crash of an alien space ship. After writing so many books it seems inevitable that he'd begin to repeat themes that have been addressed in earlier novels. The biggest is the idea of a group of childhood friends confronting or reliving their past in order to master the present. Much like "It", but instead of Pennywise the Clown, there's now "Mr Gray". Part of what makes his horrifying worlds so real is his constant use of pop culture references such as "E.R.", "The Sopranos", and "Scooby Doo". He's also amazing at laying track; Unravelling just enough to make you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. I didn't find it as scary as some of his other works, but I was hugely entertained. Fans won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: A Comfortable Read....
Review: I am a definite die-hard King fan, and I was extremely excited when I received a new book from him through the mail (it's awesome being a member of his book club). I guess it is just because I have so much trust in him that I thoroughly enjoyed this one...I was amazed when I read all the negative reviews. How could anyone not care for the characters??? King is a master of character development--that has always been his strength. His magic is still there, and better than ever. I love how he focuses our attention, hopes, and dreams on those characters who are not always mainstream popular. Also,many disparaging remarks have been made about "Insomnia"--I truly loved that book, i am continually amazed at the ideas he comes up with, and hope that he writes many many more books such as these. But I must say....the Dark Tower Series RULES!

Rating:
Summary: Try this on for size
Review: Robert A. Heinlein captured the battle of the alien body invader vs. helpless mind of the human host much better all the way back in 1951 with his book "The Puppet Masters".

Give it a try and see for yourself!

Rating:
Summary: Waste of time
Review: What a disappointment. Nothing like my favorite, The Green Mile. Dont waste your time. Boring.