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Summary: Still the diamond in the King's crown
Comment: I will start by saying that I read the edited version of this book many years ago--probably not too long before the uncut version appeared. I was mesmerized and, for me, took Mr. King from mainstream pop author to cult literary artiste. I have thought of rereading the author's chef d'oeuvre over the last couple of years and finally picked up the unedited version right after the Thanksgiving holidays.
Some broad strokes: I remember hanging on every word in the original published version and do not recall feeling there was one too many of them. The uncut edition, for me, had some "filler". Now whether this is because I'm almost twenty years older or due to Mr. K's "natural wordiness" I cannot say. What I knew to do this time, having read the edited version before, was speed read through some of the character's backgrounds (that I occasionally found to be a little excessive). That being said, the book's main plot, which culminates in a showdown between good and evil, is to be savored and relished.
I should also mention my tendency to have a love/hate relationship with the author--as can be seen in my reviews. With a couple of exceptions, his works rarely strike a middle chord with me. I've always felt that some of his "stuff" borders on genius and some of it borders on tripe. However, even with the "tripe" there is virtually always a nugget of gold to be mined. This may be one of the reasons Mr. King appeals to such a wide and diverse audience. There are always those occasional nuggets in those novels some may consider his lesser works which, to others, define the same as their "bread and butter".
Going back to the book at hand, it was cool revisiting some of the winners and losers whose immune systems allowed them to escape most people's fate--death. I'd forgotten how much I liked and disliked some. Tom Cullen, "laws yes", continues to be a delight--as do Nick, Glen, and Stu. I'd forgotten how self centered Franny and Larry come across. And those that I loved to hate included Trash and Lloyd. On the other hand, pure evil was demonstrated by Harold, Nadine, and Flagg himself.
The uncut version is of epic proportion. Is it worth the time investment? Yes. However, I feel that I got just as much out of the original edited version and, by recollection, it moved quite a bit faster. Again, this is Mr. King at his best--so you can't go wrong.
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Summary: King's Epic...can also be used as booster for small children...
Comment: No wonder there's a saying..."as scarce as clean paper in Stephen King's house." I know it's daunting, but worth every word. This timeless plot of good vs. evil rides again gallantly as King puts the characters through their paces. I read the edited version and then the uncut...well worth the extra pounds. (I tease) Again a King classic and, in my humble opinion, a classic on it's own merit.
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Summary: Stephen King's Greatest Novel
Comment: Dear God this is the perfect apocalyptic novel ever! There is everything in this book really: antichrist, disease, violence, and Stephen King takes the time to give background to all of the characters in this novel! Yeah it was long. It took me five months to finish it, but it is worth the time!
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Summary: Stephan King's Best
Comment: This is the best book stephan king has ever written. Sadness, terror, and a happy ending make this book amazing. It will keep you on the edge of your seat for the full 1141 pages.
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Summary: One of his crowning achievements
Comment: This is one book that can testify to the fact that Stephen King is a literary genius.
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