Has anyone read Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

[7_Sorrows]

I was a big fan of Stephen King’s earlier works and stopped buying his books in the 90’s and the last 10-15 years. So I happened to be at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago and saw this book in paperback and decided to buy it.
Anyhow I haven’t had a lot of time for pleasure reading the past few years and so this was a break from spiritual reading.
This book grabbed my attention from the beginning, but the bad guy is just so disturbing and mentally unhealthy and I wonder why Stephen King needs to make the bad guys so dark and disturbed. I really don’t find this good literature and I wonder what age he is writing for. I am going to try to finish this book, but it is not going to be easy.
Anyhow I just wondered if anyone else had read this book and wanted to share their thoughts about this book or Stephen King.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I think that King is writing from his own inner darkness and I tend to avoid his books. The only one that I cared for was THE STAND, but that was pretty disturbing as well. I would rather find a good, lite comedy on TV, but they are hard to find. When you finish the book let us know how it turns out. Peace.

 

[Songcatcher]

I read it when it first came out. I don’t remember much about the main villain but I liked the main character and the young guy who was helping him. Not his best book but a pretty good read.

Now, Revival, the book he released after Mr Mercedes, was deeply disturbing. It’s one of the few books I regret having read. It has been over a year since I read it and it still bothers me.

 

[Memaw]

I think that King is writing from his own inner darkness and I tend to avoid his books. The only one that I cared for was THE STAND, but that was pretty disturbing as well. I would rather find a good, lite comedy on TV, but they are hard to find. When you finish the book let us know how it turns out. Peace.

I have stayed away from anything he writes, Over 20 years ago while I was living in Maine, I talked to several people from Durham, ME and they said they would rather NOT be known as his home town as they were not proud of his writings. He is a troubled man. Your proving their point! I’d rather not fill my mind with that kind of stuff. I wouldn’t call that “pleasure” reading. Is Spiritual reading not pleasure?? Someone once said that everything you read has some kind of an effect on your thinking. Who needs it. God Bless, Memaw

 

[bluerose]

I have found his memoirs, titled “On Writing”, to be his best work.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I have stayed away from anything he writes, Over 20 years ago while I was living in Maine, I talked to several people from Durham, ME and they said they would rather NOT be known as his home town as they were not proud of his writings. He is a troubled man. Your proving their point! I’d rather not fill my mind with that kind of stuff. I wouldn’t call that “pleasure” reading. Is Spiritual reading not pleasure?? Someone once said that everything you read has some kind of an effect on your thinking. Who needs it. God Bless, Memaw

by pleasure reading I mean fiction - a story being told or a historical book (I want to read the knew book by Erik Larsen about the sinking of the Lusitania) or I enjoy a work of fiction with a historical background. I also enjoy for pleasure biographies and I love a good mystery.

I don’t know that much about Stephen King or his childhood or adult life, but I wonder how he can come up with some of the characters. Granted we see in our daily news people who are twisted and evil. I think it does effect your thinking.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I read it when it first came out. I don’t remember much about the main villain but I liked the main character and the young guy who was helping him. Not his best book but a pretty good read.

Now, Revival, the book he released after Mr Mercedes, was deeply disturbing. It’s one of the few books I regret having read. It has been over a year since I read it and it still bothers me.

Thanks for the warning about Revival.
Yes I like the main character Hodges and his friend Jerome.

 

[Used2beSherryG]

by pleasure reading I mean fiction - a story being told or a historical book (I want to read the knew book by Erik Larsen about the sinking of the Lusitania) or I enjoy a work of fiction with a historical background. I also enjoy for pleasure biographies and I love a good mystery.

I don’t know that much about Stephen King or his childhood or adult life, but I wonder how he can come up with some of the characters. Granted we see in our daily news people who are twisted and evil. I think it does effect your thinking.

I mainly focus on spiritual reading, too, but I know what you mean about taking a break from time to time for some good fiction. I have recently read several books written by Bud MacFarlane that are promoted on his Catholic website www.catholiccity.com. Pierced By a Sword, House of Gold and Conceived Without Sin. They are offered for a donation only, published by St. Jude Media. I thoroughly enjoyed reading fiction with a Catholic bent. Each one builds on the last, but any could be read as a stand alone story. Suspense, sorrow, joy, mystery. I highly recommend for a refreshing break.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I mainly focus on spiritual reading, too, but I know what you mean about taking a break from time to time for some good fiction. I have recently read several books written by Bud MacFarlane that are promoted on his Catholic website www.catholiccity.com. Pierced By a Sword, House of Gold and Conceived Without Sin. They are offered for a donation only, published by St. Jude Media. I thoroughly enjoyed reading fiction with a Catholic bent. Each one builds on the last, but any could be read as a stand alone story. Suspense, sorrow, joy, mystery. I highly recommend for a refreshing break.

I have seen these at our church library and have been tempted to read one. I wasn’t real sure of their content or if they were good so thanks for the recommendation.