# Has Anyone Read "It" by Stephen King



## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

My husband and I just finished The Stand by King and really liked it and hated for it to end. We are now looking for another good book and I have It on my Kindle and a friend said we should read it next. Anyone read it and what do you think.


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## Steven L. Hawk (Jul 10, 2010)

_The Stand _ is my all time favorite King book but I've pretty much read them all. _It_ is okay, but not the best, IMO. If you're looking for something similar to _The Stand_, you might be dissappointed as nothing else King has written is similar. Some of my favorite King books:

_Salem's Lot _ - if you like horror
_The Long Walk _ - written as Richard Bachman

You'll likely get a lot of different responses to your question. All will be good, because King is that good. Good luck!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

"It" is my favorite book of King. I haven't read any of his new stuff in years now, but I read a lot of the older stuff. 

Its a book that has stuck with me for a long long time. Its pretty incredible I think.


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## crash86 (Oct 8, 2010)

Good book, I also recommend Pet Semetary.  It's not a long book like It or the Stand but still a good read but a bit scary if you have kids lol.  I also recommend Rage, part of the Bachman books.  I know that the story was pulled out of the market by Stephen King after the Columbine shooting but it should still be available in the Bachman book collection which is a good collection of stories as well.  My favorite book though was the Dark Half.


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## stormhawk (Apr 29, 2009)

I really like King, would suggest reading everything up to the accident, in publication order.

Okay, skip ahead to The Shining, then follow my advice. Oh, if you manage to miss Tommyknockers, that's okay.

"It" was pretty cool, but I would get acquainted with the town of Derry and environs first.


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## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

IMO, Eyes of the Dragon is a much better book than It 

Sandy


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## Jeansaint (May 29, 2009)

Another book that is just as good as the Stand and the same type of story is Swansong by Robert McCammon. its available on the Kindle and I highly recommend it if you like that type of story, I liked it as much if not more than the Stand. As far as other Stephen kings, I really liked Duma Key, Bag of Bones and IT, but hated Under the Dome.


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## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

I love King and have read alot of his books but I had never read The Stand. I just really did not like that kind of book but as I have grown older I find I do which is strange. I loved The Shining. I had heard Swan Song was really good and it looks like it has good reviews so I may read it. My husband loved The Stand and has asked me to find us another long book that good so I told him I would try. We have It and Under The Dome and his new one that has I think four stories in it on our Kindle so it will probably be one of those. Keep those suggestions coming.


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## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

I love it. As the Nike adverts would say, "_Just do It_". You won't be disappointed.

James


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## Paegan (Jul 20, 2009)

IMHO...IT is the best book Stephen King has written. I liked it better than The Stand.


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## VanillaEps (May 5, 2010)

IT is a fantastic novel that gets to the core of horror and fear.  You won't be disappointed.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

_IT_ was the first book I read by King. I really liked it even though it scared the crap out of me. I read quite a few after that but that one was by far the scariest.

I really liked Green Mile as well, I read it when it was posted in little mini books (can't remember what it is called now) over a 6 month period.


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## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

If I were ranking my favorite King books, _It_ would be very far down on the list. I wasn't impressed at all -- I thought it was an overly long and drawn out mediocre story.


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## Erik Williams (Jun 13, 2009)

IT is good but overly long.  PET SEMETERY is much better, IMO.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

It's (pardon the pun) interesting how people's perception of a book vary. I just finished The Stand as well. It was an OK book but not the greatest -- good story, though. I've heard you either love The Stand or hate it. I guess I'm in the middle somewhere. _It_ was my next logical choice to read as far as King's books but as stated above some really like _It_ (it) and others don't. _It_ (It's) on my list to read. Who knows _It_ (it), may be the next book I'll read. I really like King's Under the Dome. You and your husband may like it. The character development was great. Good luck.

By the way, I have to say that one of the things that really bothers me about King's books, especially The Stand and Under the Dome, is the foul language. The extensive use of the F-word was offensive and annoying. Obviously, I don't like hearing or reading the F-word. I read it and I cringe so for me when that happens with King's books I get "out of the grove" and stall when I read that particular, popular word. It makes me hesitate to read _It_.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

Salem's Lot was good but, again, not great.  Some parts of it did scare me but that was mostly because I was reading it late at night when everyone was asleep.


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## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

I read IT many years ago and loved it. The Talisman is, and will probably remain, my favorite King book though.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

I have probably read _IT_ 15-20 times. The first time I read it I was 12. it started my lifelong love of SK's books.


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

sparklemotion said:


> I read IT many years ago and loved it. The Talisman is, and will probably remain, my favorite King book though.


Yes! Me too. I haven't read too many of his books - though I have read IT and a handful of others. I liked IT but I loved The Talisman.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

If you have a clown thing like me, then _It_ just might scare the bejesus out of you.


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## libbyfh (Feb 11, 2010)

I must have read IT over 20 years ago. I hated it, but I still remember the entire book.


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## Geemont (Nov 18, 2008)

I read it as a new release in 1987 after finishing college. It was OK, but I was expecting something better for some reason and I think it was the first real hint that King would be dropping off my favorite author list in a few years. Before _It_ I though King could do no wrong. Not his worst book by any means--those were forthcoming.


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## RyanMWilliams (May 28, 2010)

"It" has always been a favorite of mine for Stephen King books. I've signed up for a Stephen King reading challenge over at Book Chick City and I just might be rereading that one. 'Salem's Lot is another that I like real well. But if you want something that lasts, there's always the Dark Tower series (which I also really like)


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## Deb G (Jan 18, 2009)

IT was definitely my favorite King book. THE STAND was good too.  But the parallel story lines for all of the characters can't be beat. Other King books are good but it was the best!


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I  remember starting  it when it came out but never finished it..  I think that was about when I decided King's writing was getting too strange for my tastes.


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## jimbronyaur (Feb 9, 2011)

IT... one of my favorites.  Movie and book.  It's a very long book and in typical King fashion, he goes deep into each and every character.  Towards the end it seems more to run out of gas but again, with King - at least in my opinion - he's more about creating the world in his story than anything else.  He sets books up so awesome he doesn't need some shocking ending to make it worth while.

My personal favorite of King is Pet Semetary.  Read it when I was 8 and it is the scariest book and movie I've ever seen.  

IF you have the time... and urge... I highly rec. The Dark Tower books.  There are 7 of them and they are monsters in themselves to read... I never EVER was into a series before until I started reading these books.


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## ScottLCollins (Dec 7, 2009)

I enjoyed IT, though it was nothing like The Stand. The Dark Tower series is also fantastic as others have mentioned and is one of a few of King's books (or series) that I plan to read again. The Green Mile is another.

Happy Reading!
Scott


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## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

I love King's IT! One of my faves.

And while I felt the television mini-series wasn't nearly as good as the book, Tim Curry as Pennywise was a brilliant choice.


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## J.M Pierce (May 13, 2010)

Do it! It's a great book!


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## davidhburton (Mar 11, 2010)

I read "It" as a teenager and it still haunts me today. Truly, one of his best novels, and I was an avid King fan. I read a lot of his work. Go for it, you won't be disappointed.


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## planet_janet (Feb 23, 2010)

I also read It has a teenager and thought it was a great book.  At some point, I'd like to read it again--only this time on my K2.


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## CCrooks (Apr 15, 2010)

IT is one of the more tattered & yellowed paperbacks on my shelf! Loved it. Probably my favorite work of his, tied with his collection of short stories in Skeleton Crew.


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## purplepen79 (May 6, 2010)

_It_ terrified me when I was a teenager. I recently re-read it as an adult, and it didn't have the same impact. In my opinion, if you read it as a collection of short stories or horrific scenes, many of the stories or scenes are absolutely terrifying on their own. However, as a novel, all these stories and scenes don't necessarily tie together as well as some of King's other novels (I'm thinking specifically of _Carrie, The Shining, Delores Claiborne, Misery, and Firestarter_.) However, that said, _It_ is definitely worth a read-through--some of the scenes are among King's most terrifying. My favorite King book of all time is a collection of novellas he wrote called _Different Seasons_--the movies _Stand by Me _ and _The Shawshank Redemption _ are based on a couple of these novellas.


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## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

I liked IT, but better examinations of dealing with childhood fears can be found IMHO 

Two favorites

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
Shadowland  - Peter Straub


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## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

williemeikle said:


> I liked IT, but better examinations of dealing with childhood fears can be found IMHO
> 
> Two favorites
> 
> ...


I like "Something Wicked..." but find it a but sacharine in places.

"Summer of Night" by Dan Simmons is similar to IT in that it is also a horror novel based on childhood. And it's great too.


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## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

James Everington said:


> I like "Something Wicked..." but find it a but sacharine in places.
> 
> "Summer of Night" by Dan Simmons is similar to IT in that it is also a horror novel based on childhood. And it's great too.


Yep, I liked that one too.

And I can forgive Bradbury's saccharine which, lets admit it, pervades a lot of his work, purely because his imagery is so brilliant.


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## Shelia A. Huggins (Jan 20, 2011)

I read both IT and The Stand. IT definitely had a scary feel to it. But I find clowns scary in general anyway. I wasn't really liking the spider thing at the end though. The Stand had more of an epic feel to it. Just different. I enjoyed them both, though.


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## RachelHowzell (Nov 4, 2010)

I've never looked at sewers or nickels the same after reading IT. Just finished Under the Dome and feared that he'd end it crappily like IT. Spider?? Really

Rachel


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

I've read "It" and liked it, but not as much as "The Shining". My personal King favorite at the moment is "Dumas Key". It's not so much that it was scary as he did such a fabulous job with the hero. For scary, my personal favorite is "The Shining". I just don't think he ever matched that for sheer terror, although "It" certainly has some terrifying moments.

I didn't really care for "The STand" although I know a lot of folks like that. Someone said it had more of an "epic" feel to it and I believe they are right. I'm just not much for the "big picture of Evil versus Good". I prefer the personal, intense, claustraphobic horror like "The Haunting of Hill House" or "The Shining".

I really recommend "Dumas Key" (I know I'm getting that title wrong somehow). I never see anyone mention it, and frankly, I think it's one of those really good, but overlooked books.


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## markedwards (Jan 20, 2011)

I read 'It' when I was at school, more than 20 years ago. I absolutely loved it at the time and a lot of it has stayed with me over the years. The ending is very weak though.

My fave King books are Misery and The Stand. But the scariest one is Pet Sematary. Now that has a brilliant ending!


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## D. Nathan Hilliard (Jun 5, 2010)

"It" is King at his zenith. He started with Carrie and kept getting better and better until he seemed to hit his pinnacle with "It." After that he kind of slid off the rails for a while, and became sort of hit or miss with his efforts. I hear he has gotten better again, but I haven't read him in a while.


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## sixnsolid (Mar 13, 2009)

Just read it  

I read it at around 18 year old and remember thinking "Holy Cannoli, a book with creepy clowns- SK is trying to scare me to death!". I'm fairly certain I didn't sleep for months


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## Elise Logan (Feb 23, 2011)

I have a long-standing problem with King. I love, love, love his short stuff. Adore it. It's the long stuff that makes me crazy. The endings are just... well, they're hosed. The ending to IT is a PERFECT example of the worst kind of hosed ending for me. The story is amazing. Compelling, terrifying, phobia-inducing awesomeness. Then... The End comes up and ruins the whole effect for me. So, yeah, I hate the end of that story. And Rose Madder. And The Shining. And Gerald's Game. And... well, pretty much every long piece except The Dark Half, which I liked, and maybe Pet Semetary, which was tolerable. 

I'd say if you loved The Stand but hated the ending, you are probably going to have a similar problem with IT. Though I recommend reading it to form your own opinion, which should then inform your further reading of King. If you find the endings as intolerable as I generally find them, try reading his short stories and novellas. He doesn't feel compelled to END them the same way as he does the long ones. 

E


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## nmg222 (Sep 14, 2010)

IT, Needful Things and the Dark Tower series I list right behind The Stand as my favorite King works.

Since you enjoyed The Stand, give 'Swan Song' by Robert McCammon a try.


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## JeanieL47 (Oct 20, 2010)

I don't know if I have ever read a Stephen King book that I didn't like. I have to agree that The Stand is still my favorite. I also like IT, though my son watched the mini series with me and it really scared him. He is now 25 and I gave him a DVD of the movie a couple of years ago for Christmas as a joke and when he opened it he threw it clear across the room..... that should say something.....


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## DavidMacinnisGill (Mar 4, 2011)

IT was the last King novel that swept me up in the story. I continued to read his work (Tommyknockers almost cured me of that), but none of his latest releases have had the same effect.


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## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

It has been many moons but I remember thoroughly enjoying "IT."  Pennywise haunts my memories and became a household word (if you don't get back here by dark, Pennywise might get you.)    And there are the culverts that run beneath my front driveway.... I am fearful to look in their shadows as he might be looking back at me.  So yes, considering I read the book aro 1938, and I can still remember portions of the book, I would have to give it a hearty recommendation.


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