It [Paperback]

First of all, I would like to point out that I am neither an avid Stephen King nor a horror fan. I've read some of his books, and found them all fairly enjoyable. "It" is the only one of his books that enthralled, captivated, and mesmerized me. It is his absolute masterpiece and stands by itself. The story has already been abundantly described by other reviewers, so I won't go into it anymore. What most reviews (particularly the unfavorable ones) seem to miss, though, is that this is so much more than just a horror story. Sure, there is an evil monster killing children, but that is only one aspect. This aspect of the story could indeed have been told with 200 to 500 pages less, as many reviews state. But King does so much more. Not only does he present us with seven incredibly detailed and believable main characters, he also elaborates on the secondary characters, such as Henry Bowers, Tom Rogan, and even Patty Uris. Knowing their history and motivation makes these characters come to life in our minds, even though it might not be essential for the main plot. The same is true for the Derry Interludes. They give the city a face, a character, and a 200-year history. What would Derry be without the fire at the Black Spot, the explosion of the Kitchener Ironworks, or the lynching of the Bradley Gang, but just another bland exchangeable Maine town? After 700 pages you can see Derry and its inhabitants before you. They live and thrive, both in 1958 and in 1985, in images few other books can conjure up. At the end of the book you inevitably cry, not because of what happened, but simply because there is no more to read. An entire world has just winked out of existence for the reader. Those who are disappointed by the final showdown between the monster and the Losers fail to understand that this is beside the point. It doesn't really matter what the shape of the monster is or how it is beaten. What matters is how this confrontation affects and changes the main characters. Here King is utterly believable, imaginative and truly innovative. The last 35 pages or so are among the most emotionally tragic things I have ever read. It combines triumph, sadness, nostalgia, and an unbelievable loss. Another thing I really don't understand is that so many reviewers give the book bad ratings because they are morally appalled by the sex scene between the children. Throughout the book, children are getting beaten, drowned, decapitated, partially eaten, their limbs torn off, their eyeballs sucked out, and their heads bashed in with hammers. It is, after all, a horror book you are reading. If pleasurable sex is more offensive to you than gruesome violence, you should check your sense of morality. To sum it up, if you are the type of person who likes quick, down-to-the-point horror, then you should really skip this book. If you are looking for an incredible story that touches you to the point of tears and stays with you for years, than "It" will be one of your most memorable literary experiences.

I first got hooked on Stephen King after seeing an advert in the paper for 'Pet Sematary', 'a new book by Stephen King' and bought it because I liked the cover!!, well that did it - 'Firestarter', 'Christine', 'Salems Lot' etc I soon caught up with EVERYTHING he'd written previously and loved every second of them and now 20 odd years later I still look forward to the 'NEW STEPHEN KING BOOK' but I can still remember the first time 'IT' arrived and even after all these years it (no pun intended) remains my favourite all time book. I've now read it 5 times and dig it out every 5 years or so for another go! In my opinion this is the finest thing SK has ever written and can highly recommend it. If you like Stephen King and don't have this in your collection then you're not a Stephen King fan, simple as that.

A Brilliant book.

5 out of 5

Where to start? 'It' is King's finest to date. After a shakey start (this book is over 1100 pages, of course it will take a while to get going") this book is a real effort to put down, a rare trait in a book of such a size. The plot is a masterpiece by King seond only to the character development, interwoven between two timelines; now (well 1985) and the summer of 1958. If I tried to explain it the explanation would start something like this: Well there's this murderous monster clown invisible to adults who feeds on children in a small Maine town... So I'll stop now and you'll have to trust me this book is good. Childhood is a recurring theme in all King's work (as it is in Bill Denborough's) and It is no exception, the description of the children's lives is a joy to read even when there are no werewolves or lepers to get in the way. Perhaps the children are a bit too mature for their age but this is easily overlooked, it makes up for all the times they are (wrongly?) potrayed as immature idiots. Suprisingly for a book with so many main characters the reader soon knows all seven's first names, sirnames, parents and interests (and is interested!). There is so much to praise here but this is still really a book for people who like horror. King just can't wait to add in little details about supporting characters somewhere along the lines of: John Smith (who would lose both his legs 5 years later after a motorcycle accident). Then there is the story of Patrick Hockstetter and his fridge; not for the faint hearted. There are many little details that people have picked upon, but very few books are perfect and all the fantastic work makes these very minor indeed. The ending is good but not as good as the rest of the book and I feel that this is the reason it stands out so much. So don't worry you won't be disappointed at the end. So constant reader, enjoy and remember to stock up on light bulbs, your bedside lamp will be on all night. Remember this book is responsible for a global irrational fear of clowns. Head my warning.

By the way look out for a cameo from everyone's favourite shiner Dick Hallorann

Next... Neil Gaiman's American Gods