|
taosaur, bear in mind that "schlock" means cheap, trashy, inferior quality. It has rarely been a very good description of King's novels, even the ones I don't like. It is, however, a good description of many of the horror movies made from his books, as it is of many horror movies of that era (it seems to me).
It is possibly fair to write off It as merely a fan favourite, but I don't think that really applies to The Stand. Despite its length and other imperfections, it has garnered appreciation from quite a wide audience.
As for self-indulgent? Well, placing a non-fiction article (and poem) about baseball in a collection of short horror stories (Nightmares and Dreamscapes) probably qualifies. But when it comes to his novels ... Yes, it's true that these days readers don't necessarily have the patience for that sort extended background to a story, but it shouldn't be mistaken for self-indulgence. It is the way King tells his stories (and he's not the only one, just one of the more famous). You either like it, or you don't.
|