Written by Stephen King Indulge in 1104 pages Rated 4.5/5.0, based on 863 reviews. Buy from Amazon: New price: $4.43 Used price: $1.40

Chilling
Rating: 5/5
I would consider myself a pretty big fan of Stephen King's work, and I can confidently say that this book basically defines the horror genre. I guess a good (although somewhat unfair) way to gauge the genius of this story is to compare it to "The Stand" (my personal favorite work of King's). Where "The Stand" is slightly different than the rest of King's work in that it's not so much horror but rather a horrifying yet believable "what if" situation, "It" truly perfects the "monster under your bed" kind of horror. While it seems slightly more juvenile than "The Stand", it paints the images in your mind that haunt you as you lay in your dark bedroom trying to go to sleep. King did a terrific job of developing some very interesting characters and traits. It is not my favorite book of all time, but I'm sure I will pull it out every few years to read it again. If you are a fan of horror, "It" is a must read.

Not pleased at all
Rating: 1/5
I was under the impresion that the book "It" by Stephen King would be in like new condition when I ordered it. I ordered a hard copy and it arrived on time but was not in good condition. I contacted the seller and they said they would give me half off the price. I wanted the book I ordered, not a deal. It wasn't the book I ordered because it wasn't the same price as I was quoted. I was very disapointed and probably will not order again.

Just to set the record straight...This book is no epic!
Rating: 2/5
I write this review primarily to dispute the idea that this book is an epic. Time and again are people constantly labeling this book as an 'epic'. Rest assured folks, I am here to dispute that claim!

I mean people, let's be reasonable! We cannot go around labeling books epics just because they are over a-thousand pages in length can we? Epics are stories which involve a bunch of people, places, and things. This story is mainly about nothing much more than seven kids battling with some creature out of a Star Trek episode--at most to save a small town! Not even a whole country or planet or course of history either. Most of all I, as a reader, get little out of it!

Now [The Stand], that can be considered as more of an epic, as it involves a lot of characters and happenings--a plague hitting the earth and its consequences, which are mostly relatable.

[It] however, is mostly unrelatable due to simple logic!--I've never in my life seen a statue of Paul Bunyon move; nor did I ever see a silly girl running hysterical in the streets because of blood coming out of her sink that nobody else can see. And really people, if no one else can see it, then just what is she so worried about anyway? Then there's the moving polariod snapshots--what's that all about? Home videos on photographs!!? Don't make me laugh! This is supposed to be 1958 not 2058!

Now friends, I'm just as much a fan of Horror/Sci-Fi as the next guy, but I DO have my dignity to think about. Although most horror stories may be based on things we never really do see, a good one should have some sense of suspending ones disbelief or at least being so engaging that a few insults to intelligence would be forgivable.

This novel does neither, as it is often much too silly and full of silly occurances. (Mummy floating over water?) Often it reads like a drunk depressed man bitching his woes over a typewriter wrote it more than it really reads like a professionally written novel. Example--toward the end of the book when the town is collapsing: is it really so necessary for the narration of that whole occurance to occupy more than a couple pages? (Rhetorical Question.) Then there's the business with Bill Denbourough's stuttering. Is a man really going to start stuttering again just because of some stupid phone call? And don't men stutter a bit more maturely than children? I sometimes had trouble even differentiating between the adult Bill Denburough (forgive my spelling, if incorrect)in contrast to the child one, because the dialogue written for the adult version was NO DIFFERENT in style. Nor did the characters in general behave much differently than their child selves as adults!

At any rate, this novel still may be good for minor educational aspects, such as 1950's life in a small town, including the topic of racism. But, in truth, it reads much like a really long comic book that could've been more enjoyable if shorter.

Yet, who knows? Perhaps my view of this book may change the day my kid brother is murdered by a clown in a sewer, or the decapitated head of a childhood acquaintance of mine appears inside of a refrigerator. Who knows... maybe then...

--Rick Jones

Clowns Play
Rating: 4/5
"It" by Stephen, © 1981

Bill Denbrough is eleven years old. He lost his kid brother to a monster last fall and it has become the bane of his existence. He has six friends who eventually help him kill 'it'. He, and his friends, also have the bullies from school to fight every so often. This 'it' is magical and the lives of these two groups are interfered with by the magic. It is funny how the memory of what is happening blurs into what happened twenty eight years ago and then blurs out just as fast.
Part of the joy of reading Mr King's stories is that he makes the people seem so real and alive. Sometimes you get to know and understand even the smallest character as well as any of the others. It makes reading the book interesting. In the end, you have to wonder what happened to Eddie's wife, Myna? How did she get on? What did she do with the business? Etc, etc. You only got to know her through ten or so pages, but she was there and in the memory of all that occurred afterward.
It does seem that Mr. King wrote of fifteen year olds, not eleven year olds. At one point it was bandied about buying beer, at another things and realizations happened that were beyond the thought of eleven year olds, or maybe even fifteen year olds. It may have been the magic of (or 'needed for') the story and what not, but it sticks out like a sore thumb. What happens is well explained and acceptable as presented, just not for eleven year olds.
It is no wonder it took five years to write this story. The plot was intricate and some of the ploys became weird, yet it turned out okay. "The Stand" was better. Now off to read another of his stories. See if he can do better then "The Stand."