[RedMonqey]

Even before I found out that King was a flaming liberal, I never thought much of him as writer.

King's works will never be confused with Shakespeare and never be the inspiration of a movement or be quoted from.

That said, he was very good at his genre, which I describe as glorified comic books.

He could write very good characters which he could make come alive and hold your attention for the length of the book.

If he had any failings it was he couldn't write the end. Too many of his books the last chapters were contrived or just not satisfying. "The Tommyknockers" was one.

"It"s ending was "stoooopid"

[ek_hornbeck]

very good at his genre, which I describe as glorified comic books

That's a very accurate description. In addition to never writing with syntax or vocabulary above the grade school level, none of King's characters have any real depth. You just get one set of posterboard cutouts, overused tropes, and clichés after another.

The books certainly sell well, but that says nothing of their quality. Barack Obama sold well to voters, and the Kardashians seem to sell well to tv watchers.