Steven King's Cell

Doc Sonic · 12-17-2006, 11:38 PM

This is out in paperback now. I picked it up last week. The plot really can't be deciphered from reading the back so I picked it up not really knowing much about the plot other than it had something to do with a cell phones.

In a nutshell the story centers around a signal that is sent through cell phones world wide. Anyone who uses their phone (and hears the "pulse" as it's called) basically turns into a raving,homocidal lunatic. Seeing how cell phones are so prevalent in our society the world quickly goes to hell in a handbasket. The book charts some non-cell phone survivors and their story as they fight against this growing army of "phone-crazies". That's as far as I'll go with the plot for anyone reading or planning to read this book.

I never usually read book quickly. I'll pick up a book I'm reading whenever I get the spare time but I never usually make time for reading. This book was different. It grabs you in the first few pages and almost compells you foward with it's different plot threads and comples evolving story. I could hardly put this book down and read it in only a few sessions.

Just finishing it in the wee hours of the morning today I felt let down. I didn't feel as though there was resolution of the plot. Many unanswered questions left me feeling unsatisfied and the feeling like the book was unfinished.

Did anyone else read this and do you feel the same?

JDH · 12-18-2006, 06:23 AM

I'm a big Stephen King fan, but never start one of his books expecting a good ending. Cell's ending was better than some, and I particularly liked the very end, but the big climax before that seemed a bit contrived. The big picture seemed a bit poorly thought out - kind of like Civil War, it takes a lot of faith on the part of the reader to blindly accept that everything would go to hell in a handbasket so quickly.

The horror along the way was the usual compelling stuff though. Endings apart he is an exceptional writer.

Johnneeukca · 12-18-2006, 10:50 AM

I read thiis a while ago. I liked it but something about it left a bad taste. It wasn't the ending, which I thought was just right for the novel. I don't know what it was, just ... i dunno. I could be King's style, I don't think King's as good as he's made out to be (sorry, JDH) I think ihe was in the right place at the right time and has been doing well with it ever since. I much prefer Robert Mccammon's style as a horror writer (when he was), or Elizabeth Massie. .

batman1180 · 12-18-2006, 05:05 PM

I read this when it came in hard back. I was a little disappointed with it overall. The first 200 pages or so were great, then it got a little old, but I finished it none the less.

rilynil · 12-18-2006, 05:53 PM

I enjoyed "Cell" but I think Stephen King truly got back into form with "Lisey's Story." It seemed to me that he had the old fire in the belly again for the first time since he was nearly killed. Loved it.

Doc Sonic · 12-18-2006, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rilynil

I enjoyed "Cell" but I think Stephen King truly got back into form with "Lisey's Story." It seemed to me that he had the old fire in the belly again for the first time since he was nearly killed. Loved it.

They included the first chapter of that with the paperback of CELL. It didn't interest me and I didn't end up reading all of the chapter.What's the plot about?

bat_collector · 12-19-2006, 04:21 PM

Loved Cell until the stupid, contrived resolution. I hated it.