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What are readers saying about Needful Things?
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-04-21 07:15:09.
(Language: English)
  
The Richard K. Straker character from SALEM'S LOT gets his own spinoff show as Leland Gaunt in NEEDFUL THINGS. A few tricks you can spot up King's sleeve before he pulls them and the ending is all too catastrophic for my tastes, but, hey, it's still a good read and makes your flesh crawl. Who could ask for anything more? Charleton Heston's son made it into a movie in 2009 starring Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, and Bonnie Bedelia.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-19 04:31:08.
(Language: English)
One of the BEST books I´ve read ever.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-10 08:07:15.
(Language: English)
Made my hands hurt
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-04-12 08:18:57.
(Language: French)
Génial !!!
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Nupur posted a review at 2011-09-21 09:57:10.
(Language: English)
This book is one of King's good ones. He is verbose indeed when he is describing his characters and his plot. Although it may not seem obvious initially, he does a good job building up the story. I look forward to watching the movie.
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T.J. posted a review at 2010-04-09 08:28:38.
(Language: English)
This is in my top 5 Stephen King books. Truly twisted and awesome.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-08 04:48:05.
(Language: English)
This is the first of Stephen King's novels I have read that is firmly rooted in the horror genre -- and my oh my what a grand tale! Perhaps not well known but VERY worth the time. It is a vicious appraisal of the shallow nature of American society. Well done Mr. King!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-07-29 08:19:50.
(Language: English)
One of King's deeper and darker novels. Excellent reading!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-04 12:00:52.
(Language: English)
Another good one by Mr. King...with an ending that sort of falls down a bit...but you have to love his story telling.
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Patrick posted a review at 2010-10-15 02:40:04.
(Language: English)
Excellent characters and detail as always from King and an interesting story but it's a little too long and suffers from a reasonably mediocre ending. Well worth the read though.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-12-29 01:22:37.
(Language: English)
As anyone who grew up in a small town can tell you, they all have their own little secrets, their own little idiosyncrasies, their own little squabbles and issues. In a place where pretty much everyone knows everyone else, or has at least heard of everyone, it's just the way things tend to be. Castle Rock is no different, and in fact, it may have more than most. For those people such as myself who have read Stephen King's work before, this place is not new. We have walked these streets before, and know at least a portion of the secrets that the town holds. This book however delves even deeper into the way the people in the town are connected to each other, and being King, it's not in a good way. This gives us a look into the darker side of the human spirit as well as the supernatural darkness that we have come to expect. We see them as people, and then it shows us how the people can so easily be turned into monsters with just a little push in the right direction. That in itself is a much scarier aspect of this book than Mr. Gaunt could be in any incarnation. I enjoyed this book, although it does perhaps get a little long in the tooth in places. However it is interesting to see how each of the characters lives mingle with each other, and how they deal with their own particular 'Needful Thing'. All in all it was a decent story with good characters. I also think it was a good way to say goodbye (for the most part) to a town that many of us have been to before. Favorite quotes/passages ...The Dance of Female Investigation is as sure as the fact of death and the force of gravity. There were people who lied for gain, people who lied from pain, people who lied simply because the concept of telling the truth was utterly alien to them...and then there were people who lied because they were waiting for it to be time to tell the truth. She nodded. Her frown smoothed out a little but did not disappear. "Of course I do. Characters in movies and TV shows always get to spend a little more time pining dramatically, don't they?" "You put your finger on it. In the movies you get a lot of pining but precious little grief. Because grief is too real. Grief is..." He let go of her arms, slowly picked up a dish and began to wipe it dry. "Grief is brutal."
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patty posted a review at 2011-12-20 02:05:44.
(Language: English)
I don't like his books, but, this is the funniest, gruesome etc. The movie, of course, ruined the book. Really, a little black dog in place of a Rot!!!!!!!!!!!
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Tyler posted a review at 2011-08-02 07:40:33.
(Language: English)
A Sci Fi tale of a store that seems to have exactly what ever you are looking for. But these items come for a price more then money. The desperation in this book comes out in its slowly building pace and explosive finish. It won't be for everyone but I thought it was very well done.
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Janice posted a review at 2009-07-12 07:31:38.
(Language: English)
One doesn't think of Stephen King novels as amusing or funny, but this is the exception. It's premise is "be careful what you wish for" - just because you want something doesn't mean you need it. The townsfolk who fall prey to the shop's items pay with their lives and their sanity. Couldn't stop giggling at certain points where King inserts tidbits of dark humor. One of my favorites from his writings.
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Martin posted a review at 2010-03-12 08:56:34.
(Language: English)
Brilliant. Great characterisations and lots of dark humour. Leland Gaunt has to be one of SK's best villains.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-25 11:00:55.
(Language: English)
Love this book !!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-12-09 03:40:02.
(Language: English)
The book started out so mysteriously intriguing,I couldn't wait to turn the pages.Like,who was this mysterious newcomer in town opening a shop mysteriously named "Needful things"?How come he managed to have things that the townsppl desired deep down their heartｓ？ Whatever is the newcomer's intention and what's with his special evil powers??How will the Sheriff be able to stop him single-handedly, when the whole town seems abt to cuck Thanks to the lengthy unwinding of this plot, I ,unfortunately,lost my interest in finding out.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-06 09:35:37.
(Language: English)
I really liked this book, very interesting and it keeps you wondering. A five star!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-07 11:25:30.
(Language: English)
Creepy, definitely a great King novel.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-24 06:13:23.
(Language: English)
Very creepy but then nobody does creepy quite like King
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-04-22 02:48:13.
(Language: English)
That book is great, as usual when it comes to king`s novels... don`t see the movie before reading it. better yet, don`t see the movie at all!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-11 07:19:53.
(Language: Portuguese)
Enorme, mas maravilhoso. Você não consegue parar de ler. Os moradores mega americanos e Kingianos de uma cidadezinha se matando a machadadas, tiros, facadas...muito bom mesmo!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-20 12:36:48.
(Language: English)
So far so good
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-10-27 09:21:56.
(Language: Spanish)
Pues hay una sola cosa que tengo que decir de este libro, despues de saco de huesos mi favorito de entre los que tengo de steven king, el unico problema es que a veces entre tanto personaje que se presenta has perdido el hilo de quien es quien, pero a la final que importa porque con lo caotica que se vuelven las cosas... aqui solo tengo una cosa que decir: "En pueblo pequeño, Apocalipsis inmeso" porque es el villorio donde suceden las peores cosas.
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David posted a review at 2010-05-24 07:36:48.
(Language: English)
This was my first time reading Stephen King. I have seen a couple of his movies - so I knew it would be a little different. The story takes place in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Since I lived in New England for a year - I loved this fact right away. As the story begins a man moves to town and opens a new shop named "Needful Things." Of course every one in the little town are curious about this new store. The story introduces a wide array of characters each with their own unique set of problems. One by one they make a visit to Needful Things where each person is drawn to an item they want more than anything else. It seems like they fall under the spell of the store's owner. At first he seems like a kind elderly gentleman, but soon you realize the old guy is evil incarnate. This is what makes the book a good story. When you know who the bad guy is you know who the villain is going to be. For me there is no clear "good guy." All the other characters seem to be vulnerable to the store owner, and it leaves you feeling like it is a hopeless situation. Why are these people so naive and stupid? Will they ever wake up? Will they ever figure it out? They all ignore the sign hanging in the shop, "Caveat emptor" ("Let the buyer beware"). The shop sort of reminds me of the inside of a pawn shop. One after another they buy something they believe they need. The price is too good to be true because each person pays a small amount of money, but must perform a small favor for the store owner. It is unbelievable how gullible the people are, but you soon realize this being has them under a spell - and they really do not seem to realize what they are doing. Pretty soon all the little favors (pranks) have the whole town of Castle Rock at war with itself. It feels like the whole town is going to be destroyed. In the end, after a few good people see the light the bad guy is vanquished from Castle Rock, Maine, but the book ends with the reader traveling to Junction City, Iowa, where the new sign for the store is "Answered Prayers." Suggesting he has set up shop someplace else and the whole business cycle is starting all over again. A movie was made in 1993 based on the book - I think I'll try to rent it to see if I like it better than the book or not.
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