The Stephen King Book You Will (Probably) Never Read

If you went to the movies this past weekend, you may have seen a movie called It. It is a remake (newer version of a film) based on a 1986 novel (book-length story) by Stephen King.  The film is already a big hit (success). In one weekend, it earned over $180 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful films of 2017 so far (up to now) in the U.S.

As you probably know, Stephen King is one of the most famous and successful contemporary (in modern times) American writers. He has published (put in print for sale) 54 novels, 200 short stories, and has had many of his books and short stories adapted (used as the basis to create) into successful films, such as The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Misery, Stand by Me, Carrie, Cujo, and The Shining.

But there is one novel Stephen King does not want you to read, one that will probably never be made into a film. It’s a book called Rage.

King wrote the novel Rage when he was in high school in 1965. It was later published under the pseudonym (false name an author uses) Richard Bachman in 1977. Rage tells the story of an angry high school student who kills his teacher and then takes the other students hostage (kept prisoner until demands are met). In the years after its publication, several incidents (events) happened that caused King to ask his publisher (company that produces books) to stop printing it.

Between 1988 and 1997, four students in different states — California, Washington, and Kentucky (2) — either killed or held other high school students hostage. All four students either said they were inspired by (got the idea from) the novel or had a copy of the novel in their locker (locked box at school where students keep their books and materials).

After these incidences, King said he believed that the book was a “possible accelerant.” An accelerant is a substance that makes a fire burn more quickly or fiercely (with more force). So in this case, he thought that the book helped those young men put their thoughts into violent (using force to hurt others) action. King thought that the book was hurting people, and that pulling it (removing it so that others can’t buy it) was the responsible thing to do.

Because Rage is no longer in print (produced for sale), it has become one of the most sought-after (looked for and wanted) books by book collectors. If you see one in a used bookstore, you may want to buy it, but even the author himself would recommend that you don’t read it.

~ Lucy

Image Credit: Wikipedia

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9 Responses to The Stephen King Book You Will (Probably) Never Read

  1. Tania says:

    Hi,

    I have read in our magazines about the new movie It, a 2017 American
    supernatural horror film. According to the Wikipedia, many calling it
    one of the best King adaptations.
    It premiered in Los Angeles on September 5, 2017.
    I am not a fan of the horror movies, but Stephen King is one of most
    famous American writers.
    Thank you , dear Lucy. I like all the latest news.

    Best wishes,

    Tania

  2. Tania says:

    Hi,

    I remember of the English Cafe where Jeff tells us about
    The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King.
    A great movie, too. I have seen it. The same The Shining.

  3. Tania says:

    Hi,

    Dear Emiliano, I know that Stephen King is one of your prefered
    writers.
    So, a great topic to you.
    We are waiting for your opinions.

    Much health to you and Cuca.

    Tania

  4. emiliano says:

    Sorry Lucy,
    What a pity, I have the book, where is it now?
    I don´t remember may be my daughter Fátima has it.
    Yes, I have read it as nearly all Stephen King´s books, of course I also read all Richard B., books being some of them really very good.

    For instance The Long Way, one of his best, but also The
    Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger making the movie based in this book.

    “It” I do think cold be his best book with The Shining and some other few more.

    Rage was like a prophecy about what is going to happens in future, but even
    Mr. Mercedes written two years ago, more or less, was like another bad very bad
    prophecy when I think what has happened in Niza, Berlin, Stockholm or Barcelona.

    Last Friday I watched “It” just the same day it was performed by the first time here in Spain.
    I liked it, not as much as the book of course but it has some of the ideas about
    friendship the book has.
    Other aspect of life in the living of these young people are good exposed in the movie made just in a different way as the book it was written.

    The book started being the young friends as adults who are requested to go to the little town where again the clown appeared and it happens each 27 years.
    Again little children are being disappearing in Derry, the same it happened when they were young, five boys “the loser” and a girl close friends along a summer time in Derry.
    At the end of this movie, also in the book, they do a blood pact of returning to this town if the bloody clown appears again.

    It takes all aspect of life, friendship, bulling in the school, poetry, love, sexual harassment of a father to his daughter, a insane mother who tyrannize his son doing invention of some illness the boy has not, a boy that does not exist to his parents because their little children had disappeared and they think why not the older boy instead of the other little son, and so on.

    Movie has two parts, first one is what is now exposed and has so great succeed.

    I do think it is better to read the book and after if you like go to watch the movie.

    Thank you very much Lucy, have you read any book of Stephen King?
    By my side I possible read forty or more, may be more.
    Year ago, too many years, I wrote to him and He sent me a book dedicated
    with his signature.
    A great Chap Stephen King, more or less of my age.
    He likes same music, same books and has a similitude way of understanding life with my own when he writes about usual things.

    emiliano

  5. emiliano says:

    Rage1977
    de Richard Bachman
    Libro de bolsillo
    EUR 836,82 usado y nuevo (2 ofertas)

    La Larga Marcha
    de Richard Bachman
    Tapa dura
    EUR 352,36 usado y nuevo(1 oferta)

    These are the prizes some people ask for some of King´s books.
    What a pity I have not the books any more.

  6. emiliano says:

    Yes Tania, I am a fan of him.
    May daughters are even more than me, think that Fátima could read “It” five, six or seven time.
    Eva is also an absolute fan, like her father.
    Laura more or less, not as much as her sisters or father.

    When Fátima read “It” so many times at the end the book was destroyed with all its pages out of site.
    Never mind,, I bought a new one.
    She was fascinated by the way this author touch the little things in a town not to big, and the friendship of these group of five boys and a girl.
    Horror?
    Not at all, every body who has not read S.K., thinks he is an horror writer, a big
    mistake.
    If you watched the news they are more horror events that how he could described
    life in his books.

  7. emiliano says:

    If you want to buy the book
    it is in Amazon.
    See the price:

    Rage Mass Market Paperback – September 6, 1977
    by Richard Bachman (Author)
    Paperback
    from $779.99
    6 Used from $779.99
    1 New from $780.00

    Mass Market Paperback
    from $650.00
    1 Used from $650.00

  8. Peter says:

    Hi Lucy ,
    I remember the book
    I read it myself
    U know
    If my memory serves me correctly , it was all at the same time when there was a surge of such movies in Hollywood
    Do u remember ?

    Kids take on teachers
    Bully them
    Or even take on the convictions -u know what was socially acceptable back then.
    what was deemed as cod of conducts.
    Off the top of my head , I can list the names of a bunch of them.
    As a matter of fact , it was very popular genre Back in late 80s and early 90s.
    But , they were not the adoption of king’s Book. Perhaps ,inspired by his book.
    Most definitely , they had a totally different story lines.
    The story line varied from one high school movie to another. However ,they all had one thing in common: Violence and rebellion.
    u know , resisting the authorities.
    I always get a big kick out of them back in high school.

    Well ,they are a thing of past
    I have mellowed over time. Honest ? I miss all the care free , rebellious attitude we had back in high school.
    Man
    We didn’t give a damn- without a care in the world.
    Don’t get me wrong. I was not a troubled kid. But I was a trouble maker
    I made sure of that.
    Lucy ,
    Your post took me back

    😉
    Pete

  9. Peter says:

    It was not what is cracked up to be.

    I watch the movie ” IT” last night
    Thabks God ,i wasted my free ticket on it.

    It is a kid flick
    The movie auditorium was packed with high school kids denoting that the move must be as silly as the Clawn playing in it.
    Man
    It was a 2 hours of my life I never get back
    The movie is a flop
    I dozed off several times during the movie
    I must say Mr King dropped the ball on this one.
    It is like a bad transcript for a Walt disny movie

    🙂
    Pete

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