Best? I don't think the Dark Tower stuff is King's best - parts of it might be close. I think the best would be found in some of his short stories. The Strand made me cry and I have ice water for blood. Parts of The Stand are better than the best of the Dark Tower series. I think The Shining was better crafted than the Dark Tower series.

Gaiman a "better" author? While this is generally debatable, there is, IMO, a problem with dubbing writing of one person "better" than somebody else at least one the literary level the discussion is aimed at here. Different yes, better written, probably, more valueable as to certain criteriae, possibly.

i think there are many things that gaiman lacks in american gods. i'm not saying i'm a big fan of steven king, i don't like most of his books because he writes too abstract and there's too much blood in them. but noone can say he's not imaginative, no. noone can ever write a masterpiece like dark tower.
i accept that it's hard to read the series (dt) because it's way too long and the first book is a litte boring(my fauvorite is "wizard and glass"). but, books affected me so much that i couldn't sleep for nights. also i think sandman is better than american gods anyway.

but to talk about being a writer, i like gaiman better.

pshhhhhhh. American Gods and the Dark Tower series are bout equally great. American Gods is one novel versus 7. Following Roland from begining to end was simply amazing. Rolands story is so much deeper than Shadows. Now this doesnt take away from Shadow at all. Im not picking sides im just saying dont knock the Dark Tower till you been there and back *wink*.

MUCH better than King...one might even say "more king-like than King, with the nose to prove it", if one was a huge dork. Which I am. So there.
That being said, I gifted my 18 year old nephew with "AG" for Christmas, thus proving I am the world's greatest auntie - he loves it, wants more NG books. But he'll have to buy those for himself. Cheers.

much much much better then King (for me)
..i could read it thousant times all over again..

pshhhhhhhhhhhawwwwww. I cant even believe we are having this conversation conserding that king gives his blessings on "NG" work. the dark tower was a 7 novel story. Totally in depth, you had a chance to get to know the characters. and when it ended did you not feel rolands pain? did you not see the trials and tribulations that he went through. some who would agrue destiny would say he had no choice in the matter. but i disagree, he gave up the love of his life to save all worlds. and if any of you have every expercienced love like that you would know the sacrafice. its evident in the end when he skips rooms because he skips certain rooms and goes to the top. i felt so bad for roland in the end. this guy sacraficed himself to save everything that is. now now downing "NG" but that is a great if not the best story ive ever read.

and i would also like to add, how many of you have read the "Dark Tower" series. or howa bout"The Eyes of a Dragon".

Well, I've read the "Dark Tower" series. And while some parts are very illuminating and such, I wasn't as emotionally invested in the story or characters as I was in "AG". Again, not to take away from King, but IMO, Gaiman's work is far more accessible. With the exception of "The Talisman", which is my all-time favorite book. Make of it what you will, my friend.

quote:

Originally posted by s2mercury:
Gaiman a "better" author? While this is generally debatable, there is, IMO, a problem with dubbing writing of one person "better" than somebody else at least one the literary level the discussion is aimed at here. Different yes, better written, probably, more valueable as to certain criteriae, possibly.

And I completely agree with you. It's really difficult to debate an author's "betterness" over the other as taste is so subjective.

Literature is art and art is subjective.
I prefer Gaiman to King...

Speaking as someone who's read most of King's books, I think King is one of the best authors of all time, but most of his books are not as good as American Gods. Which isn't saying much because American Gods is one of my favourite books ever.

The Dark Tower is a fantastic series. Personally I think the stuff near the end with real life and the world of the story coming together, and them meeting Stephen King, is really lame. But the ending made up for it. And I feel as though I know Roland as well as I know Shadow. Perhaps not as well as I know Morpheus though.

Stephen King was my favourite author until I discovered Gaiman.

you know, American Gods reminded me a bit of The Stand for some reason. I liked NG....differently than King. If I had to pick, I would pick Neil Gaiman's books, though....they just feel more at home in my brain than King's books...I don't mind visiting with Stephen King's words and worlds, but I feel more at home with Gaiman's words and the magic he creates with them.
Even before I read King's praises of Gaiman's work, I could imagine him liking them, though. Stephen King seems like he would enjoy Good Omens

I'd argue that the Dark Tower felt better in some obscure way than American Gods. I don't know why, I just felt more at home in the Dark Tower series than I did in American Gods. Maybe it's because we're looking at America from the two completely different views. I'd have to say Gaiman makes America feel foreign even to a natural citizen...and maybe that's why I didn't like it as much as I did King's books. Because I live here and it's like hearing someone talk about me as if I wasn't even in the room. But maybe I mean the Dark Tower is more enjoyable in different ways...and in the end all books are valueless and cannot be compared to each other to determine which is "better."

Funny--I'm American but I have never really felt that at home in the US. Most things I read or watch are actually British in origin. I did do a study abroad in the UK in my early twenties and loved it...I often dream about moving back....I felt comfortable with that element that you assessed so well--that it made America seem foreign even to a natural citizen...maybe because I have never really felt super at home here I felt more at home in Oxford

It's strange. I think if I were to actually move to another country, I'd miss this one more than I ever expected. All this in spite of my gripes and complaints about how this country is so out-of-whack. It's a weird feeling. I'm horribly sad about some things and yet I wouldn't really want anything to change all that much. (So, maybe if I moved somewhere like...the UK where it's not THAT terribly different from here [fundamentally anyway]I might not miss it as much.)

It's an interesting discussion, this. If I moved away I'd probably miss the UK, but as it is I don't really feel like I belong here at all, even though I've never lived anywhere else.

For me, I feel that sense of 'belonging' much more in King's books than in Gaiman's, but that's probably because I spent about three years reading King and nothing else. All the small-town America nostalgia, I feel right at home with.

I think American Gods is supposed to make America seem foreign and bizarre because that's what it's about really isn't it? 'Impostors in this country' to quote our pal Tori.

quote:

Originally posted by Black Wings:
It's an interesting discussion, this. If I moved away I'd probably miss the UK, but as it is I don't really feel like I belong here at all, even though I've never lived anywhere else.

I can understand and agree with that. Then there's the question of where else you could possibly belong, but you can't ever find a good answer.

I don't think I'll ever belong anywhere, geographically. I'll always belong with the people and things I like.

Personally I feel that both of them have totally different languistic styles, sensibilities and personalities, both writing-wise and reality-wise, so I don't really think they are comparable. Like the old saying, it's like comparing apples and oranges. Stephen is primarily a horror writer and Neil is a fantasy/SF/mythology writer, and they are very good in their respective genres. I think the reason why Neil may be the favored one is because fantasy books are typically easier to appreciate than horror fiction. But if you look closely, Stephen is a great writer himself. And he's American too, which probably explains why Neil has a better grasp of the English language. On the other hand, Stephen has a wider range, I think; Neil's novels basically follow a certain set pattern which is that the main character finds his life messed up at the beginning and from then on tries to pick up the pieces.

Stephen's CELL, I thought was absolutely brilliant.