Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

HugeHorrorFan · **Posted:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:48 am

I read 20TH CENTURY GHOSTS not too long ago. I thought it was an outstanding short story collection. I am looking forward to reading HEART-SHAPED BOX.

HugeHorrorFan · **Posted:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:37 pm

Octobernight · **Posted:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:00 pm

HSB was very good imo. Gotta love the library, allows you to try stuff you may not ordinarily pick up. (uh,.... got HSB from the library i guess is my point, $ is a frequent factor of mine, got a kid in college, i'm cheap)

Hero Killer Id · **Posted:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:13 pm

I picked up a copy a few months ago and it is still on my TBR. I should be getting around to it pretty soon.

What is this nonsense about him being Stephen King's son. I haven't heard such a thing. Is there any truth to this.

undead · **Joined:** Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:54 pm **Posts:** 861

I read the novel with high expectations. Everyone told me it was a good read, and Joe Hill (King) is a local guy around here.

Story-wise, it was fine. But what ruined the book for me were a few elements that showed he did no research whatsoever in creating his main character. The main character was a lead singer in a death metal band. Now I am a huge music junkie and I'm especially particular to metal music. Some things worth noting. The singer of the death metal band toured with AC/DC in the book. Reality check here...It would never happen. There are tons of Death Metal bands that are extremely popular like In Flames, Children of Bodom, Meshuggah, etc. Any of them would gladly tour with a famous artist of the same genre. AC/DC is hard rock. They would never tour with a death metal band. Period. Death metal is aggressive and thrash influenced music with growls for vocals.

Plus, the main character's girlfriend was a goth girl. Another different genre of metal and again, the two shall not meet. She, as a goth chick, would be more likely to be seen at a show by The Gathering or Type O negative, than at a death metal concert. Goth metal, while it may be aggressive, often tends to be slower, and more melancholy with deep vocals or even female singers. evanescence is a Goth band, although not metal. Yet in the story, the girlfriend was a groupie of the lead singer. Not likely.

Another contentious point with me was how the lead singer mentions his hit singles. In the US, one does not see death metal bands riding the singles charts. Death metal artists sell CDs to their fans. They are not radio friendly and often make all their sales without the benefit of any air time.

The reason his obvious gaffes so annoy me is that his lead character is a death metal singer and music is such a crucial element of the story. If Joe Hill can't be bothered to have any credibility about what he's writing, why should we want to follow what he's writing about. A little research would have gone a long way here.

JMHO.

Hero Killer Id · **Posted:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:06 pm

Wow I am really mistaken. He is in fact Stephen King's Son. Wow how did that information get past me.

Laurel in Ely · **Posted:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:27 pm

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Hero Killer Id · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:05 am

yup I just looked it up on wikipedia. Now I know that wikipedia can have some false information from time to time but I'm pretty sure something like that wouldn't be posted on there if it was a complete lie. I guess you learn something new everyday.

The Harriet jokes aren't funny. I can't stand that kind of harassment. sob sob

jonahhex2005 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:04 pm

Hero Killer Id · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:19 pm

Hellolost · **Joined:** Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:58 am **Posts:** 2120

DGM · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 4:11 pm

Hero Killer Id · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:21 am

I'm 150 pages in after a nice long reading session at work today and I must say I am all ready enjoying it more than From a Buick 8. Not horribly horrific but still quite intriguing. My favorite novels or stories by King were Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Oh and the Stand.

But I'm at least enjoying it and it will probably encourage me to go back and read more King. I hear Bag of Bones is really good as well. And as much as people bad mouth it I enjoyed the one with the girl in the woods. Sorry I'm tired and having a brain fart.

edit: oh yeah it was the girl who loved tom gordon

HorrorWorld · **Joined:** Wed Dec 31, 1969 8:00 pm **Posts:** 1024

Heart Shaped Box won a Bram Stoker award last night for Superior Achievement in a First Novel.

Here's a full list of the winners: http://horrorworld.org/v-web/bulletin/b ... php?t=4132

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

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