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CELL
by Stephen King

Still listening to audiobooks while I work. This time, I thought I'd finally give CELL a listen. Downloaded it a while back from iTunes, but my mood shifted and I needed to listen to something a little less post-apocalyptic.

I have kind of a strange history with this book. It's the first Stephen King novel I didn't finish reading. As a life long fan, I can't think of any King book that I didn't devour within 24 hours, but this one just didn't hold me. I put it down about halfway through and moved on to other things.

Strangely, I've done the same thing with all of his books that came after CELL. Just couldn't get through them. Not sure if my interests changed (I have been a little burned out on traditional horror novels for the last year or so), or if maybe King's writing just isn't holding my attention the way it used to.

Either way, I became determined to finish those books, even if that meant listening to them on audio. I listened to all of DUMA KEY while working on the last issue of MIRROR'S EDGE, and I've got the audio version of LISEY'S STORY in my car, buried under some Radiohead CDs.

(Still can't get into LISEY'S. I keep losing interest at the same point, even on audio. Right at the end of the first section, which is a prolonged flashback. Loses me every time. I'll have to make it past that point one of these days. I'm sure there's lots of interesting stuff later on.)

I'm about 3/4s of the way through CELL now. Further than I made it through the actual book. Still not resonating with much as his earlier works like SALEM'S LOT and BAG OF BONES (which has to be one of his best, in my opinion), but I haven't lost interest in it, yet.

Though I have to say, I kind of wish King was reading this one himself. I'm kind of funny about that. I prefer hearing the author reading the book. Not sure why. They don't do fancy voices or anything, but it's more interesting to hear the writer read their own words. Just brings a little extra something to the table.