This is my second attempt in reading a Stephen King's creation. The length is intimating at first, and many had complained about the unnecessary details King included. But I have to say that all 1000+ pages are needed to tell this massive story, from character developments to plot advancement.

"It" contains genre of horror, action-thriller, romance and explores the themes of human relationship, the power of youth, and the strength of cooperation (and many, many more).

"It" is separated into two plots. The first plot is when the Losers (Bill, Beverly, Richie, Ben, Stan, Eddie, and Mike) first come together in 1958 and discover the ugly side of Derry. The Losers each confront Pennywise (the clown, otherwise known as It) and face their individual fear. Besides the horror lurking under the ground of Derry, the plot also focuses on the relationship between the Losers and the bully group (Henry, Belch, Victor). The second plot takes place approximately 30 years after the first plot, when the Losers join together again (except for one member) to defeat Pennywise once and for all.

"It" not only explores good vs. evil, but also the struggle of growing up and the conflict of being a grownup. There are many disturbing scenes in the book, from sexual themes to gory murders. The book is very dark as a whole, with occasional comic reliefs. The book does get very descriptive and sometimes boring to get through, and it is true that the climax does not begin until the last 200 pages, but "It" is a very good read and the characters are well portrayed and memorable.

I would suggest this book to any King's fan, and people who are looking to read an outstanding descriptive horror novel. But those who get easily offended by non-conventional sexual contents, you might not want to pick this up. However, "It" is an outstanding novel, and proves that Stephen King is indeed an icon of the twentieth century. Good luck entering a circus after reading this book, because you will get chills from the floating balloons!

This book is somewhere over extraordinary. King's characters are well developed and the reader almost develops a tangible bond with each of them. Although this book is tremendously long, King gives enough action at the perfect times to keep the audience attentive. However, even if he did not do so the writing alone would keep my intrigued. I highly recommend this epic book, and is by far the best Stephen King book that I have ever read (of about 20).

P.S. I will never eat fortune cookies again

I would consider myself a pretty big fan of Stephen King's work, and I can confidently say that this book basically defines the horror genre. I guess a good (although somewhat unfair) way to gauge the genius of this story is to compare it to "The Stand" (my personal favorite work of King's). Where "The Stand" is slightly different than the rest of King's work in that it's not so much horror but rather a horrifying yet believable "what if" situation, "It" truly perfects the "monster under your bed" kind of horror. While it seems slightly more juvenile than "The Stand", it paints the images in your mind that haunt you as you lay in your dark bedroom trying to go to sleep. King did a terrific job of developing some very interesting characters and traits. It is not my favorite book of all time, but I'm sure I will pull it out every few years to read it again. If you are a fan of horror, "It" is a must read.

I was under the impresion that the book "It" by Stephen King would be in like new condition when I ordered it. I ordered a hard copy and it arrived on time but was not in good condition. I contacted the seller and they said they would give me half off the price. I wanted the book I ordered, not a deal. It wasn't the book I ordered because it wasn't the same price as I was quoted. I was very disapointed and probably will not order again.

I write this review primarily to dispute the idea that this book is an epic. Time and again are people constantly labeling this book as an 'epic'. Rest assured folks, I am here to dispute that claim!

I mean people, let's be reasonable! We cannot go around labeling books epics just because they are over a-thousand pages in length can we? Epics are stories which involve a bunch of people, places, and things. This story is mainly about nothing much more than seven kids battling with some creature out of a Star Trek episode--at most to save a small town! Not even a whole country or planet or course of history either. Most of all I, as a reader, get little out of it!

Now [The Stand], that can be considered as more of an epic, as it involves a lot of characters and happenings--a plague hitting the earth and its consequences, which are mostly relatable.

[It] however, is mostly unrelatable due to simple logic!--I've never in my life seen a statue of Paul Bunyon move; nor did I ever see a silly girl running hysterical in the streets because of blood coming out of her sink that nobody else can see. And really people, if no one else can see it, then just what is she so worried about anyway? Then there's the moving polariod snapshots--what's that all about? Home videos on photographs!!? Don't make me laugh! This is supposed to be 1958 not 2058!

Now friends, I'm just as much a fan of Horror/Sci-Fi as the next guy, but I DO have my dignity to think about. Although most horror stories may be based on things we never really do see, a good one should have some sense of suspending ones disbelief or at least being so engaging that a few insults to intelligence would be forgivable.

This novel does neither, as it is often much too silly and full of silly occurances. (Mummy floating over water?) Often it reads like a drunk depressed man bitching his woes over a typewriter wrote it more than it really reads like a professionally written novel. Example--toward the end of the book when the town is collapsing: is it really so necessary for the narration of that whole occurance to occupy more than a couple pages? (Rhetorical Question.) Then there's the business with Bill Denbourough's stuttering. Is a man really going to start stuttering again just because of some stupid phone call? And don't men stutter a bit more maturely than children? I sometimes had trouble even differentiating between the adult Bill Denburough (forgive my spelling, if incorrect)in contrast to the child one, because the dialogue written for the adult version was NO DIFFERENT in style. Nor did the characters in general behave much differently than their child selves as adults!

At any rate, this novel still may be good for minor educational aspects, such as 1950's life in a small town, including the topic of racism. But, in truth, it reads much like a really long comic book that could've been more enjoyable if shorter.

Yet, who knows? Perhaps my view of this book may change the day my kid brother is murdered by a clown in a sewer, or the decapitated head of a childhood acquaintance of mine appears inside of a refrigerator. Who knows... maybe then...

--Rick Jones

"It" by Stephen, © 1981

Bill Denbrough is eleven years old. He lost his kid brother to a monster last fall and it has become the bane of his existence. He has six friends who eventually help him kill 'it'. He, and his friends, also have the bullies from school to fight every so often. This 'it' is magical and the lives of these two groups are interfered with by the magic. It is funny how the memory of what is happening blurs into what happened twenty eight years ago and then blurs out just as fast.
Part of the joy of reading Mr King's stories is that he makes the people seem so real and alive. Sometimes you get to know and understand even the smallest character as well as any of the others. It makes reading the book interesting. In the end, you have to wonder what happened to Eddie's wife, Myna? How did she get on? What did she do with the business? Etc, etc. You only got to know her through ten or so pages, but she was there and in the memory of all that occurred afterward.
It does seem that Mr. King wrote of fifteen year olds, not eleven year olds. At one point it was bandied about buying beer, at another things and realizations happened that were beyond the thought of eleven year olds, or maybe even fifteen year olds. It may have been the magic of (or 'needed for') the story and what not, but it sticks out like a sore thumb. What happens is well explained and acceptable as presented, just not for eleven year olds.
It is no wonder it took five years to write this story. The plot was intricate and some of the ploys became weird, yet it turned out okay. "The Stand" was better. Now off to read another of his stories. See if he can do better then "The Stand."

Stephen King's "It," clocks in at 1,090 pages. Many people consider it his masterpiece, others believe it's too long...The former claim that you just need to have patience, but, honestly, how much patience can one have with a book like this? I saw the TV-movie "It" about 8 years ago and it's a pretty disturbing, well-made piece of work for a TV-movie. In fact, oddly enough, it may be better than this book (it's been a few years I saw the movie). But, anyway, a brief synopsis of the novel: 7 friends from Derry, Maine are now successful adults with no memory of their childhoods, but soon they're called back to Derry by Mike Hanlon to keep the promise they made years ago as children. As children, they were terrorized by It or Pennywise the Dancing Clown, a boogeyman of sorts who goes around killing children. The novel transitions back and forth from revealing what happened during the character's childhood and what's happening through adulthood. But, was it really necessary to use 1,090 pages to tell this story. The movie (which was about 3 or 4 hours, if I recall) really cut it down to the essential of the story...And, let me ask the people reading this a question. Who is the most interesting character in this story? It's Pennywise! And his character, in that form, is small (almost nonexistent) in this novel. And it's 1,090 pages! They are parts of this novel that are really good and few writers are as good as King at writing people, the kids seem very realistic...But this novel is way too long and the editor clearly wasn't doing his job very well. Also, there are a lot of typos in the Signet edition of this novel. And, no, I'm not one of those idiot's who mistakes a word in the cadence of the character as a typo. There's a few times in there, where there are actual misspelled words...And they're very noticeable. "It" has great moments, but ultimately fails as a whole. Many parts are tedious and the pacing is way off. Sad to say since I love Stephen King, but...There you go.

GRADE: C

Besides the Shining which still makes me jumpy no matter how many times I read it or watch the movie, IT is his ultimate best novel. It scares me out of my wits everytime I read it. And even though it has been years since I picked it up, I still cannot look at the drains in the sink or the shower without thinking about it....

This epic horror novel tells the story of seven teenagers who encounter a horror that lives in the sewers of their hometown, Derry, Maine. They fight this demon in 1958 and again as adults as they try to kill it, but can they? This book is a horrifically gripping book that features good writing,construction, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. This is truly one of Stephen Kings best books in my opinion. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and anyone who enjoys horror or sci-fi books would enjoy this epic novel.

This is my favorite book by Stephen King and one of my favorite books period. The detailing and masterful storytelling are marvelous. It's very long but I didn't get bored while reading it. It took me two weeks to read the first time. If you like Stephen King and you let your imagination run free enough to believe read this book! The movie sucked but the book is great

keeping it short and sweet...this book was gripping and kept me on edge i carried it with me everywhere reading a page any chance i got never in my life have i been so captivated by a book

and Im not clowning around.Neather is pennywise the clown.I love Bill Denbrough and his six friends who back in the mid 50s inbark on quest in there small town to rid the place of evil.These characters were so real to me that I felt like they were my friend.I felt like the town Derry was my home town.If your a horror fan pleas,pleas read this

The book is brand new, in excellent condition, and I received it well before Christmas.

I was assured IT is the most horror filled book of all. I was horrified, all right. Horrified at how boring it is.

In fairness, some of the writing is sublime dream weaving, and much of it is ham-fisted typerwriter bludgeoning.

IT makes a great door-stop.

This book isn't for the reader who while reading a lengthy segment of detail constantly asks the question, "what is the relevance of this part?!?" If you're inclined to question long segments of minute and seemingly irrelevant details concerning the lives of the main characters, you won't make it beyond page 200 (and you got a lot more to read at that point, believe me.)

This book rewards those who have a fascination with complex characters. Different authors are enjoyable for different reasons. Whereas I find Michael Crichton enjoyable for his intriguing plots enriched by fascinating science, I find King enjoyable for his intriguing horror enriched by fascinating characters. King's terrifying but ultimately gripping horror is what hooks you, but the gratification of reading this book comes from the 7 main characters who become your best friends.

Honestly, you'll know these characters so well that you'll consider them in your close circle by the end. Not many books can so vividly - and realistically - depict characters so as to make you truely relate and empathize. What a feat that is considering the fantastical premise.

In terms of the horror: this is the only book I've read that still gives me goosebumps when I think about certain parts. The opening of the book will stick with you...an anxiously drawn-out scene of an innocent boy playing with a boat in a gutter during a rainstorm. You obviously don't know what exactly is going to happen, but you know it can't be good. And what eventually comes to pass is worse than you could have imagined, and the rest of the book succeeds in satiating your desire for answers.

What follows is a weaving of two stories: the 7 main characters as children, and again as adults. Both serve to enrich the other and put the reader in a context that is greater and more fulfilling than if each story had been told chronologically, one before the other. I found the format deliciously gratifying to read, as each story helped to both ask and answer questions of the characters. I was also thoroughly impressed by King's vivid portrayal of the characters as kids and how their relationships spanned the course of time. I found his aging of the characters seemless and consistent.

To the nay-sayers, there are a host of other authors offering more streamlined and concise adventure stories. King will spend 20 pages describing one specific memory from one specific character for no other reason than to further enrich your undertanding of him/her. If you're not the type that enjoys that brand of thorough elaboration, may I suggest Ken Follett? With him, you'll get a quick, fairly entertaining, and what someone like me may refer to as "glib", read about larger-than-life - and ultimately unrelatable - characters, but that's not the strength of that particular author anyway.

In conclusion, I found Stephen King's "IT" to be a truely remarkable book. All I can ask from spending countless hours reading 1100 pages is a lasting impression, and I certainly got that.

charles vickland

It started out strong. I was hooked and expected another great book, and suddenly and rather quickly, it became really wordy and overly detailed with some rather useless action. It was drudgery to get through. Like someone reviewed before, I questioned if It was edited. The book could truly be brought down to an easy 700 pages, not the 1093 that is turned out to be.

I love Stephen King, and he is at his best when he is concise, curt, and short (Carrie, Cujo, The Girl who loved Tom Gordon) but in It he took a potentionally great story and burdened it with his/a lengthy prose that was endless. And the misogynistic element of the story can not be overlooked. It rears its ugly and senseless head in the last hundred pages, where something happens that not only makes me cringe (because of its oddness in the story), but it didn't build the plot at all. It made no sense.

"It" is scattered and lengthy. My regret is that I started it this summer and ended up forcing myself to finish it, when I could've just put it down.

After about page 120 I realized the horror of what I was witnessing: a self-indulgent forray into countless trivial details that stole the power from what could have been a truly frightening story. Details exist simply because King could write them and not worry about their relevance because after all, he is the master, undisputed. There are millions of people who have read and loved King, people who will be yanked into any dead-end cesspool of trivia that King can muster, and it finally made me a little angry. Who cares about a guy that walks into a bar, orders a huge glass of whiskey, snorts lemon juice into both nostrils, and then downs the whole thing? Is that even believable? If it were, what purpose does it serve in the story? Or about a wife who can't find the black buttons? Nearly a page of paper was set aside for that little forray into meaninglessness. I have no patience for it, and I expected a little more from someone who could tell a streamlined, intense tale such as "The Raft", or "The Ledge"; whose prose hit a high mark with "Pet Sematary", which clocks in at 562 pages (and still could have done without dozens of pages of unimportant story filler). Was my taste in fiction really that bad back in middle school? Re-reading some of King's work from this period confirms that yes, perhaps I was. But then I remember abandoning King on more than one occasion for the superior Clive Barker. Now there's someone who can stick to the story, someone who writes beautifully and can conjure up horrific, powerful, brutal, and yes, relevant imagery. From now on, for every nostalgic impulse I have to pick up a King novel, I will instead resolve to read "The Books of Blood", "The Inhuman Condition", "The Damnation Game", or any one of Barker's other right-brain-heavy horror/fantasy feasts.

Another great Stephen King book, and I don't like all of them. I'm not a Stephen King horror fan, but I enjoy many of his books because they are so engrossing and have so much depth in the characters. Therefore I usually don't mind if they run on long, what some people call bloat is actually what I enjoy out of the books. That and his unique story ideas.
This is not a story about a shapechanging clown, it is a story about several children that come from various functional and disfunctional families, are terrorized by bullies, find friendship with one another and come together to fight a terrible monster. Then later in life, after all but one have left Derry, Maine to find success, they are called back to fight the monster again. It is these people that are the story. The clown (IT, I won't spoil what ITt actually is) just plays the adversary in the story.
I find that I do usually find the endings in Stephen King books disappointing. It is almost like he just runs out of steam after writing 1000 pages. That or after reading that much I always expect a cataclysmic, life changing ending that is almost impossible to deliver. This story, like many others, kind of just peters out in the end, but the story itself was worth the effort of getting there.

You'd never know it from the god-awful TV movie that got hacked out of this book, but IT is probably one of the ten best horror books to come out of the twentieth century. IT is big, really big, and not just in number of pages. This is an ambitious epic of a horror story, the kind of thing that would have constituted the life's work of most other writers.

IT tells two stories. Both consist of the same cast of characters, and both are essentially the story of good versus the personification of absolute evil. The first one is a tale of innocence versus evil, as all of the characters are children, misfits, battling the outer forces of evil in their everyday, mundane lives while doing battle with the many faces of the wicked Pennywise. The second story, decades later, concerns the reuniting of old friends as adults, regrouping--now that innocence is lost--to confront their inner demons while putting down the absolute evil once and for all.

You'll come to love these characters, so buyer beware. Stephen King makes no character (and by extension, no reader) safe in an unholy war which must have its casualties. But for those readers who emerge, battle-scarred, on the other side of this long, glorious nightmare, the spoils of war are more than worth the brutal trip.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire book "Teeth: a Horror Fantasy".)

I read IT twenty years ago and admit that it was a great summer escape from a boring life in a small town. As an adult and with 1990's political correctness hindsight, I was unable to make it to the halfway point on my visit to paper back past.

I realized on page 450 that all of the lousy parents belonged to the white kids and that the golden examples of parenthood belonged to the "minorities"

Looking back further I noticed that the white male bullies were such because of the poor role models (crazy Dads) and not because of the unnatural public school setting they were compulsed to suffer through . Notice that the good kids (despite also having lousy parents too) loved their public school teacher and did well. it's like King is selling Hillary's, It Takes a Village communitarianisms. Soviets (teachers, librarians, Irish Cops) good, parents bad.

In conclusion:
Stephen King's IT is just another communist attack on what the commies consider their main target, white parents

Oh!! and the Bush Communitarians are just as bad as the Clinton Communitarians

Ron Paul for Prez!!!

I first read this book at the age of 14; I didn't understand some of the words, some of the dialogue, and alot of the references to popular music of both the 80's and the fifties. I had a appreciation for the book on the kid side of the story; a group of friends, fighting to beat the devil. A true adventure story.

I reread the book again when I was twenty going on twenty-one. I fell in love with the book all over again- this time for different reasons. I could now see what King was going after; it wasn't about the monster, Bob Grey aka Pennywise aka "IT." It was about friends, the end of adolesence and the change into maturity and adulthood, and how the past can come back to haunt you. The characters are all fleshed out and real; with their own problems and realities, their own family dilemas; but once they all get together, that all washes away and their just friends.

I won't go into an entire detailed synposis of the book; other's have done it far better than I ever could. And besides, it's unneeded- read the book and judge for yourself.

I highly recommend this book to any King fan, or someone looking for a great, and somewhat long read. But not to any fourteen year olds.

Seven kids, who have one thing in common - they are social misfits, and are bullied by a notorious gang of older kids, are fated to meet and together overcome an ancient evil that lurks in the sewers of Derry. The evil manifests itself most commonly in the form of a clown, but It can change shapes to resemble the most feared object of a child, and It preys almost entirely upon children. I found this idea similar to that of dementors in Harry Potter, who also remind a person of his worst memories, though needless to say IT predates Harry Potter by a decade and a half. This is not to suggest that IT is the inspiration behind the dementors, but rather that two extremely creative people can have similar ideas.

At close to 1200 pages, this is not a short novel, but its well worth the time invested. It would be no exaggeration to call IT a modern masterpiece, though not entirely without its faults. The characters are so well etched that one can feel their sorrows, their trials and tribulations, sympathise with them; and for a novel with 7 protagonists thats a tall order. The villians (Henry Bowers and his companions) are suitably loathsome, and one feels happy at their grisly end. What leaves one slightly underwhelmed as well as incredulous is the ending. The final revelation of the clown's identity, requires a suspension of disbelief that is hard to produce.

While Stephen King does an interesting take on God and Devil, the idea of the devil who has been portrayed as a source of energy at par with the tortoise, living off a nondescript piece of land on the East Coast of America, is tough to digest. And how can such a powerful (eternal?) being be defeated by 7 kids (5 actually)? Did it take only belief and willpower to destroy such a powerful creature? And that too with minimal collateral damage? If the creature was so powerful that It could bend people's minds to do Its will, then surely it could read the minds of those 7 kids, and find out in advance what they were planning to do!

While I have devoted a paragraph to my complaints, these are only minor quibbles, and they take nothing away from 90% of the book which to put it mildly is a tour de force in modern American literature. This book is an experience to be imbibed. If King wrote nothing else, this single book would be enough to secure his reputation for a long long time to come.

Okay, so I can only give this book five stars, but if I could I'd give it 6!
This is, for me, the best Stephen King book I've ever read and I'm a huge fan! It's extremely long, but I've read it 3 times. IT will grab you and pull you in from the very first page!
IT is a story of good vs. evil, of undying friendship, and of a town so evil and haunted that the hairs on your neck will stand up! This book is so clever and detailed that you will feel as though you intimately know it's 7 main characters: Bill, Ben, Stan, Mike, Eddie, Richie, and Bev. King's transitions throughout the story between 1958 and 1985 are flawless. His writing is masterful.
Although terrifying and a bit explicit(if you're a King fan you know what I mean), I am in love with this story of loyalty, love, and friendship!

Along the lines of The Stand, though I still like The Stand better. Very good epic about good vs evil.

"The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years-if it ever did end- began." This is an overwhelming novel by Stephen King that will indulge you in its mysteries.
This is one of a kind horror epic that takes place in Derry, Maine where the hauntings come to life. A band of kids, AKA the Losers club throughout their whole life are terrorized by this thing called "It". It tries to get them killed by using the kid's imagination and making it come to life, but the kids fight back.
For the most of the story this group of kids finds themselves in the barrens, a nasty, sewage filled, swampy place where they dig a club house in the ground. When the Losers are there they feel safe, but they are always afraid that It will find them.
One day after messing around and running from a bully named Henry the kids find out where It comes from. Later on they find how to hurt It. The story takes off from this.
The losers find their power and will in each other. They may not all be the smartest kids but together they become one.
To give you just a brief glance at the book, for example, there is this kid named Patrick that for as long as he can remember he has been putting dieing animals in a refrigerator that is in some old dump. After that, he slowly watches them die. One day however, after throwing a bird in there he opens it to find these weird flying leeches. As you can guess he dies from blood loss. This book is very gory.
This book may be over 1000 pages and this is just about how long it takes these kids to get rid of this thing called "It". This was truly one of my favorite books. The extensive detail Stephen King puts into this novel is incredible. I know the characters so well I could tell you what each Character's favorite food is.
On a serious note I would only recommend this book for people who like horror or enjoy reading the style that Stephen King writes in. If you are still interested in more Stephen King novels he also wrote
Dream Catchers, Tommy Knockers, and Cell.

Warning: This is to anyone who reads this book, always read with the lights on and only try to pretend it is a book.

I vividly remember watching the film adaptation of Stephen King's "It" novel when I was nine years old...Nightmares ensued incessantly. The concept of "It" is responsible for my preposterous fear of clowns as a child (and you could even say now, reaching adulthood).
As great and scary as the film adaptation was, it pales in comparison to the novel. Having actually read the 1000+ page novel, I have come to adulate King's writing gift. His attention to detail and character development is staggering. Upon completing the novel, one would feel he throroughly knows Derry and the seven main characters (Bill, Beverly, Ben, Eddie, Mike, Richie, and Stan).
The form in which the novel is written is terrific. King begins with perhaps the most memorable part of the book (and film): Georgie's death. This instantly grips the reader and compells him to read further.
Subsequently the reader is introduced to the other characters as children, then as adults. This form is perhaps why the novel is so genius. It first gives the reader a glimps into the past and the future.
But as much as I may laude "It," I still have to say that I felt the the novel could have definitely been condensed. I felt that at times the story draged on.....and on....But ultimately, it does all coalesce and makes a hell of a creepy book, although not necessarily scary.
Along with "The Shinning" and "'Salem's Lot," this book is my favorite of King's. Anyone who wishes to be spooked and feel uncomfortable when going to bed, should definitely read "It." Just remember that it might take a while to finish this mastadon of a novel.

This seems to be everyone's favorite King book except for me. It's great and a must read, but if King ever choose a time to ramble on and on (and on and on) this was the book he focused on. The last 500 pages were a marathon.

That said, every King fan must run this race.

My favs include - Pet Semetary, 'Salem's Lot, and Needful Things.

This was one of King's best...
And one of King's best "make you more uncomfortable than scared" books. This book is full of events that make the reader feel dirty or uncomfortable. It's what King does best.

But this is a great story that should be read. It's a great spooky/haunting story. Good way to kill a few hours...haha (seeing as the book is over 1000 pages).

Well, I think "It" must be my sixth Stephen King book I've read. This is the one I've always wanted to read since I saw the mini-series on TV years ago. I'm not a big fan of the series, though I did like the first part but felt like the other part just didn't go smoothly and could have done better. But back to the book. Not only is this ties with The Stand with as my favorite King books, it's also the scariest; and that's one of things I love about this book. Another is the excellent character development. This is the best I've seen so far and must have been hard to do considering that there is a large ensemble cast. I aslo love the pacing of the story and how the events take place. You have six parts: the prologue, then four other parts that alternate with the main characters' childhood then with their adulthood forty years later. Also, this is book is the goriest of his that I've read so far. Now I've seen gorier movies than this book, but it still got to me and actually added to the scariness of the story which is something gore hardly does at all. Even though this is an excellent story, it does have a few drawbacks. One is the ending. For the most part it's great and surpasses the miniseries by a long shot and has a definite Lovecraftian feel to it. Unfortunately, some of it doesn't seem to have thought out completely and doesn't fit well for some strange reason. Also, I don't like the last sex scene. Personally, I can careless for sex in my books and know that King uses a lot of it in many of his books. But I felt that King went a little too far with this one. Other than those two things, this book is a masterpiece. I highly recommend this for those who are getting into King or want a excellent scary story with depth.

Well, I think "It" must be my sixth Stephen King book I've read. This is the one I've always wanted to read since I saw the mini-series on TV years ago. I'm not a big fan of the series, though I did like the first part but felt like the other part just didn't go smoothly and could have done better. But back to the book. Not only is this ties with The Stand with as my favorite King books, it's also the scariest; and that's one of things I love about this book. Another is the excellent character development. This is the best I've seen so far and must have been hard to do considering that there is a large ensemble cast. I aslo love the pacing of the story and how the events take place. You have six parts: the prologue, then four other parts that alternate with the main characters' childhood then with their adulthood forty years later. Also, this is book is the goriest of his that I've read so far. Now I've seen gorier movies than this book, but it still got to me and actually added to the scariness of the story which is something gore hardly does at all. Even though this is an excellent story, it does have a few drawbacks. One is the ending. For the most part it's great and surpasses the miniseries by a long shot and has a definite Lovecraftian feel to it. Unfortunately, some of it doesn't seem to have thought out completely and doesn't fit well for some strange reason. Also, I don't like the last sex scene. Personally, I can careless for sex in my books and know that King uses a lot of it in many of his books. But I felt that King went a little too far with this one. Other than those two things, this book is a masterpiece. I highly recommend this for those who are getting into King or want a excellent scary story with depth.

I first read this book about 20 years ago, and over the years it has come back to haunt me again and again. How many books do you read in which there are 7 main characters, and you know every one of them inside out? I havn't read IT for about 5 years, because my copy fell to bits, but could tell you the names and stories of each of those characters. Stephen King excels himself, his brilliant writing style is even better than usual, and this gripping book, though large and complex, is never confusing.
I rate this book as a modern masterpiece, and the best of King's work.

King has a very vivid immagination when it cmoes to writting. This book is great. It is very well written, the characters are so real, the detail is astounding, and the resolution is very very nice. Yes, there were moments of questionable material (like sex and bloody violence), but that will never detract from the enjoyment value. Pick up a copy of theis novel and give it a go, you will like it.

I have read some of the reviews and unlike the others I won't get into the actual story line because there are other readers who have already provided that info.

First, I would like to start off by saying that if you have watched the movie for this book...PLEASE try ur best to disregard it and read the actual book. You will definately be pleasantly surprised.

This book will suck u in from the very first chapter and is really very hard to put down. It is a long book but I am telling u I read it in about 2 days....that's how good it was. I have read it about 5 times and I enjoy it more each time.

If you are looking for a book that will really make that camera in your mind come on and that will really take you to the place that you are reading about GET THIS BOOK!!!!! You won't be disappointed.

I feel that it is fair to warn anyone that is planning to invest their time in a book of this scope and magnitude that you may not be happy in the end. I have never written an online review before because usually when I read a great book most people already feel that its great and the existing reviews speak for themselves. However, as I was reading through these reviews, I could not believe how many 5 star ratings people gave. This is not nearly the masterpiece that it could have been and I think people deserve fair warning and a review that is more than: greatest book ever man! First off let me say this, I love horror stories, I am not easily offended, and I have read and enjoyed many other King books in the past. With that in mind, I started reading IT and was immediately absorbed into the tale.
SO FIRST THE GOOD (EVEN GREAT):
1) great buildup, some genuinely scary and disturbing scenes
2) realistic character development and compelling characters in general
3) IT is a very original, strange and frightening creature...most of the way through
4) childhood events, friendships, conflicts, and experiences are realistically portrayed and sometimes even more frightening and tense than the encounters with the supernatural.
5) Despite other peoples complaints with the length, I feel that it flowed nicely and the way the novel slowly revealed events of the past while building suspense in the present time was wonderfully done.

SO WHY DID I GIVE THE BOOK 2 STARS? -- This book COMPLETELY falls apart in the last 100 pages or so. So much so that I had to shake my head and wonder if I was even reading the same book. I knew the ending would never live up to the buildup and I was willing to accept that, but what King came up with could not have been written any worse. When IT is revealed, the revelation is anti-climactic to say the least. Even then however, I still would have given the book 5 stars. What angered me to no end was the direction the book went from here. What was a scary foray into a world of creatures, nightmares, and psychological intrigue became a laughably bad mystical and celestial mess that changed the tone of the entire novel. Be warned, the final conflict and resolution is completely ridiculous and ruins what was a masterpiece of horror.
PARTIAL SPOILERS (though they dont give away anything major, heres a little of what you are in for)
1) a turtle god that barfed up our universe
2) floating disembodied tongue the someone bites into
3) the deadlights (dont ask, it won't matter)
4) a weak and pitiful IT that can simply not be the same cunning and dastardly creature from the first 3/4s of the novel (yet is)
5)unsatisfying and weak explanation as to how IT is hurt (I understand what King was trying to do, but it doesnt come across well in the end)

LASTLY: IF NONE OF THAT TURNED YOU OFF, PICTURE THIS: A group of six 11 year olds (yes, thats right 11!--all boys, 1 girl) are running around lost in some tunnels. And what is their solution for finding their why out?? Why, a group orgy of course. Im sorry, but even if it had something to do with the story line (which it doesn't) a scene like that is sick and uncalled for on so many levels. Beyond that, it makes no sense and is completely unrealistic after all the previous wonderful character development. Further, the scene is not even merely alluded to, it is specific and explicit bordering on child porn. Why that was included, I cannot begin to guess. It does make good evidence for my theory though: King HAD to have been on something when he wrote in the whole ending.
Read if you must, but realize, I am not making any of this up. I sit here stunned and in disbelief as to how such a great novel could turn into such a train wreck. In an epic of this depth, a complete, sloppy letdown in the end is simply inexcusable.

I just recently finished this book. I liked it very much.
The book starts off firhgtening in the extreme. The creepiness and suspence really do something for me. The book remains frightening for qutie some time. The fright begins to taper off a bit twords the end, but it remains extremely interesting, wich is why I'm not taking off a star for this slight failing.
The only other thing that dissappointed me was that the adult half of the book was not as good as the child half. The adult half is good for some time, until you realize that the monster that is the main antagonist of the story is seemingly unable to hurt the adult characters. You wonder why they were so scared of something like that.
Basically, the suspence builds, getting the reader to expect a horrifying climax, but unfortunately the climax, while still good, proves inferior to the suspense building. Still, I highly recommend this book, unless you are faint of heart. There are certain scenes in the book that will you will find quite haunting (I had nightmares after reading about the clown on the ice, and the monsters first kill is one of the most shocking scenes I've ever come across in a book.

"It" is certainly one of Stephen King's most recognizable novels, if not the masterpiece on which his reputation rests. Most are familiar with the basics of the story: an evil force haunts a small town in Maine that takes the form of one's worst fears (a clown, a spider, etc). The book concerns a group of children who fight the monster (as children), and follows that confrontation, as well as the return of those children as adults to fight the monster upon its return years later.

Taken as a light entertainment, "It" is more than successful. King is effective enough at drawing his characters, and his famously twisted mind generates enough thrills in the horror passages to please readers. While the novel's length can be intimidating at first, I appreciated the scope with which King draws the story, as he skillfully draws together the "Adults" plot and the "Children" plot in the book's final section. A third section of "It", placed throughout the novel as effective intermissions, outline the history of the town (Derry) and the number of terrifying/horrible events that have taken place there over the years. The strength of "It" is King's ability to use the book's length and scope as a means of enhancing the smaller details of his tale - it's easy to get enveloped by this world, and it's a wild ride.

Those looking for a little more than entertainment, however, are sure to be disappointed. Subtlety is not one of King's strong-suits, and the novel does not completely re-pay the time necessary to invest in the novel (1000+ pages). At its worst, the book can feel formulaic, and weighed down by its structure, to the point where you feel that King is counting pages, so that a scene of "horror" occurs at least once every 30 pages.

For an imaginative tale to get lost in, "It" will certainly do the trick, but little of the book surpasses what is simply very well-executed entertainment.

I read this book so many years ago that I can't remember, however, I do remember not being able to put it down once I started reading it. I've always been a Stephen King fan and this book just kept me enthralled, interested and anxious to get to the ending as soon as I read the first paragraph. When the movie came out I was sorely disappointed because it just didn't do the story justice. As an author of four novels myself, I must say that the book is always better than the movie. If you've never read any of Stephen King's books, you don't know what you're missing. This novel, in particular, will give you a whole new insight on clowns, for one thing, but better yet, you will see Stephen King at his most creative best!
Joyce Marie Taylor, Author and Poet

I have read three of his books, this, Insomnia and the Talisman, I don't know if its bad luck or what but they are all lacking. And whats with his obessesion with penis'(whatever the plural of the word is). I don't even want to touch the final sex scene, when its first referenced in the book I was like, he doesn't mean that but you'll see he does. Sex/sexuality when it doesn't progress the story is such a waste(although somehow in King's mind the final scene does).
There are some entertaining and funny parts and it kept me turning the page until the last quarter of the book, which is where it all fell apart. (read all the negative reviews and you'll get the gist) I again I was left disappointed and didn't care what happened to the characters. Previous reviewers were right 300-500pgs could have been easily eliminated. And although Bill had/has a stuttering problem, and somewhat integral to the story, it was really tedious reading.
I gave it 2 stars because it was had some intriging ideas, and I can't help but think Clive Barker (or whoever created the Nightmare on Elm Street) cribbed this heavily.

To date, this is the longest book I've ever read (at just about 1100 pages...small print pages, I might add). But it is also the most rewarding, and undoubtledly one of the best books I've ever read in any genre. Although it is lengthy, every page is extremely well written and advances the story. There were no moments in this book where I though "eh, he could have dropped that." It's one of those rare books that grabs you at page 1, and when you reach 1090 you actually want more. By now you know the premise...something evil dressed as a clown terrorizes a small Maine town. Sounds like typical King fare, and may turn some of the squeamish off before they even pick this up, which is a shame. Yes, this book is disturbing, creepy, grotesque and nightmare inducing, but it is also inspirational, highly emotional and touches very deeply at the essence of the human spirit - which is love, friendship, and goodness that most people posess deep down. This book is not about evil clowns. It is about how even the most frightening evil in the world (or out of it) can be confronted if you believe in the cause. Its about facing your childhood fears. Its about coming to grips with growing up and realizing that maybe that part of you you doesnt have to! The best part of this book for me, though, is the exceptional character development. I have never been so attached to characters in a book as in this one. King describes them so well that half way through you feel like you've known these seven people your whole life and you will find yourself actually caring for this band of "losers." My only complaint is with this edition...the print is incredibly small, and there were a number of typos in the second half of the book...but other than that, this is a perfect fiction book. I could go on but so many people have said so many great things about this book that I couldnt attempt repeat. I just want to affirm that they were all right, and that although It is a very scary ride, once you hit the end, although you'll be battered, bruised and exhausted, you'll realize that such thrilling rides dont come along that often. If you only read one King book, this is It.

To date, this is the longest book I've ever read (at just about 1100 pages...small print pages, I might add). But it is also the most rewarding, and undoubtledly one of the best books I've ever read in any genre. Although it is lengthy, every page is extremely well written and advances the story. There were no moments in this book where I though "eh, he could have dropped that." It's one of those rare books that grabs you at page 1, and when you reach 1090 you actually want more. By now you know the premise...something evil dressed as a clown terrorizes a small Maine town. Sounds like typical King fare, and may turn some of the squeamish off before they even pick this up, which is a shame. Yes, this book is disturbing, creepy, grotesque and nightmare inducing (I actually had a few after reading this before bed...BIG mistake) but it is also inspirational, highly emotional and touches very deeply at the essence of the human spirit - which is love, friendship, and goodness that most people posess deep down. This book is not about evil clowns. It is about how even the most frightening evil in the world (or out of it) can be confronted if you believe in the cause. Its about facing your childhood fears. Its about coming to grips with growing up and realizing that maybe that part of you you doesnt have to! The best part of this book for me, though, is the exceptional character development. I have never been so attached to characters in a book as in this one. King describes them so well that half way through you feel like you've known these seven people your whole life and you will find yourself actually caring for this band of "losers." My only complaint is with this edition...the print is incredibly small, and there were a number of typos in the second half of the book...but other than that, this is a perfect fiction book. I could go on but so many people have said so many great things about this book that I couldnt attempt repeat. I just want to affirm that they were all right, and that although It is a very scary ride, once you hit the end, although you'll be battered, bruised and exhausted, you'll realize that such thrilling rides dont come along that often. If you only read one King book, this is It.

Having been a keen King reader in my teenage and early adult years, I have had the opportunity to read many of this fine writer's works. While I can't agree with Harold Bloom's dismissal of his work as mediocre for the most part, not every one of King's works is a masterpiece, but It comes the closest to being one.

King's novels lack the scope and scariness of some of the great classical horror writers such as Bram Stoker, Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. However sometimes King manages to combine several elements in just the right way to create a very dark and scary world inhabited by believable and interesting characters. The Green Mile, It and Pet Semetary are good attempts, but It really stands out for several reasons.

The first is that in It the evil monster (which apparently seems to be an alien being from another universe) manifests itself as a sinister green clown. While the monster transforms into other forms (including horror movie creatues and a giant spider like that in the Lord of the Rings) the clown is a particularly frightening symbol because in the book, the monster preys on children. In this book King masterfully explores several common childhood fears and turns them into a tangible prescence of evil and darkness which haunts the lives of all the main characters, as well as a manevolent force which preys on the inner sins and darkness in the souls and psyches of the main characters.

While the novel is very long, this is one of King's novels where the pace of the horror is allowed to build up smoothly to its majestic and terrifying climax. There is no simple cop out or deus ex machina for the heroes in this character, and some meet a very unpleasant death. One never gets the sense of redundant characters or plot devices.

The third strength is the evil being in this novel is quite believable. While many horror writers and film-makers tend to trivialise evil by often going way over the top in terms of violence and gore, the evil being in King's novel works mainly by deception and stealth. The insidious and creeping nature of its evil and the slowness and rationality at which it unfolds its evil makes it so much the more believable, and also more credible as a symbol of one of life's deepest mysteries. The strength of It does not diminish and fluctuate and rather its end comes about through its arrogance rather than through weakness.

Overall King manages to bring all these elements together and execute them in a finely crafted novel which is very hard to put down. In my view it remains his best attempt at horror fiction.

Read this book at a light warehouse because you will NOT want to be anywhere near the dark!!

IT is one of my favorite Stephen King novels I've ever read. Possibly in the top 10 of all my favorite books. It is extremely long and I must admit that I had to take breaks during the reading of this novel to get few quick reads in but this book was worth it. I know it's cliche to say so but the movie does this book no justice. Of course a movie that would do it justice would most likely be a week or so long.

This novel has some of the best character development I've ever read and the reader gets a chance to really get to know each character. Even a chance to know more about each character that you might care to. Highly recommended even if you aren't a King fan.

Stephen King's It, a wonderful novel of friendship and terror, is one of the best horror stories ever written. Derry, Maine is the home to a nameless, timeless monster which emerges every 28 years, give or take, to feed on the inhabitants and their fear. It takes the form of their worst fear, and then feeds off of it. In 1958, It begins a killing spree, Derry's children are Its victims. Then, something happens that It doesn't expect: 7 pre-teen misfits are brought together by a mysterious force, and then try to destroy It, but fail. 28 years later, It returns, and the friends must regroup to destroy It once and for all.
Stephen King, the Master of Horror, has written a tale reminiscent of Lovecraft, but with stronger characters storyline.

When I first read this book, upon finishing it I immediately proceeded to rip it's 1000 pages up into several tens of thousands of little pieces. That was how much the story affected me. It disgusted me, it disturbed me, it ... moved me. After brooding about it for a few weeks it occurred to me that any writer that could move me to do something like that has really messed with my head, and if that's not the mark of a great writer I don't know what is. I then had to go out and buy another copy and read it again.

Amid all the horror that Stephen King has unleashed from the darkness of his imagination, this has to be the most disturbing, disgusting and, at times, offensive work he has ever set to paper. Forget the movie... this is high octane writing which will leave you gasping for breath. With this book and "The Tommyknockers," Stephen King has proven that he is not just a great horror story writer, but a GREAT writer... period. Buy it, read it.

Although I'm only 14 year old boy who lives in Utah, I've been a die hard Stephen King fan since I was twelve, and I have to say, this is really the high light of his career.

Don't be turned off by the massive length of this book, it goes by very quickly, and you'll be glued to it bye the first fifty of so pages.

As I'm sure you know, this is a coming of age story about seven children who together must face an evil that has plagued them and even gives them personal grudges. Other people have already gone over the basic story, but one thing that most of them failed to mention that I find very important is that after their child hood encounters with it, all of them But Mike Hanlon lose every memory they ever had of it.

Yes, this book is vulgar, it is violent, and there is some sexuality, it is an essential part of the story. It is over a thousand pages long, and each page is genius. I will go to my grave saying that this is the greatest book I've ever read, because it's so much more than a horror story. I think this book has greater characters than any other book I have ever read. This is a five star book, and is almost completely flawless. This is my favorite book, and some of Stephen King's other great works are The Dead Zone, Misery, The Shining, and Christine.

Read this book, it is well worth your time, I won't go in depth into the story, because hundreds of other people already have, but this book will scare the piss out of you, make you reflect on your childhood and the friends with whom you shared it, and really just change you. I can't express in words how great this is, but don't take my word for it. Buy it, rent it, whatever, just READ IT (no pun intended).
~Love, Dallas~

It
By Stephen King

It lurks in the darkness....It hides beneath the ground...It feeds off the children...But no one really knows what It is...

Derry, Maine, your typical, ordinary, small east coast town....at least that is what you would think at first glance. Every 27 years, the unexplainable happens. It starts with the odd sightings, and then comes the string of murders, most of which the victims are children. It had been happening for hundreds years, yet no one has figured out the mystery. Was it to scary to? Or was it just passed over? Whatever the case, the summer of 1958 was different.

Seven ordinary children became extraordinary that summer. Bill, the leader of the group, had his reasons to want revenge. Ritchie, all though big-mouthed, was a victim of the school bullies, well, as were all of them. Stan was the quiet well dressed member of the group. Ben Hanscom, a.k.a Haystack, was overweight and big hearted, and always knew a solution. There was Beverly, the only girl among six boys, who throughout the story discovers romance, and whose own problems with her family help to get ready for what she must face. And last, but not least, there is Mike Hanlon, who is only different by the color of his skin, and is drawn to the group with the longing to help, who is the only one, years later, to stay in Derry. They were all alike in the way that they had all nearly escaped It, at some point of that year, and this is what keeps their friendships together and helps them conquer It. And that summer, they kill It....at least they think they do.

Twenty-seven successful years later, they each get a call, warning them, that It has come back. Surprisingly enough, none of them have held on to the memories of their childhood, but they each know that they made a promise....a promise that was sealed with their own blood....a promise that they must never forget. If It ever came back, they must return to Derry, to defeat It.

It, has many suspenseful and satisfying events, but one of my favorite scenes is where they are all in the Derry library, 27 years later, reflecting upon their past, struggling to grasp those memories that had disappeared years ago. I really liked this part because it really showed how memories can slip away, when you refuse to think of them.

This book, to me, was a masterpiece of all emotions. At times, there was utter horror, and at others, there was friendship and love. Stephen King wrote this book in a way, that once you get into it, you can't stop reading, it is so addicting. Also, an interesting thing about this book is that it is two stories being told at once. One is of their childhood, and the troubles they have to face, while avoiding the wrath of It. The other is of their return to Derry, and their struggles to finally kill It, to end the terror forever. To me, It is very fluid, and easy to read. I recommend this book to people who can be patient with books, because the book is quite long, however quite worth the read!

Wow, what an epic.
The book draws you in to the sinister world of Derry Maine so quickly, and deeply, that you don't want to leave when the last page is read.
With a book so large in volume and scope each reader is bound to find faults with the story, but this world is so full of rich characters, these problems disappear into the pages and eventually vanish.
I originally read this book in High School. After my first re-read 15 years later, the horror of the what goes on in the town of Derry every 28 years had a bigger impact on me. However, the adventure and wonderment I pulled from the story then, came flooding back again. The first half of the book is a coming of age story, with evil stalking the town as a backdrop. The second half of the book is a story of re-discovery and responsibility, with evil lurking closer in each character's shadows.
Just a fantastic book that reminds the reader of the power we had as children.

A book that enables you to travel back in time...back to 1958, back to a time when there was Stan, Mike, Richie, Bev, Eddie, Ben and Big Bill and some others...back when some kids' main concern was avoiding Henry Bowers!
A story that, although long...over a thousand pages and in 'IT' years probably much longer, kept my attention throughout. Maybe you'll remember what it was like to cycle so fast that your feet lose contact with the pedals...the determination and camaraderie of building a clubhouse, the friendship and love that can overwhelm you when you least expect it to and the fear...fear of the unknown...and fear of the known.

A chilling yet absorbing novel that takes time to aquaint you with the characters and their experiences, so that you really care what happens to them - good AND bad!

I swear that the monster I had in my head was so much scarier than that Tim Curry clown on the mini-series. Good book. Scary and typical Stephen King with a supernatural ending.