Rating: 
Summary: Closer to King
Review: What a great read! This is a novel to get into the depths of the complex people of the 1970s. Hearts in Atlantis would have been even better without the horror aspects. If anything it detracted from a story that kept me reading for its shear humanity and closeness to those seventies years when America began to grow up. If Stephen King wrote more like this, I would look to his books, as books to read and reread again and again. The only other book like that was 'Salem's Lot, which also has that same humanity and loss of innocence and bonds of limitless trust.
Rating: 
Summary: It was just Plain OK, could've been better if....
Review: I have very mixed feelings about this book. Ultimatley I did enjoy the story, The novel is broken into five "short" stories, all linked together by the childhood friends from the first story,Low Men in Yellow Coats-which I really enjoyed. However, the second story, the title story, was very tedious to read. I did find that there were some interesting,sometimes intense characters, I just got so tired of reading about the obsession with the card game, it was downright boring! The one thing that kept me pushing through the story was the character of Carol, the childhood sweetheart of Bobby from the first story (Low Men). I was just reading on, hoping that it got better, wondering where her presence in this story was going. The last three stories were shorter and held much more interest for me, I found the end to be very touching, and overall, I felt that it was a good story. It just would've been SO much better if the title story were trimmed down considerably. I do think that the story is worth telling for the sake of the entire novel, but it was just......too long-I just can't get into a blow-by-blow account of a card game like that-jeesh! One last thing, as much as I have always enjoyed Stephen King's writing, I really wish he would go back to writing a book that will scare the hell out of me,...a real good-ol' bogeyman-under-the-bed type of book,...am I alone in this?
Rating: 
Summary: A Terrific Read
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed King's commentary on the '60s in Hearts in Atlantis for several reasons. First, I actually failed a semester of college in the spring of 1971 because I played Hearts non-stop instead of going to class or studying. Second, my generation (DOB: 12-18-50)deserves to be held up for examination on the question- for what the hell is it that we still stand? Third, the fluid boundaries of each story within accuratly reflect the extremes of the social and political upheavals that forged, and sometimes bludgeoned, America into her next developmental stage. If you don't mind a little lingering aftertaste to tweak your conscience about what you've been doing since the '60s, this book is a terrific read.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the Drive
Review: This book is actually the first King novel I have "read" and I love it! I have even sat in my driveway for several minutes to finish listening to a chapter. This book will shorten any commute!
Rating:
Summary: Trying to please everyone?
Review: I love Stephen King, I'm a huge fan, however I prefer it when he scares me. Low Men in Yellow Coats, the first story in this book is in that vein. It reminded me a lot of Insomnia and even Needful Things. I really liked the other stories but I didn't think they hung together very well. It was almost like King was trying to please his fans (who like to be scared - story 1) while being a *serious* writer as well (the other stories). Does he care that much about critical opinion? I noticed in Low Men that he makes some poorly veiled digs at literary critics (eg. about *real writers*) - does he have a complex that his writing is not taken seriously? My advice Steve if you're reading this (as if) is to forget the critics and think of your adoring fans - write for us, and scare us stupid, please!
Rating:
Summary: Probably King's best
Review: I've been one of Stephen King's Constant Readers for fifteen years now. I was 12 when I caught the reading bug big-time (from a book called "Pet Sematary"), and have thankfully never been cured of it. Reading has probably been the greatest pleasure in my life, and Stephen King's been there with me like an old friend from the beginning. For years, my favorite book of his was "It." I just love the way Stephen King can so accurately and knowingly evoke the wonders of childhood, and make you so glad to be alive and to make you feel, from your own experiences, that you know exactly what he's talking about (even if you grew up in the '80s instead of in the '50s). He's got a terrific imagination and a great sense of story and skill for evoking very deep, stirring human feelings. I've read every book Stephen King has written, and though I've enjoyed many of his recent books, I've felt that most of them weren't on the par with his best writing (I would make the exceptions of the excellent "Green Mile" and the better parts of "The Dark Tower IV." That is why I was so pleasantly surprised when I picked up "Hearts in Atlantis." I repeatedly found myself setting the book down at the end of a chapter and saying aloud, "Damn, this is a good book." It really is. A wonderful book from a wonderful writer. If you've ever really loved a Stephen King book, don't think twice about getting this one. You'll be glad you did. If you don't read Stephen King, you should start with "Hearts in Atlantis." The first two of the five linked stories in the book are as good or better than anything he has ever written, and the other three are quite good, too.
Rating:
Summary: A little disappointed
Review: I read this book as I read all previous King's books. I really enjoyed the fist story (Low Men in Yellow Coats) but I was completely surprised by the second one as I was not expected different stories but a novel. Those stories are too close to be read separately but not enough to be a novel as they're all linked together. I read most of the stories wondering how the circle will close at the end (as you can expect with King). For the fans only.
Rating:
Summary: Born in the 70's but loved King's 60's
Review: Being born in the 70's, I do not have a personal reference of what the 60's were like. But King painted a detailed and emotional portrait of what it may have been like. "Hearts" differs from the usual King story in that it is not a horror novel but a story of life and the termoil that individuals of a common beginning go through.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Story- It's not horror, get over it!
Review: I'm not going to make this review very long, it would be tedious in that while scrolling through the other reviews, it would seem that everyone who didn't love the book seemed confused that it wasn't horror. With Stephen King being my favorite author, of course I'm partially biased to like nearly everything he writes, but to prove that I'm not, I found Rose Madder to be completely boring. Hearts in Atlantis accomplishes the goal of what a novel should: it envelops the reader into a different world, a fantasmic place that seems to be real, forcing you to drop reality and live in this world. The related stories are all excellent, with my favorite being the first, "Low Men in Yellow Coats." I could see the world through the eyes of Bobby Garfield, and shared his experiences. The 60's came alive for me, a time occuring long before I was born, but taking on a new tangibility. The title story was also great, a faithful display of college life (from what I've been through so far) taking place in the late 60's. A character study with an invigorating plot is more than I could have hoped for, and was pleasantly surprised. The final story in Hearts in Atlantis, "Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling" evoked such feelings of fulfillment and wonder as to make me unable to let go of this touching story. I recommend this book to everyone with the repeated warning that it's not, by nature, a horror novel. Simply put, it's a great story from the greatest storyteller of our time that shouldn't be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: To summarize this book bluntly, it took me 24 hours to read the 500+ pages of this book. The first of the five stories is by far the best mixing elements of horror and teenage love with expertise. The rest of the stories gradually start to fade a bit, with 'Blind Willie' being the complete bottom of the barrel. All in all though, another excellent edition to the King library.
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