Rating: 
Summary: Stephen King triumphs
Review: As any afficionado of the horror genre can tell you, Stephen King has always gotten a bad rap, critic-wise. At first, it was a knee-jerk reaction to the genre itself; outside of classics such as FRANKENSTEIN, any purveyor of serious literature would do well to steer clear of any novel wherein a reader might feel just a tad frightened. However, King's reputation has evolved, in some quarters, to a presupposition against the successful; while he has swayed many of his past naysayers, there remains a large contingent of critics who believe that surely nothing this popular could ever possibly be any good.Despite the elitist snobbery of these individuals, the fact remains that King has become, not only a supreme storyteller in the classic sense of the word, but a first-class novelist in every sense. His characters are vivid, detailed creations; he generates tension and atmosphere that linger in the mind long after the books are closed. And, not to disparage other fine authors, but King's works often have an element that other works of 'higher' literature lack; re-readability. I'd hazzard a bet that King's novels are re-read far more often than most authors, precisely because they are terrific stories that the reader cannot wait but revisit. HEARTS IN ATLANTIS, a series of five shorter pieces in King's oeuvre, should help to cement King as one of the finest authors in American literature working today. Circling around themes and events of the 1960's, as well as several recurring characters, King presents the reader with tales of loss; loss of innocence, loss of love, and ultimately, loss of life itself. This may be King's most touching collection to date. The first and longest tale, 'Low Men in Yellow Coats,' allows King to work with characters he seems to understand more than any others, those of children. Bobby Garfield is a young boy who strikes up a friendship with Ted Brautigan, an elderly gentleman who moves into his tenement. As Bobby gets to know Ted, through Ted's advice concerning what books to read and what men to watch out for, he begins to learn that adults sometimes don't have all the answers; sometimes, they are the most confused at all. A touching rendition of the end of innocence, King, through the relationship, shows how knowledge of the world effectively ends childhood, but never ends the mystery. King values the supernatural too much to abandon it completely, and manages to weave his DARK TOWER mythos into the fold. Yet who or what Ted is, is ultimately not important; what matters to Bobby, and to the reader, is the fundamental understanding that, in the end, nothing can be understood. All we can do is manage, somehow, to survive. The second story, 'Hearts in Atlantis,' jumps ahead in time to 1966, and life in the first year in college. A group of freshmen become obsessed with the card game 'Hearts,' and slowly lose all perspective in their maniacal pursuit of the Queen of Spades. 'Atlantis' is darkly, blackly comic in its intensity; King fathoms all too well the seductive nature of addiction. As the narrator slowly comes to his senses, watching other students eventually drop out of school because of their fetish, he realizes that what he is ensconced in is an insane battle for his very soul. 'Blind Willie' is a rivetting piece of pulp fiction. A Vietnam veteran, following his own unfathomable plan, raises astounding amounts of money through an intense facade, trying all the while to outwit, or outrun, his demons. This is King at his grittiest, a small jewel of a story Andrew Vachss would likely be proud of. 'Why We're in Vietnam' is King's only misstep, minor though it is. Vietnam veterans gather for a funeral, and try to come to grips with their actions in the Vietnam War. King's miscalculation is in allowing himself to wear his heart on his sleeve; where the other tales present ideas and themes through the story, here King is blatant in his attempt to present his views on the war, and its effect on those who fought it. These are important issues, but King lets the issue overwhelm the story, which lessens its impact. It comes across as hamfisted, rather than elegant. However, sandwiched between the preaching is a surrealistic traffic jam that helps elevates the story from the blunt sermon it comes across as. Finally, 'Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling' is a tiny, graceful elegy, a revisit to Bobby Garfield and the magic that his life once contained. HEARTS has been presented as King's view of the 1960s as a whole, but it is something more. While he acknowledges that America lost much of its innocence in the '60s, through Vietnam, Cuba, JFK, and Nixon, he knows that those who participated in the '60s are not unique. Everyone has their own stories to tell, their own moments of clarity and chaos. King lived through the '60s, but he is a child of every age. King has allowed himself the opportunity to grow with time, but his newly mellowed nature should not be mistaken for a laxity in his writing. It remains as finely hewn as ever; the man who started with CARRIE has come a long way, in both his talent and in the breadth of his range. HEARTS may have its detractors; there are many who will object to his moral and political beliefs which infuse much of this set. If you cannot see past that, so be it; you are missing a high point in an extremely prodigious and inspiring career.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best of King
Review: Hearts in Atlantis is definitly not King at his best. If you have the time, and only if you have the time, you should at least try to read it. Maybe you'll like it.
Hearts in Atlantis is about three best friends and their story growing up. Learn how you should stand up for what you believe in and that life shound't be wasted doing things you may regret later in your life.
If you don't read this I don't blame you. The first couple of sections were pretty well done, but through the rest of the book I had to force myself to finish.
Rating: 
Summary: Hearts in Atlantis
Review: Hearts in Atlantis is about the story of three best friends and how they started their lives and how their lives really turned out.
Hearts in Atlantis is a book that teaches you some of lifes greatest lessons. In it you will learn that you should find out who you really are and not be afraid of it. Find out why life shouldn't be wasted and that you should stand up for what you believe in.
Hearts in Atlantis is a pretty good story, not one of Stephen Kings best, but still pretty good. If you have the time you should look into reading, but it isn't a must read book. Also, if you are afended easily by either swearing or sexual things then this is not the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: It Is Good
Review: I liked the interconnectedness and the references to other books. I liked that you take things away from your childhood and the idea that time means everything and nothing. I liked the vague idea of something mystical and magical, the way I felt a part of decade I never actually saw and I liked the way he tied everything up at the end. Nice.
Rating: 
Summary: It's certainly not the movie!
Review: This review is for the UNABRIDGED audio cassette version. If you first saw the movie Hearts in Atlantis, you probably felt happy being on the 'inside' of the book - listening to the details of Ted, Bobby and the kids. All the magic that was left out of the film was waiting for you here in the book. Then, as the book progressed, I am certain that you were wondering what the heck was going on!... If however you read the book first before seeing the film, then I'd imagine you were hoping, outta your mind mad. I know I would have been. I saw the movie first and then listened to the unabridged (don't EVER listen to anything abridged) audio version. The book is read by William Hurt and Stephen King. The beginning is read by Hurt. The book was slow to start and there were several times I thought I would put the book up - it just could not keep me interested-even though these were the details that were missing in the movie. The pace was so slow, particularly for a King novel. However - a few weeks before I listened to this book, I listened to Stephen King's "On Writing," and he said he likes to tell a story slowly sometimes... and because I adore his pen, I continued on. William Hurt is Bobby Garfield in the book (and the grown-up Garfield in the film). His voice and animation deserves some sort of audio book award - it was captivating (and the reason the audio version is 16 tapes!). I felt a true range of emotions from all the characters in the book from Hurt's voice and tone. The first part of the story progressed slowly - the parts with early Bobby, Carol, Sully, Ted, Bobby's mom and the barking dog (which Hurt barked out for us). Then, it switched gears - and King took over the reading. I was fascinated at his description of Hearts, and enjoyed listening to them 'Chase the [female dog]'. Old characters and new characters intertwined by fate and circumstance. The third part of the book, a graphic account of Vietnam took me to the Green and we meet up again with old and more recent characters in the book. Again, their lives twisting together with time and places. At the end of the book, Hurt once again is Bobby Garfield. I felt the age of Bobby (in his 50s) in his voice. The union of two 'first love soul mates' was a nice touch from King. Again, Hurt's acting and animation of the characters deserves an ovation. With each book I read of Stephen King, I feel him as a person. I must say, listening to him read his own words is like chasing the [female dog] to me.
Rating:
Summary: This is a book from my era...
Review: I figured out as I read this book, that Bobby was born about 1949 and I was born in 1946...yes, one of the first of the "baby boomers". The time period of this book was my time growing up, the innocence of the 50's and yes, the 60's till about 1967. I graduated college in 1968 and learned that the boy I had a crush on in elementary school died in Vietnam a year before. (I have been to the Wall in Washington DC and found his name) Staying in college as in "Hearts in Atlantis" was the thing to do if you were a male at that time! I have read MANY Stephen King books and like many others could not put this one down! As always, his characters draw me in, I care about what happens to them! He weaves these five stories in and around the main characters and I felt very satisfied with the ending... And lastly, King certainly brought back to me all the grusome Vietnam news footage they showed us on the nightly news. I was struck most by a quote near the end of the book by Dieffenbaker, a Vietnam vet, talking about the war. "...we never got out.We never got out of the green. Our generation died there." That was my generation, and my only hope is that we remember that horror...and do not repeat it.
Rating:
Summary: King of Hearts.
Review: From someone who has read most of King's novels, including the recent Dreamcatcher, Green Mile, Insomnia and the Dark Tower series, it is enjoyable to see a great writer bloom into a greater one. Hearts in Atlantis caught me off guard, showing a side of King that I have never seen... the emotional one. I don't want to scare the fans of the earlier, darker King books away , but the moment I began this paperback, I could not stop reading. It's the most interesting and original narraration that I have read in a long, long time.
The book follows a bunch of friend's from children to their golden years, each separate story following from the point of view of another character. We get the Vietnam War , the college, the protests (ups and downs) and come out feeling refreshed, with a hit of nostalgia in your vein.
If you've seen the movie, it's nothing like the book. In fact it's only a little similar to the first 90 pages.
Also for the Dark Tower fans, (a group composing of anyone who has read the series), inside is some really interesting information.
Happy Reading. and for further reading check out Scott Smith's "A Simple Plan".
Rating:
Summary: A little on the heart-wrenching side...
Review: As you start off and meet everyone, you can quickly say that this is one of King's more heart-wrenching novels, and as I recall... he doesn't have that many, :) The reader quickly becomes attached to the characters emotionally, feeling sorry for events that happen to them, alost to the point of wanting to reach into the pages and compfort them... and yes I am still talking about a King book! There were some things I couldn't quite get a full understanding of... the men in yellow coats... for one thing. Then afterwards I found out that this was also a "Gunslinger tie-in"... after smaking my head and reading those I finally understood.
Rating:
Summary: The rebirth of a King fan
Review: I had really lost all hope of ever reading another Stephen King book after trying to attempt reading "Dolores Claiborne", which was the worst of his.
Well, some ten odd years later, I picked up "Hearts in Atlantis" at a yard sale. I had heard it was a good book, and that the movie was great. I always have to read the book before seeing the movie, so opted for the written page.
It was awesome.
"Hearts...." is a book broken down into five separate stories that all have a connection is some form. The first story "Low Men in Yellow Coats" is the longest and best of the group. It is set in the Summer of 1960, Bobby Garfield, Carol Gerber, and Sully John are all 11 yrs. old and enjoying their youth in adventurous ways. Enter Ted Brautigan, who is an older man. He takes a room in the house that Bobby and his not so nice mother live in. He becomes Bobby's father figure, and the boy becomes emotionally attached to Ted much to his mother's chagrin.
He askes Bobby to read to him, pays the kid for it, and thus they begins their bonding.
It is extremely well written and the characters just burst with life. I felt as if I really knew Bobby, who was my favorite character in the book. I am glad that this story dominates the pages of this thick novel because it is the best work of fiction here as it's the most endearing.
The four stories left, "Hearts In Atlantis", "We Were in Vietnam", "Blind Willie", "Heavnely shades of Night falling" all have a character in them that appeared in "Low Men". This is the connection of them all. In some stories, they are older, and the men have seen the horrors of Vietnam, and they have all had the war effect them in some way. Carol becomes a protestor in "Hearts in Atlantis", which is set at a college in Maine. This was my second favorite.
The book certainly doesn't have much closure, as some reviewers were looking for, but I don't think that this is what King wanted with this work. He is just showing how life was in the 60's, and how the Vietnam war shaped the lives of the characters in the stories, which span from the summer of 1960 up til 1999.
There is a lot of sadness, humor, and realism to this piece of writing.
Worth reading!!! Just skip "Blind Willie" as I don't think it adds anything but just annoys. I hated it but read the whole thing anyway. It was annoying and boring. We get to see how the bad kid from "Low Men" turns into a bad man basically. Highly recommended!! Eileen Famiglietti
Rating:
Summary: King is King
Review: Stephen King has definitely moved from mainstream horror he was famously known for. This trend must have started off with Bag of Bones and ever since then, King has been delving deeper into the literary aspect of writing. It may seem incredulous to think of him as the modern day Charles Dickens, but I won't be surprised to see his work being studied in a century or so from now. In his novel, which is more of an anthology of 5 stories (the first two of novella length) span the time period of nearly 40 years. All the major characters in each story have a mention in the next, but one thing remains constant, the Vietnam War. The first novella, "Long Men in Yellow Coats" has got to be the best of all the five stories. Same novella in which the movie "Hearts in Atlantis" was based on. In it, King depicts the ramblings of aten year olds perfectly. The only person able to do such a thing in modern times would have to be director Steven Spielberg. The story has a lot of drama between the characters and it's just peppered with a mist of mystery that is vintage King. His descriptions of the sipernatural character and their cars are downright eery. You couls swear that you can see what he tells you in your mind's eye. The display of the right amount of ingredients truly shows that the author is a master of such story telling. Perhaps the highlight of the novella happens when you read how The main character Ted Brautigan is related to King's sci-fi series, the Dark Tower. Excellent display. Excellent approach. Suredly to send shivers down people's spine. The other remaining 4 stories revolve around the same charcaters as the first, but takes into the theme of how each other's lives have been altered by the Vietnam War. Even in the last story set in 1999, the theme is just as strong as ever. Though the connection is intact, the integrity of teh story is just not there anymore. With an excellent beginning, King's writing and the way the novel is going just seems to frizzle. All in all a good book with a good beginning and dealing with an adult theme at the same time. Not as great as some of his other works, Bag of Bones being my own personal fave, but at least you get introduced to a major character in upcoming Dark Tower stories.
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