Hearts in Atlantis

This is the King of yesteryear. A very tight book- well conceived and very emotionally captivating. The book is divided into the three sections of very different lengths. The first section is terrific. The second section was interesting but I wasn't sure where it was going (not as riveting as Section 1). And then came the tidy little ending- the last section- which pulled all of those little loose ends together adding a poignant twist that'll bring a tear to your eye. A touch of the old supernatural from Mr. King. He knows how to do it right.

Yes, I am from that "flower power" era, & I have been reading King since "Carrie." His writing has grown as I have over the years. This book is my favorite--so far. I haven't liked many movie versions of King's books, but I do like Anthony Hopkins, so that's why I went to see the movie. It was excellent, so I took out the audiobook from the public library, & it was EVEN BETTER. I suppose it's that old nostalgia creeping up on me, but it made me cry more than once. Reminiscent of "Stand By Me," which I also thoroughly enjoyed. I thought William Hurt was an odd match (as the reader), but he really grew on me after awhile. (Incidentally, authors should always hire professional readers to record their books. I personally do not care for Stephen King's voice; it detracts from my enjoyment of the story.) The other segments, about the card game in college etc, interested me only to the extent that they related to the first story. Also, I wonder how accurate was the depiction of the Viet Nam war. I've known more than a few vets, & perhaps King's was a little too stereotyped... Anyway, this book made me want to read more about Ted, Bobby, the Low Men, et al.

A great piece of work! I loved the way the stories interweaved and the way you learned more about the characters who may have had a minor role in the previous story but play a more important role in the narrative of the next - Each story connects and each adds brushstrokes to create a fabulous read. I also liked how the themes ranged from the supernatural evil of the "low men" to the mundane corruptness of Officer Wheelock. All ranges that no one does like King. I had tears in my eyes at the end. Keep them coming!!!

I have just finished reading this book and am pleased to say that Stephen King has captivated me again. Hearts in Atlantis is composed of five stories that blend together like one complete novel. You will not find rabid dogs, haunted Plymouths, psychotic ex-nurses, or vampires in this book. What you will find are five engrossing stories by a writer who, in my humble opinion, has still not reached his literary peak. The five stories revolve around the generation that came of age in the sixties and what became of their idealisms and dreams. Being 27 years of age, I do not understand the Vietnam era, nor will I ever truly understand it. King's book, however, brought me closer to illumination with respect to the Vietnam era than I have ever been. The title story, in particular, drew me in. It is a first person narration from a freshman college student at the University of Maine in 1966 that explains what events led him to protest the war in Vietnam. King's book puts human faces on an era that many of us are accustomed to simply studying about in history class. I have been an avid Stephen King reader since the mid-eighties and have been particularly impressed with his most recent works, such as The Green Mile, The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass, and Bag of Bones. I strongly recommend Hearts in Atlantis to anyone, as I have now added it to my list of Stephen King favorites.

Everything in the novel "Hearts in Atlantis" by Stephen King revolves around theme of the story of schoolboys in "The Lord of Flies". A few schoolboys are stranded on an island after plane crash. Soon it gets into the two fights or wars going on. One in the sky, the other between two groups of boys on the ground. Living in natural state brings out inborn cruelty.
The same thing we witness in Vietnam. The group of soldiers- Sully, Malenphant, Willie Sherman are attacked, and cornered by Vietcong. They are running towards clearing to get evacuated, when helicopters falls down and explodes. They rush to rescue people in helicopter. Jack in the Lord of flies kills a sow; here Malenphant kills Vietnamese woman in his war rage, giving vent to basic natural instinct to kill.
The survivors are haunted for rest of their life by this and other event, blowing up of one of their own companion, severely wounded. War didn't finish when it was over, but survives and continues in their mind.
One commentator in his essay refers "Atlantis" as a symbol of years of Sixties. I feel that rather Atlantis stands for that period of adolescence and youth in the life of main characters in the novel. Their life in college Dormitory. They live a life governed by their own rules, apart from the rest of the world. This life gradually sinks, never to come back. Thus the story stops being their own story. All of us have gone through that period of life, where we loose our child hood innocence and dream, gradually learn what life is and grow into it. It gradually drifts away and lives only in our own memory. This is the period when we don't know our place in the world surrounding us. We try to live it in our own way, apart from the rest of the world.
The beating of Carol in the park near field B is somewhat akin to killing a mamsan-Old Vietnamese lady and killing a sow. Carol was not virtually killed, just badly beaten, but something in her mind is dead for ever. This forever haunts Willie Sherman, just like killing of Mamsan till his death haunts Sully, though both of them didn't actually do themselves. The summer vacation of 1960 brings the isolation to Bobby and his friends like air crash to schoolboys in The Lord of Flies. They daily routine is stopped, they are vacuum, nothing to do except roam around in their own world while adults in home are busy with their chores and problems. Thus they become prey to their own natural instincts. The effect of the summer vacation on 1960 was the same as effect produced by Vietnam War on young American soldiers on distant island.
In " Hearts in Atlantis" Stephen King is taking us to the heart of some of the problems of to days American life, drugs, school shootings, street Gang fights, drive away shootings. These are nothing but killing a sow. The news media like CNN and NBC are broadcasting the head of sow stuck on a pole all over America and rest of the world.
Amidst all this, as Bobby Garfield thinks, we need to remember, there is always a Navy Guy or Rionda coming along to stop the bad action and rescue. This is something reader must not forget when putting the book down,
Though Carol and Bobby Garfield go behind the scene most of the time after Low Men in Yellow Coats, they are the main characters; this is their love story in a sense. Of all characters, Carol stands out as heroine, a young idealistic girl, who was beaten up and then tricked by activist, thus robbed of everything.

This book began with a bang and ended with a whimper. The novellas got progressively shorter & progressively weaker & more confused. I enjoyed the tie in of the first novella with the Dark Tower series & fully expected the rest of the book to continue in that vein & bring all the disparate threads together. Instead, King just drops the Dark Tower references & comes to a much less than satisfying conclusion. If you are expecting the typical King neatness & continuity, this book is particularly disappointing. Taken individually, the novellas, especially the first two, are not bad, but together, they lack cohesiveness & direction.

I have always been wary of reading Stephen King. In the past I've been very selective in what I choose to read by him: THe Stand, IT, Green Mile serial...then the Gunslinger series.
The Gunslinger series is what really hooked me in. When I found out that other books were "related" to the Dark Tower, I dove right in to Kings books.
This one, Hearts in Atlantis is fantastic. Each story is unique in its own way. By the last story, Heavenly shades of Light are Falling, I could not tear myself away from the book. Very moving.
Now I am addicted to Kings writing. Currently reading The Talisman and not long ago finished Insomnia (which is also VERY good)

The first King book I ever read was "Christine," which I finished cover-to-cover during a week's vacation to Maine when I was 12. It scared me to death. Thereafter, I was a King fanatic, reading every King title I could get my hands on up to and through high school (my favorite being the "Shining" and the "Gunslinger"). At some point, however, I grew tired of King's writing style and completely abandoned his books, except for the "Dark Tower" series. I even gave up on that eventually, putting down the "Waste Lands" halfway through because I thought the series was becoming something far different and much less interesting than what King had masterfully started in the "Gunslinger."
Then along came "Hearts in Atlantis," which I noticed was garnering a lot of positive attention in the press, as well as on this site. Coincidentially, just before I was about to head back to Maine for a vacation, a friend of mine mentioned he enjoyed reading it. I figured, what the heck, why not give King another try?
I'm glad I did, it was well worth the effort. King has come a long way from "Christine," or even the "Gunslinger," which I'm sure comes as no suprise to his fans that have stuck with him through the years. King's reputation for being a superficial, crowd-pleaser-type of author who's writing doesn't justify his income -- if still maintained -- is completely unwarranted; "Hearts in Atlantis" alone has more depth, style and substance than all of John Grisham's novels combined.
"Hearts in Atlantis" is really five interconnecting stories which span the Summer of 1960 to the present day, with Vietnam (and other relevant events from the 60's) serving as an ominous backdrop. The best story is "Low Men in Yellow Coats," a coming-of-age story set in Harwich, Connecticut that introduces the characters (as children) who appear in the remaining four stories. The story has a supernatural element, involving the titular "low men," that really (for me, anyway) captures the essence of "growing up," i.e., the loss of innocence. Bobby Garfield (the main character), a relatively innocent eleven -year-old boy, loses his innocence by the end of the story when he realizes that monsters really do exist, and that greater nightmares than any child could possibly imagine are lying in wait for you as an adult.
Perhaps for the characters in "Low Men," that nightmare is the Vietnam war. In the remaining four stories, Vietnam becomes an increasingly important factor in the characters' lives. "Hearts in Atlantis" centers around a group of slacking college students wrapped up in a dorm-wide card game for money, who all run the risk of flunking out of school and getting drafted. At the same time, the story details the narrator's doomed romantic relationship with a girl who gets swept up in the anti-war movement. "Why We're In Vietnam" and "Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling" examines the lingering effects of Vietnam on its' survivors.
The remaining story (and third in sequence in the novel) is "Blind Willie," which follows a day in the life of a Vietnam veteran who's just trying to earn a living. This story was my least favorite because it seemed forced and out of place, and because it reminded me of King's earlier work (which comes as no suprise as the author himself notes that it's actually a remake of a short story he wrote and published several years ago). That said, the story is short enough and darkly clever enough for me not to quibble about it any further.
And, for anyone who thinks King can't satisfactorily end a novel, "Heavenly Shades" cleverly ties all five stories together, and ends the novel on a very mature note (no pun intended, you'll understand after reading the book).
All in all, "Hearts in Atlantis" is a great read, and I look forward to what King will serve up next.

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!

(...)If you're not afraid to read a novel out of the ordinary, then Hearts in Atlantis may be the book for you. Following Stephen King's abnormal recipe, this book is definitely different from any other I've ever read. At first glance, the title implies some sort of strange romance. However, the title is deceiving.
This book is separated into stories which have familiar characters from different eras, and shifts the points of view. The setting of the first story starts off in a small town in the early sixties with the main character, Bobby, who is an eleven-year-old boy who lives with his mom, Liz, in an apartment. His only friends are Sully and Carol, who grew up in the same neighborhood, and Ted, a strange old man who lives on the floor above Bobby. Sully is the typical athlete friend to Bobby, and Carol is Bobby's potential love interest. When Ted moves in upstairs, Bobby takes immediate interest in him, and soon he finds out that Ted has an extraordinary background that changes their friendship forever, and endangers both of them. The following stories detail the life of a college student turned card playing addict, a schizophrenic con-man who was a childhood "friend" with Carol, Sully after Vietnam, and the friends coming together thirty years later, respectively.
King did a superb job with realistic details from each of the eras he used, and deep, emotional attachment to the out of this world (some literally) characters. He used quotes from Lord of the Flies ("A stick sharpened at both ends") and other sixties-era books and movies. Also, King made sure that there was not one hurdle for the protagonist to jump, but a separate conflict for each protagonist he makes, all of which link together. I really enjoyed this book, but it may not be for everyone. The book is somewhat long because of its multiple-story attribute, and is a bit graphic, especially when the main characters are in college. There is a lot of language, and a bit of violence and sex, but its not used too gratuitously. There is no real genre for this book, as it has so many elements from fantasy, science fiction, fiction, and historical fiction. I would recommend this to anyone that's a fan of strange fiction novels or fans of Stephen King.

I hated Insomnia for the longest time. I had tried to get into it to no avail. Then I learned it tied into The Dark Tower series, and I fought tooth-and-nail to get through. Even though it took a huge amount of effort, I still fell in love with that book. I fell in love with Hearts in Atlantis for completely the opposite reason. To me, it was open and yielding; very easy to fall into, like a dream that you don't want to wake up from. I would probably go so far as to say that this is my favorite Stephen King book of all time. It finally puts to rest any doubts about his talent to write stories other than those about monsters (which are really, end the end, also stories about people). Low Men in Yellow Coats I liked the best for reasons I've already mentioned (*cough* ties-in with The Dark Tower series *cough*), as well as the way it was written -- making even the unbelievable seem believable concerning the low men, and showing strong parental bond that started to develop between Bobby and Ted. I would even go so far as to say Ted is probably my favorite character in any King novel. To me, he's reminiscent of my sixth-grade teacher who instilled in me a great love of literature and language, much like Ted does for Bobby in the story. Hearts in Atlantis (the titled story) tied with the rest in my opinion (it did also make me want to learn to play Hearts). I liked them all pretty much the same. All in all, this is my favorite tie-in book. I also like Black House, but not as much as this one. Words like "complex," "bittersweet," and "haunting" come to ming when I think about this book.
This book definitely gets high marks from me. If any of you out there have always wanted to try some Stephen King, but weren't too big on his "horror stuff" I highly recommend this. I am aware he has written other non-horror stories (being a fan, I would know that), but I'll save those other reviews for another day.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. King captures the reader from the first few pages. It is a conglomeration of different interlocking stories.
The first story, "Low Men in Yellow Coats" is about an old man, Ted Brautagan, that moves into an apartment above Bobby, an 11-year old boy. Bobby soon discovers that Ted may possess some psychic powers. Ted asks bobby to stay on the look out for "low men in yellow coats", or dangerous looking men who wear mustard trench-coats. They communicate with things such as lost pet posters, drawings on the sidewalk with chalk, or kitetails hanging from telephone wires. Although Bobby does not beleive these men exist, he begins to see the signs. The story ends in an interesting way, and ties into the other stories well.
The second story, "Hearts in Atlantis", is probobly the best of the five stories. It tells the tale of a college student who's dorm get hooked on a card game (Hearts), and their grades start falling. This all takes place during the sixties and the Vietnam War, where men not in college were liable to be drafted for the war. The protagonist, Pete, struggles to keep his head above water and his grades up as he falls in love with Bobby's old girlfreind.
The third and fourth stories, "Blind Willie" and "Why We're in Vietnam, two kids that grew up with Bobby struggle with their haunted post-Vietnam lives after serving in the war.
In the conclusion of the book, "Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling", Bobby returns to his hometown after being contacted by Ted again to find the love of his life there as well.
If you want a good book to read, pick up Hearts in Atlantis. It won't dissapoint - I am a huge fan of fantasy, and rarely read realistic fiction, but this book was a gift from a freind. I read it, and devoured every word.

I always eagerly await his new books, hardback and paperback, even when I have the hardback. In my opinion, the title story, Hearts in Atlantis is probably one of his most powerful works of fiction yet. Simply beautiful. I loved how he weaved the first story, The Low Men In Yellow Coats, into his Dark Tower series. This book makes me wished I have lived growing up in the sixties, rather than the eighties. And I think I finally learned how to play Hearts from this book, though I still don't like the game.

Having read more than a dozen King books over the years this book made me angry. I feel like I was ripped off on this one for two reasons. One, I lived through the period he wrote of and to have the character who gets the most space in the book have no bigger problem in his life than getting addicted to hearts and falling behind in his studies at the University of Maine is slightly rediculous. Two, the book reads more like a collection of short stories than a novel. The characters in each story are tied together by the flimsiest of plot inserts, so that a character who is barely fleshed out in one part appears in another part as a wholly different character. It seems to me that King must have gotten addicted to hearts while he was writing this one. I give him a C-. It holds your interest but at the end it was all cotton candy!

Having grown up in a milieu similar to the settings of most of King's novels, I feel a certain attraction to them. Here, again, he strikes an unerring tone of versimilitude, not only for the region and the period, but the people. The intertwining of the various parts of the story is well done. His allusions to the "Dark Tower" series -- among his worst, IMO -- have succeeded in making me give them another try. No single book will capture the '60s, but this goes a terrifically long way in meeting that goal.

Before staring "Hearts," my previous two King reads were "Bag of Bones" and "The Green Mile." Both are about as different as you can get, and "Hearts in Atlantis" proved to be different still. While I enjoyed the first segment, "The Men in Yellow Jackets," I thought it dragged. But, in retrospect, I appreciated it more in relation to the other segments that followed. But my favorite, without a doubt, was the title segment. King vividly describes college life in the '60s, making me wish the the entire novel centered around the two central characters, Carol Gerber and Pete. King's description of the interplay between Carol and Pete is so telling, as Pete talks about "that smile," .. that "look" she had. It made me think of a woman in my own life as a teenager -- blonde, blue-eyed, and with a smile that was just so. Carol truly came to life for me in that segment, and I only wish King could have been more clear in the end when Carol -- or her vision -- reappears. I wanted Carol and Pete to be together in the end, but see what King was trying to do in describing the confusion of being an 18 year old .. and the added dynamic of being that age at the height of the Vietnam War. In the end, Carol and Pete were going down differnt tracks (as she tells Pete), but later in life, there is profound sadness in her remembering and losing him from her life, and her own reflection of what was and what might have been.
The central segment of the book could easily be adapted into a movie. Call me a hopless romantic, but I want more Carol!
LOVE + PEACE = INFORMATION

This review will be short and sweet: I loved this book. I loved this book so much that I refused to see the film adaptation with Anthony Hopkins out of love for the words and not to be betrayed by the screen. It is absolutely brilliant. I have been reading Stephen King since the 8th Grade with Salem's Lot and this is by far, the absolute best that he has written. I finished this and Bag of Bones back-to-back and I honestly believe King is writing the best he ever has. Beautiful. Poignant. When the boy received the flower petals in the mail, it nearly brought me to my knees. I was truly, truly sorry when I finished it. I just wanted it to go on and on.

Reading books that make you think is much more satisfying than just being entertained. This book has me puzzling out much about what King is saying about the 60's and our national loss of innocence. Is it any coincidence that the three male characters in "Low Men" are named for the Kennedy boys? (John, Bobby, Ted?) This first story seems to be about the decade's literally stealing innocence from that time's youth. "Hearts" may be about, besides a fairly accurate portrayal of the Frosh experience, the Boomer's tendency toward self-destruction,even when all common sense tells us to stop. It also casts a cynical eye towards "causes", implying that it is nearly impossible to stay true to beliefs based upon the inherent cynicism in us all--for an update of this story, see what happened in Seattle last week during the WTO fiasco. "Blind Willie" appears to be a statement both about the Reagan 80's and PTSD's largely unknown effects on combat veterans. The final 2 stories detail coming to grips with the experience of that decade as well as the potential for redemption for us all. Mr. King seems to be telling us that we should not forget what it was like to be a child. These memories can heal and preserve us. This is definitely Mr. King's most personal book...I apologize for trying to read his mind. Not as good as "Bag of Bones", my personal favorite of his, but one can never fault a writer for trying to say something and challenge our perceptions of events and the world around us.

William Hurt gives one of the best audio book readings I've ever listened to, and I've listened to scores of them. And the parts that King himself reads are also great, not so well done as the actor who reads, but for a novelist, he holds his own as a reader/performer. And it is just so cool to have the legendary master storyteller speaking into your ear, I admit, I idolize this guy, and it is really fine that he has spent the time to read his own story to us. I'm sure he didn't do it for the money.

I have to agree with G Cone from Texas--I, too, have read plenty
of King books and not wanted them to end, but when they do, you
move on to the next. This one, though, I couldn't imagine it
ending and when it did, I couldn't--CAN'T--seem to forget it. It's been almost a week since I finished it and I just want to
read it again and again, especially Hearts in Atlantis, the story. I don't know if I could ever even put into words why this
one book--and this one story, especially--has me so hooked but it does. A wonderful, truly exceptional piece of work and worth
the read if only for the very outside reference to King's "Eyes of the Dragon" (another of my favorites) in "Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling" when Carol speaks of someone teaching her "a long time ago" to become dim. Could Flagg still be around stirring up trouble? :) Read this book!

The phrase "un-putdownable" is so frequently used these days that it has almost become S.O.P. for any new book to be described thus. However Hearts in Atlantis is definately worthy of the comment. The story of Bobby and the low men is classic King - fast-paced and continually building to a climax. It is also the only real "supernatural" story out of the five and the references to the Dark Tower are slightly confusing but scarcely detract from the tension. The second tale , about the college boys and their card games , is undoubtedly my favourite probably because I am also still in college . The switching to first-person narrative is a nice touch and it well expresses the confused feelings about the war in Vietnam prevalent at the time. The remaining three tales , while lacking any real substance as stories give a good view of how the Sixties still affects those involved in it and the constant cross linking of the characters lets you know what happened in the intervening years without having to go in to too much detail. Any long-time fan of King and his style of writing will be hooked inside a couple of chapters , just as I was.

I went to college in 1967, one year after Stephen King. Nothing in my 30 years of reading since has better captured the experience of being alive and angry in that era. Whether you fought "in the green" or fought in the streets, this book will remind you why, as one of King's psychically damaged veterans puts it, this country "never got out" and why "our generation died there." This was my first King book. (I generally read non-fiction). Thank you Stephen King.

Stephen King has incredible character development. I literally cried at the end of the first story, and felt so disappointed not knowing what happened to those characters. But, lo and behold, he tied up all the loose ends in the last story. Made me feel so much better about the ending of the first.
I read a few reviews here, where people said this was his worst book, or it was an "uphill" read, etc. I totally disagreed. With the exception of "Blind Willie" each story was compelling on its own, and I loved the way the characters were all intertwined.
I will grant you that this book is different from King's other books, and although I am a little too young to appreciate the emotional turmoil of the sixties, I think he did a great job in presenting his representation of that era.
Definitely worth reading!

Stephen King has an amazing way with imagery and getting readers hooked with a story. I would particularly recommmend this book to anyone who hasn't read any King in a while. This work represents somewhat of a departure from his past style of shocking gore, and might be a pleasant surprise to those who think they can't stomach Stephen King. This book, like Bag of Bones and The Green Mile, weaves an intricate and thoughtful plot with an undercurrent of the supernatural. Definitely recommended.

HIA is not King's best but is a worthy read. "Low Men In Yellow Coats" was the best part of the story and will considered one of Kings finest stories."Hearts In Atlantis" was more of an emotional story and was written to express an overall message. "Blind Willie" and "Why we are in Vietnam" had important morals in them and gave purpose to the novel, but at times were slow. The last story "Heavanly Shades Of Night are Falling" pput all stories together and was a good, final read. It was a good book and I recommend "The Green Mile", "Misery", and "Different Seasons" as well.

This is a great horror novel because it is an intense psychological study of characters in overlapping stories. If you didn't know about the Dark Tower series or recognize Flagg's cameo (so now we know how he got all those revolutionary pamphlets in the Stand!) you could read the "supernatural" events as taking place in the characters' minds and being the product of living through one of the most turbulent decades in American history. King does a great job of bringing out the real terror many people went through in the Vietnam War and in dealing with the social upheaval of that era. What's really interesting is that we see how these events effected these people as the war ended and they entered the materialistic 80's and 90's.
The characters are realistic in their emotions and are the basis for their extreme actions. We see how Bobby begins to realize how harsh and unstable the adult world(s) is/are as his best friends leave one by one, and Ronnie and Carol bring home how easy it is to get caught up in self-obsession and violence when everything in their lives seem out of control.
Overall, a great worthwhile read, especially the "Low Men in Yellow Coats" which was my favorite. I definitely hope Bobby, Carol and Ted are back in future stories and we find out exactly what it is Breakers do for the Crimson King!

...in which King weaves a unique tale that is four tales in itself. He takes the general themes that made up the sixties and spins a tale around each of them, questioning Viet-Nam while making fun of the senseless patriotism of the era. Besides, the first story of the book; "Low Men in Yellow Coats" is the latest add-on The Dark Tower chronicle, writen in a much different style that deliciously resembles "It", albeit in a milder way. Maybe Blind Willie should have been left out, but that makes up for a gap in the overall story. Read...you'll not be disappointed.

I read this book straight after finishing the Dark Tower series, and fortunately for me, it did quell the withdrawal symptoms I found myself with after finally emerging from King's amazing adventure.

In short - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It took me once again out of the square and allowed my mind to journey on a similar kind of path as did the Dark Tower books.

In all honesty - Can anyone go wrong with ANY King title.

Read it - you'll love it.

Quite a bit different from most SK novels. It doesn't depend on a supernatural plot (though obligatory supernatural elements do appear).
It's tough to describe why it's so good. On occasion, we have all met strangers from far away who, to our amazement, co-own little pieces of our past. Maybe they went to summer camp with someone who would become your college roomy, or maybe they married your 4th grade sweetheart. It might have made you wonder how many such connections you never quite stumble onto. Hearts in Atlantis is an exploration of that kind of interconnectedness in the lives of three childhood friends who go very separate ways. It's a bittersweet reflection on paths not taken, on what might have changed had we been just a little better or a little wiser.
King usually holds my interest, but this is the first time one of his books wouldn't let go after I'd finished it. Very different from the movie, though I enjoyed both.

Don't let yourself catch by the title of this review. But as I see you did.. Unfortunately there isn't that much about the Dark Tower in Hearts in Atlantis but the long readers of king won't be disappointet anyway. The book, actually I listened the unabridged version of the audiobook, is great. The stories are fresh, deep, funny, sad (really), colorfull and you will get cought by them. And if you were a reader and are, like me, desperatly waiting on some news from the Dark Tower you will get some news of the "crimson king"... listen/read for yourself. Maybe a word to the Audiobook of Hearts of Atlantis... Great. William Hurt and Stephen King are reading. First I thought that maybe William Hurt's reading style is a bit dozy but hey, he takes you in before you know it. The second story is read by King himself and the change of style is big. Anyway, excuse my english, I'm from Switzerland (and not a low man with a yellow coat...)

Its a personal book. Low men is probably the best story, but it was the title story that really hit me. I'm an Indian, born after the vietnam war and all the things that may make this book significant to US readers, but the title story struck so close to home, the obsession that sweeps through a dorm and leaves a trail of damage, the scholarships at stake, the game that was always going to be the last game, it really took me back, though its been nearly seven years since i left college- so much so that I kept thinking about my college days a week after I finished the book. Any book that can keep me thinking about it for a week afterward, I think, deserves 5 stars. The other stories are good, with probably the exception of "Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling", but thats probably because it was more of an epilogue than a story.

I am on the last tape of the audio version of this book (16 grueling tapes in all). Half of the book is read by Stephen King (who is great) and the other half by William Hurt. Hurt has cut into my enjoyment of the book - his voice is arrogant (similar to his movie persona - think Altered States), he uses pauses where they don't belong (example: "the sense of the world as a (pause) thin (pause) veneer, (pause) stretched over something else"), lets words trail off, and in short - does not sound like the main character in the book at all!

In addition, there is a gross overuse of swear words in the last third of this book. They are tedious to listen to and subtract considerably from the story. I have found that later works of Stephen King tend to disintegrate into garbage about halfway through - but I continue to hope for redemption, since his earlier works were so stellar.

If you're going to get this, get the printed book and not the audio version!

Hearts in Atlantis is a continuation of the genius that is Stephen King. The expanding plot line reminiscent of "The Stand" works wonderfully in this new novel. The storytelling has never been better. Unlike some novels of this length there is no "padding". Every word is intricately woven into the story. I would personally love to see the storyboards and database constructs he uses when creating his masterpieces. Now on to "The Plant"!

I love how these five stories are related by both major and minor characters; the reader is forced to remember the minute details that make Stephen King such a great suspense writer. He constantly collides the real and the fantastic and makes one realize the possibility of all things good and evil. The reader is afraid of both the monsters and the men who they unhabit---the monsters being the Vietnam War, paranoia, and even one's own parents. What a great book!

don't get me wrong, i love SK. but this book sucks. the first story "low men in yellow coats" was great, but that was a result of the connection to the Dark Tower series which i LOVE. wizard and glass was one of SK's best books ever! but this book went downhill after low men. i do appreciate SK's attempt at literary acceptance, or whatever it is he wants. but i miss the old, big, huge, monster books he wrote. ones with plots, many characters that you know better than you own parents, etc. hell, the green mile was one of the greater books of the 90's, and different seasons was an excellent collection of stories. if those cannot grant literary acceptance, then SK will be hard pressed to write something that will. and if he outdose those books, i'll be in heaven enjoying every word. SK, finish the Dark Tower! and get well soon!

William Hurt does a phenomenal job with his sections of the story. He can capture the soul, joy and pain of all of his characters. He reads 3 of the 5 stories on the CD.

Stephen Kin reads the other 2 stories. I am not as interigued by the stories or the characters they focus on. Couple that with his flat, New England voice, and the middle section is not as enjoyable.

This is NOT a typical King story. There is a small amount of monster/supernatural element to it, but this is more about the human heart.

I really like this and actually bought the CD to replace my worn out cassette version. You may want to read excerpts from the story to decide if it is to your liking.

Absolutely one of his best! So good I went through it in one day. I couldn't put it down. I notice that some seem so disappointed that this is not pure horror. Forget that. I like the horror stuff too but this is just a great book. I just loved the characters. The only part that puzzled me a bit was the Willie section but that was pretty short. If you only like the horror, this isn't the book for you. But if you want a great read...read this one.

I am a huge King fan so this book was obviously a hit with me. I must say out of all his books this is not his best however in the top 10.
This book did kept me enthralled to the end. I loved the fact that the four basic characters kept coming through the various short stories within the book. King always likes to keep you thinking. I was a little disappointed in the ending... but it didn't stop me from being moved and pleased with the work he had done.

I could read this book all day long. In fact, I did one day. It took me 21 hourse of straight reading to get through it, but I managed to finish. I couldn't eat or sleep until I had finished it, it was that involved. I still can't sleep because of that whole "Langoliers" mini-series. This book was just as haunting. It left me wanting for nothing....except more Stephen King. Gee, I sure hope I don't hit him with my car again. Oh well..

I will just have too say how blown away I am by this book. First, the concept of the whole thing was intiguing and I just coundn't wait to get into it and see just exactly how these four novellas would read like a novel. As I got into the story I was just mesmerize by the writing. Stephen King just gets better and better. I loved the way that "Low Men In Yellow Coats" tied into the "Dark Tower" series. The exact way it ties in might be a little confusing though if you have not read any "Dark Tower" book. The novllas (I'm sorry to say) do not get better as the book goes on. Like some other reviewers have said, I have to say it does go "down hill". But it is a huge hill that its going down and it doesn't even make it a tenth of the way down. Very compelling and realistic characters throughout the whole thing. I can still picture the disgustingness of the pimple-faced Ronnie Melanfant. This is really a great read. I totally recommend it.

The beginning of the opening story, "Low Men in Yellow Coats" led me to believe that King was not only readable, but an extraodinary writer. I read the cluster of his titles that came out around the late 90s first: Hearts in Atlantis, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Bag of Bones, and Dreamcatcher--and except for the latter, these remain my favorite King titles.

I have to admit to being a HUGE King fan, so I may be biased, but...I loved this book! (I can be objective- I was really disappointed in Bag of Bones, and I LOATHED The Tommyknockers.) King uses the 5 interconnected stories to weave a tapestry of life in the Vietnam era, not by putting the reader IN Vietnam, but by showing us the mood on the homefront. The lead story, Low Men In Yellow Coats, is by far the best; Dark Tower fans will especially appreciative of it. I was impressed by the title story as well. While I miss the "Go for the guts" King of old, to judge by "Hearts In Atlantis" and "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon", the kinder, gentler King is pretty damned good too. And P.S.- I you love Randall Flagg as much as I do, try to pick out his cameo appearance in this book. OK, Steve.....when are you gonna finish The Dark Tower...?

How do we begin to associate Stephen King with literature? Probably with the title of " He who writes the scary and disturbing novels", am I right? I won't lie- I have read both The Shining and Different Seasons and I was disgusted with both. I vowed to never again read anything by or to do with Stephen King after having to endure these heartless tales. However, I was at my library and I found at the book sale a brand-new copy of Hearts In Atlantis and figured for a buck I might as well give it a try. It sounded like a book with actual story, plot, and King's vivid imagery, and it was. At no point in the story was I not amazed, nor taken into King's realm of creativity. Every line, every chapter was captivating, and one might forget while reading this book that King did indeed write it. Never have the sixties been so real that you can actually feel yourself in the novel, and this is another inclination of King's real ability to write a great story, as opposed to the traditional horror and gore that King is known for. Hearts In Atlantis breaks the stereotypes, and in this case, we can be glad. Kudos to Stephen King.

I would have to say "Good Job" if I saw Stephen King right now. I really enjoyed the novel. It was full of great writing and characters and it was one of the best by him I have ever read. Being only 16 years old, I can really relate to the Vietnam War through this book. I was really fascinated by how much effect the war really had, even after it was long over. Out of the 5 stories, I would say that "Low Men in Yellow Coats" was the best. God, I love King's characters. I don't think anyone can do characters as good as he can. Also, the "Blind Willie" one was actually quite funny. Even though he was not a blind man, he was still a Vietnam vet and the book kind of portrayed it like he had a RIGHT to beg. I thought that was very interesting.

Oh dear... Stephen King has presumably given up, after reading nearly all of his previous books, and marvelling at his imagination and just having been totally impressed by his wonderful books - I'll be the first to NOT run out and buy his next tome. The first story "Low Men in Yellow Coats" really whet my appetite, with references to his series "The Dark Tower". It was a genuinely interesting tale, and left me feeling the rest of the book would be worth reading. However... I only read the rest of the book in the mis-guided belief that there was a point to all the rest of the dross. Alas no, while I'll concede the title story looked like it may have been going somewhere - by Kings standards it completely failed - this was unlike any of his other books - which all seemed to have a plot and a significant ending. I got the impression the whole purpose of this story was to arrange for a group of children to carry a friend in need - which was similar to an event in the first story. It just didn't need 144 pages, and an obsesison with a card game to tell it. I dont really know what the end was all about - I'd lost all interest by then and had given up on reading a good ending. I thought The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon was bad enough, but PLEASE STOP RESTING ON YOUR LAURELS MR KING... I'm looking forward to the next edition of The Dark Tower, but worried King will churn out more mediocre drivel instead of putting any effort into something to rival his previous works of masterpiece. In summary to all King fans, buy this book to complete your collection, and either dont bother reading it or only read the first story and keep your book in REALLY good condition.

This book is phenomenal! It wove an incredible spell over me, but left me with a profound sadness, and I never even lived through this stuff. A friend who did, and who is a wiser person than I said of the sixties: "you never felt more certain you could change the world, and never felt more dissapointed when you couldn't do it." King captures this spirit perfectly. I loved the inclusion of more material on the path to the Tower as well. And the moment in the fourth section when the materialistic world literally collapses on the lost innocence of an entire generation is pure genius! Fantastic book!

*Sigh* Another disappointment. While H. in A. was a pretty good book it seemed to be just another "grown up" book of the type we've seen alot lately from King (Rose Madder, Bag of Bones). Come on, dude...where's the scary stuff? Just as I wouldn't listen to Madonna to get a dose of country western, I don't read King to have my heart strings pulled. For what it's worth though, it was his typically excellent writing.

I just finished listening to the finest audio book I have ever experienced, "Hearts In Atlantis," by Stephen King, read by William Hurt and by King. Heartfelt appreciation to Producer-Director-Composer Eve Beglarian , and all concerned. (I put in close to 20 years in ADR, Eve, and know whereof I praise.) The reading, direction, music, editing and production work on this presentation are entirely worthy of the book, itself. I can think of no higher praise.
The book is a masterpiece. A classic. One of the most rewarding literary experiences I have ever absorbed. And if one can afford the unabridged audio version, I recommend it as being worth infinitely more than said sticker price. I've read a lot of Stephen Kings work, and have enjoyed it, but this time the experience was so profound, King has risen, in my esteem, to the level of the Masters.
How can I possibly let King know how affected I am by his work? Just let me say that I am every bit as stricken by "Atlantis" as King, himself, is by "Lord Of The Flies.
Sincerely, Robert V. Barron

I work in a bookstore and was thrilled when we got in the advance copy. I read it in two days and can honestly say that I couldn't in good conscience recommend it to anyone. The first story intrigued me with Bobby and the neighbor, but then it got into the more minor story lines and tied together way too neatly at the end. If you want a good Stephen King, read "The Shining" or "It" - "Hearts in Atlantis" falls way short.

I had to read this book immediately, as I do all of Kings work and have since 6th grade. I like it, I cared about the characters and was drawn "in to" the story as I am only when reading King. I didn't thik it was on the par with "The Stand", which I consider a modern masterpiece, but lets face it folks....Kings avererage is better than the rests best.
Mr. King, I'm your number one fan! Hahahaha
-Annie(aka Angela Pickle)

The stories in "Hearts In Atlantis" are more of horror to me then "The Shining".....because you know that the Vietnam War really happened...and Overlook Hotel came from Stephen King's mind ! These are though not stories for those who like the scary side of King's work, more for people who liked "Green Mile" and storytelling (like King did in "The Body"). I just say...ENJOY A GREAT WORK OF FICTION !

Mr. King remembers what it's like thinking and feeling like a kid and how as grownups, we are still pretty much that same little kid. I liked how the characters connected between stories of youthful relationships, college life in the sixties, how music of that time impacted us, and with Vietnam War always in the background. I had quit reading Steven King, but for some reason I was inclined to read this one and very glad I did.

What real cops do.
I'm 61 now and as I read through the pages of this book, finding it hard to put down, it brought back so many memories. The innocence of childhood. The carefree life of a child. Finding that simple things can be the most fun and exciting. It also brought back memories of Vietnam, or should I say that era. I was a soldier between 1969 and 1972. I did not serve in Vietnam, but I knew many that did and I know of those who came back messed up physically and mentally. I was drafted and I knew of those that managed to stay out of the draft by going to college or going to the National Guard. I also knew a few that failed in college and went anyway and of at least one person who did not attend Guard meetings as required on was activated.
It also made me think of my first love.
This is a great read, and I would encourage anyone to read it.

Steven King has always been reliable to fill that gap on long flights or kill a slow weekend enjoyable, but never to be taken too seriously. Hearts of Alantis changed all that, as boy who grew up in Ausralia in the 60's (and yes it may come as a surprise to many Americans that we were in the Vietnam war too) I suddenly found myself reliving all those childhood loves and fears.
More strangly after serving 23 years in the military and with its natural right wing leanings, I was surprised to find I understood and even supporting Carol and her peace protests.
The men in their Low Coats was a interesting diversion..was this Bobbies child like view of a every day adult trauma or something magical..does it matter...
For two days after I read this book I seemed to suffering depression until i realised that I was missing Carol like some composite of girlfriends and times past.
If you remember your childhood just a little ..read this book..
And Mr King..thank you for such developed and real characters, I have been reading for 40 years and never have I fallen in love with a fictional character before.

This book was a great read if you know the style of Stephen King. Since this was the
first Stephen King novel I have ever read I feel that I missed an important part to the
reading.
The beginning of the story is about a young boy, Bobby Garfield, who's mother has very
relentless feelings toward him. She seems to ruin his life without even trying. It was very
captivating with the many adventures that he encounters. Then the story switches gears
to a new character. At this point of the story I was real perplexed about who this Pete
Riley was. I began to think that it was Bobby a few years later. It turns out that it is
about an man in his late teens who goes to college but ends up getting addicted to
gambling with his roommates. Although it did have some connection to the first story.
Carol Gerber was Bobby Garfield's first love. She ends up being great main character
throughout the entire book. King uses great description of the sixties and the Vietnam
war. He seems to bring the past to life. He uses the many peace rallies and the draft
vividly. He connects each character to the war.
The next mini story takes place with a character from the first story. He turns out to be
someone that he is not. He has many personalities and it was very confusing to see where
King was coming from.
The end of the book refers to the first story and towards the end he had lost my interest to
keep reading.
It was disappointing that Carol Gerber seems to be the main character. She does not have
much depth to her. She is the character that everyone can relate to, but she does not keep
the reader interested as a main character should.
These stories are very loosely tied together and that is was makes it confusing. I think
that King had many meanings to the story, but they were very hard to grasp. This book is
a great read if you understand Stephen King. Hearts in Atlantis is not good beginner
book, if you do not read Stephen King.

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".

This is a great book - there are enough creepy bits for those of us who like Mr King being spooky, and there is also great straight story telling for those of us who like Mr King's short stories ("Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" springs to mind). The stories all have common ties, and the ending is marvellous, even poignant. A thoroughly entertaining read, and a valued addition to my library.

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?

Hearts in Atlantis can be described as average when compared to other works by Stephen King. I have been an avid reader of King for several years, but this is the first book I had to force myself to finish. The first story, Low Men in Yellow Coats, was quite compelling and enjoyable. The stories that followed, however, lacked the interesting storyline that is needed to keep me going. As far as the writing goes, it is King at his best, as usual.

Stephen King speaks to those of us who lived the college life of the 60s. Hearts in Atlantis brought back so many memories, good and not so good, of my experiences in a small midwestern college. The characters are real people. The incidents really happened. It is exciting to find a fictional read that is able to ellicit such historical and universal truth. By changing names and details, the story could have occured on any of thousands of campuses in the country. A great story teller, King magically weaves the pre-campus and post-campus threads into the fabric of the whole. Insight is a gift given freely and gladly accepted by this reader.

The novellas that make up "Hearts in Atlantis" each have a characture and uniqueness all their own and when put together, create a wonderful new book from your favorite author and mine, Stephen King. King's recent outburst of books from the heart have all been successful in my mind. I loved "Bag of Bones", adored "The Green Mile", and couldn't wait to finish "Hearts in Atlantis." The charactures and settings were so vivid and easy to see, even if you did not live through the era spoken of. The way the stories were all linked in a way was a wonderful idea. It gave some insight on how people can change over years, yet still be haunted by foolish things they did in their past. These are great stories of overcoming the past, and finding new things.

This book is actually two novels and some shorts stories with
a common thread. The first novel is an east coast Garrison Keillor with a PSI
grandpa added. The second is a college dorm story from the '60's about
a scholarship student. These two are pretty good, but the short stories except for the end one are dreadful.
I think he could have made a great novel of the first one by sticking to actual autobiographical material.
As it stands it leaves me, as most of Stephen King's work does,
feeling unclean for having read it. Last time I
read one of these I said to myself I wouldn't read anymore
of his trash...

I have just read thru some of the other reviews for this bookand people seem to love or hate it. I must be the odd one out as itleft me feeling neither one way or the other. I agree with a lot of people who said the first section of the story is the best, very straightforward King. I felt the book lost the thread way half way through and never regained it. I was waiting for a revalation at the end, some point to the story and it never came. I might be missing the point myself, but I don't thnik so. I have been a huge fan of Stephen King since Carrie & Salems Lot, but I'm finding his books increasingly formulaic and predictable, almost repetative in style if not content. He seems to be leaning more towards 'normal' stories these days, I think Insomnia was the last King book I really enjoyed reading. By normal standards Atlantis is a good book, but for Stephen king just good is well below average.

Wait 'til this comes out in paperback-- better yet, get it out from your library. The first "story"-- "Low Men in Yellow Coats"-- was the only part of this book worth reading. However, hasn't King been through this territory before (i.e. "It")? He'd have done better to develop that "story" into a stand-alone novel than to string it with the character studies he places after it.

This book was pretty bland and disjointed, but moderately entertaining. The Green Mile was the first Stephen King book I had read in fifteen years and I loved it, so I was excited to pick up Hearts in Atlantis as another "non-traditional" Stephen King novel. It seems like Stephen King had multiple disconnected stories that he then went through unnatural acts to join together in Hearts in Atlantis... It's a stretch to bill this novel as a brilliant meditation on Vietnam when the first half of the novel is a poor excuse for a science fiction/mystery story -- I thought the wrong cover had been put on the book. I was left very disappointed after the hype. Go in with "low" expectations (no pun intended) and expect a mindless, beach book or airplane type read.

This is a great book! Its somhow different from outher King book, but still its great. I got this for xmas 2001. I had wanted it for long, but not in Norwegian. Finaly my aunt had order it from someplace. Its fritening in the way, coz I had never thought of the vietnam war in a way King write about it. I have learend about it in school and so, but I never seemed to listen about it. I learned something from this book, how awful the vietman var was. This book made me cry! Its not many times King has made me cry, but he did. Its sad in a way, still its fritening, and that all mixed together makes a relly relly great book, its recomented for you people out there who understand the "Reading for fun" term!! This book will make you laught, cry, and be scared for daylight! I can ashure you that! I cant wait to see the movie, or start riding it again!!

"Hearts in Atlantis" is a must read for Stephen King fans, but it is also a book which will make fans out of those who have been hesitant to pick-up a King book for fear it will be filled with horror. If you haven't read King before - please give "Hearts in Atlantis" a try. This book is magnificantly written and intellectually challenging and is not a horror story, unless you consider the Vietnam War a story of horror. The stories will leave the reader thinking about the plots and how & why they intertwine for a long, long time. I found myself returning to the previous stories as the book moved along. It is worthy of a second read. Cleverly King brings into this book some of the plot line from the "Dark Tower" series - will the intricate plot(s) from "Hearts in Atlantis" appear in future stories?

The first half of Hearts in Atlantis is no doubt one of the best pieces of writing I have EVER read.It is about a boy,Bobby, who has become friends with a mysterious old man (Ted) that lives on the floor above them.Bobby deals with new friends,old friends,his mother,and many,many changes,but Ted is always there.He is like a father/friend to him.But Bobby notices throughout the first half of the book that Ted is a little different.He has blanks and mumbles about nonsense sometimes,and as the heart of the story unwravels,you will discover the meaning for it.
The second half of the book is another story...literally...
It had nothing to do with the first half,and lost my interest very fast.It did not have the same kind of story and writing to it that made me interested in the first half,and i was disappointed.
Although the second half did not catch my eye,this book is definently worth picking up,whether your a stephen King fan or not.

Young, carefree children start King's latest and in my opinion best novel in their home town of Harwich struggling with the pressures every eleven year old faces. They eventually grow apart and like in so many King novels all face greater problems and the hardships that follow us all into adulthood. The content for me isn't overly important in this novel but never has a King novel touched me on so many different levels and never have I read a book where almost everything from childhood to college seemed so familiar to me and my own life. Not since I first read Christine have I ever read an entire novel in one sitting and that was over a decade ago. The monsters in this book aren't as big as usual, you won't find them hiding under the bed either. They are small demons in your face and by God do they have sharp teeth. They are real life
King has produced a masterpiece. Like the vulgar DeSoto found in the first story this book is alive.

Hearts in Atlantis was an excellent book. I throughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a great story. I liked how all the parts flowed together. Though I found the middle section to drag a little, I am obsessed with the Bobby/Ted/Carol plotline. I haven't read the Dark Tower series yet and now I can't wait to start. This was a really emotional book that leaves you feeling satisfied, but yet craving more. I know that's contradictory, but many things in life are. This a must read.

Oh my, oh my. I can't begin to explain to you how good "Hearts In Atlantis" was! Please do not think of this book as five separate stories because they are not. All of the stories connect at the end and in the book.
You feel yourself as many of the characters. The books ending was so good you must read it over another 100 times to get the full extent of the end!
Stephen King is a God! This book will truly stay in my heart forever.
-Alex

The book was written in a way that was different. It was the first king book i have read and it left me confused every time i stopped reading. It took me to a time long before i was born and to a place i have never been. It was hard to understand the extreme drama it shows about the Vietnam era. I was not in that era but when reading this book it obviously shows that the author wanted to tell about the time and place that he lived and how it affected so many people in so many ways. Just about everything in the book speaks the truth of the time but the plot and characters are mainly fictitious.
Any other information you want about the book can be found in the editorial reviews.

This is my first King novel. Also, the first time I ever felt the need to write a "review." I was about 3 years too old to be caught up in the college age 60's but, none the less, that era planted in me a strange feeling. Things that were going on in this country were not right, at the same time, kids were doing the right thing (whether they went to war or protested to bring home the ones who did go). His writing ability and accuracy in bringing it all back to recreate that eerie feeling was awsome. I took plenty of time to read this book so that I could digest it as I went along. I am glad I did. I will highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to know what the 60's were like. This book is a masterpiece and deserves space on everyone's shelf along with all history books. Congratulations Mr. King.

Stephen King has done it again. I really enjoyed Hearts of Atlantis. The only drawback I could find was that I felt the story of "Blind Willie" was cut short. Perhaps Mr. King will expand upon him in a revised and longer edition of "Hearts" as he did with "Trashcan Man" in The Stand. One can only hope. Thank you Stephen for many enjoyable hours of reading.

The only reason Hearts even got one star from me is that it was written by Mr. King. The literary content was worth the read but not the story. Although I felt the way all three stories overlapped (reminicent of The Regulators and Desperation) was clever, the story just didn't do it for me.
Believe me when I say that I was so hoping I'd love it! I read a Carrie paperback in the fall of 1974 wrapped in a blanket, curled up in a chair on our porch and have been King-hooked ever since. Many of his books have made it past my eyes twice and now, since a lot are on tape, I have "listened" to many of them again and again. His books are so character driven that it's like visiting with old friends when I reread them! Usually I hate getting to the end of a King book because I have to "say goodbye" to those I've met within but with Hearts in Atlantis, I never really felt like I knew any of the characters at all.
Don't worry, Mr. King, I am still your greatest fan (although no stalker as in Misery) and cannot wait for your next novel. I'm sure you are writing up a storm (er, pardon the pun). I have downloaded The Plant (sent the $1.00 and everything!) and find your unconventional style in that quite interesting. By the way, Carlos Detweiller could be a distant relative of mine!
So, to all the other King fans out there, by all means read Hearts in Atlantis! It certainly may be your cup of tea even though it wasn't mine. dd

Although I've always been a fan of King's short stories,Hearts In Atlantis combines the short story form with the full length novel, interweaving stories that connect in entertaining and amazing ways. Not actually your typical Stephen King fare, this is an exciting and fine read. Highly recommended.
BJ Neblett [...]

What really sets this book apart from many others is the wonderful use of language and image. The evocative idea of "Low Men in Yellow Coats"...by itself is almost silly and certainly not scary, but as it is repeated with added bits of observation, it becomes ominous.

King has always excelled at taking the everyday and spinning it just slightly to where it takes on more meaning than it should have. He achieves that agian with this collection.

Very disappointing. This is really a book of 3 stories VERY loosely linked togather by one or two overlapping characters. The first part of the book is very good and typical King (though the movie did not do it justice!) Unfortunately, the second part is about an entirely new character with a secondary character from the first part as a secondary character in the second part. The third part was about mostly about another secondary character from the first part of the book and some almost unrelated new characters.
Confusing? It is as if King had 3 short stories in mind but wanted to write a lengthy book. I felt somewhat deceived. He does, rather weakly, try to tie the parts togather at the very end.
Net, net. Borrow the book and read the first part and the last several pages! Sorry to be so hard on a writer I usually love.. but not this time!

Okay, I don't particulary like King. You go through about 5 horrible books before you get a good one. Also have you noticed his good books don't translate well to the screen?And King makes remarks about persons with disabilities that bother me BUT..This book was outstanding. If you don't buy the audio version you will miss out on a treat of a lifetime. If I'm wrong Ill buy you lunch.

"Hearts in Atlantis" contains some of the best writing of Stephen King's career. In five stories of varying length, King traces the path from childhood through adolescence to adulthood and (inevitably) death. He mourns and celebrates his own lost generation -- tracing the missed opportunities, the squandered promise, but also finding the redemption still possible at the end of the road. A heartbreakingly beautiful book.

I have this book on tape and got it to pass the time while taking a long trip. The trip was only long enough for half the book and I found myself setting in the car so I could continue to hear this fantastic book. This is one of his best. He brings together characters from other novels and creates a fantastic version of the world. This is a book of short stories that all tie together in an strange way.
The first story about the men in yellow coats is the best. You want the story to continue and it does in later stories.
Hearts in Atlantis is about the addition or cards at a college. My son and I both were compelled to play hearts again after reading this one.
Having grown up in the same era as King I appreciate the changes in the lives of the characters and the world - Vietnam, college, protests, the peace sign - etc. This is his bests. I highly recommend it.

I went into this book thinking it was a novel... low men in yellow coats, horror incarnate. The tale woven true and clear, and highly sinister. Typical Stephen King horror, right? But 250 pages into a 500+ page book, the story seemed over, because the horror had ended, and I was wondering where the rest of the thickness was going to lead. Part 2 started, "Hearts in Atlantis", and changed point of view (3rd person to 1st), and also absolved itself of the horror, going into future life crossovers of the characters from part 1. I kept on reading, and the story changed dramatically.
Unlike normal SK, of when the horror is over, the story stops, this one, through four "continuity" stories, keeps going and tells you the result of the main character's lives from the first story. Epic and brilliant, I couldn't put it down. Excellent work, I highly recommend it.

King is a very talented writer who knows how to tug the heartstrings as well as how to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. This time around, there's not much scaring going on, but rather an engaging tale of lives lived through some very crazy times in America.
I found the book to have a completely different format than what I've become accustomed to with King. There are dissimiliar time periods, points of view, and characters throughout the book. However, there are connections that hold the entire thing together and keep you wondering up until the very end.
I've read many of King's novels through the years, and this definitely ranks in the top ten (maybe top five) for me. With over 50 books to the author's credit, he shows no signs of slowing down or getting boring. You should definitely give this one a try.

This book starts out really good but severly drops off at then end. I do kind of like how he showed how different people's lives intertwined based on 60's events but overall I think the book lacked. I think if he just would have stayed with the characters in the begining and not gotten into the side stories it would have been a much better book. However I am sure any who grew up in the 60's would probably really like this book, myself on the other hand did not.

Hearts in Atlantis isn't the best thing King's ever written. It's also not that bad either, and still delivers a fair bit of suspense and social commentary to the reader. It's a compendium of short stories, and the best of the stories is 'Low Men in Yellow Coats'. It focuses on the travails of Bobby, an impressionable young boy, and his exposure to the morally corrupted real world. The rest of the book isn't that great, but fans of King should definitely have a look.

I liked this book. No, I loved this book. It did human nature justice, and for that, I applaud Stephen King. Life does not always end in closure for those of us here on earth, so why
should every book end leaving you feeling calm and complete? If life didn't seem to go the way you want it to, you can't just hang it up and go to bed. Things will leave us puzzled and baffled for years to come. Hearts In Atlantis essentially takes the reality of life and slaps it in your face. The truths and bad-natured flaws shown in each situation; Bobby with his pent-up anger and spiteful vengeance, and Peter with his motivational weakness as well as his natural sadistic yet incredibly accurate response to Rip-Rip's misfortune, all reflect the reality displayed in King's writing. Hearts In Atlantis is truly a work of art and I highly recommend it to any reader who's looking for perspective.

First, I had been steering clear of King's work. His basic novels had no real call to me, no urge grew in my belly to compel me to read his words. A friend, who was burning through King's "Dark Tower" series, suggested I pick up this book. I had just finished "Slaughter House Five" and needed to keep my reading frenzy alive. Now, I have finished "Hearts in Atlantis" and am in search of other titles by King. It sparked the question of what does come out of all the tie-ins to the "Dark Tower"? I am finally on that quest. "Hearts in Atlantis" was refreshing in this time of war, makes me wonder what the outcome of this one will be.....

I have been a King fan for many years, and have enjoyed all his books. This one is no exception. I enjoyed the way he tied the Dark Tower into the first story. The other stories, while not having elements of horror like "Low Men" were well written and following the characters through the years was interesting. I hope to see Ted again in the Dark Tower series.

Stephen King just may be the best American writer of the Later half of the 20th century. Hearts in Atlantis just may prove my theroy. This is King's personal best in quite awhile, comparing to his greats as Different Seasons and The Shining. King reaches down to the 60's and the effects of the Vietnam war, and brilliantly gives us three tales of different people.

The master of horror, wit, humor and hair raising prickly skin, has done it again. This book captures your imagination while recalling bits and pieces from his past writings and those of whom are familiar, delve deeper into the story with the sense of "I've been here before." This is a great read and I'm glad I beat the rush and bought it a month ago.

I loved the description of the different friends and
How the game or whatever became all important
Over study and how a game like hearts could be all important
to so many characters but friendship was always there.
Friendship is sometime forgotten ....

I think that this was a really good book. In about the first half of the book, it is the story of Bobby and the strange new neighbor that moves into the apartment on the 3rd floor. Bobby becomes friends with this man, whos name is Ted, and starts to notice some somewhat strange things about him, and starts to get a little scared and confused when Ted tells him to keep an eye out and alert him right away so that he can leave if he sees the "low men" in yellow coats. The rest of this book is the personal stories of all the important people in Bobby's life. Each new section in the book tells what happend to Bobby's friends and some of the not so friendly people in his life, and eventuelly tells what happend to Bobby himself when he grew up.I strongly recommend this book.

This book is fantastic! I echo some of the sentiments of other reviewers - it certainly not as good as "The Stand" or the "The Shining", but it is definitely one of King's finer works. Of all of his "departures from horror" I think this one is my favorite. Looking to buy a book for someone who grew up in the '60s? You MUST buy them this book! I'm not even a '60s child and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the references to popular culture, Vietnam, sports, etc. This book even made me want to learn how to play the game hearts. Enjoy!

Like other reviewers,I really wanted to like this book,but was unable to do so.It is becoming apparent that Stephen King peaked somewhere around 1983,with only a few bright spots"Misery,""The Green Mile", since.I say this as someone who once waited eagerly for each new king book to come out."Hearts in Atlantis" is king's attempt to come to terms with the 60's,and specifically,Vietnam,but I feel that he has failed.The stories were uninteresting,the characters unlikable,and if it hadn't been a Stephen King book,I doubt that I would have continued reading.I know that in the past King has mocked authors who take 5 years or more between books,but maybe it's time for him to take some time off,recharge his batteries,and come up with some stories worth telling.Go back and read "Night Shift" or "The Dead Zone",and then tell me "hearts in Atlantis" is the best that King can do.

Hearts is a collection of short stories, only the first has the particular brand of King writing that can have your hair standing on end. The other stories still exhibit King's unique way of painting images with words...they are alive, and vibrant...unsettling in their own rights, warm in others. The stories twine over the turbulent 60's down to the 90's...with the Vietnam era the central post that they wrap around. Not his best for riveting reading, but an enjoyable read for sittting by the beach in the sun....

The title story, "Hearts in Atlantis," is as profound and moving as any of the great coming-of age novels ("This Boy's Life" et al). Like a stateside "The Things They Carried" King has gotten to the heart and soul of the Vietnam-era generation, and he does it in his own unique voice, fleshed out with his own New Englandish experiences. This book will knock your socks off. At last King, in my mind, is up there with the Great American Novelists, and has written himself up and out of the genre mode. The first story of the book, "Low Men in Yellow Coats," may delight King fans who relish his weird stuff, but the rest of the book will delight and surprise and profoundly move those readers who relish great writing. As a librarian I will be recommending this to many non-King readers.

Errrr..... I might be out of line here, but how can the first part in this novel('Low men in yellow coats') be compared to earlier works of Mr. King exploring the theme of kids growing up, like 'IT' and 'The Body' from 'Different Seasons'? It seems to me that Mr. King might be losing his touch and I SERIOUSLY doubt if this novel would have sold this well under another author's name.... Still, it has its moments, I suppose (the final part is the only part which gave me goosebumps). And, of course, if you're an avid follower of the brilliant 'Dark Tower' series, you just can't skip it....

Hearts in Atlantis was an endearing nostalgic book, a pleasure to read. It had frightening moments and nightmarish situations but there was a change in Mr. King's writing style. It would be difficult to explain this subtle change. Nevertheless, it is there and personally, all his fans will feel privileged if this change becomes part of his permanent style of writing.

For S.K. fans, this one is right up there with Gerald's Game and Wizard and Glass. "Hearts" goes beyond anything S.K. has ever done. It grabs your emotions in the first chapter and doesn't let them go until well after you've finished the book. With slight tie-ins with the Gunslinger series, "Hearts" makes you think even deeper as to what might become of our four gunslingers, as well as take you on a journey through the lives of two very special, very real kids. I personally think Bobby and Carol would make an excellent pair of gunslingers.

The BOOK is good- read it when first came out. Got the audiobook for a road trip a little while ago. I have listened to dozens of audiobooks and this audiobook is the worst read book I can think of. It is monotone beyond belief. It sounds like it was read by Lithium not a person. In what world does a 11 year old kid speak at a slow dithering pace all the time. No inflection, no emotion, and read so slow and calm -no matter the situation- it is horrid. Ruins the book. I know I like the book and still had to stop this audiobook it was so bad. It is a tragedy that anyone let this wreck be produced.

People that typecast Stephen King as a horror author obviously have not read 'Hearts in Atlantis'. As the writings of Stephen King progress over time we learn that there is much more to the genius than just haunted hotels, and demonic automobiles. 'Hearts in Atlantis' is a fantastic read for those looking for just a story, but furthermore it is another "link" in Stephen King's 'Dark Tower' series.
Those who came of age in the sixties, lived in the turbulent seventies, and faced reality in the eighties will definately enjoy this book. Everyone else who reads this will transcend time and become apart of atmosphere represented in this magnificent story.
A definate must read for all fans of fiction.

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.

This audio book was a real treat for me.Growing up in the sixties, this was a trip down memory lane. King does such a fine job of writing about being a kid and all the feelings involved in being out of school for the summer and friendships and of course all the weird scary stuff too.If you havent experienced King's audio books. You're really missing out.William Hurt read most of this book and he did a spectacular job. That along with Stephen King reading the rest of the stories and the wonderful music of the era played throughout the book made this a most satisfying listen.I HIGHLY recommend the audio version.It was beautiful.

This book appears to be a collection of three different, although intermixing stories and each was written from a different view (first person, third person, ect.). It's mostly confusing with the switching of perspectives and sometimes annoyingly slow. It refers to "The Dark Tower," which is another of Stephen King's work, remarkably often with no real direct information. So, unless you read "The Dark Tower," you'll be pretty lost when it comes to the mentioning of the "blood red rose petals," and the "beams." Finally, the ending is terrible. It's so abrupt and empty that for a second I thought pages were missing, surely there would be more - but there isn't. It would be wonderful for a sequel but that's something this book just doesn't deserve.

This rating is a comparison with King's earlier works. Compared with others in his bent, I boost the rating to 4 stars. I read several King novels in the late 70's and early 80's (heck, I read "The Stand" twice) but I after "Pet Cemetary" his books seemed to lose some imagination and power, so I stopped reading his work. The cover reviews of "Hearts in Atlantis" were glowing (aren't they all) but what really got me was that this was supposed to be unlike anything he had written before. Wrong -- No -- Not a chance -- same old thing. The first part was very good but, as usual, the crisp style and detail died by the middle of the read and I was left with a feeling of being cheated in the end.

Bag Of Bones and Rose Madder made me believe in King again. Hearts of Atlantis is the book I am going to recommened to all the people who say King cannot write or lost his touch. Atlantis is about people, about life and love and lost souls. It is about growing up and looking back and making ammends. And yeah, it is also about the sixties.

In each story Stephen King gives a little bit of himself as well insight into each character.The main character could be any person growing up in the era of the Vietnam war. We all have our ways of dealing with grief, Bobbys mother was young and had a hard time because there was no one to turn to, to say everything is going to be alright.

I have been a long-time, devoted "dear reader" - yes, even through the good and the bad; there truly have been enough of both. I approached this work as I do all of Kings'; with anticipation but a careful wariness. I have always felt that someone as prolific as he can't possibility hit the mark each time. Yet I keep coming back for more. This time I was rewarded! What a wonderful story....told in typical King fashion filled with the kind of insights that ring true over and over again. I especially like the way in which he folds his characters into seemingly unrelated parts of the book and thus ties them all together over time and various settings. Thanks Mr King for a really enjoyable experience. More, please?

Even though critics hate him... Even though I have not liked some of his books in the past... Even though this book is long... This book deserves 5 stars. However, there is a good deal of unnecessary bad language so I'm giving it a 4. There are passages in this book which are heartrendingly true. I loved all five stories. Excellent!

In Hearts in Atlantis, Stephen King gives us his usual - brilliant storytelling. The first two stories in particular are excellent. I found myself losing interest toward the end, although my attention was held by trying to find out what happened to Carol Gerber, the only character who is relevant to every story. As a college student who spent several months playing cards instead of doing schoolwork, the second story has me hooked. I really relate to the protagonist of that story, Pete Riley, as he struggles with girls and college life. I've read it half a dozen times already, and still can't get enough of it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of great storytelling, and, lets be honest, if you're reading this review you probably are.

The beauty of Hearts was that i could see it all like i was there. I must have read at least 20 books by SK in the past 10 years and never has one kept me reading like this one. The connections of the 5 stories and the perceptions of the principal characters in them was masterful. Hope he keeps writing like this, in this style.

Hey - you have to give S. King a break - he's pumping out a book every 6 months. I gave the review section three stars, but just between you and me; it's only a two on a good day. I love Steven King and I own every one of his books in hard cover. I'm the reason why this guy's making the big bucks, but I have to say that there's a lot of books out there that blow this one away... many of which are mentioned in the first story in this book. If you just finished the Tom Gordon book, then don't worry - it's not half as bad, but if you just finished The Shining, It, or anything written in the 80's, then maybe you should try The Talisman, The Tommyknockers, Insomnia, or the brilliant series of The Green Mile. Sorry Steve...

I hate parroting what sounds like a jacket blurb (in fact, it may have been a blurb), but after reading this book, I had to say "Wow... I never knew King could write this well." I stopped reading King several books back after a growing feeling that the narrators may be changing but the voice stayed the same; in other words, a feeling of commercialism and formulaic writing. With this book, King steps over into the arena of literature, not merely popular fiction.

A great combination of stories making one of King?s greatest books. The intertwining of the stories allows the reader to begin to explore the deeper consciousness of the beings. A needed change from the doldrums of some recent writings and a book that can be shared either with individual stories or as a combination of them.

This story started out with promise with Low Men In Yellow Coats. After that it quickly loses steam. When I buy a Stephen King book I expect to be frightened if not that at least to be entertained. This book did not fufill either desire. I am dissapointed that King did this to his fans who expect a lot more out of him. I wonder if he thinks because he is so succesful that he can just crank out anything he wants and people will just lap it up. Mr King please stick to horror what your good at if I want to read about the sixties I'll read a history book.

I have read several of Stephen King's books and was anxious to read this one. I found the beginning to be pretty interesting. The story about the boy and the men in yellow coats and the interesting new neighbor were pretty good. I just kept waiting for something exciting to happen and it never did. The last half of the book seemed to really drag. I was waiting for Bobby to walk in somewhere. It was almost 4 totally different books combined. It just seemed to drag on forever. I never really got into this book.

Hearts in Atlantis epitomizes for me that comfortable King writing style that I have loved for years. For King fans like myself, Hearts shows the author's ability of tying together three new stories using reappearing characters and plot lines, and intertwining the story line of another King series - The Dark Tower. The creativity and language - as always - made me feel like I was with an old friend.
Once I started reading Hearts in Atlantis, my usual King problem began. That is, how can I stop everything else in my life so that I don't have to put down the book!
For those of you who love Stephen King, this book can only reinforce your hope that Mr. King's health (physical & mental) return to the before-car-accident state.

I liked this more than most people, I think. I have already read the Dark Tower series so I enjoyed getting the story of Ted's vacation. But I also felt this was a piece of King's past -- at least the emotions if not the events -- and I appreciated the candor.

The first half of this book is very, very good. I really like King's novels (GET WELL SOON) and have read nearly all of them. I'm proud to say.
But this one... I frankly didn't think that there is a need for the entire Hearts thing. A good chuck of the book is dedicated to how addictive this game is to college students. I was once a college student, our game was pool, I understand. I just didn't need to read pages and pages about it. This may be a thing about Vietnam and that's great, but that deserves it's own book.
It got to the point where I was frantically scanning for the names of the three kids that were in the first half of the book. I was severly disappointed when they didn't show up again till the end.
I heard that the movie rights have been sold to Castle Rock. I really don't think I'm going to spend money to watch a bunch of kids play cards. That is not going to happen.
Defeinitly could be better Mr. King.

This book held me so close I couldn't quit listening, "reading", (audiobook). Stephen King has put out so many novels, and this one truly shows you that he is thee master of the typewriter. The story does not come at you immediately, but once it bites, your are in its grips. Then I went to the Movie version of this book. How truly sad. I had to immediately go re-read, (listen), to the book again just to make sure that I had not mad a mistake and I loved it more the second time....Stephen King is great and he is training Peter Straub (who may really need no training because he is awsome), to be great. Book was A+++++

I spent two days reading the book and loved every hour of it. I'm not old enough to remember Vietnam but the stories gave a nice view of the era that I've not seen elsewhere. The compulsiveness of human nature is a frightening theme I'd like King to return to again and again. It allows one's imagination to run wild.

I tried to listen to this audiobook while driving... I WANTED to listen to this book... but William Hurt reads SOOOOOO SLOOOOOOW and like some smarmy college professor trying to impress people with his reading inflections. It was so bad that I couldn't make it through the first chapter. Maybe I'll try it again when I have a speed control or if someone else reads it.

Everything who has read King knows his writing is flowing and easy to read. This book is NOT a horror story! It is a great coming of age/relationship story of a young boy and an old guy. Actually, it is three stories in one book but they all relate to each other in the end. The Film which was made was based on the first story mainly. I liked it, read it in less than 3 days and also enjoyed the movie.

This is truly the best Stephen King book ever ( The Stand, It, and Bag of Bones are next ). The first and last stories are by far the best but the rest of the stories are excellent also. Don't be fooled by those who say this isn't Stephen King. This book proves who Stephen King actually is: a gifted stroyteller.

Despite it's usual placement among Stephen King's works as strange, "Hearts in Atlantis" impacted me greatly. As one obsessed with the sixties, this book was both accurate and entertaining, detailing the lives of several characters as the legacy of the vietnam war continues from the sixties to present times. A marvelous and richly told story.

I have read almost all of Stephen King's books. In "Hearts" he has developed a rather different, but appreciative style. A small section was developed towards his surrealistic dark side, but the majority was a well done story based on "slice of life" set in the flower child era.
I have almost given up on King until I read Atlantis. For people new to King, don't view this as a stereotypical scary, ghouls and goblins book. Its not. A must read.

This is an interesting book. It features King taking a stab at historical fiction and pulling it off reasonably well. The best story of the lot, Low Men in Yellow Coats, tells of the learning experiences of childhood and the realization that fear lies not just in the hearts of children but also in those that children look up to. It also involves childhood notions of Justice, and incorporates these notions in the following stories. Really interesting story. Overall, the writing is good, although he uses a floating metaphor throughout the text, (hearts and Atlantis) that becomes a bit muddled at times. Good read overall though. If you're looking for classic King, consider the Stand, or It. But if you've got a weekend to kill, this should do nicely.

As soon as I met Bobby Garfield in 1960, I was intrigued.
King continues as a master storyteller, with a gift for character development. I was hooked on this book from page 1; just couldn't read it fast enough.
Hearts in Atlantis is broken into five parts: the first and last respectively telling the story of Bobby Garfield as a youngster, and as an adult. The stories in between--which are brilliantly interconnected--tell the tale of other persons who are, albeit sometimes unknowingly, integral parts of Bobby's life.
The book is an excellent read, which truly shows Kings maturity as a writer and a storyteller.
Highly recommended.

Far from having lost it, King continually changes, pushes his boundaries, finds new directions to take his insight into the American character and the wonder and horror of childhood.
This is a wonderful book, evocative and rich-textured. The first "chapter" of this loosely constructed novel, "Low Men in Yellow Coats," resonates with the paranoia of the fifties. The rest evoke the restlessness and disllusionment of the subsequent 60s, 70s, and 80s.
If you're looking for a good Holiday read, or a stocking stuffer for someone, look no further than this book. If other King books haven't been to your liking, check this one out.

This latest novel by Stephen King is by far one of his best. Those of you looking for his typical horror story may be dissapointed, but those of you who truly enjoy the way Stepen King can tell a story will not be able to put this book down. I've read every novel, and this one could be one of his best.

I have been on the other end of the spectrum, having read some of Kings books but never being real impressed. This one changes everything. being of the 60's everything relates Youth,Vietnam,protest and all the rest. I know Mr King is a great horror writer, but he is equally as good with factual fiction. 5 stars for sure.

I couldn't put this book down. I got the book on Friday night and finished it Sunday at about 4:00 a.m. This book was SO gripping and poignant and meaningful. It's just amazing how Mr. King can scare us AND bring tears of joy and sadness to our eyes (as he did here -- in a fashion somewhat similar to the story that Stand By Me was based on.) I give this book my highest praise and have already encouraged others who had been a little disappointed with Bag of Bones and Tom Gordon to read it. I'm sure they and you will be greatly impressed.

I could not put this book down, and I felt as if I was falling into each of the stories. I understood the characters, I felt what they were going through.. and of course, I have always loved the most mysterious Mr. King and respect his work and his genius. I hope everyone reads Hearts in Atlantis.

First, I always love when King crosses the plots of his books, and in "Low Men...", he adds to the collective work known as "The Dark Tower". The short stories all do come together in the end, but there are still a few too many loose ends to fit my tastes. A worthwhile read, but not Kings best.

I read this with some doubts at the beginning, hearing and reading mixed reviews, but as I got into the first few chapters I began to enjoy it very much. When I read the synopsis, I thought 'well maybe the negative reviews were right.' Good thing I chose to ignore them! Certainly not his best work, but not bad at all.

I read the first half of this book in a collection of Stephen King stories i found at the grocery store.
As soon as i began reading "Heart's in Atlantis", i couldn't put it down... i read it in about 2 days time.
Some parts were so intriguing to me that i just HAD to have more... so i bought the GUNSLINGER (the original edition)...
since then i was hooked on the Dark Tower series. Completey nerded out on it.
I have since finished the 7 Dark Tower books, and currently read the marvel comics series. All thanks to Hearts in Atlantis... a really good book.
bewm.

King's work expertly ties in several different characters to tell the story of the Vietnam War. He launches the story from a single childhood experience and uses that to explode the story. I loved it because wasn't really the story of how the characters handled the war but also how they affected the people that surrounded them. Not having lived during the Vietnam War, I can only imagine that the fury of the protests spread much like the realtionship of Carol and Pete in their college years. I really loved how the story line was about the Vietnam war, because it didn't chronicle a specific history, instead it follows the the effect it had on those that lived during the time.

This book, although not what you might consider a typical King work, is one of the best, most thought provoking novels he has ever written. It was like taking a trip back in time. The story line was not only wonderful, but he manages to capture the turbulance of the time and the opposing views of the war. He hits all sides of the equation with this one. The characters are so vivid and the imagery to great to put into words. I couldn't put this book down. I have read everything he has ever written and although I also love the horror, this was just as good if not better because it was so real. Thanks for a fabulous book Mr. King, I will definately read it again.

This is not a horror story. This is a story about human strengths and weaknesses, about love and loss. This is King as the dark side of Ray Bradbury.

Some will be too old for this book. Others will be too young. I guess I am just the right age. I was a sergeant in the US Army during the 1960s, and I cried when I reached the end of this book.

I used to read Stephen King a lot when I was younger, The Shining, Cujo... I kinda stopped reading it. But I liked Bag of Bones, and it seemed different. I just finished reading Hearts in Atlantis, and it was totally different from any other King book that I've ever read- and I loved it! It was one of the best books I've read in a long time. I thought the stories dealing with Vietnam were very touching and strong and the ending brought tears to my eyes. It was wonderful! I would recommend this book, even to people who haven't read much Stephen King.

I thought this was a very good book, one that brought back numerous memories for me of the time I was growing up. If you want to read a book that goes straight to your heart, read Stolen Moments by Barbara Jeanne Fisher. . .It is a beautiful story of unrequited love. . .for certain the love story of the nineties. I intended to give the book a quick read, but I got so caught up in the story that I couldn't put the book down. From the very beginning, I was fully caught up in the heart-wrenching account of Julie Hunter's battle with lupus and her growing love for Don Lipton. This love, in the face of Julie's impending death, makes for a story that covers the range of human emotions. The touches of humor are great, too, they add some nice contrast and lighten things a bit when emotions are running high. I've never read a book more deserving of being published. It has rare depth. Julie's story will remind your readers that life and love are precious and not to be taken for granted. It has had an impact on me, and for that I'm grateful. Stolen Moments is written with so much sensitivity that it made me want to cry. It is a spellbinder. What terrific writing. Barbara does have an exceptional gift! This book was edited by Lupus specialist Dr. Matt Morrow too, and has the latest information on that disease. ..A perfect gift for someone who started college late in life, fell in love too late in life, is living with any illness, or trying to understand a loved one who is. . .A gift to be cherished forever.

I've read a lot of other King novels and many have been a disappointment because of their endings. After reading the story "Hearts in Atlantis" I can say King has let me live the 60's through his words and I enjoyed every crazy second! I don't think he will write another great piece like this ever again. I've seen a few other reviews that have not been impressed by his work but most of them expected tales of horror. This book is not that at all. The stories are about lost love, lost dreams and lost innocence caused by the experience of the 60's. It will touch your heart and you too will become lost in the pages of this great story.

It was the best audio book I have heard..Narration by William Heard and Stephen King was great. It has a great story line and it was in my generation and I guess that is why I could relate. Thanks for the memories. I now hope I can see the movie..

Low Men in Yellow Coats. Saw this movie when I was a kid and just found out it was a collection of King's short stories. Very impressed! I usually don't go for King's books (a little too creepy for me), but these were very well done and entertaining. Excellent read!

I was wandering through Meijers late one night with a friend when I decided to buy a book. King is about the only auther whose books I actually buy. I don't think I've read another book so quickly in my life. The first two stories were great! The characters were easy to relate to and the story flowed superbly. I found myself rushing through the third and fourth stories to find out what happened at the end. I regret reading them so quickly. King depicts human nature in a way that makes you lie awake wondering at night. This was not his best work, but definatly good enough for him to be proud of just the same. I'm glad I bought it.

King can scare like noone else scares. He can also touch like noone else touches. In this book, King touches the hearts of those of us who lived through the 60s and its aftermath. The stories intertwined and left me wanting more. Simply put, it's one of the best books I've ever read.

I am, what King would consider a "constant reader." I have read almost everything the man has ever written and I love all of his work. He is gifted and talented. Atlantis is a book that was not written for my generation, it was written for my parents. I'm a child born out of the very early 80's... this book was written for my mother's generation, for King's generation. I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it, King is never a waste of time, but I wouldn't read it again.

You people who think king should "give us more of what got you here" need to grow up! People change and grow they don't stay the same.I just wonder if you people are just kids catching on to king and don't realize how long he has been around.Let him grow up!

Hearts in Atlantis is one of the best Stephen King books I have read, and I have read almost all of them!!! I could barely put the book down, and constantly stayed up until all hours of the morning until I had completely devoured the book. I can't wait to read it again...something I rarely ever do!!! It really brought the 60s alive for me, considering I am a child of the 80s and 90s. I reccommend it to EVERYONE!!

Typical poor post-van writing from $K. This book is dull, dull dull.

Fitting for the drudgery of this book, they got William Hurt -he of the monotone voice- to narrate the audio book version. The man drones on as if he's barely awake and exceedingly bored with reading the book -understandable I suppose-.

Obsessive $K fanboys will give $K's laundry list a 5 star review, but don't trust them. Stephen King has published some very fun books (The Stand, It, Pet Sematary, etc) but this post van stuff has to stop.

Retire steve, your glory days are long since past.

I have long been a Stephen King addict, and I have not read a book of his that didn't appeal to me. "Heart's" is Great, it is a big leap for King to write a novel like this, but I was sold. The way he managed to link each story together was just magic.

I got hooked on the first story, where Bobby and Ted have their super natural adventure, and I was amazed at the writing. Emotions inside me where stirred with the conflict between Liz, Ted, and Bobby, and the first love between Bobby and Carol was uncomparable to any thing I have ever read, however after the first section it shifted. there were no more low-men, no more Ted and I found myself scanning threw the pages to make sense of WTF was going on. Eventually I read it all and understood. But it seems the premise / genre of the book shifted entirely. I cant say I was happy with the book after the first section.

I don't know why Mr. King felt the need to chime in on his Sixties views now, after more than 25 years of popular writing. I'm sick of hippies and their sob-stories--"oh how will we get over, man? How? No more college, man. No more protests, man. No more tie-dyed, rose-colored acid trips, man." Who cares? Do hippies really care at this point? I'm guessing no. What Mr. King should've done was keep "low men in yellow coats", the books first and longest story (and one of the author's best, I might add; in the same league with his early masterpieces, like The Body) and thrown away the rest. They're all monotonous, mirky and miserable--and in one case, just flat-out stupid. Mr. King needs to be a more efficient editor of his work.

You MUST read this book. It is just incredible. It is also totally out of character for Stephen King. Being an avid reader of his books, i would know. This book wasn't your classic horror or suspense, but it still had the intricate plot of Kings. The story shifts from place to place, and as new characters are introduced, you realize that they are really old friends....
Its is a twisting but intriging plot and a book that you must read before you can say that you've read Stephen King - or any good book for that matter.

This is one of the best books I have read by King. He's the most talented Author along side Sidney Sheldon. If you read Lord of the Flies,and loved it then this book is for you. Everyone will understand and love "Hearts in Atlantis".

...too bad the rest of the book has nothing to do with Ted and his "low men". Read the first story and the last. The Vietnam war stuff in the middle just seems out of place and has little to do with the outcome. Not one of his best, or even very good.

The story line of the novel was ok, but some of the language was totally unnecessary. . .I belive authors can make the same point still using decency and tack, thus touching even a larger audience.
If you really want to read a book that will keep your interest all the way through, based on a very erotic but totally clean and beuatiful love relationship. ..read Stolen Mometns by Barbara Jeanne Fisher.. .It is the most beautiful love story ever, you fall in love with each character, and this is a book you will always want to keep and read again and again... I makes eavh reader know for sure that life and love are ever so precious and never to be taken for granted . ..try it you will love it...

I am not an avid reader of Mr. King but this book interested me based on the description. It is broken up into 4 short stories and a prolouge. The first two stories were enjoyable and heartfelt. The other two were just riduculous. King was trying to put so much symbolism into it that it became pretentious. I suggest readign the first two stories and then jump to the prologue.

Although this book is five stories, they are all interconnected. We get to see different characters at different times in their lifes and in different situations. All the stories are good but the first two are really great. Truly a great read!

With this book, Stephen King takes a step away from the unmitigated gore that, while entertaining, can become repetitive. "Hearts in Atlantis" is simply a good story, told with sympathy, an almost nostalgic attention to detail, and his typical, down-to-earth language and humour. While reading the Dark Tower series would make the first chapter more accessible, I haven't read them and I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope we can expect more novels like this. Stephen King is obviously a gifted storyteller, even without resorting to his trademark horror genre.

This was a very easy read.Even though I read it more than 4 months ago, I can remember every page. You really get to know the characters and bond with them. This is great for a vacation or a few nights of bad weather. Get it, Read it, Enjoy!

All I can say (again) is don't see the movie!! The book was great. It was amazing how all of the stories finally came together. The movie takes only one of the stories & then leaves you hanging--completely! Don't even bother. Read the book

I'm not crazy about King's work in this book, but my real complaint is with Hurt's narration in the audiobook. (King and Hunt split narration duties. King narration work was wonderful as always.) Hunt's reading for large parts of this book sound almost as if he had been half-asleep or drunk. I thought the book was misrecorded at the wrong speed, but then I heard King's sections, and it seemed just fine. Hurt's "style" is more than distracting, and I regret this purchase. I do not recommend the audiobook version of Hearts In Atlantis.

Halfway through the book, and it is a fun read. King gets better and better at telling a story in a simple, matter of fact manner. The one thing that keeps haunting me are the references to THE PRISONER television series. HEARTS IN ATLANTIS is set in 1966, yet characters are remembering the series, despite the fact that it would not be televised for another year! Perhaps King will resolve this by the end of the story, but as an avid PRISONER fan (and child of the '60s), I have a hard time getting past this.

Just when you think you have Stephen King figured out, he surprises you again!! The characters who inhabit the places and times of this book are richly limned and lovingly detailed. Mr. King has done them the justice that only someone the calibre of a Harper Lee or a Carson McCullers can do..in that he captures them in prose that is achingly reminiscent of these two authors..He has proven himself truly a master..as far as I am concerned, this is his magnum opus...

Hearts in Atlantis really surprised me. I had expected his traditional horror novel, but instead I read a book where the horror was more subtle and aimed at the heart. I honestly could not put this book down, and believe that even people who don't like Stephen King's earlier works will love this novel. I find it thrilling that he has brought in parts of his other great works into this one. In subtle ways, and not so subtle ways. It seems to me that he is building towards something, that all his works are coalescing into one statement, and I can't wait to read more.

I finished this book today, it rocked hard. What a great book! Stephen King is still agreat author. The way he did five stories that are all tied together is simply woderful. I recomend this book to all Stephen King fans.

Have been reading Stephen King since I was a child, and have gone from hating some of his books to absolute adoration for the story telling ability of this genius. I quickly tire of the gorey overly bloody details of some of his earlier tales, yet I truely enjoy a tale that wraps around and around and ends where I least expect. (that in itself is very difficult to do) The Stand is my favorite all time novel, yet I did not enjoy the Tommyknockers at all. He weaves a tale of suspence and ties it into stories from other books. I love being surprised by this author.

What happened? Bag of Bones and The Girl who Loved Tom Gordan were great, although the latter's ending was a bit predictable. But, this new one is, well, dull. I'm not staying up at night scared for the characters or for myself. It is well written and it is as another "novice critic" said "a chronicle of the 60's", a tragic decade many of his readers have only heard about. It's a really good novel, just don't expect to jump out of your skin. If you do, you will probably be let down.

It really is a novel, not a collection. It is the best book King has ever written. Books rarely make me cry, but this one did. My all time favorite King book and my all time favorite work of fiction.

ok first of all i dint understnad the story properly with all tht regulaotrs thing...........
i hate the fact that i have to read KING's another book to really understan this book.......which almost felt like a WASTE of time....
but none the less the story still holds its grounds..........
the segments and stories of many people are interesting and specially the one with the BLIND GUY.........
none the less it isnt KIngs Bad book......
its actually pretty Good if u can just see past its Regulators thing........
but none the less KING is able to creat strangeness in his stories and still keep it believable........
3/5

Finally I found a book I could get lost in again. Every once in awhile a book just grabs you from beginning to end. Of course the switch between two stories in one book is always hard (I wanted to learn a lot more about Bobby Garfield, actually!) but easy to get over. Also, the red line that seems to run through a lot of King's books, The Dark Tower, is fascinatingly woven in this book. I WANT THE DARK TOWER 5! But if he keeps writing books like this one, the wait won't be that long...

This book made me wish I hadn't already read all of SK's books so I could start from the beginning and read them all for the first time. The only thing I want to read after a SK book is another SK book.

I am a Stephen King fan, although I don't like everything he writes. I thought this book was very interesting. I like the way he ties all the characters together. It was well read by both Hurt and King. After the book I rented the movie and was very disappointed.

I Just finished Hearts in Atlantis and was thoroughly pleased. The four novellas were able to stand on their own, and made for a tremendous book when combined. I once heard a reviewer say that of all the American writers that King is the most likely to write the next great American novel. This book gives some credence to that thought. It was a departure for King and one that welcomed by this reader. I highly recommend this book, but make sure you read it over the weekend because you won't want to put it down.

I read this 512 page book in 44 minutes while I was on the can. It really is wonderful, and so am I. King says "Don't let the bed bugs bite" and I won't. Not as long as the emperor is around with his greekstick. I love the America.

The book began as classic king, with that fascinating descriptive writing I just plain adore.... then proceeded quickly into a kind of rambling and disjointed tale. maybe I was expecting too much? By the end of the book I was wondering if I was dumb because I did not get it, or if the story was just too loosely thrown together. I long for the days of king's novels such as The Stand but, alas, those days are gone for good, it seems. Let's hope he tries again soon.... he is still the best writer alive!

Without a doubt Hearts in Atlantis is the best Stephen King Novel yet. The characters in the first two stories, Low Men in Yellow Coats and the Title Story - Hearts in Atlantis, are characters everyone can indentify with in some way. The stories are emotionally gripping and when you put the book down you keep on thinking about those characters and how you may have lived through similar experiences yourself. The way King intertwines the characters into all five stories is amazing. This book is fantastic I loved it.

A wonderful book, showing the maturity of the the author Stephen King. Known mostly as a horror writer, this book, I think, once and for all proves that Stephen King can write about any subject and make it interesting and enthralling. He talks about "Getting Over" not "Getting over it." He took me to a place I have never been, and most possibly, a place I will never forget. This made Vietnam a real place for me, and the war's meaning a little clearer. May we all "Get Over."

OK. Maybe second best. The Stand will likely always be first in my heart. Not that anyone will read review number 96 anyway... This is simply an exceptional work. Each story stands on it's own, taken together, the sum is fantastic. Somewhere in the future, this will be required reading in a high school literature class. Much as 'Lord of the Flies' was in mine. You have written the 'Lord of the Flies' of the 60's Mr. King. Bravo.

I am a big fan of King's Tower seires and this is right up their with them. If you like the dark tower you will love this. It contenues the team of the the tower and talks aboult Rolland and his quest.

Hearts in Atlantis is a book that every slacker college student should read. For me, you could substitute playing hearts for playing Quake II. Mr. King does a wonderful job painting a picture that relates to today's young adults seemlessly. So you mean to tell me that the baby boomers once felt as rebelious as the youth of today? I guess the seed really doesn't fall that far from the tree. These stories are engaging and provocative, provided you can open your head to the concept of the Dark Tower for one of them.

Hearts in Atlantis is pure Stephen King. The first section, "Low Men...." reminds me of The Regulators. Just as intense, though not as frightening. The second and title section was my favorite. It helps the reader to understand the different viewpoints that the Vietnam War inspired/created. The last three sections pull all the characters together in a way that only King can. Stephen King and I have matured together. Hooray for making us think as well as making us look over our shoulders!

As a long time King fan, I am always amazed that so many people still think he is a gory horror writer, when most of his work for the past twenty years or more are stories about the human condition, innocence lost and nature versus nurture.
I found this series of stories to be some of the best he has ever put out. If u are looking for a good introduction to this side of King's story telling then look no further.

Less horror and more drama, I would say this book is, although there are still a couple "weird" parts. The first half could be a book by itself--that's what the movie is based on, anyway. An engaging read, as is Stephen King's custom.

I have bought 4 copies of this book because i reread it at least once a year and have worn them out, one copy I lent to somebody and never got it back. As a collection of stories that flow together as a novel they allow you to get lost in the pages the way a good book is supposed to.

this is my favorite stephen king book. i could relate to each of the five stories, that's probably why i like it so much. it deals with polarizing topics like politics, so i guess this book isn't for everyone.

......but he can sure write drama as well. This book is Awsome! Loved all 5 stories (Low Men in Yellow Coats is my fav.). Loved the Dark Tower refrences in Low Men. Could this mean The Dark Tower 5 is on it's way? One can only hope! BUY THIS BOOK!

I loved this story but I couldn't stand William Hurt reading the Book on Tape. I don't understand why another reviewer said he was so good. He was so monotone and he constantly emphasized the wrong parts of the sentences. He rambled on and on without taking a breath; I couldn't tell where one sentence ended and the next began. He didn't change the voices for the characters like a good reader does. He was the worst reader I have ever heard and I have listened to quite a few books on tape!

I just finished and am delighted by the stories in this book. I love how all the stories intertwine. I love his use of songs, every day items and common places. (I live in R.I so he is always in familiar territory with me) It reminds me a little of Peter Straubs "KOKO" maybe just because of the Vitenam inluence , but I think it's more than that. He proves once again that he is the king. (Now we just need some more Gunslinger)

I'm just 20, but I must say that this book brought the Vietnam War and the 1960s and 70s into a better light than any other fiction that I've read. You get a feel that King is writing from personal experience most of the time. King is at his best when he identifies totally with the subject of his story, as with novels such as It. This is a great book, and it apparently sheds some light on to the Dark Tower series as well as Insomnia, although not a lot, via the character of Ted.
If you are a King fan, give this a read. If not, do it anyway. You won't be disappointed.

I wasn't sure of the concept of this book as described on the cover when I first started to read it. But the first story was great. All the things we love about King were in that. I particulary liked the way the character/circumstance were linked to previous novels. ( I just LOVE the way he does that). The second one I started out being dubious about, but stuck with it and was rewarded.I enjoyed all the tales and the way the intertwined worked incredibly well. A definate buy!

I have read every Stephen King book written. Some have been terrific (The Shining, The Stand), some have been mediocre (Rose Madder), some were not that great (Insomnia)....this book was absolutely a masterpiece. You must run out and buy this book. I think anyone that gave it a bad review was expecting a horror book. This is a book about life. Its just exceptional!

This book is one of Kings Best. I was worried after the release of Storm of the Century and The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon; however, in this book King returns more brillant than ever before. This is a excellent book, and King does an incredible job tying the stories together. Congratulations Mr. King: You have done it again!! GO out and by this book today, you will love it.

What can be said about Stephen King? This is classic King. He is still and will always be my (not that it counts for much) favorite author of horror. The stories bled easily one right into another. The book had a life of it's own and carried me right along with it. When it's a let down to reach that last page. I know I've had a great read. (It's like great sex your satisfied, but you want more) Hurry up Stephen I'm ready again.

The book is superb. The ending is magnificent. King's last paragraph ranks right up there as one of the most powerful endings in literature. Yes, literature; because Hearts in Atlantis is a beautiful, literary book. We have all known King could capture us with his narrative and make memorable characters, but this transcends all that. I actually re-read the last page five times just so I wouldn't have to close the book. Bravo!

This is a great book! I could not put down King's latest, Hearts in Atlantis. What can I say? Few of King's novels have ever disappointed me, and this collection of interrelated stories was truly compelling. I'd write more here, but why waste your time? I highly recommend this book.
Others I recommend: anything by Tom Piccirilli, You Come When I Call You by Douglas Clegg, Graham Joyce's Indigo, and Peter Straub's Mr. X.

I don't know how anyone could not LOVE this book. King successfully brought me into the jungle with the soldiers, back to college and, most importantly, let me revisit my own childhood. It was simply the best novel I have read in the past 5 years.

Of all the Stephen King novels I have read-Dreamcatcher, Bag of Bones, The Shining, It, none of them have touched me more than Hearts in Atlantis. When I read it I laughed, I cried, and I could not get myself to put it down. It was, by far, the best Stephen King book I have read, and I would highly recommend it.

Hearts in Atlantis starts out like a true Stephen King novel. Vivid characterizations,intriquing plot and all the supernatural elements that keep us reading till 3am! But what happened to parts 2 - 5. Gone are the horror and suspense to be replaced by two dimensionel charactors and political rhetoric. I felt cheated out of an ending. And though part 1 makes reference(s) to THE DARK TOWER series, I never read those (tried to - but found them plodding and uninteresting!) Did I miss something? Is the real ending somewhere in THOSE books?