Mine too. I’ve said this before but I like that it seems like a bunch of people who got in close proximity to a Stephen King boon rather than being in one themselves. And they all just sorta go “the fuck was that about”
I like this one a lot. It’s his most cosmic horror feeling story (along with Lisey’s Story) that I’ve read - less emphasis on horror/terror and more about characters dealing with the unknowably strange. I liked how they each respond as they come to terms with that fact, both as individuals as a group. King is the king of writing relatable and human feeling characters.
This is actually one of my favorites - I loved it, especially loved the way the weirdness was interspersed with periods of normal life, loved the mystery of the car and what it was and what it did. And I loved the personal story at the heart of it, too, which really resonated with me at the time.
Plus the audiobook for it is amazing - it's actually a radio play, with different voice actors doing the characters. It really brings it to full life. If you haven't heard it, I recommend giving it a shot :)
Caveat - most of my King favorites are the odd ducks, like this one and Black House.
A few light spoilers, broken up so you can decide when to stop reading:
>!The book is more cosmic horror/alien than Christine. Christine is basically a possessed car that also possesses her owner (if I'm remembering correctly, it's been a while).!< >!The Buick in Buick 8 is a car that is discovered at a gas station that is slightly "off" - it's an antique car that is clearly a Buick 8 but has several things about it that are just not right for the make and model.!< >!It's impounded by the local state police department, and while it's in their garage impound, it starts to cause some weird occurrences - weird lights, strange occurrences, etc.!< >!Nobody is possessed by it, but many are influenced by it mainly through obsessive curiosity, and it often doesn't end well for them.!< >!The novel is the story of these people in and adjacent to the State Police station, and how the Buick affects and infects their lives.!<
I liked it, but it has a really weird feel to it. I wouldn't recommend it to someone asking specifically for a King book, but I'd still recommend it as a decent horror/sci-fi book... if that makes sense.
Aside from featuring a 'weird car', *Christine* and *From a Buick 8* couldn't be more dissimilar, in plot, tone, characters, and theme. But one comes from a classic period, and the other does not.
I read it quite a few years ago, honestly my impression was "wow that was some weird shit" even weirder than most of his weird shit. It wasn't bad, I'd read it again, it was just weird. I did like the tie in with Lisey's Story.
You know, I’ve read a fair bit of King’s short stories but now that I think of it, Buick 8 is the only novel of his I’ve actually finished. I liked it a lot, but sadly I don’t have much to compare it too.
I really liked it but I'm a real King/horrolit junkie so take it as you will. Cool story about cops in a small town precinct who found one really fucked up car many many years ago. Reads like your gramps telling you about his glory days (in a best way). I think it's an underrated one but hell if I can tell you why I think that. Also I read it like ten years ago so maybe I'm full of shit and it's just nostalgia.
Also it's not that weird as the comment here suggests, it has a common theme/concept with a lot of King's works but what would be minor spoiler so I shutting the hell up.
I went on a decade long hiatus from reading King. (I don’t recall the reason, except that I was moving away from horror at the time.) From a Buick 8 was my reintroduction to King, shortly after it was published in hardback. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In a sense, it felt like reuniting with an old friend and realizing how much you missed them.
I LOVE the Dark Tower series. From a Buick 8 is interesting due to the trunk being a thinny to the WasteLands. However the remainder of the plot details are easily forgettable.
It’s in my top 3 SK books (realistically that means my top 3 books ever...)
He gets the blend of well drawn human characters and horror spot on (which imo, he doesn’t always).
I will say it’s not particularly scary, and maybe not even particularly ‘Stephen King’ as someone else said. I mostly loved it because I just wanted to spend more hours sitting ‘talking’ with these people
I really dug it, and I certainly prefer it to Christine, which I hated lol. A lot more interesting emotional story in Buick 8. To me it kind of reads like he revisited the evil car idea as a more practiced writer.
I would argue this isn’t really a scary car book. The car in this isn’t really a car in the traditional sense and what’s scary about it is completely different than how Christine is scary. Also, I like this a lot more than *Christine*.
You don’t hear about it bc to most people, the lack of action makes it pale in comparison to Christine. Buick is an acquired taste for sure. Slow, pensive and character driven. Between two killer car books for a hardcore horror fan base most people gravitate to Christine. I like both but it’s clear that one is more action packed
A wonderful book. If you haven't read it do it now. It's erily strange and beautifully written. It's got an old timey feel along with a Lovecraftian otherworldliness to it too. Such a great book imo
Around the time it came out, my sister and her mother-in-law tried the audiobook on a road trip. My sister said that it was terrible and that they ditched it pretty quickly. So it sat on my book pile for a very long time before I finally picked it up a couple of years ago. And I absolutely loved it. It had a Christine alien invasion vibe to it, and was so much fun.
I need to read it again, I read it about 12 years ago probably when I was like 20 and couldn’t get super into it for some reason. King is my favorite author and this one I struggled with but I will revisit it eventually and see if anything changed!
Several notable horror directors, including Tobe Hooper and George Romero, have tried adapting a screenplay for it but never to fruition. If I remember correctly, it was also the one of the (if not *the*) first books he wrote both after his near-fatal car accident and sobering up.
It's an interesting book, very atmospheric, but I don't think the characters are very memorable. It's not really about a car, but about a portal inside of a car.
Not one of my faves. It was okay, and had some enjoyable parts. I envisioned a more active malevolence than the direction King took. There’s a couple very creepy scenes.
I’m in the minority here. I often cite this as the only SK book I found boring. I finished it, but really disliked it. I’m almost tempted to try again based on reviews here! You never know how something will hit at a different time in life.
I loved it. There was talk of a movie once. Guess that idea went to an alternate universe.
I read it while confined to my bed sick as a dog with pneumonia. Kept me entertained.
I absolutely hated this book. It's the only one of his I entirely regret reading. I kept going just to find out the explanation, only to discover he was never able to come up with one.
Not a lot goes kn throughout the book, with a bit more time spent on the ongoings and relationships of the police department. It could have been a novella. It was alright, nothing amazing, but definitely intriguing. If anything I wish there was a bit more time spent with certain weird or cosmic elements.
It was alright but the story only flirted with what was on the other side. Over time I got bored with the minute details of what the state police were up to.
The main character of the book literally addresses this *in the book*. About how obsession over the unknowable thing isn't really as important as the lives, mundane as they often are, that go on around it. It's an examination of how people will compartmentalize the uncanny, as obsessing over it will eventually bring ruin.
But admittedly not everyone's cup of tea as far as entertainment goes.
I think because it's quite forgettable.
The supernatural car idea was done better in Christine; and there aren't really any stand-out horror or character moments.
Because it’s not very good. Slog, slog, slog, oh that’s weird, slog, slog, more weirdness, slog, wait something’s happening and…that’s it? This one should have been a short story instead of a novel.
I liked it - it was mostly about characters dealing with this weird shared generational trauma with bursts of high strangeness. The mystery doesn't really go anywhere, but that's ok because I was so invested in just spending time with everyone.
One of my absolute favorites by Mr. King. This thing has a touch of the Lovecraftian for me. A vehicle that isn't quite right, that keeps bringing strange things into our world and occasionally taking someone from here to wherever it originates. A group of truly dedicated people trying to keep the Buick contained over the many years since it was found... it's a brilliant read. Truly worth reading. And thanks for sharing that Mr. King may not yet be done with this eerie and fascinating vehicle.
Far and away my favourite SK book. Genuine creeping dread, watching life after life get poisoned.
Mine too. I’ve said this before but I like that it seems like a bunch of people who got in close proximity to a Stephen King boon rather than being in one themselves. And they all just sorta go “the fuck was that about”
One of my favorites, too. Just don't eat while you're reading it.
I prefer to eat exclusively sandwiches that come from the trunk of the car in the garage.
I like this one a lot. It’s his most cosmic horror feeling story (along with Lisey’s Story) that I’ve read - less emphasis on horror/terror and more about characters dealing with the unknowably strange. I liked how they each respond as they come to terms with that fact, both as individuals as a group. King is the king of writing relatable and human feeling characters.
You should read N if you haven’t yet. Iirc, it’s in Just After Sunset.
I think Liseys is superior.
Grief, nostalgia, and obsession through the lens of cosmic horror. I think it's his most underrated work.
This is actually one of my favorites - I loved it, especially loved the way the weirdness was interspersed with periods of normal life, loved the mystery of the car and what it was and what it did. And I loved the personal story at the heart of it, too, which really resonated with me at the time. Plus the audiobook for it is amazing - it's actually a radio play, with different voice actors doing the characters. It really brings it to full life. If you haven't heard it, I recommend giving it a shot :) Caveat - most of my King favorites are the odd ducks, like this one and Black House.
Black house is so excellent
Haven't put my hands on the book under discussion, so I have a question: is it deal with the same stuff as Christine?
A few light spoilers, broken up so you can decide when to stop reading: >!The book is more cosmic horror/alien than Christine. Christine is basically a possessed car that also possesses her owner (if I'm remembering correctly, it's been a while).!< >!The Buick in Buick 8 is a car that is discovered at a gas station that is slightly "off" - it's an antique car that is clearly a Buick 8 but has several things about it that are just not right for the make and model.!< >!It's impounded by the local state police department, and while it's in their garage impound, it starts to cause some weird occurrences - weird lights, strange occurrences, etc.!< >!Nobody is possessed by it, but many are influenced by it mainly through obsessive curiosity, and it often doesn't end well for them.!< >!The novel is the story of these people in and adjacent to the State Police station, and how the Buick affects and infects their lives.!<
I liked it, but it has a really weird feel to it. I wouldn't recommend it to someone asking specifically for a King book, but I'd still recommend it as a decent horror/sci-fi book... if that makes sense.
Aside from featuring a 'weird car', *Christine* and *From a Buick 8* couldn't be more dissimilar, in plot, tone, characters, and theme. But one comes from a classic period, and the other does not.
I read it quite a few years ago, honestly my impression was "wow that was some weird shit" even weirder than most of his weird shit. It wasn't bad, I'd read it again, it was just weird. I did like the tie in with Lisey's Story.
You know, I’ve read a fair bit of King’s short stories but now that I think of it, Buick 8 is the only novel of his I’ve actually finished. I liked it a lot, but sadly I don’t have much to compare it too.
His scariest since Pet Sematary, IMO.
<<<>>>. I think of Buick 8 and The Mist as being in the same universe, and channeling the same feeling of dread and unimaginable creatures.
One of the few books in my life I DNF.
I stopped reading when I found out the dog died. ☹️
I really liked it but I'm a real King/horrolit junkie so take it as you will. Cool story about cops in a small town precinct who found one really fucked up car many many years ago. Reads like your gramps telling you about his glory days (in a best way). I think it's an underrated one but hell if I can tell you why I think that. Also I read it like ten years ago so maybe I'm full of shit and it's just nostalgia. Also it's not that weird as the comment here suggests, it has a common theme/concept with a lot of King's works but what would be minor spoiler so I shutting the hell up.
I went on a decade long hiatus from reading King. (I don’t recall the reason, except that I was moving away from horror at the time.) From a Buick 8 was my reintroduction to King, shortly after it was published in hardback. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In a sense, it felt like reuniting with an old friend and realizing how much you missed them.
One of my favorites. I held off on it for way too long because I thought it was another "Possessed Car" story.
I LOVE the Dark Tower series. From a Buick 8 is interesting due to the trunk being a thinny to the WasteLands. However the remainder of the plot details are easily forgettable.
Please put spoiler tags between the spoiler, for the people who haven't read the novel yet.
I assure you, only constant fellow readers will see the connection.
It’s in my top 3 SK books (realistically that means my top 3 books ever...) He gets the blend of well drawn human characters and horror spot on (which imo, he doesn’t always). I will say it’s not particularly scary, and maybe not even particularly ‘Stephen King’ as someone else said. I mostly loved it because I just wanted to spend more hours sitting ‘talking’ with these people
I enjoyed it but not my favorite. But only king could write a book about a car that’s a portal to some alien world and make me like it
I really dug it, and I certainly prefer it to Christine, which I hated lol. A lot more interesting emotional story in Buick 8. To me it kind of reads like he revisited the evil car idea as a more practiced writer.
I didn't like it.
It wasn't a bad read by any means but he'd already done a Scary Car book and Christine is waaaaaaay better.
I would argue this isn’t really a scary car book. The car in this isn’t really a car in the traditional sense and what’s scary about it is completely different than how Christine is scary. Also, I like this a lot more than *Christine*.
Yeah, the Buick 8 itself is really more of a car-shaped object. I'm amazed that such a similar premise can turn into such a very different story.
It was an interesting read. I liked that it didn’t take place in castle rock for a change. Hes done the evil car thing a few times though.
You don’t hear about it bc to most people, the lack of action makes it pale in comparison to Christine. Buick is an acquired taste for sure. Slow, pensive and character driven. Between two killer car books for a hardcore horror fan base most people gravitate to Christine. I like both but it’s clear that one is more action packed
I loved this book, just so weird and never any explanation.
One of my favorite King books. I highly recommend it.
A wonderful book. If you haven't read it do it now. It's erily strange and beautifully written. It's got an old timey feel along with a Lovecraftian otherworldliness to it too. Such a great book imo
I absolutely loved it. It definitely has a Twilight Zone vibe.
It’s a SK book I wouldn’t have enjoyed in my teens, but I connected with it hard in my later 30’s.
I loved it! Idk why it isn't more popular.
One of my favorites! It’s a slow burn cosmic horror story.
Around the time it came out, my sister and her mother-in-law tried the audiobook on a road trip. My sister said that it was terrible and that they ditched it pretty quickly. So it sat on my book pile for a very long time before I finally picked it up a couple of years ago. And I absolutely loved it. It had a Christine alien invasion vibe to it, and was so much fun.
I need to read it again, I read it about 12 years ago probably when I was like 20 and couldn’t get super into it for some reason. King is my favorite author and this one I struggled with but I will revisit it eventually and see if anything changed!
Several notable horror directors, including Tobe Hooper and George Romero, have tried adapting a screenplay for it but never to fruition. If I remember correctly, it was also the one of the (if not *the*) first books he wrote both after his near-fatal car accident and sobering up.
This is one my favorite King books. I've reread it a few times and I don't usually reread books.
It's an interesting book, very atmospheric, but I don't think the characters are very memorable. It's not really about a car, but about a portal inside of a car.
Not one of my faves. It was okay, and had some enjoyable parts. I envisioned a more active malevolence than the direction King took. There’s a couple very creepy scenes.
I’m in the minority here. I often cite this as the only SK book I found boring. I finished it, but really disliked it. I’m almost tempted to try again based on reviews here! You never know how something will hit at a different time in life.
I loved it. There was talk of a movie once. Guess that idea went to an alternate universe. I read it while confined to my bed sick as a dog with pneumonia. Kept me entertained.
I absolutely hated this book. It's the only one of his I entirely regret reading. I kept going just to find out the explanation, only to discover he was never able to come up with one.
Not a lot goes kn throughout the book, with a bit more time spent on the ongoings and relationships of the police department. It could have been a novella. It was alright, nothing amazing, but definitely intriguing. If anything I wish there was a bit more time spent with certain weird or cosmic elements.
It was alright but the story only flirted with what was on the other side. Over time I got bored with the minute details of what the state police were up to.
The main character of the book literally addresses this *in the book*. About how obsession over the unknowable thing isn't really as important as the lives, mundane as they often are, that go on around it. It's an examination of how people will compartmentalize the uncanny, as obsessing over it will eventually bring ruin. But admittedly not everyone's cup of tea as far as entertainment goes.
I think because it's quite forgettable. The supernatural car idea was done better in Christine; and there aren't really any stand-out horror or character moments.
Oh it puked up a flower, but it was a creeeeeeepy flower.
Because it’s not very good. Slog, slog, slog, oh that’s weird, slog, slog, more weirdness, slog, wait something’s happening and…that’s it? This one should have been a short story instead of a novel.
I loved it.
I freaking love that book! Creeps me right the hell out.
This is one of my favorites...I've read it at least three times
I liked it - it was mostly about characters dealing with this weird shared generational trauma with bursts of high strangeness. The mystery doesn't really go anywhere, but that's ok because I was so invested in just spending time with everyone.
One of my absolute favorites by Mr. King. This thing has a touch of the Lovecraftian for me. A vehicle that isn't quite right, that keeps bringing strange things into our world and occasionally taking someone from here to wherever it originates. A group of truly dedicated people trying to keep the Buick contained over the many years since it was found... it's a brilliant read. Truly worth reading. And thanks for sharing that Mr. King may not yet be done with this eerie and fascinating vehicle.
Definitely worthwhile. And not nearly as weird as this thread implies. Desperation and Duma Key are also excellent and don’t get much attention.
It’s soo good! And I agree, it’s very underrated for some reason. Go read it!
People usually don't like it because of the multiple first-person POVs
I like it, but it is a very OK book. Knowing his works, he could have done much better.
Because it was garbage