Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I feel that it is fair to warn anyone that is planning to invest their time in a book of this scope and magnitude that you may not be happy in the end. I have never written an online review before because usually when I read a great book most people already feel that its great and the existing reviews speak for themselves. However, as I was reading through these reviews, I could not believe how many 5 star ratings people gave. This is not nearly the masterpiece that it could have been and I think people deserve fair warning and a review that is more than: greatest book ever man! First off let me say this, I love horror stories, I am not easily offended, and I have read and enjoyed many other King books in the past. With that in mind, I started reading IT and was immediately absorbed into the tale. SO FIRST THE GOOD (EVEN GREAT): 1) great buildup, some genuinely scary and disturbing scenes 2) realistic character development and compelling characters in general 3) IT is a very original, strange and frightening creature...most of the way through 4) childhood events, friendships, conflicts, and experiences are realistically portrayed and sometimes even more frightening and tense than the encounters with the supernatural. 5) Despite other peoples complaints with the length, I feel that it flowed nicely and the way the novel slowly revealed events of the past while building suspense in the present time was wonderfully done. SO WHY DID I GIVE THE BOOK 2 STARS? -- This book COMPLETELY falls apart in the last 100 pages or so. So much so that I had to shake my head and wonder if I was even reading the same book. I knew the ending would never live up to the buildup and I was willing to accept that, but what King came up with could not have been written any worse. When IT is revealed, the revelation is anti-climactic to say the least. Even then however, I still would have given the book 5 stars. What angered me to no end was the direction the book went from here. What was a scary foray into a world of creatures, nightmares, and psychological intrigue became a laughably bad mystical and celestial mess that changed the tone of the entire novel. Be warned, the final conflict and resolution is completely ridiculous and ruins what was a masterpiece of horror. PARTIAL SPOILERS (though they dont give away anything major, heres a little of what you are in for) 1) a turtle god that barfed up our universe 2) floating disembodied tongue the someone bites into 3) the deadlights (dont ask, it won't matter) 4) a weak and pitiful IT that can simply not be the same cunning and dastardly creature from the first 3/4s of the novel (yet is) 5)unsatisfying and weak explanation as to how IT is hurt (I understand what King was trying to do, but it doesnt come across well in the end) LASTLY: IF NONE OF THAT TURNED YOU OFF, PICTURE THIS: A group of six 11 year olds (yes, thats right 11!--all boys, 1 girl) are running around lost in some tunnels. And what is their solution for finding their why out?? Why, a group orgy of course. Im sorry, but even if it had something to do with the story line (which it doesn't) a scene like that is sick and uncalled for on so many levels. Beyond that, it makes no sense and is completely unrealistic after all the previous wonderful character development. Further, the scene is not even merely alluded to, it is specific and explicit bordering on child porn. Why that was included, I cannot begin to guess. It does make good evidence for my theory though: King HAD to have been on something when he wrote in the whole ending. Read if you must, but realize, I am not making any of this up. I sit here stunned and in disbelief as to how such a great novel could turn into such a train wreck. In an epic of this depth, a complete, sloppy letdown in the end is simply inexcusable.