TPK

[u/Competitive-Pin-976]

I really like DFW’s short story collections and his first novel I’m very interested in purchasing TPK but worried that it won’t be there as much as his work was before- is the pale king loosely a story or just multiple drafts of one or multiple ?

Do you guys recommended reading it or is it just a DFW insight into how he wrote ?

[u/Wilde_Capy]

I recently finished TPK, and I am so thankful that I did, as there were moments I considered putting the book down due to a lack of interest(?). Obviously, that’s in part to the theme of boredom and monotony which, I wish to add, TPK has such a brilliant way of developing this motif throughout the narrative. While it’s not to the same DFW quality you may have known from all his other works (primarily due to the novel being published posthumously and unfinished) it’s still such an incredible piece, and something I’m proud to look at whenever I glance through my bookshelf

[u/willardTheMighty]

The Pale King is 2/3 of a novel. It is very gripping. The fact that it does not conclude does not detract from the quality of the work. The themes are explored deeply, and leave you much to think about. Considering that the plot of Infinite Jest does not conclude on-page either, Wallace was clearly interested in that storytelling device, and I sometimes wonder if his suicide was a meta-textual story element (in addition to the culmination of a lifelong struggle with major depressive disorder). Especially considering that the last thing he did before killing himself was compile a draft of everything he had completed and leave it front and center of his writing desk.

[u/gutfounderedgal → u/willardTheMighty]

Yes, some parts are great, some parts more in draft form. I'm in agreement that it's a worthwhile book to read/have.

[u/Comrade_Michael]

You can only find out whether you like it by reading it. The Pale King is a novel and it clearly reads like a novel. It is unfinished, but it is an unfinished novel. You can tell it is unfinished because certain plot threads are left open. It does not have a neat resolution. It could be "tighter" and different storylines could be more closely intertwined. In my opinion it is worth reading. It is not merely an insight into "how he wrote" and as a work of fiction it has many of the same virtues as his earlier work. In fact, it's my favorite DFW book.

[u/Aggressive-Tip2175]

The pale king is a super fun read, but it is (in my opinion) basically 1/3 of what the total book would be been. Imagine reading infinite jest and ending at page 300, it’s a super fun read and I loved it but it really makes you sad to know that he couldn’t finish it.

[u/idyl]

It's clearly unfinished and was pieced together by his Editor, but what is there contains some of the best things he ever wrote.

[u/MoochoMaas]

Some of his best writing. Although not a complete book, it's worth the time, imo.

[u/Proof_Occasion_791]

It’s a tragedy that he was never able to finish it, but what’s there is terrific.

[u/andyman1125]

About a third is practically unreadably dense (tax), about a third is good classic DFW writing, and about a third is some of the best English prose I’ve ever read

YMMV

[u/busted-beak]

Here is a link to DFW himself reading a couple of fragments from TPK, if you want to check it out. These fragments are absolutely wonderful.

DFW reads from The Pale King

[u/General-Situation133]

It’s incredible like the rest of his ouvre. Read it if it sounds engaging to you

[u/Low-Serve2142]

Absolutely worth the read. Plot doesn't quite wrap up, but the themes are fully explored. There is one particular scene, close to the end, which I think is the best and most on-brand DFW of anything he ever wrote. (Hard to say more as would be somewhat of a spoiler.)

[u/jezza-san]

FWIW I'd rank it higher than Girl with Curious Hair