If you love Stephen King look no further. This book went very in depth and at points I felt like I was reading a textbook and actually enjoying it.

A no brainer for fans of Stephen King. Very interesting and well thought out. Great addition to anyone interested in the mysterious man

This was a bit heavy for me. I enjoyed the perspective on Stephen King’s novel, being a fan of Mr King’s work for many years. Many interesting insights and concepts are explored.

This is a great and interesting read for many Stephen King fans. My only issue with this book is that it should be taken into consideration that if you have not read all of his work then you may encounter spoilers for them while reading. I was not spoiled to too many things, but it did happen. I wish I had thought about that beforehand, but here we are! Either way, this author does a great job at exploring some of King's works in a much deeper look at what drives them than I have seen elsewhere. 3 stars and I encourage a Constant Reader to pick this one up!

America's Dark Theologian is an interesting examination of the underlying themes of religion and spirituality in Stephen King's novels. It is a bit of a dry read but at the same time, it offers a fascinating insight into the different levels of Stephen King's work. It does go into detail into his books so will have spoilers for those who have not read Stephen King's books yet.

A thoroughly researched and well-considered overview of the types of religious questions King likes to address, this book actually made my re-reads of King's early novels much more dynamic. I thought this was an excellent book to read alongside the novels, to gain a greater understanding of the characters and the themes. A very academic work, so not quite a page-turner, this is still an important work in the field of horror literature and sociology of religion and easily accessible to even the non-academic mind.

I used to be a huge Stephen King fan. I've read most of his earlier books but I haven't read the newer ones. My favorites are The Shining and his short story collections. IT used to be a favorite but after a recent rereading it kind of went down in my opinion a bit. Bag of Bones was never a favorite of mine (you can see my reaction to it here). I thought this book would be very interesting as religion does show up in King's books a lot. Sometimes in a positive light, most often in a negative light.

America's Dark Theologian was very good as it approaches King's work from a very objective view and not from a particular religious viewpoint. It looks at the main body of King's works and sees how religion inspires, fear, awe and sometimes extremism.

It can be a little dry at times and, I have to admit, my attention would wander a bit. I think I might actually like it better as an audiobook since I tend to like narration heavy audiobooks. I do think it could have broadened its scope a bit. It mainly focuses on certain novels and one short story (N.). The novels mentioned are Pet Sematary, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Needful Things, The Shining, IT and, of course, Carrie. The Stand is largely unmentioned as the religion aspect of The Stand is at the forefront of the book and there have already been books and papers on it. I respect the book for not going for the easy way out and digging deeper into more unexplored books.

I always love a good, deeper look at books and what drives some of them. I would be very interested in seeing more books in this same vein or further looks at other books in this same category or even focusing on a different subject.

In short, while it is a bit dry in spots it might not be for everyone but I really enjoyed it.

Overall, an interesting read. I have noticed a tone of spirituality in a number of Stephen King's books. Any fan of his works should read consider this one.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a thought-provoking read.

A provoking topic, but the book misses the mark overall. For an academic book, it doesn't go very deep or offer much new insight. It could possibly work as a more pop-culture type of book, but lacks an engaging writing style. Needs to go further in one direction or the other (academic or popular) to work. Didn't do it for me.

This is a great read for anyone that loves Stephen king and wants to explore some of the themese in his novels.

While this is decidedly academic in nature, for any Stephen King fan who is also interested in world religions, it's a must read. Cowan explores the religious themes in King's work and also addresses, to quote Joseph Campbell, "the power of Myth." It delves into the philosophical as well with existential questions and answers that aren't often wholly addressed in King's writings (although they are there, under the surface).
It was good to see someone deliver a study of King's writings. He took a genre that was ridiculed and ignored for centuries and almost single-handedly brought it back to the mainstream, yet you rarely see his work dissected like this.
Definitely worth a read for King fans, but if you're not one you should pass.

This was a great read. It is a truly scholarly examination of the way religion has been described and the role it has played in Steven King’s horror novels. Cowan examines a number of elements of religious study and examines the way that King has elucidated those concepts within his body of work.

The only thing that seemed to be missing from this study was a more cultural element that has always stood out to me as a mostly secular Jewish woman born and raised in Southern California, and that is the prevalence of organized religion in the lives of so many of his characters; something that was not a part of my upbringing, nor that of most of my friends. But that could be more a sociological issue, rather than a religious one.

In general, this is a well-argued, accessible, yet intellectual study of the work of an author who I believe is greatly underrated.

I received an advanced reading copy from NYU Press via NetGalley. Thanks!

I unfortunately had to DNF this one, and not because it isn't enjoyable... But because there are spoilers galore!! I am someone who doesn't like to know a single thing going into new reads, and there were quite a few little spoilers here and there and I was only 6 or 7% into the book! I will say that if you are a constant reader who has read every or even the vast majority of King's work, you may very well enjoy this one. It gives some major insights into the more religious aspects of King's work which I was finding very intriguing. I'd definitely say that this is one that any hardcore fan of King's would probably want to have handy once you've finished your collection. I've only given it 3/5 stars for the simple fact that there were spoilers and I just couldn't bare to go on and ruin several books and short stories I've left to read of King's. I definitely see myself adding this to my shelf one day and would absolutely recommend to any constant readers out there, especially if religious theology interests you.

I have been a huge fan of Stephen King's books for many years, starting in my early teens when I scared myself silly with Pet Sematary. America's Dark Theologian is an incredibly well researched book on the religious aspects of King's work, right from the beginning with 'Carrie'. Clearly a superfan himself, Cowan has produced a very readable book that is a must for all Stephen King junkies and also anyone with an interest in literary criticism. Great stuff.

An interesting academic look at religion and theology within the books of Stephen King. I wish the book was a little more organized, as the section seemed a little scattered and jumped back and forth between books/stories a little too often. But the content itself was well written, and gave me some new insights into my favorite writer.

Thank you to Netgalley and Douglas E. Cowan for allowing me to read and review America's Dark Theologian. I enjoyed this book very much! Must read for King fans.

A fascinating exploration of the religious themes present in many of Stephen King's novels. Reading this book made me view King's novels in an entirely new light. I found it especially insightful when the author compared and contrasted various characters in King's novels.

Douglas E Cowan’s non fiction look at the work of Stephen King from a religious stand point is an interesting read. Although at times his point is like pushing a square peg in a round hole but overall he hits all the right points.

The book deals mainly with early to mid era of the Stephen King cannon forgoing his serial work such as Dark Tower. In fact, I found this to be King at his most interesting and Cowan’s writing ability has a way to involve the reader and get them involved with his theories and ideas. He has an interesting voice that he never panders to his audience but entices them with his knowledge and his personal experiences which adds to the text.

Overall this is a comprehensive work looking at religious themes, imagery and characterisations found within Stephen King’s body of work. If you a King fan, I think this will definitely be a definitive reference book to look at the author’s books in a new light. If you are not a fan, then this will probably not entice you one way or the other. As a book that looks at modern fiction with religious tones and theories, this book will be a nice addition to your book shelf.

This is a fascinating examination of the theological perspectives of King's work. A story teller like non other, King has returned again and again to fundamental questions of existence that have plagued humans for time immemorial. As a fan of King and also a Christian I found this book thought provoking and compellingly written.

Great read for Stephen King super-fans and mere dabblers alike. Academic, but still very readable, America's Dark Theologian discusses the religious themes in Stephen King's works from a unique and thought provoking perspective.

Cowan's extensive experience discussing the intersections of pop culture and religion are displayed throughout Dark Theologian very the beginning. For example, he eschews no more than a cursory discussion of King's most overtly religious novel, The Stand. This is because most of the religious interpretations of King's work are wrapped up in that particular novel and it is actually quite an outlier when looking for religious subtexts. Cowan also deals with another major hurdle in the beginning of his book, "how exactly can this be considered theology?" Well, Cowan invests a bit of time up front discussing a much broader definition of theology that extends far beyond Sunday morning services, bible studies, and houses of worship. In fact, there is an everyday theology that even atheists and agnostics engage in that Cowan is keen to probe and becomes the fascinating focus of this book.
It is great to see King getting the academic attention his work deserves!