This book is about a writer (again!) who uses a pseudonym, George Stark, to write horror novels which are much more different than his own written works. The author, Thad Beaumont, is to a point where he is being pressured to reveal the pseudonym so he and his wife decide to kill George off and hold a burial for him. All of which is published in People magazine along with a story about Thad and George. The headstone they plant for the fake grave has an epitaph based on a quote Thad made that says that George is "Not a very nice guy". All of this makes Thad a little nervous, not that he can quite understand why, but he is glad to be focusing on his own work again. Immediately after the magazine is published he has horrible nightmares about George hurting his family and threatening him. At the same time the local grave digger discovers a hole in the ground at the cemetery in the spot where they pretended to bury George that looks like someone crawled out and a local man winds up beaten to death with his truck stolen. Which promptly turns up just outside New York full of blood.
People connected to the demise of George Stark start dropping like flies and it looks like it is Thad who is doing it as it is his fingerprints that are found at the crime scenes, but he has an airtight alibi. The police sheriff, Alan Pangborn, begrudgingly realizes that Thad is telling the truth and starts investigating it from the angle that it is some crazed fan pretending to be George Stark and who is angry at George's death. Unfortunately, this is not the case either as we come to realize that it is really George Stark and he is pissed about being killed off. So angry that he is destroying in a horrific manner anyone who he believes is directly responsible, despite police protection. His ultimate goal is to force Thad to write with him a new book and therefore bring George back to life - even if he has to kill his family to do it. Along the way we discover that Thad had a twin that he absorbed in Utero and that part of the fetus was found in his brain years later when he was having severe headaches. Thad never knew that there was a twin inside him, but it makes sense to him when he finds out as he always felt this darker part of himself.
This is a very interesting story and even more so when you realize that King wrote it as a direct result of Richard Bachman being discovered and not wanting to write under his name anymore.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
The Tommyknockers
I will be honest, I gave up on this book halfway through after having read it for two weeks. I just could not get into it and really just did not care to. This book felt to me like Kings commentary and views on the governments nuclear facilities, conspiracy in regards to aliens, and overall secrecy. While I don't disagree with the views, I don't want to read about it or have it take up the majority of the book. So the lesson I learned from the Talisman is to stop reading when I am no longer being entertained. What I do remember from this book the last time I read it is that Pennywise makes an appearance, which was an interesting little mind bender.
Essentially this book is about a woman her friend (who are both writers - surprise, surprise) that discover an alien ship buried in the ground. This ship starts exerting power over her and all the people in the town of Haven. Gard (the friend who shows up after the discovery and some of the really weird shit she does as a result) is immune because of a steel plate in his head.
Things go from bad to worse for everyone as people start being controlled and doing terrible, unexplainable things. The end result is that the majority of the town dies, but Gard is able to save the rest of the population and free them from the aliens (Tommyknockers).
At this point to me this book is a throw away along with the Talisman.
Essentially this book is about a woman her friend (who are both writers - surprise, surprise) that discover an alien ship buried in the ground. This ship starts exerting power over her and all the people in the town of Haven. Gard (the friend who shows up after the discovery and some of the really weird shit she does as a result) is immune because of a steel plate in his head.
Things go from bad to worse for everyone as people start being controlled and doing terrible, unexplainable things. The end result is that the majority of the town dies, but Gard is able to save the rest of the population and free them from the aliens (Tommyknockers).
At this point to me this book is a throw away along with the Talisman.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Misery
This has always been one of my favorite books, mainly because it seems that King was working out his own fear with just how crazy fans, particularly those who claim to be the "number one fan" can be. I will also say that this is one of the best movies made from one of his books - even though some of the facts are changed - that is to be expected I believe.
This novel centers around an author Paul Sheldon who has just written an entirely new and different novel from his usual work, the Misery Series which is a sort of romance adventure series of novels. He has a habit of writing part of his novels in a hotel in Colorado, and having just completed this book, Fast Cars, he decides to drive back to L.A. rather than fly. (Mistake #1) Before setting out he has too much champagne (#2) and does not check the weather (#3). He hits a snowstorm in the mountains and his Camaro is not equipped to handle that so off the road he goes, wrecking the car and shattering his legs in the process. Along comes Annie Wilkes, the number one fan, who pulls him from the wreckage and takes him home to nurse him back to health. (That should be the first clue that she is crazy, as a normal person would have called for help)
She proceeds to fix his legs, sort of, and fills him with dope while he starts recovering. She decided to keep her pet writer when she realized it was "thee" Paul Sheldon, famous author of her favorite books. She is in the process of reading his most recent Misery book, in which she dies, when she discovers that she freaks out on Paul, forces him to burn his book Fast Cars, and then makes him write a new novel "Misery's Return". To say that she is good at getting her way would be an understatement. She has ways of making him work and of keeping him where she wants him. He ends up spending 6 months locked in her house during which time he suffers more than any person should, he discovers that besides being a nurse in her past she is also psychopathic and that he is never going to let her go. He makes many more mistakes which cost him dearly, but in the end he manages to get free. Whether he is sane any longer is a much bigger question.
This novel centers around an author Paul Sheldon who has just written an entirely new and different novel from his usual work, the Misery Series which is a sort of romance adventure series of novels. He has a habit of writing part of his novels in a hotel in Colorado, and having just completed this book, Fast Cars, he decides to drive back to L.A. rather than fly. (Mistake #1) Before setting out he has too much champagne (#2) and does not check the weather (#3). He hits a snowstorm in the mountains and his Camaro is not equipped to handle that so off the road he goes, wrecking the car and shattering his legs in the process. Along comes Annie Wilkes, the number one fan, who pulls him from the wreckage and takes him home to nurse him back to health. (That should be the first clue that she is crazy, as a normal person would have called for help)
She proceeds to fix his legs, sort of, and fills him with dope while he starts recovering. She decided to keep her pet writer when she realized it was "thee" Paul Sheldon, famous author of her favorite books. She is in the process of reading his most recent Misery book, in which she dies, when she discovers that she freaks out on Paul, forces him to burn his book Fast Cars, and then makes him write a new novel "Misery's Return". To say that she is good at getting her way would be an understatement. She has ways of making him work and of keeping him where she wants him. He ends up spending 6 months locked in her house during which time he suffers more than any person should, he discovers that besides being a nurse in her past she is also psychopathic and that he is never going to let her go. He makes many more mistakes which cost him dearly, but in the end he manages to get free. Whether he is sane any longer is a much bigger question.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Eyes of the Dragon
This books seems a lot different than most of the other books that King has written. At least, it does if this is one you just picked up and read without reading many of this other books. I love how King is able to tie this book in the Talisman, the Dark Tower series, and the Stand. This is one of the things about King that is so appealing to me, how he is able to get into your soul and scare you by referencing your own memories of other books and characters that you have read.
I really liked this book, even though it took me a long time to read it. (That was due more to outside forces than the book itself) This story takes place in Delain (which is within the In World of the DT Series) and is about a King, Roland, who has two sons - Peter and Thomas. Peter is the older, more favored son, while Thomas is second fiddle. A child who tries hard to be loved and always seems to fail. It is a given that when Roland dies eventually, Peter will be king. However, there is also the court advisor/magician Flagg (hmm, catching on to this yet) who has plans of his own. He killed the queen and plots to gain power so he can control the kingdom and drive it to ruin. Peter is too smart and brave for Flagg to mess with, but Thomas is afraid of Flagg, therefore easily controlled.
Flagg sets about framing Peter for the kings death so that Thomas can gain power, which allows Flagg to have power. The eyes of the dragon are Flaggs undoing as it is through the eyes of a dragon mounted on the kings wall, that the frame and crime is unknowingly witnessed. Pivotal to this as well is the queens old dollhouse, napkins, a tower called the Needle, and the loyalty of friends.
I would recommend this book to most anyone who is interested in King's work, but not into scary books. My only regret is that it took me so long to read it.
Next on to Misery - one of my all time favorites!
I really liked this book, even though it took me a long time to read it. (That was due more to outside forces than the book itself) This story takes place in Delain (which is within the In World of the DT Series) and is about a King, Roland, who has two sons - Peter and Thomas. Peter is the older, more favored son, while Thomas is second fiddle. A child who tries hard to be loved and always seems to fail. It is a given that when Roland dies eventually, Peter will be king. However, there is also the court advisor/magician Flagg (hmm, catching on to this yet) who has plans of his own. He killed the queen and plots to gain power so he can control the kingdom and drive it to ruin. Peter is too smart and brave for Flagg to mess with, but Thomas is afraid of Flagg, therefore easily controlled.
Flagg sets about framing Peter for the kings death so that Thomas can gain power, which allows Flagg to have power. The eyes of the dragon are Flaggs undoing as it is through the eyes of a dragon mounted on the kings wall, that the frame and crime is unknowingly witnessed. Pivotal to this as well is the queens old dollhouse, napkins, a tower called the Needle, and the loyalty of friends.
I would recommend this book to most anyone who is interested in King's work, but not into scary books. My only regret is that it took me so long to read it.
Next on to Misery - one of my all time favorites!
Monday, February 25, 2013
It
So, I admit, this story scared the shit out of me the first time I read it. It is probably one of the only books that he has written where I have been truly terrified to the depths of my soul. The first (and last) time I read this I was 15 and I read it in 24 hours. I could not put it down as I had to get away from him, I could not let him be in my mind for a second longer than necessary. What I remember most after reading this book was going to town with my mom to run errands the next morning and as we were stopped at a stoplight, there on the corner was a clown. With Balloons. Standing above a storm drain. I shit you not. Thank God he was not wearing the exact costume and he seemed friendly enough, of course, I doubt he was evil. But, you really don't know, do you? I have kept my distance from clowns since then. And I will also tell you that I love Tim Curry, but there is no way, in Hell or anywhere else, that I will watch any show/movie/play/whatever based on this book
So, is this book as scary now as it was then? No, it wasn't. Maybe it is that I am far removed from being a 12 year old kid (even though I have one of my own that age now) or maybe it is that I know the story and remember it, that I knew what to expect. It is hard to say. For me, this book was not nearly engaging as it was the first time, which is obvious in that it took a full month to read it. There were some things about this book and particularly his style of writing, that really appealed to however.
First, I love the transition from the present to the past. In my mind this was a stroke of genius and it kept me engaged. I can see to some that this would be confusing or frustrating, but I rather enjoy the back and forth as it seems to fit the idea of your childhood demons coming back to haunt you. The other thing that I liked and did not remember from the first time I read this was the use of the 1958 Plymouth Fury as the car that drives Henry Bowers, it was a very creative tie in to Christine in my mind. For me, that is one of the things I really like about King, how he ties books or characters together when you least expect it.
I doubt I will ever read this book again honestly. I feel done with Pennywise both in the telling of the tale and in the hold he had over me.
So, is this book as scary now as it was then? No, it wasn't. Maybe it is that I am far removed from being a 12 year old kid (even though I have one of my own that age now) or maybe it is that I know the story and remember it, that I knew what to expect. It is hard to say. For me, this book was not nearly engaging as it was the first time, which is obvious in that it took a full month to read it. There were some things about this book and particularly his style of writing, that really appealed to however.
First, I love the transition from the present to the past. In my mind this was a stroke of genius and it kept me engaged. I can see to some that this would be confusing or frustrating, but I rather enjoy the back and forth as it seems to fit the idea of your childhood demons coming back to haunt you. The other thing that I liked and did not remember from the first time I read this was the use of the 1958 Plymouth Fury as the car that drives Henry Bowers, it was a very creative tie in to Christine in my mind. For me, that is one of the things I really like about King, how he ties books or characters together when you least expect it.
I doubt I will ever read this book again honestly. I feel done with Pennywise both in the telling of the tale and in the hold he had over me.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Skeleton Crew
This is another collection of short stories - 22 to be exact (19 stories, a novella, and 2 poems). This also includes the first story King ever wrote, Here There Be Tygers. Some are only a few pages, while others are quite lengthy. Rather than go through each story, I will just tell you those that I enjoyed the most.
The Mist - this is the longest in the collection and also the first. This is the story about horrible lab experiment gone wrong creatures that are contained within a mist that rolls over Maine and most of New England. The story centers on a father and his son who are going to the grocery store after a storm has taken out the power - as they are driving there the mist is rolling across the lake and by the time they are ready to leave the store there is nothing to be seen outside but this thick fog. The father quickly realizes that there are creatures in the fog that are killing people, while some other people trapped in the store refuse to face reality. Eventually they are whittled down into two groups - those that make a plan of escape (which includes the father and his son) and a crazy group that believes a human sacrifice is necessary for the creatures and the mist to disappear. I really loved the tension of this story, but I could have done without the coincidence of a thick fog enveloping my city for the past few days!
The Monkey - You know those crazy mechanical/stuffed monkeys that wind up and clap symbols together with that shit eating grin on their face? Yeah, this story is about those freaky things. I can honestly believe this one as those things are scary all on their own, who would ever give that as toy or think it is a good idea? Ugh!! Anyway, this monkey basically has the power to destroy people when it is wound up and its cymbals clink together. A young boy threw the monkey down a well when he lost both his parents and a best friend. Years later it resurfaces (not for the first time either) and now it threatens his family. Toys that move around the room on their own and never seem to leave are always thrilling, right?
Mrs. Todd's Shortcut - I loved this one, it is about a wealthy woman who gets a thrill from driving her car fast and trying to be find the shortest route between two points. She pushes the boundaries so much that is just possible that she pushed right through them.
The Jaunt - Terrifying story about the ability to travel from Earth to Mars or from one point to another through a teleportation of sorts. And what happens when you know what you are experiencing.
The Raft - Ah being young and impetuous is such a wonderful thing - until you are trapped on a raft in the middle of a lake in only your underwear and the it is October in Maine. Oh, did I forget to mention the entity in the water that is consuming your friends through the wood slats in the raft? So how do you get out of this one college boy??
Word Processor of the Gods - If you had a computer, that could magically give you everything that you wanted and permanently delete those that you don't want, including people - what would you do? Thought so.
The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands - This was a quirky little story that I enjoyed mostly because it links back to the Breathing Method from Different Seasons. So again a group of men are together and one is recounting a terrible tale to the listeners, because after all "It is the Tale, not he who tells it."
Nona - Bonnie and Clyde on a murder spree through Maine, except Bonnie has the power to make Clyde feel what she is feeling. Oh, and Bonnie is dead, so it is really just Clyde in this case.
Survivor Type - If you were completely stranded on a small island that you could walk completely around in 2 minutes, without food, without water, but with several kilos of heroin, what would you do? The surgeon in this story decides that he has to eat, and without anything else being available, why not just eat yourself, from the feet up.
I have to admit that I stalled reading this collection as I know the next book is It and I am a little freaked out to read that again. But I have to do it, I have to face him once more. I am finding it odd however that when I am parking my car in public I seem to always find the stop right over the sewer grate. But, that is probably a coincidence, right?
The Mist - this is the longest in the collection and also the first. This is the story about horrible lab experiment gone wrong creatures that are contained within a mist that rolls over Maine and most of New England. The story centers on a father and his son who are going to the grocery store after a storm has taken out the power - as they are driving there the mist is rolling across the lake and by the time they are ready to leave the store there is nothing to be seen outside but this thick fog. The father quickly realizes that there are creatures in the fog that are killing people, while some other people trapped in the store refuse to face reality. Eventually they are whittled down into two groups - those that make a plan of escape (which includes the father and his son) and a crazy group that believes a human sacrifice is necessary for the creatures and the mist to disappear. I really loved the tension of this story, but I could have done without the coincidence of a thick fog enveloping my city for the past few days!
The Monkey - You know those crazy mechanical/stuffed monkeys that wind up and clap symbols together with that shit eating grin on their face? Yeah, this story is about those freaky things. I can honestly believe this one as those things are scary all on their own, who would ever give that as toy or think it is a good idea? Ugh!! Anyway, this monkey basically has the power to destroy people when it is wound up and its cymbals clink together. A young boy threw the monkey down a well when he lost both his parents and a best friend. Years later it resurfaces (not for the first time either) and now it threatens his family. Toys that move around the room on their own and never seem to leave are always thrilling, right?
Mrs. Todd's Shortcut - I loved this one, it is about a wealthy woman who gets a thrill from driving her car fast and trying to be find the shortest route between two points. She pushes the boundaries so much that is just possible that she pushed right through them.
The Jaunt - Terrifying story about the ability to travel from Earth to Mars or from one point to another through a teleportation of sorts. And what happens when you know what you are experiencing.
The Raft - Ah being young and impetuous is such a wonderful thing - until you are trapped on a raft in the middle of a lake in only your underwear and the it is October in Maine. Oh, did I forget to mention the entity in the water that is consuming your friends through the wood slats in the raft? So how do you get out of this one college boy??
Word Processor of the Gods - If you had a computer, that could magically give you everything that you wanted and permanently delete those that you don't want, including people - what would you do? Thought so.
The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands - This was a quirky little story that I enjoyed mostly because it links back to the Breathing Method from Different Seasons. So again a group of men are together and one is recounting a terrible tale to the listeners, because after all "It is the Tale, not he who tells it."
Nona - Bonnie and Clyde on a murder spree through Maine, except Bonnie has the power to make Clyde feel what she is feeling. Oh, and Bonnie is dead, so it is really just Clyde in this case.
Survivor Type - If you were completely stranded on a small island that you could walk completely around in 2 minutes, without food, without water, but with several kilos of heroin, what would you do? The surgeon in this story decides that he has to eat, and without anything else being available, why not just eat yourself, from the feet up.
I have to admit that I stalled reading this collection as I know the next book is It and I am a little freaked out to read that again. But I have to do it, I have to face him once more. I am finding it odd however that when I am parking my car in public I seem to always find the stop right over the sewer grate. But, that is probably a coincidence, right?
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thinner
Another Richard Bachman - one of my favorites actually. This is a twisted little tale about a fat lawyer who runs over a gypsy who was passing through town (she was jaywalking), he does not get punished for it by the legal system (connections, it pays to have them) so the gypsy's father puts a curse on him. To do this he touches his cheek and says "Thinner". The lawyer stars fairly quickly to lose weight regardless of what or how much he eats, which at first is not so bad, but when a month goes by and he has lost 70 pounds, that is a extremely worrisome. At this point he knows that he as been cursed, but his doctor and wife do not believe it and instead look for some other explanation. Billy (our hero/lawyer) decides to track down the wandering band of gypsy's and confront this man about the curse asking that it be lifted.
When he finally finds them, he is very emaciated, his wife and doctor have had him committed in absentia, and time is ticking. The gypsy refuses to remove the curse, so Billy curses him with the "white man from town" curse and calls in a friend of his who is a made man. This guy starts out by killing their fighting dogs, then shooting up the camp, and finally by threatening to poor acid on the beautiful granddaughters face. The old gypsy decides enough is enough and calls a truce, saying he will remove the curse. However, it is not that easy. He puts the curse in a strawberry pie and tells Billy that whoever eats the pie will get his curse. So Billy decides to feed it to his wife so he can live a nice happy life away from it all with his daughter.
But, things don't always turn out as planned and in the end he discovers that Karma is bitch.
When he finally finds them, he is very emaciated, his wife and doctor have had him committed in absentia, and time is ticking. The gypsy refuses to remove the curse, so Billy curses him with the "white man from town" curse and calls in a friend of his who is a made man. This guy starts out by killing their fighting dogs, then shooting up the camp, and finally by threatening to poor acid on the beautiful granddaughters face. The old gypsy decides enough is enough and calls a truce, saying he will remove the curse. However, it is not that easy. He puts the curse in a strawberry pie and tells Billy that whoever eats the pie will get his curse. So Billy decides to feed it to his wife so he can live a nice happy life away from it all with his daughter.
But, things don't always turn out as planned and in the end he discovers that Karma is bitch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)