Currently I'm reading: Jenseits vom Tatort by Horst Brandt
Bloglovin
Page visits
Follow me on
Showing posts with label Stephen King. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen King. Show all posts
21 July 2014
Title
| Needful Things |
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Viking |
Publication Date
|
1991
|
Pages
| 690 |
Genre
| Horror |
Blurb:
Needful Things In King's #1 bestselling book, the master of the horror genre takes readers to his famous fictional town for one final visit. A wonderful new store has opened in Castle Rock, Maine. It's a place where you can get anything your heart desires--sexual pleasure, wealth, power . . . but for a nerve-shattering price. "Ranks with King's best!"--Publishers Weekly. Full description
My Review
Stephen King back to what he does best - small town and everyday things taking a sinister turn. And we are back in the (fictional) Maine Town Castle Rock.
A new shop called 'Needful Things' has opened in Castle Rock which is being run by a charming old gentleman called Leland Gaunt. A kind of second hand shop which seems to have always exactly what however comes into the shop is looking for. A special baseball card, a special book etc. And he offers it at an incredible price for this one special customer. But, yes, you have guessed it, there is a price to pay other than in dollars and dimes. Mr Gaunt asks his customer to play tricks on other people in town. Nothing horrendous is asked of them initially. Simple pranks like throwing dirt on freshly washed laundry. But Gaunt seems to know exactly what makes people very angry, seems to know about some of the feuds and animosities in Castle Rock. And it doesn't take long for things to escalate. At the same time, Gaunt's customers start to feel strangely attached to the items they purchased in his shop. It slowly dawns on the local Sheriff that Gaunt is to blame for the utter destruction which is sweeping Castle Rock. And also … what is Gaunt, or is he even human?
Now one of the best parts for me was the ending, and it reminded me a bit of the ending to 'The Stand'. After Gaunt is about to be found out, he leaves Castle Rock. And we see him opening a similar kind shop in another town, continuing is business to bring evil.
Now one of the best parts for me was the ending, and it reminded me a bit of the ending to 'The Stand'. After Gaunt is about to be found out, he leaves Castle Rock. And we see him opening a similar kind shop in another town, continuing is business to bring evil.
Though this is tagged as a 'horror novel, I always slightly resist this label for many of King's works. In typical King fashion, he shows us the evil that everyday things and everyday people can bring. It is suggested on Wikipedia that this is the first book King wrote in 1991 after coming out of rehab. I personally can't see that it had any kind of impact on the story. I quite simple enjoyed it as what I would say is a typical King. For the seasoned King fan, I was also happy to find characters in this story we know from other books, and especially Ace Merrill, the bad boy from 'The Body'.
As it was often suggested, Gaunt is representative of the Devil here who has his many ways to do mischief here with us humans. For no other reason than that he can, and bringing pain is his business. It is quite simply his business to buy the human soul.
2 July 2014
Title
| Gerald's Game |
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Viking |
Publication Date
|
1992
|
Pages
| 251 |
Genre
| Suspense |
Blurb:
ng>
Stephen King cranks up the suspense in a different kind of bedtime story. A game of seduction between a husband and wife goes horribly awry when the husband dies. But the nightmare has just begun...
My Review
Now this book intrigued me straight away. Stephen King does kinky? Bondage games? Seems a bit removed from his usual stories. But, of course , it isn't. It is, in fact, what I would call an archetypical King book.
Successful lawyer Gerald and his wife Jessie are spending a weekend at their isolated and remote summer house by Lake Kashwakamak in Western Maine. Gerald decides to spice up their sex life with a bondage game, handcuffing Jessie to the bed. While she is initially fine to go through with it, it becomes quickly clear that Jessie does not really wants this, but Gerald continues anyway. It is not clear whether he really thinks her resistance is part of the game or, more likely, he is aware that she wants him to stop but as a power game, he continues.Jessie is repulsed and kicks him, and Gerald promptly has a heart attack and dies instantly, slipping to the floor next to Jessie.
What follows now is Jessie's fight to survival in a way that only King can do it. In fact, almost the whole book is just that - Jessie's fight which is a physical as much as a mental fight with a rotting corpse and only a dog as company who starts to feast on the body. Jessie realises quickly that the situation is very serious for her - the area is completely deserted and unless she helps herself, probably no one will. While physical and mental exhaustion sets in, she starts to hear voices and start to see things. In the progress, we learn more about Jessie - her childhood secrets, her marriage.
While it is not 100% clear whether supernatural elements are involved, for me it is more likely the very real problems she faces. The real strength of the book for me is the fully character-driven story. If this was a movie, they would really only need 2 actors. The whole story is carried by Jessie and her body and mind the way only King can do it. (Kind did a similar story in The Girl who loved Tom Gordon where the girl gets lost in the forest and has to fight for survival) . No fancy gimmicks, but just one woman and her struggle - in more way than one.
25 June 2014
Title
| From a Buick 8 |
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Scribner |
Publication Date
|
September 2002
|
Pages
| 325 |
Genre
| Science Fiction |
Blurb:
ng>
The story begins in western Pennsylvania in 1979, when a mysterious figure parks a vintage Buick Roadmaster at a local gas station, then disappears forever. The police discover that the Buick isn't a car at all but rather a Buick-shaped enigma: self-healing; impregnable to dents, dirt, and scratches; composed of unidentifiable materials; and containing a completely nonfunctional engine. Confronted with a mystery of unprecedented proportions, the troopers of Barracks D claim the Buick for themselves and spend 20 years attempting to understand its nature, purpose, and provenance.
My Review
Teenager Ned Wilcox has a hard time dealing with the death of his father, a police officer, who was killed by a drunk driver. He seeks the company of his father's former colleagues at the local police station. Ned discovers an old Buick which appears abandoned in a shed, and when he asks the other troopers about it, Sergeant Sandy Dearborn decides to reveal the Buick's story as it stands so far to Ned.
The Buick just appeared one day abandoned at a petrol station, and not being able to find the owner, the local troopers took it to the police station for safe keeping. But it appears very soon that all is not what it seems with this car. Firstly, it is completely undrivable so how did it get there. The materials of the car appear alien. A police officer who sat in in simply disappeared, as if swallowed by the car. And over the next 20 years, strange creatures and plants appear from the car which have not been seen on this planet before. Ned decides to investigate.
There is more than a passing resemblance to King's earlier book Christine. A car with supernatural powers, a car who can heal itself. But here, the car is more of a gateway to a different dimension or planet. The story is told in 2001 but frequently goes back to the 1970's/80's when the police officers tell Ned the story of the Buick. There are several first person narrators throughout the book which at times, did get a bit confusing for me.
Though I did like the idea of this supernatural car as a gateway to another universe, it is probably not one of my favourite King books. I think I would like to have seen more about this other dimensions. I'm also missing the usual strong characters and I didn't 'get' the ending (or only after reading other reviews of it - this did not spoil the story for me though). However, having said that, it is of course still a very enjoyable read. In summery, I prefer Christine.
18 June 2014
Title
| The Stand |
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Bloomsbury |
Publication Date
|
1978
|
Pages
| 1168 |
Genre
| Apocalyptic / Post-Apocalyptic Fiction |
Blurb:
This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.
And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides -- or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail -- and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.
My review
The Stand divides the King community - well, apparently you either love it or hate it. Now, that's easy for me. In that case, I can wholeheartedly say I love it. This is a true Stephen King story. Epic, good against evil, an apocalyptic catastrophe, strongly drawn characters who journey through the country to eventually fight evil.
A virus escapes from a military testing facility and within a few days, almost all of earths population is dead. A few are unaffected and are seeing in their dreams the 108 year old Mother Abigail who is asking them to come to her and they set all off to see mother Abigail in a journey across the country to gather with her. Others are seeing a man called Randall Flagg who calls his followers to Las Vegas. It eventually becomes clear that Mother Abigail represents the good and Randall Flagg evil, both set against each other. (Fans of King will known Randall Flagg from the Dark Tower series). The fight against the virus is not paramount here, but rather what is symbolises - the decay of the world who now has to be re-arranged, and only one side can win.
My favourite part is the first part of the book, when all the characters come together and travel to either mother Abigail or Randall Flagg. It is almost road-movie style while we, the reader, still trying to figure out what is actually going on.
Initially, a shorter version of the book was published - it was believed that the original version with over 1000 pages would be difficult to sell. But it did, and eventually, in 1990, the uncut version was published to the delight of us King fans. Despite the length of the book, I was never bored. Yes, some of King's books can have the tendency to waffle on a bit at the beginning, but curiously so, in this, is longest book, this was never the case. King is often advertised as the King of horror, and even though this is post-apocalyptic, there are no zombies or strange creatures taking over the world but as so often with his work, it's the common people who have the main starring role.
This is my favourite King book (and yes, I am a fan) and I would regard it as a must read not just for fans but for any book lover.
11 June 2014
Title
| Thinner |
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| New American Library |
Publication Date
|
19 Nov 1984
|
Pages
| 309 |
Genre
| Horror |
Blurb:
'Thinner' - the old gypsy man barely whispers the word. Billy feels the touch of a withered hand on his cheek. 'Thinner' - the word, the old man's curse, has lodged in Billy's mind like a fattening worm, eating at his flesh, at his reason. And with his despair, comes violence.
William Halleck, a lawyer with a happy family needs to lose some weight, or he's headed for a serious heart-attack. But after a car accident in which a young gypsy girl is killed, he suddenly finds he can't stop losing weight - and it might just kill him...
My Review
Stephen King published this book under his pseudonym Richard Bachman. For me, this is a typical King story - set in present day small town U.S. town, ordinary main protagonist and supernatural elements. I shall refer to King as the author for this book.
Billy Halleck is a successful lawyer, his only problem is his weight… almost 300 pounds and his health is suffering. Whilst driving home, his wife in the car with him, he gets 'a bit distracted' when his wife gives him a sexual favour - yes, whilst he is driving. So distracted, he hits a gypsy woman who dies. His case is dismissed in court, thanks to him knowing the judge in the case. Outside of the court house, the gypsy's father comes up to Billy, strokes his cheek and says only one word 'Thinner'. From than on, Billy starts to lose weight. Initially, he is quite pleased - he can do with losing a few pounds. But it doesn't stop, thinner and thinner. Billy realises there is one one chance if he don't want to literally disappear. He has to find the old gypsy so he can take off the Gypsy's curse. And can you really stop a gypsy's curse? It appears not so, only transfer it to someone else.
Billy Halleck is probably portrayed as a not very nice person (though King does this very subtly). Not inherently nasty, but selfish, a bit obnoxious and very career-driven. But in a great character portrayal, we read on and we can't help to feel for him and his honest account. Also, King deals in a very subtle matter with the discrimination against gypsies without preaching 'Don't be a bigot' to us.
The book is not very long, and if you have never read King before or are afraid that horror is too 'horrendous' for you I would really recommend starting with this book. I call it the King-kind-of-horror which is not so much blood, guts and severed body parts, but every day kind of horror. That's one diet Weight Watchers (or any other slimming club of course) would not want to see.
As with many King books, a movie version of this book has been made and was release in 1997 which I did not watch.
21 May 2014
Title
|
Dreamcatcher
|
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Scribner |
Publication Date
|
20 March 2001
|
Pages
| 900 |
Genre
| Sci-Fi |
Blurb:
In Derry, Maine, four young boys once stood together and did a brave thing. something that changed them in ways they hardly understand.
A quarter of a century later, the boys are men who have gone their separate ways. Though they still get together once a year, to go hunting in the north woods of Maine. But this time is different. This time a man comes stumbling into their camp, lost, disorientated and muttering about lights in the sky.
Before long, these old friends will be plunged into the most remarkable events of their lives as they struggle with a terrible create from another world. Their only chance of survival is locked in their shared past - and in the Dreamcatcher.
My review:
Yes, this book is advertised as a sci-fi story and yes, there are 'aliens' and strange creatures who land in the woods and start to mess around with people, but for me, this book really is about lifelong friendship.
The story starts off again in Derry / Maine (the fictional town where many of Stephen King's books are based). As teenagers, Gary '"Jonesy" Jones, Pete Moore, Joe "Beaver" Clarendon and Henry Devlin rescue teen Douglas "Duddits" Cavell, who has Down's Syndrome, from sadistic bullies. All five become firm friends. The four boys move away from Derry and only Duddits remains there. However, they do meet up once a year to hunt in the Maine Woods. Only this time it's different. Alien species who landed in the woods who are infecting all humans and animals in the woods. 'Shit Weasel' (as the boys call it because it excites the human from the back passage and killing the human in the process) is an alien worm escaped / launched from the spacecraft. Than there is Colonel Kurtz and the Army - it seems the authorities are aware of this spacecraft and the trouble it causes. And they are determined to get rid of all the humans who were in the woods and potential witnesses.
There are flashbacks where the boys reveal each their individual stories and demons they have to cope with. Duddits, who is not with them on this trip, can feel they are in trouble. Duddits has always been able to 'see' things which others can't and he is the only one who can safe all.
The German translation of the book is called Duddits, which I find quite appropriate as he is the hero in this story. Him, and the lasting friendship and connections between the boys / men. It is reported that King wrote this book when recovering from his serious car accident in 1999, and that the book was finished in 1/2 year. It is a large book - 900 pages. In my opinion, King is in fine form again here with this sci-fi alien-inspired story. Aliens and invasion are indeed not a very common topic in King's books (I can't think of any other apart from The Tommyknockers?)
Criticism? I maybe found that it dragged a little bit in the middle. But, hey, there aren't too many books where a person with Down's syndrome is the hero and rescues the world :)
quote:
(Just to show why I love King's writing style so much - not so much of a teaser for this book :)
To Say that Beaver's marriage didn't work would be like saying that the launch of the Challenger space shuttle went a little bit wrong. Joe 'Beaver' Clarendon and Laurie Sue Kenopensky make it through eight months and then kapow, there goes my baby, somebody help me pick up the fuckin pieces.
14 May 2014
Title
|
The Gunslinger / Dark Tower Book 1
|
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Hodder |
Publication Date
|
10 June 1982
|
Pages
| 238 |
Genre
| Fantasy, Western |
Blurb:
Beginning with a short story appearing in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1978, the publication of Stephen King's epic work of fantasy -- what he considers to be a single long novel and his magnum opus -- has spanned a quarter of a century.Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is King's most visionary feat of storytelling, a magical mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that may well be his crowning achievement.
Book I
In The Gunslinger (originally published in 1982), King introduces his most enigmatic hero, Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting, solitary figure at first, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake.
In The Gunslinger (originally published in 1982), King introduces his most enigmatic hero, Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting, solitary figure at first, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake.
My review
There are two kind of Stephen King fans - the ones who love the Dark Tower Series and the ones who….just can't get on with it. I admit that I belong to the latter.
Book 1 introduces us to Roland, the Last Gunslinger (think John Wayne-type Western). He travels to the vastness of an empty world which is not unlike ours, but in an alternate / parallel universe. Roland is on a mission to find the man in black and the Dark Tower. Unfortunately, I never managed to get into the book. I didn't understand Roland's quest and even though the book is not very long, it seems to me not a lot was happening.
There are parts in the book which I loved, most notably when he meets a boy called Jake who was killed in our world whilst going to school and ends up in this alternative world with the Roland the Gunslinger. This is when I felt 'my usual SK' was coming through and I was glad I stuck with the book, but it didn't hold for me. Maybe because the Western genre is not really for me?
I read this book a while ago now, and I know that there are many King fans who are devoted to the Dark Tower series. Maybe I should give it another go.
10 May 2014
Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Head over to their blogs to check them out.
Feature and Follow is exactly what it says… a weekly feature of two chosen blogs, and a question or a task for us to participate in.
This week's featured blogs are : Read Write All The Time and Book Swarm
so check them out as well
The aim is to get new followers to your blog and, of course, follow other blogs out there and get to know other bloggers, browse their blogs, leave comments and find stuff which interests you. For me, apart from books of course, this is what book blogging is all about - connect with others and chat about our favourite hobby.
The rules are all explained here in detail by Parajunkee.
This weeks Question:
What living author or authors would you like to have dinner with? (Try to think beyond JK Rowling)
Ok, sorry, I know this is going to be a really obvious and popular one - but I will have to go with Stephen King. Yes, he is my favourite author and it is also a standing joke in my family that they will save up for me to go to Maine one day and visit his home town (ok, not in a stalker-kind-of-way). And every birthday it's like 'Mum, what would you say if Stephen King would come to your birthday dinner?' Yeah… Stephen, can you read this? To be honest, I would probably be too stupid star-struck to utter a word :) Very quiet dinner.
7 May 2014
Title
|
Bag of Bones
|
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Hodder & Stoughton |
Publication Date
|
1998
|
Pages
| 529 |
Genre
| Novel |
Blurb:
When Mike Noonan's wife dies unexpectedly, the bestselling author suffers from desperate writer's block. Until he is drawn to their summer home, Sara Laughs, the beautiful Maine lakeside retreat which has recently been haunting his nightmares.
But Mike finds the once familiar town now in the tyrannical grip of millionaire Max Devore is hell-bent on getting custody of his deceased son's child and is twisting the fabric of the community to this purpose.
Three-year-old Kyra and her young mother turn to Mike for help. Increasingly besotted with them, Mike is powerless to resist.
But there are other sinister forces at Sara Laughs determined to stand in their way … and Kyra can feel them too.
My review
Our main protagonist, Mike Noonan, is a writer suffering severe writers block. His wife had recently died, she suffered a stroke whilst going to the shops. Mike later learns that she was pregnant as well at the time of her death. Trying to cope with his bereavement and his inability to write, he is drawn with visions to his summer residence 'Sarah Laughs' - a house by the lake which was named after the black singer Sarah Tidwell who had previously lived in the house. He decided to move to Sarah Laughs to see if this will heal him.
But strange things start to happen at Sarah Laughs. Mike starts writing again, but he keeps hearing a child crying in the night, and letters on the fridge start to spell out messages. He also hears stories about someone trying to drown a child at Sarah Laughs previously. And than there is the added complication when Mike meets widow Mattie and her young daughter Kyra. He is drawn to them and forms a deep friendship, but Mattie's father-in-law is a computer mogul hell bend on getting custody for Kyra.
Sarah Laughs will eventually reveal its secret to Mike - too late to prevent a murder?
Steven King in familiar territory - a writer with writers block, a recurring issue in King's novels (The Shining). In fact, there are probably more similarities with The Shining as again, here we have a house which appears possessed. A solid read, as a fan we know what to expect (strong characterisation, supernatural elements). There are no bloods/guts and for someone who has never read King, this might be a good place to start.
23 April 2014
Title
|
The Dead Zone
|
Author
| Stephen King |
Publisher
| Viking Press |
Publication Date
|
August 1979
|
Pages
| 468 |
Genre
| Horror |
Blurb:
If any of King's novels exemplifies his skill at portraying the concerns of his generation, it's The Dead Zone. Although it contains a horrific subplot about a serial killer, it isn't strictly a horror novel. It's the story of an unassuming high school teacher, an Everyman, who suffers a gap in time--like a Rip Van Winkle who blacks out during the years 1970-75--and thus becomes acutely conscious of the way that American society is rapidly changing. He wakes up as well with a gap in his brain, the "dead zone" of the title. The zone gives him crippling headaches, but also grants him second sight, a talent he doesn't want and is reluctant to use. The crux of the novel concerns whether he will use that talent to alter the course of history
----
My review:
The book has two main characters and their stories and their live will eventually intertwine.
One protagonist is Johnny Smith who suffers an accident whilst ice-skating as a young child, is briefly knocked unconscious but otherwise fine and nothing more comes of it. Switch forward a few years, Johnny is now a high school teacher and is involved in a car accident which leaves him in a coma for 5 years. He slowly recovers … and he finds that he has gained the ability to foresee events by touching people. This psychic ability brings him some local fame which he does not really like and tries to shy away from it. But he realises that maybe he can also use it for the good and for example, find help catching criminals/killers.
In an initially unrelated story, King introduces the second main character in this book: Greg Stillson. It becomes clear pretty quickly that Greg is not a very nice character, violently kicking a dog to death, in fact any minor thing seem to bring out his anger. Again, fast forward years, and he has made it to successful businessman and politician, but his anger is still present and something all together more vicious lurks within his soul. Johnny than meets Stillson at a political rally and can see with his ability that if Stillson gets elected as president, he will bring the world a nuclear war, effectively destroying the world. But is it to Johnny to stop Stillson, or can he even be stopped?
Is it ok not to love a book by your favourite author?I can't even say exactly why, but I didn't really connect with this book, though the plot is really interesting and a typical King. I think the story jumped around too much for my liking… (I'm sure King can take my slight criticism *cough cough* and I'm also sure that others felt probably different about the book. )
Interestingly, the thought about trying to change a past by changing an 'undesirable character' who might do something terrible in the future is picked up by King again in his book 11/24/63 where the main protagonist travels back in time to prevent the assassination of JF Kennedy. (I absolutely loved that book by the way!).
Published in 1979, it is an early book of King's. What I did pick out is his excellent ability to draw characters - don't they just come to life? Here is an excerpt where he describes one of Johnny's nurses who helped him with rehab after his accident:
Eileen was a small, homely woman with a whipcord body, a nimbus of gorgeous, frizzy red hair, and deep green eyes flecked with hazel. Johnny sometimes called her - with a mixture of irritation and amusements - the world's smallest Marine D.I. She had ordered and cajoled and demanded him back from a bed-fast patient who could barely hold a glass of water to a man who could walk without a cane, do three chin-ups at the time, and do a complete turn around the hospital pool in fifty-three seconds - not Olympic time, but not bad. She was unmarried and lived in a big house on Centre Street in Oldtown with four cats. She was slate-hard and she wouldn't take no for an answer.
In summary, a must for King fans of course, but tell me what you think of it. For all others, you may actually enjoy the characters and intertwined plot. It is marketed as a horror book which I don't quite understand, certainly not horror in the blood/guts type (unless you count Stillson's heinous crimes). As always, there is of course the supernatural element with Johnny's 'ability', and that's what we love King for.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)