Category: Stephen King

Stephen King: Fairy Tale

On By Luke FlorenceIn Books, Lists, Stephen King, Uncategorized, WritingLeave a comment

Fairy Tale

Plot

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football … a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad.

When Charlie is seventeen he meets Howard Bowditch, a recluse with a big dog in a big house at the top of a big hill. In the backyard is a locked shed from which strange sounds emerge, as if some creature is trying to escape.

When Mr. Bowditch dies he leaves Charlie the house, a massive amount of gold, a cassette tape telling a story that is impossible to believe, and a responsibility far too massive for a boy to shoulder.

Review

There have been several Stephen King books that I’ve been excited to read.  It, Needful Things and Mr. Mercedes to name a few.  Fairy Tale brought about an equal share of enthusiasm, but for a completely different reason.  This was the very first King book I read after finally finishing his entire bibliography (to-date). 

So of course, Amazon delivered it a couple of days late even though I had pre-ordered it months prior.  Lesson learned Constant Readers: head to your local bookstore!

Fairy Tale was a combination of The Eyes of the Dragon and The Talisman.  Set in a parallel universe, it takes reader on a journey of good vs evil and more importantly, of bravery vs cowardice.     

It was that last concept that I found incredibly unique and unquestionably interesting.  The main protagonist in this novel is a 17-year-old kid (Charlie) who has always felt like he owed the world one favor for a promise he made as a younger child.  As a result, Charlie feels obligated to help those who cannot help themselves in this Upside-Down universe he discovers.  

Charlie runs into a whole bevy of characters on his journey, although I would point out that none of them are really truly developed.  This is a singular person story and one that utilizes the setting and surrounding cast of characters to help build Charlie into the hero he feels he has to become. 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this new Stephen King book.  It was fun, had climatic sequences throughout and had me fully engaged.  While not one of King’s best, it still was good enough to earn a five-star rating from me on Goodreads.  Seeing that it currently averages a 4.23 rating, it appears a lot of my fellow Constant Readers thought the same.

Details

Pages: 608

Dates Read: September 8, 2022 – October 20, 2022

Quote: “A brave man helps.  A coward just gives presents.”

Best Part: I’m a sucker for tournaments and although the bracketing/seeding was certainly debatable, I loved reading about the 32-man competition … to the death.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.

 

Stephen King: #1 – The Stand

On By Luke FlorenceIn Books, Lists, Stephen King, Uncategorized, WritingLeave a comment

#1 – The Stand

Plot

When a man escapes from a biological testing facility, he sets in motion a deadly domino effect, spreading a mutated strain of the flu that will wipe out 99 percent of humanity within a few weeks. The survivors who remain are scared, bewildered, and in need of a leader. Two emerge–Mother Abagail, the benevolent 108-year-old woman who urges them to build a peaceful community in Boulder, Colorado; and Randall Flagg, the nefarious “Dark Man,” who delights in chaos and violence. As the dark man and the peaceful woman gather power, the survivors will have to choose between them–and ultimately decide the fate of all humanity. 

Review

Here we are.  At the end, and yet at the beginning – which happens quite often on epic journeys.  The very first Stephen King book I’ve ever read is the last book to be ranked.  It stands alone as not only my favorite Stephen King novel but my favorite book I’ve ever read.  It’s perfect.  

This is an epic book in every definition of the word.  It’s the longest novel King has ever written, clocking in at nearly 500,000 words.  The plot is centered around a civilization on the verge of destruction and one giant battle of good vs evil for the fate of the human race.  It involves a Super Flu that wipes out nearly the entire planet in a manner that drew a ton of comparisons during the onset of Covid.  If there’s a more epic book grounded in reality with sprinkles of the supernatural, I’m all ears.  

I’ve never read the normal version of The Stand, only the uncut edition.  I can’t imagine cutting some of this material.  It was all important to either character building, plot development or just pure entertainment.  King appears to take special delight in finding different ways folks died (both with and without the Flu).  

The characters here are incredibly rich.  Stu, Randall Flagg, Mother Abagail and The Trashcan Man (to name a few) are all rich, fulfilling personas that add unbelievable depth and detail to this sprawling piece of literature.  They are all different ages, different backgrounds, different sexes, different races and King is able to perfectly capture them all.  It’s absolutely amazing to think this was one of King’s first novels, published when he was merely 31.  

Thank you.  Thank you to the Constant Readers who went on this journey with me.  I’ve been exposed to an entire community of Stephen King fans and to some spectacular blogs.  None of which doesn’t happen if you didn’t read, like, comment, etc.  I’m entirely grateful for all of it. 

I’m also grateful for my Aunt JoAnn for not only getting me started on this journey but for the continual discussion throughout it all.  Here’s to hoping you have someone in your life that encourages you to experience art in all its beautiful mediums.

Details

Pages: 1,141

Dates Read: Pre-2012

Quote: “That wasn’t any act of God. That was an act of pure human fuckery.”

Best Part: King shows his creativity in spades while crafting all the different scenarios folks die early in this one.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.

 

Stephen King: #2 – On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

On By Luke FlorenceIn Books, Lists, Stephen King, Uncategorized, WritingLeave a comment

#2 – On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Plot

Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have.

King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 — and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.

Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it — fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

Review

That favorite quote is inscribed on my bookmark – one that I’ve used for nearly every book I’ve read on this list.  Or at least every book I’ve read since reading On Writing.  Very few books have made a physical impact on my life, but On Writing is one of them.  Maybe THE one.  Yes, I know it may be considered cheating the list to have a non-fiction entry, but I don’t care.  It’s my list and On Writing deserves to be here right near the top.

My Creative Writing teacher in high school wrote on one of my papers that she hoped I was considering a career in writing.  To which the answer was a resounding yes.  I’ve always been considering it but never following through on it.  Too risky.  No security.  But to my amazement, people like Stephen King had had similar thoughts – and to hear King write about those insecurities in this memoir was incredibly inspiring.  

On Writing is a must-read for anyone who loves reading, enjoys writing, or is fascinated by the writing process.  It involves tips of the trade, how to go about getting published, which books King recommends reading.  It’s a one-stop shop for any aspiring writer/bookworm.  

King also talks about his own trials and tribulations.  Drug abuse.  Nearly getting killed by a van.  Alcoholism.  It’s a completely open look into how much King has struggled and yet persevered despite it all.  

I’ve re-read very few novels in my life, but I constantly find myself reading sections of On Writing from time to time.  I also tell anyone who is listening to read this book – even if they aren’t a fan of Stephen King novels.

And while I haven’t published any novels/transcripts/etc., On Writing gives me hope and as I learned in Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.  And no good thing ever dies.”

Details

Pages: 320

Dates Read: Pre-2012

Quote: “Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

Best Part: Honestly, all of it. Although, I really enjoyed the thought of Stephen King washing dishes before his career took off.

Hint for #1: The one that started all of this.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.

 

Stephen King: #3 – The Shining

On By Luke FlorenceIn Books, Lists, Stephen King, Uncategorized, WritingLeave a comment

#3 – The Shining

Plot

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

Review

Having watched The Shining and understanding it as one of the better horror movies of all-time, I was not entirely excited to begin reading the novel.  I already knew the plot; I already knew the twists and I already had a mental image of Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance.  Or so I thought.  

I was always a little confused as to why Stephen King hated the movie based after this book so much because I generally thought the film was well done.  However, immediately after reading The Shining I completely understood King’s disdain.  The movie – while certainly scary – does not honor the true bones and feelings of the novel.  In fact, it completely ignores them.  

The book is about family.  It’s about struggling to overcome addictions.  It’s about a little boy surviving a troubled family and marriage.  It’s about how Jack Torrance becomes susceptible to the supernatural forces of the hotel.  Jack is a victim, not a lunatic as portrayed in the film.

Staying focused on the book, The Shining has everything you could ask for in a novel.  It has well developed characters with interesting and complex story arcs.  It has just enough paranormal horror to be classified as a scary tale.  It also has shifting perspectives throughout, with the most compelling coming from the five-year-old Danny.  

Details

Pages: 674

Dates Read: March – April 2019

Quote: “Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”

Best Part: Ever hit yourself upside the head for forgetting something or for doing something stupid? The Shining has a great self-mutilation scene.

Hint for #2: The only non-fiction book to appear on this list.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.

 

Stephen King: #4 – The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

On By Luke FlorenceIn Books, Lists, Stephen King, Uncategorized, WritingLeave a comment

#4 – The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

Plot

Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Jake’s pet bumbler survive Blaine the Mono’s final crash, only to find themselves stranded in an alternate version of Topeka, Kansas, one that has been ravaged by the superflu virus.

While following the deserted I-70 toward a distant glass palace, they hear the atonal squalling of a thinny, a place where the fabric of existence has almost entirely worn away. While camping near the edge of the thinny, Roland tells his ka-tet a story about another thinny, one that he encountered when he was little more than a boy.

Over the course of one long magical night, Roland transports us to the Mid-World of long-ago and a seaside town called Hambry, where Roland fell in love with a girl named Susan Delgado, and where he and his old tet-mates Alain and Cuthbert battled the forces of John Farson, the harrier who—with a little help from a seeing sphere called Maerlyn’s Grapefruit—ignited Mid-World’s final war.

Review

What do you look for in entertainment?  Are you thrilled by the chase?  Looking for an escape?  Or, are you interested in understanding the journey?  Nothing happens in Wizard and Glass as far as Roland’s quest for The Dark Tower (except for the conclusion to The Waste Lands), and yet it is without question my favorite book of the series and nearly my favorite Stephen King novel of all-time.  

The story that Roland shares doesn’t move us any closer to The Dark Tower, but it provides an incredible amount of depth and color to our main protagonist.  And oh yeah, the story Roland tells is a fantastic read by itself.  It has deep character building, a dynamic good vs evil plot line, riveting dialogue, and climatic action sequences.  

One note of interest: The Waste Lands ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, and it took more than three years for the next Dark Tower book to be released.  Because of this, several Constant Readers would come to despise Wizard and Glass.  I understand that sentiment, but thankfully the entire series was available to me.  

Roland can come off as an unemotional robot through the first couple of books so being exposed to this back story allows us to completely understand and empathize with how Roland became the person who he actually is.  There’s a lesson in there for how to treat other humans we encounter.  You never know what that other person has gone through.  

Details

Pages: 700

Dates Read: Pre-2012

Quote: “True love, like any other strong and addicting drug, is boring — once the tale of encounter and discovery is told, kisses quickly grow stale and caresses tiresome … except, of course, to those who share the kisses, who give and take the caresses while every sound and color of the world seems to deepen and brighten around them. As with any other strong drug, true first love is really only interesting to those who have become its prisoners. And, as is true of any other strong and addicting drug, true first love is dangerous.”

Best Part: Oil and fire are a dangerous combination.

Hint for #3: Jack Nicholson and an axe.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.