Showing posts with label Stephen King. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen King. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2021
The Stand (Mini-Review)
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
The Outsider Season 1 (Mini-Review)
Thursday, September 26, 2019
The Raven Speaks: It Chapter 2 Changed Too Much
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
IT Chapter 2 (Mini-Review)
IT Chapter 2 was released in 2019 and stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader. It is a sequel to IT Chapter 1 which, like the sequel, was an adaptation of IT by Stephen King. Unlike the book, the movies decided to make the story linear. This movie deals with the Losers as adults coming back to the town.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Cell Trailer Review
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Doctor Sleep (Stephen King)
Title: Doctor Sleep
Series: The Shining
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2013
Rating: 5/6
Basic Plot: On highways across America, a tribe of people called the True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, the True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the steam that children with the shining produce when they are slowly tortured to death.
Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel, where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant shining power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.
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Dan is An Alcoholic, Of Course
I am a big fan of King and have read his collection of shorts called Hearts in Atlantis (the movie version was based off the first in the collection, the title story is about something totally different and linked by one character I believe). In the final (or close to) the hero from the first story has turned into something completely different. No longer is the hero a hero, but appears to be a washed up version of himself. So it didn't surprise me too much that Dan is an alcoholic in the sequel.
King and Kubrick
It is no secret that Stephen King doesn't like Stanley Kubrick's take on The Shining. Kubrick is all for atmosphere while King humanizes his characters. Both work, but King didn't like Kubrick's take so much that he made a tv mini-series correcting anything he saw as problems. I have not yet seen King's mini-series so I can't comment on it. With this back story in mind it's no wonder that King decided to have this be a sequel to his novel instead of Kubrick's movie adaptation.
The Enemies Are Unseen
The thing about the True Knot is that they are a group of people that aren't usually paid much mind. That if you said were 'empty devils', vampire like creatures, you would be laughed at for even considering. I think this makes them scary villains, even before looking at what they actually are, since you can easily imagine people that look like them have walked by you. I think a good horror villain is one you can't reason with and that you can imagine being killers. The True Knot fulfills both of these qualifications.
Final Thoughts
I can't really remember the original novel, but this book makes what I do remember enough. I would, of course, tell fans of the movie to check out the original book before reading this novel. One of the biggest things is that the Overlook burned down and the black guy survived in the original novel. This is a good continuation of Dan's story as you get to see how he battles his own inner demons to help the young girl Abra. Would recommend you read the novel first or, at least, have a good understanding of the original book.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Carrie (Stephen King)
Title: Carrie
Author: Stephen King
Released: 1974
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Carrie White may have been unfashionable and unpopular, but she had a gift. Carrie could make things move by concentrating on them. A candle would fall. A door would lock. This was her power and her sin. Then, an act of kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offered Carrie a chance to be normal and go to her senior prom. But another act--of ferocious cruelty--turned her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that her classmates would never forget.
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Destruction of an Entire Town
I would like to say that the recent remake did the Prom Night Sequence justice but...the book was at a different level entirely. Book Carrie destroys an entire town. She shows no mercy for the most part and when she spares Sue, Carrie wonders why they all bullied her. It would be great to see a big movie version that showed just how destructive Carrie was. Because Book Carrie wasn't just getting back at bullies, she was trying to be a sword for God.
The Layout
I like the style of writing where you're made to think the events of the book are real. Throughout the book are various clips from books and newspaper articles that are supposed to show that the events in Carrie are real. There are a few points where transcriptions are shown. These are used to show that people still don't want to believe that a person like Carrie can exist. That the White Committee is all about covering up and not actually finding out the facts.
Behind the Words
Stephen King originally meant to have Carrie be a short story and then threw the story away. So we would have never been graced with this story if it hadn't been for King's wife Tabitha (who is also a writer) fishing the manuscript out of the trash and convincing him to complete it. This story was originally told to me by a long-time friend and I've told it myself numerous times. It's just amazing what a little push can do for someone's career.
Final Thoughts
This story is a classic for a reason. The anti-bullying message is needed today just as it was when it was first published. In this novel you are taken into Carrie's mind to see how she tries to fit in but never does. And when she realizes she can never fit in she snaps. She dies not having found a place in the world and that is heart breaking beyond words. I would recommend it for those looking for a good tragedy. How did I feel when Carrie got back at the bullies? Relief for her but the book was better at making me feel horror at her actions.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Under the Dome (Stephen King)
Title: Under the Dome
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2009
Rating: 6/5
Basic Plot: A mysterious dome drops around the town of Chester's Mill. A man decides to try and take control of the town while others, lead by a drifter, attempt to stop him. All the while time runs out for Chester's Mill.
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Big Jim
This character is unlikable from the first page he appears on. His whole thing is that he must always be right and will kill those who speak out against him. From his first appearance you don't want him in charge of the town. Jim says that he cares about Chester's Mill, he even thinks that in various parts of the novel, but he never really does. He thinks people need to be controlled because they are stupid and he has never tried to actually give the town the help it needs even before Dome came. As he's the big bad of the book, you know he'll survive close to the end and you merely hope his death scene will be glorious.
Children Are Wicked
I am not saying all children are of the devil, but multiple times in this novel it's shown that some children are violent and that when you get older certain violent behavior goes away. Well...for some people. Violent behavior being things like burning ants with a magnifying glass and burning barbies in a microwave. Anytime those violent behaviors carry over to the time the person is an adult or are kept as is, it's not shown as good. All children aren't shown as violent as three teens are crucial to the town's survival.
Rape
In this book there is a rape scene...well, technically more than one. But only one major rape scene (those of you triggered by rape: I only remember two...and one person having sex with corpses is only implied/talked about and never shown). This rape scene serves to show how brutal the police force has gotten as well as how certain professions are looked down upon. It is these two reasons, as well as the rape itself, that makes the scene so terrifying. I must say that when the victim/survivor gets her vengeance, it is a good payoff (I would've been more horrified if all the rapists survived until the end).
Final Thoughts
This book is long (over a thousand pages), but well worth it. The length of the book allows things to develop well. As it's really a study of how quickly a society (in this case a small town) breaks down when put under pressure. How sometimes the reason for it all isn't something grandiose merely because sometimes horrible things happen because of ignorance and a lack of empathy. I love how it's shown how political positions can make a person feel they have a reason to act. There are parts of this book that will make you long for the conclusion of a subplot and it won't be answered for many pages. As for the tv show...I have only seen the first six episodes and I suggest finishing the current season(s) of the tv or finishing the book before going to the other medium. Both are set in two different universes where characters either have different backstories or are living.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
The Wind Through the Keyhole (Stephen King)
Title: The Wind Through the Keyhole
Series: The Dark Tower
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2012
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Roland's group finds shelter during a deadly storm. Roland takes time to tell a story about his younger years as well as a childhood story his mother used to tell him.
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The Multi-Story Novel
This novel is told with the three stories interconnecting. It starts off with the ka-tet (long story short: it's Roland's group he travels with throughout The Dark Tower series) finding shelter from a deadly storm called a Starkblast. Once they are sheltered and the Starkblast has started, Roland ends up telling a story about his childhood. This second story opens up to the third story when Young Roland tells a faerie tale to the boy. The third story takes up the majority of the novel's length. When the third story ends it goes back to the second story and finally to the first one. I'm only explaining this at length because it's a little confusing going from story to story. Also I assume, you like me, are wondering how the three stories fit into this novel.
'The Wind Through the Keyhole'
The title of this novel comes from the story Roland's mother used to tell him. In the first story Roland remembers it because the ka-tet are in the way of a Starkblast. I assumed that a Starkblast would be a big part of the title story, but it was only a little part. The majority of the story dealt with a boy finding out about his father's death and how he reacts. While the story is very good, it makes me think that those in Gilead have a very different view about childhood if they tell their kids those kinds of stories.
The Dark Tower Series
So you're probably wondering if you should read the other Dark Tower books before reading this one. Good news, you don't have to. Stephen King is kind enough to give you the little information you need to know (to get you caught up to speed). If you're a reader of The Dark Tower series you can put this inbetween books 4 (Wizard and Glass) and 5 (Wolves of the Calla). So don't be afraid if this is your first Dark Tower book you pick up.
Final Thoughts
One of the things I had to grow used to was the language that's used in the book. The dialect that's used is hard to grasp at first and then grows easier as time goes on. On The Dark Tower wiki they bought out a few errors in the novel. One is about what happens to Roland after he kills his mother and the other is what he knows about the Crimson King. As for the latter, it's revealed during the third story so I didn't find it too hard to think Roland didn't think of that particular fact.
Series: The Dark Tower
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2012
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Roland's group finds shelter during a deadly storm. Roland takes time to tell a story about his younger years as well as a childhood story his mother used to tell him.
---------------------------------------------------------
The Multi-Story Novel
This novel is told with the three stories interconnecting. It starts off with the ka-tet (long story short: it's Roland's group he travels with throughout The Dark Tower series) finding shelter from a deadly storm called a Starkblast. Once they are sheltered and the Starkblast has started, Roland ends up telling a story about his childhood. This second story opens up to the third story when Young Roland tells a faerie tale to the boy. The third story takes up the majority of the novel's length. When the third story ends it goes back to the second story and finally to the first one. I'm only explaining this at length because it's a little confusing going from story to story. Also I assume, you like me, are wondering how the three stories fit into this novel.
'The Wind Through the Keyhole'
The title of this novel comes from the story Roland's mother used to tell him. In the first story Roland remembers it because the ka-tet are in the way of a Starkblast. I assumed that a Starkblast would be a big part of the title story, but it was only a little part. The majority of the story dealt with a boy finding out about his father's death and how he reacts. While the story is very good, it makes me think that those in Gilead have a very different view about childhood if they tell their kids those kinds of stories.
The Dark Tower Series
So you're probably wondering if you should read the other Dark Tower books before reading this one. Good news, you don't have to. Stephen King is kind enough to give you the little information you need to know (to get you caught up to speed). If you're a reader of The Dark Tower series you can put this inbetween books 4 (Wizard and Glass) and 5 (Wolves of the Calla). So don't be afraid if this is your first Dark Tower book you pick up.
Final Thoughts
One of the things I had to grow used to was the language that's used in the book. The dialect that's used is hard to grasp at first and then grows easier as time goes on. On The Dark Tower wiki they bought out a few errors in the novel. One is about what happens to Roland after he kills his mother and the other is what he knows about the Crimson King. As for the latter, it's revealed during the third story so I didn't find it too hard to think Roland didn't think of that particular fact.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Rose Madder (Stephen King)
Title: Rose Madder
Author: Stephen King
Released: 1995
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Rose Daniels runs away from her abusive husband. However, she isn't in the clear. Not by a long shot.
Abusive Relationships
This one makes an abusive relationship extremely real. It doesn't paint Rose as being in the wrong, nor does it paint her as being in the right. What made the book extremely creepy was that you get a glimpse into the abuser's mind.
Norman Daniels
He is the abusive husband and extremely creepy. He starts off as insane but somehow goes deeper into insanity. I like that he is a character that can't be redeemed. That makes a good villain. Norman teaches Rose things about the police that makes her stay away from them for help.
Everyone is a Jerk
Everyone in this book has a jerk streak. No one is an angel and yet not everyone is a devil. King lets you see how a bunch of characters think. It's true in the book, like in life, that people you trust have a jerk streak to them.
Final Thoughts
This is a good book. Like a good King book, it makes you feel for the characters and you feel terrified at parts. This is helped by the fact that King isn't afraid to kill off any characters. Hell, in Cujo he killed off the kid! It is very weird at times and does have references to King's other works.
Author: Stephen King
Released: 1995
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Rose Daniels runs away from her abusive husband. However, she isn't in the clear. Not by a long shot.
Abusive Relationships
This one makes an abusive relationship extremely real. It doesn't paint Rose as being in the wrong, nor does it paint her as being in the right. What made the book extremely creepy was that you get a glimpse into the abuser's mind.
Norman Daniels
He is the abusive husband and extremely creepy. He starts off as insane but somehow goes deeper into insanity. I like that he is a character that can't be redeemed. That makes a good villain. Norman teaches Rose things about the police that makes her stay away from them for help.
Everyone is a Jerk
Everyone in this book has a jerk streak. No one is an angel and yet not everyone is a devil. King lets you see how a bunch of characters think. It's true in the book, like in life, that people you trust have a jerk streak to them.
Final Thoughts
This is a good book. Like a good King book, it makes you feel for the characters and you feel terrified at parts. This is helped by the fact that King isn't afraid to kill off any characters. Hell, in Cujo he killed off the kid! It is very weird at times and does have references to King's other works.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
11/22/63 (Stephen King)
Title: 11/22/63
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2011
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Jake Epping goes back in time to try and stop the Kennedy Assassination.
How The Book Deals with Time Travel
I love time travel. It's one reason I love the Terminator franchise. You can handle time travel in many different ways, so I was excited to see how King handled it. Let me just say that it was a great portrayal of time travel. The dangers that are inherent in King's version of time traveling can create chaos (even if the person time traveling has the best of intentions).
The Romance
I'm not going to be talking about Sadie's ex-husband in this part, if you were wondering. I'm talking about how the romance with Sadie affects Jake's decisions he makes. I think if there wasn't a romance with Sadie his choice at the end of the novel wouldn't have been as difficult.
Historical Fiction
This might sound strange: but even though this novel involves time travel, it is a historical novel. The good majority of the novel focuses on the 'Land of Ago' (aka The Past). While this could be boring, what Jake encounters is more than enough to make up for it.
Final Thoughts
I love Stephen King. And was overjoyed that Jake Epping (the main character) was able to use the fact that he's an English Teacher to his advantage while visiting the past. King's son (also a writer) did a good job at telling King to use a different ending. Which I think helps the book. This book does involve sex and violence. But those used to King's writings will already be used to that. Nothing was too extreme for me.
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2011
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Jake Epping goes back in time to try and stop the Kennedy Assassination.
How The Book Deals with Time Travel
I love time travel. It's one reason I love the Terminator franchise. You can handle time travel in many different ways, so I was excited to see how King handled it. Let me just say that it was a great portrayal of time travel. The dangers that are inherent in King's version of time traveling can create chaos (even if the person time traveling has the best of intentions).
The Romance
I'm not going to be talking about Sadie's ex-husband in this part, if you were wondering. I'm talking about how the romance with Sadie affects Jake's decisions he makes. I think if there wasn't a romance with Sadie his choice at the end of the novel wouldn't have been as difficult.
Historical Fiction
This might sound strange: but even though this novel involves time travel, it is a historical novel. The good majority of the novel focuses on the 'Land of Ago' (aka The Past). While this could be boring, what Jake encounters is more than enough to make up for it.
Final Thoughts
I love Stephen King. And was overjoyed that Jake Epping (the main character) was able to use the fact that he's an English Teacher to his advantage while visiting the past. King's son (also a writer) did a good job at telling King to use a different ending. Which I think helps the book. This book does involve sex and violence. But those used to King's writings will already be used to that. Nothing was too extreme for me.
Friday, January 14, 2011
"A Good Marriage" (Full Dark, No Stars)
Now I have never been married, so I'm not an expert in that area. However, I dearly hope something like what happened in this story never actually happens to me.
Title: A Good Marriage
Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Darcy finds out that her husband is a serial killer.
The Decision
Now, a lot of us are faced with hard choices in our time. But finding out that your husband is a serial killer isn't one of them. Darcy is a kind hearted woman that has to figure out how to deal with her husband being a serial killer. At first she wants to turn him in but then decides the publicity would be too big and hard to deal with. It seems, then, that she won't turn him in. At that part I was angry because I wanted to see justice delivered to her husband. Later, she kills him and makes it look like an accident. This works in that he can't kill anyone else (him being dead) and doesn't give her (or her children) any publicity. That decision works out great for her family and for future victims. The investigator at the end points out that the victims knowing BD was dead wouldn't really help matters. I agree somewhat.
Bob Anderson/BD
For a little bit it appears like Bob has a split personality and names it BD. However, as I read the story, it appeared as though Bob was lying about BD so that he could get away with an insanity plea if captured. The fact is that Bob is very precise and seemed to lie about not remembering when he raped and murdered the women. Bob also lied about one of the waitresses coming onto him and not "giving" him anything, he was the one to come onto her and she didn't like it. The fact that he lies a lot makes me believe that he was lying about BD being another personality of his.
Reflections
I think it was very interesting what the story did with reflections. Darcy talks about there being two worlds: the "real" world and the world in the mirror. When she finds out that Bob is BD she says she's now the Dark Darcy (aka the Darcy from the other world). And, at the end, she feels normal again.
Final Thoughts
I loved this story and how Darcy acted. Plus, she thought things out. She was planning on killing him for awhile but never had a chance to. Darcy wanted the relationship to work and dealt with less sex, less sexual touches, and the time he spent away. I respect Darcy and what she did. I don't know how I would have reacted in such a situation.
Title: A Good Marriage
Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Darcy finds out that her husband is a serial killer.
The Decision
Now, a lot of us are faced with hard choices in our time. But finding out that your husband is a serial killer isn't one of them. Darcy is a kind hearted woman that has to figure out how to deal with her husband being a serial killer. At first she wants to turn him in but then decides the publicity would be too big and hard to deal with. It seems, then, that she won't turn him in. At that part I was angry because I wanted to see justice delivered to her husband. Later, she kills him and makes it look like an accident. This works in that he can't kill anyone else (him being dead) and doesn't give her (or her children) any publicity. That decision works out great for her family and for future victims. The investigator at the end points out that the victims knowing BD was dead wouldn't really help matters. I agree somewhat.
Bob Anderson/BD
For a little bit it appears like Bob has a split personality and names it BD. However, as I read the story, it appeared as though Bob was lying about BD so that he could get away with an insanity plea if captured. The fact is that Bob is very precise and seemed to lie about not remembering when he raped and murdered the women. Bob also lied about one of the waitresses coming onto him and not "giving" him anything, he was the one to come onto her and she didn't like it. The fact that he lies a lot makes me believe that he was lying about BD being another personality of his.
Reflections
I think it was very interesting what the story did with reflections. Darcy talks about there being two worlds: the "real" world and the world in the mirror. When she finds out that Bob is BD she says she's now the Dark Darcy (aka the Darcy from the other world). And, at the end, she feels normal again.
Final Thoughts
I loved this story and how Darcy acted. Plus, she thought things out. She was planning on killing him for awhile but never had a chance to. Darcy wanted the relationship to work and dealt with less sex, less sexual touches, and the time he spent away. I respect Darcy and what she did. I don't know how I would have reacted in such a situation.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
"Fair Extension" (Full Dark, No Stars)
Faustian Contracts are always a joy to read about. And, at the end, the person regrets it but it's too late. When I started reading "Fair Extension" I expected the same. But the changes Stephen King made to the story made it more than a little disturbing.
Title: Fair Extension
Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Dave Streeter has cancer and makes a deal with Elvid to have him live longer. But everything has a price.
Best Friends. Not!
Dave and Tom have been best friends for years. But Dave is secretly jealous of Tom. Why? Tom took his girl (and is now married to her) and has a much better life than Dave. Dave has cancer and Tom doesn't. There are more things but the basics are that Dave is jealous. To make his life longer, Dave has to have bad things happen to a person that is close to him. I figured that once bad things started happening to Tom (and his family) that Dave would regret and try to stop it. Nope, Dave lets things continue and is happy about it. Even at the end of the story, Dave wishes for more. And these aren't little things that happen to Tom. It's just really eerie how Dave reacts to things.
Elvid
It took me a few minutes to get that. It's just rearranging the word Devil, therefore implying Elvid is the Devil. Some of the comments that Elvid makes furthers that assumption. Does the story make clear if Elvid is the Devil? No. It's left up to the reader to decide.
25 Years
The deal that Dave makes with Elvid is that his life is 25 years longer. In The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (by Christopher Marlowe) Faustus is given 24 years of unlimited power. In "Fair Extension" Dave gets one more year than that. It might just be coincidence, but it is interesting nonetheless.
Final Thoughts
I liked this story and the confusion it gave me. I was just shocked that Dave didn't ever waver in his decision. That he didn't care about a fellow human being. However, I didn't give it a 6/5 because it didn't pull major heartstrings. It got a 5/5 because it has a nice twist and the story is engaging.
Title: Fair Extension
Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Dave Streeter has cancer and makes a deal with Elvid to have him live longer. But everything has a price.
Best Friends. Not!
Dave and Tom have been best friends for years. But Dave is secretly jealous of Tom. Why? Tom took his girl (and is now married to her) and has a much better life than Dave. Dave has cancer and Tom doesn't. There are more things but the basics are that Dave is jealous. To make his life longer, Dave has to have bad things happen to a person that is close to him. I figured that once bad things started happening to Tom (and his family) that Dave would regret and try to stop it. Nope, Dave lets things continue and is happy about it. Even at the end of the story, Dave wishes for more. And these aren't little things that happen to Tom. It's just really eerie how Dave reacts to things.
Elvid
It took me a few minutes to get that. It's just rearranging the word Devil, therefore implying Elvid is the Devil. Some of the comments that Elvid makes furthers that assumption. Does the story make clear if Elvid is the Devil? No. It's left up to the reader to decide.
25 Years
The deal that Dave makes with Elvid is that his life is 25 years longer. In The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (by Christopher Marlowe) Faustus is given 24 years of unlimited power. In "Fair Extension" Dave gets one more year than that. It might just be coincidence, but it is interesting nonetheless.
Final Thoughts
I liked this story and the confusion it gave me. I was just shocked that Dave didn't ever waver in his decision. That he didn't care about a fellow human being. However, I didn't give it a 6/5 because it didn't pull major heartstrings. It got a 5/5 because it has a nice twist and the story is engaging.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
"Big Driver" (Full Dark, No Stars)
After reading the compelling "1922" (also from Full Dark, No Stars) can anything really equal such a great story? I went into the next story expecting the usual goodness but didn't know whether or not I would have another 6/5 on my hands.
Title: Big Driver
Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Tess gets raped and then goes after her rapist seeking revenge.
Stephen King Cliche
Tess is an author. Not only that, she is a mystery writer. King seems to use writers as main characters a lot and he does again in this story. Tess being a writer provides the reason for being raped (as you find out at the end of the story).
Revenge Story
This story is very much a look at the viewpoint of a rape victim. The victim is a woman (Tess). What I liked about her going after her rapist (which turned out to include his mother and brother) was that it wasn't a quick decision. When she was raped she just wanted to lie low afterwards and not tell anyone. It took a little bit for her to actually go after her rapist. And when she went after her rapist it was somewhat realistic.
The Rapist's Name
Though the title is "Big Driver", the one who raped her is "Little Driver". Though that, in itself, isn't correct as it's the name Tess assumes the rapist has.
Tess' Voices
Tess has voices that she makes up for things in her life. She has a voice for her Tomtom (Tom) and her cat (Fritzy) among others. This helps lend a creepy tone to the story. We have the main character going insane with the voices. At the beginning of the story it is somewhat normal (what? I talk to my birds all the time) but by the midway point of the story it becomes VERY creepy.
Would It Make a Good Movie?
While "1922" didn't seem to make that good of a movie, "Big Driver" seems more fitting for a movie. The story could be told relatively well with visuals. Since the story is short, it would need to be expanded upon for a movie. Things would probably be ruined in the process.
Final Thoughts
I loved this story. I was sad when I had to stop reading it to go to bed. Tess starts off as just an author making a quick buck and turns into a kickass person searching for revenge. And she doesn't just burst in, she plans ahead. This story is very much a look into rapists, rape victims, and rape. Those who don't want those subjects looked at should stay far away from this story.
Title: Big Driver
Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Tess gets raped and then goes after her rapist seeking revenge.
Stephen King Cliche
Tess is an author. Not only that, she is a mystery writer. King seems to use writers as main characters a lot and he does again in this story. Tess being a writer provides the reason for being raped (as you find out at the end of the story).
Revenge Story
This story is very much a look at the viewpoint of a rape victim. The victim is a woman (Tess). What I liked about her going after her rapist (which turned out to include his mother and brother) was that it wasn't a quick decision. When she was raped she just wanted to lie low afterwards and not tell anyone. It took a little bit for her to actually go after her rapist. And when she went after her rapist it was somewhat realistic.
The Rapist's Name
Though the title is "Big Driver", the one who raped her is "Little Driver". Though that, in itself, isn't correct as it's the name Tess assumes the rapist has.
Tess' Voices
Tess has voices that she makes up for things in her life. She has a voice for her Tomtom (Tom) and her cat (Fritzy) among others. This helps lend a creepy tone to the story. We have the main character going insane with the voices. At the beginning of the story it is somewhat normal (what? I talk to my birds all the time) but by the midway point of the story it becomes VERY creepy.
Would It Make a Good Movie?
While "1922" didn't seem to make that good of a movie, "Big Driver" seems more fitting for a movie. The story could be told relatively well with visuals. Since the story is short, it would need to be expanded upon for a movie. Things would probably be ruined in the process.
Final Thoughts
I loved this story. I was sad when I had to stop reading it to go to bed. Tess starts off as just an author making a quick buck and turns into a kickass person searching for revenge. And she doesn't just burst in, she plans ahead. This story is very much a look into rapists, rape victims, and rape. Those who don't want those subjects looked at should stay far away from this story.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
"1922" (Full Dark, No Stars)
I decided to review each of the stories in Stephen King's most recent story collection (Full Dark, No Stars) individually. Thank you very much to the person who gave me the book as a Christmas present!
Name of Story: 1922
Title of Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 6/5
Basic Plot: Wilf decides that in order to keep his farmland, plus his wife's farmland, he'll have to murder her (because she wants to move). After killing her, with the help of his son, chaos and madness ensue.
How It Is Told
The form the story is told in is a confession letter. Wilf is in a hotel room and is writing the letter to finally tell the truth of what happened. He also plans to commit suicide after completing the letter. This gives an excuse to talk directly to the audience. The only problem with that is when he dies it's a little awkward.
Feel of the Story
It is depressing. It is more than depressing, it is just downright cruel with what it does. The murder of the wife is just the beginning. If you get scared sh**less and can't sleep well after reading that part, don't bother to read the rest. I cringe at this story but, at the same time, if it wasn't as engaging I wouldn't feel that way. If a story can affect me deeply, like this one did, it did something right.
Knowing What is Real
By the end of the story Wilf has gone crazy and so imagines things. I would like to say straight up that he is insane and is imagining everything that is happening to him, but I can't. At the end the news article states that he bit himself to death and it makes references to rats (which he had been "imagining" he was seeing). What makes me think that he might not have been totally crazy is the fact that Stephen King writes about the supernatural a lot of the time.
Will This Be a Good Movie?
While this story was very compelling I can't see it being a good movie. True, some of the scenes were very fun to read (the type of fun where "gross" and "creepy" are understatements), but most of what is happening is good because it is in Wilf's head. There are voice overs, but what's really the point of seeing a movie that's read to you?
Final Thoughts
This is a great story to read. The whole story left me with the feeling that the end of Cujo (also by Stephen King) also left me with. It is an enjoyable read but is not good for those that want a happy story. This being Stephen King, there are sexual themes as well as graphic violence. All my younger readers out there: Ask your parents before you read this story.
Note
I haven't yet finished the whole book yet so I don't know if it is worth buying the book (Full Dark, No Stars) just for this story.
Name of Story: 1922
Title of Book: Full Dark, No Stars
Author: Stephen King
Released: 2010
Rating: 6/5
Basic Plot: Wilf decides that in order to keep his farmland, plus his wife's farmland, he'll have to murder her (because she wants to move). After killing her, with the help of his son, chaos and madness ensue.
How It Is Told
The form the story is told in is a confession letter. Wilf is in a hotel room and is writing the letter to finally tell the truth of what happened. He also plans to commit suicide after completing the letter. This gives an excuse to talk directly to the audience. The only problem with that is when he dies it's a little awkward.
Feel of the Story
It is depressing. It is more than depressing, it is just downright cruel with what it does. The murder of the wife is just the beginning. If you get scared sh**less and can't sleep well after reading that part, don't bother to read the rest. I cringe at this story but, at the same time, if it wasn't as engaging I wouldn't feel that way. If a story can affect me deeply, like this one did, it did something right.
Knowing What is Real
By the end of the story Wilf has gone crazy and so imagines things. I would like to say straight up that he is insane and is imagining everything that is happening to him, but I can't. At the end the news article states that he bit himself to death and it makes references to rats (which he had been "imagining" he was seeing). What makes me think that he might not have been totally crazy is the fact that Stephen King writes about the supernatural a lot of the time.
Will This Be a Good Movie?
While this story was very compelling I can't see it being a good movie. True, some of the scenes were very fun to read (the type of fun where "gross" and "creepy" are understatements), but most of what is happening is good because it is in Wilf's head. There are voice overs, but what's really the point of seeing a movie that's read to you?
Final Thoughts
This is a great story to read. The whole story left me with the feeling that the end of Cujo (also by Stephen King) also left me with. It is an enjoyable read but is not good for those that want a happy story. This being Stephen King, there are sexual themes as well as graphic violence. All my younger readers out there: Ask your parents before you read this story.
Note
I haven't yet finished the whole book yet so I don't know if it is worth buying the book (Full Dark, No Stars) just for this story.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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