A lot of Stephen King fans I know don't really care for this novel, so I was pleased and surprised when I found myself absolutely blown away. This book is horrifying and dark, but it also gives such a fine sense of ultimate Good that it's hard to resist. There were elements that struck me as being very obviously King or very obviously Straub, but as a whole I felt like it hung together really well. It's got a real intensity of focus; the point is Jack's journey, and the authors rarely succumb to the temptation to stray from that. This is a great fantasy with unforgettable characters that nearly caused me to miss my train stop more than once, and also moved me to tears at several points. Utterly absorbing.