Lee Cushing's Blog - Posts Tagged "stephen-king"
Billy Summers Review
Billy Summers
Stephen King continues to be a prolific source of storytelling, now a half-century from his debut with "Carrie," showing no signs of slowing down. His novel 'Billy Summers' captivates readers from start to finish.
Billy, a principled hitman who targets only the villainous, is ready for his final job before retirement. The payoff is substantial, promising a secluded life on a distant beach. However, things don't go as planned. His assignment is six months away, so he assumes a false identity in 'Red Bluff'—a place reminiscent of Memphis or Louisville—blending into the mundane until it's time to strike. The narrative builds tension masterfully to what seems like an early climax, but that's merely a third of the way through, as my Kindle app indicated.
The story takes a turn when Billy, remaining incognito post-hit under a new alias, encounters a pivotal character—a young woman left for dead after a brutal assault. Unable to ignore her plight, he takes her in. The evolution of their bond and the resolution of the hit's aftermath occupy the remainder of the tale. It's an enthralling journey from the first page to the last, another five-star tale from Stephen King—highly recommended.
Stephen King continues to be a prolific source of storytelling, now a half-century from his debut with "Carrie," showing no signs of slowing down. His novel 'Billy Summers' captivates readers from start to finish.
Billy, a principled hitman who targets only the villainous, is ready for his final job before retirement. The payoff is substantial, promising a secluded life on a distant beach. However, things don't go as planned. His assignment is six months away, so he assumes a false identity in 'Red Bluff'—a place reminiscent of Memphis or Louisville—blending into the mundane until it's time to strike. The narrative builds tension masterfully to what seems like an early climax, but that's merely a third of the way through, as my Kindle app indicated.
The story takes a turn when Billy, remaining incognito post-hit under a new alias, encounters a pivotal character—a young woman left for dead after a brutal assault. Unable to ignore her plight, he takes her in. The evolution of their bond and the resolution of the hit's aftermath occupy the remainder of the tale. It's an enthralling journey from the first page to the last, another five-star tale from Stephen King—highly recommended.
Billy Summers by Stephen King
Many readers who approached this book with broad-minded expectations have been quite disappointed.
While it is readable, the split into parts does not help; the story within the story, which could have been a brilliant ploy, has not fully succeeded.
The beginning suggests a multiplication of the protagonist's personality, but this is soon abandoned. The secondary characters are kept too far from the background, and some sections are very "American" and even respectable.
The second part of the novel is more, but the event dynamics are weak, hasty, and poorly executed despite the length of the pages.
While it is readable, the split into parts does not help; the story within the story, which could have been a brilliant ploy, has not fully succeeded.
The beginning suggests a multiplication of the protagonist's personality, but this is soon abandoned. The secondary characters are kept too far from the background, and some sections are very "American" and even respectable.
The second part of the novel is more, but the event dynamics are weak, hasty, and poorly executed despite the length of the pages.
