Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "stephen-king"

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The beginning of an epic fantasy adventure from a master storyteller.

In 'The Gunslinger', Stephen King introduces us to the titular character, Roland, as we meet him on his way through the desert, fairly close to the beginning of his quest to reach the Dark Tower, in pursuit of the Man in Black. We hear the tale of the Gunslinger's stay in a remote village amongst the paranoia and suspicion of its residents; and we see him meet a young boy, Jake, who has somehow ended up lost at a way station in the desert, his last memories of being in New York. Together, they continue across the desert, up and into the mountains, before the Gunslinger finally reaches his confrontation with the Man in Black.

I'm a huge fan of Stephen King, for his work on horror, thriller, and sci-fi, but this was the first time I ventured into his fantasy work. 'The Gunslinger' did not disappoint, providing tantalising glimpses of Roland's past, while encounters with an Oracle and the Man in Black lay the foundations for the rest of the series, leaving you eager to move on to the second novel, 'The Drawing of the Three' as you reach the final pages.

I hugely enjoyable and vididly descriptive novel, I am looking forward to what's to come in the continuing journey to the Dark Tower.



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The Stand by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thrilling, apocalyptic epic from the Master of Horror.

'The Stand' is one of Stephen King's early masterpieces, published following 'The Shining' the previous year, but is entirely different in many ways - in theme, tone, scale and, most notably, the source of the horror inflicted on its characters.

The novel begins with a man hurriedly waking his wife in the middle of the night, making an escape with their daughter from an army base. Something has gone terribly wrong and he wants to get them as far as away as possible. They escape, but it is already too late - the man is infected with a manufactured strain of flu and it is now uncontained, leading to a plague that will kill almost the entire human population.

The first part of the novel deals with the spread of the plague, introducing us to many of the main characters through their experience of the superflu pandemic. Numerous attempts to contain the plague by the authorities fail as society steadily falls to pieces, people fall ill and die, and the survivors wait and wonder when it will be their turn. This story could have been a novel in itself, drawing you in to the disintegrating lives of a large cast of characters.

In the second part of the novel, we journey across a derelict USA with the surviving characters, who begin to form groups as they meet up on their journeys. Many soon realise they are experiencing the same dreams - of a dark man who walks the roads at night and an old woman waiting patiently in her Nebraska home. Drawn by these shared visions, the characters find themselves being steered into a battle between good and evil, the old woman in the East representing Good, and the dark man in the West representing Evil.

The group of survivors drawn to the old woman, Mother Abagail, form a democratic society known as the Free Zone. But there are tensions from within that threaten to boil over, while in the meantime the society formed by the dark man, Randall Flagg, is building its power in the West.

In the final part of the novel, the showdown between Good and Evil begins. A small group heads west, building to the final confrontation with Randall Flagg, on which hinges the future of the Free Zone and the survival of everyone in it.

Through every one of the book's 1300+ pages, you are completely immersed in the lives of the characters and the biblical scale of events. You witness humanity at its worst and its best, the narrative taking over your life for weeks. You witness humanity's destruction and how that feels for each individual left behind. You witness attempts to build societies again from what is left behind and wonder if it could ever be possible for humanity to live in true peace and harmony.

'The Stand' is a fantastic portrayal of its themes and subject matter, an epic odyssey that leaves you with a deeply satisfying conclusion and a feeling of sadness at having to leave the characters behind. I shall miss reading about them and the challenges they have faced. Perhaps one day I shall have the pleasure of meeting them again.

Of course, one character whom I shall definitely meet again will be Randall Flagg. Flagg establishes himself as one of King's most evil villains in this early tale and he has gone on to feature in many others, notably the epic fantasy 'The Dark Tower' series. It seems that evil truly can never die after all...



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Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A supernaturally-charged apocalyptic epic from Stephen King and his son Owen King.

Stephen King, as well as being a master of horror, is known for his apocalyptic epics, amongst them the superlative ‘The Stand’, and this novel is evidence that his son Owen also possesses the same skill and imagination. Such stories are incredibly timely in the current global political climate, the authors evoking the unease and societal disintegration that can escape no one’s attention in the age of technology and social media.

The novel takes place in the town of Dooling, while all around the world women are falling prey to a mysterious pandemic – they fall into a sleep from which they don’t wake, cocoons developing around their slumbering bodies, a phenomena that becomes known as Aurora, named after the princess in the Disney adaption of the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ fairy tale. Concerned and panicked men attempt to break some of these cocoons, with fatal consequences. Meanwhile, a preternatural woman, Evie, has arrived in Dooling, destroying a meth lab and killing the drug dealers with her bare hands, which brings her to the attention of local sheriff, Lila Norcross. Lila’s husband, Clint, is a psychiatrist at the nearby women’s prison, where Aurora begins to affect the inmates.

As more women and girls fall prey to Aurora, anarchy rises, men either giving up or allowing aggression to rise to the surface. It takes little time for society to begin crumbling, organisations such as the sheriff’s department, hospitals and the correctional facilities succumbing to the strain. Volunteers step into the breach, but their intentions may not be altruistic, motivated instead by their own agendas. Amongst the terror and panic, it becomes clear that Evie is different to all the other women – she can sleep and wake again, unaffected by Aurora.

While our world is falling to pieces, the sleeping women find themselves in a new world and must face the challenges of their separation from their male loved ones and the opportunity to live life without the dominance and aggression of men. The novel explores this delicately - another crucial theme at a time when women are fighting back against their abusers, while as a society we are striving to achieve gender equality and snuff out patriarchal prejudices. Politically, prejudice is a monster from which society is struggling to shake free; the novel explores how we should depart from the mistakes of the past – whether we should cut ties and start over, or learn from past mistakes and move into the future.

The novel climaxes in a showdown between the remaining correctional staff and the volunteer/vigilante sheriff’s department, as Clint fights to protect Evie from the growing mob that is convinced she holds the answer to bringing an end to Aurora. The answer may surprise them, which leads to a thought-provoking conclusion.

Arresting and emotive, ‘Sleeping Beauties’ is an immersive experience, as all King epics are. You live with the characters through their journeys, arriving at a satisfying ending that stays with you after the final page. Evie is captivating, reminding me at times of another Stephen King character, with her supernatural abilities and smooth palms, but she proves to be more morally ambiguous than outright evil. It would be intriguing if either or both of the Kings were to revisit her in the future.

A fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable novel, with plot, characters and themes blending to create a thrilling concoction.



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The Outsider by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping cocktail of police procedural and supernatural thriller from master of horror, Stephen King.

Detective Ralph Anderson is investigating a shocking child murder. The solution to the case appears clear-cut – forensic evidence and multiple witnesses point unequivocally to local baseball coach, Terry Maitland. Following a public arrest in front of the entire town, Terry swears his innocence, claiming to have been miles away when the crime took place. Of course, Ralph and DA Bill Samuels are unconvinced, given the evidence against him, making preparations for Terry’s arraignment.

Yet inconsistencies are beginning to worry Ralph. Meanwhile, Terry’s attorney enlists his own investigator to confirm Terry’s alibi. Evidence surfaces that appears to confirm the impossible – Terry was in two places at the same time. Deeply troubled, Ralph’s concerns grow as a large crowd gathers at Terry’s arraignment, baying for blood. Becoming increasingly out of control, it erupts with disastrous consequences – leaving Ralph battling with more questions, to which he is determined to find the answers.

So continues an investigation that will lead Ralph to question everything he believes, becoming part of a small group of people determined to uncover what led to the brutal murder of a child and how the impossible becomes possible.

As always with Stephen King’s novels, the reader is taken on a journey, one that develops at breakneck speed, but that pulls you in so deeply that you are immersed in the rich detail of the story and the lives of the multiple characters you meet along the way.

Holly Gibney, co-star of the Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes; Finders Keepers; End of Watch) makes a return, working alongside Ralph and the group of men to uncover the truth of the horror they face, challenging them all to suspend their disbelief to stop a powerful evil from escaping. Holly is a great character, always endearing, diligent, and still a little uncomfortable in her own skin. Painstakingly, she unpicks the mystery, steeped in recent crimes and folklore, getting them closer and closer to the villain that lurks in the shadows. But the evil is always one step ahead and will do all it can to protect itself.

Building to a tense showdown as the group uncover the truth, ‘The Outsider’ is thrilling and intense, a tale of good versus evil in our conflicted modern world.



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The Institute by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Approximately 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States alone. Stephen King’s immersive thriller questions what may happen to the thousands of those children who are never found, lost forever within the walls of ‘The Institute’.

Chance circumstances lead ex-police officer Tim Jamieson to take up the job of Night Knocker in the small town of DuPray, a decision that leads him to stay longer than planned. Meanwhile, exceptionally bright Luke Ellis, only twelve years old, is already facing a crossroads in his life, having surpassed all the education his school can offer him. As well as his academic talents, Luke is also struggling to understand the hint of telekinetic ability he possesses.

One night, a team of strangers breaks into Luke’s home, murdering his parents and kidnapping him. He wakes in a secret, secluded facility, where experiments are conducted on children with the explanation that their purpose is to achieve a greater good. Luke befriends several of his fellow prisoners and it soon becomes clear that between them they possess telekinetic or telepathic abilities to varying degrees, something that those behind the Institute are attempting to enhance and harness for their own purposes.

Their situation appears hopeless, their fates inevitable. But when a new resident arrives at the Institute – Avery Dixon, a young boy with exceptional telepathic abilities – Luke realises there is a glimmer of hope. Together, Luke and Avery devise an audacious escape plan; one that will, by chance, lead to both the town of DuPray and into the heart of the Institute itself, threatening this secret facility to its very foundations.

When you pick up a Stephen King novel, you are submerged in the life of the characters and, by the end, left with the sense of the journey those characters have experienced between the beginning and the end. Stories at their best conjure and provoke thoughts and feelings, blending them together in a way that allows the tale to touch your very soul. King is a master of telling such stories and ‘The Institute’ is another fine example – packed with well-developed characters and detailed plotting that sucks you in to the emotional and intellectual plights of each character and situation. Moral and ethical questions are raised throughout, while the main characters are thrown into peril, building to a dramatic climax.

With shades of sci-fi and conspiracy thrillers blended with horror, the novel shines in its characterisation of the imprisoned children and how, even in the most horrific and terrifying of circumstances, they build solid, emotional bonds with each other. This is a story about friendship, standing for justice, and putting trust and faith in others even when the odds are stacked against you.

Another intense, gripping and emotionally-resonant thriller in the ever-expanding bibliography of a master storyteller.



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Elevation by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An entertaining novella set in Castle Rock, with a strange mystery at its centre.

Scott Carey confides in his friend and doctor that he is experiencing increasingly bizarre medical symptoms – he is measuring weight loss at a consistent and alarming rate, yet is experiencing no physical signs. In fact, he is feeling healthier than ever.

His new neighbours, Deirdre and Missy, have only recently moved to Castle Rock, and Scott is becoming ever more frustrated with their dogs defecating on his front lawn. Scott’s attempts to resolve the issue amicably are met with disbelief. However, when he presents evidence, it only serves to sour their relationship further.

Scott bears no ill will towards his neighbours and strives to forge a friendship with them, particularly when he witnesses the discrimination the couple are facing in the village, which also threatens the success of their new business. As he embarks on this mission, Scott continues to ruminate on one question – what will happen when his weight hits zero?

Stephen King has not only mastered several genres, but also multiple forms of narrative – his novels (including sheer epics), novellas and short stories all equally skilful and successful, packed with well-developed characters, vivid imagery and intriguing plotting. The fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, has featured and been alluded to in multiple Stephen King stories, beginning with the novel ‘The Dead Zone’ in 1979; it has even earnt its own TV series of the same name. Visiting there once again makes you feel immediately at home.

The novella also explores the impact of everyday, largely passive but no less harmful, prejudice and discrimination that remains woven into many a community – at the story’s heart is a message that to care for and help our fellow human beings with love and compassion is surely the true purpose of our lives.

‘Elevation’ is a heart-warming tale that ends with a poignant, emotional finale.



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Under the Dome by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An immersive, thrilling epic from a master of the craft.

It was just an ordinary autumn day when the dome suddenly appeared around the town of Chester’s Mill. Invisible, impenetrable, unbreakable. Dale “Barbie” Barbara, on his way to departing Chester’s Mill, is amongst the first to witness the devastating impact of the dome’s presence, the borders with the neighbouring towns becoming the sites of carnage on both sides of the dome.

This is only the beginning. As the residents begin to realise the full extent of their predicament, the media and military response in the outside world heightens. But, despite the scrutiny, they are isolated and alone. As tensions escalate, some take advantage of the situation for their own ends, while others strive to do what little they can to help. Divisions are setting in and becoming more fraught, threatening not only the stability of the town but also the chances of survival.

For James “Big Jim” Rennie, all of this is just collateral damage as long as he emerges as the town’s saviour. Barbie, local newspaper editor Julia Shumway, and a small group of others, know they are rapidly running out of time. Striving to uncover the mystery of the dome’s existence, their quest becomes a fight for survival against a ticking timebomb of greed, power and corruption.

‘Under the Dome’ is sheer brilliance. It sucks you in from the first page and refuses to let you go until the very last. Bursting at the seams with a large cast of characters, criss-crossing plotting, descriptive detail, action-packed scenes and emotional moments, it has all the ingredients you would want from a sci-fi fantasy thriller, exploring the personal struggles against the canvas of the epic scale of a crisis.

This novel is, first and foremost, a character-driven story. There are many of them to keep track of, the core cast each with their own evolving sub-plots, that soon begin to cross, merge and combine as the dome’s invisible but constant presence proves a catalyst for the best and worst of human behaviour. Trapped, with no chance of escape, the residents of Chester’s Mill are all potential prey to the slow trickle of fear that spreads throughout the town. This is a story of a community under a microscope, exploring the dangers of a culture of fear and deprivation, and the compounding pressures posed by a crisis, characters emerging as either heroes or villains.

Amongst the many themes the novel explores – including the human relationships; resilience in the face of adversity; the abuse and corruption of power – is an awareness of the natural environment and our impact on it, as well as the use and availability of natural resources. Giving the novel a fable-like quality, the dome is the equivalent of a petri dish in a psychological, sociological and environmental study of concepts and issues that are often discussed on a scale that may be difficult to relate to.

Ahead of its crucial and thought-provoking themes, this is, most importantly, a gripping fictional narrative – an epic tale that hurtles relentlessly through every one of its almost nine-hundred pages. Rich in detail and imagery, be prepared to not want to put this book down for many days. Within its pages, you will become one the residents of Chester’s Mill and live this experience alongside them and through each of their stories. Stephen King has mastered many forms of storytelling, the epic amongst them – most notably with ‘The Stand’ – and once again he demonstrates his storytelling ability, the history of what occurred under the dome of Chester’s Mill standing resolutely alongside King’s masterpieces.

Intense and deeply engrossing, ‘Under the Dome’ is a superlative high-concept thriller, an epic with a beating human heart.



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The Dead Zone by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A classic thriller from horror master Stephen King.

Since suffering an injury as a child, Johnny has experienced moments when he can see and feel with such clarity almost as if with a view into the future. Yet it’s affected his life little up to this point. Now a dedicated teacher, he is delighted when fellow teacher Sarah agrees to a date. Yet their night is due to end tragically, with Johnny left comatose and barely clinging to life.

Almost everyone has given up on Johnny, when, four and a half years later, he wakes from his coma. His precognitive abilities are now far more powerful – with the briefest touch, he can see into someone’s life with terrifying clarity. Johnny’s road to recovery is a difficult one, while his newfound abilities become evermore heavy to bear.

He wants nothing more than to be able to recover and live a quiet life, to get back into teaching and move on from the past. But others will not allow him to rest, while Johnny wrestles with his internal struggle between intervening in the lives of others to offer help and moving on to live his own. But the presence of evil is impossible to ignore and, against his better judgement, threatens to become an obsession that will ultimately consume him.

‘The Dead Zone’ is a gripping, character-driven horror thriller; spanning several years and told from the perspective of a core cast of characters, it has the feel of an epic whilst brimming with elements of supernatural horror and science fiction, with moral questions at its core. I felt a lot of empathy for Johnny, not only through his injuries and recovery, but also in his personal relationships and the increasing burden of his moral struggle. I loved his relationship with Sarah, one that becomes tinged with tragedy, a piece of their life stolen from them before it could be fully realised. There are some relationships you never truly move on from and the novel deals poignantly with that concept. Johnny, Sarah and Herb are developed particularly well, with glimpses into many of the secondary and minor characters, some of which become far more significant as the novel progresses.

King explores themes he has explored in previous novels and would explore again in the future – notably forms of psychic phenomena and the dark side of power, both political and preternatural. I could see shades of Randall Flagg in Greg Stillson and his fascist politics, while Johnny’s precognition presents similar challenges to one who might discover the ability to time travel, which King later explored superbly in '11.22.63’. The novel is also notable for being the first to feature fictional town Castle Rock, the town’s serial killer, whose apprehension is recorded here, often referenced in future novels and TV series.

The novel has twice been adapted for the screen, the first as a film released in 1983, and the second for television as a series which began airing in 2002 and lasted for six seasons. It is a story that lends itself perfectly for adaption to the screen; the novel itself is fast-paced, at times intense and emotionally resonating, with both plot and characters blended perfectly to form a thrilling narrative that builds to an almost inevitable, but satisfying, denouement.

Engrossing and moving, ‘The Dead Zone’ hooks from beginning to end, posing thought-provoking questions and telling a thrilling tale.



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Billy Summers by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A suspenseful crime thriller told on a broad canvas akin to one of King's epics.

Billy Summers, an assassin for hire, has made a career of killing only 'bad men'. He agrees to a lucrative final job before he intends to retire.

Under his cover as a novelist, Billy revisits his own life story, unprepared for the effect telling his own story will have.

With more at stake than ever before, Billy's final mission may become his undoing.

'Billy Summers' is a moving self-portrait of an assassin with a moral code, a man trained to kill for his country who has made a career from what he does best, but now wants to leave it behind. Not only an assassination thriller, this is a character history of a broken childhood and a story of war. A morality tale and redemption story, beginning with Billy’s hiring and an introduction to the persona he shows the world before we delve into his backstory, this is a multi-layered novel packed with emotion, action and suspense that explores the true horrors of which humanity is capable.

There are echoes of some of King's earlier work sewn throughout. Amongst his best stories are those that portray a true journey for the characters - ones of self-discovery in extraordinary circumstances - and this novel is another shining example of this, taking the reader on this journey with Billy and the people who enter his life. You can always feel the passage of time throughout Stephen King’s epics and you feel that acutely in this novel too, as it pulls you into Billy’s world and keeps you riveted throughout.

The initial scene-setting is superb, detailing Billy's preparations for his 'one last job' as he adopts the alias of David Lockridge, developing his cover and embedding himself in the community, building relationships with his neighbours - genuine connections that trouble him deeply due to his subterfuge. I especially loved the bond that develops between Billy and Alice later in the novel - one that is key to Billy's redemption story, if it truly is possible for him to be redeemed; a question that haunts him as much as his past.

Gripping and captivating, 'Billy Summers' is a fascinating novel and a chilling portrayal of the darker side of humanity.



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Firestarter by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A searing and captivating sci-fi horror thriller.

Andy is on the run from the authorities with his daughter, Charlie. He'd thought her secret would be safe. But, horrifyingly, he has realised, she will always be in danger.

For Charlie possesses a gift - the psychic ability to conjure fire, one she cannot yet control. A gift that may be a curse.

People learn to fear Charlie - and wish to weaponise her ability. At all costs, Andy must protect her, though he fears they are on an inevitable collision course into an inferno.

'Firestarter' is Stephen King's sixth novel, a thriller fused with elements of both sci-fi and horror, the relationship between a father and daughter at its heart. There is a classic, cinematic feel to the theme of the secret government programme and the pursuit of a child with mutant abilities. Like its predecessor, 'The Dead Zone', and King's first novel, 'Carrie', 'Firestarter' explores psychic phenomena, in this story specifically pyrokinesis and telepathy.

Stephen King has a particular knack for writing children leading as protagonists in adult novels. Charlie is a shining example of this; we witness the innocent little girl mature and become battle-scarred through the ordeals she suffers. Her father, Andy, strives to protect her, prepared to sacrifice himself if necessary, while fearing for her if he were no longer there to protect her. There are hidden depths to this story, with many universal concepts drawing on our empathy for such extraordinary circumstances.

The novel smoulders with suspense, both slow-burning and in sudden flashovers, with dramatic action sequences, emotional moments, supernatural and sci-fi themes, and moral and political philosophy. The villainy portrayed is chilling - both in the demonstration of power we can recognise around us every day on a close or widespread scale, and in the more acute and insidious evil of Rainbird. With a large cast of friends and foes, the characters’ interweaving and overlapping story arcs form a riveting and immersive narrative; this is undoubtedly a classic Stephen King novel. I would love to read a sequel, in the same way we got 'Doctor Sleep' so many years after 'The Shining'.

There have been several screen adaptations, first with a film version of the novel in 1984. A belated TV sequel to the film followed in 2002, featuring a grown-up Charlie in 'Firestarter: Rekindled’. A remake of the original film was released in 2022, with whispers that this may develop into a franchise.

Gripping and emotive, 'Firestarter' is an intense and provocative thriller that you won’t want to end.



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