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First published February 1, 1999
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About the author
Stephen King
2,622 books882k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 777 reviews
March 4, 2022
A heavy in suspense and horror screenplay written for a series of TV specials - and the result -a very very good, nail-biting and fraught tale. The Little Tall Island is under siege by the Storm of the Century, it is also under siege by the homicidal stranger, Andre Linoge. Linoge is seriously, one of King's most scary villains, and that's saying something. I dare anyone to read this and not be like "damn, how did I not know that this was that good!" 9 out of 12.
2016 read
2016 read
April 2, 2019
"I'm a little teapot short and stout, here is my handle, here is my spout, when I get all steamed up, then I shout, just tip me over and pour me out." Just an innocent little song? Not in this story!
STORM OF THE CENTURY begins with an unspeakably violent death and the man responsible has not a care in the world.....save one.
"Give me what I want and I will go away."
The calm and collected Town Constable of Maine's Little Tall Island, Mike Anderson, is preparing for the Big One with half the town in his store clearing the shelves when news of a brutal murder reaches him....and the evil stranger, well....he's still at the scene......waiting.
Now everyone knows the island has seen no murders since Dolores Claiborne took out her disgusting husband (never proven) years ago, so shock and fear has spread like wildfire.
So......even worse than the approaching STORM with its hurricane force winds and arctic amounts of snow, the citizens are right to be wary for something else is coming to wreak havoc....something they've never seen before.
How did I ever miss this one?? King hails it as one of his most frightening stories written for screen, and I so agree....oh what HE wants is so disturbing....and why pick this little town....bc bc bc...."Island folks know how to keep a secret."
STORM OF THE CENTURY has now moved into my top 10 of 64 King stories read even though, this time, (for me) the screenplay format did disrupt the overall fear factor. (and I do love screenplays) As for the movie, it's long, but OMGOSH don't miss it! The sinister Andre Linoge played by Colm Feore is something to behold.
"Born in sin, come on in." hehehe
4+ Stars for the screenplay....5 Stars for the atmospheric creepy-scary horror of a story that kept me glued to the pages!
(The Shining's "Danny Torrance" and "Dolores Claiborne" are mentioned herein as well as key words "Madder"...."Regulators"....and "Atlantis"....and have most likely missed more.)
January 22, 2025
„Бурята на века“ е много интересен роман, написан под формата на сценарий за едноименния минисериал. Но историята има своите достойнства като самостоятелна книга, така че е много добро четиво, дори първо да сте гледали екранизацията! В предговора Стивън Кинг споделя любопитни подробности около създаването на „Бурята на века“.
Историята пренася читателите на остров Литъл Тол, който е връхлетян от изключително свирепа зимна буря! Местните жители трябва сами да се организират и справят с бедствието, тъй като временно са откъснати от останалия свят. Най-големият кошмар за тях, обаче се оказва не бурята, а Андре Линож! Този загадъчен злодей със свръхестествени сили знае всичко за жителите, като жестоко ги провокира, преследвайки своите мрачни цели...
Историята пренася читателите на остров Литъл Тол, който е връхлетян от изключително свирепа зимна буря! Местните жители трябва сами да се организират и справят с бедствието, тъй като временно са откъснати от останалия свят. Най-големият кошмар за тях, обаче се оказва не бурята, а Андре Линож! Този загадъчен злодей със свръхестествени сили знае всичко за жителите, като жестоко ги провокира, преследвайки своите мрачни цели...
July 11, 2019
It took me awhile to get into this one, mainly because the screenplay format is really not something I’m used to. But once I got the hang of it I quickly fell in love with this story! I love that it all takes place within such a short time, it made my heart race and my pulse pound in the best way possible. It felt like we were in a race against the clock and it was quite thrilling. I thought the story was deliciously creepy and horrifying too, some parts had shivers racing down my spine! If it wasn’t for my struggle with the format this definitely would have been a 5 star read for me.
December 9, 2021
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected! Now to check out the mini series…
January 28, 2023
The storm of the century is a great story to read. It reads very easy and I like that it was written in a play through form. However, if you have seen the movie, you have read the book. I thought there would be extra scenes in the book that wouldn't be in the movie, but no. Still, I enjoyed it very much and if you like an adventure book, you should pick this book.
March 29, 2020
A once in a lifetime storm blows something extra into town that is far worse than the storm itself.
I have been collecting Stephen King books since junior high when I stashed away my first battered copy in a stuffed animal net hanging above my bed. My younger sister had already scribbled on enough of my books for me to know that the ones I loved most had to be hidden away. To this day, he is one of a few authors that I allow on my bookshelves. Most everything else I purchase ends up donated to the library after I finish reading them. It does pain me that he dabbles in other formats because my stubbornness regarding only reading physical copies of books won’t allow me to cave and experience them.
This book presented me with an opportunity to experience something different without breaking my own rule, so I was quite stoked to have it in my hands. After reading it I can confidently say that screenplays are not my preferred reading material. The format did not flow for me and my reading rhythm was constantly interrupted by stage left nonsense. The story itself was interesting but predictable so a bit more work there would have been appreciated. The same thing can be said about the characters. They were a smidge above average but also fell into the predictable category.
Three stars to a story that did not pique my interest enough to hunt down the miniseries.
I have been collecting Stephen King books since junior high when I stashed away my first battered copy in a stuffed animal net hanging above my bed. My younger sister had already scribbled on enough of my books for me to know that the ones I loved most had to be hidden away. To this day, he is one of a few authors that I allow on my bookshelves. Most everything else I purchase ends up donated to the library after I finish reading them. It does pain me that he dabbles in other formats because my stubbornness regarding only reading physical copies of books won’t allow me to cave and experience them.
This book presented me with an opportunity to experience something different without breaking my own rule, so I was quite stoked to have it in my hands. After reading it I can confidently say that screenplays are not my preferred reading material. The format did not flow for me and my reading rhythm was constantly interrupted by stage left nonsense. The story itself was interesting but predictable so a bit more work there would have been appreciated. The same thing can be said about the characters. They were a smidge above average but also fell into the predictable category.
Three stars to a story that did not pique my interest enough to hunt down the miniseries.
August 18, 2025
Ennesima opera del Re ed ennesima rivelazione di quanto King sia una narratore nato. Qui ci troviamo su una isoletta sperduta nel Maine e una terribile tempesta, appunto La tempesta del secolo, si sta intesificando e minaccia neve e distruzione. Gli abitanti di questa isoletta dovranno fare i conti con questa calamità naturale, ma sarà l'unica minaccia?
Opera più unica che rara nella corposa bibliografia dell'autore, perchè è stata scritta ed ideata come sceneggiatura. All'inizio non capivo cosa intedesse, nell'introduzione King ne spiega la genesi, ma appena iniziata l'opera ho capito che mi sarei trovato di fronte a qualcosa di particolare e se anche la forma è lontana dalle sue opere di narrativa, si sente subito la sua penna. Ineguagliabile!
Se all'inizio la forma a sceneggiatura mi aveva disorientato, ma positivamente, con l'andare delle pagine avevo avvertito una leggera piattezza nel raccontare gli avvenimenti, soprattutto secondo gli standard dell'autore, ma poi è filato tutto liscio. Mi verrebbe da dire: se lo avesse scritto come romanzo e non sceneggiatura, chissà che capolavoro sarebbe venuto su? Ma alla fine, dopo aver girato l'ultima pagina con la foto del Re, mi son rivolto a lui (alla foto) a fine libro e... Steve, come te nessuno mai!
Opera più unica che rara nella corposa bibliografia dell'autore, perchè è stata scritta ed ideata come sceneggiatura. All'inizio non capivo cosa intedesse, nell'introduzione King ne spiega la genesi, ma appena iniziata l'opera ho capito che mi sarei trovato di fronte a qualcosa di particolare e se anche la forma è lontana dalle sue opere di narrativa, si sente subito la sua penna. Ineguagliabile!
Se all'inizio la forma a sceneggiatura mi aveva disorientato, ma positivamente, con l'andare delle pagine avevo avvertito una leggera piattezza nel raccontare gli avvenimenti, soprattutto secondo gli standard dell'autore, ma poi è filato tutto liscio. Mi verrebbe da dire: se lo avesse scritto come romanzo e non sceneggiatura, chissà che capolavoro sarebbe venuto su? Ma alla fine, dopo aver girato l'ultima pagina con la foto del Re, mi son rivolto a lui (alla foto) a fine libro e... Steve, come te nessuno mai!
December 16, 2015
I remember seeing Storm of the Century (the movie) back when it first came out and really, really loving it. I've seen it a few times since then, but I'd yet to read the screenplay, so I did.
I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. I don't know if I would say that either one is better than the other... Each version brings something to the table. The movie version has creepy perfect Colm Feore, and while the book has stills from the movie, they just don't do him justice. And the movie has effects and interpretation that King left open, and in this case, because he wrote it with that in mind, it adds to the whole rather than being one of those annoying detractions from the perfect-as-is text that movie adaptations usually are. But the book has little bits of King's personality shining right through it, and the sections of information and direction, which I "heard" in King's voice (OK, not his REAL voice, but the one that I hear in my head for him - is that weird, that I replace his voice with a made-up version?) are riddled with mentions of other works (Dolores Claiborne and The Shining, for instance) and humorous asides, etc. These lighten the mood, but make us feel like we're floating along watching the action from above while the clouds narrate.
The book was definitely all King. His hands are all over this puppy. I don't know why I'm saying that like it's not obvious, but for some reason, I just felt like a screenplay would feel... different. It was like seeing everything in my head as the movie went along, which is quite possibly the point, although a lot of King's books read like movies. But this one felt different to me for another reason I'm just not really able to put my finger on. Maybe it was just the format - I'm so used to his novels and the personal feel of them that this felt like King dictating to someone else and that person writing the words in their odd and unfamiliar handwriting. Maybe I'm not making any sense at all. Could go either way.
I mean, you can see King's touch here simply in the dialogue. One example is the way that the townspeople use each other's full names as casually as they'd use nicknames. It kind of gives it a realism/informal/formality that struck me as something that is as "Maine Islander" as saying "ayuh". But this is subtle, and probably lots of people find it annoying, but I loved it... it was like a little enhancement that tipped the scales from being cliched patois to actual speech.
Moving on, I have to say that I really love the character of Andre Linoge - and no, NOT just because Colm Feore played him on TV - but because he is really, really creepy and sinister and... inevitable. He drops into these people's lives with no explanation and just starts wreaking havoc at every turn. He's horrible and cruel and evil, but he's also charming and funny and persuasive. And I will just say that I love the "Legion" reference. Legion is one of my favorite words and concepts, though that tidbit rarely makes it into everyday conversation, so when I see it I always get a little chill.
The last thing that I'll mention here is how much this story reminded me of Pet Sematary. Both stories deal with the loss of a child, and both are very bleak stories without much hope of redemption, but they are also both compelling and great stories about the choices that must be made when there are no winning outcomes. Nothing good can come of anything, but you must do something, so what do you do?
It's something worth thinking about. I'll tell you I'm not sorry to have been left out of the vote on this one, but I am glad that I read the book! :)
I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. I don't know if I would say that either one is better than the other... Each version brings something to the table. The movie version has creepy perfect Colm Feore, and while the book has stills from the movie, they just don't do him justice. And the movie has effects and interpretation that King left open, and in this case, because he wrote it with that in mind, it adds to the whole rather than being one of those annoying detractions from the perfect-as-is text that movie adaptations usually are. But the book has little bits of King's personality shining right through it, and the sections of information and direction, which I "heard" in King's voice (OK, not his REAL voice, but the one that I hear in my head for him - is that weird, that I replace his voice with a made-up version?) are riddled with mentions of other works (Dolores Claiborne and The Shining, for instance) and humorous asides, etc. These lighten the mood, but make us feel like we're floating along watching the action from above while the clouds narrate.
The book was definitely all King. His hands are all over this puppy. I don't know why I'm saying that like it's not obvious, but for some reason, I just felt like a screenplay would feel... different. It was like seeing everything in my head as the movie went along, which is quite possibly the point, although a lot of King's books read like movies. But this one felt different to me for another reason I'm just not really able to put my finger on. Maybe it was just the format - I'm so used to his novels and the personal feel of them that this felt like King dictating to someone else and that person writing the words in their odd and unfamiliar handwriting. Maybe I'm not making any sense at all. Could go either way.
I mean, you can see King's touch here simply in the dialogue. One example is the way that the townspeople use each other's full names as casually as they'd use nicknames. It kind of gives it a realism/informal/formality that struck me as something that is as "Maine Islander" as saying "ayuh". But this is subtle, and probably lots of people find it annoying, but I loved it... it was like a little enhancement that tipped the scales from being cliched patois to actual speech.
Moving on, I have to say that I really love the character of Andre Linoge - and no, NOT just because Colm Feore played him on TV - but because he is really, really creepy and sinister and... inevitable. He drops into these people's lives with no explanation and just starts wreaking havoc at every turn. He's horrible and cruel and evil, but he's also charming and funny and persuasive. And I will just say that I love the "Legion" reference. Legion is one of my favorite words and concepts, though that tidbit rarely makes it into everyday conversation, so when I see it I always get a little chill.
The last thing that I'll mention here is how much this story reminded me of Pet Sematary. Both stories deal with the loss of a child, and both are very bleak stories without much hope of redemption, but they are also both compelling and great stories about the choices that must be made when there are no winning outcomes. Nothing good can come of anything, but you must do something, so what do you do?
It's something worth thinking about. I'll tell you I'm not sorry to have been left out of the vote on this one, but I am glad that I read the book! :)
September 23, 2020
Little Tall Island off the coast of Maine.
A small, tight-knit community.
What happens on the island, stays on the island.
One day in February two incidents happen almost simultaneously: First, a storm is forming which the weather people call the Storm of the Century and threatens the islanders with a blizzard of as yet unseen proportions and second, the first murder occurs since the “accident” involving Dolores Claiborne.
The perp is quickly apprehended, because he didn’t leave the crime scene. A guy who calls himself Andre Linoge murdered an old woman for apparently no reason. The only policeman in town, who is also running the local grocery store, puts the man into custody in a makeshift cell, because there’s no way police from the mainland can fetch the murderer due to the weather conditions.
While Linoge is sitting behind bars, smiling his inscrutable smile, more deaths occur among the good people of Little Tall, and by and by the community begins to dissolve. In the end they are faced with an unsolvable moral dilemma.
I read this for the second time and I think I enjoyed it even more, now that I know about the ending. Stephen King has, once again, invented some really great characters and it’s fun to watch how they evolve (or diminish, it depends) throughout the book and Andre Linoge is one hell of a bad ass villain. Add to this the unique setting on a small island which is cut off from the world through the storm (you can almost hear the blizzard winds howling through the whole book).
The only small problem one might have with this book is this: It isn’t a novel in the strict sense. King wrote it as a movie script with numbered acts and scenes, neutral descriptions and stage directions. Can this really work? For me it does. I was literally flying through the pages near the end and my mental cinema was working overtime.
There was, of course, a film (actually a TV mini series in three parts) made from the “novel”, and both, book and film, are almost identical. The film isn’t bad at all, but I, as a faithful member of the tight-knit GR community, still prefer the written word over the moving pictures, even if it’s only a movie script.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
A small, tight-knit community.
What happens on the island, stays on the island.
One day in February two incidents happen almost simultaneously: First, a storm is forming which the weather people call the Storm of the Century and threatens the islanders with a blizzard of as yet unseen proportions and second, the first murder occurs since the “accident” involving Dolores Claiborne.
The perp is quickly apprehended, because he didn’t leave the crime scene. A guy who calls himself Andre Linoge murdered an old woman for apparently no reason. The only policeman in town, who is also running the local grocery store, puts the man into custody in a makeshift cell, because there’s no way police from the mainland can fetch the murderer due to the weather conditions.
While Linoge is sitting behind bars, smiling his inscrutable smile, more deaths occur among the good people of Little Tall, and by and by the community begins to dissolve. In the end they are faced with an unsolvable moral dilemma.
I read this for the second time and I think I enjoyed it even more, now that I know about the ending. Stephen King has, once again, invented some really great characters and it’s fun to watch how they evolve (or diminish, it depends) throughout the book and Andre Linoge is one hell of a bad ass villain. Add to this the unique setting on a small island which is cut off from the world through the storm (you can almost hear the blizzard winds howling through the whole book).
The only small problem one might have with this book is this: It isn’t a novel in the strict sense. King wrote it as a movie script with numbered acts and scenes, neutral descriptions and stage directions. Can this really work? For me it does. I was literally flying through the pages near the end and my mental cinema was working overtime.
There was, of course, a film (actually a TV mini series in three parts) made from the “novel”, and both, book and film, are almost identical. The film isn’t bad at all, but I, as a faithful member of the tight-knit GR community, still prefer the written word over the moving pictures, even if it’s only a movie script.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
January 25, 2023
Mentre lo leggevo (e rileggevo) pensavo: "quanto mi piacerebbe se King lo avesse scritto in maniera convenzionale; prosa, terza persona ecc."
Ma l'aspetto più apprezzabile di quest'opera è proprio la sua struttura, ovvero il fatto che si tratta di una sceneggiatura vera e propria, con tanto di descrizione dei movimenti di macchina e quant'altro. Non funziona tutto alla perfezione, ma la storia non è affatto male, il nostro cattivone (Linoge, un tipaccio apparentemente onnisciente e quasi onnipotente) ha una bella presenza e la caratterizzazione giusta, e gli eventi che coinvolgono i protagonisti sono forse un po' banali, per chi conosce bene King, ma messi in scena con capacità innegabile.
Inutile girarci intorno, avere per le mani una sceneggiatura non è come avere per le mani un romanzo, è un'esperienza diversa con una godibilità completamente diversa, ma si tratta di un esperimento interessante che dimostra un certo coraggio (anche se immagino sia molto facile per King essere coraggioso) o perlomeno la voglia di provare qualcosa di nuovo, e non è da sottovalutare.
Per essere pignoli il mio voto sono 3,2 stelline. Anche 3,3.
Ma l'aspetto più apprezzabile di quest'opera è proprio la sua struttura, ovvero il fatto che si tratta di una sceneggiatura vera e propria, con tanto di descrizione dei movimenti di macchina e quant'altro. Non funziona tutto alla perfezione, ma la storia non è affatto male, il nostro cattivone (Linoge, un tipaccio apparentemente onnisciente e quasi onnipotente) ha una bella presenza e la caratterizzazione giusta, e gli eventi che coinvolgono i protagonisti sono forse un po' banali, per chi conosce bene King, ma messi in scena con capacità innegabile.
Inutile girarci intorno, avere per le mani una sceneggiatura non è come avere per le mani un romanzo, è un'esperienza diversa con una godibilità completamente diversa, ma si tratta di un esperimento interessante che dimostra un certo coraggio (anche se immagino sia molto facile per King essere coraggioso) o perlomeno la voglia di provare qualcosa di nuovo, e non è da sottovalutare.
Per essere pignoli il mio voto sono 3,2 stelline. Anche 3,3.
January 3, 2025
No sabía que estaba escrita en formato guión de televisión así que fue toda jna sorpresa. Y bueno, prefiero leer novela pero aún así, una vez que te acostumbras no está mal. Aunque tiene como pega que no enpatizas tanto con los personajes ni con la historia.
Aún así, la trama me encanta, me parece muy original y aunque ya digo que pierde intensidad al no describirse tanto las imágenes más terroríficas, aún así merece la pena.
Hay escenas que me han puesto los pelos de punta (todo el tema demonios me da yuyu) y el final me parece lo mejor de toda la historia. Simplemente brutal.
Aún así, la trama me encanta, me parece muy original y aunque ya digo que pierde intensidad al no describirse tanto las imágenes más terroríficas, aún así merece la pena.
Hay escenas que me han puesto los pelos de punta (todo el tema demonios me da yuyu) y el final me parece lo mejor de toda la historia. Simplemente brutal.
October 24, 2022
Cavoli.....questo é il primissimo libro di Stephen King che leggo....eh si ho iniziato un po' tardi!
Tenendo conto che nemmeno ho visto il film (eh già io e i film, qualsiasi film,non andiamo molto d'accordo)che dire?
Bello bello !!!!!!
Non ho dato 5 stelline solo perché la scrittura in scenografia mi ha rallentata un pochino nella lettura....
Ma, per chi ha dei dubbi sul leggere o no questo libro, posso solo dire di farlo, non ve ne pentirete.
Tenendo conto che nemmeno ho visto il film (eh già io e i film, qualsiasi film,non andiamo molto d'accordo)che dire?
Bello bello !!!!!!
Non ho dato 5 stelline solo perché la scrittura in scenografia mi ha rallentata un pochino nella lettura....
Ma, per chi ha dei dubbi sul leggere o no questo libro, posso solo dire di farlo, non ve ne pentirete.
July 17, 2018
What I liked most of this book was the ending, and in the interest of not spoiling anything, you'll just have to read for yourself...
August 28, 2022
Basically anything I read from the King gets 5 stars. This creepy tale told entirely in screenplay format was interesting and eerie.
King wrote this story long ago specifically as a mini series for TV. Because of this certain things needed to be toned down for the viewing audience.
A huge nor’easter is hitting Maine and with it, it brings a dark powerful force who will stop at nothing to get what it wants. Lots of chills and kills.
King wrote this story long ago specifically as a mini series for TV. Because of this certain things needed to be toned down for the viewing audience.
A huge nor’easter is hitting Maine and with it, it brings a dark powerful force who will stop at nothing to get what it wants. Lots of chills and kills.
July 7, 2021
🌟🌟🌟 to Storm of the Century by Stephen King
Having just finished the brilliant Bag of Bones I wanted to start on the next book on my reread of King right away. That book it turns out is this, a screenplay for Storm of the Century, a three part mini series that aired in the 90s. There is actually connective tissue between both books as Bag of Bones with a storm that is also referred to as the Storm of the Century.
Anyway, the screenplay focuses on Little Tall Island and the community there. It’s been the setting for a few short stories and a novel called Dolores Claiborne, however King has never really had any supernatural activity happened there, at least not the evil kind. The story focuses on the island community that becoming cut off from the world by a brutal storm as a mysterious visitor by the name of Andre Linoge arrives in town and murders a local. This leads part-time Constable, and family man, Mike Anderson dealing with holding Andre in the towns tiny jail cell while dealing with the progressively worsening storm and increasingly panicked towns people. The make matters worse there seems to be something more to Andre that meets the eye.
If it sounds familiar, it’s because Storm of the Century echoes Needful Things in its beginning sections. Both are stories about town’s under siege. Andre comes across as a watered down version of Leland Gaunt, the villain of that book. Storm has the same big cast with a morally right individual in the form of Anderson at its centre. Reading the screenplay was difficult at times to remember who everyone was and to also invest in them as by its format alone it lacks the depth of a novel, which is why it loses some stars for me. It does have some good scares, one scene in particular where a group of characters are being stole away one by one in the middle of a snow storm. It also has one of the bleakest endings King’s ever written that in the build up for the reader is left screaming at the page saying ‘this can’t be happening!’ You have to give King applause for going there, he starts off this story in familiar territory and takes it somewhere uncharted for him in these big ensemble pieces. King is known for having hopeful endings so ending this story in this way is an interesting choice for him.
Original Review 2019
Storm of the Century to me read like a more thought out version of Under the Dome. The story focuses on a small community that becomes cut off from the world by a brutal storm while a mysterious visitor arrives in the community and begins murdering the locals by sinister means. There is no environmental message here like Under The Dome but this causes Storm of the Century to excel. There is no feeling of being preached to plus it has a distinct villain for readers to hate and fear whereas the later published story gave us what felt like a tact on explanation and villains behind the dome. Everything else is the same, a huge cast of characters, a town that is run by a dirt bag politician and even a reference to a member of communities secret drug business. After reading this, which was published years before Under the Dome, it feels like King decided to recover the ground he already covered in this story but with the extra environment message in. Perhaps, the idea behind was that seeing as Storm of the Century is a screenplay not a novel that he could expand the story he told here. Having read both I feel he got it right the first time with this story. Despite, it being a screenplay my reading experience was unaffected by this, in fact the story itself felt more like the type of stories King published in the 70s and 80s, which too many is considered his best period. The only criticism I found with this format is it is difficult to remember who everyone is, especially the supporting characters. Though, it doesn’t trip you up to bad as they are all fodder for the villain anyway. Plus, the screenplay has one of the bleakest endings King’s ever written that in the build up for the reader is left screaming at the page saying ‘this can’t be happening!’
Having just finished the brilliant Bag of Bones I wanted to start on the next book on my reread of King right away. That book it turns out is this, a screenplay for Storm of the Century, a three part mini series that aired in the 90s. There is actually connective tissue between both books as Bag of Bones with a storm that is also referred to as the Storm of the Century.
Anyway, the screenplay focuses on Little Tall Island and the community there. It’s been the setting for a few short stories and a novel called Dolores Claiborne, however King has never really had any supernatural activity happened there, at least not the evil kind. The story focuses on the island community that becoming cut off from the world by a brutal storm as a mysterious visitor by the name of Andre Linoge arrives in town and murders a local. This leads part-time Constable, and family man, Mike Anderson dealing with holding Andre in the towns tiny jail cell while dealing with the progressively worsening storm and increasingly panicked towns people. The make matters worse there seems to be something more to Andre that meets the eye.
If it sounds familiar, it’s because Storm of the Century echoes Needful Things in its beginning sections. Both are stories about town’s under siege. Andre comes across as a watered down version of Leland Gaunt, the villain of that book. Storm has the same big cast with a morally right individual in the form of Anderson at its centre. Reading the screenplay was difficult at times to remember who everyone was and to also invest in them as by its format alone it lacks the depth of a novel, which is why it loses some stars for me. It does have some good scares, one scene in particular where a group of characters are being stole away one by one in the middle of a snow storm. It also has one of the bleakest endings King’s ever written that in the build up for the reader is left screaming at the page saying ‘this can’t be happening!’ You have to give King applause for going there, he starts off this story in familiar territory and takes it somewhere uncharted for him in these big ensemble pieces. King is known for having hopeful endings so ending this story in this way is an interesting choice for him.
Original Review 2019
Storm of the Century to me read like a more thought out version of Under the Dome. The story focuses on a small community that becomes cut off from the world by a brutal storm while a mysterious visitor arrives in the community and begins murdering the locals by sinister means. There is no environmental message here like Under The Dome but this causes Storm of the Century to excel. There is no feeling of being preached to plus it has a distinct villain for readers to hate and fear whereas the later published story gave us what felt like a tact on explanation and villains behind the dome. Everything else is the same, a huge cast of characters, a town that is run by a dirt bag politician and even a reference to a member of communities secret drug business. After reading this, which was published years before Under the Dome, it feels like King decided to recover the ground he already covered in this story but with the extra environment message in. Perhaps, the idea behind was that seeing as Storm of the Century is a screenplay not a novel that he could expand the story he told here. Having read both I feel he got it right the first time with this story. Despite, it being a screenplay my reading experience was unaffected by this, in fact the story itself felt more like the type of stories King published in the 70s and 80s, which too many is considered his best period. The only criticism I found with this format is it is difficult to remember who everyone is, especially the supporting characters. Though, it doesn’t trip you up to bad as they are all fodder for the villain anyway. Plus, the screenplay has one of the bleakest endings King’s ever written that in the build up for the reader is left screaming at the page saying ‘this can’t be happening!’
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2018
Excelentísimo libro. Un pueblo de la isla Little Tall en Maine, sufre una de las peores tormentas de su historia, la denominada "tormenta del siglo". Pero esto no será lo único que padecerán, sino algo peor está de camino, un ser misterioso y terrorífico que pondrá el pueblo de cabeza. Un libro fascinante que posee personajes increíbles, su narrativa me resultó ágil y que engancha desde el primer momento, quizá algunos se sientan confundidos ya que está escrito en formato de guion de televisión, pero aseguro que se acostumbra muy rápido y se disfruta una lectura exquisita.
Video reseña en mi canal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBoZ...
Video reseña en mi canal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBoZ...
January 23, 2022
** The Stephen King Goodreads Discussion Group is doing a re-read of his works from the beginning to the end. It’s been a long time since I have really immersed myself in Uncle Stevie’s world, but a rate of a book a month, I am all in. My goal is to read and review each one with as much honesty and reflection that I can give. **
Background – “Storm of the Century” was an ABC television miniseries written by Stephen King in 1999. Unlike other television or movie adaptations of his work, it was not based on an already published novel. Rather, it was an original screenplay written by King and directly produced for television. He described the screenplay as a "novel for television".
However, the screenplay was published as a mass-market book by Pocket Books in February 1999 prior to its television broadcast. Length-wise - my oversized paperback lists it as 376 pages (and unfortunately it is not currently available electronically on my Kindle).
Plotline – The residents of Little Tall Island, a small island town off the coast of Maine, are facing the storm of the century. When it hits with a fury, the island is completely cutoff from the mainland, leaving the islanders to fend for themselves.
Along with the storm comes an even bigger enemy, in the form of a mysterious stranger calling himself André Linoge. As the storm begins, Linoge appears and kills Martha Clarendon, an elderly resident, by striking her with a black cane with a silver wolf’s head. No motive is apparent.
To make things stranger Linoge willingly allows himself to be taken in custody. Then he starts to share with others their deepest, darkest secrets. His only other communication is to repeat the following sentence - "Give me what I want, and I'll go away."
Over the next two days, the island residents will face the most terrifying combination of physical and emotional challenge they will ever face. Survival will not be likely…
Thoughts and Reflections – First of all, I have not watched the television mini-series that was produced from this screenplay, so I don’t how well it turned out and what changes were made to the final version. My comments will be solely based on the screenplay itself.
There were several good things that I really liked about how King presented this story. It definitely reminded me a lot of his previous novel “Needful things” where an evil stranger comes to a small town and awakens the bad side of the citizens to the point where they attack each other and pretty much destroy the town. There were similar themes in this one.
King successfully combined characters, plot, and setting into a well-delivered visual horror story. Even with a large cast of islanders, their families, and children he kept the storytelling tight, moving back and forth between two scenes at a time to build tension and momentum in his plotting. That strategy worked well for me layered the story telling one step at a time, building the conflict higher and higher in continuous fashion.
King just knows how to deliver on the formula of combining small town and horror. It’s his bread and butter and he is a master of it. Also, he avoided a cliché ending and delivered a mesmerizing climax that made me contemplate the decisions we make and the negative influence that group-think can force on individuals. Fear can really have a strong impact on people’s decision-making.
Other Notes – The book includes an introduction by King, who describes the creation of the story as it came to him in 1996, his initial debate of whether it worked best as a novel or a screenplay, and his writing of the miniseries script.
King has referred to this miniseries as one of his personal favorites of all the television productions related to his works.
Little Tall Island was also the setting of King's previous novel “Dolores Claiborne”.
Overall – This was surprisingly turned out to be much more enjoyable than I expected. It was an easy read that easily kept my attention and interest. I was leaning towards a four-star rating, but because I found the ending was powerful, authentic, and memorable, I am giving it a five-star rating.
Background – “Storm of the Century” was an ABC television miniseries written by Stephen King in 1999. Unlike other television or movie adaptations of his work, it was not based on an already published novel. Rather, it was an original screenplay written by King and directly produced for television. He described the screenplay as a "novel for television".
However, the screenplay was published as a mass-market book by Pocket Books in February 1999 prior to its television broadcast. Length-wise - my oversized paperback lists it as 376 pages (and unfortunately it is not currently available electronically on my Kindle).
Plotline – The residents of Little Tall Island, a small island town off the coast of Maine, are facing the storm of the century. When it hits with a fury, the island is completely cutoff from the mainland, leaving the islanders to fend for themselves.
Along with the storm comes an even bigger enemy, in the form of a mysterious stranger calling himself André Linoge. As the storm begins, Linoge appears and kills Martha Clarendon, an elderly resident, by striking her with a black cane with a silver wolf’s head. No motive is apparent.
To make things stranger Linoge willingly allows himself to be taken in custody. Then he starts to share with others their deepest, darkest secrets. His only other communication is to repeat the following sentence - "Give me what I want, and I'll go away."
Over the next two days, the island residents will face the most terrifying combination of physical and emotional challenge they will ever face. Survival will not be likely…
Thoughts and Reflections – First of all, I have not watched the television mini-series that was produced from this screenplay, so I don’t how well it turned out and what changes were made to the final version. My comments will be solely based on the screenplay itself.
There were several good things that I really liked about how King presented this story. It definitely reminded me a lot of his previous novel “Needful things” where an evil stranger comes to a small town and awakens the bad side of the citizens to the point where they attack each other and pretty much destroy the town. There were similar themes in this one.
King successfully combined characters, plot, and setting into a well-delivered visual horror story. Even with a large cast of islanders, their families, and children he kept the storytelling tight, moving back and forth between two scenes at a time to build tension and momentum in his plotting. That strategy worked well for me layered the story telling one step at a time, building the conflict higher and higher in continuous fashion.
King just knows how to deliver on the formula of combining small town and horror. It’s his bread and butter and he is a master of it. Also, he avoided a cliché ending and delivered a mesmerizing climax that made me contemplate the decisions we make and the negative influence that group-think can force on individuals. Fear can really have a strong impact on people’s decision-making.
Other Notes – The book includes an introduction by King, who describes the creation of the story as it came to him in 1996, his initial debate of whether it worked best as a novel or a screenplay, and his writing of the miniseries script.
King has referred to this miniseries as one of his personal favorites of all the television productions related to his works.
Little Tall Island was also the setting of King's previous novel “Dolores Claiborne”.
Overall – This was surprisingly turned out to be much more enjoyable than I expected. It was an easy read that easily kept my attention and interest. I was leaning towards a four-star rating, but because I found the ending was powerful, authentic, and memorable, I am giving it a five-star rating.
July 10, 2018
Reall loved this book.
June 17, 2021
La tempesta del secolo di Stephen King non è nato come romanzo, ma come sceneggiatura da cui poi è stato fatto un film.
Non è la prima sceneggiatura che leggo, quindi sapevo che non avrei avuto problemi con la lettura e infatti così è stato.
Siamo a Little Tall Island, la stessa isola dove Dolores Claiborne ha vissuto per tutta la vita e dove la sua storia è ambientata. La comunità è piuttosto esigua, ma ognuno conta su sé stesso e sugli altri; ci si dà una mano e soprattutto si mantengono i segreti, perché quello che accade sull’isola… resta sull’isola.
La tempesta del secolo è proprio questo: una tempesta di neve e vento come mai se ne sono viste. Potrebbe bastare questa condizione atmosferica per trasmettere un po’ di panico a chi non è abituato, ma gli abitanti di Little Tall Island possono affrontare di peggio.
Si ritrovano a dover a che fare con morti strane, omicidi e suicidi, ed è chiaro che tutte queste morti sono avvenute – non si sa bene come – per mano di Linoge: un essere ambiguo, che sembra un uomo, ma è chiaramente un mostro e che probabilmente è dotato di poteri che gli uomini non riescono nemmeno a immaginare.
Linoge pretende qualcosa dagli abitanti di Little Tall Island e quando avrà quello che vuole, se ne andrà, toglierà del tutto il disturbo.
Datemi un’isola e un po’ di tempesta (che sia vento forte, un freddo cane, il mare in burrasca non ha importanza) e io mi innamoro dell’ambientazione.
Devo dire che La tempesta del secolo non è nulla di nuovo nella produzione kingiana. Nei suoi libri ritroviamo spesso una piccola comunità chiusa, un dilagare inspiegato di follia e di morti sospette, un essere sovrannaturale e decisamente cattivo, di quelli che non solo ti fanno rabbrividire dalla paura, ma anche di quelli che ti fanno involontariamente storcere la bocca da quanto ti fanno schifo come persone. La tempesta del secolo per tutti questi motivi mi ha ricordato tantissimo Cose preziose. E sebbene questo libro mi sia piaciuto, potrei quasi dire che è una brutta copia di Cose preziose (non perché sia davvero brutto, ma semplicemente perché tra le due opere non ci sono paragoni).
Sebbene le storie di Stephen King con un’occhiata superficiale possano sembrare banali, sotto c’è molto di più. In questo caso l’autore pone gli isolani di fronte a un problema etico, se così lo vogliamo definire. Meglio sacrificare la vita di un singolo piuttosto che dell’intera comunità? Chiaramente la risposta più immediata è sì. Meglio la morte di una persona che di duecento persone, no? Si sceglie il male minore.
Ma la risposta resta “sì” quando questo significa piegarsi alla volontà del Male? La risposta resta “sì” quando questo significa portare alla dannazione e alla malvagità un essere fino ad allora innocente?
Cambia tutto, King complica sempre le cose. E mi piace. Mi piace perché porta il lettore a fare sempre un passo in più rispetto al suo solito, rispetto a quella che è la sua normalità. Ti porta a pensare, a riflettere, a dare risposte che non pensavi avresti dato, a dare risposte con cui non sei davvero d’accordo né tantomeno soddisfatto. Non è l’autore che con i suoi libri svolge un compitino (be’ qualche volta sì, ma nella maggior parte delle volte fortunatamente no). Forse è anche per questo che mi piace così tanto.
Credo che La tempesta del secolo avrebbe funzionato meglio come romanzo, ma forse questo l’avrebbe reso ancora più simile a Cose preziose. A me è andato bene anche così.
Non è la prima sceneggiatura che leggo, quindi sapevo che non avrei avuto problemi con la lettura e infatti così è stato.
Siamo a Little Tall Island, la stessa isola dove Dolores Claiborne ha vissuto per tutta la vita e dove la sua storia è ambientata. La comunità è piuttosto esigua, ma ognuno conta su sé stesso e sugli altri; ci si dà una mano e soprattutto si mantengono i segreti, perché quello che accade sull’isola… resta sull’isola.
La tempesta del secolo è proprio questo: una tempesta di neve e vento come mai se ne sono viste. Potrebbe bastare questa condizione atmosferica per trasmettere un po’ di panico a chi non è abituato, ma gli abitanti di Little Tall Island possono affrontare di peggio.
Si ritrovano a dover a che fare con morti strane, omicidi e suicidi, ed è chiaro che tutte queste morti sono avvenute – non si sa bene come – per mano di Linoge: un essere ambiguo, che sembra un uomo, ma è chiaramente un mostro e che probabilmente è dotato di poteri che gli uomini non riescono nemmeno a immaginare.
Linoge pretende qualcosa dagli abitanti di Little Tall Island e quando avrà quello che vuole, se ne andrà, toglierà del tutto il disturbo.
Datemi un’isola e un po’ di tempesta (che sia vento forte, un freddo cane, il mare in burrasca non ha importanza) e io mi innamoro dell’ambientazione.
Devo dire che La tempesta del secolo non è nulla di nuovo nella produzione kingiana. Nei suoi libri ritroviamo spesso una piccola comunità chiusa, un dilagare inspiegato di follia e di morti sospette, un essere sovrannaturale e decisamente cattivo, di quelli che non solo ti fanno rabbrividire dalla paura, ma anche di quelli che ti fanno involontariamente storcere la bocca da quanto ti fanno schifo come persone. La tempesta del secolo per tutti questi motivi mi ha ricordato tantissimo Cose preziose. E sebbene questo libro mi sia piaciuto, potrei quasi dire che è una brutta copia di Cose preziose (non perché sia davvero brutto, ma semplicemente perché tra le due opere non ci sono paragoni).
Sebbene le storie di Stephen King con un’occhiata superficiale possano sembrare banali, sotto c’è molto di più. In questo caso l’autore pone gli isolani di fronte a un problema etico, se così lo vogliamo definire. Meglio sacrificare la vita di un singolo piuttosto che dell’intera comunità? Chiaramente la risposta più immediata è sì. Meglio la morte di una persona che di duecento persone, no? Si sceglie il male minore.
Ma la risposta resta “sì” quando questo significa piegarsi alla volontà del Male? La risposta resta “sì” quando questo significa portare alla dannazione e alla malvagità un essere fino ad allora innocente?
Cambia tutto, King complica sempre le cose. E mi piace. Mi piace perché porta il lettore a fare sempre un passo in più rispetto al suo solito, rispetto a quella che è la sua normalità. Ti porta a pensare, a riflettere, a dare risposte che non pensavi avresti dato, a dare risposte con cui non sei davvero d’accordo né tantomeno soddisfatto. Non è l’autore che con i suoi libri svolge un compitino (be’ qualche volta sì, ma nella maggior parte delle volte fortunatamente no). Forse è anche per questo che mi piace così tanto.
Credo che La tempesta del secolo avrebbe funzionato meglio come romanzo, ma forse questo l’avrebbe reso ancora più simile a Cose preziose. A me è andato bene anche così.
March 16, 2021
This is the third time I read The Storm of the Century (first time in English) and it's always a pleasure ! The fact that the book is actually a movie script makes it really graphic and it gives you a different experience which you should definitely live at least once !
The horror is a bit less intense than in other King's Books, probably due to the fact that the movie was for the general public but the book is thrilling and worth reading :-)
The horror is a bit less intense than in other King's Books, probably due to the fact that the movie was for the general public but the book is thrilling and worth reading :-)
February 9, 2020
Wooooow!!! Al ser un guión, no esperaba que me gustase tanto!!
Es que se trató de una lectura distinta, con planos detallados que se dibujaban en mi mente. La historia plantea un dilema ético que te tiene con el suspenso a flor de piel. Definitivamente, tengo a un nuevo villano en mis tops.
Es que se trató de una lectura distinta, con planos detallados que se dibujaban en mi mente. La historia plantea un dilema ético que te tiene con el suspenso a flor de piel. Definitivamente, tengo a un nuevo villano en mis tops.
June 15, 2015
"Un libro diferente a lo que estamos acostumbrados, pues realmente es un guión de televisión, que nos narra como los habitantes de una isla se ven aislados por una tormenta y encima deben hacer frente a la aparición de un hombre misterioso que amenaza las vidas de todos ellos. Con una estructura que hace un poco confusa la lectura al principio, el relato va atrapando al lector y mostrando los estragos que pueden causar ciertos sucesos en las actitudes de la gente y como quien menos te lo esperas, esconde secretos que no imaginas. El final hace reflexionar sobre hasta donde se puede estar dispuesto a llegar con tal de sobrevivir...".
Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...
Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...
October 24, 2020
In questo mondo ci si passa pagando.
January 20, 2019
Las historia es tan King..
July 30, 2022
A good thriller/suspense/ horror by Stephen king.
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
July 22, 2022
Il buon vecchio King. Trama accattivante. Una lotta senza quartiere tra due protagonisti magistralmente tratteggiati. Un tocco di soprannaturale ben orchestrato. Una comunità oltre la cui facciata perbenista, si celano peccati, egoismo, ipocrisia. Un bivio inatteso verso il finale, che suscita domande e crea grande immedesimazione. Storia straordinaria, quindi? Ni, perché scritta sotto forma di sceneggiatura e destinata, come accade alle opere teatrali se messe su carta, a risultare freddina e di difficile lettura. Peccato. Traslato in forma di romanzo sarebbe diventato uno dei suoi capisaldi letterari, secondo me.
September 16, 2020
kein gewöhnlicher King-Roman
1989: Ein Jahrhundertsturm bedroht die Küste Maines und die Einwohner von Little Tall Island treffen Vorkehrungen. Einige flüchten aufs Festland, andere bleiben und bereiten die Schutzmaßnahmen vor. Und ausgerechnet jetzt geschieht ein brutaler Mord auf der Insel. Der Täter wird gefasst (lässt sich vielmehr fassen), doch eine Zelle hält Andre Linoge nicht davon ab, weiteres Unheil über die Inselbewohner zu bringen. Und schon bald wird ihnen klar, dass sie es nicht mit einem gewöhnlichen Mörder zu tun haben. Doch was will Linoge?
»Der Sturm des Jahrhunderts« (OT: Storm of the Century) ist kein gewöhnlicher King-Roman, obwohl man den Stil des Autors auch hier deutlich herauslesen kann. King schrieb die Geschichte exklusiv für einen TV-Film (ABC), wie er im überaus interessanten und humordurchsetzten Vorwort berichtet. Es handelt sich hier also um ein Originaldrehbuch aus dem Jahr 1999, das nur noch gebraucht erhältlich ist. Die gleichnamige TV-Miniserie wurde noch im gleichen Jahr produziert.
Hat man sich erstmal an den Stil gewöhnt, liest sich die Geschichte sehr flüssig. Mit vielen Figuren und Kings typischem Faible für kleinere Ausschweifungen hier und da sollte man allerdings klarkommen. Es ist auch keine actionreiche, schnell erzählte Geschichte. King lässt sich viel Zeit, baut gemächlich die unheilvoll, anschwellende Atmosphäre auf. Ich persönlich mag das, und in diesem Fall lebt das Kopfkino davon umso mehr, da es ja zusätzlich noch durch die Regieanweisungen unterstützt wird. Natürlich gibt es auch brutale und schaurige Momente, aber der Fokus liegt hier eher auf den sozialen Konflikten innerhalb der Gemeinschaft. Dafür hat King ein Händchen, das beweisen bereits viele seiner Romane (In einer kleinen Stadt und Die Arena beispielsweise).
Und auch die Gemeinschaft von Little Tall wird vor eine schwere Prüfung gestellt. Der vermeintlich festgesetzte Mörder Linoge leitet das mörderische Spiel, dirigiert die Inselbewohner – seine Geiseln – wie Puppen, um dann zum finalen, vernichtenden Schlag auszuholen. Was er tut, was er verlangt und warum – das muss man selbst lesen. Ich für meinen Teil habe die Lektüre sehr genossen, auch wenn es ein paar Ungereimtheiten und auch an der ein oder anderen Stelle Vorhersehbarkeiten gab. Die düstere, unheilvolle Stimmung, die psychologischen Machtspielchen, die Gewissensfragen – all das transportiert King intensiv und authentisch.
Fazit
Eine sehr gute und lesenswerte Geschichte, die vor allem ein intensives Kopfkino garantiert und auch stark zum Nachdenken anregt. Kleinerer Ungereimtheiten zum Trotz unterhält »Der Sturm des Jahrhunderts« hervorragend und bereitet besonders an dunkeln und kalten Herbstabenden auf der Couch so einige wohlige Gänsehautmomente.
1989: Ein Jahrhundertsturm bedroht die Küste Maines und die Einwohner von Little Tall Island treffen Vorkehrungen. Einige flüchten aufs Festland, andere bleiben und bereiten die Schutzmaßnahmen vor. Und ausgerechnet jetzt geschieht ein brutaler Mord auf der Insel. Der Täter wird gefasst (lässt sich vielmehr fassen), doch eine Zelle hält Andre Linoge nicht davon ab, weiteres Unheil über die Inselbewohner zu bringen. Und schon bald wird ihnen klar, dass sie es nicht mit einem gewöhnlichen Mörder zu tun haben. Doch was will Linoge?
»Der Sturm des Jahrhunderts« (OT: Storm of the Century) ist kein gewöhnlicher King-Roman, obwohl man den Stil des Autors auch hier deutlich herauslesen kann. King schrieb die Geschichte exklusiv für einen TV-Film (ABC), wie er im überaus interessanten und humordurchsetzten Vorwort berichtet. Es handelt sich hier also um ein Originaldrehbuch aus dem Jahr 1999, das nur noch gebraucht erhältlich ist. Die gleichnamige TV-Miniserie wurde noch im gleichen Jahr produziert.
Hat man sich erstmal an den Stil gewöhnt, liest sich die Geschichte sehr flüssig. Mit vielen Figuren und Kings typischem Faible für kleinere Ausschweifungen hier und da sollte man allerdings klarkommen. Es ist auch keine actionreiche, schnell erzählte Geschichte. King lässt sich viel Zeit, baut gemächlich die unheilvoll, anschwellende Atmosphäre auf. Ich persönlich mag das, und in diesem Fall lebt das Kopfkino davon umso mehr, da es ja zusätzlich noch durch die Regieanweisungen unterstützt wird. Natürlich gibt es auch brutale und schaurige Momente, aber der Fokus liegt hier eher auf den sozialen Konflikten innerhalb der Gemeinschaft. Dafür hat King ein Händchen, das beweisen bereits viele seiner Romane (In einer kleinen Stadt und Die Arena beispielsweise).
Und auch die Gemeinschaft von Little Tall wird vor eine schwere Prüfung gestellt. Der vermeintlich festgesetzte Mörder Linoge leitet das mörderische Spiel, dirigiert die Inselbewohner – seine Geiseln – wie Puppen, um dann zum finalen, vernichtenden Schlag auszuholen. Was er tut, was er verlangt und warum – das muss man selbst lesen. Ich für meinen Teil habe die Lektüre sehr genossen, auch wenn es ein paar Ungereimtheiten und auch an der ein oder anderen Stelle Vorhersehbarkeiten gab. Die düstere, unheilvolle Stimmung, die psychologischen Machtspielchen, die Gewissensfragen – all das transportiert King intensiv und authentisch.
Fazit
Eine sehr gute und lesenswerte Geschichte, die vor allem ein intensives Kopfkino garantiert und auch stark zum Nachdenken anregt. Kleinerer Ungereimtheiten zum Trotz unterhält »Der Sturm des Jahrhunderts« hervorragend und bereitet besonders an dunkeln und kalten Herbstabenden auf der Couch so einige wohlige Gänsehautmomente.
March 1, 2025
4.5 stars
Very enjoyable, eerie screenplay. A fast read, interesting characters, sometimes an eye roll to their actions (like
Characters 9
Atmosphere 9
Writing Style 9
Premise 9
Execution/Plot 9
Execution/Pace 9
Execution/Setup 9
Enjoyment/Engrossment 9
Very enjoyable, eerie screenplay. A fast read, interesting characters, sometimes an eye roll to their actions (like
Characters 9
Atmosphere 9
Writing Style 9
Premise 9
Execution/Plot 9
Execution/Pace 9
Execution/Setup 9
Enjoyment/Engrossment 9
June 15, 2018
I think there is a certain art to reading plays-it's jarringly different from reading a straight up prose novel. I have read my share over the years but wow has it been a long time. Storm of the Century is technically a teleplay, but let's not split hairs. This book was good and certainly packs a wallop but I found the play format to be a distraction and hindrance rather than a boon. Mr. King can surely write about some painful things-I just think this book might have had more punch if it had been presented as a regular novel instead.
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