A Book A Week

I’ve often preached the good word about author Stephen King, urging readers to look beyond his horror proclivities—most of which he hasn’t fully embraced in decades—to recognize that he is, quite simply, one of the best authors writing today. His prose flows effortlessly, his plots are consistently imaginative (even if he doesn’t always stick the landing), and above all, he creates characters that feel fully lived-in. While I do enjoy the eerie, often unsettling situations that form the backbones of many of King’s novels, it’s the characters who keep me coming back.

Among the most compelling of those characters is Holly Gibney. What began as a supporting role in the Bill Hodges trilogy has evolved into something much larger—she’s now appeared in two standalone novels, a novella, and she continues to grow in complexity with each new outing. Clearly, she’s taken up as much space in King’s imagination as she has in ours. With Never Flinch, King brings Holly back for another dark, gripping mystery, cementing her place as one of his most enduring protagonists.

Detective Izzy Jaynes is at her wits’ end with her latest case. It begins with the Buckeye City Police Department receiving a letter from a disturbed individual threatening to kill thirteen innocent people and one guilty person, retribution, they claim, for a jury that wrongfully convicted an innocent man. The threat turns all too real when a murder victim is found clutching the photo of a juror involved in that conviction. When a second body turns up under the same circumstances, Izzy knows she needs help, and fast. She turns to her friend Holly Gibney.

Holly, meanwhile, has her hands full. As the head of the private detective agency Finders Keepers, she’s juggling multiple cases while working to keep the business afloat. Her latest assignment is serving as bodyguard to Kate McKay, a controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist on a multi-city speaking tour. While McKay’s events draw passionate supporters, they also attract aggressive detractors—one of whom has begun actively targeting her. What starts as disruptions quickly escalates, and Holly is brought on to provide protection. The task is anything but easy. Kate is headstrong, and the stalker is growing bolder, driven by wrath and a dangerous sense of righteousness. With two intense cases demanding her attention, Holly must work quickly to untangle both before more lives are put at risk.

In Never Flinch, Stephen King puts his beloved hero Holly Gibney at the center of two intersecting mysteries. There's no supernatural twist this time. As with her previous outing, the real horror lies in the monstrous acts ordinary people are capable of. Both plotlines build toward a convergence that showcases King at his page-turning best. That said, I found myself wanting to enjoy this novel more than I actually did.

Part of the issue lies in the setup of the two central cases, both driven by timely but overtly political themes. The injustices of the court system and the attacks on women’s rights are undeniably relevant, especially in today's climate. I often agree with King’s views, but here the political messaging felt more forced than organic, unlike the seamless way he incorporated COVID into Holly. The themes themselves are worthy. It's their execution that feels heavy-handed.

Then there’s the handling of queer characters. There is one possibly transgender character and two gay characters who seem to exist mainly to serve tragic ends. The language used doesn’t always reflect contemporary understanding or nuance, either. While I know King is passionately progressive on many issues, his portrayal of queer characters continues to lag behind the care and depth he affords others.

These missteps might have been easier to overlook if the mystery had delivered more surprises. The story builds nicely and ends in a satisfying place, but it all feels too predictable. Never Flinch is a decent crime novel, but it doesn't reach the heights of the best entries in the Holly Gibney series or in King’s larger body of work. I enjoyed it, but I expected more.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 46)

October wouldn’t be complete without reading at least one novel by the master of horror, Stephen King. The iconic American author has ventured into various genres in recent years, skillfully crafting thought-provoking plots and deeply developed characters. Yet it’s horror that made King a household name, and his ability to terrify readers will remain his lasting legacy. With that in mind, I knew I wanted to tackle a classic King novel this season, and 'Salem's Lot seemed like the perfect choice.

Jerusalem's Lot is a charming, postcard-perfect small town in New England. It is the kind of place where everyone knows each other and it feels safe to raise a family. Author Ben Mears returns to the Lot, a town he once called home, hoping to confront some personal demons while working on what he hopes will be his breakout novel. His focus is the ominous Marsten House, a decaying mansion that casts a long shadow over the town.

Mears has long believed the house harbors a deep evil, and his suspicions grow when a mysterious new resident, an antique dealer named Mr. Straker, moves in. Not long after, strange events begin to plague the town—children disappear, people fall ill under mysterious circumstances, and creeping darkness seems to envelop the community. As Mears investigates, he uncovers a chilling truth: Straker is merely a pawn for an ancient, far more sinister force threatening to consume the entire town. Now, Mears and a small group of allies must fight for their lives, testing their courage and resolve as the line between life and death blurs.

Originally published in 1975, following the success of Carrie, 'Salem's Lot established many of the signature elements that would come to define Stephen King's body of work. The protagonist is an author—an autobiographical archetype King would revisit in numerous future novels. The setting is a small Maine town, the cast is large and richly developed, and the narrative is driven by a horrifying evil layered with complexity. I'll admit, the first third of the novel took some time to get into. King dedicates much of this section to meticulously introducing the town and its residents. While this slow build pays off later when the action intensifies, it does give the book a bit of a sluggish start.

However, it’s the sheer terror of 'Salem's Lot that has secured its lasting legacy. King’s twist on the classic vampire tale infuses familiar elements with his unsettling, unique vision. On the surface, the novel is about a town gradually succumbing to an ancient monster’s darkness. On a deeper level, it reflects the decline of small-town America, once the heart of the country, and already beginning to fade when the book was first published. Because King brings this setting and its inhabitants to life with authenticity and depth, the horrors they face feel all the more chilling. 'Salem’s Lot remains a timeless Stephen King classic, proving that masterful storytelling will always endure.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 79)

For five decades, Stephen King has captivated audiences with his richly developed characters, imaginative narratives, and knack for crafting stories that truly scare us. My journey with King's works began in my senior year of high school with the hefty Duma Key, and I've been an avid reader ever since. I strive to incorporate his books into my regular reading rotation, balancing his latest releases with the classic titles that have cemented his status as a household name. His newest effort, You Like It Darker, sees the author returning to his roots with a collection of short stories that showcase the genre-bending breadth of his writing prowess.

Like most short story collections, You Like It Darker has its share of hits and misses. Fortunately, the stories I found to be misses were the shorter ones. I could see King experimenting with his usual array of literary devices, but ultimately, the brevity of these tales left me wanting more. That being said, many of the stories were well worth the price of admission. Here’s a breakdown of my top three favorites.

Perhaps the most buzzed-about story in this collection is Rattlesnakes, the sequel to King's classic novel Cujo. It follows Vic Trenton, who readers will remember lost his young son to a rabid St. Bernard decades ago. Now a recent widower, the 76-year-old Vic rides out the COVID-19 pandemic at a friend's house in the Florida Keys. There, he meets an elderly woman whose personal tragedy mirrors his own. Rumor has it that she lost her twin boys decades ago and now pushes around their empty stroller, unable to acknowledge that her children are gone forever. The two grieving parents continue to cross paths, perhaps connected by their shared sorrow or something more sinister. When the woman meets a tragic end in one of the most gruesome scenes in the entire book, she leaves Vic an unusual inheritance, one that will reopen old wounds and torment him all over again.

Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream stems from a simple idea: What if you dreamed about the location of a murdered body? Would you seek it out? Would the authorities believe you truly dreamed it, or would they suspect you as the killer? This is the longest story in the collection, and it seems most in line with King's recent foray into crime thrillers. At nearly 200 pages, the work feels the most complete, providing a tense "what if" scenario that hits all the right notes.

The final story in the collection is quintessential Stephen King. The Answer Man imagines a protagonist who stumbles upon a simple table with a red umbrella. Sitting beneath the shade is the Answer Man. For a nominal fee, the Answer Man promises to truthfully answer whatever question you ask. Is that knowledge a blessing or a curse? This story highlights what King excels at: finding deep unease and philosophical uncertainty within the lives of everyday people. I think that's why we connect so deeply with his writing. We see glimmers of ourselves in the flawed people who inhabit his world. Yes, there are absolutely crazy things happening a lot of the time, but that connection to his characters and his ability to ground absurd plot points in reality have sustained him for his entire career.

The afterward of the book reads as both a thank you and a retrospective. King admits to liking only two of his finished works, The Green Mile and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. In the golden years of his life, however, he continues to follow his imagination and chase the thrill of writing something that truly captures magic. For the sake of us readers, I hope he continues that pursuit.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 44)

Next year will begin Stephen King's sixth decade as a bestselling author (with his initial hit, Carrie, hitting shelves in 1974). In that time, he's certainly earned the freedom to explore any genre that captures his imagination. Recently, the horror maestro has developed a keen interest in crime fiction. His 2021 release, Billy Summers, is a testament to this fascination. The acclaimed author takes on the narrative of a killer for hire, presenting a hitman with a moral compass reminiscent of Jeff Lindsay's iconic character, Dexter. Given my enduring appreciation for King's literary prowess, it was the perfect choice to bring my year of reading to a close. 

In the novel's opening, King skillfully acknowledges the well-worn trope he's about to delve into. Billy Summers, an Iraq War veteran turned assassin, is on the verge of concluding his career with one last job. Fully aware of the tendency for final assignments to go awry, Summers, nevertheless, decides to take on this task. For this ultimate job, he adopts the guise of a fictitious author, settling in the vicinity to complete a classified project as part of his massive book deal. While awaiting the arrival of his target, Summers uses his time to craft a fictionalized narrative of his own life. This pursuit unexpectedly becomes a source of genuine enjoyment for him.

As anticipated, the job takes an unexpected turn. This is the juncture where the narrative truly intensifies. Summers, compelled to go into hiding, finds his aspirations for a seamless departure from his criminal life delayed. Lacking the payment from this pivotal assignment, he's left without the means to execute his planned disappearance. While grappling with his dilemma, he unexpectedly crosses paths with a young woman facing an even more dire situation than his own. What ensues is a tale of an improbable partnership, propelling these two individuals on a riveting journey of revenge and redemption.

Billy Summers is a solid three-star thriller from Stephen King, blending elements of pulp fiction with in-depth character explorations that affirm the author's enduring literary heft. While the novel takes its time to gain momentum, and the initial character establishment of the eponymous Billy Summers may feel prolonged, the narrative becomes thoroughly engaging once the action kicks in. King skillfully manipulates well-worn genre tropes, infusing each with his signature twist. Introducing a female character serves to counterbalance Summers' ruthlessness, providing a necessary foil to the main character. It's essential to note that the novel contains prevalent triggers of rape and violence; however, King handles these darker elements with purpose, adding depth to his characters and driving their connection. If there's a critique, it lies in the book's length, which could have benefited from some trimming to enhance the overall storytelling. Nonetheless, concluding 2023 with this novel was a thrilling experience.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 93)

Stephen King needs no introduction. His name has been synonymous with bestselling novels for decades. However, it's worth noting that King is often unfairly categorized solely within the horror genre. In reality, his talent for crafting deeply complex characters and gripping narratives is what has solidified his position as a literary icon. Consider his self-proclaimed "favorite character," Holly Gibney. She debuted as a minor character in the initial book of his Bill Hodges trilogy in 2014, but her impact on both the author and his readers was so profound that she has since appeared in four additional books. This culmination has led to King's latest work, Holly, where the private detective takes on a solo case that promises to enthrall not only King's loyal fan base but any reader who appreciates a good mystery.

The story begins during the height of the pandemic, a challenging time for everyone. Holly finds herself grappling with the recent loss of her mother, a tragedy exacerbated by her mother's skepticism regarding the virus's risks. Her private investigating partner, Pete, is also sidelined due to his own battle with COVID-19, and the operations of their agency, Finders Keepers, are temporarily suspended. Given Holly's tendency toward hypochondria, the new normal of isolation and health protocols actually suits her. When she receives frantic pleas for help from Penny Dahl, a mother desperately searching for her missing daughter, Bonnie, something within Holly is stirred. Whether it's the mother's overwhelming distress or Holly's own grief over her mother's passing, she can't ignore this case. Despite her reservations, Holly decides to take on the investigation, embarking on a solo journey to unravel the mystery.

Blocks away from the last known location of Bonnie Dahl stands the unassuming residence of Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. These octogenarians have mostly retired from their academic careers but maintain an active social life, hosting gatherings for fellow scholars and students, projecting an image of bourgeois respectability. To outsiders, the Harrises appear to be an ordinary elderly couple enjoying their retirement. However, beneath this façade lies a dark secret hidden in their basement, a secret that demands cunning, patience, and ruthlessness. It is this very secret that holds the key to the Bonne Dahl case. As she delves deeper into the investigation, this secret may very well cost Holly her life. 

Holly sees Stephen King deliver an enthralling missing person story that diverges from his typical supernatural horror realm, firmly grounding itself in reality. This departure highlights that genuine horror can lurk in our own neighborhoods and emphasizes the unsettling notion that individuals who seem entirely ordinary may hide unimaginable darkness within them. Holly Gibney, the central character, receives remarkable development, struggling with the universal grief and uncertainty experienced during the pandemic. While some may interpret King's commentary on COVID deniers as overtly political, it serves to magnify the palpable reality of those times. Holly is a rare example in King's repertoire where the narrative exhibits a clear and sensible direction, even if the conclusion feels too neatly tied up. Altogether, this novel reinforces King's reputation as one of the foremost masters in the field. Each new novel he writes is a literary gift to the world, and I certainly hope he has more to share with us. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 82)

During the ongoing Spooky Season, I've been diligently making my way through a list of eerie films that I've been wanting to watch. Among them is Mr. Harrigan's Phone, a Netflix movie adapted from one of Stephen King's short stories found in If It Bleeds. The story in question was a standout piece in the collection, so I held high expectations for its cinematic adaptation. With Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum as producers and John Lee Hancock as the director, it appeared to have the ideal team of filmmakers to do justice to the story.

The movie transports us back to the early 2000s, a period when technology was on the verge of reshaping the world as we knew it. Jaeden Martell, acclaimed for his role in another Stephen King adaptation, It, portrays the young Craig. In the film, Craig is still mourning the loss of his mother and doing his best to console his equally grieving father. Demonstrating remarkable dedication, he regularly reads at church services, where his performance captures the interest of another churchgoer, Mr. Harrigan. Portrayed by the formidable Donald Sutherland, Harrigan is a reclusive billionaire who becomes fascinated by Craig's reading skills. He hires the boy to come to his mansion each week and read classic novels to him. To express his gratitude, Harrigan occasionally surprises the boy with a scratch-off lottery ticket.

This routine continues for several years, with Craig advancing into high school. He has faced difficulties in making friends in his new environment and has unwittingly become the target of a bully. Seeking guidance on how to deal with his adversaries, Craig poses the question to Harrigan. In response, Harrigan ominously utters, "harshly."

Craig's life turns unexpectedly when he scratches off his latest lottery ticket, revealing a substantial prize of a few thousand dollars. Thrilled by his newfound wealth, he purchases two brand-new iPhones, one for himself and the other for Mr. Harrigan. Initially hesitant about the technology, Harrigan gradually recognizes its value in having real-time information at his fingertips. He becomes captivated by the device, diverting his attention away from the books Craig continues to read.

Then, one fateful day, upon arriving for their customary reading session, Craig discovers the lifeless body of Mr. Harrigan in the same chair where he always sat. Overwhelmed by shock and sorrow, he keeps Harrigan's iPhone as a lasting memento of their time together. During Harrigan's funeral, Craig discreetly places the phone in the casket alongside him.

Several days later, grappling with an intense sense of loss and yearning for his mentor and friend, Craig calls Harrigan's phone. As anticipated, the call is directed to voicemail. Yet, when he attempts texting, he is astonished to receive a response. Soon, Craig finds himself confiding his deepest thoughts to the deceased man. More disconcertingly, a series of mysterious events begin to unfold.

Stephen King's short story operates as a pertinent parable on the hazards of technology. In characteristic King style, he underscores this moral with hints of horror to drive his message home. The film adaptation explores comparable themes, but the necessity to elongate the brief tale into a full-length feature movie dilutes the narrative with extraneous elements. Martell and Sutherland's performances brim with sincerity and manage to capture the essence of the written characters. However, even their acting prowess cannot rescue the film from succumbing to its own excess. The story attempts to stretch both the coming-of-age facet and the supernatural elements in a manner that never effectively integrates them. Neither aspect is fully developed to its utmost potential. Instead, the result is a narrative that shares the same foundational elements as the source material but ultimately falls short of replicating the impact of the original text.

“End of watch is what they call it, but Hodges himself has found it impossible to give up watching"

I'm an avid reader, so it's not uncommon for a few books to slip through the cracks. In anticipation of Stephen King's latest release, Holly, which came out earlier this month, I had a realization—I had missed reading End of Watch, the final installment in the Bill Hodges Trilogy, and the third book featuring the character Holly Gibney. It's a bit puzzling, considering I had already read the first two books and also enjoyed The Outsider and If It Bleeds. Somehow, I managed to overlook this particular story. Determined to correct this oversight, I promptly borrowed End of Watch from my local library. I can confidently say it provides a satisfying conclusion to the narrative that commenced with Mr. Mercedes.

Brady Hartsfield, the deranged mastermind behind the horrifying Mercedes Massacre, has languished in a vegetative state ever since his nefarious plans to bomb a massive concert were thwarted by the unlikely heroes Bill Hodges and Holly Gibney. Holly, in particular, is the one responsible for delivering blows to his head that left him seemingly devoid of cognitive function. Hodges, with his keen instincts, refuses to be deceived. He recognizes true evil when encountering it and remains convinced that the monster is still lurking "in there" somewhere within Hartsfield. The vacant stares and the wheelchair-bound existence do little to convince him otherwise.

Hodges hasn't quite settled into retirement. The cop in him never truly fades. Even in his new role as a private detective, he finds himself yearning for the thrill of the chase. When his former partner calls upon him and Holly to investigate a suicide victim connected to the original Mercedes case, Hodges is chilled by what he discovers. While the police perceive it as a straightforward, self-inflicted death, Hodges cannot shake the gnawing suspicion that Hartsfield may somehow be linked to this tragedy. Could it be possible that the malevolent presence is orchestrating terror from the confines of his hospital bed?

I've always admired how Stephen King used the first two books in the Bill Hodges series to illustrate that true horror can exist in the real world. Instead of relying on supernatural monsters, these stories centered around an ordinary man determined to unleash evil upon the world. It was a chilling departure from King's usual style and deepened my appreciation for his storytelling skills.

End of Watch takes a slightly different tone from the first two books. While it continues to explore profound themes like the battle between good and evil and the struggle to let go of one's past, King introduces a new element to the narrative. Without giving away too much, a supernatural aspect is woven into the story, adding an eerie new layer to the tale. If I had read this book in its intended sequence within the series, I might have found this shift into the realm of fantasy somewhat unexpected. It arrives without a clear explanation, requiring readers to simply accept it and enjoy the ride. However, when considered within the broader context of this literary world, including the newer books featuring Holly, the introduction of the supernatural element begins to make more sense.

Regardless of the subject matter, End of Watch is a fitting conclusion to the Bill Hodges series. It kept me engrossed in its pages, and I was apprehensive about what terrors would unfold right up to the very end.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 61)

"I don't mean to scare you, but sometimes a scare is the only lesson that works."

For nearly half a century, author Stephen King has delighted readers with his particular brand of horror. I've been enjoying his books for as long as I could stomach them. Some of his more nefarious creations (I'm looking at you, Pennywise) scared me when I read them and have frightened me ever since. His novel Later has been waiting on my shelf for nearly a year. Be it my usual procrastination or perhaps a hesitance to submit myself to the kind of terror only Stephen King can provide, I've waited until I had the perfect moment to read it. Cold weather and the seasonal sickness that comes with it meant I finally had ample time to read it over the weekend. 

Young Jaime Conklin has a secret, something only he and his single mother know about. His mother has enough struggles to worry about without Jaime's secret. She longs for him to just be normal. But Jaime is anything but ordinary. You see, Jaime can see dead people. When he first revealed this gift to his mother, she was skeptical, but Jamie knows things that he wouldn't otherwise know. Only by communicating with the dead is he able to glean such information. For better or worse, the boy has had to learn to live with this curious ability.

Jaime is pretty used to seeing dead people now. At least, he's as used to it as one could be considering the abnormality of it all. He still gets jarred a bit when he sees the battered remains of someone who met their demise in a particularly gruesome method, but he's come to accept his ability for what it is. Jaime has learned to harness his gift to do good for others. He helps a widower recover jewelry from his late wife, he helps a late author reveal the final installment in his anticipated series, and now he's about to help the NYPD try to stop a murderer from continuing his spree from beyond the grave. For all of his good intentions, however, nothing can prepare Jaime for the darkness that he's about to unleash. 

Every new novel we get from Stephen King seems like a gift to the world. Later is no exception. It is a testament to his mastery as an author that King continues to produce fiction that thrills and delights as well or even better than he did decades ago. The power of King's writing has always rested in his penchant for crafting deeply developed characters amongst the wild scenarios that he places them in. The coming-of-age elements that permeate this novel only help to ground the young main character into the more supernatural events that unfold. In that way, Later plays like a cross between The Sixth Sense and The Wonder Years. At a fairly brief couple hundred pages, the novel expertly balances between both building the character and thrilling the reader. It comes together into a novel that is as unputdownable as it is emotionally satisfying. King continues to fire on all cylinders, gifting us with the privilege to experience storytelling as only he can convey. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 51)

There's no denying the fact that I'm a Stephen King fan. Be it his doorstop sized horror novels or the crime novels he's turned to more recently, I always look forward to reading his writing. He has the ability to suck the reader into a story and connect with characters in a way few other authors do. All that being said, I've never read his collections of short stories or novellas. Sure, I've enjoyed his shorter works like Elevation and Joyland, but I've yet to cross paths with any of his collections. Enter his latest release If It Bleeds. This collection of 4 novellas was the perfect excuse to explore a new to me side of King's writing.

Mr. Harrigan's Phone sees King flashback to 2007, the year the iPhone was released. This one reads like something from The Twilight Zone! A young boy, Craig, is encouraged to read at church and catches the attention of the local billionaire Mr. Harrigan. The elderly Harrigan is in the twilight of his investment career and is losing his eyesight. For a few bucks each day, Craig reads to the man each day. Harrigan also gifts the boy scratch-off lottery tickets. When Craig strikes it big (a couple thousand bucks) he buys an iPhone for himself and another for Harrigan. This opens up a new world for the man, foreshadowing the way technology would impact the lives of many. When Harrigan dies, the boy places the iPhone in the casket with him. Days later and really missing his mentor and friend, the boy decides to call Harrigan's phone. Unsurprisingly, the call goes to voicemail. When the boy texts him, though, he is shocked to receive an answer!

The Life of Chuck is Kings most ambitious entry to the collection. Told in three acts going in reverse, it teases the end times and focuses on the life of Chuck Krantz. The earth is being ravaged by extreme weather and the failure of the grid. Advertisements line the streets with the strange message "39 great years! Thanks, Chuck!" Told backward, King answers the questions of the reader just as each act gets to a peak. While I enjoyed the structural ingenuity of this one, I felt like it was the weakest of the bunch.

The titular novella If It Bleeds is worth the price of admission alone. It sees the return of King's go-to hero of the last several years, Holly Gibney. This is the same socially awkward private detective from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy and The Outsider. If you haven't read either of those books, you might be better off skipping this story for now. There are spoilers aplenty about the ends of both of those narratives, so consider yourself warned. This novella sees Gibney face the kind of monster she thought she was rid of in The Outsider. This one feeds on the suffering and grief of others and takes the form of a news reporter to satisfy its hunger. This is easily the best entry in the entire book. I loved being able to revisit the characters from the previous novels, and I thought King did an excellent job of expanding the mythos of the monster he created in The Outsider. King seems to love writing about this character. If every work featuring her is this strong, I say bring them on!

If Mr. Harrington's Phone was like an episode from The Twilight Zone, then the final entry Rat is more like something from Tales from the Crypt. It tells the story of author Drew Larson and his obsession with trying to write a novel. You see, Drew has been acclaimed for his short stories, but attempting a novel-length work always ends in the kind of mental breakdown that causes him to rethink his entire life. But now he has an idea for a new novel. The kind of work that could really put him on the map. Drew convinces his wife to allow him to travel to his father's isolated cabin to write the book. At first, the words come easily, but then the familiar downward spiral begins. In a last-ditch effort to save the book and finally finish a novel, Drew makes a dark deal with a rat in exchange for finishing the novel and then...well you'll just have to read to find out!

If It Bleed is yet another solid piece of writing from the famed Stephen King. I found three out of the four stories to be completely engaging and inventive. The really great thing about this book is that it shows a variety of the kind of books King can write. You've got the moral fable of Mr. Harrington's Phone, the formal inventiveness of The Life of Chuck, the hard-boiled mystery tinged with the supernatural of If It Bleeds, and the pure psychological horror of a classic King novel in Rat. As with any collection that features different styles throughout, your mileage may vary with some of these, but I think they are all worth a read. I can finally check off a Stephen King story collection from my list, and I'm happy that If It Bleeds was the one I chose to read.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 21)

The year 2019 has come and gone, and we are left with the promise of a new decade. The latter half of the year saw tremendous professional growth for me, but my blog suffered because of it. I just didn't have time to get my reviews written and posted. To both make up for the lost time and to start 2020 off in a productive light, I've decided to start the year off with a review that didn't get posted last year. I'll probably intersperse reviews of books I read last year amongst the books I'm reading now and mark them with the appropriate corresponding year at the bottom of each post. Here are my thoughts on Stephen King's latest book The Institute. 

It started on a whim. Tim was aboard his flight to New York when the airline began offering cash and free flights to bump someone from the flight. As the price grew, Tim became more and more eager to accept the offer. Finally, he did. He stumbled into a small town and took a job as a night knocker. And just like that, the story shifted to something completely different.

Young Luke is starting to face the fact that he isn't like his classmates. Not only is he the "smart kid", but he might actually be a genius. As his parents prepare to move him to the kind of school that will foster and challenge his unique intellect, Luke is excited about what the future holds. Everything changes when he is awakened in the night by several intruders. He is captured and taken to the Institute. His room there is a poor facsimile of his own room at home, the kind of place that gets all the details correct except for the ones that truly matter. Devoid of the love and support of his family, Luke turns to the other children in the place. They too have been stripped of their lives and are subjected to strange tests of both physical and mental ability.

At this point, I read a Stephen King novel based purely on him being the author. Over the years, he has earned the status of "must-read" based upon his ability to mix complex characters with engaging plots that challenge me as a reader. Much like Luke, I went into The Institute with no idea what I was getting into. King bookends Luke's story with that of Tim, a structural device that surprised me at first. I was so engrossed in Luke's journey that I had all but forgotten about Tim. Rest assured, both narrative threads come together in a way that is both satisfying and fresh. There's a layer of the supernatural to the story that is classic King. He grounds the fantasy to reality through a cast of characters that I instantly connected to. The past couple of years have been a kind of Stephen King renaissance with countless movie adaptations, TV series, and new books from the author. With The Insitute, King proves he has plenty more to offer his voracious readers.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2019, 36)

I love a good horror movie. There’s something fun about getting sucked into the suspense of a spooky story that plays with your imagination and emotion. No one has had more success in crafting terrifying tales than Stephen King. The author’s books have become an ever-giving well of inspiration to countless movie adaptations. While film versions of King’s books are too numerous to list, the most recent success was the 2017 retelling of It. The movie played on the nostalgia of those who read the book and watched the 90’s mini-series and introduced the nightmare of Pennywise the Clown to a whole new generation. It focused on the Losers Club as children, presenting only half of King’s novel on the screen. Now, director Andy Muschietti concludes the story by bringing the adult losers to life in It Chapter Two.

This movie is a continuation of the first film, so you’ll definitely want to watch it before venturing into this one. Chapter Two picks up 27 years after the first film. The losers are all grown up and living their separate lives away from Derry. Most have forgotten the details of the year they faced a horror that banded them together and forced them to vow to return if it ever happened again. Only Mike Hanlon remains in the town, keeping watch for the cyclical evil of Pennywise to resurface. When a man witnesses his boyfriend being murdered by a clown outside of the Derry fair, Mike is certain the time has come. It is time for the Losers Club to come back to Derry and fight It again.

It Chapter Two sees Stephen King’s story fulfilled in a way that should leave both diehard fans of the novel and casual fans of the first film completely satisfied. At nearly three hours long, the movie manages to fit in most of the plot details from the novel while never feeling bloated or overlong. This sequel sees the filmmakers take the story into a much darker place in terms of both scares and tone. At first, I was a little thrown off by this change in tone, but I’ve come to appreciate the motivation behind it. Gone is the childlike innocence of the first film. Instead, the losers are adults forced to reconcile their pasts and face the horrors of a long-forgotten threat.

The adult losers have been perfectly cast with James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain both bringing an introspective layer of dread to the grown-up Bill and Beverly. Bill Hader, who plays the adult version of Finn Wolfhard’s Richie, shines above the pack with one of the best performances of his career. He manages to subtly balance the humor of his character with the harsh realization that his childhood insecurities are still haunting him. Bill Skarsgård is more terrifying than ever as Pennywise the Clown. Tim Curry’s take on the character still scares the heck out of me, but Skarsgård has more than made this version of the monster his own.

Overall It Chapter Two does everything it sets out to do as a satisfying conclusion to the story that the first film began. It isn’t as endearing as its predecessor, but I don’t think it was ever intended to be. This is a lengthy, imaginative, and mostly faithful adaptation of a behemoth of a novel. Amongst the other big blockbuster films, It Chapter Two dares to try something different. This isn’t another superhero movie. This is an ode to all things horror, a victory lap for a filmmaking team that managed to adapt a challenging novel into a smash hit. I loved every second of these two movies and highly recommend them.

Over the last several years, horror movies have seen a resurgence in the public eye. Series like The Conjuring films have proven to be both critical and commercial smashes at the box office. Other horror films, like Get Out and Us from Jordan Peele, have added a newfound sense of prestige to the genre. If you're a studio looking to make a movie that isn't a superhero film, horror is a pretty safe bet. It should come as no surprise then that many filmmakers are turning to Stephen King as a tried and true source for terrifying stories that the public loves. King has sold millions of copies of his novels and adaptations of his works have proven reliable box office draws for over 30 years. When I heard that a remake of Pet Sematary was releasing, I was excited to relive King's story once again.

Like the novel it is based upon, this latest film iteration follows the story of the Creed family. Dr. Louis Creed(Jason Clarke) and his wife Rachel(Amy Seimetz have brought their two kids from the fast-paced life in Boston to the more relaxed town of Ludlow, Maine. Louis is excited to take on the role of the campus Doctor for the local university. He hopes that more stable hours will give him more time to spend with his family on their new rural home. Directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer interrupt the idyllic setting with the jolt of a large tanker truck blasting along the road next to the Creed home. As the family eagerly brushes off the interruption of the truck in favor of exploring their new home, the audience is filled with the dread of the inevitable events to come.

Things immediately don't go as planned when Louis is unable to save a student from a gruesome accident. He's haunted by this death, seeing the deceased student in his dreams. Through a flashback that is one of the more terrifying moments in the film, we see how Rachel's childhood family trauma has scarred her and left her unwilling to discuss the topic of death. When the Creed's cat is killed by one of those fast-moving tankers, Louis is determined to keep the death a secret from his daughter. He turns to his elderly neighbor Jud, played here by an excellent John Lithgow, to dispose of the corpse. Jud leads Louis beyond the borders of the old Pet Sematary that lies on their property to the far off remains of an ancient burial ground. Little do they know that this simple task dooms their fate to be full of unimaginable horrors.

While much of this new Pet Sematary is quite faithful to both King's novel and the original film adaptation, it struggles to breathe new life into the story. As I sat watching, I found myself feeling as if the narrative was dragging while simultaneously skipping past important plot points. It was as if the filmmakers were so eager to get to the "spooky" parts that they didn't give enough time for their characters to reflect on all the crazy stuff that had just happened. Tethered by a script that doesn't give them room to soar, the actors weren't able to elevate their characters into believable and empathetic people. When some of them inevitably came back as undead versions of themselves, it was hard to differentiate between the two. In the end, Pet Sematary is one of those remakes that simply doesn't have a good reason to exist. While I didn't hate it, I can't say that I really enjoyed it either. It was an exercise in redundancy. Before filmmakers rush to readapt any other King stories, maybe they should remember that "sometimes dead is better."

"Death is a mystery, and burial is a secret."

With the upcoming release of a new film version of Pet Sematary, I decided to revisit Stephen King's classic novel. I first read the book years ago and remember it being a different kind of horror. Unlike some of King's more graphic stories, Pet Sematary was a slow-burning family drama that chilled me to my core. This time, I opted to listen to the audiobook narrated by Michael C. Hall.

The unease begins to mount from the very beginning. Louis Creed has moved his family from the city to rural Maine. They seem to be the perfect family. Doctor Creed, his wife, daughter, and son exude normalcy. But from their first moments in their new home, they know something isn't right. Louis quickly befriends his elderly neighbor Jud who warns the Creeds to be wary of the busy road that separates their two properties. Jud has seen that road claim countless pets over the years and recommends the Creeds have their cat fixed before it becomes the next victim.

Jud's warning becomes prophecy when Louis discovers the battered remains of the family cat lying on the road. His family isn't home, but he knows his daughter will be devastated. Jud suggests Louis burry the feline in the 'Pet Sematary' on the edge of Creed's property. The pair take a moonlit stroll into the former Native American burial ground to put the family cat to rest. Little does Louis know that he's about to find out why "sometimes dead is better."

Originally released over 35 years ago, Pet Sematary remains as terrifying and relevant as ever. I've always argued that the strength of King's writing lies not in his ability to conjure spooky scenarios, but in the way he crafts relatable characters who transcend genre and time. Louis Creed is recognizable as a young father trying to give his family the best life possible while facing the same kind of obstacles that any parent encounters. How do we teach our youth about life, death, and the unfairness that tragedy brings? King's fable smartly ponders these questions while weaving a tale of suspense that culminates in an ending that will leave you reeling for days and weeks to come. As King seems to say in all of his work, sometimes the scariest things in life lie not in the nightmares of our imagination but in the everyday moments of life itself.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 11)

In recent years, Stephen King has strayed from his horror roots to write novels that focus more on real-life scenarios. The Outsider, released earlier this year, arguably combined the best of both old-school-horror and Kings more recent sensibilities. In Elevation, an end of the year novella, King again combines a focus on real-world issues with a touch of fantasy.

Elevation is probably best described as a fable. Scott, a resident of Castle Rock, has an interesting medical dilemma. He's losing weight each day, but nothing he physically does seems to stop that process. He loads his pockets with heavy metal, but his weight is exactly the same. As time progresses, the weight loss starts to speed up. At the rate he's going, Scott only has a couple months before the scale hits zero.

As Scott is coming to terms with his dwindling mass, he's also battling it out with his new neighbors. One half of the married lesbian couple runs through the neighborhood each day. She brings their two dogs with her, both of whom have no problem using Scott's front yard as their toilet. After a pretty ugly confrontation, Scott decides to put things to rest and befriend the couple. He's heard the murmurs from other townspeople who don't approve of the couple's same-sex relationship. Determined to right some wrongs, Scott formulates a plan to set things right between the town and the couple.

Elevation works as a story of moral integrity and acceptance, themes that grow more and more poignant as the year has progressed. Those of you expecting a terrifying read from Mr. King should probably steer clear of this one. I've seen that the book was chosen as Goodreads best horror novel of the year, but that genre doesn't really reflect what Elevation is. Instead, it is a well-written and timely tale of one man's will to leave the earth a little better than when he got here. It wasn't what I expected, but it was ultimately a very quick and rewarding read.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2018, 44)

"The supernatural may exist in books and movies but not in the real world."

Although Stephen King is known mostly for his horror-filled novels that feature the kind of supernatural monsters that keep us awake long after we finish reading them, his most recent books have focussed more on the nightmares of the real world. With his latest release, The Outsider, King again roots his story in an unthinkable reality. The quiet town of Flint City has been rocked by the gruesome discovery of a murdered child. The scene is grim. The boy was sexually violated, murdered, and unceremoniously left in the city park. Only a monster could commit a crime so heinous. Fortunately for law enforcement, they have enough irrefutable evidence to lock that monster up for a very long time.

Terry Maitland is a pillar of his community. He's a loving father, husband, and teacher. Terry is in the midst of coaching the local Little League team into a championship game. The entire town is watching with respect and admiration. Suddenly the townspeople see this affection turn to confusion and disbelief. Detective Ralph Anderson arrives at the field with police lights flashing. He approaches Terry, reads his rights, and cuffs Terry's hands behind his back. With the whole town looking on in bewilderment, Terry is arrested for the appalling murder of the young boy.

Authorities know the case is a lock. It is hard to believe such a well-regarded citizen could commit such an unimaginable crime, but the evidence doesn't lie. If the multiple witnesses seeing a blood-soaked Terry leaving the park aren't enough, the DNA evidence placing him at the scene should solidify his guilt. There's only one glaring problem. Terry and his team have an equal amount of irrefutable evidence that points to his innocence. He wasn't even in Flint City during the murder. How can a man be in two places at once?!

I've always been a fan of Stephen King. I know he's seen as one of the greatest horror authors of all time, but I'd argue he is one of the greatest authors period. His penchant for well-drawn characters and intriguing plotting defies the confines of genre and makes his writing some of the best in modern literature. The first half of The Outsider solidifies this point. King presents Terry's situation in a way that allows the reader to empathize with both sides of the situation. Detective Anderson is dealing with the shock of seeing evidence that reveals an upstanding citizen and friend to be a murderer. On the other side, Terry is desperately trying to prove his innocence. He even has evidence that cements his alibi. King masterfully keeps the pages turning as he explores this impossible situation.

The second half of the book sees the narrative shift in a way that takes away a bit from the drama of what precedes it. It almost reads as if King wasn't sure how to explain the impossibility himself. To be fair, the ending is still well written, but I left me wanting a little bit more. King continues to build his own world by incorporating a character from his Bill Hodges trilogy. Having read many of King's novels, it is always fun to spot little easter eggs from his other works. The Outsider falters a bit in the end, but it is still a reminder of Stephen King's extraordinary storytelling prowess.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 36)

I've had a busy summer keeping up with a reading schedule of mostly new releases. I have a few weeks before my next ARC hits the shelves, so I've decided to take the next couple of weeks to catch up on some of the books that have been languishing on my shelf. To kick things off, I turned to a book that has been on my shelf for nearly a decade. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters first caught my eye when it appeared in the top spot on Stephen King's best books of the year list in 2009. I was just starting my undergraduate degree and was turning to fiction as an escape from my other course reading. I quickly bought a copy of the novel, and it has sat on my bookshelves ever since. Nine years and hundreds of books later, I finally decided to give it a read.

"We see what punishing business it is, simply being alive."

Following the end of WWII, the once sprawling estate of Hundreds Hall has turned into a disheveled remnant of a time that is soon to be forgotten. Most of the rooms sit vacant, in fact, the entire estate is empty save for an elderly mother and her two adult children. Each child does their part to keep the home running. The daughter tends to the home as best as she can while keeping her mother occupied. The son, injured from the war, does his part to keep the farm afloat. The mother spends her days thinking back on the way things used to be.

Things seem to be looking up for the family when they are finally able to gain the aide of the young housemaid. Sure, it is not the large staff that used to keep Hundreds Hall buzzing with activity and prestige, but any help is welcome. When the young girl falls ill, the family decides to ring Dr. Faraday, the son of a maid who worked his way to become a successful country doctor. Faraday quickly surmises that the girl's illness is not a physical ailment but rather simple homesickness. Faraday prescribes a day off and is on his way. But something keeps drawing him back to Hundreds Hall. The more time he spends there, the more sinister it seems.

I went into this one expecting a novel filled with shock and horror. What I got was a more straight-forward work of historical fiction with slight tinges of understated suspense. That's not to say that The Little Stranger isn't scary. Rather than the pure horror of the traditional sense, Waters writes a nuanced character study that brims with a dark undertone that is far more unsettling. After making it through the rather laborious opening portion of the book, I found myself completely enthralled with the characters who inhabit it. The decaying home of Hundreds Hall becomes a physical representation of the characters as they erode into the hysteria of paranoia and unrest. I don't know that The Little Stranger will end up making my own year-end list of best books, but I do know that it provided a chilling read and different pace from my usual summer reading.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 31)

Stephen King is best known for being the creator of nightmares for generations. His horror novels are some of the bestselling and most well-known books that have ever been written. What the general public may not realize is that there is much more to Mr. King than spooky stories. One of his more recent undertakings has been the Bill Hodges trilogy, a set of novels that focuses on a retired police detective. I read the first book Mr. Mercedes last year and completely fell in love with the story. King crafted a solid thriller with a flawed but endearing protagonist and terrifying bad guy. Devoid of his usual haunts, Mr. Mercedes showed how horror could invade the real world.

Finders Keepers, the second novel in the trilogy, begins with a completely new set of characters. In the late 1970's author John Rothstein has become known more for his seclusion from the rest of the world than the brilliant novels he wrote years earlier. After all of the acclaim of his writing, he completely disappeared from the public eye and stopped producing new works. Now there are three masked men inside his isolated home. They immediately go to the large safe that houses all of the cash that Rothstein has stowed away. One of the thieves seems more interested in the more than 150 moleskin notebooks in the safe. The money is valuable, but the price of the unpublished writings inside these notebooks could have a much greater significance.

The first part of the book alternates between the flashbacks of the Rothstein robbery and aftermaths with the much more modern story of thirteen-year-old Peter Sauber. Peter's family has had a tough time since the financial crash of 2008. Their financial woes are compounded by the debilitating injuries that their patriarch suffered during the heinous attack that was detailed in the opening of Mr. Mercedes. While walking through the brush between the local recreation center  and his home, Peter discovers a trunk buried into the roots of a tree. Inside he finds $20,000 in cash along with countless moleskin notebooks. This could either be the salvation his family needs or the beginning of something much worse.

Bill Hodges doesn't appear until the second half of the novel. Several years after the events in the previous book, he has started his own private investigation firm and taken a much more proactive outlook on his health and life. He is still haunted by the crimes of Brady Hartsfield, the psychotic mastermind behind the crimes of the last novel. Hodges gets drawn into Peter Sauber's story when Peter's sister comes to his office.

While not as engaging as Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers is still a worthy a read. The story here is mostly new, meaning that it could probably work as a standalone. Still, I'd recommend starting with the first book so that you pick up on all the pieces that connect the two. I don't think I've ever read a bad book by Stephen King. His characters are strong, the plot moves quickly, and the mystery is strong. All that said, I couldn't help but feel like something was missing from this one. The villain was never as terrifying as Brady Hartsfield, and the conclusion seemed a bit inevitable to me. Nevertheless, I was glued to the pages and completed the novel in just a few sittings. The book ends with a brief tease of what promises to be a thrilling conclusion in the next story, so I'll definitely be picking up End Of Watch soon.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 13)

Stephen King is no stranger to Hollywood adaptations of his works. Over the course of his career, many of his novels and short stories have been turned into big screen films. This year alone has seen the adaptation of The Mist and Mr. Mercedes on TV and film versions of The Dark Tower and Gerald's Game. With today's release of a new take on Stephen King's iconic story It, one thing has become certain. It sure is a great time to be a Stephen King fan.

Perhaps no other Stephen King novel has managed to remain a part of the cultural zeitgeist like It. The terrifying tale of a killer clown who shifts into versions of your own personal fears has stood the test of time. While Tim Curry put forth an acclaimed performance as Pennywise the clown in the 1990 miniseries adaptation of the novel, the rest of that version failed to capture the true spirit of King's creation. With the release of this new adaptation of It, director Andy Muschietti attempts to finally do justice to King's landmark book.

The film focuses on the childhood portions of the novel, opting to leave the present day adult section for a forthcoming sequel. On a rainy day, Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) makes a paper boat for his brother Georgie to sail down the streets. Sick in bed, Bill sends his brother outside. When Georgie's boat drifts into a storm drain, he is surprised to see the shadowed figure of Pennywise the Dancing Clown lurking beneath the drain. The clown lures the boy closer until Georgie is unable to escape, and an ancient ritual that resurfaces every 27 years begins again.

A year later, Billy and his family are still reeling from the disappearance of Georgie. Georgie isn't the only child who has gone missing. In fact, a full on epidemic seems to be coming down on the normally quiet town of Derry, Maine. Children are disappearing left and right. As school lets out for the summer, Billy and his friends, a group of nerds and outcasts who call themselves The Loser's Club, set out to find any sign of the missing kids. As their investigation mounts, each child begins to be haunted by Pennywise. He tailors his appearance to fit the particular fear of each kid. Faced with the realities of the thing that is haunting them, they must stand up to their fears for the sake of their own lives and the well-being of the entire town.

It brilliantly captures the nostalgia of the past while reinvigorating Stephen King's story for modern audiences. With a running time of over two hours and an R rating, Muschietti's film has the freedom to present the aspects that made the novel so engrossing. There is ample time for each character to develop, and the horror aspects are realized in all their gory detail. Bill Skarsgard breathes new life into Pennywise the Clown, crafting a character that sends chills down your spine every time he's on the screen. Dawned in an Elizabethan costume and aided by some subtle computer effects, Pennywise becomes the thing of nightmares and the driving suspense for the entire film.

Stephen King's novels are known for their shocking horror, but the horror is always used in the aide of developing his characters. As such, it is the development of the children in the movie that truly makes It worth the price of admission. Each child gives a performance with a depth of emotion that is mature and nuanced. Whether they are dealing with grief, a bully, or abuse at home, each character has a particular obstacle that they need to overcome. You can't help but root for this group of misfits as they battle their personal demons and join together to conquer a being of pure evil. It completely lives up to the hype and surpassed my highest expectations. I can't wait for the filmmakers to have their hands at the second part to this story.

I'll preface this review by saying that I've never read any of the novels in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. I've been a fan of King's since discovering Duma Key in high school, and I've been reading his new releases and catching up on old ones ever since. Hollywood has spent years trying to develop the epic novels into a film, citing the dense plot and sprawling mythology as reasons for the delay. Finally, today marks the release of a film that King fan's are sure to come into with high expectations.

The Dark Tower opens with the image of the titular tower standing as a beacon against the darkness that threatens to invade the universe. As long as the tower stands, the world is safe. The mind of a child is said to hold the power to destroy the tower, thus destroying the universe. We see children harnessed into chairs, light emitting from their heads, shooting into the sky, and striking the tower. It is all quite grim and apocalyptic.

The film is centered around young Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor), a boy whose dreams reveal visions of the tower and those who seek to destroy it. He is haunted by the images of the Man in Black, played by an understated Matthew McConaughey, using children to exact his destruction of the world. Drawings of these visions plaster the wall of his New York bedroom. Jake's mother is concerned with his odd behavior and sends him to therapists to try to interpret these visions. Little do they know, the images are real.

Idris Elba is the star of the show as Roland the gunslinger who exists to protect the tower. Jake travels through a portal to enter Mid-World, the home of Roland and the Man in Black. The best parts of the film lie in those all too short moments between Roland and Jake. There is true chemistry between the characters that goes tragically underdeveloped.

The Dark Tower is one of those book adaptations that seems draw on the characters and world of the novels, rather than the actual story. The rich plot and characters of the books seem to have been abandoned in favor of a lean 95 minute movie that only has time to gloss over the plot and character development.  Frankly, the movie hints at a larger mythology that the short running time doesn't allow for. The promise of a forthcoming TV series that continues this story excites me with the prospect of filling in the gaps of this movie. For all of its faults, The Dark Tower is still an enjoyable film. It is the rare summer blockbuster that has a true beginning, middle, and end, an attribute that makes for a satisfying conclusion. While filmmakers throw in several nods to Stephen King's other works (I spotted The Shining, Cujo, and 1408), fans of the Dark Tower books may end up being disappointed. Having gone into the theater with an open mind, I actually had a good time with it.

"The people in charge can always justify doing terrible things in the name of the greater good."

Over the years, I've become a fan of Joe Hill. His early works, 20th Century Ghost Stories and Horns showed that the young author's imagination could conjure characters and scenarios that were as thought provoking as they were entertaining. I enjoyed his last novel NOS4A2, a genre-bending throwback to the kind of novels that his father is famous for producing, so much, that I was ready to devour anything he could come up with next. The Fireman is a sprawling story written by an author who has full control of his craft.

In the novel, Hill imagines a world that is riddled with a plague. The mysterious Dragonscale first emerges as a topical affliction that causes dark marks to appear on infected peoples' skin. Eventually the infected spontaneously combust. The disease is highly contagious and spreads like wildfire. Harper Grayson, an elementary school nurse who models herself after Mary Poppins, first encounters the disease at her school. As the book opens, she witnesses one of the infected men burst into flames on the school playground. Clearly, this is no Disney movie.

Months later, the disease has evolved into a full on epidemic. Harper finds herself volunteering at the local hospital when a disturbance in the line of infected people waiting to be admitted arises. A fireman dressed in full uniform is holding a small boy and demanding that a doctor see them immediately. Harper steps in to bring order to the situation and to try to help the child in any way that she can. Who is this mysterious fireman and why is he holding this child?

I won't go into much more about the plot, and I would urge you to try to go into the story as blind as possible. With the main focus being Harper Grayson's dealing with the epidemic, The Fireman becomes one woman's tale of survival against all odds. As she faces the horrible reality of a world engulfed in disease and flames, Harper attempts to maintain her morality and personal safety.

Joe Hill's latest novel reminds me why I have enjoyed his previous works so much. He populates the book with imaginative characters whose evolution serves as the book's primary propulsion. At over 700 pages, The Fireman can drag on at times, but the slow burning suspense that permeates the book helped to keep me reading. Echoes Bradbury and Orwell fill the crevices of this tale with cautionary revelations and warnings that are inevitable in a book of this nature. Somehow the book left me wanting something more and equally wishing it had been a bit shorter. Even if the story overstays its welcome, The Fireman is a solid effort by Hill that easily cements his well-deserved place on our bookshelf.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2017, 16)