The Talisman
Published: 8, November 1984
Author: Stephen King & Peter Straub
Genre: American, Classic, Dark, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Occult, Shape Shifter, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Werewolf
Book 1 of 3: Talisman (The third book has not yet been published.)
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
The Talisman is a fantasy collaboration novel written by Stephen King and Peter Straub in 1984. Although there is one indirect allusion to a Sir Walter Scott novel, the narrative is unrelated to Walter Scott's 1825 novel of the same name. In 1985, The Talisman was nominated for both the Locus and World Fantasy Awards. Black House 2001, a sequel written by King and Straub, takes up with a now-adult Jack as a retired Los Angeles homicide investigator attempting to investigate a string of murders in the little village of French Landing, Wisconsin.
This narrative belongs to and is tied to the Dark Tower series, making that vast universe much larger than it already was. In the book's sequel, Black House, the Territories are shown to be a counterpart to All-World.
The pavilion where Jack Sawyer meets Sophie in The Little Sisters of Eluria is the identical pavilion mentioned in King's introduction to The Little Sisters of Eluria.
There was a lot of buzz about this book because Straub and King were both hugely famous and well-known horror and suspense authors in their own right.
Multiple pieces were published praising the two authors' collaboration and speculating on what would be the best horror novel ever written, thanks to a $550,000 advertising budget provided by the publisher.
It was a smash hit in its own right, but for me, it was a fantastic quest with a great cause and an incredible adventure that I want to read again and again and watch as a movie if they can produce an exact word-for-word adaptation, and I'm happy to report that a series may be in the works.
It was stated in 2021 that Amblin will adapt the novel into a Netflix television series, with the Duffer Brothers assisting with development. And I will certainly include any fresh material in this area if I come across it.
I must warn you that this book and story will make you think in two ways: one, you will throw it away, and the other, you will embrace it passionately.
The issue is simple: if you're an adult with a frozen brain and little imagination, you can find it boring and ridiculous since you'll believe it's a genuine stretch of the imagination to even consider it a storyline.
But for everyone else, just try to enjoy it the way it was meant to be experienced. Of course, the narrative will contain darker undertones than other popular literature.
It begins slowly but gradually accelerates into a fast-paced, attention-grabbing narrative. The characters rapidly won me over, and I got emotionally immersed in the story.
This is one of my 'favorite' novels because I can re-read it and still be immersed in Jack's world. And Wolf is without a doubt my favorite character.
Following this cooperation with Stephen King, I fell in love with Peter Straub's works. Stephen King, as you may know, is the maestro of fiction and horror writing, and Peter Straub is his doppelganger, or as what is known as a twinner in this book's universe.
I genuinely feel this book was created in another universe with both of these amazing writers. It's weird, and it'll make you consider the remote chance that the Territories exist. Unless you have no imagination, I am confident that everyone will like it.
If you are a casual or non-reader, bear this in mind while purchasing the book. It's highly comprehensive, so if you can't take large or complex novels, I'd recommend listening to it on Audiobook.
Don't pass on Stephen King novels just because they're huge; if they're too daunting, you can always listen to them with an Amazon audible account.
Keep in mind that if you had a loved one who had cancer, it may have an emotional impact on you because Stephen King goes into great detail about individuals who have diseases or impairments, and it may be rather sentimental to those who aren't used to reading his writings.
It's a mix of horror, fantasy, and adventure. What King and Straub accomplished was to build a beautiful narrative full of mystery and suspense, whatever you want to categorize it.
In The Talisman, Jack Sawyer must travel between his reality and a parallel dimension in order to save his dying mother.
Despite the protagonist's childhood, the tale has a distinct gloomy edge. It's not all fun and games for Jack, who in this journey has the capacity to switch between universes.
During this time, he befriends Wolf, a werewolf from another dimension. Wolf provides both humorous entertainment and frightening times for Jack when he turns into a werewolf in our world during a full moon.
The late great Frank Muller gives yet another powerful performance, reading in a tense, hypnotic style and developing unique voices for most of the characters in the epic narrative of The Talisman.
It lasted about 29 hours and was a fantastic way to enjoy a superb novel, especially if you're taking a lengthy road trip or just a regular commute. If you're lucky enough to have the Frank Muller version, I highly suggest the audio version.
Final Thoughts
You must read a few pages before you can get into the main story, but once you do, you will not be able to put it down, and this becomes a really fast-paced novel, even if it is large by many readers' standards, so do not stop and continue reading.
Even if you've never read Peter Straub, you can tell which parts were written by him, and I'll leave it up to the readers to figure it out.
Yes, it was cooperation and an effort by both authors, but you can tell who is writing what in this narrative, and it was part of the pleasure for me to figure it out.
The novel has a strong action-adventure vibe about it. There are several fascinating connections between the universes, including the relationship between time and distance, as well as the contrast between the usage of magic and technology.
It's well-created and written. Stephen King and Peter Straub are each excellent authors in their own right, but they work well together.
I would suggest this book to everyone who enjoys an exciting, attention-grabbing fantasy/reality fictional novel.
Synopsis
“The iconic, “extraordinary” (The Washington Post) collaboration between #1 bestselling author Stephen King and Peter Straub—an epic thriller about a young boy’s quest to save his mother’s life.
Why had twelve-year-old Jack Sawyer’s mother frantically moved the two of them from Rodeo Drive to a New York City apartment to the Alhambra, a fading ocean resort and shuttered amusement park in New Hampshire? Who or what is she running from? She is dying . . . and even young Jack knows she can’t outrun death. But only he can save her—for he has been chosen to search for a prize across an epic landscape of dangers and lies, a realm of innocents and monsters, where everything Jack loves is on the line.”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Across The Country, Along The Way, Black House, Dark Tower, Highly Recommend, Jack Sawyer, King And Peter, King And Straub, Morgan Sloat, Tower Series
Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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