The Tommyknockers
Published: 10, November 1987
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Alien Invasion, Classic, Contemporary, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Media Tie-In, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Stephen King's The Tommyknockers is a science fiction novel with a touch of horror. While the novel maintains a horror tone, it is author's first foray into science fiction, as the citizens of Haven, Maine, gradually come under the sway of a strange device hidden in the woods. Stephen King has now changed his mind on The Tommyknockers, calling it "an awful book." But I don't see it that way, and I believe the author expressed it in his own style for his own reasons, such as perhaps he wasn't satisfied with what he wanted to produce since I always assumed he would publish the second part, but I have yet to get it.
Stephen King credits the main notion to H. P. Lovecraft's short tale "The Colour Out of Space" in his book On Writing.
However, writer and critic Kim Newman said of the novel that King had "more or less rewritten Quatermass and the Pit," a television serial from the late 1950s in which an alien spacecraft excavated in London evokes latent psychic abilities in some of the people who come near it, but I believe it was just a close idea that he may have never seen.
This novel was his last before he sobered up or cleaned himself up from drugs and the type of stuff he was into, and it's possible that's why he believes it's not his best work.
That supports my theory that he was planning to write it in a different way but decided to stick with what we read, and in his own words, if he wrote it now, it would be shorter than it was before.
In 1993, ABC aired a two-part television miniseries based on the novel, starring Jimmy Smits as Jim Gardner and Marg Helgenberger as Bobbi Anderson.
King claimed that he "didn't like it," describing it as "cheap and thrown together." I on the other hand enjoyed it and felt like so much more was possible when I saw the technology used in it. However, the book was far more superior to the movie.
I believe a new film is in the works, but there is no link or news at this time. I'll share the results as soon as I learn more about it.
The book's topic, I believe, was "off." I had the impression that Stephen King was only skimming the surface of the subject matter.
He touches on group thinking, addiction, and obsession, but he doesn't quite smash the ball out of the park—just a few singles here and there, which is what he meant when he stated he wasn't satisfied with the book.
Yes, even though I adored this book, I believed it had the potential to go deep, broad, and vast, which is why I hoped for, and continue to hope for, a sequel in this universe.
Don't think it's dull or doesn't have a decent tale because it isn't. And it was fascinating to see the seeds of his later work Under the Dome sown all over this book.
You may read it if you're a Stephen King diehard fan, and it'll be fine for you, but if you don't know and understand how he writes, chances are you won't enjoy it as much as I or any other fan of his.
There are numerous types of Stephen King novels, but this one adheres to the classic structure of characters, town, tragedy, and inescapable devastation. In Needful Things, the formula works well, and it looks to be roughly identical to the author's approach in this book as well.
Author's ability to draw a reader into a tale is unparalleled, the pacing is excellent, and the finish is rewarding. Some of the portrayals of technology feel dated, but it's still a page-turner.
It's similar to Under the Dome, except instead of the horrible things people can do when they're isolated; it's the terrible things individuals can do when they lose control due to addiction. A little community crumbles, there's a lot of wickedness, and don't forget about the aliens.
For whatever reason, this novel is not regarded as one of author's most successful! Personally, I've always enjoyed it and have read it a few times.
What I discovered about this book is that it is essentially a blend of old-fashioned sci-fi movies with a dash of Lovecraft horror, as stated by the author himself.
If a book can give you nightmares or the most dreadful of dreams, which I call loop dreams because they trap you in your sleep and you can only wake up by realizing you are dreaming or being awakened by someone, then that book is a masterpiece in my eyes.
I had several loop dreams when reading this book for the first time and had to stop reading for a few days since I was basically reading too quickly, and my advice to new readers is to read it leisurely rather than like a page eater.
Final Thoughts
This novel, one of Stephen King's most divisive, nearly reads like two: a prequel and a sequel.
The first is entirely focused on character development, whereas the second is entirely focused on action.
Both are Stephen King trademarks, therefore I interact with them. I don't mind reading about the characters, the boring aspects of their existence, since I know the author will deliver in the end.
I never got bored or lost track of where I was. the author writes with a ferocity that demonstrates his commitment to the narrative, and he is one of the few authors who never fails to satisfy my ravenous reading hunger.
'The Tommyknockers,' while not his greatest, was certainly not his worst. Aside from the lengthy 'intro,' it is vintage Stephen King throughout.
After reading some of his more recent works, reading 'Tommyknockers' is like returning to your childhood home. It's all about the anticipation of what you just know is going to happen, and it's a touch predictable, familiar, and like the same ghost story recounted over and over.
If you like vintage King, the good old' Maine backwoods King, you should read it. Because you're a fan of his wacky characters.
If you're a slow reader, you shouldn't read it. If you're impatient and don't understand subtleties, this is the book for you. If you don't care for well-crafted text and want nonstop action, this is the book for you.
The story is strong; all you have to do is put in the effort.
Synopsis
“Stephen King never stops giving us his all” (Chicago Tribune) in this #1 national bestseller about the idyllic small town of Haven, Maine, and its encounter with a deadly evil out for a diabolical invasion of body, soul—and mind.
Something was happening in Bobbi Anderson’s idyllic small town of Haven, Maine. Something that gave every man, woman, and child in Haven powers far beyond those of ordinary mortals. Something that turned the town into a deathtrap for all outsiders. Something that is buried in the woods behind Bobbi’s house. With the help of her friend, Jim Gardener, they uncover an alien spaceship. And as they learn more about this strange discovery, the citizens of Haven begin to change: The townspeople are being welded into one organic, homicidal, and fearsomely brilliant entity in thrall to the Tommyknockers, who piloted the alien ship.
In Tommyknockers, “Stephen King at his best” (San Francisco Chronicle), King has given us a “brilliant, riveting, marvelous” (The Boston Globe) novel. “You will not be able to put this down” (Los Angeles Times Book Review). And the next time someone raps at your door, you may want to keep the chain on. It just might be the Tommyknocker Man.”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Bobbi Anderson, Body Snatchers, Character Development, Flying Saucer, Jim Gardener, Jimmy Smits, John Power, King At His Best, King Novel, Knocking On My Door, Marg Helgenberger, Salems Lot, Small Town
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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