Gwendy's Final Task
Published: 15, February 2022
Author: Stephen King & Richard Chizmar
Genre: Fiction, Horror, Literature, Magic, Shape Shifter, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
Book 3 of 3: Gwendy's Button Box Trilogy
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Stephen King and Richard Chizmar collaborated on the supernatural adventure novel Gwendy's Final Task. This is the third installment of the trilogy Gwendy's Button Box. Gwendy's Button Box and Gwendy's Magic Feather are previous entries. It is mostly set in the year 2026 aboard the MF-1 Space Station and focuses on the titular Gwendy Peterson, a sixty-four-year-old United States Senator from Maine. It's been twenty years since Richard Farris freed her from the button box, but it's returned, and she'll have to overcome formidable challenges before she can finally destroy it.
While not among King's blockbusters like "The Stand" or "11/22/63," the Gwendy books come to a satisfying climax in this third and longest book in the series.
Nice "Dark Tower" and "It" references that tie it into the grander King universe. The first book was essentially a novella, and the second was a mid-sized book, but this is massive in comparison to the prior two volumes.
King's politics are no secret, and they add realism to a fantastic story, so please understand it is not about any real-life mentally unstable politician, it is about fictional politics, so have fun reading it and remember that many of the negative reviews and hate you read or hear about this novel and series are from innocent people who don't understand the point of this story.
As usual, I must emphasize the need of educating people to love, care for, and respect one another, and to not trust anybody who uses fear to make you hate, fear, and think negatively of others for selfish benefits.
The book kept my attention by alternating Gwendy's journey to her final mission in space. The premise is a little strange, but Chizmar makes it believable with her last encounter with the mysterious Mr. Farris and how she ends up on that Eagle Heavy rocket with that sinister dispenser of unique and magical chocolates and apocalypse.
If you're a fan of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, there's a lot to appreciate here. In fact, a significant portion of the book assumes that you are familiar with the ideas and story mechanisms of those works. Even the low men in yellow coats make an appearance.
Assuming that everyone has read the preceding volumes, many readers will wonder why Gwendy is so unique.
Farris describes the failures of past button box guardians, but there is no explanation for why Gwendy is able to withstand the artifact's terrible force.
She is a great person, bold and astute, nurtured in love and knowledge, but Farris makes it obvious that many of the other candidates were just as morally deserving but failed the exam.
My response is that she is simply being tried like everyone else, but she succeeds because of her determination and strength of character.
Though there are glimpses of emotion that would have made him appealing, the book's villain is a caricature; in the end, he is only threatening because Gwendy is suffering from an illness that leaves her susceptible.
Given that this novel is mostly about Gwendy and the company, I found it annoying that no one else, aside from the mission commander Kathy and the "Bug Man" Adesh, is ever truly brought into focus, and they are eventually rendered redundant.
The book isn't bad, and it benefits from comparison to the second, but it's evident that Chizmar, while a competent writer, lacks King's ability for complex characters and complicated plotting, as I mentioned in my assessment of the prior book.
It's a great novel, but it's not on Stephen King's level, even if he's one of the authors, and perhaps that's why it's not a total failure; and is well worth your money, particularly if you miss the Dark Tower series.
Despite all I've said thus far, I absolutely adored this book as a reader! Once I started reading it, it was impossible for me to put it down. I laughed out loud at times and was disappointed when the narrative ended. I really enjoyed the numerous connections to King's previous works!
In places, it's a little over the top and predictable, but it's still a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. The total of its components is more than the sum of its parts. Gwendy is a fascinating woman, and the button box and its potential piqued my interest.
Plus, there were so many Easter eggs in this one that they didn't fail to make me grin, even though a couple seemed tossed in as an afterthought.
Final Thoughts
The Gwendy novels may not persuade a beginner to King of his incredible and legendary narrative skill, but they are entertaining short readings and wonderful diversions. I liked all three of them, but this one was my favorite.
The final book was a nice and somewhat surprising conclusion to a three-novel story that spans a woman's entire life and deals with issues far beyond what most people face: visitors from alternate universes, the horrific deaths of loved ones, difficult choices that may or may not save the entire planet, or possibly planets.
Because there are other universes, you know, like Roland's and the Dark Tower, and a certain wicked clown wandering the sewers of Derry, Maine in It.
King and Chizmar did an excellent job with Gwendy, creating a relatable heroine who is coping with otherworldly issues.
The stories are fast readings with narratives that are delightfully surprising in their breadth. So much so that Gwendy swings from being a small kid in over her head to a politician with national clout to a space traveler faced with an impossible ultimate job.
I wholeheartedly suggest the series to anybody who likes mild horror with a dash of the fantasy drama.
But don't get me wrong, while I wouldn't call these books chilling, you won't have to leave the lights on when you go to bed because there are some solid horror moments that remind you, much like a slap in the face, that these are Stephen King books, at least partially, and woe to those who become complacent, because fresh hot horror seems to pour out of the pages when you least expect it
The truth is that these books are a lot of fun, pleasant, and amusing, with just enough suspense and violence to keep the pages turning quickly.
I highly recommend picking these up and spending a few days with Gwendy, who has some surprises in store for you.
Synopsis
“The final book in the New York Times bestselling Gwendy’s Button Box trilogy from Stephen King and Richard Chizmar.
When Gwendy Peterson was twelve, a mysterious stranger named Richard Farris gave her a mysterious box for safekeeping. It offered treats and vintage coins, but it was dangerous. Pushing any of its seven colored buttons promised death and destruction. Years later, the button box entered Gwendy’s life again. A successful novelist and a rising political star, she was once again forced to deal with the temptation that box represented. Now, evil forces seek to possess the button box and it is up to Senator Gwendy Peterson to keep it from them at all costs. But where can you hide something from such powerful entities?
In Gwendy’s Final Task, “horror giants” (Publishers Weekly) Stephen King and Richard Chizmar take us on a journey from Castle Rock to another famous cursed Maine city to the MF-1 space station, where Gwendy must execute a secret mission to save the world. And, maybe, all worlds.”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Button Box, Final Task, Gwendy And The Button, Gwendys Final, King And Richard, Magic Feather, Political Views
Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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