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Showing posts with label Hard-Boiled. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hard-Boiled. Show all posts

Joyland Review

Stephen King, Anthologies, coming of age, Fiction, Ghost, Hard-Boiled, Historical, Horror, Murder, Mystery

Joyland

Published: 4, June 2013
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Anthologies, Coming Of Age, Fiction, Ghost, Hard-Boiled, Historical, Horror, Murder, Mystery

Check the summary of this book here:
Joyland Summary


The Review

Stephen King's novel Joyland was originally published by Hard Case Crime. Following The Colorado Kid, it is Stephen King's second novel for the label. The initial edition was exclusively available in paperback, with cover art by Robert McGinnis and Glen Orbik. A week later, a limited hardback version was released. The novel was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original in 2014.

This narrative takes place in 1973 and is mostly set at Joyland, a small amusement park. We get to spend the summer with Devin, a 21-year-old who works at Joyland. Devin has a broken heart after being dumped by his college sweetheart, but he dives headfirst into his new career. 

I like how we get to see so many different sections of the park because Devin seems to work everywhere.

This book's characters were wonderful. I enjoyed getting to know Devin, and at the conclusion of the book, I felt like I knew him well. 

This book's narration approach is as if Devin were telling us a story years after these events occurred, and he would wander and move forward a little at points. This manner, in my opinion, made the narrative feel more natural and added a lot of appeal to it. 

Devin's park friends, coworkers, a small kid, and his mother all played key parts in this novel, and I believe Stephen King did an excellent job of pulling each of them to reality.

The tale moved slowly at the opening, with the first half of the novel focusing on character development. The pace quickened in the second part of the novel, and I was eager to know more about the girl who had been slain in the park years before. 

I believed I'd figured out the puzzle, only to discover that I was completely wrong. Devin and Mike's bond, I believed, brought a lot to the plot. 

In this shorter composition, a lot of diverse parts came together to produce a very fantastic tale.

This isn't your standard Stephen King novel with an unusual conclusion. I wish he'd continue to publish books like this. 

There was a supernatural aspect weaved in, after all, it's Stephen King, but it's more of a narrative of a 21-year-old man getting over his first heartache, meeting friends for life, occurrences that would alter him, and a mystery. 

This book took me two and a half days to finish. There were a few elements that were out of date, but we can overlook them, such as the minimum salaries of the period we're reading about and the fact that no amusement park in the south would have a no-smoking policy in those days, but then again, it's Stephen King's novel. 

So anything is possible, and he can construct and tell us a reason, or maybe it was about an alternate reality that he didn't reveal so he can reconnect it in another novel or series, similar to how we met and discovered other people from his many novels in the Dark Tower series.

It's a bit misleading to include this under the "Hard Case Crime" series because there's no genuine hard crime in this. Other volumes in the series have a more noir feel to them, but this one is more of a coming of age narrative. 

It reminds me of "Adventureland" or "The Way, Way Back" because it takes place in an amusement park. 

Basically, a youngster graduates from high school and spends the summer working at Joyland, a North Carolina amusement park. Along the way, he falls in love, as one would expect from a heartbroken person, and learns about love and other things.

Because it's Stephen King, there's a ghost, as well as psychic skills, or something from The Shining, to put it another way. 

The majority of the narrative is quite well-written. The scene where the girl in the red hat chokes on a hot dog hit me like a punch in the stomach personally.

Despite the fact that this novel contains murder, I felt it to be the weakest component of the story. 

Nonetheless, it is an excellent book in general. More like Stephen King's "The Green Mile" or Richard Bachman's horror tales than "The Stand" or "It." As a result, don't expect a horror narrative. 

A little note for readers who are unaware, Stephen King and Richard Bachman are the same person.

There is no need to read any reviews and simply buy the books since Stephen King is reliable and dependable! 

If you're a fan and a voracious reader, you already know what to anticipate from a Stephen King book. If you haven't read any Stephen King novel before, this is a fantastic place to start. 

The park's staff are a mix of intriguing locals, summer temp workers like the main character, and veteran carnies. 

Throw in an unsolved crime from years ago, and you're in for a treat. It's a quick book that entertains and leaves you, like most vacations do, feeling satisfied yet a bit melancholy that it's over.


Final Thoughts

Stephen King has always been one of the greatest at placing me right in the heart of the plot, out of all the authors I've read through the years, and there have been many, both authors and years.

I can see, feel, and recall precisely how it was, whether it's a cool fall day or the last day of school, right before the bell rings for summer vacation. I'm at a loss for words. He simply seems to get it perfect every time. 

As summer draws to a close, the beach takes on a new look. The novel takes place in this kind of setting, and anybody who has spent a summer or falls near a beach will know the experience of the seasons changing.

This is Stephen King at his best once more. The characters in this narrative entice you to keep reading.

I've never read another author who is so good at creating realistic characters. This is a simple, unpretentious story with no frills or gimmicks, just superb writing! 

And while the premise is excellent, it is the personalities that catch and hold your attention.

While this novel has supernatural themes, it is not a horror story. In many respects, it's a detective narrative, but it's also a coming-of-age story.

This is a book that I would suggest to others. I felt this was a well-written narrative with engaging characters, a compelling mystery, and a hint of the weird.


Synopsis

“Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever.

"I love crime, I love mysteries, and I love ghosts. That combo made Hard Case Crime the perfect venue for this book, which is one of my favorites. I also loved the paperbacks I grew up with as a kid, and for that reason, we’re going to hold off on e-publishing this one for the time being. Joyland will be coming out in paperback, and folks who want to read it will have to buy the actual book." –Stephen King”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Age Story, Amusement Park, Case Crime, Character Development, Coming Of Age, Devin Jones, Hard Case, Highly Recommend, King At His Best, North Carolina, Quick Read, Really Enjoyed, Well Written


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 90/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

The Green Mile (1999) (16+)

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

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The Colorado Kid Review

Stephen King, Crime, Detective, Fiction, Hard-Boiled, Horror, Literature, Murder, Mystery, Serial Killer, Suspense, Teen, Thriller, Women’s

The Colorado Kid

Published: 4, October 2005
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Crime, Detective, Fiction, Hard-Boiled, Horror, Literature, Murder, Mystery, Serial Killer, Suspense, Teen, Thriller, Women’s

Check the summary of this book here:
The Colorado Kid Summary


The Review

Stephen King's mystery thriller The Colorado Kid was released in 2005 under the Hard Case Crime label. Joyland, Stephen King's next Hard Case Crime novel, was released in June 2013. In May 2019, Hard Case Crime released The Colorado Kid in an illustrated paperback version. I had a great time reading this book. While watching the Syfy series "Haven," which is based on Stephen King's "The Colorado Kid," I became captivated by this novel.

If you read the novel first and then watch the program, there's a good possibility you'll enjoy "Haven" even more. The show's writers performed an excellent job of sifting through the labyrinth of mystery surrounding the major event of the Colorado Kid.

But fans of Syfy's Haven should be aware that the show appears to be based on this novel. That's a stretch; it'd be nice to say it's influenced by The Colorado Kid, but nothing in this book will help you comprehend the show, which is why I said you'll like it even more since the idea is there but the book isn't. That's why, unlike with other media tie-ins, I didn't offer a link to the show.

Returning to the novel, I enjoy Stephen King's writing style as always, and I appreciate his explanations to the readers about the plot.

And I understand. I loved the metaphor at the conclusion of the narrative because it served as a sort of resolution to the continuous mystery, which, I believe, is similar to daily existence. There are certain things in life that we cannot understand or for which we have no solutions, yet we face them every day.

This is a novella based on one of Stephen King's short works. Unlike much of his work, there are no overt supernatural elements, yet the supernatural may be involved because it was written by the master, and you may discover after a few years in another novel that something otherworldly triggered the events in this book.

The location of The Colorado Kid appealed to me the most: a little community on a Maine seaside island. The artistry of the author's portrayals is stunning. 

His three central characters, two senior newspapermen and their young female aide are likable and convincing. This is a tale that will linger in your mind for a long time.

The author did not tell the readers what they should believe; instead, he left the mystery to the reader's imagination. And it was fantastic! I wish there were more novels written like this. This is the sort of book I could read every day.

Author masterfully constructs a framework tale around a wholly "told" mystery storyline - we never see any of the persons engaged in the mystery, and the entire story is "told" to a young female Midwestern acquaintance by two old men who are involved in journalism.

The ultimate brilliance of Stephen King's presentation is in enthralling us with the "mystery" that the old men have with the young lady in order to pique and maintain our interest in the three "real-time" characters, which he depicts extremely neatly and efficiently.

Stephen King's treatment of "voice," particularly in his depiction of Downeast accent, is outstanding.

Most writers would tell you that dialect is treacherous ground, and Stephen King discusses it in "On Writing" - attempting to express any lengthy piece in an authentic representation of any regional or ethnic accent almost dooms the conversation.

But Stephen King manages to suggest to the reader how these characters sound, then appropriately and cautiously strengthens it with irregular linguistic recreations, and the spell is done - every time Vince and Dave speak, I hear the down Maine twang as clearly as if I were listening to them myself, somewhere up down? The coast, perhaps near Wiscasset.

Normally, I despise open-ended books or those that finish on a cliffhanger, but I really like this one.

I appreciate the way the author constructs his novels, with such rich characters and details that immerse you in the setting and make you feel as if you are sitting right there listening to the dialogue.

This narrative was refreshing to me because it dared to tell a story without neatly tying up the ends, addressing all the questions, and then using that story to make a point and define the two forms of storytelling.


Final Thoughts

I don't think this is a spoiler, but rather open information to readers who read this novel and didn't comprehend it or the open-ended conclusion that wasn't really an ending but a beginning, so everyone has to realize that the tale is not about the Colorado Kid.

It's about a young lady, Stephanie, coming to accept the town and, in turn, the community accepting her.

The Colorado Kid is a deception. The Colorado Kid is the mechanism employed to convey Vince and Dave's acceptance, and Stephanie embraces it as she accepts her new role as a "townie."

If the readers understand what I'm saying, they will not feel tricked at the conclusion of the story and will instead feel and think about life and the metaphors the author employs to make us view the world in new ways.

The mystery is interesting, and the ending is a double-edged sword in that to comprehend it, you must first comprehend life or be a philosopher, as this is how life frequently works.

If you're seeking for a great example of Stephen King's narrative abilities, his talent for establishing personalities, and his unmistakable style of narration and scenario setting, go no further. As Vince, Stephanie, and Dave alternately exclaim, school is in session.

This is not a traditional mystery narrative, despite the fact that it is about a mystery. The author makes it clear right away.

This is just a heads up. Yes, there is some form of a victim. And there's no denying that there's a puzzle to be solved.

However, there are no suspects, minimal action, no hard-boiled by the book flatfoots, no down-on-his-luck private eye looking for atonement, and no femme fatale.

There is a fantastic story here. One that, as Vince points out, isn't perfect. If you're looking for a classic mystery, try an Agatha Christie or a grim Dashiell Hammett. This isn't one of those tales. However, it is a story definitely worth reading.


Synopsis

“On an island off the coast of Maine, a man is found dead. There's no identification on the body. Only the dogged work of a pair of local newspapermen and a graduate student in forensics turns up any clues.

But that's just the beginning of the mystery. Because the more they learn about the man and the baffling circumstances of his death, the less they understand. Was it an impossible crime? Or something stranger still...?

No one but Stephen King could tell this story about the darkness at the heart of the unknown and our compulsion to investigate the unexplained. With echoes of Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon and the work of Graham Greene, one of the world's great storytellers presents a surprising tale that explores the nature of mystery itself...”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Case Crime, Coast Of Maine, Colorado Kid, Found Dead, Hard Case, Loosely Based, Man Found, Pulp Fiction, Real Life, Short Story, Small Town, Vince And Dave, Waste Of Time, Weekly Islander


Rating: 80/100
Recommended: 90/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

The Green Mile (1999) (16+)

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

Compare Kindle E-readers on one page

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Later Review

Stephen King, Ghost, Hard-Boiled, Mystery, Paranormal, Police Procedurals, Psychic, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Later

Published: 2, March 2021
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Ghost, Hard-Boiled, Mystery, Paranormal, Police Procedurals, Psychic, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:
Later Summary


The Review

Stephen King's crime thriller Later was released by Hard Case Crime. The book is published in paperback and hardback, with a limited number of hardcover copies available. The limited hardback edition has cover art by Gregory Manchess, while the paperback version has cover art by Paul Mann. Seth Numrich reads the 7-hour Audiobook.

Following the publication of The Colorado Kid and Joyland, this is Stephen King's third Hard Case Crime novel. Jamie Conklin, who has the gift to see deceased people, is the protagonist of the narrative, which is recounted in the first person. The novel debuted at number two on The New York Times fiction best-seller list in the week ending March 6, 2021.

To give you a little background on the story, it is set in the late 2000s and is told by the main character, a young boy living in New York City with his single mother, Tia.

Jamie possesses the gift to see and communicate with the dead. The deceased persons he can communicate with must honestly answer all of his queries.

Jamie is terrified as a child when a man killed in a traffic accident waves to him despite the fact that he is dead.

He also speaks to Mona, the late wife of Professor Martin Burkett, a neighbor, and friend of the Conklins', when he is a few years older. Jamie's mother is the only one who is aware of his abilities.

The book contains many themes that are reminiscent of classic Stephen King novels, but this time they have been combined with the crime, mystery, thriller, ghost story, supernatural and coming-of-age genres to produce something a little unusual. The author has always done this for most of his career, and he is just getting better at it

There are recurring themes such as a youngster having to grow up and depend on himself in the face of less-than-perfect adults, and supernatural power being both a blessing and a burden.

The protagonist's reminiscences of his terrible upbringing reminded me of earlier Stephen King stories, but this one is more current, given the events that take place in this millennium.

Even if the beginning is a little slower than in some other crime books, I was extremely hooked on this plot. The action kicks up later.

The novel isn't as long as I'd like it to be, but it's still manageable for a casual reader in terms of page count, and it has some excellent, crisp, and accurate language.

First-person narrators have always piqued my interest, and Jamie Conklin is a figure I won't soon forget. The author has a knack for writing about children and the bittersweet process of growing up, and his voice and perspective are handled with care.

Naturally, his characters are compelled to mature in ways that both terrify and pleasure us. I finished the novel in one sitting.

There are several unexpected Easter eggs stashed within this magnificent little masterpiece. What begins as a slow-burner as the author develops the universe and people, it rapidly builds into a page-turner filled with high intensity and mystery.

In reality, this Stephen King work is exceptionally brutal, gloomy, and dark. It has the feel of a Richard Bachman novel. But there's a little more heart in this. Perhaps there's a hint of J.D. Salinger here if Holden Caulfield had a magical revelation to go along with his despair.

Later is a quick but enjoyable journey that will appeal to Stephen King and Hard Case Crime aficionados alike.

When you believe it's a relation to Haley Joel Osmont from The Sixth Sense, it's not your imagination playing tricks on you. In this novel, the author brazenly admits the link.

Dean Koontz's 2007 novel Odd Thomas is another book that springs to mind while thinking about who sees dead people.

However, this does not imply that the author stole the concept because it has existed from the dawn of humanity when shamans and leaders professed to communicate with the dead. Even now, many individuals profit from deceiving the naive.

Here, too, you have a young child, aged 9 at the start to 15 at the end, who sees dead people in some way.

These deceased people, on the other hand, converse with young Jamie, and it appears that one of the magical laws is that they always answer his inquiries honestly.

These ghosts don't have the white sheets, they're more haunting than Casper, and they range from a kind elderly lady to a serial killer.

It also reminds us of Joyland, one of Stephen King's early Hard Case Crime works. It elicits a similar sense of childish awe.

Jamie's narrative voice is the key to this quick-paced small story. It's got that coming-of-age innocence mixed together with a dash of streetwise snark that simply fits.

Despite the final war between good and evil, like in most of the author's tales, you'll find this one to be horror mild. It doesn't quite reach the point of being horrifying, but it skirts the edge, and it all depends on who is reading it.

If you're searching for a way to get started with Stephen King's work, this is a good place to start. If you've been a long-time reader of Stephen King's work, like me, you'll be happy to succumb to a great author at work. There's a logical explanation we return time and time again.


Final Thoughts

Is this a horror story? After more consideration, uncle Stevie, or, in this instance, our protagonist Jamie Conklin is correct: there are some truly awful events in Stephen King's Later.

Don't get me wrong: it's not on the same level as IT, Pet Sematary, or 'Salem's Lot,' but it doesn't make it any less terrifying, right? Horror may be found anywhere, at any time, and in any shape or size.

Just because something isn't frightening to one person doesn't imply it won't terrify someone else.

So, what have we learned as a result of this lengthy digression? This is a scary story, but like I already stated, it all depends on who is reading it.

I adore the way the author depicts his characters; his descriptions make the characters' sentiments and emotions seem so genuine, even when their talents are magical. Despite the fact that it was a surprise, I truly like the ending.

Characters come to life in his novels, and his books are full of them. The stories frequently take a back step, despite the fact that they are equally as enticing and brilliantly anchor his work.

It's difficult to detest this book if you're a fan of the author. Even if you haven't read any of his previous excellent works, this one is a decent read. It's a quick read that was well worth my time and money.


Synopsis

“A brand-new novel from legendary storyteller Stephen King!

Sometimes growing up means facing your demons.

The son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Born with an unnatural ability his mom urges him to keep secret, Jamie can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine - as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave.

Later is Stephen King at his finest, a terrifying and touching story of innocence lost and the trials that test our sense of right and wrong. With echoes of King’s classic novel It, Later is a powerful, haunting, unforgettable exploration of what it takes to stand up to evil in all the faces it wears.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Case Crime, Colorado Kid, Dead People, Easy Read, Hard Case, Highly Recommend, Jamie Conklin, Main Character, Page Turner, Quick Read, Really Enjoyed, Sees Dead, Sixth Sense, Young Boy


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

Compare Kindle E-readers on one page

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Any kind of support, even a simple 'like, thumbs up or a small comment' is enough and helps me grow, create and freely do more stuff and work on projects for the benefit of many.
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