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Black House Review

Stephen King, Peter Straub, American, Arthurian, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Murder, Paranormal, Psychic, Serial Killer, Supernatural, Thriller, Witches, Wizards

Black House

Published: 15, September 2001
Genre: American, Arthurian, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Murder, Paranormal, Psychic, Serial Killer, Supernatural, Thriller, Witches, Wizards
Book 2 of 3: Talisman (The third book has not yet been published.)

Check the summary of this book here:


The Review

Stephen King and Peter Straub collaborated on the horror book Black House, the sequel to The Talisman. This is one of Stephen King's multiple novels that connect up with the Dark Tower series, which also includes Hearts in Atlantis and Insomnia. Black House was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel. The novel is set in Straub's hometown of Wisconsin, rather than King's favorite setting of Maine. The town of French Landing is a fictitious version of Lacrosse County, Wisconsin. Centralia is also named after the adjacent tiny town of Centerville, Wisconsin.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the chapter based on Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven.

As far as I know, one more book in this series is in the works, but neither of the two authors has offered a time or date for release. 

I was scared it would be too terrifying or too dull — I have read practically all of Stephen King's works over the years and was concerned that they were all starting to sound the same. 

But, despite certain unpleasant features, it was a really engaging novel, and no, I never get tired of reading Stephen King, and his works do not all seem the same.

I'm sure reading the first book, The Talisman, will help you comprehend this one, but if you haven't, don't worry; you'll still like this one. 

The novel has various references to the previous one, yet the plot stands well on its own. It also makes allusions to places and events from The Talisman's Dark Tower series, which helps to comprehend this one. 

It is not required. But, once again, I recommend reading them all, especially the first book in this series, The Talisman.

Peter Straub and Stephen King, what a fantastic arrangement. They blend flawlessly and provide a narrative line that is both interesting and enthralling no matter how many times I read it. 

I could go on and on about the excellent character development, imagery, and the way the book has its own distinct atmosphere. To be absolutely honest and upfront, I read literature in this category only for the sake of entertainment. 

If the book morphs in my mind's eye from words to images, if I can visualize the characters so well that I literally care about them, and if I am both delighted with the ending and unhappy that it finished, then I am a very happy customer!

"The Talisman," an epic masterpiece saga. The reader can sense the banter and friendliness between King and Straub in the descriptions and character development in these stories because of the way they are written.

Black House is more than merely a continuation of Jack's quest in The Talisman. It's also a look at the evil that can infiltrate a tiny community, as well as the unusual heroes that arise from such devastation. 

This is one of the themes that make Stephen King and Peter Straub such excellent storytellers. Both are masters of character development and their use of tiny, seemingly idyllic communities as the background for the war between good and evil is what gives this narrative credibility.

The cleverness of this novel is that there is no quest this time, nor is it merely about the now-grown-up Jack Sawyer. 

Black House is as much a novel about a tiny community in trouble as it is about the conclusion that reaches out like the limbs of a tree into Stephen King's Dark Tower series. 

Once again, the characters are so well-developed that I felt profound emotions for each of them, as well as for the enigmatic Tower that lurks in the shadows, leaving a scary image in the reader's imagination. 

The conclusion of Black House is both rewarding and devastating, leaving me curious about what happens next.

The narrative takes place around twenty years after the events of The Talisman. Jack Sawyer is a retired LAPD investigator who now lives in the little community of Tamarack, Wisconsin. He has mostly forgotten his childhood escapades.

Stephen King has a continuous story theme that runs across several of his stories like an undercurrent. 

The image of the Dark Tower and Roland the The Gunslinger are notions that he returns to, sometimes explicitly as in the Dark Tower novels, sometimes subtly as in The Black House. 

The finale of this work is based in part on the legend of the Tower, which adds another strand of mystery to the topic while also illuminating others.

Here I am about to mention something that is essentially for those who are going to read this novel as if it were the same as the quest in the previous book, but it is not, and as a result, some readers may not like it, so here goes... 

Stephen King and Peter Straub are back with the Black House, a sequel to their previous work The Talisman. 

You don't have to have read the first novel to appreciate this one. Indeed, it may be better if you haven't read the previous book because it was a normal fantasy adventure and its sheer plainness may lead you to think negatively of the Black House, which would be a shame because this new work is a work of genius.


Final Thoughts

The title is a play on the title of Charles Dickens's work Bleak House. This is done on purpose. The book is stylistically similar to Dickens' work, and even the complicated storyline has Dickensian reverberations. 

The writers make no attempt to conceal their link; the book is full of outright nods to Bleak House, and at one point, one of the characters even spends some time reading that novel aloud to one of the other characters, who is blind. I adore these small details - it's merely a game, but it adds depth and freshness that I adore.

Black House is one of Stephen King and Peter Straub's best stories, and this Audiobook is delivered by Frank Muller, who was without a doubt the best voice in Audiobook before his unfortunate accident a few years ago.

Black House is a sort of sequel to the novel Talisman, and it has many of the same villains. The Crimson King, who appears in Insomnia and the Dark Tower series, is just as terrifying. 

The Black House was a literal "black house," and it was here in the Talisman that Jack fought one of his most courageous fights. 

Because of the relationship with the villain and who he or she is representing, I believe I can call it another branch of the Dark Tower series.


Synopsis

“From the #1 New York Times bestselling authors of The Talisman, “an intelligent…suspenseful page-turner” (The Wall Street Journal) from “two master craftsmen, each at the top of his game” (The Washington Post).

Twenty years ago, a boy named Jack Sawyer traveled to a parallel universe called the Territories to save his mother and her Territories “Twinner” from an agonizing death that would have brought cataclysm to the other world. Now Jack is a retired Los Angeles homicide detective living in the nearly nonexistent hamlet of Tamarack, Wisconsin. He has no recollection of his adventures in the Territories, and was compelled to leave the police force when an odd, happenstance event threatened to awaken those memories.

When a series of gruesome murders occur in western Wisconsin that are reminiscent of those committed several decades ago by a madman named Albert Fish, the killer is dubbed “The Fishman,” and Jack’s buddy, the local chief of police, begs Jack to help the inexperienced force find him. But are these new killings merely the work of a disturbed individual, or has a mysterious and malignant force been unleashed in this quiet town? What causes Jack’s inexplicable waking dreams—if that is what they are—of robins’ eggs and red feathers? It’s almost as if someone is trying to tell him something. As this cryptic message becomes increasingly impossible to ignore, Jack is drawn back to the Territories and to his own hidden past, where he may find the soul-strength to enter a terrifying house at the end of a deserted tract of forest, there to encounter the obscene and ferocious evils sheltered within it.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Crimson King, French Landing, Hearts In Atlantis, Jack Sawyer, King And Peter, King And Straub, Sequel To The Talisman, Serial Killer


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

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Desperation Review

Stephen King, Classic, Drama, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literary, Literature, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Desperation

Published: 24, September 1996
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Classic, Drama, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literary, Literature, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:


The Review

Stephen King wrote the horror-thriller Desperation. It was released at the same time as its mirror novel, The Regulators, which was also published under King's alias Richard Bachman. In 2006, it was also adapted into a TV film starring Ron Perlman, Tom Skerritt, and Steven Weber. The two novels depict parallel worlds in relation to one another, and the majority of the people in one novel's world also live in the other novel's reality, albeit under different circumstances.

A cross-country journey in 1991 inspired the author to write Desperation, during which he saw the little desert village of Ruth, Nevada, near U.S. 50. His initial assumption was that the town's residents were all dead. He then pondered who had killed them, and it occurred to him that it may have been the town's sheriff.

The author establishes the scene right away, and you, the reader, get to feel it. The powerlessness, the out-of-control paralysis that befalls these unfortunate people as they journey over Nevada's lonely, ancient stretch of roadway known simply as Interstate 50, or "the loneliest place on Earth."

Is it by chance that a chosen few become victims of the evil that masquerades as a savior in the shape of a cop? Do his victims have the destiny to meet in Desperation or do they have no choice?

Stephen King is a master at expressing how it feels to be so fragile and susceptible. In Desperation, he creates a one-of-a-kind thriller and page-turner that is sure to make you nervous!

Although the story reminds me a touch of Dean Koontz's "Phantoms," in which a wicked, age-old creature lurks beneath the ground, ready to wreak havoc and ruin on a little isolated village. 

But that's where the similarity ends; Stephen King has built and developed compelling and realistic characters who entice you to read the novel as much as the narrative. 

It's the sort of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you want to race through the pages to find out what happens next. I believe this is one of Stephen King's scarier books, ranking with It and Pet Cemetery.

I'm a huge admirer of Stephen King's and Dean Koontz's work, but it doesn't mean I think King isn't good. 

In fact, I'm sure he's written works that would make Dean Koontz jump out of his skin! This one has a good chance. And, like "Phantoms," this novel may make the reader uncomfortable and jittery for several days. 

So, if you're looking for anything to keep that nightlight on, read this book. However, this novel contains a lot of graphic violence, so if you're easily offended by blood and guts, you might want to skip it.

This novel was very appealing to me since it was set in such a remote location. I can fairly state that I can draw parallels between this and his other epic, The Stand, and I can understand why. 

In Desperation, a tiny group of characters must make a stand, although it is on a much smaller scale. Aside from that, The Stand's characters were all over the place. 

The wickedness shown in that book was enormous. I enjoyed how this really scary narrative took place in one specific location. 

When you read this, you nearly feel as lonely and miserable as the folks you're reading about, and unlike The Stand, you don't feel like the rest of the world is continuing on while the six people in Desperation, Nevada are stuck in hell.

David Carver, who is ten or eleven years old, is without a doubt the most interesting character in the entire novel. Because he'd gone through so much, I felt sympathy for him when I read about him.

Few linkages to Stephen King's universe may be discovered here, since he usually always leaves hints and doors for a connection between his works, such as Cynthia Smith, who first appeared in Rose Madder. 

Ellen Carver is shown reminiscing over a book called Misery in Paradise, which was authored by Stephen King's fictional character Paul Sheldon in his novel Misery. 

Tom, one of the main characters, mentions the Tommyknockers. And Tak features prominently in The Regulators as well.

The Low Men in Yellow Coats, who are weird animal-human hybrids, are referred to as can-toi in the Dark Tower series. The vampiric Sisters employ this language in the Dark Tower short story "The Little Sisters of Eluria." 

The context of the following few lines is basically what is printed on the back of the book, so I don't consider it a spoiler, but if you don't want to know the background of the narrative, go to Final Thoughts.

Desperation is a narrative about a group of individuals who are abducted while driving down Nevada's barren Highway 50 by Collie Entragian, the deputy of the fictitious mining town of Desperation. 

Entragian utilizes a variety of pretexts for the abductions, ranging from a narcotics arrest to "rescuing" a family from a nonexistent shooter. 

The hostages realize that Entragian has been possessed by an evil monster named Tak, who has influence over the surrounding desert fauna and must switch hosts to stay alive. 

They continue to struggle for their freedom, sanity, and lives before concluding that if they are to ever leave Desperation, they must imprison Tak where he came from.


Final Thoughts

This was a nerve-racking read! I didn't want it to finish, and I certainly didn't want it to be put down! A thrilling page-turner! Stephen King had a lot going on in this story, and I liked how it all came together. 

You're so engrossed in the plot that you can't stop reading to find out what happens next. Very well written!

If you're into religion, this book is obviously a religious experience of sorts for you, but if you're turned off by religion or just don't feel comfortable confronting your own views about God, you really shouldn't read it. 

But, away from the religious component, this was one of those readings that, at least for me, had me wondering how these bunch of very diverse individuals were going to escape the misery they were in. 

And I believe it is preferable to read it as a fantasy novel rather than delving deeply into religion and to simply have fun since that is what this book is all about.


Synopsis

“The terror is relentless” (Publishers Weekly) in Stephen King’s #1 national bestseller about a little mining town, Desperation, that many will enter on their way to somewhere else. But getting out is not easy as it would seem…

Located off a desolate stretch of Interstate 50, Desperation, Nevada, has few connections with the rest of the world. It is a place, though, where the seams between worlds are thin. And it is a place where several travelers are abducted by Collie Entragian, the maniacal police officer of Desperation. Entragian uses various ploys for the abductions, from an arrest for drug possession to “rescuing” a family from a nonexistent gunman. There’s something very wrong here, all right, and Entragian is only the surface of it.

The secrets embedded in Desperation’s landscape, and the evil that infects the town like some viral hot zone, are both awesome and terrifying. But as one of the travelers, young David Carver, seems to know—though it scares him nearly to death to realize it—so are the forces summoned to combat them. “Stephen King’s knack for turning the stray junk of pop culture into sick, darkly engrossing thrills has rarely been this much in evidence as in Desperation” (Salon).”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Annabeth Gish, Charles Durning, Collie Entragian, Dark Tower, Edge Of My Seat, Good And Evil, Henry Thomas, Highly Recommend, Johnny Marinville, Kelly Van Horn, King At His Best, Mick Garris, Mining Town, Page Turner, Ron Perlman, Steven Weber, Tom Skerritt, Town Of Desperation


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

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

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The Tommyknockers (1993) (M)

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The Talisman Review

Stephen King, Peter Straub, American, Classic, Dark, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Occult, Shape Shifter, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Werewolf

The Talisman

Published: 8, November 1984
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.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

Silver Bullet (1985) (R)

The Tommyknockers (1993) (M)

Christine (1983) (R)

The Dead Zone (1983) (R)

Misery (1990) (R)

Carrie (1976) (R)

Firestarter (1984) (R)

Mr. Mercedes Season 01 (2017) (TV-MA)

Thinner (1996) (R)

The Running Man (1987) (R)

The Dark Half (1993) (R)

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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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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