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Needful Things Review

Stephen King, American, Classic, Contemporary, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Media Tie-In, Rural, Small Town, Supernatural, Thriller

Needful Things

Published: October 1991
Author: Stephen King
Genre: American, Classic, Contemporary, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Media Tie-In, Rural, Small Town, Supernatural, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:


The Review

Stephen King's Needful Things is a horror thriller. It is the first novel King wrote following his rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction. The plot revolves around a shop that sells rarities and antiques, which is operated by Leland Gaunt, a newcomer to the town of Castle Rock, Maine, which serves as the backdrop for many of King's novels. 

Gaunt frequently requests that clients undertake a prank or a mystery deed in exchange for the thing to which they are drawn. With the passage of time, the numerous actions and pranks lead to increased animosity among the inhabitants, as well as turmoil and death. Alan Pangborn, who was previously seen in Stephen King's novel The Dark Half, is one of the book's protagonists. 

This book is billed as "The Last Castle Rock Story," according to the cover. However, the area subsequently acts as the location for King's 1993 collection Nightmares & Dreamscapes' short tale "It Grows on You," which serves as an epilogue to Needful Things and as well as King's 2018 novella Elevation.

King excels at immersing his readers in the psyche of his characters. Books like The Shining and Pet Sematary immerse you in the insane minds of the bereaved. 

This novel is no exception, as King transports you to a little Maine town full of devils when a new store named Needful Things opens.

What are the things that we genuinely require? How far would you go to meet that need? Such are the unanswered questions that plague Needful Things. 

This novel is about a business, yet the store is only a means of analyzing people's hunger for stuff and the depths to which such greed will drive them. Then comes the phase when someone or something can utilize greed to cause havoc.

Overall, the narrative was not very spooky, though it did have its moments. The author's vocabulary is as harsh and frank as it can be, and he utilizes his stories to make us think about or discuss religion. 

I hope all readers could read his and Anne Rice's writings with an open mind and leave their real-life fantasies at the door while entering the world of the books.

This book is far superior to the film, as is nearly typically the case with book adaptations. The shopkeeper was the most intriguing character in my opinion, yet the author created all of his characters so effectively that you could relate with practically all of them to some extent. 

I like to root for the bad guy every now and then, and his character simply became darker and more warped as the narrative progressed. The things that would come out of his lips would startle you at times.

This work has the usual elements of suspense and a well-developed storyline. The character development is excellent, and the narrative strikes me as moralistic. These pages might be used to teach a lesson on the distinction between necessity and want.

I believe King produces two sorts of novels more than any other: calm, fairly small, life stories like "The Body" and "The Shawshank Redemption," and vast, expansive, multicharacter epics like "It" and "The Stand." "Needful Things," King's goodbye to the fabled settlement of Castle Rock, falls perfectly into this second category and is every bit as wonderful as any prior entry.

Picking up unresolved characters from a variety of his prior works (including "The Body" and "The Dark Half"), King creates a fantastic narrative of a small community where emotions run fast and grudges don't dissipate.

Enter Leland Gaunt, owner of the new "Needful Things" business in town. Whatever it is you seek, Gaunt seemed to have it, and at a fairly reasonable price.

Gaunt understands the history of this town, the ancient rivalries, the silent hatreds, and the dark secrets, and he uses it to pit the various individuals against one another, converting the village from a powder keg to a ticking time bomb.

The omniscient devil-figure (Gaunt), the flawed but ultimately virtuous hero aka Sheriff Alan Pangborn, well-developed children, and hundreds of fleshed-out characters that bounce off each other and interact as realistically as anybody you've ever met are all present in this novel. 

It's a terrific story that's both gloomy and optimistic, and it's a must-read for every Stephen King lover.

This was amazing! It allows you to perceive the world in a more realistic manner. I believe we never actually need the things we feel we do, and I realized this as a kid, and this knowledge has greatly aided me in becoming a better version of myself.

Reviewing Stephen King is like referring to a consummate professional, and whatever work you read by him will be enjoyable. The ugliness and brutality are a little repetitious, but it serves as a wonderful lesson of how greed and distrust may be put to good use in the hands of a devil like Mr. Gaunt. 

Relentless in its depiction of pettiness and cracked brains, and, like many of King's works, a stirring journey into evil and paranoia.


Final Thoughts

I'd want to discuss about the audio version, which was read by Stephen King himself. Because nothing beats hearing this author narrate one of his finest pieces, in my view. 

Stephen King brings this novel to life since he understands the phrasings, localized colloquialisms, and sentiments of each individual personally because he authored it. 

I have a vivid imagination, but hearing it from "The Horse’s Mouth" is a rare gift. He elicits laughter, creepiness, pity, and a variety of other emotions. 

The personalities stand out at you, and you feel as though you're a Castle Rock resident. I'm not here to evaluate the book's content - even if it's one of my favorites and has an outstanding narrative - I'm here to persuade people who adore it to give it a listen. You will not be let down.

The author creates a range of cruel, hilarious, and terrifying plots. A fascinating examination of human nature. This is a big book, so it may become overwhelming for casual readers, but it is well worth the read if you are prepared to delve into it.

The novel is lengthy, and I must give King credit for masterfully pacing it. He takes his time to pique your interest in the town's new business, what it offers, and who the proprietor is. 

The owner sells an item to Brian Rusk, his first client, and discloses that Brian is required to commit a prank on someone, but he does not specify who or what the prank is. 

The entire book is structured in this way: a mystery is established, and when it is solved, a new one is introduced, so you're never bored or irritated while waiting for the next mystery to be solved.


Synopsis

“Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine

Master storyteller Stephen King presents the classic #1 New York Times bestseller about a mysterious store than can sell you whatever you desire—but not without exacting a terrible price in return.

The town of Castle Rock, Maine has seen its fair share of oddities over the years, but nothing is as peculiar as the little curio shop that’s just opened for business here. Its mysterious proprietor, Leland Gaunt, seems to have something for everyone out on display at Needful Things…interesting items that run the gamut from worthless to priceless. Nothing has a price tag in this place, but everything is certainly for sale. The heart’s desire for any resident of Castle Rock can easily be found among the curiosities…in exchange for a little money and—at the specific request of Leland Gaunt—a whole lot of menace against their fellow neighbors. Everyone in town seems willing to make a deal at Needful Things, but the devil is in the details. And no one takes heed of the little sign hanging on the wall: Caveat emptor. In other words, let the buyer beware…”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Alan Pangborn, Amanda Plummer, Bonnie Bedelia, Castle Rock, Dark Half, Dead Zone, Ed Harris, Great Read, Human Nature, J.T. Walsh, Jack Cummins, King At His Best, Leland Gaunt, Max Von Sydow, New Store, Peter Yates, Salems Lot, Small Town, Town Of Castle


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

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

Needful Things (1993) (R)

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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)

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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

Desperation (2006) (16+)

Silver Bullet (1985) (R)

The Tommyknockers (1993) (M)

Christine (1983) (R)

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Carrie (1976) (R)

Firestarter (1984) (R)

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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)

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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

Desperation (2006) (16+)

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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