Read of the Town: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Stephen King has been on a role lately! Especially since his books in the last year I have been able to read. Specifically Joyland that came out last Summer. Since then he's also written the sequel to The Shining, which fans of the book and the movie I'm sure were excited to get their hands on. And now he's back with a book that's shorter than his usual 600+ page novels!

Let me start by discussing the cover. It's pretty freaking awesome! I love a good umbrella and what would be better than an having an umbrella shield you from blood falling like rain and a smiley face on the handle?! Yeah, NOTHING! They say don't judge a book by its cover, but in this case, because it's Stephen King I will be judging this book by its cover and expecting nothing less than a thrill ride like only he can give us.

I tend not to read his 600+ page novels, not because of the length, but because when you devote that kind of length of time to the crazy world of Stephen King, you can come out the other side forever changed. Of course everyone reads a book differently, but most who read tend to put themselves into the shoes of the main character (or their favorite character) in order to better immerse themselves in the world the novel creates. If it's a good novel then that is easily achievable and there is something about the way Stephen King writes that that is ALWAYS easy to do! Therefore, if I read a novel of his that is 600+ pages, like I did YEARS ago with Needful Things, when I'm done, I feel like I need a full year of comedy television and humor novels to rescue me from the depths to which I was taken!

So yeah, shorter Stephen King novels, although by most novel standards I'm sure 448 is still pretty lengthy, is much more manageable on my mind and soul! How do you feel about his earlier novels versus his latest? Is he getting better with the fear or becoming tamer? I have my own theory, which I will share after I've read Mr. Mercedes!

Synopsis:

In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands.

In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.

In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.

Brady Hartsfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of highly unlikely allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.

Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.

Read of the Town: Doctor Sleep

Just about everyone I know has seen The Shining, therefore they know it's based on a book written by Stephen King. He is heralded as probably this centuries best writer of thrillers and I would have to agree. I have not read another author who was able to make me so scared in my mind that I still have a hard time finishing his books. I have seen The Shining and I read the book earlier this year. They both differ as most would expect a book to differ from the movie. In interviews Stephen King has been known to say he didn't like the liberties the director took with the movie. They are both great on their own. Now, onto Doctor Sleep and why it's a book many have been talking about and I think many have already read since it's release on September 24th. This book is the sequel to The Shining which was first published in 1977! I can't imagine any sequel of a book having such an impact after 36 years but here we are and it's happening. Could the fact that the movie has been seen by millions be a part of it? Probably, but who cares. Reading is great and I love hearing when a book like this can make headlines. I only hope it's living up to the hype? I'm sure I'll find out once I get around to it. Unfortunately I have about 30 books ahead of this one on my TBR list right now.

I'll admit I haven't even read the summary I provide below or the jacket of the book yet. I bought it on faith, knowing it will be a great sequel. Have you ever purchased a book based on the author or the title or even the cover, without checking to see what the story is about?

Summary:

Stephen King returns to the character and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance and the very special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.

On highways across America, a tribe of people called the True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, the True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the steam that children with the shining produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel, where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant shining power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of devoted readers of The Shining and satisfy anyone new to this icon in the King canon.

Joyland by Stephen King (Book Review)

Joyland

by Stephen King

238 pages

Titan Books, June 2013

mystery/thriller/suspense

Read in 3 days

Another Review

My Rating: ★★★★ 

Amazon.com / BN.com

"I had a car, but on most days in that fall of 1973 I walked to Joyland from Mrs. Shoplaw's Beachside Accommodations in the town of Heaven's Bay."

Review: I'm sure those Stephen King fans out there will say this was not the first book I should have read to introduce myself to the master of suspense, but technically it was. Prior to this book I have started 4 Stephen King books but have never been able to finish them, for reasons I won't rant here on a book review.

In any event, I really enjoyed this book. The first person account of Dev was surprisingly easy for me to find commonality with. Sometimes when a book is told in the first person of a male character I quickly get disinterested because I can't relate. But with this book I found myself getting invested in all the characters lives as well as the mystery of who was killing these young beautiful women in the late 60's-early 70's. What's crazy is, when I think back on the book it's as if the mystery wasn't even really the main story. If it were removed completely I think I'd still have found the telling of this carny world just as interesting. But I suppose I've just stumbled upon the genius that makes Stephen King the master of suspense?

Unlike the previous books I've read and refused to finish this one differed in a variety of ways. For starters the ending wasn't so surreal yet real at the same time that I found myself actually in the shoes of the main character. While I enjoy when an author has the ability to put me right there in the story so that their emotions are mine, there are times when it can become a bit TOO real.

I recommend this book to someone who is skeptical about delving into the very real and very scary world of Stephen King. I guarantee it will take you for the ride of your life physically and emotionally. Not only that but it's the kind of book you can get through in a couple days which is always a plus during these Summer months.

Summary: 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.

To learn more about Stephen King, visit his site.

The Shining by Stephen King (Book Review)

The Shining
by Stephen King

447 pages
Doubleday, January 1977
gothic novel/horror
Finished in 7 days
Another Review...

My Rating: ★★★★

Amazon.com / BN.com

"Jack Torrance thought: Officious little prick."

My Review: I know Stephen King is one scary dude when it comes to what he writes. This book is no exception. I saw the movie version of this book over a decade ago and remember very little from it. I think what I find I enjoy most about a Stephen King novel is his simplistic way of allowing the reader to go on a journey with him even in that journey is one that could lead to nightmares for the rest of their life. 

This story, for those who've never read the book, is really about a boy and his ability to hear the thoughts of those he is near. It might seem like the book is about his parents but really it's about this little boy, Danny, and occasionally, about his "imaginary friend" Tony. Now there is of course many layers to this boys story as well as the story of his parents and of the hotel they will be staying at during the duration of the Winter season.

While I was reading this book I often asked myself just how long it would take for me to go stark raving mad, holed up in a hotel, in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely no way of communicating the outside world. My only way of staying sane is with my family who is braving the stay with me. I suppose I would be fine if it were a house we were staying in. But when you add the element of an entire hotel with endless rooms and endless stories of what went on in those rooms? Then things start to get a bit dicey.

My favorite part about he book has to be when the title is explained. I don't think I would be breaking any "spoiler" codes by telling you the answer but just in case...

**SPOILER ALERT**

The idea behind "the shining" is quite simple. The head chef of the hotel they will be staying in during the Winter explains it to Danny because he has the same ability, only not as strong. He tells him the story that his mother told him about the ability to hear other peoples thoughts. He quickly realizes Danny is not only able to hear thoughts but feel them as well as a lot of other things that I'll let you discover on your own.

I won't ruin all the juicy details of the book but if you should dare to take a plunge into this perfectly written tale I suggest you read it with the lights on and NOT while staying at a hotel!

Summary: First published in 1977, The Shining quickly became a benchmark in the literary career of Stephen King. This tale of a troubled man hired to care for a remote mountain resort over the winter, his loyal wife, and their uniquely gifted son slowly but steadily unfolds as secrets from the Overlook Hotel's past are revealed, and the hotel itself attempts to claim the very souls of the Torrance family. Adapted into a cinematic masterpiece of horror by legendary director Stanley Kubrick - featuring an unforgettable performance by a demonic Jack Nicholson - The Shining stands as a cultural icon of modern horror, a searing study of a family torn apart, and a nightmarish glimpse into the dark recesses of human weakness and dementia.

To learn more about Stephen King visit his official site.