27. Christine by Stephen King
This was sooooo much better than I remember, likely because the last time I "touched" this story, I watched the movie. If you have only seen the movie version of Christine, you owe it to yourself to read the novel. As much a tribute to what it means to be a teenager, and to rock'n'roll and car culture, this novel is an entertaining ride. Unlike many King novels, it is written in short, easy-to-read chapters, and the book is in three sections. The first and last section are written in first person (from the POV of the the lead character's (Arnie's) best friend Dennis, with a middle section written in third-person from an omniscient narrator, the structure should fall apart, but once again King handles the heavy lifting with grace and great traction. A fun trip (and I hardly noticed the odometer -- I mean page count -- as I read through it).
28. Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King
This is one I hadn't read in years and it was as wonderful as I remembered. More a collection of very short chapters (12 of them, one per month) and beautiful illustrations (both color and b&w), this 128 page brief read is beautifully constructed. Telling the story of a small town in (where else?) Maine, and the monster that terrifies its residents, the narrative structure makes this a quick but fun read. For those of you who have seen "Silver Bullet" (the movie), this is the story that the movie screenplay is based on. It definitely made me shiver.
Continuing the King re-read with one scary book, one high fantasy book, and one somewhere in between:
29.
Pet Semetary by Stephen King
This is the most "Stephen King" book I have read so far on this re-read. For those who don't know, this is a story of a young family who moves next to a pet cemetery which has been meticulously maintained by the area's children. But it is what lies beyond the cemetery (in the "real" pet graveyard) that provides the horror. I remember when I first read this book, I felt myself descending into the spiral of the story and really disliked the ending. While the ending is still troubling to me, since I knew the outcome I could enjoy the journey more in this re-read. It is a scary story, so if you don't want horror, stay away. If, on the other hand, this kind of story appeals to you, no one does this better than Stephen King.
30.
The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
So now for something COMPLETELY different. This is a beautiful high fantasy story about a young prince wrongfully accused of his father (the king's) murder by an evil magician, and the journey he undertakes to right this wrong, along with a group of friends and companions. King wrote the book for his daughter, Naomi, who refused to read any "Stephen King" books because she wasn't into that "vampire stuff"; she then read this book in one setting. What a beautiful example of a moving and well written short novel. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to sample King's writing but doesn't want the horror side of the equation. I really enjoyed this re-read and had forgotten how well done this story was!
31.
The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
And now for a blend of both horror and fantasy, and a blend of two authors.
The Talisman is the story of one 12 year old boy's journey through our world, and the world of the Territories (a fantasy version of our world), to save the life of his mother. Jack Sawyer travels from coast to coast meeting trouble along the way and finding friends who stay with him to the end. This is a long book (over 600 pages in hardcover) but it has a lot of story to tell. There were times on this re-read where I found myself guessing whether Straub or King wrote a particular passage, and there are some uneven parts where the book moved slowly for me, but I did enjoy the journey. The last 200 pages were a whirlwind; I couldn't put the book down even though I remembered how it all ended. A fun tribute to the kinds of stories that Mark Twain used to write where a boy (think Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn) "lights out" to the Territories.
And now, since I have gained the quarantine 15 (from all of the extra eating I have been doing, and the lack of exercise), it's time to get
Thinner.