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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I guess being all killer and no filler isn't a bad thing and you won't hear me scolding Stephen King for practicing brevity. There's something comforting about the repetition "this person lived a sort of life that we can explain in two paragraphs OH LORDY WEREWOLF!!!" A quick, satisfying read that gets the job done and doesn't do much else.
Hello, Fellow Bookworms!
This past week I was able to re-read a book that I have not opened since 1985, Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf. I remember when I first saw the beautiful illustrations from Bernie Wrightson (Batman: the Cult), and I could not wait to read it before I saw the movie adaptation, Silver Bullet. I experienced the book and the movie in the same week, and of course I loved the book more. But the movie did do an admirable job recreating the tone of the book, if not the book itself. I set the book aside in my shelves, never to be seen again. After several moves, careers, and down-sizing my life, I no longer owned this amazing book.
Last week I decided to read this book again. After setting aside a couple of hours, I sat down and entered the town of Tarker's Mills again after thirty years. As before, King's prose brought me into this book rather quickly. I knew the big reveal of this book (of which I will stay away from in this review...no spoilers), so I was not looking for that. What I wanted this time from Cycle of the Werewolf was to be able to re-enter this world without any trouble. I received my wish.
Tarker's Mills is very much your typical small-town America. It is a close-knit community filled with white-picket fences, town celebrations, and a church that is a major part of the citizens' lives. As we found out in the Dreamcatcher, the Shining and Storm of the Century, Stephen King loves for evil to emerge from a snow storm. And true to this, a wolf attack begins the first chapter in a January blizzard. A very large wolf... one that walks like a man. From there we are introduced to potential victims and heroes such as Reverend Lester Lowe, the Coslaw Family (Nan and Herman, their son and daughter Marty and Kate, Grampa Coslaw, and the trouble-making Uncle Al) and a host of other minor players. This cast of characters reads like people in your own hometown, people that you may have known all your life. They are very entertaining.
From January to July Tarker's Mills is plagued by deaths that are caused by what appears to be a wolf. These deaths are wickedly presented to us, making either fear for the victim or cheer for the wolf. As we enter July, the township has canceled the annual fireworks display, which has young Marty Coslaw's spirits down. His Uncle Al presents him with fireworks one night, with the instructions to use them after the family is asleep. Marty, wheel-chair bound, does his best to hold his excitement that night. when he manages to escape outdoors to use the fireworks, he encounters the town's werewolf. Narrowly escaping the creature, Marty manages to put out the wolf's eye with the fireworks. Marty is sent away to stay with relatives after the attack. News of what happened is kept hush, however the town's own posse is out for blood. But it's Marty's own personal battle that in the end may be the town's only chance of stopping the Cycle of the Werewolf.
I loved this book today as much as I did as a teenager. As you may know from my past reviews I love to read Stephen King's novels. This is up there with my favorite works of the horror master. It is 128 pages of fun, surprises, and gorgeous art by Bernie Wrightson. I gave this book five stars.
Enjoy!
Because there is always room to read,
Xepherus3
Follow me on my blog: http://xepherusreads.blogspot.com/
All written content of this review (c) 2015 by Thomas Bahr II
This past week I was able to re-read a book that I have not opened since 1985, Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf. I remember when I first saw the beautiful illustrations from Bernie Wrightson (Batman: the Cult), and I could not wait to read it before I saw the movie adaptation, Silver Bullet. I experienced the book and the movie in the same week, and of course I loved the book more. But the movie did do an admirable job recreating the tone of the book, if not the book itself. I set the book aside in my shelves, never to be seen again. After several moves, careers, and down-sizing my life, I no longer owned this amazing book.
Last week I decided to read this book again. After setting aside a couple of hours, I sat down and entered the town of Tarker's Mills again after thirty years. As before, King's prose brought me into this book rather quickly. I knew the big reveal of this book (of which I will stay away from in this review...no spoilers), so I was not looking for that. What I wanted this time from Cycle of the Werewolf was to be able to re-enter this world without any trouble. I received my wish.
Tarker's Mills is very much your typical small-town America. It is a close-knit community filled with white-picket fences, town celebrations, and a church that is a major part of the citizens' lives. As we found out in the Dreamcatcher, the Shining and Storm of the Century, Stephen King loves for evil to emerge from a snow storm. And true to this, a wolf attack begins the first chapter in a January blizzard. A very large wolf... one that walks like a man. From there we are introduced to potential victims and heroes such as Reverend Lester Lowe, the Coslaw Family (Nan and Herman, their son and daughter Marty and Kate, Grampa Coslaw, and the trouble-making Uncle Al) and a host of other minor players. This cast of characters reads like people in your own hometown, people that you may have known all your life. They are very entertaining.
From January to July Tarker's Mills is plagued by deaths that are caused by what appears to be a wolf. These deaths are wickedly presented to us, making either fear for the victim or cheer for the wolf. As we enter July, the township has canceled the annual fireworks display, which has young Marty Coslaw's spirits down. His Uncle Al presents him with fireworks one night, with the instructions to use them after the family is asleep. Marty, wheel-chair bound, does his best to hold his excitement that night. when he manages to escape outdoors to use the fireworks, he encounters the town's werewolf. Narrowly escaping the creature, Marty manages to put out the wolf's eye with the fireworks. Marty is sent away to stay with relatives after the attack. News of what happened is kept hush, however the town's own posse is out for blood. But it's Marty's own personal battle that in the end may be the town's only chance of stopping the Cycle of the Werewolf.
I loved this book today as much as I did as a teenager. As you may know from my past reviews I love to read Stephen King's novels. This is up there with my favorite works of the horror master. It is 128 pages of fun, surprises, and gorgeous art by Bernie Wrightson. I gave this book five stars.
Enjoy!
Because there is always room to read,
Xepherus3
Follow me on my blog: http://xepherusreads.blogspot.com/
All written content of this review (c) 2015 by Thomas Bahr II
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Not the normal King fare. It was interesting, well written and engaging, just nothing to write home about. The best part, by far, were the lovely illustrations.
I wasn't expecting this short illustrated book to be as good as it is. I couldn't put it down.
12 installments, one for each cycle of the moon (loosely, King admits in the afterword he moved them around on purpose). In novels, King tends toward massive detailed characterizations but this doesn't have that and in not-doing so proves his talent for weaving a story. I'm so glad I searched this one out.
12 installments, one for each cycle of the moon (loosely, King admits in the afterword he moved them around on purpose). In novels, King tends toward massive detailed characterizations but this doesn't have that and in not-doing so proves his talent for weaving a story. I'm so glad I searched this one out.
Really good short story and the illustrations go well with the book! King's writing is definitely the best the shorter and more concise it is.
Quite boring and childishly written. Also they typical slurs and n word of King that is driving me up the wall. The illustrations are good but they are poorly placed. The kill scenes are illustrated and placed in the book pages before the murders rather alongside them. I'm very glad I only buy King books second hand at charity book sales.
Good ending. First half is boring, 95% telling/description and no dialogue. Sloga along. Cool illustrations. Glad it was short.
a unique little pseudo-graphic novel. it would have been cool to see King explore more with this medium.