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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am now re-reading this book for the third or fourth time. Although I enjoy seeing old Travellin' Jack Sawyer as a grown man as a retired Los Angeles detective at that, I would not call this story a sequel to The Talisman, which is one of King's best stories. Black House really is a stand-alone book.
I was disappointed that Lily, Jack's mother,and Richard Sloat who were so important in The Talisman are absent here. At first I was surprised that Jack had completely supressed his memories of is advetures across the country and the Territories to reach The Talisman. It made sense after awhile.
I do like most of the characters very much, and the serial killer theme is well done. But the narrative for the first 75 pages with the almost birds-eye movie camera view of changing from one scene to another is extremely annoying and gets old very quickly.
Jack is supposed to be the main character, but he doesn't show up until page 65. Until then the narrative is very slow, and frankly a little boring.
I am a huge Dark Tower series fan. Though I don't usually mind Stephen King inserting references about the Tower or the Crimson King. He has done that in many books such as Insomnia, and Hearts In Atlantis, I don't like it in this story.
And I don't like the gobbledygook language that Judy Marshall is forced to utter. Like Abbalah Munshin, and Burnside's broken English. I think it detracts from the story. I wonder why Peter Straub didn't, mind King making the Tower references so prominent. It detracts from the story.
Overall, though I like tale, but it's too long and drags quite a lot in several places. I also don't like the ending, but after several re-reads, I suppose it could make sense. I think Jack Sawyer got cheated out of choosing his own life path.
I was disappointed that Lily, Jack's mother,and Richard Sloat who were so important in The Talisman are absent here. At first I was surprised that Jack had completely supressed his memories of is advetures across the country and the Territories to reach The Talisman. It made sense after awhile.
I do like most of the characters very much, and the serial killer theme is well done. But the narrative for the first 75 pages with the almost birds-eye movie camera view of changing from one scene to another is extremely annoying and gets old very quickly.
Jack is supposed to be the main character, but he doesn't show up until page 65. Until then the narrative is very slow, and frankly a little boring.
I am a huge Dark Tower series fan. Though I don't usually mind Stephen King inserting references about the Tower or the Crimson King. He has done that in many books such as Insomnia, and Hearts In Atlantis, I don't like it in this story.
And I don't like the gobbledygook language that Judy Marshall is forced to utter. Like Abbalah Munshin, and Burnside's broken English. I think it detracts from the story. I wonder why Peter Straub didn't, mind King making the Tower references so prominent. It detracts from the story.
Overall, though I like tale, but it's too long and drags quite a lot in several places. I also don't like the ending, but after several re-reads, I suppose it could make sense. I think Jack Sawyer got cheated out of choosing his own life path.
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Heads up for Dark Tower tie-ins. I didn't realize how much of that is in the latter half of this book! And big yikes for the content; King doesn't pull his punches describing the Fisherman's victims.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder