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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Stephen King (or Richard Bachman!) does it again. When I was asked when genre this book is, I couldn't exactly say it was a crime thriller. It's definitely a thriller, but it's more King's usual incredible study of characters. I did exactly what King said he hoped readers would do when reading Blaze - mist up.
From the descriptions of this book, I see a lot of people didn't care for it. I think it's my favorite of the Bachman stories, having just put it down.
3.5 starts. I enjoyed this book and Stephen King's diverse writing style. You would never think this was his work if you read it.
One of those happy occasions where the phrase "I couldn't put it down" is literal.
Hardboiled fiction as mean and cruel as it comes.
Hardboiled fiction as mean and cruel as it comes.
I borrowed this book from my aunt who dropped off a bunch of Stephen King books for me to borrow and I'm finally getting around to reading them. I haven't yet read any other crime novels by Stephen King, and I think this was a good introduction to that side of King's literary skill. Playing off the big strong fool who is too dumb to take care of himself is a tired concept, reused in too many stories to count. But this is the King we're talking about, so he's able to put new fresh spins on this concept to make it entertaining, endearing, and even sympathetic. You grow to care about Blaze as he grows to care about the baby he kidnaps. The story has this satisfying feeling of symmetry because of this and other events between his past vs. the present in the story. I think this novel was pretty unpredictable and imaginative. The concept is great and works well. It's an overlooked novel in King's/Bachman's catalog, but it deserves your attention. King does go pretty extensively into Blaze's backstory, which I took interest in, but it's something to consider if you're someone who just wants to see the rest of the story and not take steps back to build the character and plot.
It’s Bachman, with the sheen of an older King. Think this ends very differently if it’s young, mean King at the helm. Long Walk still reigns supreme with the Bachman books.
Not King/Bachman's best work, but certainly gripping (I read it in three days). A definite homage to Of Mice and Men that has you rooting for Blaze no matter how much you know he's clearly in the wrong and not going to triumph.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well written and entertaining from beginning to end. It's tragic and moving, and while I wasn't moved to side with the protagonist as many readers are, I did empathize with him. I believe that's the point. The protagonist is a criminal, but he's also a person.
My copy also had a short story in the back, called Memory, and while it was also entertaining and emotional, I failed to understand the point. That's on me, though.
My copy also had a short story in the back, called Memory, and while it was also entertaining and emotional, I failed to understand the point. That's on me, though.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes