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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my favourite Bachman book. It is so moving, and the character development is much better than some of the early "Bachman" books. I'm stunned that it was a "trunk" novel for so long; I wonder what would have happened if "Bachman" would have published it just after it was written?
For those who are not aware, this author, Richard Bachman, is Stephen King. (Or maybe Stephen King is Richard Bachman…?)
I liked reading Blaze. Although it has been compared to Of Mice and Men, and it was somewhat inspired by that novel, there are many differences that nonetheless make Blaze unique. I won’t give a synopsis of the novel, nor will I give away any spoilers—oftentimes reading a simple review can be a devastating endeavour for someone gearing up to read a new book; indeed, sometimes a review in question can totally change one’s expectations, and I don’t want to do that. Instead, I’ll elaborate as only a Constant Reader knows how, and that’s with a whole lot of fondness, without ruining the story for someone interested in picking up this little gem. Basically if you like reading King in any way, shape, or form, I recommend you pick up a copy of Blaze pronto and delve into its pages.
I recommend this novel.
For those who are not aware, this author, Richard Bachman, is Stephen King. (Or maybe Stephen King is Richard Bachman…?)
I liked reading Blaze. Although it has been compared to Of Mice and Men, and it was somewhat inspired by that novel, there are many differences that nonetheless make Blaze unique. I won’t give a synopsis of the novel, nor will I give away any spoilers—oftentimes reading a simple review can be a devastating endeavour for someone gearing up to read a new book; indeed, sometimes a review in question can totally change one’s expectations, and I don’t want to do that. Instead, I’ll elaborate as only a Constant Reader knows how, and that’s with a whole lot of fondness, without ruining the story for someone interested in picking up this little gem. Basically if you like reading King in any way, shape, or form, I recommend you pick up a copy of Blaze pronto and delve into its pages.
I recommend this novel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was unique and interesting, however the uniqueness felt very much so ripped straight from Of Mice and Men, which is what King was intentionally going for with this story. It felt like the titular character was just a rewrite of Lennie with a criminal side, and the “brains” of his crime duo was even named George (just like in Steinbeck’s story). I thought the best scenes in the book involved Lennie…I mean Blaze while he was taking care of another character you’ll meet as the story gets moving.
I respect paying homage to stories and authors - how incredible is it that an author like King can write a story that is both original AND a pretty decent nod to such a classic as Of Mice and Men?
That said, this falls in the middle of the pack of King’s work. It was a unique enough story that it’s memorable, and while there were parts that I couldn’t put the book down until I finished them, it makes sense that this was a “oh yeah I forgot I wrote this I wonder if I pull it out and revise it a bit if it would sell” story of King’s.
I respect paying homage to stories and authors - how incredible is it that an author like King can write a story that is both original AND a pretty decent nod to such a classic as Of Mice and Men?
That said, this falls in the middle of the pack of King’s work. It was a unique enough story that it’s memorable, and while there were parts that I couldn’t put the book down until I finished them, it makes sense that this was a “oh yeah I forgot I wrote this I wonder if I pull it out and revise it a bit if it would sell” story of King’s.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great story! Could be a 4.5 star but I think 4 star is probably more representative.
fast-paced
slow-paced
I don’t know. Stuff was happening but it felt like nothing was going on.
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: B-
Personal Score: B
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘(3/5)
More touching and engrossing than I expected. A bit saccharine in its Dickensian soul-search. King acknowledges this in the forward, which itself is such a fun bit of background into Bachman. I’d love to know exactly how much revision was made to the original manuscript, and if I would have liked that one more or not.
Now that I’ve read all the Bachmans except for Rage, which I have no idea how long I’ll take to get a copy of, I’ll give my ranking from favorite to least favorite: The Running Man tied with Roadwork, Blaze, The Regulators, Thinner, and The Long Walk. None of them are terrific, but they pretty much all play with a dark philosophy that often struck me and, in a larger sense, that essential glimpse into the early days of King’s writing that any dedicated fan ought to cherish.
Critical Score: B-
Personal Score: B
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘(3/5)
More touching and engrossing than I expected. A bit saccharine in its Dickensian soul-search. King acknowledges this in the forward, which itself is such a fun bit of background into Bachman. I’d love to know exactly how much revision was made to the original manuscript, and if I would have liked that one more or not.
Now that I’ve read all the Bachmans except for Rage, which I have no idea how long I’ll take to get a copy of, I’ll give my ranking from favorite to least favorite: The Running Man tied with Roadwork, Blaze, The Regulators, Thinner, and The Long Walk. None of them are terrific, but they pretty much all play with a dark philosophy that often struck me and, in a larger sense, that essential glimpse into the early days of King’s writing that any dedicated fan ought to cherish.
A very straight laced but expertly executed crime tale with some outstanding characters. The only criticism is that this is NOT a Bachman novel...it is nowhere near as mean and biting as Bachman normally is.