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topdragon's review against another edition
2.0
I read more than 150 novels each year and have read most of King's stuff. Obviously, with so much output from one writer, there are bound to be hits and misses. This one was a miss, in my opinion but there is still enough here to make it worth the read.
I had already read Desperation, the companion book to this volume, and came away with the feeling that I had just experienced a pretty good King novel. It also was far from his best but I enjoyed it nonetheless. So, naturally, I turned to this book, The Regulators, hoping for a similar experience. Stephen King is well known for marketing gimmickry, pushing the envelope in the publishing business. At first it was through using brand names without permission. Then it was the alternate ego, Richard Bachman, followed by the serial novel (Green Mile) and now it is a "dual novel." Frankly, I don't think it worked this time. I just couldn't get the parallel between the two books/settings. Same names but different people and places. What was the point? Really, they are two seperate books.
In this novel, King definitely displays his famous talent for scene setting. The opening chapter is one of the best I've read, setting the stage for the coming horror. The plot was also pretty good, although the evil 'Tak' seemed somewhat ordinary. King uses a great mechanism to deliver the horror this time. The manifestation of the mind of a small autistic boy. The horrors come in the form of all of those things that frighten young children and, consequently, frighten us. The text is sprinkled throughout with other tidbits as well that help to tell the story: letters, postcards, diary entries, even a script. Another King tool to attack from all directions.
But somehow, it didn't all flow well together. There were so many characters that I lost track of who was who and as they started to die off, I found myself not caring too much who was left. Perhaps I was a victim of having read Desperation first. I guess I was expecting the same characters to survive.
Overall, a middle-of the road King entry. King purists will want to read this one but King samplers should pass.
I had already read Desperation, the companion book to this volume, and came away with the feeling that I had just experienced a pretty good King novel. It also was far from his best but I enjoyed it nonetheless. So, naturally, I turned to this book, The Regulators, hoping for a similar experience. Stephen King is well known for marketing gimmickry, pushing the envelope in the publishing business. At first it was through using brand names without permission. Then it was the alternate ego, Richard Bachman, followed by the serial novel (Green Mile) and now it is a "dual novel." Frankly, I don't think it worked this time. I just couldn't get the parallel between the two books/settings. Same names but different people and places. What was the point? Really, they are two seperate books.
In this novel, King definitely displays his famous talent for scene setting. The opening chapter is one of the best I've read, setting the stage for the coming horror. The plot was also pretty good, although the evil 'Tak' seemed somewhat ordinary. King uses a great mechanism to deliver the horror this time. The manifestation of the mind of a small autistic boy. The horrors come in the form of all of those things that frighten young children and, consequently, frighten us. The text is sprinkled throughout with other tidbits as well that help to tell the story: letters, postcards, diary entries, even a script. Another King tool to attack from all directions.
But somehow, it didn't all flow well together. There were so many characters that I lost track of who was who and as they started to die off, I found myself not caring too much who was left. Perhaps I was a victim of having read Desperation first. I guess I was expecting the same characters to survive.
Overall, a middle-of the road King entry. King purists will want to read this one but King samplers should pass.
castitomas's review against another edition
1.0
DNF
Me es imposible adentrarme en el libro, a veces siento que King quiere hacerme dejar de leer con todo lo que describe y que realmente ni hace falta. No puedo recomendarlo, personalmente se me hizo muy difícil sentir algo por los personajes.
Me es imposible adentrarme en el libro, a veces siento que King quiere hacerme dejar de leer con todo lo que describe y que realmente ni hace falta. No puedo recomendarlo, personalmente se me hizo muy difícil sentir algo por los personajes.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
1.0
Too many characters with not enough characterization, which made it hard to keep track of them or even care when they kept getting gunned down. It doesn't help that most of the characters share names -- but not much else -- with people in Stephen King's other book Desperation, which theoretically tells a parallel story but is largely independent. As a result, this novel felt more like King was playing with action figures than using characters to drive a cohesive story (which is ironically appropriate, I suppose). His depiction of a character with autism was also wildly unrealistic and offensive, in a way that suggests the author did no research on the subject before writing. So really, not much to recommend here at all.
kentclark's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
marijnleest's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
shippers1983's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
blissb's review against another edition
5.0
It’s official that’s the last of King’s books I had to read. I can now say I have read everything Stephen King has written…
I have been looking forward to this day for a while. Now that I’m here I’m oddly nostalgic. I will absolutely be rereading some of my favorites of his, and he’s still publishing, but I feel that I’ve lost something. This was a fitting end to my journey a sad story about hurt people that was ultimately about love.
Goodbye Mr. King it’s been a journey.
I have been looking forward to this day for a while. Now that I’m here I’m oddly nostalgic. I will absolutely be rereading some of my favorites of his, and he’s still publishing, but I feel that I’ve lost something. This was a fitting end to my journey a sad story about hurt people that was ultimately about love.
Goodbye Mr. King it’s been a journey.
aliseaymcmahon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
bethanyellen73's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0