Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
I did like this story but I know nothing about baseball so I felt it wasn't as good as his others.
The research that uncle stevie does on absolutely everything is amazing. Like i lovedd the baseball part. I loved the creepy player who plays too good. And i loved his back story too. Geeat one.
I could see why people wouldn't like this story, since it's not traditional King...there's a murder, yes, but no supernatural twist and the tone of the story, though suspenseful, is more entertaining if you enjoy baseball. In fact, minus the fact that our title character is a bit off, I forgot I was reading this to find out what Billy's deal was, and instead found myself being invested in the team and their season.
I think I am not a baseball fan and so this was just okay.
I found it a little weird when I read the flap for Blockade Billy and found it to really, really appeal to me. I'm not a baseball fan, but I am a fan of Stephen King (I like his writing a lot, his stories... not so much) and I am especially a fan of dark secrets. So I ordered the book and was, as per usual with a King-story, a little disappointed by the dark secret. But I didn't hate the story. I liked the feel of it, the descriptions, the writing. I liked the way it was told, the way the secret was revealed, I liked the story of both the team and Blockade Billy himself. I'd give it three stars.
Now, "Morality" on the other hand, is a story that really, really worked for me. It's short, it's suspenseful, realistic, exciting and a blast to read. 4 stars.
Both of the stories are enjoyable, especially if you're a fan of Kings. They're worth the time it takes to read them, and the money it costs to buy them, especially if you're interested in King, Baseball, or just an uncomfortable "horror" story.
Now, "Morality" on the other hand, is a story that really, really worked for me. It's short, it's suspenseful, realistic, exciting and a blast to read. 4 stars.
Both of the stories are enjoyable, especially if you're a fan of Kings. They're worth the time it takes to read them, and the money it costs to buy them, especially if you're interested in King, Baseball, or just an uncomfortable "horror" story.
I liked blockade Billy. Decent read that was quick paced. Mortality was just lame. It almost seemed like an after thought, hey we need something to fill the book. Oh just use this.
I got this for Christmas 2012, and it spent most of 2013 in the backseat of my car (why, I have no clue). I dug it out from the floorboards over 2013 Christmas break and finally decided to sit down and read it today. It took me two hours. There are no chapter breaks, so it's not something you want to take breaks reading. It's also really good, and has a suspense factor.
Anyone who is familiar with Stephen King knows he's a pretty big baseball fan, specifically Red Sox. Personally, *I* like that about him because he for some reason always seems to throw in a mention of the Royals (or, in the case of THIS novella, the Kansas City Athletics). I don't know if King has ties to Kansas City, or likes it an especial amount, or what, but Kansas City as a place and as a baseball team get referenced a lot in his works, and of course I like that.
Anyway, this was a fun read. It's fiction, despite the back cover copy making it sound like fact. There are plenty of historically accurate mentions of real-life players and other baseball personnel, though. I promise; I googled them. :)
If you love baseball, take two hours and read this short story/novella/whatever it is. It was fun. A great kickstart for me to the new year, and did a great job wetting my appetite for the rest of the baseball books I plan to pick up before Opening Day.
Anyone who is familiar with Stephen King knows he's a pretty big baseball fan, specifically Red Sox. Personally, *I* like that about him because he for some reason always seems to throw in a mention of the Royals (or, in the case of THIS novella, the Kansas City Athletics). I don't know if King has ties to Kansas City, or likes it an especial amount, or what, but Kansas City as a place and as a baseball team get referenced a lot in his works, and of course I like that.
Anyway, this was a fun read. It's fiction, despite the back cover copy making it sound like fact. There are plenty of historically accurate mentions of real-life players and other baseball personnel, though. I promise; I googled them. :)
If you love baseball, take two hours and read this short story/novella/whatever it is. It was fun. A great kickstart for me to the new year, and did a great job wetting my appetite for the rest of the baseball books I plan to pick up before Opening Day.
Baseball has never really been my thing, but this was pretty good :) Not my favorite King novel by a long shot, but definitely a good read!
Blockade Billy is too long to be a short story and too short to be a novella. Blockade Billy also lacked that Stephen King sorta punch I kept waiting to feel the whole story through. Surprisingly it lacks a supernatural element.
That being said, it IS the story of a short lived and mostly forgotten baseball ledgend of yore as told by the third basecoach of his ficticious major league baseball team. The story itself is entertaining and fast paced. My only real problem with Blockade Billy was it's lack of a supernatural edge. I felt that it made the ending unecessarily disappointing.
The plot, characters and feel did have a very 'Green Mile'esque tone about it. Albeit without the depth of the 'Green Mile'. A nice little baseball read if you can grab it at the right price. I read the eBook version, which currently sells at $7.99/copy (I purchased it at$3.99 pre order price) and that seems very excessive.
That being said, it IS the story of a short lived and mostly forgotten baseball ledgend of yore as told by the third basecoach of his ficticious major league baseball team. The story itself is entertaining and fast paced. My only real problem with Blockade Billy was it's lack of a supernatural edge. I felt that it made the ending unecessarily disappointing.
The plot, characters and feel did have a very 'Green Mile'esque tone about it. Albeit without the depth of the 'Green Mile'. A nice little baseball read if you can grab it at the right price. I read the eBook version, which currently sells at $7.99/copy (I purchased it at$3.99 pre order price) and that seems very excessive.