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jacobferrell's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine 'The Breakfast Club' with a murderous psychopath pulling the strings in a thought-provoking short read.
batmanbussy's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
super messed up in lots of ways but really interesting
super messed up in lots of ways but really interesting
thommie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
myqz's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
blank_blank's review against another edition
4.25
this book was really fucking good i understand that it isnt everyones cup of tea and i wish some ideas where a bit further developed but holy shit this was really good i really liked it also the whole richard backman thing was so interesting, especially becuase of the statistics about how the book sold when it was backmans name vs kings
jsdrown's review against another edition
4.0
Rage is Stephen King’s novel infamous for being allowed to fall out of print by the writer himself. In the book’s intro in the Bachman Books collection King asks readers to stop using the book as an excuse to commit crimes. And that the FBI and criminal psychologists had spoken to him about the troublesome novel repeatedly. I don’t want to waste much more time than this on the background. It’s established lore for Constant Readers.
It’s interesting to note that a mass shooting doesn’t occur in the “novel” itself. In this borderline novella two teachers are shot and killed. And by the end all students are released. In the pages between King leads readers through a darkly comic thriller reminiscent of Lord of the Flies.
Besides the William Golding influence, Rage is the root for future stories Uncle Steve will serve us like Cain Rose Up, Carrie, and Apt Pupil. Though I’d argue that Carrie and Apt Pupil are stronger. Still, King is something like a prodigy. The Long Walk and Rage are both mature novels for being written when he was a freshman in college and a senior in high school respectively.
King once described himself as dangerous during the period he wrote Rage. I understand he was bullied during this time. Your mind is left to wonder the darkness swirling inside while plugging away at the story. The main character, Charlie, at first experiences a sense of catharsis when finally confronting the adults in the story. I think this has caused people to (incorrectly) paint him as an anti-hero. I’ve even seen some say that his actions in the book are glorified. I have to ask… were you paying attention?
Yes, Charlie’s background does have its troubles. And it’s presented as potentially the cause of the events of the story. Charlie and his classmates hold a sort of struggle session trying to solve this mystery. In fact, the last thing that happens before the first teacher is killed is a math equation is presented to the class. Charlie ruminates and identifies with the equation of all things. And this sets things into motion.
But it’s soon discovered that every student in the classroom suffers from their own issues. Our main character isn’t special in this way. You get a sense that King was exercising his character building muscles here. The students all feel three dimensional. With distinctive personalities and histories. No rock is left unturned.
King goes out of the way to make Charlie *not* an anti-hero. The root of his problems is a sort of fear that grew inside him from a young age. Stemming from a hunting trip in which his father was joking with friends that he’d slit his wife’s (and Charlie’s mother) face open if she ever cheated. Charlie bails from his tent to pee and struggles to get things flowing. This is a recurring theme in his life as he’s sexually impotent and could never bring himself to stand up to his father until it was too late.
When he finally confronts his father it’s essentially the belt scene that will later be repurposed to greater effect in the novel IT. That’s overall, how I feel about Rage. It’s a good little book. Super solid even. But these themes are explored to greater effect in future stories. I don’t want to be too critical. King is a beast for writing this thing when most of us were applying to be fry cooks. For anyone who has sat down to write a story… you understand the achievement here. A must read for constant readers.
It’s interesting to note that a mass shooting doesn’t occur in the “novel” itself. In this borderline novella two teachers are shot and killed. And by the end all students are released. In the pages between King leads readers through a darkly comic thriller reminiscent of Lord of the Flies.
Besides the William Golding influence, Rage is the root for future stories Uncle Steve will serve us like Cain Rose Up, Carrie, and Apt Pupil. Though I’d argue that Carrie and Apt Pupil are stronger. Still, King is something like a prodigy. The Long Walk and Rage are both mature novels for being written when he was a freshman in college and a senior in high school respectively.
King once described himself as dangerous during the period he wrote Rage. I understand he was bullied during this time. Your mind is left to wonder the darkness swirling inside while plugging away at the story. The main character, Charlie, at first experiences a sense of catharsis when finally confronting the adults in the story. I think this has caused people to (incorrectly) paint him as an anti-hero. I’ve even seen some say that his actions in the book are glorified. I have to ask… were you paying attention?
Yes, Charlie’s background does have its troubles. And it’s presented as potentially the cause of the events of the story. Charlie and his classmates hold a sort of struggle session trying to solve this mystery. In fact, the last thing that happens before the first teacher is killed is a math equation is presented to the class. Charlie ruminates and identifies with the equation of all things. And this sets things into motion.
But it’s soon discovered that every student in the classroom suffers from their own issues. Our main character isn’t special in this way. You get a sense that King was exercising his character building muscles here. The students all feel three dimensional. With distinctive personalities and histories. No rock is left unturned.
King goes out of the way to make Charlie *not* an anti-hero. The root of his problems is a sort of fear that grew inside him from a young age. Stemming from a hunting trip in which his father was joking with friends that he’d slit his wife’s (and Charlie’s mother) face open if she ever cheated. Charlie bails from his tent to pee and struggles to get things flowing. This is a recurring theme in his life as he’s sexually impotent and could never bring himself to stand up to his father until it was too late.
When he finally confronts his father it’s essentially the belt scene that will later be repurposed to greater effect in the novel IT. That’s overall, how I feel about Rage. It’s a good little book. Super solid even. But these themes are explored to greater effect in future stories. I don’t want to be too critical. King is a beast for writing this thing when most of us were applying to be fry cooks. For anyone who has sat down to write a story… you understand the achievement here. A must read for constant readers.
was0018's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75