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dark
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
If you’re here reading these reviews you probably already know the history around Rage and why it was pulled from publication so I won’t bore you by retreading well worn ground.
What I will say is this book was bad. Not based on the history surrounding it but the content of the story itself. You can tell it was an early Stephen King book (he started it in high school) because it’s full of teen angst and the teenage main character thinks he’s smarter than he really is.
I also thought the classmates didn’t feel realistic. There is an interesting story to be told about mob mentality but it wasn’t told here. Here the classmates seemed too calm at being held at gun point after watching two adults just get shot and they very quickly all sided with Charlie and his motivations.
I take no pleasure in giving a book 1 star. In fact this is the first time I’ve done so but I found no redeeming qualities in this novel aside from the fact that it’s short. If it were any longer I would’ve DNF’d it.
Ultimately I think Stephen King’s legacy is better off with this being pulled from publication as it would tarnish his legacy.
What I will say is this book was bad. Not based on the history surrounding it but the content of the story itself. You can tell it was an early Stephen King book (he started it in high school) because it’s full of teen angst and the teenage main character thinks he’s smarter than he really is.
I also thought the classmates didn’t feel realistic. There is an interesting story to be told about mob mentality but it wasn’t told here. Here the classmates seemed too calm at being held at gun point after watching two adults just get shot and they very quickly all sided with Charlie and his motivations.
I take no pleasure in giving a book 1 star. In fact this is the first time I’ve done so but I found no redeeming qualities in this novel aside from the fact that it’s short. If it were any longer I would’ve DNF’d it.
Ultimately I think Stephen King’s legacy is better off with this being pulled from publication as it would tarnish his legacy.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Can't read this in English. I will start over in Dutch.
Interesting and unexpected. Definitely had dark/comic shades of Breakfast Club, but also felt a bit ridiculous and unrealistic. Nonetheless, required reading for any King fanatic.
Not a bad book, I didn't really like the ending (didn't felt like it fit with the rest of the storyline), and the letter format just jammed in the middle of a novel feels weird, but asides from that it's an enjoyable, easy and fast read.
This next issue has nothing to do with the writing per se, it's strictly *my* problem: the book had me hooked like a bad habit from page one, but left me emotionally exhausted. It's a really intense story, crude and violent in a human sort of way that SK "supernatural" titles don't have. I'll was working my way through the Bachman titles, but I'll have to go back to more something more cheerful before moving on!
This next issue has nothing to do with the writing per se, it's strictly *my* problem: the book had me hooked like a bad habit from page one, but left me emotionally exhausted. It's a really intense story, crude and violent in a human sort of way that SK "supernatural" titles don't have. I'll was working my way through the Bachman titles, but I'll have to go back to more something more cheerful before moving on!
If you're looking up this book, you already know the details around it. I read this years ago in the Bachman books, and found an ebook version of it during my current reread through of King.
I can see why this was removed from print by King; it's not a very good effort, and is quite unrefined. Lots of really sophomoric and cringe jokes throughout in a missed attempt at being edgy. And, the message isn't exactly great either (to put it lightly).
Sometimes I wonder if this book and its supposed influence are why King has such a hatred for firearms to this day- perhaps he feels he somehow contributed to the issue with this book... Certainly anyone who is impressionable and who identifies with the main character is going to have some dark takeaways.
Easy pass for King fans, you aren't missing much.
I can see why this was removed from print by King; it's not a very good effort, and is quite unrefined. Lots of really sophomoric and cringe jokes throughout in a missed attempt at being edgy. And, the message isn't exactly great either (to put it lightly).
Sometimes I wonder if this book and its supposed influence are why King has such a hatred for firearms to this day- perhaps he feels he somehow contributed to the issue with this book... Certainly anyone who is impressionable and who identifies with the main character is going to have some dark takeaways.
Easy pass for King fans, you aren't missing much.
dark
tense
fast-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
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
Rage was written years ago and was pulled from shelves shortly after Columbine by Stephen King due to the nature of the content. There are a few articles and interviews where King talks about his views on gun violence and I think he is far more eloquent than i am about why he decided not to continue selling the book.
Of course, despite his valid reasons, if you tell me I can’t read something or it is out of print, the first thing I want to do is read it. The original paperbacks sell for literally hundreds of dollars, but you can find old copies of The Bachman Books contain Rage for normal used book prices. (If you order a brand new copy of the collection, it will not contain Rage and the company will have to refund you and you’ll have to find a used copy somewhere else, so make sure you pay attention if you purchase the collection!)
Rage was actually pretty good. It was short and wasn’t nearly as violent as I expected. I guess I was waiting for the mass shooter to kill dozens of people and have a narration about why. True to his talent, King gave me something far deeper and more intense. The book wasn’t just about the shooter in the way I imagined. Instead, the story dealt with the relationships between the students in the classroom and the decisions they make. Why are people the way they are? I love that King always has a human element where the true horror is what is inside people who aren’t even really evil. Or are they? I can’t tell you how many times I felt like I was understanding Charlie, yet would recoil because his teacher was dead on the floor in front of him. I think the students suffered from the same dilemma.
The book was a brilliant and horrifying look at a deranged, but fairly normal seeming teenager and it took a look at the social and psychological aspects of adolescence. The ending was great and the book was certainly horrifying in ways I never expected. It is one of his early works, but I enjoyed it.
I definitely recommend Rage and I thought it was well worth the hassle of finding a copy. I don’t necessarily think it should be out of print, but I understand King’s perspective on gun violence and his perspective on being a bestselling author, which he does touch on in the beginning of The Bachman Book collection. I get it, but I definitely had to read it!
Of course, despite his valid reasons, if you tell me I can’t read something or it is out of print, the first thing I want to do is read it. The original paperbacks sell for literally hundreds of dollars, but you can find old copies of The Bachman Books contain Rage for normal used book prices. (If you order a brand new copy of the collection, it will not contain Rage and the company will have to refund you and you’ll have to find a used copy somewhere else, so make sure you pay attention if you purchase the collection!)
Rage was actually pretty good. It was short and wasn’t nearly as violent as I expected. I guess I was waiting for the mass shooter to kill dozens of people and have a narration about why. True to his talent, King gave me something far deeper and more intense. The book wasn’t just about the shooter in the way I imagined. Instead, the story dealt with the relationships between the students in the classroom and the decisions they make. Why are people the way they are? I love that King always has a human element where the true horror is what is inside people who aren’t even really evil. Or are they? I can’t tell you how many times I felt like I was understanding Charlie, yet would recoil because his teacher was dead on the floor in front of him. I think the students suffered from the same dilemma.
The book was a brilliant and horrifying look at a deranged, but fairly normal seeming teenager and it took a look at the social and psychological aspects of adolescence. The ending was great and the book was certainly horrifying in ways I never expected. It is one of his early works, but I enjoyed it.
I definitely recommend Rage and I thought it was well worth the hassle of finding a copy. I don’t necessarily think it should be out of print, but I understand King’s perspective on gun violence and his perspective on being a bestselling author, which he does touch on in the beginning of The Bachman Book collection. I get it, but I definitely had to read it!