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jetski's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
efthymis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
3.0
I expected a scary story. Maybe I shouldn’t have, since it’s one of his books under an alias, hence a different period in his life?
Anyways, not a bad book, but I wanted a bit more action I guess.
Anyways, not a bad book, but I wanted a bit more action I guess.
dorianeem's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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
4.0
Is it crazy that I was rooting for the main character, the crimina, when I should have been rooting for the police and the parents ?
This is the second Bachman book that I've read. I've seen some mixed reviews on here, but I've this book well-written. I like the back and forth in time. It blended smoothly. And it made me have pity and root for Blaze. You can only kinda get attached to him, even though he is indeed a criminal. King made me feel so sad for Blaze, for his wasted life, that when he finally found something that gave him purpose, I wanted him to have it, even though it was wrong.
Do not expect horror or a thriller. There are not many huge plots. It's a simple story, Witten around a simple man. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it was mine.
This is the second Bachman book that I've read. I've seen some mixed reviews on here, but I've this book well-written. I like the back and forth in time. It blended smoothly. And it made me have pity and root for Blaze. You can only kinda get attached to him, even though he is indeed a criminal. King made me feel so sad for Blaze, for his wasted life, that when he finally found something that gave him purpose, I wanted him to have it, even though it was wrong.
Do not expect horror or a thriller. There are not many huge plots. It's a simple story, Witten around a simple man. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it was mine.
gracieb8's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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
3.5
taylorsmith2010's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
aprilann6024's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
adamcagey's review against another edition
4.0
In the introduction to this novel, King dismisses it as a trunk novel. Originally written in 1973 under his pen name, Richard Bachman, it sat forgotten for nearly thirty years. Thankfully it's been unearthed. This is an excellent, no-nonsense crime novel.
King mentions in the intro that when he wrote a second draft of Blaze thirty years later, he paired down the prose as much as he could, making it as lean as possible. In this regard it reads like a Donald Westlakee novel (or, more accurately, like Westlake's alter ego, Richard Stark).
The book clocks in at a relatively short (for King anyway) 260 pages. The story just screams along, and King's realization of the main character is surprisingly effective. Blaze is fantastic character, tragic and sympathetic.
this is probably the best King novel I've read since 1997's Desperation. Well worth the read.
King mentions in the intro that when he wrote a second draft of Blaze thirty years later, he paired down the prose as much as he could, making it as lean as possible. In this regard it reads like a Donald Westlakee novel (or, more accurately, like Westlake's alter ego, Richard Stark).
The book clocks in at a relatively short (for King anyway) 260 pages. The story just screams along, and King's realization of the main character is surprisingly effective. Blaze is fantastic character, tragic and sympathetic.
this is probably the best King novel I've read since 1997's Desperation. Well worth the read.
dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
Aided by the voice of his dead friend George in his head, a slow goliath named Blaze kidnaps an infant and holds him for ransom. Can Blaze hold things together long enough to collect the ransom?
Blaze is a straight up crime book from Stephen King, aside from the voice of George in Blaze's head, which might not even be supernatural in origin. I have to wonder why this wasn't the book Stephen King offered up to Hard Case instead of The Colorado Kid.
The story of Blaze unfolds in two parallel stories, one of the present day kidnapping and the other of Blaze's past, how a beating at the hands of his father rendered him a simpleton and landed him in the state home. I found Blaze's past way more interesting than his kidnapping scheme, which had some ludicrous moments due to Blaze not really knowing what he was doing. When the wheels predictably come off, things quickly go to hell in a handbasket.
For the most part, this book was just kind of there for me. Blaze was the only really memorable character for me. I thought that for a book that was less than 400 pages, there was a bit of the King bloat in effect. While I liked it, it almost fell back into the "it's okay" realm. Maybe it was a wrong book, wrong time scenario.
Apparently Stephen King wrote the original draft of Blaze around the same time he was writing Carrie. Carrie got picked up and Blaze fell by the wayside until King decided to revive it while on the Lisey's Story tour. Why he stuck the Bachman name on it, I don't know. It feels more King than Bachman to me.
Three out of five stars but it's a weak three.
Blaze is a straight up crime book from Stephen King, aside from the voice of George in Blaze's head, which might not even be supernatural in origin. I have to wonder why this wasn't the book Stephen King offered up to Hard Case instead of The Colorado Kid.
The story of Blaze unfolds in two parallel stories, one of the present day kidnapping and the other of Blaze's past, how a beating at the hands of his father rendered him a simpleton and landed him in the state home. I found Blaze's past way more interesting than his kidnapping scheme, which had some ludicrous moments due to Blaze not really knowing what he was doing. When the wheels predictably come off, things quickly go to hell in a handbasket.
For the most part, this book was just kind of there for me. Blaze was the only really memorable character for me. I thought that for a book that was less than 400 pages, there was a bit of the King bloat in effect. While I liked it, it almost fell back into the "it's okay" realm. Maybe it was a wrong book, wrong time scenario.
Apparently Stephen King wrote the original draft of Blaze around the same time he was writing Carrie. Carrie got picked up and Blaze fell by the wayside until King decided to revive it while on the Lisey's Story tour. Why he stuck the Bachman name on it, I don't know. It feels more King than Bachman to me.
Three out of five stars but it's a weak three.
kingova's review against another edition
5.0
Kingova verzija priče “O miševima i ljudima” samo, naravno, kako to kod Kinga mora da bude dosta jezivije i uznemirujuće.
Blaze je lik koji u životu nije imao sreće. Zadobio je teške povrede glave kada ga otac alkoholičar bacio niz stepenice. Ni u sirotištu nije bilo ništa lakše, uglavnom su ga selili iz jedne hraniteljske porodice u drugu, gde bi im poslužio tokom sezonskih poslova i onda bi ga odbacili jer nije više potreban.
Kada je napustio sirotište bavio se sitnim kriminalom sa prijateljem Džordžom. Džordž je razvio plan da otmu bebu iz bogate porodice i tako obezbede sebi bolju budućnost. Samo što je ostao jedan problem, Džordž je mrtav. Ipak, Blaze je istrajan u tome da ostvari taj plan, kidnapuje bebu, pokupi milion dolara i ode negde gde je toplo.
I nije sam, Džordž mu i dalje pomaže sa svojim savetima, bar je u njegovoj glavi tako.
Priča je dosta uznemirujuća, ali opet nekako topla. Blaze je mnogo simpatičan kao lik, jako je lako povezati se sa njim jer ima tu pojavu nekog naivnog diva i izaziva simpatije.
I eto, kažem po ko zna koji put, razlog zbog kog šta god čitala uvek jedva čekam da se Kingu vratim, kod njega su likovi izgradjeni do najmanjeg detalja, da se brzo stvori taj osećaj bliskosti.
Završih čitanje skoro u 1am, jer nisam nikako mogla da je ostavim, ridajući. Ali ne marim. King je to. Zbog toga ga i volim.
•
“Bio je to prljav svet, i što si duže živeo, prljaviji si postajao.”
Blaze je lik koji u životu nije imao sreće. Zadobio je teške povrede glave kada ga otac alkoholičar bacio niz stepenice. Ni u sirotištu nije bilo ništa lakše, uglavnom su ga selili iz jedne hraniteljske porodice u drugu, gde bi im poslužio tokom sezonskih poslova i onda bi ga odbacili jer nije više potreban.
Kada je napustio sirotište bavio se sitnim kriminalom sa prijateljem Džordžom. Džordž je razvio plan da otmu bebu iz bogate porodice i tako obezbede sebi bolju budućnost. Samo što je ostao jedan problem, Džordž je mrtav. Ipak, Blaze je istrajan u tome da ostvari taj plan, kidnapuje bebu, pokupi milion dolara i ode negde gde je toplo.
I nije sam, Džordž mu i dalje pomaže sa svojim savetima, bar je u njegovoj glavi tako.
Priča je dosta uznemirujuća, ali opet nekako topla. Blaze je mnogo simpatičan kao lik, jako je lako povezati se sa njim jer ima tu pojavu nekog naivnog diva i izaziva simpatije.
I eto, kažem po ko zna koji put, razlog zbog kog šta god čitala uvek jedva čekam da se Kingu vratim, kod njega su likovi izgradjeni do najmanjeg detalja, da se brzo stvori taj osećaj bliskosti.
Završih čitanje skoro u 1am, jer nisam nikako mogla da je ostavim, ridajući. Ali ne marim. King je to. Zbog toga ga i volim.
•
“Bio je to prljav svet, i što si duže živeo, prljaviji si postajao.”