Reviews

Blaze by Stephen King, Richard Bachman

ellemelle's review against another edition

emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

sirsquinky's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lauloulew's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Stephen King (or Richard Bachman!) does it again. When I was asked when genre this book is, I couldn't exactly say it was a crime thriller. It's definitely a thriller, but it's more King's usual incredible study of characters. I did exactly what King said he hoped readers would do when reading Blaze - mist up. 

thegoodmariner's review against another edition

4.0

From the descriptions of this book, I see a lot of people didn't care for it. I think it's my favorite of the Bachman stories, having just put it down.

nisha2021's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 starts. I enjoyed this book and Stephen King's diverse writing style. You would never think this was his work if you read it.

amber_lea84's review against another edition

3.0

I feel like this is good for what it is, which is a story about a kid who got brain damage from his abusive father, went into an orphanage, got into a life of crime that culminated in him stealing a baby for ransom. There's two parallel stories happening at once so you're learning about Blaze's childhood while he is presently going through the act of stealing the baby. Throughout the present day storyline he's hearing the voice of his dead partner in crime in his head, giving him direction and criticizing him relentlessly. Both of these devices are obnoxious when used by lesser authors, but they really work here.

I wish I'd read Of Mice and Men because I can't speak the similarities. It does feel like a mash up of plenty of other stories I've seen/read. While I wouldn't call it a horror novel, it has that distinctive King flare.

bryce_is_a_librarian's review against another edition

5.0

One of those happy occasions where the phrase "I couldn't put it down" is literal.

Hardboiled fiction as mean and cruel as it comes.

blackenedwhiplash's review against another edition

3.0

I borrowed this book from my aunt who dropped off a bunch of Stephen King books for me to borrow and I'm finally getting around to reading them. I haven't yet read any other crime novels by Stephen King, and I think this was a good introduction to that side of King's literary skill. Playing off the big strong fool who is too dumb to take care of himself is a tired concept, reused in too many stories to count. But this is the King we're talking about, so he's able to put new fresh spins on this concept to make it entertaining, endearing, and even sympathetic. You grow to care about Blaze as he grows to care about the baby he kidnaps. The story has this satisfying feeling of symmetry because of this and other events between his past vs. the present in the story. I think this novel was pretty unpredictable and imaginative. The concept is great and works well. It's an overlooked novel in King's/Bachman's catalog, but it deserves your attention. King does go pretty extensively into Blaze's backstory, which I took interest in, but it's something to consider if you're someone who just wants to see the rest of the story and not take steps back to build the character and plot.

jeff_clutterbuck's review against another edition

2.0

It’s Bachman, with the sheen of an older King. Think this ends very differently if it’s young, mean King at the helm. Long Walk still reigns supreme with the Bachman books.

gordcampbell's review against another edition

4.0

Not King/Bachman's best work, but certainly gripping (I read it in three days). A definite homage to Of Mice and Men that has you rooting for Blaze no matter how much you know he's clearly in the wrong and not going to triumph.