A review by sammah
Blaze by Stephen King, Richard Bachman

4.0

While this book was definitely a different sort of approach for King, I still find it enjoyable and rather enticing. Perhaps this was because of how different it is from his other work, or just perhaps because of the story itself. I found Blaze to be a likable character, for all of his flaws and wrong-doings, and I sympathized with him throughout the entire story. I found it endearing, the way he took to baby Joe, and how he seemed reluctant to want to give him up. I think that it wasn't so much his loneliness that formed the attachment to Joe, but rather his need to be needed instead of just being 'the dummy' of the situation.

This story was like some sort of odd mix of Fight Club and Of Mice and Men for me. I kept wondering if George had ever really existed at all, or if he was simply always in Blaze's head as a figment of his imagination. That was never made quite clear to me, even with the flashbacks, because it seemed like Blaze was always to in-touch with George (for example: knowing George had had his teeth pulled). Blaze reminded me too so much of Lenny Small from Of Mice and Men on so many levels. He was a large man (following around a man named George too) who came off a bit scary, but who really was quite gentle and mentally not all there. He was content to just amble along keeping to himself, and didn't ever quite seem to mean to hurt people, he just couldn't help it.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. Not my favorite, but certainly not bad. A good effort, for a story that was never meant to be read.