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I find it hard to like a book when I can't stand the main character. Billy Halleck hits a woman with his car and after the judge (who happens to be his friend) turns a blind eye to the incident, Billy is cursed by the woman's Gypsy father. The curse -- to grow thinner until he wastes away to just skin and bones.
Everyone in the story is bitter, or vindictive, or has a vendetta. The only remotely likable character is the crazy Italian mobster. With that said, I see in a way the point of making all the characters not likable -- it makes their selfishness easier to believe and swallow. But, without a rooting interest in any one character, it makes it a difficult read for someone trying to enjoy a good novel. As with all the Bachman books, this being the fifth title released under the pen name of Stephen King, I have noticed the trend that I do not like them. And they all seem to be for the same reason -- characters which are either hard to relate to or just not likable.
And going over what I just wrote, I realized that I am repeating myself, but I love Stephen King novels because he has a knack for characterization and developing personalities that you like, even when the person is horrible and flawed. Whoever this Bachman guy is that King conjures up needs to take lessons from King on how to write likable characters, and maybe readers like myself will enjoy Richard Bachman novels more. Of course, unfortunately Richard Bachman passed away in 1985 -- but as with every writer, there always seems to be books locked away in an attic somewhere and they are able to publish books years after a writers death.
Everyone in the story is bitter, or vindictive, or has a vendetta. The only remotely likable character is the crazy Italian mobster. With that said, I see in a way the point of making all the characters not likable -- it makes their selfishness easier to believe and swallow. But, without a rooting interest in any one character, it makes it a difficult read for someone trying to enjoy a good novel. As with all the Bachman books, this being the fifth title released under the pen name of Stephen King, I have noticed the trend that I do not like them. And they all seem to be for the same reason -- characters which are either hard to relate to or just not likable.
And going over what I just wrote, I realized that I am repeating myself, but I love Stephen King novels because he has a knack for characterization and developing personalities that you like, even when the person is horrible and flawed. Whoever this Bachman guy is that King conjures up needs to take lessons from King on how to write likable characters, and maybe readers like myself will enjoy Richard Bachman novels more. Of course, unfortunately Richard Bachman passed away in 1985 -- but as with every writer, there always seems to be books locked away in an attic somewhere and they are able to publish books years after a writers death.