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jpeavler 's review for:
The Dark Half
by Stephen King
I could feel the anger and and glee that Stephen King was writing with in this book. A few years before this book was released, a Washington D.C. bookstore employee discovered King's Richard Bachman num de plume and King subsequently "killed off" Richard Bachman. So the story of a homicidal pen name coming to life after the real man "killed him off" seems to be a cathartic exercise for King. I do not think its any coincidence that Richard Stark's first victim in the book is a Washington D.C.-based attorney who threatened to "out" Richard Stark as a pen name of the main character Thad Beaumont.
While reading this, I kept thinking about an old Star Trek episode in which some interference occurs within the transporter and Captain Kirk is split into two people: a "Good" Kirk and a "Bad" Kirk. The "Good" Kirk is handcuffed by an inability to make even the most mundane decisions, because he fears hurting people. Meanwhile, the "Bad" Kik roams the ship attempting to rape unsuspecting yeoman and screaming at people with unrestrained anger. Through out the episode, the "Good" Kirk seems to grow weaker, sicker, while the "Bad" Kirk grows strong and aggressive.
You get the same felling in The Dark Half, with the main character feeling guilt and doubt and remorse, all the while his other side is gleefully wreaking havoc with not a care in the world.
The book has an interesting concept. There is a dark side within all of us and if that side were released on the world, what would it be like? In the case of Richard Stark, all he wants is to survive. By whatever means necessary. What would your dark side be like if it was able to physically manifest itself? If you take the book and think about it from a philosophical point of view, it brings up some amazing questions.
But as a story, it was entertaining. There were alot of unanswered questions, but as long as I can tell myself that things will work out in the end, after the last word is written, I can deal with it. I don't want to get into the crux of the story and ruin it for anyone, but suffice to say that a murder investigation is still ongoing by the last sentence. What happens?
While reading this, I kept thinking about an old Star Trek episode in which some interference occurs within the transporter and Captain Kirk is split into two people: a "Good" Kirk and a "Bad" Kirk. The "Good" Kirk is handcuffed by an inability to make even the most mundane decisions, because he fears hurting people. Meanwhile, the "Bad" Kik roams the ship attempting to rape unsuspecting yeoman and screaming at people with unrestrained anger. Through out the episode, the "Good" Kirk seems to grow weaker, sicker, while the "Bad" Kirk grows strong and aggressive.
You get the same felling in The Dark Half, with the main character feeling guilt and doubt and remorse, all the while his other side is gleefully wreaking havoc with not a care in the world.
The book has an interesting concept. There is a dark side within all of us and if that side were released on the world, what would it be like? In the case of Richard Stark, all he wants is to survive. By whatever means necessary. What would your dark side be like if it was able to physically manifest itself? If you take the book and think about it from a philosophical point of view, it brings up some amazing questions.
But as a story, it was entertaining. There were alot of unanswered questions, but as long as I can tell myself that things will work out in the end, after the last word is written, I can deal with it. I don't want to get into the crux of the story and ruin it for anyone, but suffice to say that a murder investigation is still ongoing by the last sentence. What happens?