Before reading: Well, well, well. Here we are. The book that started it all. The one that I am named after. I feel like I have a lot I want to say but I think I'll wait until I finish reading. Now, of course I know what this one is about. To be honest, I have started reading this book a couple times. I have even started watching the movie a couple times. I have never been able to finish either one. I wouldn't consider this one to be something that I would choose to read. I would compare the vibes to The Dead Zone. That being said, I think after reading much more King, it'll be easier to read. Especially coming after The Tommyknockers. Of course, I am very excited to finally read and finish this one. It also just so happens to be our last book of the 80's. It definitely feels like an end of an era, but fear not, we will have much more to read ahead. It feels so weird to actually be here and getting ready to read this one. Here we go.
After reading: I'm glad I stuck with it and decided to go on this entire journey to arrive here because, of course, it was a really good book. Obviously, not every book will be his best. This was by no means "the best" but it was an enjoyable read. I had a good time reading this and found it to be a much quicker and easier read than the previous book.
Real quickly I want to talk about names. Reading this really got me thinking about names and personalities. Funny enough, not just because of my own name but this was an underlying theme throughout the book. I've really been paying attention to how often our names are used, when we adjust them (when to go by a nickname and when to stick to your full name), and how we perceive them. Do our names become a part of our personalties? For me, at least, I think they do. Suppose my mom did not pick up this book while she was pregnant. Suppose she read something else. What would my name be? And if my name was different, would I be different? How much do our names dictate our lives? This is something we will never know but is fun to ponder. What I do know is that I probably would not be on this journey had it not been for my name. Maybe I would have never read a single Stephen King book. Maybe I wouldn't have become a fan at all. And that would be no fun. Interestingly enough, there was another name in this book that was mentioned much more often than my own...and it was my younger sister's name.
Let's get into discussing the actual book. Two things you ought to know. First is that this is a novel about an author who writes using both his real name and a pseudonym. This pseudonym is the "darker" more evil side of him. You'll have to read the book to find out how, but this "dark half" (get it??) comes to life and they go head to head. Second is that Stephen King writes under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. This book is dedicated to...you guessed it, Richard Bachman. Funny enough it says "the late Richard Bachman" as if King had decided to kill him off. But if you hang in with me, you'll see that we will end up reading more Bachman books later on. It is also blatantly obvious that this book is slightly autobiographical with King being Thad and Bachman being George. As a fan who has read books under both names, this did make the book a bit more fun and tongue in cheek.
This book was structured in my preferred King style. This is where we have several "parts" and then chapters within those parts that are named. In my readings I've noticed King doing that more often and, personally, I really like it. I also noted how this book was so much better than The Tommyknockers and you could just simply tell that King wasn't doing his best beforehand and now he was back and feeling more like his old self. Perhaps that is why this book is more of a reflection of himself.
The only other notes I have are about Castle Rock. We are set in the Rock and we're deep in its lore. There are so many references. I'm honestly curious about if people who don't read all his books and read them out of order are confused. Also, we are introduced to the character Alan Pangborn who I recognized from the Hulu series Castle Rock. Overall, I enjoyed and recommend this book. I think this would be one that appeals to a wide range of readers. It is a mix of thriller, crime drama, supernatural, and horror. If you're looking for a road trip or airplane read, I think this would be a good pick.
What's in a name? Are Thad Beaumont and George Stark all that different? Are Richard Bachman and Stephen King the same man with two names, or two separate entities? Who am I? Who would I be without my name? Who are you?! I have no answers but what I do know is I'm glad my mom read this book. I'm glad I have my name. I'm glad I'm on this journey. And I'm glad you're here with me. I'm excited to read this rest of his books and move into his 90's era! So let's get to it.
Up next we have another group of novellas collectively titled "Four Past Midnight."
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