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Title: Black House by Peter Straub, Stephen King ISBN: 0-345-44103-6 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 27 August, 2002 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.47 (379 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Good, but is it good enough?
Comment: Depends on who you are. If you are a fan of The Talisman, perhaps yes. If you are a Peter Straub fan perhaps not, for despite all appearances to the contrary, Black House is a Stephen King book, much more so than The Talisman.
The book exists in SK's universe, where the Crimson King lives and breathes, and threatens the existence of all, and Jack Sawyer's incredible journey is but a blink of his red eye. Black House has two major roles to fill in the SK cosmos. First and foremost it reunites us with the great Jack Sawyer, all grown up with even more places to go. Secondly, and to some of us, more importantly, Black House serves as SK's apology to his near rabid Dark Tower fans who have anxiously awaited the resolution of The Wastelands (for most of us, Wizard and Glass just didn't cut it).
Many of SK's books advertise that there are "other worlds than these," hovering so close that sometimes they collide, and readers catch a glimpse into another reality, where we see a young woman handcuffed to a bed or poster desperately seeking a lost pet named Ted. In Black House however, we get direct references to Roland and his crew, not to mention the Dark Tower. Those not familiar with Roland might feel disoriented and a bit confused, much like our hero when Parkus speaks of the last of the gunslingers: "I have no clue what you're talking about...I did, sort of, but you lost me about two turns back." By linking Jack to a world where "all things serve the Beam," SK does our warrior a great disservice-for while Jack is a natural hero, ultimately he is only a "coppiceman," not a gunslinger, and his job, as important and necessary as it is, is not THE job. Multiple references to Roland, remind us that he and his gunslingers are the true heroes, and no matter what happens in Black House, the ultimate battle is yet to be fought, let alone won. Black House is a great sequel but because SK has infused it with in-jokes, I'm not sure it can stand on its own. At the end of the story, a single word is uttered-a word that is the answer to all questions, a word that explains the inexplicable and dispenses hope and despair in equal doses-and only those familiar with Roland of Gilead will understand.
Rating: 4
Summary: HIGHLY WORTHY sequel to The Talisman
Comment: I'm a pretty major King fan, having read just about everything that he's published (the two exceptions are "Roadwork" by Bachman and "Secret Windows" which I have on my bookshelf waiting for a free weekend). The Talisman is my all time favorite King book, bar none. Yes, I know Peter Straub worked with King, but let's face it, it's a King book first. Few people were looking forward to Black House more than Yours Truly.
I'll note up front -- despite being a fan -- I'm very quick to poopoo a bad King book. I thought The Stand was full of hot air, The Tommyknockers should be banned it's so bad, and Dreamcatcher was a disappointing return to writing that I have forgiven King for publishing (he was recovering from a near death experience for cryin' out loud). As much as I love King books, if they bite, they bite.
That said, I think Black House is a fantastic sequel to The Talisman. Not only that, but it has set up a number of issues that I'm sure will be dealt with in the next Dark Tower book. Sure, there wasn't very much Territories stuff going on, but I'm looking at Black House as a "glue" book that ties The Talisman with DT.
My only real complaint (other than the lack of time spent in the Territories) is a scene near the end of the book where a secondary character performs some unexplainable magic with a ring. I confess to rolling my eyes a bit on that one. Other than that, though, I was happy with this book. It left me sad that it was over, and that's always a good sign.
I'm sure the reviews will all be torn on this one. The anticipation was high, which historically means people with excessive expectations will be disappointed in one way or another. I had high expectations, yet for some reason I was pleased. And now I can't wait until the next DT book!
Rating: 4
Summary: Wonderful, if a king fan.
Comment: This book is a great piece, if the reader is familiar with King's former work, and I would say reading the Talisman is necessary. If your a Towers fan, then you'll enjoy this. When meet old acquaintances in this book, like Bobby Dulac, and Bruatigan is even mentioned. The first half is slow, but it definently picks up towards the middle, so stick with it. This book wasn't really suspenseful, as many of King's others have been- this time, the boys are simply telling a story. I loved the way that this book was written, and it was an enjoying read.
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Title: The Talisman by Peter Straub, Stephen King ISBN: 0345444884 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 31 July, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Everything's Eventual : 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King ISBN: 0743457358 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 30 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, Book 5) by Stephen King, Bernie Wrightson ISBN: 1880418568 Publisher: Donald M. Grant/Scribner Pub. Date: 04 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King, David Palladini ISBN: 0451166582 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 10 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: From a Buick 8 by Stephen King ISBN: 0743417682 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 25 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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