“Then hear this, and never forget it. Any fool with fast hands can take a tiger by the balls, but it takes a hero to keep on squeezing.”

“Then hear this, and never forget it. Any fool with fast hands can take a tiger by the balls, but it takes a hero to keep on squeezing.”







Book 23 in my project of reading/re-reading the whole Stephen King bibliography



I don't know why, but I didn't expect much from this re-read. I didn't remember particularly enjoying this book. Maybe it was because the first time I read it, I was in a different state of mind or had different expectations. But as I started reading it again, something changed. I found myself getting more and more involved in the story. The plot was very fast-paced, which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. The tension was high, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. I also found the main idea very interesting. It made me think about the nature of creativity and the sacrifices that writers sometimes have to make. Plus, I love when King writes about writers. He really seems to understand the writing process and the mindset of a writer. It's always fascinating to see how he portrays these characters in his books.

GEORGE STARK
1975 - 1988
Not a Very Nice Guy

I didn't know much about this going in, and this book doesn't get much buzz. It's another of SK's stories that had been made into a movie, but it reviewed terribly. I never saw this one and didn't even remember the trailers when it came out. It seemed to have a good cast, with Timothy Hutton as Thad Beaumont and Michael Rooker as Alan Pangborn, and was directed by George Romero. I have my own theory on why a lot of SK's stories don't translate well to the screen. To me, a lot of the charm of his stories lies in the inner monologue of the characters and the interesting backstories he delves into. This doesn't work well in live-action stories, and a lot of the magic is lost.

Anyway, enough about a movie I haven't seen (but do plan to watch now). What about the book? The story starts with a young Thad Beaumont, plagued by headaches. This escalates, and after having a seizure, they operate on what they believe is a brain tumor. It's hard to get the imagery of the eye inside of Thad's brain looking up at the doctor out of your mind. Thanks a lot, SK, for disturbing my sleep – haha. The headaches go away.

Fast forward to Thad as an adult. He is happily married and a relatively new father to twins. He is a fairly well-known author with several releases under his own name and a few under the pen name of George Stark. This alter ego allows him to write darker stories and explore topics his main fanbase might not appreciate. George has a fanbase of his own, and no one knows that George and Thad are the same. His publisher also thinks he should stick to one title per year, so this gives him another outlet. Remind you of anything? Clearly, SK was drawing at least a little from his personal experiences of writing under the alias of Richard Bachman.

Thad decides to give up on his alter ego, and well, weird things start happening. This has a lot of the elements I mentioned above that make SK's stories so much fun. There are fun quotes like "A novelist was simply a fellow who got paid to tell lies. The bigger the lies, the better the pay." There are also fun, quirky references like the 'Yo Mamma!' doll (which is guaranteed not to chip walls, and this reminded me a bit of 'Reba the Anger Management Doll' from Duma Key). Lines like "Lie me an alibi" add to the charm. The whole sequence of Officer Cautious and Officer Extremely was just hilarious. There are also interesting ideas, like Presque vu, which is "a sense of experiencing something which has not happened yet but will. Not precognition, exactly but misplaced memory." Interesting 'twin' dynamics were touched upon.

This was a very well-done story. It had a nice balance of horror, supernatural elements, action, and interesting characters and dialogue. It probably was a 3.5-star read, but since GR can't figure out how to do half stars, it rounds up to 4 for me.

------

Aside: When I read 'Salem's Lot, I noticed how many times SK writes stories about writers. Add one more to the list with Thad Beaumont.

True fact: I have owned multiple copies of The Dark Half in my life. But somehow, I always managed to lose those copies without reading the book. I bought this...third copy, I believe, and finally committed myself to reading it. Oh, how I wish I hadn't.

King is typically known for his abstract and fuzzily defined monsters. I get that, and most of the time, I'm okay with it because he compensates with characters I want to follow. However, Thad and Liz Beaumont are severely flat cardboard characters that I just can't believe in. Worse still, I don't buy the premise for the monster, which is Thad's so-called "twin," George Stark.

Except, it isn't really his twin. Thad had an operation as a child to remove the partial remains of a twin fetus that was developing in his brain. So there's nothing there. No twin. No lump of goo also developing in his head. What King wants me to believe is that because Thad imagined a southern talking crime fiction-writing version of himself, his dead twin took over that personality as Thad's pen name. And, because Thad chose to kill off his pen name, Stark suddenly rises from a fake grave to become an adult super-killer. He and Thad share fingerprints, even though twins don't. They also share the same voice print, again, even though twins don't. Stark knows where all his victims are. He's much smarter than the cops, and he's uber manly. He talks like a villain from a 1980s era Canon film. For a guy just born, he has amazing bomb making skills. But forget his skills. Where did he get his bomb making supplies from with no money, no wallet, and no ID? He was born with a full set of clothing and his principle weapon already in his pocket. As all twins do, usually.

And before I continue, I want to say that even though I'm not a big fan of cops, King's depictions of the police as goobers or prissy so-and-so's is just kind of pathetic. In one chapter alone, he said the FBI agents looked like H&R Block reps instead of agents, that they looked like they wanted to hold each other for comfort, and then he describes an agent eeking like a woman.

The supposed highlight of the book is Sheriff Alan Pangborn, who is mostly just a figurehead with some home life scenes thrown in. I mention them because Alan's wife is described at one point as being "gloriously naked." I have in mind an image of a woman laying curled on her side, the sheets glowing underneath her lithe form while a choir sings "Hallelujah!" But aside from giving me a buzzword NEVER to use while describing women, most of Alan's role is doing legwork in the wake of Stark's uber-spree. Pangborn's charm wore off for me when he referred to a victim as "The cunt from Vassar with nasal problems."

And King is really milking the "twins share a psychic bond" cliche to ridiculous levels here, even having a scene where one baby falls, and the other gets a matching psychic bruise. Thad then uses this to explain how Stark knew to call Thad in a convenience store without knowing the number: "Because the sparrows are flying again. And because we are twins." No, even if it's King peddling this nonsense, I can still smell what it is.

But where the book really loses me is when King insists that I read sloppy ass super-killer handwriting and insists that this "channeled writing" is coming from his southern talking evil twin who was literally just born from a hole in the ground.

And why is it that all of Stephen King's writer alter egos have southern accents? Is Stephen King terrified of southerners? Do the sounds of a banjo make his butthole pucker tight enough to crack walnuts? Does a Dairy Queen make him quiver in his Maine-issued loafers? Because in Secret Window, the alter ego pen name also speaks with a southern accent. So this feels like a trend with him.

I really tried to read the chicken scratching that's supposed to pass as Stark's next brilliant novel. But it just made my eyes sting trying to sort it out, and I realized, I stopped caring about King's writer characters after Misery. Do I want to follow another of King's writers on a writing journey under pressure? No. And really, I thought of the situation like this: if George Stark had all these skills to kill people, why doesn't he know how to write his own stupid book? He could just know the right words from Thad through their magical twin connection, so why does he have to channel his book through Thad?

Ultimately, I don't care to see where this story goes. I can forgive a monster with a vague origin in a King story. It happens. But without a strong cast of characters, this whole venture feels like a waste of time.

I'm a huge fan of King, but I have to give The Dark Half one star. I would only recommend it to completists who feel they need to read everything an author's ever written.

When I was extremely young (and, of course, deeply fascinated by Freud), for some reason, I was reluctant to take any psychological test. I was afraid that it might uncover some dark aspect of me that I was not aware of. Now, I'm not even sure if there is a bright side to be discovered anymore :D.

Joking apart, this goes to show that the theme of the double did not commence with Romanticism and has never been confined to literature alone. How often have we rationalized a bad or lousy action by saying "this was not the real me?" So, it's easy to understand why the aforementioned theme, despite being well-known, continues to captivate. King's novel, however, doesn't quite deliver. Not entirely. It contains too much of "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" along with "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" in it. But, of course, as always, the author knows how to sustain the reader's interest and the writing is not bad at all. So, it makes for an enjoyable enough reading, just like many of his other novels.

This is one where Stephen King goes for the gross out.

Stephen King is widely known for his ability to create intense and often disturbing stories. In this particular work, he seems to be deliberately aiming to shock and disgust his readers. The details he presents are vivid and graphic, designed to make the skin crawl. From grotesque descriptions of physical appearances to disturbing scenes of violence and gore, King spares no expense in his pursuit of the gross out factor.

Some might argue that this aspect of his writing is what makes him so popular. The ability to push the boundaries and explore the darker side of human nature is a hallmark of his work. However, others may find it too much to handle. The excessive use of gross out elements can sometimes overshadow the other aspects of the story, such as character development and plot. Nevertheless, there is no denying that Stephen King knows how to make an impact with his writing, and this particular piece is no exception.

**Title: A Terrifying Tale of Return and Darkness**

The title itself proclaims it! The other half returns and is darker than ever...

This is a book that I can characterize as one of the most hair-raising of King's works. It is a place where fear and pain meet, but take on new dimensions.

The story unfolds with a sense of mystery and foreboding. The return of the other half brings with it a palpable sense of dread that permeates every page. The author masterfully weaves together elements of horror and emotion, creating a truly immersive experience for the reader.

As the plot progresses, we are drawn deeper into the world of the story, witnessing the characters' struggles and the increasing darkness that surrounds them. The descriptions are vivid and detailed, painting a picture that is both terrifying and captivating.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of horror and anyone looking for a thrilling and unforgettable read.

Thad Beaumont is a wealthy and highly renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning author. However, he owes all his success to his self-created, thriller-writing alter ego, George Stark. Once George has served his purpose, Thad attempts to divorce himself from this alternate identity. But George has entirely different ideas.

I couldn't read the synopsis of this book without wondering how much of the contents would be autobiographical. Given King's prior struggles with addiction and the fact that Thad himself is a recovering alcoholic, it's a natural thought. All I can say for sure is that King drew on his own experiences of writing to pen this novel. Any other similarities are purely subjective.

King's brilliance is evident throughout this work, whether or not he saw himself within its pages. The reader is gradually fed a sense of unease that eventually overwhelms even the most seemingly innocent of scenes. The deaths featured here aren't overly gruesomely described, but the terror I felt while reading made me fearful even when horrors weren't explicitly depicted on the page. This, I believe, is King's forte and the reason why I will always return to his novels.

**Title: 3.5 Stars**

In the world of reviews and ratings, 3.5 stars holds a unique position.

It's not quite a full 4 stars, which would signify excellence, but it's also far from being a mediocre 3 stars.

A 3.5-star rating indicates that a product or service has some notable qualities and strengths, yet there are still areas that could use improvement.

Perhaps it has a great design but lacks in functionality, or maybe the customer service is good but not outstanding.

However, it's important to remember that a 3.5-star rating is still a positive one.

It shows that the item or experience has managed to meet a certain level of expectation and has something to offer.

It could be a great option for those who are looking for a balance between quality and price, or for those who are willing to overlook a few flaws in exchange for other benefits.

In conclusion, while 3.5 stars may not be the highest rating, it's still a valuable one that can provide useful information to consumers.

So, the next time you see a 3.5-star review, don't dismiss it out of hand. Take a closer look and see if it might be the right choice for you.

Finally!! Did this book take a long time to read? It certainly felt like it did.

The Dark Half is a dark reflection of an incident in Stephen King's personal life when his other pen name, Richard Bachman, was exposed as being him. Instead of the story ending there, King delves into what it would be like if unsuccessful literary author Thad Beaumont's more successful pen name, George Stark, came alive to haunt him and his family.

The catalyst for this is Thad's decision to go public as the author behind Stark's string of grisly bestsellers after a sleazy individual discovers the truth and attempts to blackmail him into co-authoring a book. He goes public by having a photograph taken with him over George Stark's fake gravestone, proclaiming that he's not a nice guy. It's an interesting setup, a new take on the familiar trope of a villain or monster rising from the grave for revenge.

The unique aspect of The Dark Half is that it's King's third consecutive book where he's breaking new ground with his stories. With Misery, he wrote a novel without any supernatural horror. With The Tommyknockers, he attempted sci-fi horror. And with this one, there's a hard-boiled crime element or hard-boiled horror, if you will. The supernatural is back with George Stark rising from his grave and Thad's connection with sparrows, a symbol of the living dead, but the writing is punchier and more fast-paced. This is most evident in the George Stark chapters, which are the most enjoyable parts of the book due to the grisly murders presented in all their gory detail and Stark's borderline cartoonish manner. At one point, as a onlooker asks what's going on as Stark attempts to kill his third victim with a straight razor, he replies, "murder, want some?"

Decades later, King would publish what was marketed as his attempt to write a hard-boiled crime trilogy known as the Mr. Mercedes trilogy. The marketing people seemed to have forgotten that he had already done this before with The Dark Half and, in some ways, did it better.

That brings us to Thad's sections in the book, which I struggled with. All the frantic pace and killer lines seem to disappear whenever we return to Thad's world. Other than the opening sequence where he's a kid having to undergo brain surgery only for the operating staff to find an eyeball instead of a tumor (it's theorized that Thad absorbed his twin in utero), I was bored. Mainly because Thad's chapters are used to explain how a being like Stark could come into existence. In the beginning, there are hints of an interesting idea with the introduction of Castle Rock's new Sheriff Alan Pangborn, who initially believes Thad is the killer, but Thad manages to convince him early on that he's not. So any hope that Thad would have something to do, like fleeing from the police to prove his innocence as the body count rises, is quickly dashed. Knowing what Alan Pangborn would go on to achieve makes him seem pointless in this story.

Thad merely exists throughout the novel until the midpoint when everything seems to have stalled, only for King to have Stark kidnap Thad's wife and children while he's out of the house. It feels strange when reading it, as if King realized he was about to engage in the excessive writing found in The Tommyknockers and then immediately took a left turn. Which brings us to Liz, Thad's wife, whose primary purpose throughout the book seems to be "be scared". All in all, I was disappointed in rereading this, again only vaguely remembering the parts of the story that I liked. Maybe that's why it remained so vague in my memory for years.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

There will be light spoilers in this review, but I tried to keep them on par with what would be revealed by the synopsis of the book. There was simply no way for me to review this while keeping every detail concealed.

King crafted something both horrifying and utterly fascinating from his frustration over the loss of Richard Bachman. For those unfamiliar with Bachman, he was King's pseudonym. Under this name, King wrote several novels like Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork, and The Running Man. However, in his fifth publication, Thinner, his true identity was accidentally exposed. A bookstore employee, a big King fan, got an advanced copy of Thinner, did some research, and became convinced that King and Bachman were the same person. King decided to come clean and gave an interview to the reader, admitting that he was indeed Richard Bachman. This led to more sales for his Bachman books, but King was still unhappy about the loss. He felt that Bachman was developing his own unique voice and would soon have achieved success and a loyal fanbase without the need for King's name on the byline. Regardless, Bachman was now gone, although King would later publish a few works under Bachman's name "posthumously."

King's experience with the loss of his Bachman pen name is clearly the inspiration behind The Dark Half. In this story, we have a situation that is somewhat the reverse of what happened in real life. Thad Beaumont is a literary novelist whose name is well-known in certain circles and has been recognized by prestigious award-giving groups. However, he has never sold well with the general public. George Stark, Thad's pseudonym, is the more popular author of the two, publishing bestselling crime novels that are highly acclaimed by the general public. When Stark's true identity is discovered, instead of giving in to blackmail, Thad decides to reveal himself to the world and retire Stark permanently. Unfortunately for Thad, Stark is not going to disappear without a fight. Brutal murders are committed, and the evidence points directly to Thad, making him seem guilty as sin. But there's a problem: Thad did not commit these crimes. They were committed by someone with whom Thad once shared a body, a mind, and a pencil in hand. The existence of this person is physically impossible, and yet it's true.

I love the personification of ideas that have populated our stories since before we knew how to write. Here, King took the concepts of an evil twin, a brain child, and a pseudonym and created something appalling, malevolent, and, most importantly, real. King did a great job of taking these common idioms and breathing new, cancerous life into them. There is a scene at the beginning of the book, when Thad is just a sick kid on an operating table, that is one of the most horrifying visuals I've ever read and will definitely stay with me.

Speaking of horrifying, this book is exactly what I expected to find when I read my first Stephen King book as an adult. The Dark Half is filled with graphic details of violence and gore that could make even the strongest stomachs queasy. These details are presented with a maniacal amusement that is just as disturbing as the bloodbath itself. The description of the antagonist is one of the most sickening things I've ever read. But these are not complaints. As I said, this is what I expected from King when I was a child, although I've actually gotten less of it than I thought I would as I've read his work. In my opinion, this book is quintessential King, the literary equivalent of a campy, ultra-gory B-movie.

Okay, a couple of random things I liked. I really enjoyed the idea of sparrows as psychopomps and the large role they played in the story. A sparrow seems like such a harmless bird, not as ominous as a crow, raven, or buzzard. However, a large enough group of any creature can be terrifying, as King shows perfectly here. The importance placed on twins also intrigued me. I've always been interested in twins because my father is an identical twin, so the inclusion of twins in a story always catches my attention. Also, I loved the inclusion of Alan Pangborn, Sheriff of Castle Rock. Although I read Needful Things first, where he is one of the main protagonists, Alan is first introduced in The Dark Half. I found it very interesting to go back and read about his life before the events of Needful Things, and I think filling in the gaps in my knowledge of a character I already cared about greatly increased my enjoyment of this book. This is one of the few times when I'm actually glad that I read something out of order. Unfortunately, Alan was the only character I really cared about. Neither the protagonist nor his wife were very likable, and the antagonist seemed more like a caricature of evil than a real person.

There were some parts of the book that were slow and meandering, and I think the book would have benefited from some editing in these areas. If it were shorter, sharper, and presented the story at a faster pace, I truly believe that this book could have been a classic of the horror genre. But while it wasn't perfect, The Dark Half was seriously fun. If you're looking for something scary and so bloody that it borders on cheesy, this book is definitely for you.

3.5/5.0 stars.

This book is not my absolute favorite, but it is definitely a classic and well worth the read.

The description "Stark's grin widened, become a thing of pestiferous splendor" is truly unique.

Who else could come up with such a vivid and interesting way to describe a grin?

I have never grown tired of reading the author's books.

His writing style is engaging and full of character.

Although this particular book may not be at the top of my list, it still has many redeeming qualities.

The story is well-paced and the characters are well-developed.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading classic literature or who is looking for a good read.

Overall, it is a solid addition to any bookshelf.

This book is deeply intertwined with King himself. It's not his first novel about a writer, but it seems to express his own experiences most powerfully. The story is clearly inspired by his own publishing journey as Richard Bachman until being exposed by a bookstore employee. The author, Thad Beaumont, was a former drinker, much like King who achieved sobriety while writing this book. Some early parts of the book had a substance-fueled feel similar to "The Tommyknockers," but it later became one of his strongest works, focused and dark until the climax.

  He is two men—he has ALWAYS been two men. That's what any man or woman who makes believe for a living must be. The one who exists in the normal world... and the one who creates worlds. They are two. Always at least two.

The only drawback is the ending, lacking a proper denouement. It feels unfair to the reader to leave out details about Thad's writing life, family relationships, and Liz's post-crisis experience. Additionally, it would have been interesting to know what they and Sheriff Pangborn could say to the police to absolve Thad and explain the closing events. King must have run out of steam right after crossing the finish line.

This Castle Rock-adjacent book introduces a new sheriff, Alan Pangborn, who succeeds George Bannerman. Pangborn reappears in "Needful Things," and it's worth noting that his habit of making shadow puppets first appears in this book.