On my journey to reading all of Stephen King's books in publication order,

The Talisman was the next to be devoured. This ended up being a really solid read and it truly deserves the praise it receives.

It isn't a five-star book because it didn't quite make the most of its 900+ pages, yet what it manages to achieve is rather awesome.

I read Black House a while ago and didn't really enjoy it, only to discover later that it was the second book to The Talisman. So, going into this book, I wasn't sure if I would like it.

Although still a horror, this novel is full of adventure. It follows a young boy as he tries to save his mother. He embarks on a journey like no other to rescue the woman he loves.

Jack is such a brilliant character, and since he is the main character, his growth is beautiful to witness. We really see a boy transform into a man. Starting out innocent and naïve, Jack soon realizes that the world is a harsh and scary place.

Jack not only begins to turn into a man but also a leader, someone to be followed and admired.

The adventure is constantly twisting and turning, and from one chapter to the next, I never knew where this read was taking me. It's magical, brutal, and beautiful all at once.

We meet so many excellent characters, each one well thought out and detailed. Wolf has to be one of my favorite characters. He's loyal, fierce, pure, and still so fearful!

There is heartbreak in this book as well, mixed with action scenes and traveling scenes. I truly love books that take us into a new world and allow us to explore it thoroughly. They let us see through the author's mind and into the world they create.

The world building in parts is stunning, but now and then it lacks, and I found myself wondering where I was and struggling to imagine anything but the characters.

I think if this were a series of graphic novels, it could be something truly amazing.

I am now looking forward to reading Black House again, and hopefully, this time it will be much more enjoyable.

If you like adventure, horror, and character development, I would 100% recommend this book. It is a book that I would re-read because I feel like I have already missed so much the first time around.

I would also recommend taking your time with this read. It is 900+ pages long, but it needs to be digested every couple of chapters, I feel, to really understand the world that SK is trying to portray.

Have you ever read or listened to a book and wonder “Why on earth did it take me so long to get to this book?”

Well, \\n  The Talisman\\n was precisely one of those books for me.

I found this book to be truly brilliant. I’ve had Black House sitting on my bookshelf for an extremely long time. I thought about reading it, and then it dawned on me that it was the sequel to The Talisman.

To cut a long story short, I managed to get my hands on the audiobook for The Talisman.

I won’t go into great detail here. Suffice it to say, it’s a great story. The ideas and the way it’s told are very captivating. Personally, I couldn’t really tell the difference between the two writers, except for some of the little asides and thoughts that are inserted into the narrative, which are classic Uncle Stevie. The main character is a poor young kid with all these bad guys after him, and he has to survive or face death. I got a bit of a Jake vibe from The Dark Tower or Danny from The Shining. I really loved the alternate reality component of this book and how it was carried out.

After a while, a couple of the supporting characters started to irritate me. But it wasn’t a big deal.

Another aspect that I found engaging was that there’s a lot of action, but the character has to navigate those challenges without having any real combat training, so there’s genuine suspense. At least that’s how it seems to me.

I’m really looking forward to reading Black House sometime, hopefully very soon.

My favorite book of all time! It is truly the perfect epic hero's journey story for me.

I have a particular fondness for the fact that it is set in the early 80s. The grittiness and ugliness that Jack experiences as he shuttles back and forth between this world and The Territories add a unique charm to the narrative. And let's not forget the character of Wolf, who is simply captivating.

The first few chapters may seem a bit slow and not overly exciting, but they are of utmost importance as they hold crucial story points that will come into play later. So, to all those reading this for the first time, I highly recommend persevering and reading on. Because once the story gets going, it quickly turns into something truly great! I vividly remember that I couldn't put it down the first time I read it, which was way back in 6th grade.

This is the only book, aside from Catcher in the Rye, that I can simply pick up and read a few chapters here and there whenever the mood strikes me. I no longer feel the need to read the entire book from front to back, but I do love getting that little taste every so often.

I know that my day job pays me to be a writer, but here's the catch: Writing reviews is difficult for me as I don't always know how to eloquently and persuasively describe what makes a book "good". Nevertheless, I do want to make it known that this is, indeed, a VERY GOOD book. So, go ahead and read it. I'm more than happy to discuss it with anyone.

Guess who finally finished the World's Longest Buddy Read?

Me.

Twelve-year-old Jack Sawyer has an extremely mighty task ahead of him. He must undertake a journey across the country in order to save his mother. A quest? Aye, you bet. It's a quest worthy of another young lad we know and love - Jake Chambers. Are they twinners? Mayhap, mayhap not.

Jack's father passed away, leaving him with his b-list movie star mother. She's dying of cancer. Sucking on cigarettes and living the so-called good life, she knows deep down that her son must go. Even if she doesn't fully understand the reason why, she senses in her very bones that he must.

But Jack isn't going alone. He has the assistance from his friend Speedy Parker. Speedy has the magic juice that enables Jack to flip from our world to the Territories. The Territories is a parallel universe that somewhat mirrors our world, albeit in an old-fashioned version. While in the Territories, Jack can travel at a much faster pace...if he's not caught.

Jack makes a few friends along the way, and unfortunately, a few enemies as well. He attempts to outwit his “Uncle” Morgan Sloat. The most notable friend, of course, is the sixteen-year-old werewolf, Wolf. Wolf is the embodiment of all that is good in the world. Sure, he's a werewolf, but his main objective is to protect the herd! Wolf! You pounded that nail! And his love for Jack seems to have no bounds.

There are seemingly countless complications for Jack as he makes his way across the country, both in the US and in the Territories version of it. There are so many awful encounters that you personally feel exhausted just reading about it, wondering how on earth one boy could ever endure so much. But endure he does. He stands firm and stays true. He and Jake Chambers know a great deal about handling things that are far beyond the capacity of others their own age; about facing horrors that no one, let alone a twelve-year-old, should be facing.

This is an age-old tale of good vs. evil, of the power of love and friendship. And while some might complain that it's heavy-handed, I for one happen to appreciate what the authors were aiming for. There's nothing quite like reading a book and experiencing the weight of exhaustion that your main character is feeling or finding yourself completely immersed in a world so vivid that you feel you could pluck an apple off a tree. Aye, and it would be the sweetest apple you've ever tasted too.

While I refuse to re-read Black House, I am glad that I re-read this one. There was so much that I had forgotten. I'd like to express my gratitude to Dan (the 2.0 version), Becky, Kristin, Christopher, and any of my other pants-hating friends who joined me on this incredible journey. It only took me 2 months longer than everyone else in the group to finish!

After a few years, I wanted to give it a second chance. The first time I read it, I had different expectations. I thought it was a horror novel, but back then I came across a fantasy novel, and at that time I didn't read novels of that genre. I believe that part of growing up is exploring other genres and appreciating the excellence of other types of narration. With a much more open mindset, in this second opportunity, I have greatly appreciated reading The Talisman.

There are still a couple of situations that seem absurd to me. For example, at the beginning when Jack tells his mother that he has to embark on a journey that he doesn't really know where it is but that he intends to cure her, and the mother accepts without much hesitation. Definitely, this would not be the natural reaction of a mother to the crazy proposal of her preadolescent son to make a trip to who knows where. I think the scene of his departure had to be very, very different, more believable... After getting past this part, the rest of the story becomes quite interesting. The adventure, the dangers that Jack was exposed to, the way they make the trips. In short, I have enjoyed it and I plan to continue with its sequel (The Black House).

4.5 Stars. Can't classify this one as horror, but THE TALISMAN is one wild and woolly action-packed fantasy ride!

\\"Traveling\\" Jack Sawyer is a good 12-year-old kid. When he and his mother flee Los Angeles for New York, they ultimately end up in an empty, creepy hotel in New Hampshire. Jack questions the moves, but deep down he knows his mother is not well.

As the days pass and his mother's rest periods become more frequent, a worried Jack explores a closed amusement park nearby. Soon, he is befriended by a gnarly old black janitor, Lester Speedy Parker. Parker tells him incredible stories of a parallel world and a magic juice that can transport him to a place where he can acquire the secrets of THE TALISMAN and hopefully save his mother.

His dangerous quest from the east coast to the west, with flips from a world of evil doings and enslavement to one with bizarre creatures beyond imagination, brings an unlikely friendship for Jack with a 6'5\\" Wolf that will break your heart. It did mine.

For me, THE TALISMAN brought back memories of King's Dark Towers series. Although it's a chunkster at 700+ pages, it entices me to re-read it in the form of a graphic novel. That way, I can see the creeping tree roots, the evil abusive bar owner, the camp-school from hell, and visually experience the train ride through the \\"blasted land\\" as a scared but brave young Jack Sawyer grows up fast to save his friends and mother and complete his mission.

It's an entertaining and fun read with a young-adult feel to it.

Weird book.

The great thing about us residents of the country of READING is that we are a diverse, eclectic bunch. We have a wide range of tastes when it comes to books, liking and disliking all sorts of different ones for various reasons. Sometimes, a few of us will be drawn to a particular book or writer, but for completely different motivations and from different perspectives altogether.

For example, some might say “It had great action,” while others might praise “There was wonderful characterization and dialogue.” And yet others might claim “It was a clever allegory and well written.” And so on and so forth.

Now, let's turn our attention to Stephen King’s 1984 collaboration with Peter Straub, The Talisman. Published a couple of years after King began the The Dark Tower series with The Gunslinger, readers will be attracted to King’s unique style of fantasy. It is contemporary, without being overly gothic and/or filled with mythical elements. There are horrific undertones, but it is almost absurdist in its originality.

Like The Dark Tower books, as well as Insomnia, It, 11/22/63, and several others of his works, this book is about a multiverse. Different worlds are connected together by a thin membrane of a boundary that can be easily crossed.

The story is about a child and a journey, with inspiration taken from Mark Twain. It is a great American fantasy that may still hold appeal for any of King’s or Straub’s fans around the world. There are villains and monsters, magic and heroes.

Our protagonist, Jack Sawyer, embarks on a long quest to find the talisman and save his mother. Along the way, he makes friends and enemies, struggles, cries, almost dies, and ultimately comes through to confront the bad guys and do what must be done.

However, this book was WAY WAY too damn long. I know that's a common complaint of mine, and maybe it's true that I have a short attention span. But King and Straub took a long time to get to where they were going. I did end up liking it, but I almost put it down, and by the end, I was more than ready for it to wrap up. A hundred pages less, or even cutting it in half, would have made it more enjoyable.

I can see where other citizens of our country of READING will like this a lot more than I did. In fact, I've noticed some reviewers who list this among their favorites. And while I did ultimately become interested, like it, and finish it, this was not one of my favorites among his many great books.

Another little visit down memory lane as I had read this shortly after its release date, way back when.

It was a collaborative effort from King and Peter Straub (Ghost Story). The story is a highly imaginative and entertaining tale of Fantasy. It's about a 12-year-old boy - Jack Sawyer (Twain inspired) on a quest. He undertakes a journey across America and through "The Territories", a fantastical parallel world with parallel people or 'twinners'. His mission is to find the crystal Talisman in a bid to save his dying mother.

This is a world-building adventure that is highly immersive and expertly paced. I remember it kept me turning the pages well into the night. There are many memorable characters. For example, Speedy Parker, who teaches Jack how to 'flip' from one world to the next. There's also the sixteen-year-old Wolf, Jack's likeable and fiercely loyal companion. And let's not forget the evil Morgan/Richard Sloat.

All in all, it's a pretty darn good memory that still lingers with me to this day.

Looking forward to book 2 is an exciting anticipation.

The first book might have left us with a cliffhanger or simply piqued our interest, making us eager to see what comes next.

We wonder what new adventures, characters, and storylines will be introduced in the second installment.

Perhaps the author will take us on a journey to a different world or explore deeper into the lives of the existing characters.

Book 2 could bring new challenges and obstacles for the protagonists to overcome, keeping us on the edge of our seats.

We can't wait to get our hands on it and continue the literary adventure.

It's like waiting for a present that we know will be full of surprises and delights.

So, until book 2 arrives, we'll keep imagining and speculating about what it has in store for us.

**Title: A Great Experience**

I recently had an amazing experience that I just have to share.

It was truly outstanding and left me with a feeling of pure satisfaction.

The quality of everything was top-notch, from the moment I walked in until the very end.

The service was excellent, with the staff being friendly, helpful, and extremely professional.

The atmosphere was inviting and comfortable, making it a great place to relax and enjoy.

The food, oh the food! It was delicious, with a wide variety of options to choose from.

Every dish was prepared to perfection, with fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great time.

4.5 stars

Stephen King and Peter Straub's "The Talisman" is a captivating and unique work.

It takes readers on a thrilling adventure through a world filled with mystery and danger. The story follows the journey of a young boy as he discovers a hidden talisman with extraordinary powers.

As he embarks on his quest, he encounters a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motives and secrets. The authors' vivid descriptions bring the story to life, making it easy for readers to imagine themselves in the boy's shoes.

Their seamless collaboration results in a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

"The Talisman" is a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure.

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/201...

I've never delved into a work penned solely by Peter Straub. Thus, when it came to a collaboration between him and Stephen King, I truly had no clear anticipation. In all honesty, by the end, it predominantly felt like a Stephen King creation. However, perhaps this is because I haven't explored any of Peter Straub's solo works.

On a fundamental writing level, "The Talisman" is a rather effortless read. The narrative flow is quite smooth, lacking any overly ostentatious or showy language. At certain points, it does give the impression that it could benefit from some fine-tuning in the editing department. Nevertheless, overall, I had a favorable impression.

I had a great deal of affection for the plot. The central premise is something that anyone can easily identify with: someone dear to Jack Sawyer is on the verge of death, and he must seek a cure. The manner in which this unfolds might not be entirely realistic. After all, if a single object could miraculously cure all ailments, life would be infinitely simpler! But that's the essence of fantasy. The Territories is a somewhat average conception of "the other world," reminiscent of Stephen Lawhead's portrayal in "The Paradise War," yet less Celtic and more... well, American. Despite this, the worlds constructed by King and Straub are replete with rich details. The concept of Twinners and the significance of single-selved beings within the story are captivating, and I relished the Jack/Jason dynamic that persisted throughout.

The characters are truly charming. It's true that the antagonists are rather blatant and warped, but the empathetic characters - especially, for me, Wolf and Richard - are remarkable. My definition of remarkable often entails "not flawless, perhaps even a bit exasperating at times, but somehow I adore them immensely nonetheless." This holds true for both Wolf and Richard. As for the main character, Jack - well, he meets the mark as well. The only hitch with him was that I could never quite envision a boy of his age behaving in the manner he does. I persistently imagined him as older than his actual twelve years - perhaps fourteen or fifteen. But this wasn't a major hindrance for me.

Overall, I truly, truly relished this book. I can perceive its flaws, and in some instances, it proved to be a touch too predictable for my tastes. Nevertheless, setting all that aside, I loved it wholeheartedly.