The Talisman is an odd book. In concept, it should be a slam dunk.

It's a portal fantasy, a coming-of-age story written by Stephen King, interweaving horror by two men who were leading the horror genre at the time. There's also a beautiful catalyst in the form of a young boy who undertakes a terrifying trip across America to save his dying mother.

All the fantasy elements are awesome. There are blast lands, doppelgangers, twinners, and a fun dialect. The travel between the territories and our present world is exciting, and the antagonist is intimidating. We meet fun characters along the way, and as a whole, it is a pretty solid book.

The beginning was very good, and the actual ending is great. However, the remainder of the book fluctuates in quality. Sometimes it's really tense and good, while at other times it's less so. Maybe I should have read some Mark Twain to truly appreciate this book, as it's evident that it was hugely inspired by Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Yet, there's something undeniably missing to make this a great book. It has all the ingredients, but it just doesn't have the magic to weave it all naturally. I think at a certain point, I just wanted it to end, which isn't a great sign. Jack Sawyer isn't as interesting as a lot of the King characters I've read. Especially after reading IT, it's a stark contrast.

The writing, though, I thought was pretty good. Both authors' voices felt unified, adopting a writing style that was seamless. It didn't feel like two different authors. I didn't think this was definitely Stephen King or this was Peter Straub. Speaking of Straub, I'm definitely interested in reading more of his work in the future.

Lately, I've seen some weirdly overblown dislike for this book. I don't really understand it. It feels like a Stephen King book. It isn't his best, but it's far from a bad read. I wanted to read the Dark Tower series, and I heard that Black House in particular has a pretty cool connection, so I wanted to read this book beforehand. I don't regret it. It's a pretty solid book, and I didn't feel like I wasted my time. The fantasy elements did make my excitement for Dark Tower increase.

6.5/10

Whoever would have thought that I would have liked anything else by King? Certainly not me. I had my preconceived notions, but this particular read completely blew them away.

It had a distinct Dark Tower vibe, with its complex and interconnected worlds and the captivating "boy with a quest" theme. It was like being drawn into a magical and mysterious realm.

Although I felt that it could have been shortened a bit, perhaps trimming some of the more elaborate descriptions, I still very much enjoyed my time listening to this read. The narrator was truly outstanding. They did a fantastic job of bringing each character to life, vividly conveying their unique idiosyncrasies and personalities.

If you're a fan of adventurous coming-of-age fantasy, then I wholeheartedly recommend this. It's a journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you longing for more.

Reto 34 - 2020 Book Challenge: Un libro que querías leer en 2019.

Finally, the 2020 Book Challenge has presented an interesting task. It is to read a book that you had wanted to read in 2019 but perhaps didn't get around to. This challenge is not only a great opportunity to catch up on unread books but also a chance to explore new worlds and ideas.

There could be many reasons why you didn't read that particular book in 2019. Maybe you were too busy with work or other commitments. Or perhaps you simply forgot about it among the hustle and bustle of daily life. But now, with this challenge, you have a specific goal and a deadline to achieve it.

Choosing the right book for this challenge can be an exciting process. It could be a classic novel that you've always been curious about, a self-help book that promises to improve your life, or a non-fiction work that delves into a subject you're passionate about. Whatever your choice, make sure it's a book that you truly want to read and that will keep you engaged from start to finish.

As you embark on this reading journey, remember to take your time and savor each page. Reading is not just about getting through a book; it's about experiencing the story, learning from the author's words, and expanding your horizons. So, grab a cup of coffee, find a cozy corner, and let the magic of the written word transport you to another place and time. Good luck with the Reto 34 - 2020 Book Challenge!

Listen. I truly understand why Stevie pulled Rage from print. I really do. However, while he was doing that, he should have also pulled this one. I would read Tommyknockers 27 times in a row before ever reading this book again. When the government captures enemies, they should strap them to a chair and force them to listen to the audiobook of this until they spill the beans; it wouldn't take long. I genuinely HATE it. And the worst part is that I can see why some people might like it. If I had read this as my first King book when I was 10, I would probably like it too. But it's not my first, and I'm not 10, and the book simply sucks.

I could not, for the life of me, get myself to give a shit about Jack and his quest to save his mom. There's no good reason to get invested, aside from maybe thinking like "man, if that was my mom I would be tryin to save her too." But other than that there's nothing to latch onto. And Jack is just meh. There's nothing special about him. I didn't care at all.

AND WHY IS NO ONE RAISING ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS KID HITCH HIKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY?? THEY JUST GO ALONG WITH IT?? And there's a whole section where Jack works in a bar for pennies under the table. The bar owner just doesn't care about child labor laws or who this kid is or where he came from or anything. Not to mention this part was fuckin BORING. LIKE GET ON WITH IT WE DONT NEED TO GO ON WITH THIS FOR PAGES AND PAGES!! And for the sake of spoilers I can't say much more about the plot but just know—I found the whole thing incredibly stupid and absurd. If you like that, go for it, but it wasn't my jam AT ALL.

And there's a werewolf character that Jack befriends in another world called the Territories. This character's name is Wolf. And if you missed it the first time, don't worry. He'll tell you every other sentence. He literally ends every sentence with "Wolf." He might be the "best" part of this book though, and I still found him getting on my nerves all the time.

And don't even get me started about Richard. This motherfucker is the most insufferable, ANNOYING LITTLE SHIT I have ever read. STOP FUCKIN WHINING FOR FIVE FUCKIN MINUTES! This is the type of kid to get bullied relentlessly in school and deserve every bit of it. I'm talkin beat up and shoved in the locker every day. He's the type to remind the teacher that the class had homework. I was getting genuinely pissed off listening to this kid whine about every little fuckin thing.

And where was the editor on this book?? Why is it 670 pages long? There was so much unnecessary shit in here. And why do they talk about this kid's balls so much? Not to mention King's patented racist as fuck "magical black character" trope.

I did really like the end though. I'm talking the very, very end, when I was done with it, because it meant I never had to think about this shit ever again.

When I first read "The Talisman", I was approximately the same age as, if not younger than, the 12-year-old protagonist, Jack Sawyer. I recall it being a rather good adventure story about a young boy on a mission to save his mother. I remember enjoying it, but unfortunately, I couldn't remember much about it.

Now, I'm in my 40s, older and hopefully a bit wiser. By chance, I came across a paperback copy of the book among my extensive collection of tomes. So, I decided to pick it up and breeze through it. I thought to myself, it's Stephen King AND Peter Straub, two truly great writers of horror and dark fantasy. At the very least, it was bound to be a good story.

Let me just say that, upon reading the first paragraph, I was instantly hooked in a way that I highly doubt I was when I first read it (back in middle school? Over two decades ago? Truly?). In fact, I was more than hooked; I was completely enthralled. Nay, I was transported, much like the protagonist, to another world. The dynamic writing duo of King and Straub have accomplished something truly remarkable here.

Just imagine if Tolkein's Middle-Earth and Lewis' Narnia had been discovered by two 20th-century college students. And what if these two college kids, by passing through that wardrobe door, introduced something truly horrible into those fantasy realms? What if they contaminated Narnia with 20th-century cynicism, and brought drugs, guns, pettiness, hatred, and disease? It's a fascinating premise, one that King and Straub explore in wonderful and disturbing detail.

I suppose I couldn't remember much of this book when I was a kid because a great deal of it was a little beyond my 12-year-old comprehension. But I understand it now, and it's truly amazing. "The Talisman" is far more than just a good fantasy story. It's a coming-of-age tale. It's an allegory about adolescence. It's a story that reveals how jaded, fallen, and perverted we have become as a society and a species, and how we are destroying our planet, our youth, and our hope for the future. It's a fantasy story that Tolkein or Lewis probably couldn't (or wouldn't) have told because it demanded the perspective of two writers who are accustomed to looking into the darkness and pulling out the unpleasant (and slimy) things from it.

I have cherished the desire to reread The Talisman for numerous years, and finally, I have accomplished it! I was filled with concerns that it might not be as excellent as it was during my initial encounter. After all, it has been at least twenty-five years since I first delved into its pages.

I am delighted to state that the intervening years have done nothing to undermine the ability of this epic story to engage and captivate me. The narrative follows a boy who embarks on a journey, determined to traverse the country in search of a mystical object that holds the power to cure his cancer-stricken mother.

More of a coming-of-age tale than anything else, this book is a magnificent work of epic fantasy, enhanced by a healthy dose of gory horror and suspense. Although it is a bit on the long side, the quality of the writing is so superb that it truly doesn't matter. It manages to keep the reader hooked from beginning to end, with its richly developed characters, vivid settings, and thrilling plot twists.

1.5 stars.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the most pointlessly bloated books I have ever had the misfortune to read. The lack of substance is truly mind-blowing. It seems as if the author has gone out of their way to make the book as long as possible without adding any real value.

And yet, I have to give it a bit of a break and round up the rating. The reason for this is that the first few hours of reading and a few short parts later were actually quite interesting. They held my attention and made me think that perhaps there was more to come.

However, as I continued to plow through the seemingly endless pages, my initial excitement quickly waned. It became clear that the interesting bits were few and far between, and that the majority of the book was just filler.

In conclusion, while there were some redeeming qualities to this book, overall it was a disappointment. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a substantive and engaging read.

My only gripe with this book is that I can easily identify which lines were written by the pretentious and overly verbose (yes, even when compared to Stephen King) Peter Straub. I'm quite sure he authored most of the first chapter or two. That's precisely why this book sat on my shelf for a couple of years before I could truly get into it.

Finally, one day, I resolved to power through the bleak and wordy beginning. After that, I only ceased reading for bathroom breaks and to eat, even sacrificing sleep to finish this remarkable book.

It's one of those instances where you become so deeply invested in the quest, so resolute in reaching the black hotel to retrieve the talisman, that you almost forget Jack Sawyer isn't real and never actually existed. He became my favorite character in any book. I desired him as a little brother. He's that uncommon type of character who can be entirely good, all the time, yet you don't loathe him for it. I adore the way he interacted with those around him.

I simply can't praise this book enough. I believe it's one of the most-read books of mine, and I encourage anyone seeking something to read to pick up this one.

Boring. The characters are paper-thin, lacking any depth or complexity. The writing is bad, and the plot seems as if King and Straub simply used a Joseph Campbell table of contents as an outline. Written in the 1980s, it feels dated.

There were a couple of sections that managed to hold my attention for a while, like a good King spellbinder. However, the bulk of this collaboration is plodding and trite. It is worlds apart from what one expects of King. Maybe this book is too early in his career to be truly good, or perhaps Straub is the problem. Either way, I have no desire to read the sequel.

Just 50 pages from the end, I seriously considered giving up. I simply didn't care what happened next. I knew there would be a happy ending, the bad guys would die (probably gruesomely), and the object of the Quest would fulfill its purpose. Everything would be well, but I just couldn't bring myself to care.

This book failed to engage me on any level. It was a disappointment, especially considering the reputations of the authors. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Stephen King and Peter Straub first broached the idea of collaborating on a novel in the late 1970s. King had long praised Straub's novels, noting that they are an extravagant mélange of all the gothic and horror conventions never before told, and asserting that his work is "brilliant, rational, almost disconnected from any kind of emotional base." King refers to that style as "mainstream terror," now known as "literary horror," a term that Straub himself doesn't like to be pigeonholed into.

The two writers approach terror from different angles: King's more robust and colloquial style fuses with Straub's more reserved delivery. But despite what might be expected (and something that surely left the media flummoxed), their collaboration on "The Talisman" was not a horror novel. Instead, "The Talisman" is an epic fantasy that involves alternate universes, beautiful queens, despicable villains, and the search for a boy to save the life of his mother.

Jack Sawyer, whose name evokes the stories of Mark Twain, is at the center of "The Talisman." His mother, the former movie actress Lily Cavanaugh Sawyer, is dying of cancer. The two are hiding in New Hampshire, at the Alhambra Hotel, "a great Victorian pile built on giant blocks of granite," fleeing from Jack's father's business partner, Morgan Sloat.

We learn these things in the first few pages of "The Talisman" and they evoke a kind of state of inactivity. Whether intentionally or not, as readers we are very aware of a sense of dead time, of a story that is waiting to begin. The pace at the start is slow, methodical, more concerned with information, tone, and setting than with a rapid narrative. King would return to this type of opening later with his novel "Insomnia," as well as with the sequel to "The Talisman" called "Black House."

With its origins in classic quest literature like "The Lord of the Rings," "The Talisman" also expands on the themes that King first explored in "The Stand." As in that novel, examinations and critiques of contemporary North America are interwoven into the fabric of "The Talisman." The possible aftermaths of nuclear tests, absent fathers, and false religious dogmas that mask a deep corruption and cruelty are just the most potent examples.

In addition to the thematic similarities, specific moments and places reverberate in the previous works of both authors.

Jack's travels also take him to a parallel world known as the Territories, a vaguely medieval land analogous to the United States, a kind of agrarian monarchy, with magic in the same way we have physics. The events of either world, such as births, deaths, or catastrophes, have an impact on the other. People also have counterparts in both worlds, so Jack's search for the Talisman has consequences beyond his personal quest to save his mother's life.

As Jack progresses on his mission, the pace quickens and the voice of the book becomes more confident and inviting. While some incidents along the way reveal the antecedents of both authors in their careers with horror novels, the identity of "The Talisman" remains firmly that of a fantasy quest. Jack faces seemingly endless challenges on his journey, which strengthen his character; while his trials are exciting and engaging, his perseverance can be heart-wrenching. One of the best scenes in the book is a happy moment when Jack observes men with wings flying; it is not a particularly necessary moment for the narrative or Jack's search, but its impact on him serves to highlight the beauty and mystery of the Territories.

Traveling alone from the start, Jack is soon helped by allies, especially a child werewolf from the Territories whose mission is to save Jack at any cost, and by Richard, a childhood friend whose incredulity in the Territories prefigures a debilitating pragmatism. In addition, the mysterious Speedy Parker appears from the start to provide the tools and knowledge that Jack will need on his journey.

Later books would find King exploring other fantasy worlds. Following a suggestion from Peter Straub, the sequel "Black House" would be firmly set in the universe of "The Dark Tower," retroactively placing "The Talisman" in that continuity.

"The Talisman" can be a relatively difficult book to approach, especially for readers familiar with the immediacy of most of Stephen King's work. However, the world-building and the slow build of the opening sequences of the novel have a purpose, blooming into a satisfying and gratifying reading experience, and at the same time different from everything that King or Straub had published before.

Full review without spoilers on my YouTube channel ➡ Maponto Lee

Author collaborations can indeed be a strange phenomenon. As I have now read a significant portion of King's work but relatively little of Straub's,

there was a slight inclination to attempt to determine precisely which sections were written by whom.

The fact that this has not yet been adapted also meant that I had limited knowledge going into it. If I had been aware that it was similar to The Dark Tower,

I might have waited a while longer to read it, having recently completed that series earlier this year.

I am no stranger to King's bulky epics, and this fantasy epic is definitely on the long side!

Perhaps the switching between writing duties caused it to be stretched out too much - I certainly noticed pacing issues with this one.

I quite liked Jack, the 12-year-old boy who embarks on a journey across two different worlds in America to obtain the Talisman, all in an effort to save his dying mother.

It is your typical coming-of-age tale, although at times it was difficult to believe that Jack was supposed to be only 12.

Also, at times I found the concept of 'twinners' to be extremely confusing.

Nevertheless, there were numerous small moments that kept me entertained, and I particularly enjoyed the lengthy middle section featuring Jake and Wolf at the Sunlight Home.

There are plenty of gripes, and the epic nature of various locations made some elements far better than others.

Playlist

Cry Baby Bunting - Lullaby

Eugene Bertram Krupa

All the Things You Are - (Ella Fitzgerald)

Gotta Travel On - (The Seekers)

You Run Your Mouth and I’ll Run my Business - (Louis Jordan)

Dave Brubeck

Erroll Garner

Reuben James - Kenny Rogers

Mickey Gilley

Eddie Rabbit

Waylon Jennings

Luckenbach, Texas - Wayluon Jennings and Willie Nelson

Dick Curless

Steppenwolf

Daddy Plays the Horn - Dexter Gordon

Sugarhill Gang

Rapture - Blondie

Today! - Mississippi John Hurt

Blues Dust - Mississippi John Hurt

When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along - Tin Pan Alley

Splish Splash - Bobby Darrin

John Lennon

Your Feets Too Big - Fats Waller

Ain’t Misbehavin’ - Fats Waller

Jitterbug Waltz - Fats Waller

Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now - Fats Waller

I’ll Be a Sunbeam - Hymn

Crazy Rhythm

Charlie Daniels

Blue Oyster Cult

Tattoo Vampire - Blue Oyster Cult

Eddie Van Halen

Peggy Lee

Perry Como

Sound Off (Cadence Count)

The Fish Cheer - Country Joe and The Fish

Shake, Rattle and Roll

I’d Rather Have a Bottle in Front of Me (Than a Frontal Lobotomy)

Happy Days Are Here Again

Long Line Rider - Bobby Darin

Harry James

Xavier Cugat

Run Through the Jungle - Creedence Clearwater Revival

John Fogerty

Scott Hamilton

Zoot Sims

Mick Jagger

Frank Sinatra

This playlist is a diverse collection of musical works. It includes classic lullabies like "Cry Baby Bunting" to soothe and relax. There are also renowned jazz artists such as Dave Brubeck and Erroll Garner, whose compositions add a touch of sophistication and improvisation. The playlist features country music with the likes of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, as well as rock and roll with Steppenwolf and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Additionally, there are blues songs by Mississippi John Hurt and Fats Waller, and even some novelty tunes like "I’d Rather Have a Bottle in Front of Me (Than a Frontal Lobotomy)". With such a wide range of styles and artists, this playlist has something for everyone to enjoy and discover new music.