I've only read 2 books by Stephen King and the first one I didn't love. My daughter recommended The Talisman thinking I would like it but I didn't. So when my sister and brother recommended this I was more than a little hesitant. As they presented their reasons for liking it and the basic premise of the book, I became interested.
What they didn't tell me was what a chunkster it is - 850 pages! I pulled it down off the top shelf at the library and groaned. Luckily, it was enjoyable to read and so it didn't seem so terribly long.
John Epping is a thirty-five-year-old English teacher, who is roped into helping a local diner owner with his obsession to save JFK from being killed more than 40-years ago. Al's Diner has a time-travel-worm-hole that takes him back in time to the year 1958. Of course, Epping becomes intrigued with the idea and decides to take the plunge in hopes of changing the past and make the future a better place.
I must say, "King is quite the storyteller." He has quite the imagination and the ability to vividly share it with the reader. I loved his take on time travel and the idiosyncratic problems Epping encountered. King masterfully depicted life in the late 50's and early 60's, which also added to my enjoyment of the story. I was in 7th grade when Kennedy was assassinated so I felt transported in time, too.
One quote to share is all - Jack Epping is talking:
I'd made the stupid assumption that people were going to approach the Cuban Missile Crisis much like any other temporary international dust-up, because by the time I went to college, it was just another intersection of names and dates to memorize for the next prelim. That's how things look from the future. To people in the valley (the dark valley) of the present, they look different.Has anyone else read this? What did you think? I liked it. A lot.
6 comments:
Hello there and how are you? I hope you are well. I tagged you for the Liebster Blog Award; I hope you don't mind. Have a good day!
http://library1baby.blogspot.com/2012/07/liebster-blog-award.html
I have a friend who adores Steven King. I didn't know he dabbles in the science fiction. I thought he was all horror. I may have to check out some of his work! :)
I have this one on audio, and a few close friends have mentioned that it is amazing, so I need to get to it soon. Your thoughts on it reminded me that I have it here all ready for me. I will have to pop back and let you know what I think.
I have it on my wishlist and am waiting for it to come out in softcover! then I'm grabbing it and reading it. I keep hearing more and more good things about it. I enjoyed your review and found it thought and refreshing - you haven't read a lot of King, so it was fun to see someone new to him writing about him. I've read most of what he's written, so I'm delighted that you enjoyed it so much.
LibraryBaby, thanks for the award. I'm working on that post even as we speak.
Zibilee, this one may take awhile to listen to. I've tried to listening to The Help this summer and it's taking me forever. I don't go anywhere anymore so I have to find time when I'm cutting out quilt fabric.
Susan, my sister (also named Susan) has read most of his books, too. I lean more towards Dean Koontz, who I understand is or used to be in a band with Stephen King.
I love Stephen King but I haven't read this one yet. It has been on my radar for along time, though.
That is interesting, Booklogged, because my sister has read most of Dean Koontz too! For some reason I find him too formulaic, which I wish I didn't, because his story ideas sound so interesting.
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