Reviews

The Dark Half by Stephen King

Only show reviews with written explanations

miss_chanandlerbong09's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

davehershey's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book, and the story behind it, illustrates why Stephen King is brilliant.

When King was first starting out, apparently his publisher would only allow him to publish one book a year. This led King to create the pseudonym Richard Bachman. King also wanted to see if his success with Carrie was a fluke or if he could do it again. Under Bachman’s name, King published Rage, The Running Man, The Long Walk and Roadwork. Bachman’s books are much darker than King’s.

Eventually a bookseller (I believe in DC) figured it out. Once it became public knowledge that Bachman was King the most recent Bachman book, Thinner, became a bestseller. Apparently Misery was going to be a Bachman book before the secret was made public.

This brings us to The Dark Half, the story of Thad Beaumont, a struggling author. Beaumont’s books published as George Stark are bestsellers. When it is revealed in the story that Beaumont is Stark, an interview is published in which Stark is laid to rest. Stark is not a fan of this idea, so he comes to life and begins killing everyone involved with his own death.

Stark is one of King’s more terrifying villains. The story, simply as a story in itself, is engaging. Further, it is tightly written. Shortly prior to this King had published The Tommyknockers, one of his most reviled books. In The Tommyknockers, the story takes FOREVER to get going. The Dark Half moves quickly, introducing characters and setting up the conflict. There’s nothing wrong with an 800-1000 page tome when the story demands it (It and The Stand). But The Tommyknockers did not demand it. I imagine it was refreshing for King fans to read the Dark Half in 1989 and see King return to form.

There is also something poetic about this book wrapping up the 80s. At this point, King is 15 years into his career. He had struggled with drugs throughout the 80s, another demon that George Stark may symbolize here. That Beaumont survives the book, but there are hints that things will not turn out well for him. The story ends with his wife recognizing that a part of Thad actually liked Stark. We learn in Needful Things, written a few years later and featuring sheriff Alan Pangborn, that Thad’s wife left him and he committed suicide. Thankfully, in real life, King was able to conquer his demons.

Speaking of Pangborn, I wish I had read the Castle Rock stories in order (The Dead Zone - Cujo - The Dark Half - Needful Things). Minor characters, and some major ones like Pangborn, appear throughout.