A review by boards_books_and_brews
Blaze by Stephen King, Richard Bachman
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Book Review:
Blaze
Written by Stephen King as Richard Bachman
Read by Ron McLarty
Book 61/200
Genre: Horror
Format: Audio
Pages: 285
Published: 2007
Rating: 8.5/10
"He was going to make this happen. His feet and his head was set, and when he got that way, he always did what he said he was going to do. It was his pride. The only one he had."
Blurb:
Master storyteller Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) presents this gripping and remarkable New York Times bestselling crime novel about a damaged young man who embarks on an ill-advised kidnapping plot--a work as taut and riveting as anything he has ever written.
Clayton Blaisdell, Jr., was always a small-time delinquent. None too bright either, thanks to the beatings he got as a kid. Then Blaze met George Rackley, a seasoned pro with a hundred cons and one big idea. The kidnapping should go off without a hitch, with George as the brains behind their dangerous scheme. But there's only one problem: by the time the deal goes down, Blaze's partner in crime is dead. Or is he?
This book is legitimately terrifying. Maybe it's just me as a dad of young children, but I find the concept of Lenny from "Of Mice and Men" kidnapping a baby is absolutely horrifying. This book also somehow manages to be darker than its inspiration, definitely confirming it's place as a Bachman book. If you've read "Of Mice and Men" you'll probably be able to see the end coming, but that actually makes everything more terrifying.
King, himself, will describe this as a trunk novel, so maybe my expectations were pretty low before I started reading. But I absolutely enjoyed this book. This is definitely a must read for any King fans.
Blaze
Written by Stephen King as Richard Bachman
Read by Ron McLarty
Book 61/200
Genre: Horror
Format: Audio
Pages: 285
Published: 2007
Rating: 8.5/10
"He was going to make this happen. His feet and his head was set, and when he got that way, he always did what he said he was going to do. It was his pride. The only one he had."
Blurb:
Master storyteller Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) presents this gripping and remarkable New York Times bestselling crime novel about a damaged young man who embarks on an ill-advised kidnapping plot--a work as taut and riveting as anything he has ever written.
Clayton Blaisdell, Jr., was always a small-time delinquent. None too bright either, thanks to the beatings he got as a kid. Then Blaze met George Rackley, a seasoned pro with a hundred cons and one big idea. The kidnapping should go off without a hitch, with George as the brains behind their dangerous scheme. But there's only one problem: by the time the deal goes down, Blaze's partner in crime is dead. Or is he?
This book is legitimately terrifying. Maybe it's just me as a dad of young children, but I find the concept of Lenny from "Of Mice and Men" kidnapping a baby is absolutely horrifying. This book also somehow manages to be darker than its inspiration, definitely confirming it's place as a Bachman book. If you've read "Of Mice and Men" you'll probably be able to see the end coming, but that actually makes everything more terrifying.
King, himself, will describe this as a trunk novel, so maybe my expectations were pretty low before I started reading. But I absolutely enjoyed this book. This is definitely a must read for any King fans.