This one starts out with a bang. Right from the start you know this one is going to be a mind bender. While I would not rate this one as one of King’s best, it’s definitely worth the read. You won’t be let down.
Plot outline:
Aliens have landed. A lot of unusual things start to happen to the local people and wildlife. A group of four lifelong friends (Henry, Jonesy, Beaver, and Pete) find themselves in the center of all the bizarre (and extremely bloody) action. They get a lot of help along the way by their old friend ’’Duddits’’ who suffers from Down’s syndrome and has the ability to communicate with his pals telepathically.
The good old U.S. Government gets involved and we’re introduced to such unpleasant people as Kurtz, an insane and thoroughly nasty villain. It seems he wants to deal with the alien problem by wiping out everyone and everything within reach. You’re supposed to be struck by the duality of human nature at this point. You’re supposed to wonder about who can be more cruel and inhuman, us or them. I expect a little more from Stephen King than this shallow farce of a villain.
The main thing about this novel that prevented me from becoming completely engrossed was the sheer volume of characters and the frequent jumping from one to another, chapter after chapter. There’s no chance to become familiar with any one of them before you’re introduced to a whole slew of others. Not to mention the frequent flashbacks and even more frequent and bizarre dream sequences. AAAUUGGGH! You need a good memory because it gets just a little confusing at times.
For those S.K. fans out there who like the grue, well, no problem. This book has some of the most incredibly awesome and ORIGINAL bloody deaths I have ever encountered in print. Rest assured there’s enough twists and turns and surprises to keep the whole thing going at a good clip throughout. Only from the mind of King could you ever get stuff like this.