Fairy Tale

This book is both classic King and King clearly branching out. Teen protagonist + magical world just like in The Talisman, but not set in Maine, and with a fantasy style that still doesn't miss King's signature gross-outs or hideous details. It lives up to all three of the authors he thanks in the dedication: Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H.P. Lovecraft. Although I love King's style (especially because it's unmistakably his), it is usually somewhat dry compared to my favorite fantasy authors. Not so here. I also like that although King did a great job of setting a story in the era of smartphones and YouTube, he still did it his way, and didn't make his protagonist as annoying as the real thing. As a commentary on fairy tales, this book was fun to read, with King not only mentioning Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, but himself, Piers Anthony, and R.L. Stine. Highly recommended.