The Tommyknockers

I think I was in hospital when I read this the first time so possibly 1990? Round about then anyway I'd guess. I always like a Stephen King novel for long drives and this one hit the spot - not too thinky but engaging enough that the miles pass by and keeps the tiredness at bay. Trouble is, my drive was only 14 hours. That left another 10!

[b:The Tommyknockers 17660 The Tommyknockers Stephen King http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1193781002s/17660.jpg 150226] tells the story of Bobbi Anderson discovery of an object in the woods that slowly begins to turn the minds of the residents of Haven, Maine. This book was long. I did (and continue to) enjoy [a:Stephen King 3389 Stephen King http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1261866457p2/3389.jpg]'s method of setting- and character-building; he isn't afraid to create a detailed minor character, just enough for you to care when he mercilessly kills them off in the proceeding five or so pages.This character building trait is the sole reason why, at the end I felt simultaneously ecstatic and grieved over Gard's death. I spent seven hundred pages with this guy, saw him at his highest and experienced his deepest lows. His death was what impacted me the most, and I felt that the way Gard went was the most appropriate way.The multiple points of view and slight altering of timelines made this story an engaging read. However, as others have pointed out, the book was a little too long. There are several excellently-written peaks within the buildup, and it illustrates [a:Stephen King 3389 Stephen King http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1261866457p2/3389.jpg]'s ability to write a nail-biting, suspenseful scene. But between these, the story seemed to drag a bit and I had to exert discipline to finish. I reason this is why it took me two weeks to finish, but the ending was definitely worth it!Also- and this may be a personal preference- the blending of science fiction and reality was jarring. The initial concept boasts of a story about wildest dreams coming true (In my paperback copy, “Would you like to make your wildest dreams come true?”) this notion is highly misleading; wishes don't particularly play into the plot at all. Its kitschy scifi mixed with reality and adult horror. Because of this, the story shook me from its depths and made it a bit hard to get into. Overall, I enjoyed [b:The Tommyknockers 17660 The Tommyknockers Stephen King http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1193781002s/17660.jpg 150226]. I wouldn't read it again, but I would recommend it to others!

2/10

Okay so this book is clearly worse than Ready Player One. It's worse than catcher in the Rye, but my hatred for Catcher in the Rye is pure; unadulterated. Nothing can touch it. So that leaves Skullsworn and Ready Player Two. Both were more painful to read but they were also significantly shorter. It's tough... I'm going to say this is the fourth worst book I've ever read.

The saddest part is that I thought the beginning was okay, and I started to get a false hope that maybe, just maybe, my expectations were low enough to end up enjoying this. I will also admit the last 10% was decent. That leaves the middle 70% to be a rambling, incoherently, absurdly horny and downright weird reading experience that was tedious to the maximum. Most of the things happening were goofy ghost-alien shenanigans and when it wasn't that, it was just random characters rambling on and on and on about just...nothing. And then having sex. And then thinking about having sex again. And then rambling. And then ghost-aliens. And then sex. Repeat for 500 pages. This book should be required reading in Narcotics anonymous because reading this is the most effective deterrent to not do cocaine that I've ever seen. Just so many times I was like, “why? Why are we doing this? Why are a woman's breasts turning into a giant, megabreast? Did King do such a large coke binge during this that he locked his editor in a basement and released the book immediately?”


I do find it interesting that King used elements of this book elsewhere, after getting sober. It's basically Dreamcatchers, Needful Things, and Under the Dome merged into one uncomfortable experience. I didn't like Needful Things either, so maybe “a town gets taken over by a malevolent presence” is not a story from King I enjoy. Anyway...the worst is definitely behind me, and I would not recommend anybody read this, unless you're a King completionist like me or just like pain.

Rating: 2 leaves out of 5
Characters: 2.5/5
Cover: 1.5/5
Story: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Genre: Thriller/Fiction/Scifi
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: No

It had its moments where it was funny, my favorite line in the whole book was, “John Deere phone home.” Other than that the name isn't what it is actually about and the only reason it is called The Tommyknockers were because someone in the book named it that. It is honestly dumb. Not my favorite by far.

This was my very first Stephen King book. I tried reading it at 12, but couldn't finish it. I think my mind wandered after 200 pages or so.

I actually finished and enjoyed it more as an adult; funny how that works. There were a few things I didn't care for, such as characters being too wordy and allowed to ramble on. But it's an old book, eh.