While running recently I read several chapters of Joe Hill's new book, NOS4a2. I liked it a lot!
I listen to audio books when I run at night. In fact, an ipod is just about my favorite bit of exercise equipment. Listening to horror novels as I run through our small, dark town is great! (A coyote and I stared each other down tonight.)
I've put off reading Joe Hill because I'm usually pretty busying reading King fore scares. When I want to read someone other than King, the pool seems too big to just hover near one section. I've been reading Swan Song off and on and also enjoy Bradbury, Richard Laymon and Dean Koontz.
It's hard to just ignore a writer who is getting as much positive attention as Joe Hill. So, I decided Joe could go running with me for a few nights.
I started out with a little speech to myself as I did a warm up walk. "Now self," (this is the best way to address yourself) "try to forget that this is Stephen King's son. Don't expect anything too super-duper. Writing is an art, everyone should get a fair shot and no one wants to be compared to their famous father. Just read it for fun."
So I tried hard to forget that it was Stephen King's son. Try not to think about an elephant. But the story drew me in. From a killer who suddenly jolts awake and knows about the nurses son to a flashback about a girl whose bike seems to do an interesting magic trick -- I was engrossed. Breathing hard (because I was running) I began to wonder exactly how Stephen King had thought of a particular bad guy. As King always does, he took me right inside the guys head. It's a frightening thing to find yourself identifying and understanding the mind of the deranged. And then I realized something really startling -- "HEY SELF!" I hollered in my head, "YOU'RE NOT READING STEPHEN KING!"
The writing really is so similar that it could pass for Stephen King on a good day. We're not talking Thinner good -- we're talking IT good. yeah, having taken a few long runs with Joe Hill, I'm pretty sure he could have written IT. Or, in turn, I'm pretty sure Stephen King could have written NoS4A2.
There is a charming little girl, a bike and even a bit of magic involved. And then there are some scary -- I mean really scary -- folk in this thing! We're talking guys messed up enough to wander through a Thomas Harris book.
No spoilers or heavy review from me -- just a short note on how much I've enjoyed this book.
I thought it was a terrific novel. And yet, of the three he's published, I think it was least-favorite! He's definitely a chip off the old block, no doubt.
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