Is Doctor Sleep going to rock the house -- or might it somehow drain our love and admiration for the classic Stephen King work, The Shining? I'm not sure sequels can' ruin predecessors, but it can color things for new generations who read the sequel first. Mr. King should be very pleased, as early reviews for Doctor Sleep seem to be quite positive.
Bob Minzesheimer at USA Today headlines his review, "After 36 years, King gives 'Shining' a new luster in sequel."
With Doctor Sleep, Stephen King tells us he chose not to accept the Kubrick movie background but instead stay faithful to his own version of the Torrance family history. Minzesheimer says King called Doctor Sleep "sharper" in its characterization and a little more positive.
Quoting Bev Vincent, The USA Today article notes:
Bev Vincent, author of The Stephen King Illustrated Companion, says it's risky for King to write a sequel to The Shining, "which is one of the books that will be read for generations. Can he recapture the magic?"
Vincent's verdict: "King created a different kind of magic" in Doctor Sleep. It's "Danny's history from the perspective of a much more experienced and skilled writer."
Early reviews are good. The New York Times praises it as "a very quick and nimble story." Publishers Weekly calls it "a gripping, taut read."
WAIT A MINUTE -- Me Thinks King Is Toying With us!
In wrapping things up, Minzesheimer has a few words about Under The Done, noting King will write the first episode of season 2. Then he tells us that King will not say if it will "diverge from the novel." I think King was testing to see if Mr. Minzesheimer had even read the book, as Under The Dome is already so far from the novel it would require Big Jim to wake and realize everything since episode 3 was just a big dream.
