The Talisman Review
The Talisman is one of those rare books in which the main character immediately becomes yourself. Jack Sawyer is a lonely preteen boy: taken out of school to an isolated resort hotel with his dying mother. Then he meets Speedy Parker. The eccentric older man with knowledge of something otherworldly that Jack himself will very soon become acquainted with, whether he likes it or not. When I began to read about Jack's decision to take on the quest of two worlds to find the Talisman, I honestly thought he was somewhat vacuous for leaving his dying mother behind like that all alone when he honestly had no clue what he was up against. As I kept reading though, I began to understand for myself why Jack Sawyer took on this dangerous quest. I won't talk much about that because it would give some things away to the person who hasn't read it yet. But towards the end of the book, I forgot that I thought of Jack as foolish before, because I absolutely fell in love with him. He's the epitome of adventure to every aspiring young boy or girl out there and he's the absolute portrayal of courage and strength.
If you're a Stephen King fan, you'll most definitely love this book. It contains moments of terror, happiness, beauty, drama, and love that all join together to create a great work of literature. Even if you're not a Stephen King fan, the Tom Sawyer character you see in Jack Sawyer is so striking that you'll most likely fall in love with Jack and this book as much as I did.
The Talisman Feature
- ISBN13: 9780345444882
- Condition: New
- Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
The Talisman Overview
On a brisk autumn day, a thirteen-year-old boy stands on the shores of the gray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resort called the Alhambra. The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: his father is gone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But for Jack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make a journey back across America–and into another realm.
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mother’s life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest
begin. . . .
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Customer Reviews
It's worth the trip to the end - RaDadIndy - Indianapolis, IN USA
I love Stephen King. I think the last 100 pages or so of this book provide one of his best endings. The ending reminds me of The Stand, in terms of scope and grandeur of good against evil. At the same time, I thought that two long sections of the middle portion bogged down. (Although, in fairness, the idea is that the hero is bogged down in these sections, so maybe I was just channelling his frustration too well). I didn't get nightmares from this one, the way I did with It, Salem's Lot, and Needful Things. You can take that as a positive or a negative, depending on whether you view nightmare-inducing as a good thing in his books. I should add that the book was written in 1984 but doesn't feel dated at all.
Not King's best; find it at your local library. - G. Ludlow - Atlanta, GA United States
I won't write a long review summarizing the plot. I am a big King fan, but this book left me disappointed. The writing was well below his normal level, and it didn't really pull me in like most his books. The plot was laughable and contrived, the characters much less "real" than any other King book I've read. I think that this should either have been a long series (7+ books) to better develop... everything... or half as long as it was to tighten it up.
In summary it is a middling book with a boring plot, uninteresting and hokey characters (Right here right now it's axiomatic!), and probably the worst King book that I've read.
I recommend finding this book at your local library, give it a quick read, and if you like it, borrow it. I can't recommend paying for it.
Zippidy do da. - William Oterson - About 50 miles, or so, east of Manhattan.
What in the world was I thinking when I titled this review, "zippidy do da", and why give a so so bit of writing 5 stars? I make a point of reading the reviews in order to develop an understanding of why readers consider a book good to read or not, and I've found both King and Straub interesting and fun to read - but not everything they've written of course. "The Talisman" is typical of this genre, epic fantasy adventure, and depending on where your mind is at the time of reading you'll find it anywhere from fantastic to mundane. Although the story which revolves around a young boys adventure at finding the miracle to save his mom is not unlike others, within its pages it contains everything needed to satisfy. The book itself is written well, the characters are easy to believe, and the protagonist is even easier to identify with. The story incorporates novel ideas and offers hope to those in need but whether you as an individual will find the story worth reading truly depends on where your mind is. If you're at a point where seriousness is important then look elsewhere but if you're in the mood for a spine tingling, strap me down full speed ahead adventure then give it a whirl. I liked it and I'd give it anywhere from 3 to 5 stars depending on your frame of mind. Like I said, zippidy do da!
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 23, 2010 14:32:06
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