Customer Reviews

From a Buick 8

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Pennsylvania is the setting for this strange blend of the supernatural and everyday elements. It's easy to forget that though, and it's only King's constant mention of the PSP (Pen. State Police) that kept me from mentally reverting to King's default locale: New England.

Although the location has it's own modest indentity, it really is secondary to the people residing and working there. Troop D (our Buick care-takers and protagonists) show us glimpses of police duties (mostly gruesome) and the dedication and cost of working for the State police. This cost extends to baby-sitting an impounded Buick that acts as a gateway between Earth and... somewhere.

Ned embodies the reader and our position - he's new to the troop and full of questions. His superiors are sympathetic yet strangely resentful toward him when relating the history of the troop and the Buick altogether. King starts his story in reverse, and we are brought up-to-date through a retelling that spans 90% of the text. 50% of this is superb, 50% is redundant.

From a Buick 8 echoes King's peak of writing the short novel (Different Seasons), but maybe 100 pages or so too long. The unfolding of what we Really Want To Know is frustratingly teased before us - filled with distractions about animal biology and details of what turn out to be (by the character's own admissions) not worth worrying about.

Nevertheless, I think this novel was a surprising read, delivering more than it's goofy title ever promised, and showing us that King can write from more than one perspective very successfully.