Customer Reviews

Stephen King Box Set: Desperation, The Regulators

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4 star:		(4)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

These two novels by Steven King (one under his Richard Bachman psuedonym) are based on an interesting idea. Take the same set of characters, and put them into two completely different and totally unrelated stories. Not only are the human characters the same, the evil being they must fight, Tak, is the same in both stories, and both stories involve the town of Desperation, Nevada and the suburb of Wentworth, Ohio to a greater or lesser degree. By unrelated here, I mean one story is not the continuation of the other, it's as if they happen in parallel universes.

In Desperation, the humans are trapped in a small western mining town in Nevada where Tak has taken over and killed off most of the town's residents. Tak has apparently selected a random group of humans to keep alive to be used for it's own purposes, but it is unaware of the fact that one of these humans, a young boy, has a connection to a higher power than itself (i.e. God) which is intent on thwarting it's plans. In the story, King attempts to wrestle with serious theological questions, particularly with the problem of evil and suffering. While not overly profound, the book does have some moral and spiritual depth to it and is surprisingly Christian friendly.

In the Regulators, the creature Tak takes over the mind of a young autistic boy, and then uses images in his mind, gleaned from old western movies and Saturday morning cartoons to terrorize and demolish a suburban Ohio neighborhood. While The Regulators could be seen as a commentary on the effects of popular media and television, there really isn't the same kind of pointed moral and spiritual questioning that is found in Desperation. It's just an entertaining story.

Though I think Desperation is the better of the two books, I enjoyed them both, and found them both to be gripping reads. King really is a good story teller with some interesting ideas, and is also good at creating a sense of place and mood. He is also good at creating interesting, realistic, sympathetic characters. Both stories are pretty violent, especially The Regulators, and some readers may be put off by a fair amount of bad, sometimes sacreligious language and crude subject matter. The stories are still interesting and enjoyable though, and Desperation especially carries a sense of moral weightiness that, for me, helps to define good writing. If you read one and enjoy it, you'll probably want to read the other one as well to see how the different characters fair in both stories.

I read both of these books back during the late 1990's, back to back. Both books were incredible to me!! I enjoyed "Desperation" but once I read "The Regulators", Stephen King had me hooked as a fan for life!!

I know that they are showing a movie version of "Desperation" very soon on television and I do look forward to how they have adapted it but nothing could ever compare to the two novels! Excellent works from Mr. King. I recommend then strongly.

Enjoy!

Desperation was the first King book I read, way back in elementary school. He quickly became my favorite. Come college, I decided to go back to the author I'd been neglecting and read the last few books (for there are only a few I hadn't read-- I'd kept up with new ones and had gotten most the old ones in.) One of these was The Regulators.
Same characters, but the plot and writing style are very different. I preferred Desparation of the two books, but The Regulators is very entertaining. I suppose I always preferred works written as King rather than as Bachman--so maybe it's the style and how King chooses to present each of thw two.

Definately worth reading and entertaining to read side by side (reread Desparation after T.R. and it was a fun endeavor!)

Desperation was the first Stephen King book i read, a few years ago, and since then I've gone on to read `Salems Lot, The Stand, Bag of Bones, and, of course, The Regulators. Although i can't say, like someone already rated, that the plot jumped around so much that you couldn't follow. Desperation was my first King book and i found it very enthraling, and The Regulators simply added to it all! Yes, he uses the same characters and a few more, but there's a different setting, a new "host" for Tak, and an entirely new form of writing involved. If you have not read either of these books, i suggest to start with Desperation, and if you are a fan of King's older works, i am almost certain you won't be disappointed.

After reading some of the reviews listed on Amazon I couldn't believe anyone who enjoys Stephen King did not enjoy The Regulators and Desperation. Someone wrote that he showed no imagination by using the same names. It simply showed the genius of his writing. One book was written under Bachmann, the other written by King. Two books written like parallel worlds, mirror images of each other. I couldn't put either one down.

This has to be the BEST book I have ever read!!!!! This book grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let do until the end. It is full of suspense and emotion all at the same time.

I am an avid King fan. I have read most of his books and am intrigued by his prose. But not this time. Character development is minimal and you never grow to care about the characters like you did in "It" or "The Gunslinger" and others. Shock value is used loose and wild in these. I don't mind a little gore, but I quit reading "The Regulators", because it was senseless and went on and on. "Desperation" is the better of the two. I think maybe King ought to slow down and develop his stories, they may be getting to perverse for even me.

I loved it!! I was amazed by how many so-called "Stephen King fans" said they didn't like the book. But then I realized that, they're not fans of SK but rather, fans of blood, guts, and gore. They just don't get it! Just let yourself go and enjoy the fantasy that is dreamworld. Truly worth reading again!!

I completely enjoyed these books. I think what most people are forgetting is that these are very early King works and do not reflect his style today. If you enjoy pure graphic horror then you will enjoy these novels. If you want more laid back scares then go with some of Kings later works.

MOST INTRIGUEING I'VE EVERY READ