Customer Reviews

The Talisman

5 star:		(266)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

J.R.R. Tolkien once said, "Write of Earth, but not Earth," That is exactly what King has created for the reader. I originally wasn't going to write a review, but after reading many of the others i felt that i should at least give my opinion even if it isn't heeded. To begin with, Jack Sawyer begins on his quest to save his mother's life. I have read the book twice, fearing Morgan Sloat, hating Osmond, crying for Wolf, and losing control of the hinge in my jaw for Jack's final victory with the Talisman. And both times, it has been one of the best books I have ever read. Some say King focuses too much on detail, but it is that detail that makes him great, that makes every action of every character sing with joy and cringe in agony. Some have also said that the ending was "obvious" and "lavish". My response to that would be that all stories that portray good and evil and human nature caught between the two have obvious endings. Good always wins, and if you are waiting for evil to triumph in one of King's novels then maybe you had better find another author to read. The book, in fact, is a bit lengthy, but with the imagery and breadth of emotion and toil, it suits its purpose just fine for me. Grade: A+

Best-selling authors Stephen King and Peter Straub proved themselves a dynamic duo when they collaborated and conceived "The Talisman."
Fantasy and reality collide in this whirlwind tale as "The Talisman" chronicles the journey of a young boy attempting to save his dying mother. After meeting an eccentric old man in an amusement park, Jack Sawyer becomes aware of an alien realm called the Territories. Jack must trek across America, facing the evil creatures of the Territories and of this world, to retrieve a valuable prize that can save his mother's life.
The book, while very enthralling, can crawl at points and some sequences feel as if they don't relate to the plot, which is distracting to the reader.
The two authors each have a noticeably distinct style, making it obvious when one author stops writing and the other starts. Any avid King fan can recognize his trademark style. Straub has the amazing ability to define scenes down to the finest detail.
The novel is well-devised with the effort of both authors and very pleasant to read. The vivid descriptions make the unforgettable characters come alive. Scenes become so astonishingly real that it's more like watching a movie than reading a book.
With great descriptions, interesting characters and two great authors holding the reins, "The Talisman" is a success.

A little while ago I did a writeup for Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" and said it may be the best blend of the horror novel and the fantasy novel ever. While I stand by that 'may be' it occurs to me now that I should have also mentioned "The Talisman" as a voraciously strong contender for that title.

It's about a lot of things, including the existance of paralell realities overlaying one another and what happens in one of them also affecting what happens in the other (or others?) but perhaps the best way to describe the slice in space and time in this stunningly realized Universe (Multiverse?) we're taken to in "The Talisman" is to say that it's about a young boy named Jack who's mother is dying, and to save her he has to go on a journey to obtain a mystical artifact (the title 'Talisman'), and his mother's counterpart is also dying. And she's the Queen of one of Earth's parralell selves. This may sound like the basis for a 'Y.A.' novel a la "Harry Potter" or "Abarat" but it's not, this novel is graphic and brutal through much of its run. It also contains some of the very best of the worlds of charm and whimsey and wonder at other times. Jack is possessed of the ability to 'flip' from one world to the other, and the novel spends time in each. Items from one world, as well as people, have their counterparts in the other world as well, but in different forms. What is a house in one world could well be a hut or a castle or a tent in another. Magic is far stronger on the 'other' world, technology more prevelant in 'ours', but each exist in both. One of the characters encountered by Jack during his time in the other world (aka The Territories) is Wolf, a member of a race of non-evil werewolves, and this is one of the most instantly engaging and lovable characters the world of storytelling has ever brought to us.

Sometimes, in between the time when I first read a book and the time I may eventually re-read it again years later, I like to refamilirize myself with old favorites as I rearrange them on their shelves, flipping through the pages here and there, occasionally reading a couple of paragraphs, and bringing the memories coming back. This is a book that it's hard to do just that with, because perusing just a few lines can compel you to go on for pages and pages. It reminds me of when I was first getting into novels bigtime, and this book defined 'Impossible To Put Down', keeping me going for hours past midnight, by far the longest I'd ever read in one sitting at that point. For several chapters straight the suspense was just so unbelievable it was unthinkable to stop, all leading up to a climax (in the middle of the book; this tale has not one but several climaxes) that still stands as one of the most earthshaking in history.

Complete in itself but tying into other tales (and directly sequelized in the equally awesome "Black House"), this is just incredible, one of the very best for either author certainly. As a gratuitous plug, I'd also just like to say this: probably many times more readers came to this book through their familiarity with Stephen King than Peter Straub (I was one of them). If you've read lots of King but your only Straubs are these colloborations deny yourself no longer: his best solo books are every bit as good as King's best solos, and the very best stand of either stand up with "Talisman" and "Black House".

I bought this book at a used bookstore years ago after discovering that I loved Stephen King's books. I put it on my shelf with other books I meant to read, but it was a year before I picked it up again. Finally I did, read a couple chapters... then I put it back down. I couldn't get into it.

A month and a couple books later, I decided to give it one more shot. So I started from the beginning, but still just wasn't in to it and had reached my previous stopping point. I had made a vow that I would push on though, and it wasn't 5 minutes after I read on that I was literally in a whole new world. King and Straub showed Jack Sawyer a new world, and they took me along as well. I could smell the bread baking at the pavilion, I was best friends with Jack's new friend Wolf, I was running in horror from the Elroy-Thing in the Men's Room of the Oatley Tap. I was IN that world.

I've owned and read countless books, but The Talisman has always remained my all-time favorite. I have read it about 6 times, and each time I am whisked back to that world that I love and fear so much.

Together with It, The Stand and Weaveworld (Clive Barker) this has always been at the top of the list. I read this book over 15 years ago when it came out and since then I have read it at least eight more times. It is fantasy you can identfy with, the characters are so well drawn. I recommend it to "children of all ages", adults to, from 16 to 100 if they so wish, fantasy lovers and anyone who wants a really compelling read. I was thrilled to see the two authors have gotten together to do it again because I always wanted to know what happened when the young hero grew up. Enjoy.

I remember picking up this book one day during my lunch break at the shopping mall and reminding myself to buy it after work. It was the best thing i ever did. This book is the most thought provoking, richly layered, energetic and emotional journey that one could possible imagine taking. It has all the elements of an amazing book and Stephen King and Peter Straub did an amazing job of bringing a wonderful and emotional story onto 700 or so pages. The characters are interesting and worth caring about, Jack and Wolf in particular, the scenarios are exciting such as when Jack finally returns back to the hotel with the talisman. This is the most incredible book one can ever expect to read and is on the same grand scale as one of King's other works "IT." I laughed, wondered and cried when I read this book and it is the only book to have ever achieved what it set out to achieve and that is to move the person. It moved me and no book since this one has ever done the same. Possibly one of the most important and greatest fiction novels to ever grace our presence and one I am sure that King and Straub will regard at the end of the careers as one of their best. Do yourself a favour, get a copy and become lost in this wonderful world for a few days. Simply, a gem.

I love this book. Stephen King is my favorite author, and I have read all of his books, not to mention quite a few of Peter Straub's, and this is the best of them all. It contains my favorite fictional character of all time, Jack Sawyer: the twelve year old lead who must journey across the country in an attempt to save his mother's life, and much more. He can travel in our world, and an alternate universe. In both worlds there are many dangers for a boy traveling alone, including his uncle, Morgan Sloat, who has more than a little vested in Jack's failure. He is also helped along the way by some friends, Richard and Wolf. I have always loved KING's kids, you know: strong, brave intelligent, SPECIAL, but still just kids under it all, still scared and lonely, and you can't help but be touched by them. If you feel the same, or if you like a good fantasy/adventure story, read this book. I've read it four times and it still makes me cry each time.

Yes, it sounds wierd, but Stephen King and Peter Straub got together in the eighties and wrote this fantasy novel. If you're familiar with either's work, you know that this is going ot be a great book. So, I guess I'll let you read the summary, as written by myself.
Jack Sawyer is only twelve, but he's about to go on the journey of a lifetime. His mother is dying, and what she needs to survive resides in California...But Jack is on the east coast. He must get there alone, by himself,and quickly, for not only his mother's life hangs in the balance, but that of a woman Jack doesn't know, a woman who is the queen of a land Jack has never heard of...The Territories.
Jack's father could travel to this strange land, buy simply wishing it to happen. Jack soon learns that he, too, can do it, and finds that traveling in the Territories covers much more land than in the real world. For instance...Say he "travels" to the Territories from one point, and walks half a mile. When Jack "travels" back, he finds he's walked two miles! Getting to California should be easy, right?
Wrong. For Jack's evil Uncle Morgan does not want Jack to succeed. He wants Jack's mother--and the Queen of the Territories--to die, for then Morgan's "Twinner" (the copy of yourself in the Territories) could take control of the strange land and spread his harshness.
So Jack's journey is two-fold: Save his mother (and the Queen) and stop Uncle Morgan from taking over the Territories. Since he can't do this alone, Jack makes several friends that help him along the way, and the entire story comes together in a conclusion that'll leave you on the edge of your seat.
Did you understand any of this? I hope not, for it should make you want to buy the book even more. Trust me, "The Talisman" is worth every penny you sink into it, for it is an adventure of the ages, filled with excitement, suspense, humor, horror, and the struggles of one boy on a desperate quest. Also, check out Stephen King and Peter Straub's sequel to this wonderful book: "Black House."

I read the Talisman back in 84 when it first came out. To this day, I can still remember vividly the whole story. In fact, as silly as it might sound, the first time I read it I purposely did not read the last 50 or so pages so I could read it again and still feel the suspense of not knowing the end. No, I had never done this before. I waited maybe 2 years to treat myself again to Jack and Wolf (the main characters). needless to say I loved this book. It moved me into the story and for awhile I felt I left earth and lived in its pages. Yes, it is long but well worth every page. I don't enjoy Straub very much as a rule but this combo was a dynamic duo. I hope the upcoming sequel is just as magical.

It was with great excitement that I discovered that Stephen King and Peter Straub had teemed-up to write this book. The story and characters are absorbing and as you, and the main charater learn more of the story, it builds to the typical crescendo ending that is the hallmark of both authors. The good guys are good, and the bad guys are positievly evil. An odessey that no normal person would want to be caught up in, but that we love to experience vicariously.

It is King and Straub at their unpredictable best. Thank God there is a sequal. I can hardly wait!