Absolute Horror Book Forum

Blaze by Richard Bachman

Again this is NOT a Horror novel and shouldn't really be here. I've Included it because it was penned under Stephen Kings pseudonym. And because it's a great book.

In the opening of the book; a forward from Stephen King he explains why he published it under Richard Bachman and called it Bachman's final novel. I would argue that this is not his last because the style and feel of the story are very very similar to Lisey's Story. And at one point "Bool!" makes an appearance. At this point I laughed. And since I've just read Lisey's Story then the resemblance stuck me more that it probably has others.

That said this is a tale of Blaze (Clay Blaisdell) and his dead partner in crime George. It becomes evident immediately this is a kind of homage to Of Mice And Men by Steinbeck (another novel I'd recommend to readers). Blaze isn't stupid, in fact at a young age he was a very clever child. That was until his father threw him down the stairs... three times. Now the only evidence to his genius is the massive cleft in his forehead.

Blaze's partner George has a plan for one BIG score - to kidnap a child from a wealthy family - because a baby cannot identify you so you can give them back alive. Unfortunately, George dies before they can carry the plan out. The thing is that George is still talking to Blaze and they end up carrying out the one big score after all.

Similar to Lisey's Story you progress through forward through the tale with constant back-flashes to Blaze's youth and his growth from boy to man. Once more this has a sad, romantic, melancholic and very readable style to it. And this time it keeps it's feet based in the real word I felt it did better than Lisey's Story. There were time's in this story where a slight tear ran down my dry, shivering cheek (tell anyone and I may have to call round...), which again shows that King is a master of making you feel for his characters, even a "The Bad Man" of the story. It's all a matter of perception.

And that is why I give this novel a...

10/10

Come join me - We ALL Float Down Here.

PENNYWISE Stephen

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