Helpful Score: 7
Heh heh heh... I hardly EVER give ANYTHING five stars, but this book earned every one. The story had me from the first page, and kept drawing me in more and more. I don't want to put ANY spoilers in this review, but it's an excellent sequel to The Shining. Literary allusions are there if you want them, if you would rather gloss over those sorts of things, fine -- King doesn't hit his readers over the head with how well-read he is. Same with cultural literacy. It's an extra layer, but the book makes sense without it. Probably critics 150 years from now will write masters theses about all the allusions, though! Things come full circle in the story, and the book is so very hard to put down. Don't start on a work night.
Helpful Score: 5
Absolutely riveting! I wasn't expecting it, but I'm glad King gave us all-grown-up Dan's story, making everything come full circle. A horrifying and ultimately satisfying companion to The Shining. No question about it; Doctor Sleep deserves every one of those 5 stars!
Helpful Score: 4
Much better than I was expecting and not at all what I thought a sequel to The Shining would be about. One of King's best books in my opinion.
Helpful Score: 2
I think The Shining was my all-time favorite Stephen King novel, growing up. The book (and the movie that followed) scared the kahoots out of me, and I loved being taken on that ride. So I went into Doctor Sleep with that bias behind me, and the excellent reviews to look forward to. And was NOT disappointed! The book does not hold back on character development - every single character is so rich and well-thought-out that you feel like you've gotten to know each and every one of them. Dan Torrence (the child from the original book) has grown up, and every page gives you so much more insight as to how and why the adult Dan is who he is. There's a fair share of paranormal and a good amount of suspense. I could not put this book down.
Helpful Score: 1
I absolutely loved this book. It was everything I wanted a sequel to "The Shining" to be and more. An absolute must read for Stephen King/horror fans.
I could not put this down. My husband is the Stephen King fan. I like some of his books, but am not a fan of all of them. This book was absolutely fantastic!
Excellent book about Danny's life after the Sbining. I wont say it kept me up like the Shining, its not that kind of book really, its more about King's and many others battles in real life with the demon of alcohol and forgiveness.
Doctor Sleep was entertaining but pretty rote, predictable Stephen King fare. Which is to say it was highly enjoyable. Mostly it was the same supernatural-kid faces supernatural-baddies, powers great and terrible, good vs. evil battle royale with some well-drawn side characters. I'd say maybe I wasn't more engrossed because I never responded that much to The Shining as a book either, except that there's not very much to unite the two except for a quick detour back to the Overlook. 11/22/63 and Under the Dome were better. King seems to exceed himself these days when he sets his epic showdowns in a totally different setting than the typical small New England towns he used so well in the past.
Vintage King and that's a very good thing. As you probably know, this is the sequel to The Shining. The book starts a few years after the Overlook Hotel explosion and follows Dan Torrance into adulthood where he finds that he has not yet put his demons (both literal and figurative) to rest. This is a very entertaining novel. Great characters, the story moves quickly and King's writing is engaging. He doesn't ramble as he has in some books but sticks to the story and keeps things moving. If you are looking for a fright, you might be disappointed. Doctor Sleep is not scary but it is a book you will be glad you read.
After many years, I finally got around to reading The Shining. I had seen the movie when I was a kid so never bothered to read the book. That is until I heard about Doctor Sleep coming out. I was also informed that I would need to read The Shining in order to better understand Doctor Sleep. This was too true. I loved The Shining but would have to say that I loved this book a little bit more. I think it was a bit creepier to me than the first book.
This book starts out with Danny's story. At first it starts soon after the Overlook Hotel and then it skips a couple of decades. There we find Danny as a struggling alcoholic about at the end of his rope. Then by chance of a bus ride he ends up right where he needs to be. Later we are introduced to a young girl, Abra, who is another "shining" member and also this very creepy clan called the True Knot. These people scared the crap out of me. Not sure why exactly. I think because they put me in mind of this traveling carnival and seemed so nice on the outside. On the inside they were anything but nice.
I thought this was a terrific follow-up to The Shining. I think lots of readers wanted to know what happened to Wendy, Danny and Dick. I know I did. Highly recommended!
This book starts out with Danny's story. At first it starts soon after the Overlook Hotel and then it skips a couple of decades. There we find Danny as a struggling alcoholic about at the end of his rope. Then by chance of a bus ride he ends up right where he needs to be. Later we are introduced to a young girl, Abra, who is another "shining" member and also this very creepy clan called the True Knot. These people scared the crap out of me. Not sure why exactly. I think because they put me in mind of this traveling carnival and seemed so nice on the outside. On the inside they were anything but nice.
I thought this was a terrific follow-up to The Shining. I think lots of readers wanted to know what happened to Wendy, Danny and Dick. I know I did. Highly recommended!
Another great one from King! This is the long-awaited sequel to THE SHINING and it was worth the wait. This tells the story of what happened to the little boy, Danny, who was terrorized at the Overlook Hotel during that crazy winter in the Colorado mountains. Danny grows up and has some of the same faults as his father including being an alcoholic with a bad temper. But along the way, he is able to fight his demons and comes to meet Abra, a little girl who also has "the shining". However, Abra is being stalked by a group of psychic vampires known as the "True Knot" who want to siphon off her powers to make them stronger. What ensues is a great fight of good vs. evil. DOCTOR SLEEP is Stephen King at his finest and reminds me a lot of his earlier works that I loved and devoured including THE SHINING, SALEMS' LOT, CARRIE, and THE STAND. A high recommendation for this one.
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
This was just an okay book for me. I expected more. I didn't feel it lived up to The Shining at all.
King takes you back to the past of 'The Shinning' and then your suddenly in the present with a survivor of the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torance who is now a man with too many problems. Aside from being an alcoholic and drifter he still has his memories and vision called the 'Shinning'. Drifting into a small community in New Hampshire nearly broken in spirit and money he visits a park called Tinytown and meets the man who is the caretaker of the park with a special miniature train.This first meet and eventual friendship opens a new door and possibly a new turn in Dan's life as he joins the local AA community. He finds work at a local nursing home where his precognition or shinning has led to him being dubbed 'Doctor Sleep' as he comforts those who are dying. As his power to foresee begins to fade he makes mental contact with twelve-year-old Abra Stone. A new world opens for the both of them bur like the old world it too has a dark and evil menace.A tribe of otherworldly seekers who sustain their gang known as 'The True Knot' on what they call 'steam'. It only comes from a select few in the multitude of millions. But it's life sustaining for these wonders. And Abra Stone's steam is beyond whomever they have encountered before. Now Dan and Abra will both have to join together to save their own lives if that's even possible. The clinking climb, the ups and downs,twists and turns of this rollercoster ride doesn't return where it started for either Dan Torence or Abra Stone or you, Constant Reader of Stephen King - Gery
Richard C. (Richard-luvs-Reading) -
Appears this may be the UK Edition?
Amazon is showing a different isbn for the Book releasing on 09/24/13:
ISBN-13: 9781476727653
http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Sleep-Novel-Stephen-King/dp/1476727651
Amazon is showing a different isbn for the Book releasing on 09/24/13:
ISBN-13: 9781476727653
http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Sleep-Novel-Stephen-King/dp/1476727651
