Helpful Score: 4
This is a book I will never part with. It is in my top four of Stephen King books to read, along with "The Shining, Salem's Lot, and The Stand." It's mesmerizing from the very beginning, full of intrigue and magic. If you love Stephen King, you MUST read this book! And even if you're not a Stephen King fan per se, I think you will find this story to be engrossing, and probably will end up reading it into the wee hours of morning. The main character is Jack Sawyer--a 13 year old boy bearing the burdens of the world on his shoulders. His father is dead and his mother is dying. He alone can change her future and many ways, mankind. It sounds silly--but it's beautiful. I found myself laughing at parts and crying at others. This is not you're typical Stephen King--scary, gruesome book. This is a tale of love and magic. Read it!
Helpful Score: 4
I love Stephen King. I hadn't read a book of his in awhile and it was nice to go back to my reading roots. I have been distracted reading a lot of other books that are popular or series that others love, but it was nice to go back to something familiar. King has a great way of getting into the heart of the "every man". This story was also very creative. King created a believable whole new world parallel to the real world. Towards the end I started getting bored with all the battle and action scenes, but he created such a likable character in Jack that wanted to find out what happened and I cared about the characters. This book really reminded me of the Dark Tower series. It was very similar so similar in fact that it was a little disappointing to realize that both books aren't really orignal ideas, but they were different enough that I can forgive King for that.
Helpful Score: 2
A Good Read..., February 18, 2006
Reviewer: P. Robinson "Relic113" (Calgary)
The Talisman chronicles the adventure of a twelve year old boy named Jack Sawyer. The young hero sets out from the East Coast of the USA in a bid to save his mother, who is dying from cancer. Jack needs to find the mystical artifact known only as the 'The Talisman'.
Werewolves, both good and bad, inhabit the far western parts of a world parallel to America known as The Territories - which incidentally are part of the Dark Tower World. A sixteen-year-old Wolf, simply named Wolf, is accidentally drawn pulled into America by Jack Sawyer, and the two form a strong friendship as they seek ways to travel between their worlds and find the talisman.
The book is split between The Territories and our world's America. King and Straub are able to constantly throw Jack from the frying pan to the fire, as he escapes from one life-threatening situation to another. Jack must retrieve the Talisman before it falls into enemy hands and will be lost to him forever.
A different type of book for King, as it involves the creation of worlds other than our own...A concept he uses almost exclusively in his Dark Tower stories and the Eyes of the Dragon. However, this is a successful stand alone novel, in its own right and I would suggest picking up a copy of this for a rainy day so you too can visit another world...
Reviewer: P. Robinson "Relic113" (Calgary)
The Talisman chronicles the adventure of a twelve year old boy named Jack Sawyer. The young hero sets out from the East Coast of the USA in a bid to save his mother, who is dying from cancer. Jack needs to find the mystical artifact known only as the 'The Talisman'.
Werewolves, both good and bad, inhabit the far western parts of a world parallel to America known as The Territories - which incidentally are part of the Dark Tower World. A sixteen-year-old Wolf, simply named Wolf, is accidentally drawn pulled into America by Jack Sawyer, and the two form a strong friendship as they seek ways to travel between their worlds and find the talisman.
The book is split between The Territories and our world's America. King and Straub are able to constantly throw Jack from the frying pan to the fire, as he escapes from one life-threatening situation to another. Jack must retrieve the Talisman before it falls into enemy hands and will be lost to him forever.
A different type of book for King, as it involves the creation of worlds other than our own...A concept he uses almost exclusively in his Dark Tower stories and the Eyes of the Dragon. However, this is a successful stand alone novel, in its own right and I would suggest picking up a copy of this for a rainy day so you too can visit another world...
Helpful Score: 1
Boy travels between this world and "the territories" in search of the talisman to save his dying mother and basically the world. Dark Tower all over the place. Great read.
Helpful Score: 1
What an awesome fantasy novel. Just great reading. I finished it in 2 days
