Rating: 
Summary: Good for young teenagers
Review: This book is a far cry from King's other excellent work. The prose itself was pretty amateurish. The story line predictable. The plot of good over evil contrived. However, I would recommend this for young readers, such as teens. The gore and horror so prevalent in other King books is tame in the Talisman. In fact, a young teenager would probably really enjoy this story. Give it as a gift to a young person on your list.
Rating: 
Summary: What an amazing read!!!
Review: I just finished reading this book. It was an amazing, page-turning story...just fascinating. I wanted to read this book before reading Black House, which I now can't wait to read. I have read almost all of Stephen King's books. Now I want to read more of Peter Straub also. If you are like me, reading Stephen King is addictive...I just want to read anything he writes. I even read The Plant (and wish he would finish the story).
Rating:
Summary: Reluctantly dissappointed
Review: I'm a big Stephen King fan, bought ALL his audio books, and I'm quite an admirer of Peter Straub (Magic Terror was the most haunting thing I've EVER read); so naturally I thought The Talisman was a sure-fire winner. I bought the audio CD version (not cheap!); and after hearing the first 7 CD's... I gotta say - this is pretty damn boring so far. Maybe it's not fair to write a review until I've heard the whole thing - but despite the fact I paid around (price) for this; I'm seriously wondering if I'll even WANT to hear the rest of it. Not only is it boring, it's confusing - so I'd have to really pay attention through all the boring parts to understand what was going on if a good bit came up. I really wanted to like this book, but... sheesh. Maybe it's the narrator to some extent - he's the same guy who narrated "The Green Mile", and he does tend to try to make EVERYTHING sound it's the most important part of the whole book ("And then... he reached for a NAPKIN!!!"). I guess it's the narrative equivalent of crying wolf - after awhile you just assume that whatever he's talking about isn't nearly as significant to the plot as he's trying to make it sound.My suggestion? If you're a fan of King, read the first few pages for free in a review somewhere. Then, if some part of you actually cares what happens next - by all means get the book. Otherwise, wait for movie.
Rating:
Summary: Best book I've ever read
Review: I am 40 years old and have read this book several times in the past 15 years. It is wonderful. If you love fantasy/mystery/good vs. evil type books, this one is for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Twain's Tom Sawyer meets Scooby Doo
Review: I like King, although I am not his livid reader. I read few of his books and I found them intriguing (The Stand), terrifying (It), and provocative (Green Mile). In anticipation of paperback release of The Black House, I've decided to pick up Talisman, and get myself well acquainted with the Territories. After reading first 200 pages, I thought I wouldn't be able to finish this book. It's not that the story is not interesting, it's just dragging so much that you lose your focus, and want quickly to read something else. I survived that urge, and I was able to finish over 700 pages long story. The story of Jacky Sawyer traveling between parallel words is quite unique, and could be even more mystic, if not for King's and I guess Straub's love for extensive writing. If somebody spends several pages describing on how hard is to clean up the vomit in some God forsaken pub's bathroom, you know that it will be extremely difficult to get to the gist of the story. Finally, authors pick-up the pace, and I have to admit that the last 200 pages were very exhilarating and worth waiting. The story has some interesting twists and turns (already mentioned colorful scene in the pub, the house for troubled youth somewhere in Mid-west, and the final struggle of good and evil in fabalized California), but there are also parts of the book somehow skipped or less-developed (the court of Queen Laura, the Blasted Lands) you wish you could read more about. Some people described this book in Tolkian terms. I think it's more like Twain's Tom sawyer meeting Scooby -Do. After reading Talisman I am not even sure whether I will buy The Black House next year.
Rating:
Summary: Critical Acclaim For The Talisman
Review: I am on the last page of this book right now pg 735. but before i finish reading
the final page i must pause, perhaps... chuckle, then cough lightly under my breath before i lift my head to say that
no matter what lies on this final page there is no "turning back" from the lack of
consideration and total lack of regard towards anytype of art in storytelling which took place unabashedly throughout chapters
34-40. These chapters were so shallow i suspect there was not only one thing more important on the writers mind (see below) but perhaps two or three. Up until then the story had enough to it i thought it to be surely more worthy
to be held higher for all to see because the story was enthralling. It is my opinion as a professional amateur (smiles) that the reason why this book
is not a legend of sorts was because of these discrepancies as such becoming preventative measures in themselves which in turn dislocated this book from being heralded as one with much more acclaim than it gets. Instead we are left not with what should have been a novel regarded as one of
the most important works in fantasy/horror genre but in truth what could have been.
Lets face it how many people have heard of The Talisman? The Talisman had its begginings in 1978-79 when both Stephen King and Peter Straub
where living in london. although each of them had binding contractual obligations
to fill with other books and it would take them a few years to be free
this is when they first came up with the idea of a joint venture Being a collarabative effort between
world renowned master of horror Stephen King and a sometime bestselling author Peter Straub, The Talisman was written mostly (long distance) via modem on computers bought especially for the project. The ball was whipped through the ether between
Maine and Connecticut handed back and forth Stephen writing pages,
not to any preset plan but simply until he felt like stopping,
then sent them to Peter at which point he picked up the thread and wrote until he
felt ready to hand it back. The book was released in 1984 and was a success. Im not arguing with this my point is that this book could have been better.
just because a book is a New York Times Best Seller does not
mean all these books cancel all the ones that werent out.
It is the content of a book which almost on its own becomes immortal.
A true story lives on after we have read it if its told right.
It strikes at something close to immortality itself, because the story was Much
more than fake and Nothing less than believable. This is where the real tales can be found and the separation from the fray begins. It was obvious
to me what had happened only a child might have missed the change.
Stephen handed the drafts back to the other guy the man in question
one mister Peter Straub. Perhaps the child that could have missed
the change was the same age as the one that took over Peters brain at that moment. It was as if there was a young man with a little wooden hammer in his hands was tring
to hammer the square in where the round hole is in some childrens toy where
you have to knock the shapes in their corresponding holes.
The clumsiness begins specifically around page 496 (post interlude) and comes
to a end around page 627 again another interlude. (...)
petey boy makes it so that jack is suddenly talking and acting as if he
were an grown man stephen king didnt do that Stephen King made the characters
that were kids kids. jack sawyer is not 21 42 or even 48 Mister Straub hes 12
years old. Thats not the point though old petey boy made things a chore for me to fit in with
not only the style but the content of what was written before. Up until this
point Peter Straub at least was better than this i dont know what happened. Only thing i can guess is this Peter decided it would be pertitnent to "get jiggy"
with snack foods while writing this all the while feeding us
a diet of his memories from his jumbled television experience. come to think of it when
did Rambo come out?
I mean common just because its fantasy doesnt mean that it has to be
unbelievable It wasnt the amount of instances in which he completely failed to come across
as believable,
it was the flatness the lack of character in his work that i had trouble with.
I can compare it to missing the landing in a parachute drop because
was the take of time off but landing was in the wrong place. When you pick a book somewhere along the way you hope that
writer somewhere along the way does not lose his way. It isnt very trendy to be careless
with lines in this buisness.
Perhaps that why hes Peter Straub and Stephen King is Stephen King. Despite the letdowns i still must recommend this book just be in denial
when you get to the chapters i spoke of not so much unlike jack sawyers partner
(...). cheers.
Rating:
Summary: Flawless
Review: This one is almost as good as The Stand. A great story of good and evil. It's a real page truner!
Rating:
Summary: WISH I COULD HAVE RATED THIS 10 STARS!!!
Review: This book is one of my top 5 ever read. I read it at least once a year, and always find something new in it. The message is awesome...how far would you go for someone you loved...This book is a must read and a keeper!!
Rating:
Summary: The Finest Kind of Novel
Review: This book was more than just some Stephen King horror novel, this is the reason why people read. To lose themselves, to find themselves, to laugh, to cry, to make our lives disappear for just a brief moment and enter a new world. You can and will lose yourself in this book and there is no stopping it, not that you would want to.
Peter Straub does an excellent job of playing a counterbalance to an often over the top Stephen King. While it is written by two authors, both with incredibly different styles, the book flows very well and the author's styles mesh perfectly. This is not to say that if you are a fan of these authors that you can't tell who's chapters are who's, I am just saying that it works. Also reading the book and being able to tell who is writing the chapters makes the book that much more enjoyable to the true fan.
This book is good it doesn't deserve a lengthy review just a dramatic plea, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! It is true brilliance unlike much else that has been written, especially in this genre.
Rating:
Summary: This Book is worth every dime!
Review: I have just completed the talisman and must say it was phenominal
experience.Based on Friendship, mystery and one hell of a journey.It was the first book that made me feel sad (crying sad) at a point in the book. That never happened to me over a book before I was in disbelief I was sad over a book but I was sad.
Its a definite page turner, cause I stayed all day home on Saturday to finish this book from 8:30am to the late night.
Now i'll tell you why I did this over a book.
First of the story is about a 12 yr old boy who goes on a journey across america to find the Talisman to save his mother.
But this isn't a easy journey he enconters nightmares and makes/meets friends along this long perilous journey.
There is never a repitition of the same thing; there is no Jack (the main character) going back and forth and back and forth in the same damn place.
The scenes are always changing from some half abandoned town to a youth centre (that is not normal), to the territories (another realm) where the world is pure and clean but also has nightmares worse than the regular world. The book is never steady, always fluctuating;there are no long boring stops, but their is always an event to keep your interest.
Now i'm going to just speak freely the talisman is awesome. That is an understatement by far. I loved this book. I was sad to finish it and have to read it again (must read it again).
Stephen King and Straub were excellent.The sadness, the power, the feel of celebrating when Jack succeeded in something.There are no repititons in the Book every event is once and is done gloriously. When i reached the end of the book I had almost forgot the talisman ( which was always mentioned in the book), was even there. The journey was a monumental experience and the ending was no less (in fact better). From page 1 to the end it was beautiful in every way (that was another understatement.)
I only have on problem which is just me actually I wish the book was longer so i could still be reading it now (its 735 pages).So i hope you buy this book cause it is certainly worth it.
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