Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not really "a sequel" to The Talisman
Review: I'm a Stephen King fan and I liked "The Talisman" a lot. I liked "Black House" and I think most Stephen King fans will too.One caution up front. As Amazon's description of the book makes clear, the villain in this book is a serial child killer who eats his victims. There may be more than a few people who find this idea so disturbing that even my mention of the theme bothers them. It probably will not help these people if I say "it's just a STORY, it's almost comic-book stuff, it's not THAT graphic, they don't MEAN it." I read fantasy and horror to escape from reality, so I am glad to report that "Black House" has no references in it to airliners, explosions, or tall office buildings. It served me well as a welcome distraction during the last few terrible weeks. "Black House" is not really a sequel to "The Talisman." It's an independent book with some loose connections to "The Talisman." (And almost as many to the Dark Tower series). True, the central character of "Black House," Jack Sawyer, is the central character of "The Talisman,"--but so much time has passed that he is almost a different person. A few other characters from "The Talisman" make what might be called cameo appearances. To me, this book felt like a "typical Stephen King novel." It did not really evoke the feelings and mood of "The Talisman." (I don't mean to slight Straub here; but I will say that the collaboration is seamless--and the result reads like King). Unlike "The Talisman," most of events in "Black House" take place in this world. It is "about" a cop chasing down a serial child killer in one of Stephen King's black, ironic, inverted "Our Towns." More like the world of "It" than the world of "The Talisman." (I've enjoyed trying to figure out where "French Landing" is. My guess: Prairie du Chien). The authors imply that there may be a trilogy in the offing, with the third book taking place mostly in the Territories... but part of the charm of "The Talisman" was Jack Sawyer's strange balancing act between the two worlds. This book has what I'll call the "usual beloved faults" of King's writing. Unlike a J. R. R. Tolkien or a Robert Heinlein, the writers never convince me that the story is taking place in a real, consistent world with well-defined rules. They're making it up as they go along, and they (and you) know it. Some of the "cross-references" to other characters and events feel like the sorts of things you get in a detective series. You know, "Lance Sterling called Edna Redstone, the librarian who had helped him solve in 'The Mystery of the Haunted Windmill." Then he drew out the pocketknife that had served him so well in 'The Secret of the Red Lighthouse.'" What this means to readers new to King is, no, you don't need to read "The Talisman" or the Dark Tower novels first. You'll probably get the feeling that some mysterious things would make more sense if you'd read them, but it's not really true. There's no grand unified story to figure out, and it's OK to come in the middle. For those to whom the title "Black House" instantly calls to mind Dickens' "Bleak House," the authors are aware of the similarity and work it into the story. (Whether there's supposed to be an intentional connection, I can't say--I've often suspected that if editors notice things in King's writing that are uncomfortably derivative of other books, he disarms cricitism by deliberately acknowledging them ).
Rating: 
Summary: Review for Talisman Fans
Review: Although I was warned going in to this book that it was not going to be like The Talisman, I couldn't help comparing the differences between the two books throughout reading Black House. Overall, I was left with the feeling that a lot of the richness in characterization and experience from The Talisman was lost. Apart from some shining exceptions (notably, Henry Leyden and the motorcycle gang characters) many of the characters were fairly shallow... including Jack. I fell completely in love with Jack of The Talisman, and while the older Jack is still a very good man, we know this more through the narrator positioning him that way than through seeing Jack overcome many truly challenging situations. The final confrontation for adult Jack seems ironically like child's play compared to the truly horrific ordeals young Jack overcame many times over. I felt that it was a true injustice to Jack's character that he's relegated to a position below gunslinger in the obvious effort to set up future Dark Tower stories (and I love those as well). Also, there were far too many pages dealing with ordeals in our world that were more annoying than suspense-building, such as the fact that sensitive information keeps leaking out to the public. Straub and King were considering this Jack-as-adult sequel when they wrote The Talisman, as the quote by Mark Twain at the end of that book seems to suggest. They've had a long time to consider what to do with their characters and the worlds they created. I'm surprised this was the best they could do with so much time and such a great story. I would recommend this to Dark Tower fans who have not read The Talisman. If you have read it, this is worth the read but be prepared for a more mundane experience than you might be expecting.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, if a king fan.
Review: This book is a great piece, if the reader is familiar with King's former work, and I would say reading the Talisman is necessary. If your a Towers fan, then you'll enjoy this. When meet old acquaintances in this book, like Bobby Dulac, and Bruatigan is even mentioned. The first half is slow, but it definently picks up towards the middle, so stick with it. This book wasn't really suspenseful, as many of King's others have been- this time, the boys are simply telling a story. I loved the way that this book was written, and it was an enjoying read.
Rating:
Summary: Style Doesn't Quite Trump Substance
Review: King and Straub are, as always, wonderful wordsmiths, and this book is a delight in this respect, offering memorable characterization across the board and an effective, archly folksy First Person Plural authorial voice ("we know that Bob is about to get hit on the head by a falling anvil..." etc). The first two hundred pages take us on a whirlwind introduction of the cast and locations, which functions like a long cinematic tracking shot. Alas, alack, the boys forgot to pack much of a plotline in this picnic basket. The Fisherman's Identity is known from early days, a creative touch which also serves to undercut any sense of mystery. But when the time comes for Jack Sawyer to answer the call to heroism and grapple with the Territories, we get quite a lot of Dark Tower explication round the campfire. Newcomers may feel perplexed, as most of this info is not resolved in BLACK HOUSE. The narrative kicks in in the final section, as Jack finally takes matters into his own hands and ceases to be a human sounding board for other people's conversations. The finale is both frustrating and a treat: we seem to be left at the doorway to another Talisman novel, which is the good part, but it ultimately feels like BLACK HOUSE is merely a prologue chapter to this future adventure, which, for twenty odd bucks, got my goat a bit. My suggestions: Neophytes to The Talisman and/or Dark Tower beware.
Casual K& S fans might want to sit this one out till the paperback edition comes out.
Devotes and Fans, of course, will already be reading this book...
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not really "a sequel" to The Talisman
Review: I'm a Stephen King fan and I liked "The Talisman" a lot. I liked "Black House" and I think most Stephen King fans will too. One caution up front. As Amazon's description of the book makes clear, the villain in this book is a serial child killer who eats his victims. There may be more than a few people who find this idea so disturbing that even my mention of the theme bothers them. It probably will not help these people if I say "it's just a STORY, it's almost comic-book stuff, it's not THAT graphic, they don't MEAN it." I read fantasy and horror to escape from reality, so I am glad to report that "Black House" has no references in it to airliners, explosions, or tall office buildings. It served me well as a welcome distraction during the last few terrible weeks. "Black House" is not really a sequel to "The Talisman." It's an independent book with some loose connections to "The Talisman." (And almost as many to the Dark Tower series). True, the central character of "Black House," Jack Sawyer, is the central character of "The Talisman,"--but so much time has passed that he is almost a different person. A few other characters from "The Talisman" make what might be called cameo appearances. To me, this book felt like a "typical Stephen King novel." It did not really evoke the feelings and mood of "The Talisman." (I don't mean to slight Straub here; but I will say that the collaboration is seamless--and the result reads like King). Unlike "The Talisman," most of events in "Black House" take place in this world. It is "about" a cop chasing down a serial child killer in one of Stephen King's black, ironic, inverted "Our Towns." More like the world of "It" than the world of "The Talisman." (I've enjoyed trying to figure out where "French Landing" is. My guess: Prairie du Chien). The authors imply that there may be a trilogy in the offing, with the third book taking place mostly in the Territories... but part of the charm of "The Talisman" was Jack Sawyer's strange balancing act between the two worlds. This book has what I'll call the "usual beloved faults" of King's writing. Unlike a J. R. R. Tolkien or a Robert Heinlein, the writers never convince me that the story is taking place in a real, consistent world with well-defined rules. They're making it up as they go along, and they (and you) know it. Some of the "cross-references" to other characters and events feel like the sorts of things you get in a detective series. You know, "Lance Sterling called Edna Redstone, the librarian who had helped him solve in 'The Mystery of the Haunted Windmill." Then he drew out the pocketknife that had served him so well in 'The Secret of the Red Lighthouse.'" What this means to readers new to King is, no, you don't need to read "The Talisman" or the Dark Tower novels first. You'll probably get the feeling that some mysterious things would make more sense if you'd read them, but it's not really true. There's no grand unified story to figure out, and it's OK to come in the middle. For those to whom the title "Black House" instantly calls to mind Dickens' "Bleak House," the authors are aware of the similarity and work it into the story. (Whether there's supposed to be an intentional connection, I can't say--I've often suspected that if editors notice things in King's writing that are uncomfortably derivative of other books, he disarms cricitism by deliberately acknowledging them ).
Rating: 
Summary: Black House
Review: A total waste of money and time. It kills brain cells trying to read it. Avoid it at all costs - spend your money elsewhere. After reading 50 pages I threw it away
Rating:
Summary: Confused
Review: I haven't finsihed the book but trust me...read the Talisman first. I didn't and i didn't read the Dark Tower series either. I am so confused. I get the story just not the bits about the Dark Tower or the Talismans.
Rating:
Summary: Very satisfying sequel to "The Talisman"...
Review: "Black House" is the long awaited sequel to Stephen King's and Peter Straub's "The Talisman". The story takes place many years later, when Jack Sawyer is a man and remembers nothing that happened to him when he was 13. He is a retired police officer, and he has moved to Coule County in French Landing, Wisconsin to relax and enjoy himself. Unfortunately, a series of murders soon force him to come out of retirement. To make things worse, the murders are somehow connected to Jack's past that he has no memory of. Speedy Parker must come into Jack's life once again and help him remember his past, so that Jack can stop the killer. At first I really had my doubts about this book. The first 75 pages are just introducing the characters of Coule County in French Landing, Wisconsin. It moves very slowly. Also, the narrative that King and Straub use, can be slightly confusing. They actually put the reader in the story. However, after it gets past the speedbumb in the beginning, it is almost as good as The Talisman. I rarely come across a sequel that lives up to the first novel, but "Black House" is very worthy and a highly enjoyable read. Once again King and Straub use great character development to make all of their characters enjoyable. The general consensus on "Black House", is that a lot of people did not like the book. The main complaint that people have, is that it did not involve The Territories enough. I think that this makes perfect sense however. They bring the reader back into The Territories slowly because he is a grown man now. The Territories were focused on a lot in "The Talisman" because of Jack discovering them for the first time, and more importantly because he was a boy. Stephen King and Peter Straub don't focus on the Territories as much, because Jack is not 13 anymore. I also liked how the story has Jack's quest into the Territories, be important to everyone, and not just him personally. This puts the story on a much grander scale. As much as I liked the book however, I had two complaints. The first, was that elements from The Dark Tower books were used in the story. I have never read any of the Dark Tower novels, and I found that aspect of the story to be a tad bit confusing. The second was that Straub and King actually warn the reader that the last 20 pages of the story, are dissapointing. I would have liked it better , if they would have just let it flow, instead of putting up a warning sign. "Black House" does have it flaws. In my opinion however, it is a very worthy sequel, and I highly enjoyed it. If you are willing to accept that "Black House" is a seperate story and not a direct continuation, then you will appreciate the story very much. The good news is that Stephen King and Peter Straub left the story open for another sequel, and they are talking about making the Jack Sawyer saga into a trilogy!!
Rating:
Summary: Jack Sawyer returns
Review: This is a stark change from the dark fantasy of "The Talisman". "Black House" is a little bit of serial killer thriller, horror/slasher, and metophysical psycology thrown into Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series (I think that this will be the next "Cthulhu Mythos"). Now grown up Jack Sawyer is a former L.A.P.D. cop now retired in French Landing, Wisconin, asked to help investigate a series of child murders in the area. Needless to say, the killer is also connected to the Territories, an alternitive world where the Dark Tower lies. The cast of characters far out shine Jack Sawyer; a blind Howard Stern-like disc jockey; a Harvard educated motorcycle gang; and other colorful residents of French Landing. I don't know why Peter Straub signed on for this novel, this is so firmly rooted in King's world, but I can tell his contributions to the story and they are good parts. The Black House of the title is a house that is here and not here, phasing between the worlds. Speedy parker makes a return, and it is a welcome reunion. My only complaint is that this book is huge (over 600 pagers) and it drags a little in the middle, but not too bad.
Rating:
Summary: Black House: Truly Great Read, Contemplative & Visceral
Review: After two decades, Stephen King and Peter Straub have finally caught up with Jack Sawyer, the boy who starred in their dark fantasy novel, "The Talisman." Like Tom Sawyer, whom the character channels (although he's also equal parts Huck Finn), Jack Sawyer has grown up to be a detective, although by the time "Black House" opens, Sawyer is channeling another American icon -- the Wild West gunslinger -- and hung up his badge, retiring to the bucolic setting of French Landing, Wisconsin. That is, of course, until a crime with distinctly magical -- albeit sinister -- elements threatens to reawaken his long-buried memories of an adventure across two worlds when he was 12 years old to save the life of his mother. In some ways, "Black House" is a significant departure from "The Talisman" -- the novel is both more grounded in our world and more of a horror novel than its predecessor -- but the last half, and especially the last third of the novel makes it clear that this is absolutely a fantasy novel, and one tied in to King's "Dark Tower" series. Jack Sawyer and the events of "Black House" overlap with the events of that series -- the mission of Roland the Gunslinger figures prominently in the background -- but does not intersect with them. The battle Jack wages for French Landing, while having ramifications for fans of the "Dark Tower" series, is its own story, which is good news for those not interested in King's other fantasy series. But like "The Talisman," "Black House" is, in large part, about consequences. The evil facing French Landing -- at least, the evil those fighting to save the town are first aware of -- is not a new one, in any sense of the word, and its history is part of what makes it so frightening. Jack spends the first part of the novel, like the reluctant Western heroes his movie star mother used to co-star with, denying his past and his current responsibilities. (The gunslinger references, both as a thematic element and an overt reference to the star of the "Dark Tower" series, come fast and furious as the novel barrels towards its conclusion.) And, indeed, consequences for things that happened in the past, things swept under the rug, triumphs whose victims have not yet had their say, and evils the community never wanted to look at too closely, are what drive the story, all the way up to its dark surprise ending. If it is thematically similar to "The Talisman," the novel is more interesting stylistically: The narration is by a strange hybrid of first and second person, with the authors explicitly moving with the reader through scenes, talking about what "we" see. It's an interesting change from "The Talisman," which had only one use of the first person in the narration. While initially distracting, this choice gives the impression that King and Straub are reading the story to the reader, which echoes action within the novel, wherein Jack has regular sessions reading to a blind friend. It's an idiosyncratic, even somewhat odd choice, but it works. The end of the novel sets the reader up for further adventures of Jack Sawyer. Whether they'll be part of the story begun with "The Talisman" or inserted into the final volumes of the "Dark Tower" series is something that perhaps only King and Straub know. But as harrowing as those final pages may be, you know that those further adventures can't come soon enough. Strongly recommended for fans of "The Talisman," "The Dark Tower" or any dark fantasy works. A truly great read, both contemplative and visceral.
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