"Black House" is a sequel to "The Talisman" and follows Jack Sawyer, now an adult retired police detective, as he becomes a police consultant to catch a serial killer. The story combines elements of mystery and fantasy, with a focus on Jack's denial of The Territories. The narrative unfolds slowly, introducing creepy and engaging characters, such as the brewing bikers and the blind deejay, while weaving in references to The Dark Tower series and the mythology of the last books, creating a dark and horrifying atmosphere. The writing style is a mix of Peter Straub's poetic imagery and Stephen King's character development, offering a captivating and well-paced plot that delves into the world of the supernatural.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains graphic violence, depictions of child murder, and disturbing themes, which may be triggering for some readers.
Has Romance?
There is a medium level of romance present, particularly in Jack's relationship with Judy Marshall.
From The Publisher:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling authors of The Talisman, "an intelligent…suspenseful page-turner" (The Wall Street Journal) from "two master craftsmen, each at the top of his game" (The Washington Post).
Twenty years ago, a boy named Jack Sawyer traveled to a parallel universe called the Territories to save his mother and her Territories "Twinner" from an agonizing death that would have brought cataclysm to the other world. Now Jack is a retired Los Angeles homicide detective living in the nearly nonexistent hamlet of Tamarack, Wisconsin. He has no recollection of his adventures in the Territories, and was compelled to leave the police force when an odd, happenstance event threatened to awaken those memories.
When a series of gruesome murders occur in western Wisconsin that are reminiscent of those committed several decades ago by a madman named Albert Fish, the killer is dubbed "the Fishman," and Jack's buddy, the local chief of police, begs Jack to help the inexperienced force find him. But are these new killings merely the work of a disturbed individual, or has a mysterious and malignant force been unleashed in this quiet town? What causes Jack's inexplicable waking dreams-if that is what they are-of robins' eggs and red feathers? It's almost as if someone is trying to tell him something. As this cryptic message becomes increasingly impossible to ignore, Jack is drawn back to the Territories and to his own hidden past, where he may find the soul-strength to enter a terrifying house at the end of a deserted tract of forest, there to encounter the obscene and ferocious evils sheltered within it.
Ratings (27)
Incredible (7) | |
Loved It (10) | |
Liked It (6) | |
It Was OK (1) | |
Did Not Like (3) |
Reader Stats (46):
Read It (27) | |
Want To Read (12) | |
Not Interested (7) |
1 comment(s)
I actually ended up loving this book, but I ultimately will give it 7/10 rating. The plot build up is soooooooo damn slow. I had to fight to stay with the book. And the only reason that I didn't give up, is that I read the first book, so I wanted to learn what happened to the characters. The plot does not really pick up until like chapter 8. Ironically, when the plot picked up, it was hard to put down.
What can you read after
Black House?
About the Author:
Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, and Doctor Sleep are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
Peter Straub is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including A Dark Matter. He has won the Bram Stoker Award for his novels Lost Boy Lost Girl and In the Night Room, as well as for his recent collection 5 Stories. Straub was the editor of the two-volume Library of American anthology The American Fantastic Tale. He lives in New York City.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
