A dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the Thames. The regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open on an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a little child.

• Stephen King The Dark Half

Publication dateOctober 20,Media typePrint Pages431The Dark Half is a by American writer, published in 1989. Listed The Dark Half as the second best-selling book of 1989 behind 's. The novel was adapted into a in 1993.Stephen King wrote several books under a, during the 1970s and 1980s. Most of the Bachman novels were darker and more cynical in nature, featuring a far more visceral sense of horror than the psychological, gothic style common in many of King's most famous works. When King was identified as Bachman, he wrote The Dark Half – about an author with a sinister – in response to his outing. Contents.Plot summary Thad Beaumont is an author and recovering who lives in the town of.

Thad's own books – cerebral literary fiction – are not very successful. However, under the 'George Stark', he writes highly successful crime novels about a violent killer named Alexis Machine.

When Thad's authorship of Stark's novels becomes public knowledge, Thad and his wife, Elizabeth, decide to stage a mock burial for his alter ego at the local cemetery, which is featured in a magazine article. Stark's epitaph says it all: 'Not A Very Nice Guy.' Stark, however, emerges from the mock grave as a physical entity, complete with the personality traits that Thad exhibited while writing as Stark, such as and smoking cigarettes.

He then goes on a killing spree, gruesomely murdering everyone he perceives responsible for his 'death' – Thad's editor, agent, and the People interviewer, among others. Thad, meanwhile, is plagued by surreal nightmares. Stark's murders are investigated by the sheriff of the neighboring town of, who finds Thad's voice and at the crime scenes. This evidence, and Thad's unwillingness to answer his questions, causes Pangborn to believe that Thad – despite having – is responsible for the murders. Later, it's discovered that George Stark has the same fingerprints as Thad Beaumont, a clue to the twinship he and Thad share.Thad eventually discovers that both he and Stark share a mental bond, and begins to find notes from Stark written in his own handwriting. The notes tell Thad what activity Stark has been engaging in.

Observing his son and daughter, Thad notes that twins share a unique bond. They can feel each other's pain and at times appear to read the other's mind. Using this as a key to his own situation, he begins to discover the even deeper meaning behind himself and Stark.Pangborn eventually learns that Thad had a twin. The unborn brother was absorbed into Thad and later removed from his brain when the author was a child. He had suffered from severe headaches and it was originally thought to be causing them. The neurosurgeon who removed it found the following inside: part of a nostril, some fingernails, some teeth, and a malformed human eye.

This leads to questions about the true nature of Stark, whether he is a malevolent spirit with its own existence, or Thad himself, manifesting an. Thad eventually destroys Stark, but the book ends on an unhappy note with Thad's wife having serious doubts about the future of their relationship: she is appalled that Thad not only created Stark (if unintentionally), but that a part of him liked Stark.Adaptations The novel was adapted as a film, by in 1990, and was released in 1993. It was filmed in part at and other locations in southwestern. It starred as Thad/Stark, as, and featured as an eccentric colleague of Thad's who provides some vital information about the supernatural.An video game adaptation was released for in 1992. It was developed by Symtus and published.

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The Eyes of the Dragon Ebook DescriptionThe Eyes of the Dragon Book has a good rating based on 95,487 votes and 3,987 reviews, some of the reviews are displayed in the box below, read carefully for reference. Find other interesting books from 'Stephen King' in the search field.A kingdom is in turmoil as the old king dies, murdered by a strange and horrible poison. While the land of Delain mourns, the evil wizard Flagg, hatches an unscrupulous plot, which sees the King's eldest son Peter imprisoned for his father's murder, and the youngest son inherit the throne.

Only Peter knows the truth about his own innocence and the evil that is Flagg. Only Peter can save Delain from the horror that Flagg has in store. But first, he must escape from the high tower. 'Book, you have the right to a speedy trial' reviewTHE DEFENSE- He may have switched from horror to fantasy with this one, but Stephen King's trademark gripping prose is still in full force!- A scene-stealing villain who creates chaos and is just so much fun to watch, Flagg would fit right in at Gotham City!- Despite the fantasy setting, the emotions of the characters always feel real.- King takes some narrative risks that really pay off.

(The segments told through the POV of a dog are particularly effective.)THE PROSECUTION- Very little action for a fantasy novel. (putting 'Dragon' in the title when the dragon is only in the book for about two pages.that's downright cruel, Mr. King!)- The book's fairy-tale narrative voice may not be for everyone. (King often speaks directly to the reader, like Aesop speaking to a crowd, which some might find off-putting.)- Story drags a bit in the final act.THE VERDICTA fractured fairy tale as only Stephen King can deliver, this book is perfect for someone who wants to see an author step out of their comfort zone and try something new! When the majority of individuals think about Stephen King's credentials; it is generally about his amazing work-rate at producing memorable and top quality horror stories.

With that in mind; in addition to The Dark Tower saga, this novel is one of Mr. King's lesser known creations that is definitely more Tolkien than Tommyknockers.It is an easy story to get into and I was intrigued from the first page. My grandfather gave me this book when I was a wide-eyed, eleven-year-old lover of Goosebumps books as I possessed pretty good reading skills for that age and I loved every second of this tale back then. Memories of the book from 19 years ago are of course hazy so I am glad I picked it up again - half for the nostalgia but also to delve back into the mythical land of Delain which lurks somewhere within Mid-World.The book is presented by an omnipresent narrator who may very well be Stephen King himself. This story was written and dedicated to his daughter Naomi after all. The storyteller keeps us updated with his opinions, lets us know the personae's thoughts and motives throughout the plot and reverts back to us as a reader to find out how we are getting on. It is a nice touch for a pleasant story.It follows the royal family of Delain.

King Roland the Good is an average monarch. He loves his alcohol, hunting and is just generally an okay guy. He reminded me of Robert Baratheon from Game of Thrones. His defining feat was killing the last known dragon - the head of which remains in his drawing room as a trophy.

Stephen King The Dark Half

In his later years when his subjects are worried at a lack of an heir - he is introduced to a witty, charming, younger lady called Sasha and thanks to a couple of magic potions to aid sexual prowess two children are born. Peter and Thomas. All seems nice and happy so far. Peter grows to be a strapping, proud and honourable young gentleman who everyone agrees will make a great next king. Well, all except one person.I forgot to mention The Eyes of the Dragon includes one of the most infamous, notorious villains in fiction - a gentleman (or demon perhaps) called Flagg happens to be the King's aide and black magician. Flagg goes by many names in Stephen King's novels - The Man In Black, The Walkin' Dude, Randall Flagg etc. If you are familiar with King's books you probably know this dude from Dark Tower and The Stand amongst others.

To summarise: He is one evil muthaphuckka.On a grim day in Delain - The King is poisoned with a vile substance called Dragon Sand which burns victims from the inside out and next in line to the throne Peter is incorrectly judged to have committed the said regicide, therefore, is placed on the top floor of The Needle for eternal imprisonment 300 feet above the ground. In lieu of this, Roland's younger, weaker, more impressionable son becomes King - and guess who is whispering in his ear about how to rule the land?Following this, we are dealt a slightly predictable but still utterly entrancing narrative that composes a state of mind to the readers where hope, belief, friendship and desire are the real magic in a story that is polluted by Flagg's plotting, deceit and all sort of macabre magical nastiness. The story revolves around a dolls house, an endless supply of napkins, a mouse, a two headed parrot and a very clever wolf-dog called Frisky who is presented with charming childishly human qualities by the narrator. A lot of the supporting cast who I have not even mentioned are well created and add to the overall quality of the tale.

My copy of the novel also included some amazing fantastical art including Frisky, the dragon, a lost looking rabbit, the wizard and such which was a very nice touch.I guess you need to read this so you will know what was seen when someone on the secret passage looked through the eyes of the dragon and how it impacts on this awesome story.James Tivendale. At its time of publication, way back in 1984, The Eyes of the Dragon was a bit of a departure from Stephen King’s typical horror fare. I wouldn’t say it was his first venture into the fantasy genre, per se, considering the iconic Gunslinger (the first of the Dark Tower books) was released a few years prior to this one, but I do believe it was his first attempt at a novel length fairy tale.It makes perfect sense that King would dedicate this story to his daughter, considering the cutesy feel to it all.

Our story is told through an unknown narrator, who often pauses to interject his own thoughts directly into the narrative. I pictured this as a father reading a bedtime story to his daughter, occasionally stopping to discuss what they’ve read. Similar in style to something like The Princess Bride.However, whereas The Princess Bride was a swashbuckling tale of adventure and romance set in a magical land chock-full of unforgettable characters—a story of betrayal and revenge and that oh so important TRUE LOVE— The Eyes of the Dragon is a rather simplistic tale of a fat, dimwitted, slovenly king, Roland, his two sons, and an evil magician’s attempt at destroying their kingdom. It truly pales in comparison.The king’s first born son, Peter, is kind and generous and much loved, and by all accounts, quite brilliant. While the second son, Thomas, is cut from the same cloth as his father.

Fearing that the brilliant princeling may one day muck-up all of his nefarious plans, the magician, and adviser to the king—let’s call him Flagg—devises a way to remove Peter from the equation altogether, before he’s ever given the opportunity to assume the throne.The majority of the story finds Peter attempting to wiggle free of the Flagg’s web. Renault dialogys v3 91 multilanguage full sequence. Stupidly enough, after five long years of struggle and planning, Peter’s ultimate success or failure will hinge entirely on dreams and dumb luck (or is it ka?).King’s endless desire to foreshadow events effectively undercuts much of the tension and mystery throughout.

Seemingly chopping the legs out from under his story at every turn. It’s quite odd, honestly, his strange compulsion for spoiling stories.

A compulsion which, sadly, often extends to him spoiling other writer’s stories as well.In summary: The Eyes of the Dragon is a straight forward fairy tale, light on mystery and intrigue, and too drawn out for my taste. What little action occurs could have easily been told in half the number of pages or less. The only Dark Tower tie-ins are a couple of familiar names, the central location, and one main character. Not nearly enough to make it worth the effort, in my opinion.It’s also worth noting that, following the lukewarm reception, and outright rejection of this story from many of his diehard fans, King penned his famous Misery book.

A story of an author kidnapped and chained to his desk, and forced into writing only those types of stories that his fans demanded.2 Stars – For completionist only, or a younger audience fond of simple fairy tales.Favorite quote:She had never seen a man with his drawers off before her wedding night. When, on that occasion, she observed his flaccid penis, she asked with great interest: “What’s that, Husband?”.“It is King’s Iron,” he said.“It doesn’t look like iron,” said Sasha, doubtfully.“It is before the forge,” he said.“Ah!” said she. “And where is the forge?”“If you will trust me,” said he, getting into bed with her, “I will show you, for you have brought it from the Western Barony with you but did not know it.”.