Read or Listen As A Child, Keep Your Imagination Open To Fantasy
Written: Dec 11 '01 (Updated Dec 16 '01)
Product Rating:
Pros: I'm a Stephen King junkie, the man can write no wrong.
Cons: I cheated, I listened to an 18 cassette audiotaping of the book in my car.
The Bottom Line: The Talisman takes you on a journey of fantasy. Jack's quest will become your quest and you won't turn back even in the face of death.
azirish's Full Review: Stephen King and Peter Straub - Talisman
I am a Stephen King junkie. I love his writing and I probably would get more out of his work if I read his books and got his creative genius from the get-go. I cheat, I watch the Hollywood versions of his books in movies and I rent the audio-tapes of the books and listen on my way to work.
When I drive to visit my Mom in California I usually rent an audio-tape book so the miles pass quickly. The only works that have kept my interest on the long drive is anything by Mr. King. I would venture to guess the audio-tapes are closer to the books than the movies, ha.
I went to the library about three weeks ago and checked out two of his books on tape, Black House and The Talisman. I enjoyed Black House but got lost in the storyline several times. When I began listening to The Talisman it held my interest. I wish I had listened to The Talisman first due to the fact the books are intertwined with the main character Jack Sawyers life. In Black House he is an adult and in The Talisman he is 13 years old.
The Talisman is a joint writing venture between authors Stephen King and Peter Straub. The audio is narrated by Frank Muller who does a unbelievably wonderful job of doing several different character voices.
If you should chose to rent the audio version let me warn you that you need to check it out twice in your time given. It is 28 hours worth of listening on 18 cassette tapes.
I am a 52 year old child at heart and when I listen to a fantasy as wonderful as this I become part of Jack Sawyer and the different emotions he felt trying to save his dying mother.
On a brish autumn day, a twelve-year-old boy, stands on the shores of the gray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resort called The Alhambra. The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: His father is gone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But for Jack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make a journey back across America-and into another realm.
There is a different world that alines our world, it is called The Territories and Jack can travel back and forth between this other world. The two worlds have people who are the same yet different and they are called twinners.
In The Territories everything is fresher and crisper. The colors are more brilliant and the creatures are either very evil or very strange and wonderful at the same time.
Jack must find his way across America using both worlds to find The Talisman and save his mother who is dying from cancer. His mother also has a twinner in The Territories who is a Queen. The Queen is also very sick. Jack has his hands full and several evil men in both worlds wants him dead.
This story is about loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery.
Let the quest begin---
In the story there are demons and monsters, friendship and bravery. You cheer for the heros and characters who stand behind them. You become part of the journey, I did. I finished listening to the last tape tonight. I am two weeks overdue at the library, ha. The ending will tug at your heart and leave you hoping a movie is in the works.
The New York Daily News wrote, A CLASSIC --RARE AND DAZZLING JOURNEY TO RIVAL THE GREATEST ADVENTURE STORIES EVER TOLD.
The Washington Post wrote,"EXTRAORDINARY MAKES YOUR HAIR STAND ON END"
If I had more of an attention span I would read the book but unfortuneatly I have the attention span of a 2 year old
so I use the path of least resistance to my brain.
I definetly enjoyed listening to The Talisman and I guarantee if you have any imagination and you love fantasy and mystery, you will love this.
I would not recommend this for anyone who is too young or too fragile with language and there are some monsters and demons in this that will curl your toenails, fair warning for the tender brained.
The bestselling collaboration of two masters of the macabre is available once more. Thirteen-year-old Jack Sawyer has been chosen for a quest across A...More at Buy.com
The bestselling collaboration of two masters of the macabre is available once more. Thirteen-year-old Jack Sawyer has been chosen for a quest across A...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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