Stephen King Book Reviews:

BLACK HOUSE

BAG OF BONES

BLOOD AND SMOKE

COLORADO KID

CYCLE OF THE WEREWOLF

CARRIE

CUJO

CELL

CHRISTINE

DANSE MACABRE

DARK HALF

DEAD ZONE

DESPERATION

DIFFERENT SEASONS

DOLORES CLAIBORNE

DREAMCATCHER

DRAWING OF THE THREE

EYES OF THE DRAGON

EVERYTHINGS EVENTUAL

FIRESTARTER

FROM A BUICK 8

FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT

GERALDS GAME

INSOMNIA

HEARTS IN ATLANTIS

IT

MISERY

Stephen King Book Reviews:

NEEDFUL THINGS

NIGHTMARES AND DREAMSCAPES

ON WRITING

PET CEMETERY

RAGE

REGULATORS

RIDING THE BULLET

ROADWORK

ROSE MADDER

SALEM'S LOT

SKELETON CREW

SONG OF SUSANNAH

STORM OF THE CENTURY

THE DARK TOWER

THE GREEN MILE

THE GUNSLINGER

THE LONG WALK

THE PLANT

THE RUNNING MAN

THE SHINING

THE TALISMAN

THE TOMMYKNOCKERS

THE WASTE LANDS

THINNER

TOM GORDON

WIZARD AND GLASS

WOLVES OF THE CALLA

 Storm of the Century is unique among King’s work in that it is actually a screenplay instead of an actual novel or collection of short fiction. Originally intended to coincide with the premiere of the television miniseries of the same name, Storm of the Century provides readers a look into a format that is completely different from King’s prose.

The story is that of the residents of Little Tall Island. Once again, King isolates his victims in the horror that is about to unfold as Little Tall braces for what the residents have begun to refer to as the “Storm of the Century.”

Of course, the storm will soon become the least of the Little Tall Islanders worries as the island is suddenly hit by a wave of violence that comes in the form of a newcomer by the name of Andre Linoge. Carrying a mysterious cane with him and having the ability to make the residents of Little Tall do things they’d never dream of doing such as sending an ax into one’s skull or murdering their boyfriend, it will soon become obvious to readers that this villain ranks right up there with It’s Pennywise and The Stand’s Randall Flagg.

Every story needs a hero and that hero might or might not be the town constable, Michael Anderson. Detaining Linoge, Michael quickly becomes aware of the fact that there is more to Linoge than just kitschy canes and a sinister smile. As the snow and wind bear down on Little Tall, it soon becomes Michael Anderson’s task to discover the truth behind Linoge and put a stop to his madness.

Though Storm of the Century is written for the screen and, as such, is in standard teleplay format, very few readers will have trouble diving into the story of Little Tall and the island’s ultimate fate. If anything, many readers might appreciate the brevity the format gives the story and its ability to let them get to the true meat of the story. Storm of the Century is classic King, a tale of isolation and desperation that will have readers clinching their fists in suspense until Storm’s climatic end.