READING: The Outsider by Stephen King

Publication date: May 22 2018

Published by: Scribner

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Horror, Crime, Dark, Mystery, Some Paranormal, Suspense 

Rating: 

When an eleven-year-old boy is found murdered in a town park, reliable eyewitnesses undeniably point to the town's popular Little League coach, Terry Maitland, as the culprit. DNA evidence and fingerprints confirm the crime was committed by this well-loved family man.

Horrified by the brutal killing, Detective Ralph Anderson, whose own son was once coached by Maitland, orders the suspect to be arrested in a public spectacle. But Maitland has an alibi. And further research confirms he was indeed out of town that day.

As Anderson and the District Attorney trace the clues, the investigation expands from Ohio to Texas. And as horrifying answers begin to emerge, so King's propulsive story of almost unbearable suspense kicks into high gear.

Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy but there is one rock-hard fact, as unassailable as gravity: a man cannot be in two places at the same time. Can he?

I can't believe I'm saying this, but The Outsider TV show is way better :/ The first 4 episodes gave me nightmares and I will never forget the image of a bloody Jason Bateman 😖

That being said, the story is 100% King, and it is horrifying. I would have liked it to be less paranormal and more "we all have an evil twin out there somewhere", but anyway. I felt like it dragged a lot towards the end and apart from Holly and Ralph, all the other characters are almost invisible. Even Terry and Jack - especially Jack with literally no backstory whatsoever. Come to think of it, never really saw much of a connection between Holly and Ralph either :/
Also I am sorry to say, but the dialogue Holly and Ralph had with the "thing" at the end, was almost comical. No idea how it's going to be show on TV.

All in all, first half of the book was great because the story draws you in. Once you realise what is going on, it gets boring really fast. Imagine that almost half of the book could fit into 3 episodes= 3hours. Yikes.

READING : Firestarter by Stephen King

Young Charlie McGee is a very special girl. The result of scientific experimentation on her parents, she has the ability create fires wherever and whenever she chooses, by force of will alone. On the run from sinister government agents with her telekenetic father, she only wants to forget her monstrous abilities, and live a normal life. When the pair are captured, Charlie must decide between saving her father and using her fiery powers at the whim of a government only interested in using her...as a weapon!

Phew!I've finished Firestarter! *wiping sweat off brow*

I don't know why this particular book took me that long to read.Maybe my heart was not really in it,or maybe I was so looking forward to reading all the other books I've bought, I was not so concentrated while reading this.

Of course, it's not the book's fault.Not at all.Stephen King is and always will be my favourite writer, so disappointing books by him are very few and far between.

Firestarter was a very good read.Not one of King's best, but fascinating nonetheless.It basically revolves around characters and their emotions and feelings and not so much around horror and mystery.I was officially hooked during the second half(after they get caught),because the first half was slow paced and a bit dull.Charlie's relationship with her father is the book's greatest strength, in my opinion, and what ultimately urges you to keep on reading.Unfortunately , the ending is not as rewarding as one would expect.It is weak, and it doesn't provide (the much needed) closure.

Despite all that though , Stephen King's writing is once again unparalleled even in one of his not so good works,and let's just stop for a second and consider the year this book was written and how radical it must have seemed back then.Or maybe how prophetic it seems now.

3,5/5