Black House

I am an audio listener by trade.

Jack of course, he is the main man, super talented and powerful in ways that surprise the reader.

Frank Muller was spectacular in the Talisman and he brings the same energy here. His performance of the new characters such as the "Fisherman" and "Mr. Munshun" in a sort of a Red Skelton mumbling jumble made me laugh out loud.

There are several funny parts that made me laugh especially when the Biker gang (Thunder Five) dudes made sharp cracks. Yes I did get misty there was a tremendous friendship between Jack Sawyer and Henry Leyden and some real sadness surrounding the murders of the children.

There was a very large character set here, but as most "constant readers" know it is handled with extreme expertise. The thing about this book that grabbed me the most was that it quickly became a fascinating murder-mystery novel. There was a the reluctant Jack Sawyer that had purportedly been a "superstar detective" but retired from the LAPD at the young age of 31. So for about 1/4 of the book the reader has no idea just how good he really is at it. Now throw in the element of the supernatural where King and Straub really get cranked up. And of course we know from the Talisman that Jack Sawyer has a little bit of experience in this area. This one will make you want to listen till the end!

Maybe it was during the time that I fell out of love with Stephen King. Maybe there were things in my own life that kept me from this book. Maybe it was Ka. Who knows? I've waited 10 years to enjoy this book.

I read and loved The Talisman when it came out but when this came out, I shunned it for some unknown reason. I bought it and it sat on my shelf, mocking me for years until I gave it away in a frenzy of hardback reduction that I have come to regret for many reasons. Maybe it was The Black House itself hiding itself from me.

Anyway. This is a great continuation of the Talisman and I'm really glad that I finished the Dark Tower series in the intervening years (Nudge, wink).

I loved the fact that we follow up on our hero Jack Sawyer. He is grown into an adult, but he is still the sensitive boy/man that you came to love in the Talisman. Also, if you are a true King fan, it does not hurt that we see a bit of the Dark Tower story as well.

I loved the Talisman and couldn't wait to jump into Black House but this sequel like most fell short. Without giving away anything, I will say that except for the main character and a few brief references to a few others from the Talisman, this is a completely different story. Unlike the Talisman, a book filled with adventure, this is a detective novel with a few twists. It was interesting enough that I didn't abandon it as I have done with a few books, sequel or not, but it simply could not hold a match to the Talisman. Would still recommend to anyone who wants to find out what happens to Jack or who likes derive stories.

Yes

Jack & Beezer

Uncle Henry

Started a bit slow but the last 2/3 of the story was good!

oh yes i would defenatly listen to this book again i just loved the story

I particularly enjoyed the characters in this book. Sadly, I had not yet read The Talisman when I read Black House, so I did it all backwards. Don't let that stop you though. This is classic King. Exciting, colorful and creepy.

Not sure. Still reading the Talisman which pales by comparison.

The most effective scene was the slow and agonizing death of the biker. It was awful - I could envision it all. Very...maybe entirely too...graphic. I was queasy through several chapters.

"Be sure to pick up your barf-bag at the ticket window."

In spite of the brutality and very graphic violence, I'd still recommend this as an excellent book for Stephen King fans.

Just open your mind and hold on the something. Your will enjoy the suspence, action, and the ability of these authors to entertain you.

I love Stephen King as much as the next guy, but I probably would not. It was a good story, but I suppose that I've grown tired of the Territories.

The Talisman and The Dark Tower series. Same settings and familiar faces.

Frank Muller was incredible as always. If you've read/listened to The Talisman, you should definitely experience this conclusion of the tale.

The Black House ranks among the top audio books I've listened to. My son and I listen to this story on the way to and from school. We listened to The Talisman by the same authors and narrator and I wanted him to hear this story.

The narrator does a good job of switching between characters. We can recognize them by his cadence and intonation.

Yes, we listened to The Talisman. The main character is the same person from the other book only he is an adult now. Mr. Muller does a good job of distinguishing between the young Jack and his now older self.

The collaborations between King and Straub are very good. While I am pretty sure I can distinguish which author wrote what section, they do a good job of blending their styles. If I were to guess I would put the first book, The Talisman, more heavily weighted to King's character driven style. This second book has a heavier Straub feel to it because of the story arc and importance placed on plot. My son is a teenager and I feel comfortable with the conversations we have about the content of The Black House. If he were younger I would not have him listen to it. The story of mutilated children is generally not appropriate for little people. The Talisman is more palatable to a younger audience despite some of the language.