Hey bookworms and Constant Readers. I know not many of you will read this message since even the most popular King books don't get a lot of traffic, but if you do, I implore to give this one a try. It certainly breaks from King's usual style and it may be just what you're looking for.
Don't know why King books don't get a lot of traffic here in Booktube . He still outsells even the most popular fantasy writers, I think. Just checked goodreads and found 'The Institute' has more ratings than 'Oathbringer'. 🤔 Booktube is very heavy on SFF for some reason. I like SFF, but I think other genres are also important. I really appreciate that you cover books outside of SFF. 😀👍
Hey mike what should I read next .. THE LONG WALK or THE RUNNING MAN ?? I found an old copy of the Bachman books at the thrift store , stoked to start reading!
The Dark Half is in my top 10 Stephen King novels.(It, Needful Things, The Storm of the Century, The Dark Half, The Shining, The Stand, 11/22/63, Desperation, Gerald's Game, and Bag of Bones) Thad and George are a fabulous duo, and the Sparrows is probably one of my favorite scenes he's ever written.
Lol..love that part in the movie when the lady in the next apartments like "Whats going on out there?" And he says " Murder, you old bag, you want some?" Or something like that. Cracks me up every time.
The Dark Half is probably one of my favourite King novels. In the movie, Timothy Hutton also is brilliant as the dual characters. George Romero was a great director, and the special effects work was stellar for the early 90’s.
It's been about 5 or 6 years since I've read this, and for the first time, and I feel very similar lukewarmness to the book. I've been an addict, so I got that character connection, but also I enjoyed the "eye" descriptions too. However, I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the cold violence of George Stark. That's what kept me into the book
Finished this book couple of days ago it’s brilliant, this is one of my top 10 favorite Stephen king books and I loved the ending George Stark was not a very nice guy 👌
This book would be in my top half of Stephen King, probably top 25. I admit to not reading it since collage, but I love that inner play of the two halves fighting. It's amazing. I remember it being very dark and grisly, but in a way that didn't bother me like Thinner or some other things Bachman did. I want to re-read this one. Great review. Thanks for doing it.
Just finished rereading the Dark Half. Like you, I read it decades ago as a teenager. Back then, I found it to be average King. This time reading it, I enjoyed it much more. Yeah, not a deep book, but I had so much fun with it. Brutal, violent, and a little on the surreal side. It felt like a good, violent action movie with some of the fantastic thrown in. It’s been so long since I had so much fun reading a King book. Even though I had read it before, I didn’t always remember or know where it was going next. This is compared to modern King novels, which I often find predictable and formulaic in so many ways. Not top tier but still a very good King book.
This was the first King book I had trouble getting through. It was interesting and the murder scenes were top notch but it took me a while and I really don't know why
Of the 40 or so King books I've read, this one is near the bottom. Partly because I'm not a fan of the crime/detective genre it delves into, and partly because of an asymmetry in the suspension of disbelief between the protagonist and the reader (Thad's instant credulity was a problem for me from the very beginning). Though with that said, I'm endlessly interested in the opposing views of Constant Readers. I really would like to have my mind changed about the Dark Half.
Great review! I’ve always thought this book was underrated as is Duma Key. I’m enjoying your Into The Multiverse series and am looking forward to Four Past Midnight next month. I’m currently reading “It” again as it’s been about ten years for me and it’s in my top five SK novels. 👍
I read The Dark Half back in 1990, and I thought it was a great book. It had lot of gore and violence when George Stark went on the rampage. I have an original hardcover edition, I will plan to read again. It was made in to a great movie, directed by horror maestro George Romero.
I loved the first half when Stark starts killing people (don't jugde me, lol). Especially that scene in the parking lot where the suspense is INTENSE. Then it got boring and predictable, I thought there's not much to the final third. Plus, I expected a little bit more of explanation of how Stark came alive.
I read this book as a kid! I cant wait to read it as an adult. Im more than halfway through IT, and after that, im going to read King from the beginning.
This book holds much nostalgia for me. It was the first King book I ever read. And I loved it. Alan Pangborn, Thad Beaumont and George Stark hold great significance for me. Ask Momma if she believes this!
The film version was so incredibly hard to sit through in the theater! My mother and I kept whispering,: "Should we go?..." "You wanna give up?...." We only stayed till the end out of sheer stubbornness about having paid good money, LOL.
I just ordered it. I can’t believe I haven’t read it. I think I heard too much bashing of it over the years so I skipped it. I’m excited to read it now.
This is the best book review channel by far, youre the only book reviewer (that i know of) who actually goes into the writing of the book in question ( i dont mean offhanded comments like "the prose was fine" i mean quotes, excerpts etc.). Thank you Mike
Oh man!! An actual review today of The Dark Half by Stephen King!! I believe it is the first King book I purchased and read and owned! Love it! Need to re-purchase it! been a while!
The Dark Half was my introduction to King. I couldn't put it down. I know you said the middle is a bit chunky, but I personally didn't find it to be that way at all. Still early on my King journey, having just finished 'The Institute', and previously read 'The Outsider', and the 'button box'.
This was my first King book. I was pretty young, and I read it in just a couple of days (I think) and never revisited..but I was certainly into it at the time. I don't really love King's writing as mucha s many do but i've always thought he was solid and have a lot of respect for him. I didn't realise til years later that The Dark half was kind of an odd book to start with -- I would probably have gotten more from it if I was familiar with things he'd previously written 9besides the movies I had already seen at that time of course).
Just finished this again today after a few years of being on my shelf. Prob the 4th or 5th reading for me. One of my favourites, I love this story, love pangborn, and very brutal killings compared to some others. Great stuff.
I really love the book, but it has pros and cons. The biggest problem is a major plot revelation happens literally right off the bat, and sort of ruins the mystery element that could have been really well done.
Yes! And it’s so frustrating watching the characters (mostly Alan) catch up to try understand what we already know - for pages and pages and pages. I love all of the elements of this story but the way it unfolds just doesn’t quite work for me. The constant repetitive inner monologuing was too much. Gnarly kills though!
My top ten best books from Stephen king are 10. Black house 9. the long walk 8. Sleeping beauties 7. The gunslinger 6. Eyes of the dragon 5. Rose madder 4. Insomnia 3. the wastelands 2. The talisman 1. The stand 💝💖👑☠💀
This is actually my favorite Stephen King novel because it didn't have all the fluff and bloat many of his novels have. Half of The Stand was just boring. But this started with shot like a cannon and every scene moved the story forward.
One thing I did think was strange, there are a few mentions of Alan’s wife having migraines, but after a few mentions nothing comes of it. I wonder if he originally intended her to come into it but then dropped that part. Do you know the reason?
I read this when it came out and remember liking George and thinking Thad was kinda a wuss 😂. I think I remember King dedicated this to Richard Stark (Robert Westlake’s pen name for his violent crime thrillers featuring a badass named Parker). Could be wrong it’s been ages. King was hit by the van on June 19, 1999 which I always thought was weird considering the Dark Tower and 19 👀. It was also weird that the driver was found dead later in his trailer 👀.
I agree with most of your points in this review. However, this book read like a thriller for me! An absolute page-turner. So for me personally it didn't drag. Also, THE DARK HALF SPOILER if I remember correctly, 'Bag of Bones' probably mentions that Thad Beaumont committed suicide, right? That kinda ruined the story for me a little bit.
