Helpful Score: 4
This is a book I will never part with. It is in my top four of Stephen King books to read, along with "The Shining, Salem's Lot, and The Stand." It's mesmerizing from the very beginning, full of intrigue and magic. If you love Stephen King, you MUST read this book! And even if you're not a Stephen King fan per se, I think you will find this story to be engrossing, and probably will end up reading it into the wee hours of morning. The main character is Jack Sawyer--a 13 year old boy bearing the burdens of the world on his shoulders. His father is dead and his mother is dying. He alone can change her future and many ways, mankind. It sounds silly--but it's beautiful. I found myself laughing at parts and crying at others. This is not you're typical Stephen King--scary, gruesome book. This is a tale of love and magic. Read it!
Helpful Score: 4
I love Stephen King. I hadn't read a book of his in awhile and it was nice to go back to my reading roots. I have been distracted reading a lot of other books that are popular or series that others love, but it was nice to go back to something familiar. King has a great way of getting into the heart of the "every man". This story was also very creative. King created a believable whole new world parallel to the real world. Towards the end I started getting bored with all the battle and action scenes, but he created such a likable character in Jack that wanted to find out what happened and I cared about the characters. This book really reminded me of the Dark Tower series. It was very similar so similar in fact that it was a little disappointing to realize that both books aren't really orignal ideas, but they were different enough that I can forgive King for that.
Helpful Score: 2
A Good Read..., February 18, 2006
Reviewer: P. Robinson "Relic113" (Calgary)
The Talisman chronicles the adventure of a twelve year old boy named Jack Sawyer. The young hero sets out from the East Coast of the USA in a bid to save his mother, who is dying from cancer. Jack needs to find the mystical artifact known only as the 'The Talisman'.
Werewolves, both good and bad, inhabit the far western parts of a world parallel to America known as The Territories - which incidentally are part of the Dark Tower World. A sixteen-year-old Wolf, simply named Wolf, is accidentally drawn pulled into America by Jack Sawyer, and the two form a strong friendship as they seek ways to travel between their worlds and find the talisman.
The book is split between The Territories and our world's America. King and Straub are able to constantly throw Jack from the frying pan to the fire, as he escapes from one life-threatening situation to another. Jack must retrieve the Talisman before it falls into enemy hands and will be lost to him forever.
A different type of book for King, as it involves the creation of worlds other than our own...A concept he uses almost exclusively in his Dark Tower stories and the Eyes of the Dragon. However, this is a successful stand alone novel, in its own right and I would suggest picking up a copy of this for a rainy day so you too can visit another world...
Reviewer: P. Robinson "Relic113" (Calgary)
The Talisman chronicles the adventure of a twelve year old boy named Jack Sawyer. The young hero sets out from the East Coast of the USA in a bid to save his mother, who is dying from cancer. Jack needs to find the mystical artifact known only as the 'The Talisman'.
Werewolves, both good and bad, inhabit the far western parts of a world parallel to America known as The Territories - which incidentally are part of the Dark Tower World. A sixteen-year-old Wolf, simply named Wolf, is accidentally drawn pulled into America by Jack Sawyer, and the two form a strong friendship as they seek ways to travel between their worlds and find the talisman.
The book is split between The Territories and our world's America. King and Straub are able to constantly throw Jack from the frying pan to the fire, as he escapes from one life-threatening situation to another. Jack must retrieve the Talisman before it falls into enemy hands and will be lost to him forever.
A different type of book for King, as it involves the creation of worlds other than our own...A concept he uses almost exclusively in his Dark Tower stories and the Eyes of the Dragon. However, this is a successful stand alone novel, in its own right and I would suggest picking up a copy of this for a rainy day so you too can visit another world...
Helpful Score: 1
Boy travels between this world and "the territories" in search of the talisman to save his dying mother and basically the world. Dark Tower all over the place. Great read.
Helpful Score: 1
I've read this so many times I almost have it memorized. One of my absolute favorites!
Helpful Score: 1
Two of the world's bestselling authors (Stephen King and Peter Straub) team up in the ultimate masterpiece of spine-tingling terror...the most compelling, most talked-about, most frightening book of the decade.
You are about to take a journey...a terrifying trip across a nightmare America filled with monsters beyond anything ever imagined before...a journey into the dark heart of horrorr..
You are about to take a journey...a terrifying trip across a nightmare America filled with monsters beyond anything ever imagined before...a journey into the dark heart of horrorr..
Helpful Score: 1
If I were to review this book, I would have to write a book on the review. This book holds quite a few horrow stories by King.
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book. Epic without being one bit boring. Scary and mystical and exciting, I highly recommend to any fans of history, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers and either or both of the authors.
Helpful Score: 1
This is one of my favorite books by Stephen King (The Stand is my #1 favorite) and one of my favorite books by Peter Straub. A fantastic story! This book was hard to put down, an incredible read. Highly recommended!
Helpful Score: 1
From the back cover: "You are about to take a journey...a terrifying trip across a nightmare America filled with monsters beyond anyhting ever imagined before...a journey int the dark heart of horror. Tow of the world's bestselling authors team up in the ultimate masterpiece of spine-tingling terror...the most compelling, most talked-about, most frightening book of the decade."
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent-you will be glued to your seat.
Helpful Score: 1
What an awesome fantasy novel. Just great reading. I finished it in 2 days
A great, fantasy crossover and a wonderful collaboration between the two authors.
Great book. A must read for any Stephen King fan.
Another excellend write by Stephen King and Peter Straub. The Talisman is an intriguing journey of a little boy bound to save the world. Don't miss the follow up Black House.
Took a long time to get into - but once I did, I couldn't put it down. Really interesting and twisted.
I completely loved this book and I reccomend it to anyone.
Great!!!
My favorite book by far, excellant story great charecters and like stephen kings other books, addictive. I definatly reccomend this book to anyone
One of my favorite books ever! (Gosh, it's been YEARS).
This is one of my favorite books by Stephen King (The Stand is my #1 favorite) and one of my favorite books by Peter Straub. A fantastic story! This book was hard to put down, an incredible read. Highly recommended!
Extraordinary!!!! This book will make your hair stand on end!!
Great Book
Another of Stephen Kings great adventure books.
Classic King. Awesome, and 24 CD's (unabridged) in case you have some time to kill. Great for a commuter.
This is a great quest novel written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Follow the adventures of Jack Sawyer, who on a desparate quest to save his mother's life must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dnagers and even more incredible truths. It's one of my favorite books of all time, and I'm posting it here because I have several copies!
What a perfect duo in horror....Steven King and Peter Straub.
excellent,terror & mystery
This is one of my favorite books by Stephen King (The Stand is my #1 favorite) and one of my favorite books by Peter Straub. A fantastic story! This book was hard to put down, an incredible read. Highly recommended!
The first (1984) collaboration between horror/fantasy writers King and Straub, this book has been reissued in multiple formats to coincide with the publication of its sequel, Black House. In The Talisman, 12-year-old Jack Sawyer takes on a quest in this and a parallel world, the "Territories," to acquire a mystical talisman that will save the life of his dying mother and her "twinner," the Queen of the Territories. Jack "flips" back and forth between worlds during his journey, finding his way through and past representatives of good and evil in both
A classic as far as I'm concerned.
Adventures of a young boy going across America into another realm.....edge of your seat!
A wonderful fantasy novel from two great horror authors. I read this one in less than 2 days. Just couldn't stop reading.
Personally loved it, although it's all that fantasy stuff. LOL!
Excellent!
Good book . . . written with co-author.
This book keeps you turning pages to the end. I am not a big Stephen King fan, and I still found it a very enjoyable read.
I've read this book a couple of times - great read & very creative story.
Another great read written by the master! I couldn't put this down, and anxiously turned each page to find out what happened next to Travellin Jack.
Best-selling authors Stephen King and Peter Straub are a dynamic duo collaborating on The Talisman.
With fantasy and reality in this tale, The Talisman" chronicles the journey of a young boy attempting to save his dying mother. After meeting an eccentric old man in an amusement park, Jack Sawyer becomes aware of an alien realm called the Territories. Jack must trek across America, facing the evil creatures of the Territories and of this world, to retrieve a valuable prize that can save his mother's life.
With fantasy and reality in this tale, The Talisman" chronicles the journey of a young boy attempting to save his dying mother. After meeting an eccentric old man in an amusement park, Jack Sawyer becomes aware of an alien realm called the Territories. Jack must trek across America, facing the evil creatures of the Territories and of this world, to retrieve a valuable prize that can save his mother's life.
Classic Stephen King, with a little temperance from Peter Straub that curbs the usual King gore. It's a story of parallel universes, "twinners" (twins or doubles in parallel universes) and mot importantly, what a boy will do to save the life of his mother. Great characters throughout.
I could not get through this book. Then again, I am not a King fan.
"Lions, tiger, and bears, oh my!".....this is a quote that comes to mind after reading this fantastic story. Being an avid Stephen King reader (but no great fan of Peter Straub) I am guessing that is why I never read this book until now....gosh...I'm so sorry I waited so long! This tale grips you and carries you right along with the 12 year hero, Jack and you get so engrossed that you feel as if you are his sidekick along for the ride. And what a ride it was! This is definitely one of those books that you hate to see come to an end. It reminded me a little of the Lord of the Ring saga....adventure around ever corner, danger under every bush! You will be very glad to have read this book and it will stay in your memory for a long time! Definite 5 star material!
This is the w worst book with Kings name on it. It is endless, repetative, and painful to read or listen to. I had to leave me thoughts to balance all the rave reviews, which I honestly don't understand at all.
With proper editing, and cutting a good 500 pages, this could possibly be a decent story.
With proper editing, and cutting a good 500 pages, this could possibly be a decent story.
THIS IS THE AUDIO CASSETTE VERSION (NOT MP3 AS DESCRIPTION MIGHT SUGGEST).
COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED - A WHOPPING 28 HOURS ON 18 CASSETTE TAPES.
COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED - A WHOPPING 28 HOURS ON 18 CASSETTE TAPES.
Ona brisk autumn day, a thirteen-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.
This is a good book. Sometimes the authors get too indepth.
couldnt get through it, too much for me
One of my all time most favorite books and definitely my favorite Stephen King to date!
On a brisk autumn day, a thirteen-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 Americaand into another realm.
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mothers life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest begin. . . .
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mothers life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest begin. . . .
Good book.
I am a smoker and I also have a cat in the house.
I am a smoker and I also have a cat in the house.
"....a thirteen-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."
I read it from beginning to end and I just couldn't get into it no matter how hard I tried.
This book was so good that I reread it at least once a year! A little slow to start, then watch out! I dare you to start this & not stay up late reading, lol.
On a brisk autumn day, a thirteen-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 Americaand into another realm.
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mother's life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest
begin. . . .
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mother's life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest
begin. . . .
From the back cover: "Two of the world's best-selling authors team up in the ultimate masterpiece of spine-tingling terror... the most compelling, most talked-about, most frightening book of the decade... A classic... a journey to rival the greatest adventure stories ever told... rare and dazzling....
One of my favorites. I have a large collection of Stephen King books. All are available for trade. Check out the rest.
I've never actually read it, I just figured I could mail it to someone who wants it.
My copy doesn't have a dust jacket
