My old school ways struck me this morning. I had this desire to pre-teach or introduce this TV series/novel to the Stephen King aficionadoes out there. I won't, though, spoil anything. I promise. Just a couple suggestions and a question. Watch out for a couple of Stephen King riffs from the past, such as a character who would be great friends with Trashcan Man from "The Stand" and a sort of similarity to "The Tommyknockers." Also, the ending was a real disappointment for me. So eight weeks down the line I'd like to hear people's reactions to it, if, in fact, the TV ending is the same.
I enjoyed the book even though it was way too long. In an "Afterword," King mentioned that the final version had been cut tremendously by his editor. I can't imagine what else he would have had to say. It's what King fans expect, I think. Length, lots of characters, terrific dialogue, and a creepy time in rural Maine.
