The Dead Zone

Não vou mentir, esse é meu primeiro Stephen King e estou bem impressionada. Daí você me pergunta do porquê levei 42 anos da minha vida até lê-lo e respondo: preconceito. Tenho o péssimo preconceito de achar que literatura best seller só pode ser ruim, se todo mundo ama deve ser muito do mastigadinho. Erro meu, não posso falar dos outros livros do autor porque só li esse e é uma obra-prima da literatura política.
Por que escolhi esse para ser apresentado ao King? Porque gosto do filme do Cronenberg e porque em 2015 tive meu próprio momento John Smith quando meu inconsciente leu o zeitgeist e sonhei que eu estava planejando matar o Bolsonaro. Rá!
King trata com maestria as implicações de ver um holocausto fascista com show more antecedência, o horror do livro não está na paranormalidade e sim nas consequências que trará ao mundo ao ser conivente com o fascismo. Absolutamente brilhante. show less

I will probably attract the attention of the CIA or the Secret Service if I intimate that it would be beneficial for all humankind if John Smith, the protagonist of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, had occasion to shake the hand of our current president. So I'm not going to suggest that. I will, however, suggest that this is a tightly-crafted novel that exemplifies some of King's best work. And that the 1970's Vietnam/Nixon impeachment/Watergate backdrop makes for a setting that resonates in today's political climate.

2019: I haven’t reread this novel in many years..... so many years, I’ve no real recollection of when the last time was. But I’ve reread it at least once, I’m sure. (I’m gonna guess that it was sometime in 1996, as I’d read a huge amount that year, having been quite pregnant up until the beginning of August, and in bad health and practically bedridden at the time).
This novel stood the test of time, easily. I had waited long enough to reread it so that echoes of the last reading were not showing up in my memory (what I have of one, anyway), while doing so. I love that.
The storyline kept me just as spellbound as the other times reading this novel, and I fell just in love with the characters (except Stillson, that rat bastard) show more as last time as well. The bitter sweet ending still made me tear up.

The only thing I *didn’t* like about this novel is the choice of Scribner/Simon and Schuester Audio to use James Franco as the narrator. I just didn’t care for his narrating style, and I thought he had a lot to learn from other, more used and well rounded narrators that are out there today. I’m also wondering if the choice to use this second rate actor was in order to get people to purchase the audiobook when this novel has been published for 30 years give or take, and when these people in charge of this kind of thing knew that lesser known narrators wouldn’t have sold as many copies of the audiobook. Which is a shame, really..... someone else could have done a MUCH better job at this novel.
While Franco isn’t my favorite actor at all, this isn’t apropos so I’ll just stick to his narrating style. It was a little too quiet at times, a little too calm and gentle when a little more energy could have been helpful, and at other times Franco seemed to just be reading out loud to his junior English classroom/teacher, and barely inflecting his voice so that perhaps he wouldn’t be called on again to read aloud, any time soon...? And he seemed bored as well, during these recitations.
Franco’s East coast accents were decent, I guess, though a little effected. They worked just barely enough, for most of them, to keep the characters apart... just barely.
It’s too bad this actor was used, as I, for one, won’t be purchasing the audiobook until another narrator is used.

Meanwhile, I enjoyed this novel, and was able (for large parts of the time) to ignore my irritation at Franco’s shortcomings in order to enjoy this novel as much as I could. If you like James Franco, then by all means, knock yourself out with it.
I’m also not discussing the massive, striking similarities of this novel’s Stillson character and a certain bloated, Cheeto-like orangeness in the Oval Office, as it’s been discussed throughout this website, and in other book reviews all over the web - probably ad nauseam.
Many, many people on gr believe that politics don’t belong here, and they are wrong. So wrong.... as politics effect every aspect of life, including art, literature, and crafts. They can continue to turn a blind eye to this, snug in their privileged bubble of comfort, while others are directly effected every single day. I will not. If you don’t like this very rare speaking out, then by all means, remove yourself from my friend’s list here, or wherever. I won’t mind.

This novel received 4.5 stars from me before, and this rating stands today. It’s recommended to all.
And don’t @me if you disagree with my criticism of the current “president”, or his administration, because you won’t change my mind. I’m old, I’m very liberal, and I want you to GET OFF MY LAWN. Thank you. show less

Most people when they think of Stephen King think of evil clowns, killer cars, rabid dogs and manic fans with axes. This one is subtler and less action-packed. Those with the need for blatant explanations and lots of stagey scenes should avoid. The Dead Zone follows a similar theme evident in King’s early works – the power of the mind. Carrie, The Shining and later Firestarter all deal with ESP and telekinesis as does The Dead Zone. That is not the all-consuming point though as it is in the earlier works. The larger theme of The Dead Zone is one’s purpose in life, the random chance of fate and the loss that results.

Johnny Smith does not rail and shake his fist when fate selects him for a path he would never have chosen and feels show more he doesn’t deserve. No pity parties ensue. No sleepless nights with a bottle trying to find answers to the eternal question of ‘why me?’. Very telling on the character of John Smith. He’s a good man. Most people would use the power of foresight for themselves; finding more carnival wheels to bankrupt, playing the stock market or even just scamming the masses out of their hard-earned and foolishly-spent money. Instead, he turns his power to a deed that, with his gift of prophecy, would best serve the greater good.

Of course it is doomed, as is most everything else Johnny turns his hand to during the novel. His life grinds to a halt after the car crash. Miraculously returned to the living, he finds that life has passed him by and his promising relationship with Sarah is nonexistent. Soon his teaching career is in pieces and even his classroom of one ends badly. With his mother (mercifully) dead and his father involved with a new woman, there seems no place for John. Nice guys do finish last I suppose.

King’s ability to make me feel the poignancy of John’s losses is a bit heavy-handed, but adept. The scenes with Sarah after Johnny wakes are the best examples of this. When John’s anger manifests and focuses itself on the tabloid reporter, I cheered for him. His anxiety and true concern when his warnings were doubted and the subsequent fear and distrust when they were proven out are palpable and sad. And the resurgence of self-esteem when Chuck has his breakthrough; that was well executed, too. Overall a terrific characterization and one of King’s best.

So, with nothing else to lose, John pursues the corrupt and sociopathic Stillson. Strangely this is what stuck with me most from my initial readings even though it takes the least amount of time in the novel. With Stillson’s regular visitation of towns in his district, he is remarkably easy to track down. Some cunning goes into John’s recon of the venue and he successfully hides himself from Stillson’s advance team. The final act, however, goes awry and of course, John goes down. Unbeknownst to him, there is a silver lining – a single photo gets out intact. Who would re-elect a politician, who, when threatened, holds a child up as a shield? Success. But at a staggeringly huge price. And one that John seems glad to pay. show less

Random thoughts about this book:
• It’s very dated, but in a way that’s amusing and a little thought-provoking. The inner thoughts of a man on hold, at a time when the telephone “hold” function was new and before the now-ubiquitous hold music or recorded messages, when being put on hold was like a little death: “The line was darkly, smoothly, blank. You were nowhere. Why didn’t they just say, ‘Will you hold on while I bury you alive for a little while?’”
• As per King’s usual, the romantic relationship with the main character is awkward and unconvincing, as was their weird little sexual interlude.
• But his portrayal of religious fanaticism *is* convincing, especially in this book, where he treats it with some show more sympathy rather than just as a motivation for evil deeds and rude behavior. He is savage with those who exploit the believers’ needs for relief of pain and grief, all for a price, of course.
• Oh, and Greg Stillson. Chilling description of a power-hungry sociopath who wears the mask of respectability and presents himself as a hard-hatted, patriotically flag-draped champion of the working class, promising jobs and security, while employing thugs as “security” and “campaign managers” to pave the way forward through nefarious means. King seems to have been prescient. For who would have seriously thought that a populist buffoon like that could actually rise to national power in a democratic America?

Overall, it’s not the great book that I remember reading as a young teen, but it’s entertaining and it still has some very relevant things to say about the danger of allowing our pain and fear and need cloud our judgement so much that we make ourselves vulnerable to those who would use us to enrich or empower themselves.

Audiobook, via Audible. James Franco’s performance grew on me a little, but not all talented actors make great audiobook narrators. Few characters had a distinct voice, and his New England Yankee characters had oddly Southern accents. show less

I reread Stephen King’s The Dead Zone, our February selection for the Constant Reader book club. I’ve watched the original 1983 movie adaptation multiple times and first read the book in 2015. The first time I listened to the audiobook, I wasn’t particularly impressed. I’m sure it was me; sometimes I just can’t connect with an audiobook and need to read it in print. However, when our book club voted to read it, I decided to give my physical copy a try, hoping for a more enjoyable experience. I’m glad I did, as I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Dead Zone this time.

Johnny Smith is just a regular guy. He enjoys being a teacher and recently began dating Sarah, a fellow teacher. On Halloween, they go on a date to the carnival show more where Johnny encounters great luck playing The Wheel of Fortune. Later that night, Johnny is in a tragic car accident that leaves him in a coma for four and a half years. Upon waking, he grapples with the profound loss of his career, Sarah, and time. Now, he has a unique gift: he can see and know things about others and the future just by touching them. This gift is both a blessing and a curse. His mother advises him to embrace this gift rather than flee from it, emphasizing that he has a purpose. He meets an up-and-coming politician, and when they shake hands, Johnny sees a terrifying future for the world. He’s the only one who can stop it.

At first, I found it challenging to get into this story. The prologue was quite intense, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that contributed to my initial disinterest. Despite this, I decided to persevere and read the first chapter. Once I introduced myself to Johnny and Sarah, and their date at the carnival unfolded, I began to enjoy the narrative. Johnny is an exceptionally likable character—he lacks any significant flaws. He’s a passionate teacher, deeply in love with Sarah, close to his parents, and driven by a genuine desire to do the right thing. Moreover, he’s humble and caring towards others.

I thoroughly enjoyed following Johnny’s journey. Despite facing some incredibly challenging circumstances and being mistreated and misunderstood by others, he remained steadfast in his perseverance and dedication. The book also delves into profound emotional themes, particularly his relationship with Sarah. It explores the idea of how life events could have unfolded differently if people had made alternative choices. Overall, this book evokes a strong range of emotions.

As I had mentioned earlier, I’ve watched the movie adaptation multiple times and have always enjoyed it. However, I recently watched the movie trailer and have noticed some differences between the book and the movie that might influence my opinion of the movie now that I’ve thoroughly read the book. I’m certain it’s still a good movie, but I’m likely to prefer the book. On my blog, I have included the movie trailer for your enjoyment.

I have photos, videos, and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog show less

Simple storyline, with some extensive, albeit relevant turns. However, I think the book doesn't sufficiently linger on the core question - nameley whether, be it Hitler or some Maine politician, an assassination (at an early stage) wouldn'r always necessarily backfire. People will weep as they did over Kennedy's death, and if anything, the followers will defend the cause(s) more fervently - and radically - than before.
Besides, this book really could have done without the woman part. I know one of King's strong points is to have his storylines meander in and out of meaningfulness (for the plot), but clearly Johnny's sweetheart only provides some additional characterization - and another 50 pages.
The topic itself, however, psychic show more abilities and how to suffer from them (rather than how to use them to one's own profit) and the way people will react, is beautifully captured! show less