Does this book get better?

[the_last_gunslinger]

I'm twenty pages in or so, and though I don't necessarily think it's a bad book, but it really isn't holding my attention. Part of the problem, I think, is that it doesn't really read much like a Stephen King book, and that might be because it was a joint venture.

I'm just wondering if the action picks up. So far, I'm only able to read about five pages at a time before turning to something else.

[Bryan James]

I can't remember the first time I read it...and it's been a long time since I last read it...but the seaside condo/shanty beginning with Mom was fairly bland. Once the kid hits the road, it's hard to put down.

BJS

[Bluey Lunger]

i've read it four, five, maybe six times. loved each reading. it's an incredible tale. be sure to finish and pick up black house next, another great yarn. check out the sun dog when you get a chance. some connections there that are fun. and if we're good, we'll get a third. there's some weird sh!it that happens in talisman that you'll want to read. plus the whole idea of twinners. some great characters that you don't want to miss. keep at it and withhold your judgment until you're done. :y:

[michal]

Books can't really be "Bad", but they can be Not Right for you in a certain time frame or in a certain point in your life. I think you should try some more -I love this fairytale style story, but if you're still fighting it in another 20-30 pages, let it go and try again in a few months or years.

Good stories end up changing (at least to you) to fit what you need.

[the_last_gunslinger]

I can't remember the first time I read it...and it's been a long time since I last read it...but the seaside condo/shanty beginning with Mom was fairly bland. Once the kid hits the road, it's hard to put down.

BJS

I'm hoping so. I've been looking forward to reading it for a very long time. And it seems to have high praise from most of King's fans. It'd be a shame to have it turn out to be a dud.

I can see that it is getting incrementally better. That's a good sign.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Yes.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Felipe]

The Talisman is one of the best book of the Stephen King...

[Lily Sawyer]

Oh, boy, this book gets better.
Stick with it.
You won't regret it.

Right here and now.

[thymeoperator]

i really thought this book started out slowly too, myself. it took me about 100 pages to get into it. once i did, it flew by - i LOVED it. it's amazing.

[Spideyman]

Keep reading. Give the book a chance to set the tone, develope the charcters, pull you in and then .... away you go on a real adventure.

[Doc Wilson]

Oh boy, does it ever. Don't give up on it till you meet Wolf.

[BTRNYC]

I struggled through the first 200 pages or so.

Liked it, but not my favorite of SK's.

[thymeoperator]

actually, i realised halfway through that the beginning that i struggled with would probably be fascinating and go by in a breeze on a rereading, because it only was slow due to me not understanding what was going on yet.

[MyJadedEpiphany]

Oh yes...please don't put it down!! I'm begging you!! :biggrin2: Joint ventures can be a little disconcerting at first but it will definitely get better as you read. The Talisman is quite up there in my list of favorites....possibly my top three. I hope that you manage to discover how incredible it really is!

[thebarbster24]

It gets a lot better once jack is on the road. Stick with it and only if you don't like it once you encounter Wolf, then it might not be a book for you. For me, it's awesome.

[God]

I didnt care for it myself, I got most of the way through and still didnt finish it. So imo no it doesnt get better, but everyones opinion is different. I think the thing is, I just dont like Peter Straub. I read Koko and thought it was pretty good, but the I tried to read Floating Dragon, and didnt finish it either:dunno:

[lisalieth]

Seriously - this book and the Stand were the two that found me daydreaming at stoplights - I couldn't completely make the leap back to the real world until I had finished the books...

[glyde69]

The first two times I picked this up, I couldn't get past page 50. Finally, I pushed past it, and it turned into one of King's greatest books, hands down.

Read it a good three or four times since. Highly recommended.

[Angel182308]

I just got done reading it and I was impressed. It gets better as it goes along.

[91rewoT]

Absolutely! Hang in there, though it does have a bit of a slow start, you'll forget all about that once the journey begins! You may even find a favorite King character in this book, as I did. This is an awesome story!

[runningman]

It does start slow, but if you get past the slow part you might have a hard time putting it down. I did.

[ChristineB]

This can be a problem with many of SK's longer novels for some people. As a rule of thumb I hold judgment on any of his novels until I have made it through the first 1/4 to 1/3 of the book, he is such a master of character developement that you have to give him that time to do his thing or you may end up missing out on the best story you ever read by putting it down early.

[laxauburn]

I just started reading The Talisman for my first time tonight...it certainly does start out slow, but there's no way I'd considering putting it down. I can definitely tell it's going to be awesome.

[Scott C]

Wolf!!

[Bryan James]

"The Talisman" is an old-timey wooden rollercoaster on a grey day grimed up damn good by saltslick blown in from the beach mixed with the grease of ten thousand panicdropped corndogs and some windlost ballcaps.

It smells like life.

~BJS