Desperation (Good or Bad?)

[The Outsider]

So I just got Desperation at the bookstore, along with the Regulators, and I just wanted to know how good it is before I start. What are some of your opinions without spoilers? I just wanted some idea of what others thought about it so I wouldn't be disappointed if it didn't turn out what I thought it was.

By the way, I've kind of heard mixed reviews, but mostly that it was a really good work, and a very dark one, too. In a way, I'm kinda hoping its very scary and dark.

[Gillie]

I loved Desperation more than The Regulators. One or two bits made me go "ewwwww" but other than that I thought it was great. 'Course I also liked the TommyKnockers :laugh:

[Natjen26]

They're awesome. Do you know the feeling that sometimes you wish you could erase your mind after you read something, just so you can indulge yourself again in that unknown but yet so remarkable world.

I had that with Desperation/The Regulators. Of these two, my favourite is the Regulators.
I'm feeling jealous that you get to explore those novels, not knowing what to expect, but I sincerely mean it when I say: 'Have a blast, they're GREAT!!'

[nicklove09]

Desperation was great, but i really think you should just read the book. King is Awesome. Don't read reviews!!! Just read it! :) haha

[Doc Wilson]

I liked Desperation quite a bit, better than regulators. I too have been surprised at the rather mixed reviews it gets, I thought it was awesome.

[wally wonder]

desperation is one of the greatest books written. no kidding. the storyline is nice and tight. b follows a and c is shortly behind. a great story. i've read it several times now and it's one of sk's best, i think, his latest notwithstanding. or something. who says "notwithstanding"? he-he-he (insert elmer fudd chuckle here) i guess i just did.

[The Outsider]

Thanks all. And to Nicklove, I'm definitely going to read it, I'm going to read every one of King's books, but for desperation I just wanted to get some input from real fans whether it was going to be good or not. I like to go into a book with high expectations that get accomplished. Otherwise I can't read it as easily.

But once again, thanks for you're input, I started reading earlier, it's looking good so far!

[michal]

Don't think that "Good" or "Bad" is objective, as far as a book is concerned (just ask a bunch of constant readers what they though of any SK book and you'll get enough different answers to spin your head around).

Bur, if you want to know, I enjoyed it. Just my personal humble opinion. A bit too spiritual to fit into my top 5 list, but many good scenes and a strong story.

[The Outsider]

I just finished. Definitely my favorite King so far. I'm pretty spiritual myself, and I do believe in God, so I really liked this story. Especially the biblical references, like the ritz crackers and the sardines. I actually had just read that story in church so it was cool.

All in all it was a wonderful story, and even though there were some dark parts, to me it was a great story.

Thanks to Mr. King for another masterpiece!

[kevinrodgers90]

"Desperation" scared me so much! I don't like snakes and spiders, so imagine my surprise as the novel progressed LOL! The novel is fast-paced and full of cliff-hangers. I love it when King writes with such urgency...as if he can't wait to get to the next nightmare...and there are plenty of nightmares to enjoy in this one. I read "The Regulators" immediately after I finished "Desperation". What an awesome tandem...maybe King will do something like this again in the future!

[knarf]

Yes. Desperation was for sure an amazing novel there are some parts that are just extremely morbid and that mixed with the story line..its one of my favorites. The Regulators is an amazing story to if i was you i would read that ASAP let us know how it goes it definitely is a morbid one as well. parts of The Regulators made me grit my teeth in disgust.I Love It.

[jack12k8]

I just completed Desperation last night. I thought it was excellent...classic good vs. evil theme. I will wait to read The Regulators for a while as I like to spread out the remaining unread King books to savor them. I would like to check out the movie on Desperation even though the prevailing view seems to be that it was lousy.

[doowopgirl]

I really enjoyed both Desperation and The Regulators. Not sure if I have a favorite, though.I loved the cartoon characters that take over the landscape. I love the scene in the jail when the kid squishes him self through the bars. Just read, don,t try to intellectualize. Some times I think it takes away from the pure pleasure.

[rosetat49]

You asked who we believe the good guy was, the little boy who was trying to be close to God though he had not been raised to be a believer. my opinion anyway. but I am a romantic...........sorry. the book is defineately a tough one to read...

[smerdyakov]

I loved desperation. One of my favorite 'beginnings' to a stephen king book. In my opinion, it's far superior to the regulators because there's more of a sense of the characters. This might be because I read desperation before the regulators, though, and already had the former's character development fresh in my mind. I also thought the premise of the regulators got a bit silly (but that's just me). The movie desperation is pretty bad, though not as bad as other king adapted movies.

Yeah. Desperation: Good.

[Roou*]

i read the regulators first, and mmm like 6 months later i found desperation :P i prefer desperation :)
both are great :D

[wilhelmreems]

just read desperation and really liked it. Saw the movie when it was on TV years ago and waited long enough to get the bad taste out of my mouth before i read the book, glad i did.

Started the regulators today, so far, i like it a lot since I just finished Desperation two days ago. It's fresh and I can already tell had I read Regulators first I wouldn't like it, I think I'd be lost. But, let's see how it progresses.

[punkmonkey]

it was great, but i dunno which one i like better: desp. or regulators

[davemelnick]

Neither Desperation nor The Regulators are bad. They are great stories. In fact , they are sequels of 1 another (just like Dark House & The Talisman). Let alone, read which ever 1 you want 1st. At least, that's my opinion. :smile2:

[JRM]

Desperation is one of my all-time favs! :D Haven't read Regulators yet.

[M2H]

I really enjoyed Desperation a lot (I haven't seen all of the TV-movie version yet though). I liked the original book jacket art, and how it was linked to the Regulators artwook. But if I have to say one negative thing about the novel, I felt it could have been a little shorter.

[steve-w]

Absolutely loved this book!
Gonna look out for The Regulators.
I did fancy watching the DVD but after reading posts on here I'm not too sure now. Maybe.....

[SequenceInitiated]

I didn't actually read the book but I read chapter 1 at a library and it's what made me love Stephen King books.

[xP3AC3MAK3Rx]

Well, it's been like 10 years since I've read it, got myself the 'stand alone' paperback and the '2 in 1' back then.

I read them both, first "Desperation", then "Regulator".
Just recently watched the "Desperation" movie for the first time (good actors, not so well directed), otherwise I wouldn't have remembered the story after such a long time.

Only thing I remember is that reading the books was fun, esp. "Desperation".
"Regulator" is (if I remember it right) like a 'twilight zone' story, where the names of the characters of "Desperation" are now owned by totally different characters. The stories are somewhat connected, but I'm afraid it's just too long ago for me to make a qualified review of the books anymore.

They were entertaining, that's what I remember.

Have fun reading!


Tommy

[Mobe1969]

I loved the book. I got that Recorded Books audiobook copy of it Stephen King narrated. Cost me a fortune. But worth it.

And seriously, the movie adaptation was just so spot on.

I kind of wish they'd done a back to bak Regulators adaptation with the same cast playing the same characters (by name) they were in there. That would have been ultra sweet.

[mrblonde]

Just finished this. I liked it alot. Johnny had some great one liners.
The excused pass was weird, but I'm not going to ask questions.
"Cell" is next.

[no bounce no play]

I read Desperation immediately after reading Regulators. It was fun to compare them :) I liked Regulators best but it might be because I read it first. The storyline is a little bit Lovecraftian... which is a good thing :)

[jalexbrown]

I thought Desperation was very much an intriguing read. I went into it expecting it to be sort of a rough read with some bad pacing (not at all a bash against King, but it happens to the best of us sometimes), but what I got instead was a well-paced, great narrative that built some incredible scenes. And yes, I found the idea of being stranded in a town playing hide and seek with Tak to be an extremely frightening idea. At the surface level, Desperation honestly looks a bit daunting and pretentious; once you push all that negative crap to the back of your mind, I believe you'll find Desperation to be a great story. I also have to note that I found it to be one of King's more original plots; Desperation plays out totally different from anything else I've ever seen.

[Amy_Heath]

Just finished Desperation as my 2nd SK book after 'Cell'. I didn't think I'd like it but it was amazing.
Need the library to open so I can go get some more now!

[jalexbrown]

Just finished Desperation as my 2nd SK book after 'Cell'. I didn't think I'd like it but it was amazing.
Need the library to open so I can go get some more now!

I do think that Desperation somewhat makes a bad first impression. The book doesn't really pick up and become interesting until the pieces start to come together, which takes a bit of time. Fortunately the payoff is well worth it, so once the pieces come together, you'll be glad you stuck it out 'til the end. Typically if I have to say "It gets better later", that's a negative point; with Desperation, however, it was a surprisingly positive note.

[anna~banana]

Desperation was the very first SK book I read. Actually I never even read any books for leisure before Desperation, and I got hooked. From then on I've been carrying books with me everywhere I go. I even get a lot of crap from my husband for wanting to read instead of watching TV with him at night.

[Gavvo1976]

Both were excellent, but if I had to choose a favourite I would have to go with The Regulators. Dark, disturbing, graphic, scared the crap outta me! The stalky little boy still appears in nightmares from time to time ... not pleasant!

[GNTLGNT]

I picked up the "twin" volumes in the original two pack with the accompanying night light(that was a true piece of Hong Kong phooey there), and read them back to back. Enjoyed them, and thought the use of the same characters in different settings-pitted against the same enemy was a true stroke of plotting genius...

[xkittyx]

Just got done re-reading both of them. They are both pretty good, but I think I like Desperation a little better. Both of them have great character development, and I thought they were real easy to get into, no struggling to read. Gotta say they're both up there on my list of faves.

[Teddy Duchamp]

Desperation is up there in my top 10 SK books.

Actually maybe even top 5.

I think I maybe read it after Insomnia, which I was glued to until the very end, and was disappointed in the outcome.

Desperation just grabbed me right at the beginning and when I put it down was dispappointed that I had finished it. I shed tears quite a bit throughout it also. Especially when "Pie was covered up with the curtain and looked like she was sleeping" - it was so beautifully written and so sad. My son calls his sister "Jilly pie" so I could really empathise with how he felt..........gawd I am starting to well up AGAIN just thinking about it!

[Cowboy]

Loved them both. We have discussed it before that it seems like whichever you read first tends to be the "better" of the two.

[nate_watkins]

Loved them both. We have discussed it before that it seems like whichever you read first tends to be the "better" of the two.

I read the Regulators first, which I prefer. But they were both pretty good. :grinning:

[Silhouette86]

It's hard to choose between desperation and the regulators. I guess I'd have to say The Regulators, and only by a slim margin.

[ItFan]

I've just finished The Regulators having starting to read it as soon as I finished Desperation. I really enjoyed them both, but I think I prefer Desperation (possibly because I read it first!) but I really enjoyed the David Carver character and his unrelenting faith in God, and I also preferred the relationship that Steve and Cynthia have in Desperation over the one they have in The Regulators. Overall I would put Desperation in my top 5 SK books, but The Regulators definitely makes the top 10!

[Lass Chance]

Im reading The Regulators right now...and Im a little confused. Some of the characters are the same as are in Desperation, such as Collie Entrageon and Johnnie , the writer and several others. But in Desperation, which takes place after The Regulators, none of these people (who were neighbors in The Regs ) know each other UNTIL they meet in the town of Desperation. Duh? Why did SK use the same characters?

Lass Chance

[Moderator]

Steve explains that here (http://www.stephenking.com/library/bachman_novel/regulators_the_inspiration.html).

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Yes, I've just finished a re-read after long enough to have forgotten many of the details - absolutely marvellous!

And weren't the snakes, spiders, scorpions etc hellish? He really went for the gross-out there as far as I'm concerned.

Now on to The Regulators!

Long days and pleasant nights

[Maoster]

Just finished Desperation and absolutely loved it, really well written and impossible to put down (therfore a few late nights recently). Loved the evilness of Tak and its many incarnations. Can't wait to start the Regulators!

[blunthead]

Did you say you hope it's scary and dark? Yes. When I think of my favorites, Desperation always occurs to me first.

[Shoesalesman]

Desperation was a fantastic book. I remember getting the hardcover the day it came out.

[BlunkLaura]

Desperation is extroidannairely (or however you spell it :oo:) good .
I don't mind snakes and spiders and scorpions, but the thought of them as spys...that got to me !
I liked Desperation so much,and Collie is one of my top SK-novel characters, along with Duddits, Pennywise,Linoge,Lisey and the Long Boy with the piebald sides...

[katelynandsamsmom]

Desperation was really good. I loved it. It drew me in from the first sentence and I really enjoyed this book. I havent read the regulators yet. But Im going to soon.

[nate_watkins]

Desperation was really good. I loved it. It drew me in from the first sentence and I really enjoyed this book. I havent read the regulators yet. But Im going to soon.

If you liked Desperations, you'll probably love the Regulator's. At least I did.

[deathislife]

It was an ok book, but as an atheist, I thought the ending was pretty pathetic. After all of that, the kid still accepts that "God is love." How stupid.

It would definitely be in my top five if it wasn't for all the religious garbage, which greatly affected my liking of the story. Still, it had some great scenes in it, and I loved that plot-twist revealed in the movie theater.

[A Guest from Roanoke]

Just finished reading this ..... What a book. I kept imagining Collie as Gary Busey though as yesterday I watched Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and Busey is the Highway Patrol Cop out in the desert :grinning:. An absolute pleasure to read :biggrin2:

[Bubonic]

It was an ok book, but as an atheist, I thought the ending was pretty pathetic. After all of that, the kid still accepts that "God is love." How stupid.

It would definitely be in my top five if it wasn't for all the religious garbage, which greatly affected my liking of the story. Still, it had some great scenes in it, and I loved that plot-twist revealed in the movie theater.

King is a religious enough guy, and religion permeates a lot of his work. The way I see it is as such, Mr. King writes works of fiction, whenever he dwells on the Judeo-Christian stuff, I just take it as an extended part of the make believe of his stories. I won't complain about reading of thinnies, vampires, ghouls and werewolves so why would I make a fuss about some religious stuff.

On another note, Desperation was my very first King novel, and as a boy of 12-14 I remember lapping it up at the time, and once I get through the dozens of books of his I've never read I'll revisit this one.

[ToxicMicky]

I thought Desperation was fantastic - one of the first novels I ever read by SK. I also liked Regulators, and I like that King used the same characters in a different situation - but just didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Desperation.

[VladTepes]

Desperation is a great book. I did not enjoy The Regulators as much. Desperation was the very first book by him that I read. I was not dissapointed. It may also be among his most religious, along with The Stand. Enjoy.

[JellybeanJay]

I loved both Desperation and The Regulators. Each book is fantastic in its own way. I have re-read both reversing the order I read them in the first time and I still cannot figure which one should come first. :grinning:

[Anna Rose]

loved it! i have the regulators but havent gotten around to reading it

[Christiane17]

I'm currently reading Desperation (Désolation in french). It's one of the few SK books I haven't read yet. I just took a walk to my library yesterday (minus 20 by the way) and bought it in paperback. I'm not too far in the book yet, but so far I like the story. Road stories always fascinated me, so I'm thrilled. I have never read The Regulators either, so it's next on my ''to read'' list. I'll come back to give my appreciation when I put Désolation back in my SK collection.:smile2:

[Seb Shaw]

I thought Desperation was a great read, as always. Great characters too :)

[twiggymarie]

King once again deposits the reader into a world rich in backstory, macabre, characters you seem to know, and always, always, making you want to turn on your nightlight. >.< Desperation is the "lighter" of the two books, though with Tak, nothing is light, really. The Regulators were a bit out there, but amazing in story. Whatever you do, read Desperation first, or Regulators will make little to no sense. >.> Hope you enjoy it! :D

[tiger pride]

I liked both Desperation and Regulators. The way he used the same characters in both is really cool. Tak the most evil entity in the universe.

[CCAL]

If you've never read Desperation--read it! If you have --reread it! Definitely worth the read. My grandchildren recently watched the dvd, whiched is edited pretty good and ofcourse I was nearby--ok I was watching too--suddenly I was struck by a conversation between the little boy and the other main character. It was religious in nature, but so profound, I had to rewind & see it again. Later I gt the book out & found same conversation. It meant alot more to me then. Its not a 'God is great,God is good, everything will be alright' sing-song, but very moving! If I take nothing else from the book/or movie, I'm glad I finally got this!!! thanks for opportunity to mention this.
didnt mean to be vague but if you havent read it I didnt want to spoil anything....read it!!!