The Talisman (The Talisman, #1)

Title: The Talisman (The Talisman, #1)

Author: Stephen King

Published in: 1984

Date read: 17th December 2019

Score: 5/5

Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Supernatural

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Talisman," published in 1984, is an epic dark fantasy novel co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It's a sprawling, imaginative tale that combines elements of fantasy, horror, and coming-of-age adventure, set across two parallel realities.

The story centres on Jack Sawyer, a twelve-year-old boy whose beloved mother, a former film actress, is dying of cancer. Doctors have given her only a short time to live. In his despair, Jack encounters Speedy Parker, a mysterious black man who works at a local amusement park. Speedy reveals to Jack the existence of a parallel world, a mirror of our own, called "the Territories."

In the Territories, a person has a "Twinner" – an alternate self – and the landscape is wilder, more magical, and governed by different rules. Speedy explains that there is a powerful artifact called The Talisman hidden somewhere in the Territories, which has the power to heal Jack's mother. However, retrieving it will be a perilous journey through both worlds.

Jack embarks on this daunting quest, "Flipping" back and forth between our mundane world (called "the Coasts") and the dangerous, medieval-like Territories. In the Coasts, he must evade various sinister figures, including his ruthless uncle Morgan Sloat, a business partner of his deceased father who is also aware of the Territories and wants to seize control of them and their power. In the Territories, Jack faces terrifying monsters, tyrannical rulers, and a vast, wild landscape fraught with peril.

Along his journey, Jack encounters a variety of memorable characters, both good and evil. Key among them is Wolf, a loyal, simple-minded creature from the Territories who resembles a werewolf in both worlds but is fiercely protective of Jack. Their bond becomes a cornerstone of the narrative, highlighting themes of friendship, sacrifice, and loyalty.

The "Flipping" mechanism is central to the plot, allowing Jack to escape dangers in one world by instantly crossing into the other, often with surprising and dangerous consequences as the realities intersect. The physical and emotional tolls of his journey are immense as he battles fatigue, fear, and a pervasive sense of impending doom.

The novel is a grand adventure about a boy's desperate love for his mother, his journey to maturity, and his confrontation with ancient evils. It explores themes of good versus evil, parallel dimensions, the power of sacrifice, and the search for hope in a world consumed by darkness. The climax sees Jack finally reaching the legendary Black House, where The Talisman is hidden, leading to a monumental confrontation with Morgan Sloat and the forces of evil to secure the ultimate healing power and save his mother's life.

Comments:
Fantastic fantasy adventure. Made me think of the Gunslinger novels throughout, very different but a quest all the same. Never boring and fantastic characters on the way. One of my favourite books of all time. I do apologise again that my website is not sophisticated enough to have two authors. Peter, I am sorry.

Books that we've read by Stephen King (68):
Carrie (1974), 'Salem's Lot (1975), The Shining (The Shining, #1) (1977), The Stand (1978), Night Shift (1978), The Dead Zone (1979), Firestarter (1980), Cujo (1981), The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1) (1982), Different Seasons (1982), Christine (1983), Cycle of the Werewolf (1983), Pet Sematary (1983), The Talisman (The Talisman, #1) (1984), Skeleton Crew (1985), It (1986), The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, #2) (1987), The Eyes of the Dragon (1987), The Tommyknockers (1987), Misery (1987), The Dark Half (1989), Four Past Midnight (1990), The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3) (1991), Needful Things (1991), Dolores Claiborne (1992), Gerald's Game (1992), Nightmares and Dreamscapes (1993), Insomnia (1994), Rose Madder (1995), The Green Mile (1996), Desperation (1996), Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, #4) (1997), Bag of Bones (1998), The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), Hearts in Atlantis (1999), On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000), Black House (The Talisman, #2) (2001), Dreamcatcher (2001), Everything's Eventual (2002), From a Buick 8 (2002), Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, #5) (2003), Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, #6) (2004), The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, #7) (2004), The Colorado Kid (2005), Cell (2006), Lisey's Story (2006), Duma Key (2008), Just After Sunset (2008), Under the Dome (2009), 11/22/63 (2011), Full Dark, No Stars (2011), The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower, #4.5) (2012), Dr. Sleep (The Shining, #2) (2013), Joyland (2013), Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1) (2014), Revival (2014), The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015), Finders Keepers (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #2) (2015), End of Watch (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #3) (2016), Elevation (2018), The Outsider (2018), The Institute (2019), If It Bleeds (2020), Billy Summers (2021), Later (2021), Fairy Tale (2022), Holly (2023), You Like It Darker (2024)