I really enjoyed The Tommyknockers, although it possibly helped that I was on holiday while I was reading it. I definitely think it's underrated by most King fans!
I agree with you. It’s about the journey. Ruth’s story for example doesn’t add a lot to the plot, but it was great. The party that Gard rails about nuclear power was great. 4/5+ stars. It was great and not bloated.
This was a 5 star book for me too! I’ve read it several times and have enjoyed each reread as much as the first. I agree with you about all of the side plots. I found it all very entertaining and would not have changed much of anything.
I think this was written at a time in King's life when he was hitting the bottle pretty hard. I read this probably about twenty years ago and may re-read it again to refresh my memory of it, but I thought it was so unlike King and that it was his worst work.
Yes I think he was drinking pretty heavily while he wrote it. Have you read many of his books? I'm curious what some of your favorites are. If you do reread this, I hope you get something out of it at least. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
@@JoanieMaeZie I used to be a big King fan in my teens, and I'm now a parent with kids...lol. So yeah I read up until Four Past Midnight, and then later picked up his books again once I had created my book review channel.
I loved buddy reading this with you and Stacy! You’re right, it’s a great book to read with other people because there are so many WTF moments where you just have to talk about it with someone 😂 Great review, and I hope we can buddy read something again soon!
The Tommyknockers is one of my favorite books by Stephen King. This was the second book I finished reading. Have you read Salem's Lot? That was the first book I read by King and I loved it.
You do such a great job with reviews, and you're too sweet! I really don't get the bad wrap this book gets. I thought it was so entertaining. Plus it had really well thought out characters. I made my hubby read the chapter where Ann comes to town. Her bitchiness is the stuff of legends! I also thought the preachers story in the making of Haven section was hilarious. Oh, and the talking Jesus! Then there were the heartbreaking bits as well. Loved it!
Thank you! I agree; I don't know why so many people have issues with this book. Ha! I hope he liked the chapter. Oh the talking Jesus and that whole character was so much fun!
Pearce GreatestEverLeftBack Knows Best There were a few Gard scenes that I could have dealt with being cut back, but overall I was fine with it. I know that’s a fairly uncommon opinion tho.
Jim Gardner is the most three-dimensional, fully realized character King ever wrote. Also, The the main theme of The Tommyknockers is addiction. Hell, the flying saucer being uncovered is a giant metaphor for how addiction grows and overcomes you.
Story by a stoned drunk writing a substance that leaves you more empowered/I intelligent. A few years back 4th of July (when I ran out of booze) when I was rereading it I got to 'Gard takes a walk' when King came back after rehab....it felt resentful for Gard, like I do when no one will spare me $4.50 for a pint
Thaaaaank you. The rambling cocaine fueled tangents worked in this novels favor. The structure of the story and the "point" at the heart of it made everything cohesive. Do not understand why people hate this one so much.
I hope you do get to it soon! Thank you! I've been reading a SK book maybe every other month lately. The next highest on my list are Song of Susannah and Dr. Sleep. I don't always do a full review, but I at least talk about them in my monthly wrapup.
@@JoanieMaeZie oh nice I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Dr sleep. Yes I will get to it eventually I took a dive into Richard Laymon and so far loving it😄
Definitely in the Pro-Tommyknockers camp. This is absolutely one of the most underrated books. I put it off for some time because of what others have said about it, I’m sad I did, but, I’m glad I finally read it. I loved it. I think what a lot of people are missing about this book, is that it seems, to me at least, to be an allegory for a communist up-rising. Words like “becoming,” for example are explicitly communistic. They talk at one point in the book about Haven being a successful “collective.” Communism is all about a collective society. The Tommyknockers want to “improve,” just another word for progress. But, progress for the sake of progress is a very bad thing. To me, this was Stephen King’s Animal Farm.
His worst book. Written during the height of his substance abuse. Cujo which was written before this was great but Tommyknockers was just awful. I tried a few times to finish it. Never could.
I really enjoyed The Tommyknockers, although it possibly helped that I was on holiday while I was reading it. I definitely think it's underrated by most King fans!
I agree with you. It’s about the journey. Ruth’s story for example doesn’t add a lot to the plot, but it was great. The party that Gard rails about nuclear power was great. 4/5+ stars. It was great and not bloated.
You're the first person I've heard say this is one of their favorite King books.
This was a 5 star book for me too! I’ve read it several times and have enjoyed each reread as much as the first. I agree with you about all of the side plots. I found it all very entertaining and would not have changed much of anything.
I think this was written at a time in King's life when he was hitting the bottle pretty hard. I read this probably about twenty years ago and may re-read it again to refresh my memory of it, but I thought it was so unlike King and that it was his worst work.
Yes I think he was drinking pretty heavily while he wrote it. Have you read many of his books? I'm curious what some of your favorites are. If you do reread this, I hope you get something out of it at least.
Thanks for watching and commenting :)
@@JoanieMaeZie I used to be a big King fan in my teens, and I'm now a parent with kids...lol. So yeah I read up until Four Past Midnight, and then later picked up his books again once I had created my book review channel.
Thanks for the review! I am going to start reading this book. I look forward to it now.
I’m new to King books but I’m thinking about reading this next!
I hope you enjoy it!!
I loved buddy reading this with you and Stacy! You’re right, it’s a great book to read with other people because there are so many WTF moments where you just have to talk about it with someone 😂 Great review, and I hope we can buddy read something again soon!
Chapter32 I’m so glad we all had fun with this book! Thank you! I hope we can buddy read something again soon too.
The Tommyknockers is one of my favorite books by Stephen King. This was the second book I finished reading.
Have you read Salem's Lot? That was the first book I read by King and I loved it.
That's awesome that you enjoyed this so much! It honestly sounds like loads of fun lol.
You do such a great job with reviews, and you're too sweet! I really don't get the bad wrap this book gets. I thought it was so entertaining. Plus it had really well thought out characters. I made my hubby read the chapter where Ann comes to town. Her bitchiness is the stuff of legends! I also thought the preachers story in the making of Haven section was hilarious. Oh, and the talking Jesus! Then there were the heartbreaking bits as well. Loved it!
Thank you! I agree; I don't know why so many people have issues with this book. Ha! I hope he liked the chapter. Oh the talking Jesus and that whole character was so much fun!
Did you notice Gard meeting Jack Sawyer on Arcadia beach? Must’ve been slightly before Jack saw Speedy in The Talisman 😎😁
Pearce GreatestEverLeftBack Knows Best I did! But I haven’t read The Talisman yet lol. The name was super familiar and I had to google it make sure 😃
Joanie Reads It’s not much of an appearance tbh it doesn’t spoil The Talisman in any way 😎😁
Joanie Reads There’s too much given to two characters at the start of The Tommyknockers, he didn’t need so much dialogue just for Bobbi and Jim 😎😁
Pearce GreatestEverLeftBack Knows Best There were a few Gard scenes that I could have dealt with being cut back, but overall I was fine with it. I know that’s a fairly uncommon opinion tho.
Joanie Reads I’m now 400 pages into The Tommyknockers and have only met a handful of characters 😎😂
Jim Gardner is the most three-dimensional, fully realized character King ever wrote. Also, The the main theme of The Tommyknockers is addiction. Hell, the flying saucer being uncovered is a giant metaphor for how addiction grows and overcomes you.
Story by a stoned drunk writing a substance that leaves you more empowered/I intelligent. A few years back 4th of July (when I ran out of booze) when I was rereading it I got to 'Gard takes a walk' when King came back after rehab....it felt resentful for Gard, like I do when no one will spare me $4.50 for a pint
Thaaaaank you. The rambling cocaine fueled tangents worked in this novels favor. The structure of the story and the "point" at the heart of it made everything cohesive. Do not understand why people hate this one so much.
What is that on shelf number three next to the Anne Rice?
Gavin The Collector The painting? It’s the cover from The Stand. Twas a homemade gift from a friend.
@@JoanieMaeZie Very nice!
You've convinced me to give this one a try!
I hope you like it!!
I seriously need to get to this it really sounds good! Great review do you plan on tackling another SK novel?
I hope you do get to it soon! Thank you! I've been reading a SK book maybe every other month lately. The next highest on my list are Song of Susannah and Dr. Sleep. I don't always do a full review, but I at least talk about them in my monthly wrapup.
@@JoanieMaeZie oh nice I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Dr sleep. Yes I will get to it eventually I took a dive into Richard Laymon and so far loving it😄
Jesse Caballero Oh cool! I’ve been wanting to get to some Richard Layman for a while. Glad you’re digging.
@@JoanieMaeZie you defiently should sometime, I don't see a lot of people reviewing his work
Definitely in the Pro-Tommyknockers camp. This is absolutely one of the most underrated books. I put it off for some time because of what others have said about it, I’m sad I did, but, I’m glad I finally read it. I loved it.
I think what a lot of people are missing about this book, is that it seems, to me at least, to be an allegory for a communist up-rising.
Words like “becoming,” for example are explicitly communistic. They talk at one point in the book about Haven being a successful “collective.” Communism is all about a collective society. The Tommyknockers want to “improve,” just another word for progress. But, progress for the sake of progress is a very bad thing.
To me, this was Stephen King’s Animal Farm.
Are you from South America? :)
His worst book. Written during the height of his substance abuse. Cujo which was written before this was great but Tommyknockers was just awful. I tried a few times to finish it. Never could.
One of my least favorites.
Turtle Anton I’m so curious why.
Shakespeare is so bloated. Just get to the plot points and move the story along. Why all the flowery language? - said a Stephen King critic