Stephen King's Black House

[Bob Peale]

Finally got around to reading it this week.

Ironically, I think it's a case where it did itself a disservice by reminding us that it was a sequel. Throughout the entire book, it references what happened in the first book, which just undescores how little (infitesimal) time we get to spend THIS time in the land we were first introduced to in The Talisman (and have since revisited in Eye of the Dragon and 4 Dark Tower books).

In fact, I'm having a hard time understanding why it's considered a sequel unless its a veiled way to explain Jack Sawyer's involvement in later Dark Tower books.

 

[Beebeeblue]

At least you finished it. Ive been trying for over a month now to read it. And Ive been home on leave the whole time. I guess my mind is just too distracted to get involved with it right now. And thats a shame, considering how much I love Mr King!

 

[Rambling Rose]

I am having the same problem. I loved The Talisman and was looking forward to diving into The Black House, but it is not pulling me in.

 

[Bob Peale]

No, it really wasn't very engaging. The magic of the first was the territories - Jack in and of himself wasn't interesting at 12, and he's not overly interesting at almost 40.

 

[Wiggles]

Is Black House the sequel to the four Dark Tower's books?
Or is it just related in some way?

 

[Bob Peale]

Actually, no.

And yes.

In truth, the Dark Tower books stand alone.

However, The Stand, The Talisman, Eyes of the Dragon and Black House all take place in the same world, and some of the characters in those books figure into the Dark Tower saga.

The Dark Tower books do occasionally refernece actions in the others, but the oters are not central to the saga.

 

[Wiggles]

Ok, thanks! I was waiting for the fifth Dark Tower book to come out. The ending to the fourth kind of bored me. But the fifth seems to be taking so much time, I hope it's worth waiting for.

 

[TN_Vixen]

I liked the Black House

I thought he did a good job fleshing out the grown Jack. He could've taken the relationship with him and the princess a little further, though and kept us in the Territories a little longer. I recently read The Talisman prior to picking up The Black House, so the connectivity between the two books was there in spades for me. If I hadn't read The Talisman, I think I would be lost as to the significance of the whys and wheres of the latter book.

 

[Bob Peale]

I think my gripe is, without the territories, it's really not a lot different than 'Salems Lot or some of the others. Part of the magic of The Talisman WAS the territories - and we just didn't get a lot in Black House.