The Tommyknockers by Stephen King

I picked up this book because I was a big Stephen King fan already, having previously read Carrie, Misery, and Firestarter. I love Tommyknockers because of King's brilliant writing. It just captures the reader and won't let go. This book was hard to read, however, because it was very gruesome and frightening. There was plenty of bodily fluids and shocking alien descriptions to make me cringe.

The main characters are easy to relate to as well. Gard was a tragic character, but enthralling. I found the other town characters fascinating. I felt emotional when I read about them and their ultimate demise. The book wasn't perfect, of course. I think the development of the aliens should have been improved. For example, it is explained that the aliens improve things, like machines or electronics. They have no other purpose and are incapable of changing it seems. It is a shallow way of describing them, in my opinion. I think there is more to them than the description of them improving things. I mean, they traveled how many light years to get to Earth, and they have no other mission than to improve things.

It still did not detract from the mystery and wonder of the novel. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes horror or science fiction. King creates beautiful and terrifying worlds with his words. When I read his books, I feel surrounded by the story, like I am living through it. That is the hallmark of a genius author.