The Tommyknockers, Stephen King (1987)

[AE35Unit]

This was my least favourite King read so far, in fact I came close to not finishing it at one point; it got boring and then developed too many silly plot devices to be taken seriously. (It could have made a great comedy novel!)
Along the way King references other works of his (IT, the Shining movie) which was fun.
It picked up past the halfway mark before reaching a fast paced ending.

 

[Rodders]

I totally agree with your thoughts on this one, Larry. A very weak book with a lot of sillyness. I don't even remember finishing it.

Shame. I like the story idea.

 

[Danny McG]

The first time I read it I immediately thought "Hey, Quatermass and the Pit!" And then I got bogged down in the shambolic mess of a story (but being King there were still a lot of parts that totally gripped you)

Later interviews with SK revealed he'd been out of it on booze and coke while writing - he went into AA a year or so later

 

[BAYLOR]

This book can be both bonkers and silly but overall, I enjoyed it. It kind of reminded me of Quatermass and the Pit.

 

[Venusian Broon]

In the eighties I was quite a King fan and would get everything that he had done, and devour his new stuff as it came out, but Tommyknockers broke my enthusiasm. It was the linking up with other novels to make a 'Macroverse' that made me roll my eyes - I was also trying to digest Asimov's return to Foundation and he too was trying to link all his novels together. Standalones can be damn fine, no need to warp all your books together into the same universe.

I do remember liking the start and set-up of the book, but as I can't remember the ending, it clearly didn't grip me!

 

[AE35Unit]

The problem I have with it is the whole flying saucer thing. Utterly silly.

 

[Danny McG]

The problem I have with it is the whole flying saucer thing. Utterly silly.

Like, we're in a sci-fi forum, don't blaspheme!

 

[AE35Unit]

Lol

 

[nixie]

I've read The Tommyknockers, unusually for me I remember very little about it.

 

[biodroid]

Was SK on drugs and didn't remember writing this book?