Years ago, the haunting of the Overlook Hotel nearly broke young Dan Torrance’s sanity, as his paranormal gift known as “the shining” opened a door straight into hell. And even though Dan is all grown up, the ghosts of the Overlook—and his father’s legacy of alcoholism and violence—kept him drifting aimlessly for most of his life. Now, Dan has finally found some order in the chaos by working in a local hospice, earning the nickname “Doctor Sleep” by secretly using his special abilities to comfort the dying and prepare them for the afterlife. But when he unexpectedly meets twelve-year-old Abra Stone—who possesses an even more powerful manifestation of the shining—the two find their lives in sudden jeopardy at the hands of the ageless and murderous nomadic tribe known as the True Knot, reigniting Dan’s own demons and summoning him to battle for this young girl’s soul and survival…
Simon and Schuster
There is a reason that Stephen King is called the King of Horror. His vast experience in writing best seller novels makes him a master at his craft. Characters with depth and realistic personalities, vivid scenes, palpable emotions, and the ability to draw in readers from the start make any novel I pick up from him a homerun. Doctor Sleep is no exception to this. If you enjoyed The Shining, then you will enjoy its sequel. Perfect for reading this summer…especially if you are on a road trip or in an RV.
Doctor Sleep pulled me in right from the first chapter and I found it difficult to put it down once I started. I used the description that was on the cover of the book, which is published by Simon and Schuster, because it really is the best without giving away too much. This novel is a typical Stephen King novel-flawed main character, supernatural abilities, vivid descriptions (lengthy at times), fast paced action sequences, touches New England at some point in the story. The challenge with writing a sequel to a horror classic is measuring up to a powerhouse, which this one comes close. The reader finds out what happens to the Torrance family, as well as many of the other characters in The Shining, after the Overlook Hotel burns down. We even find out that Jack Torrance’s bad behavior did not stop with drinking; it was in his social life as well, bringing us to the Stone family. The new characters add another layer to the original story and let the reader know that there is a little shining in many of us.
As I said before, this is a great read from the King himself, perfect for reading this summer. Just be aware of those RV’s. You never know who is in one!
