First Post: The Shining by Stephen King

   A book which actually makes me shiver, jump with fear at the sound of a grandfather clock's chime, or run down the hallway in my own house out of fear that something is chasing me is quite a rarity. Most horror movies don't give me the same skin curdling fear which this book did. I finished the last page of the epilogue just earlier this evening, and I must admit that even though the book was finished, the images which Stephen King painted with blood and premonitions scattered throughout the novel still stand unfaltered in my head.

  The book starts out a bit slow (I find this common throughout King's works) after the characters have been established, and the scene was set, the King of Horror (pun intended) had my hairs raised on end from climax to resolution. The way Danny's visions are written out with wordplay used to try and present it in hazy imagery, or the way you see Jack's struggle against dark spirits throughout the hotel was enough to keep my interest for easily 100-200 pages a day. I found at points in the book that King actually had me sympathizing with Jack (who was trying to keep the family together through supporting them, and stopping at nothing to do so) over Wendy (who finds that the family would be better off leaving the Overlook, and taking care of what she believes are Danny's mental issues). The book scared me, and that is an experience which I can cherish. I will most likely read the book again just to get a good scare. I found that most of my fear was actually coming from the spirits, such as the masquerade party guests, or the dog man dripping in blood threatening to eat Danny if he didn't turn back as opposed to the physical violence Jack displays later on in the story. The ending was fulfilling, and something which still is making me wonder about what will come of Danny and Wendy. I would recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it, or those who are feeble enough to actually find enjoyment in the Kubrick film.

Side Note: This book absolutely kills the movie, and before reading the book I liked the movie. The story is better paced, more well rounded in structure, and brought me closer to the characters. 

  So if you are looking for a good scare, and you haven't read this book yet, I would recommend to buy it if possible. If you aren't the type to re read, then I would recommend checking it out of your local library.