Product Description

French Landing, Wisconsin, is a solid middle-American town inhabited by solid middle-Americans ...and a serial killer. Three children have been taken by a monster nicknamed "The Fisherman". It's all beyond the experience of the local police, whose only hope lies with ex-detective Jack Sawyer.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #341551 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 576 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Black House is the second collaboration by Stephen King and Peter Straub, two of the most important writers in genre fiction, and the expectations of their first team-up were considerable. But despite its impressive sales, many were disappointed by The Talisman. Rather than a truly chilling epic, what we got was a rather derivative and by-the-numbers fantasy saga. So fans were reluctant to be too hopeful about their second collaboration... but we needn't have worried. Black House is much more like it, although even here King and Straub have not quite delivered the ultimate horror marathon--this is a psycho-thriller in the vein of Thomas Harris, but none the worse for that. And there are supernatural elements.

This is the tale of a small American town held in the grip of evil. Three children have vanished, abducted by a monster called The Fisherman (after a legendary murderer) with a craving for children's flesh. Ex-detective Jack Sawyer, dealing with his own personal problems (in which he is tormented by visions of another world), is keen to stay away from the horrors of this case, recognising how bad involvement will be for him. But--guess what?--Sawyer is soon supping full on the horrors, and the reader is in for an exhilarating (and highly disturbing) experience. Jack is a powerfully realised protagonist, and his journey into the dark world of The Fisherman is genuinely unsettling. Although more of King's fingerprints are on this one than Straub's (notably the conflicted hero, struggling with his own demons), the co-authors' individual styles merge indivisibly in this highly impressive chiller. --Barry Forshaw

Review
From the reviews of THE TALISMAN: 'Chilling horror story or fantastic journey through a strange world the book works like well, like magic.' Daily Mirror 'A classic a journey to rival the greatest adventure stories ever told rare and dazzling.' New York Daily News

About the Author
Stephen King is the author of more than thirty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. Recent bestsellers include The Green Mile, Bag of Bones and Dreamcatcher. Peter Straub is the author of fourteen novels which have been translated into more than twenty languages. He lives in New York City. Recent bestsellers include Koko, The Throat and Mr X.

Customer Reviews

"Out of this world !"
From page one, through to the final sentence, this book had me enthralled.

"Black House" is the second collaboration between King and Straub, and is the sequel to their first novel, "The Talisman".

If you've read "Talisman" and if you're one of King's "Constant Readers", "Black House" answers lots of questions ("what happened next to the Talisman's characters ?" ; "who or what is the Crimson King ?") and it also, tantilisingly, raises lots of new ones, primarily relating to King's Dark Tower series.

However, if you're new to Stephen King, don't despair ! "Black House" is also rewarding in its own right, perhaps best described as a supernatural thriller, which keeps the reader turning pages as ex-cop Jack Sawyer races to find a young boy kidnapped by a serial killer. Sawyer must fight his personal demons, work with the town's residents and challenge a few bad guys (from this world and others), if he is to save the victim (turns out there could be a bit more at stake too...)

Set in a small Winsconsin town, the novel features some superb characterisation and truly great narration - with this latter perhaps originating from the pen of Mr Straub.

As a sequel, I believe "Black House" is superior to its predecessor (it's roots are not as firmly set in the fantasy genre). As a "stand alone" novel, the book has a great plot and fast paced storyline. As a Dark Tower book, King will have all his readers desperate for more - roll on Dark Tower V.....

Superb dark fantasy tale
A welcome return to the fantasy world visited in the Talisman and Dark Tower series, because make no mistake these two tales are interwoven. The book shows Stephen King and Peter Straub's talent for writing in tandem (the seems are even harder to detect than in Talisman)and they produce a book that is impossible to put down. The story itself is disturbing and revealing of the ongoing saga of Dark Tower and the insights into the back ground of the aforementioned story, but this is not at the sacrfice of telling a horror story. The characters are superb, and I have no doubt that most people will fall in love with Jack Sawyer's innocence and determination (one of the heroes of the piece). I would fully recommend this to anyone whether they have read Talisman or not, it is a captivating tale in its own right. And to those who have read not only Talisman but the Dark Tower series this is the book for you, a lot of background information is divulged and the picture gets a lot clearer no doubt paving the way for another Dark Tower book.

One for the constant reader
I am a fan of King novels and have read and enjoyed Ghost Story by Straub. I read The Talisman and enjoyed it for the descriptive journey and the identifiable characters but found it lacking in any depth of story.
In my opinion, Black House is a bombastic powerhouse of descriptive content and lovable characters, as was The Talisman, but this sequel delivers a much appreciated bonus with its exciting storyline and laterally shifting narration.

I had no trouble following the unusual style of story-telling found in this book unlike some of these other readers and I feel for those that were unable to enjoy the book because of this [refreshing] change.

I am sad to say that the final confrontation was a little disappointing (in my opinion King has never been able to finish a story as well as he begins) and I got the familiar feeling of a head-on collision ending a long pleasant drive. I didn't think the ending was poor enough to subtract a whole point from the 5 stars I am giving it though.

In conclusion I would heartily recommend this book to all King fans (if they are able to tear their hairy talons and blood-shot eyes from the horror section and snap their necks over into fantasy a little).
I also recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-told story with a few thorns in its spine. You would do well to read The Talisman first (and some Dark Tower if you have a couple of months to spare).

I am now just beginning the final book of The Dark Tower series... all my fingers are crossed in hope that the end justifies the means this time.