I am a die-hard ‘constant reader’ of Stephen King, who has ridden the rollercoaster of almost all of his novels (particularly his classics). He is such prolific author, reliably churning out page-turners each year, so it is incredibly easy to just stick with his stable. In recent years, however, I’ve made a conscious effort to avoid his allure. I’ve tried my best to branch out, read new things.
… But for my 6th Cannonball Read selection, I fell back into old habits.
The Outsider is a story in two parts. The first part, a ‘who-dun-it’ detective novel posing an impossible premise: how can an [alleged] murder be in two places at once? The second part, typical King fare with a trip into the supernatural.
His characters are strong as ever. His premise intriguing. His imagery incredibly disturbing. And thankfully/surprisingly – he appears to have actually allowed an editor to keep this story from growing out of control! As I read The Outsider, I kept waiting for King to expand his universe far beyond the immediate premise. I was waiting for the usual earth-shattering, far-reaching, epic side-stories to appear and crowd out the page. But this never eventuated.
King’s admirable imagination has been met with much-needed restraint in The Outsider. Perhaps this isn’t evidence of a judicious editor, but rather of a wizened King who is finally learning where the edges of a story should be. Or maybe it was the fact that The Outsider is the unofficial fourth-part in his Mr Mercedes trilogy, introducing a well-worn and loved character into the second part of The Outsider.
Whatever the reason for this tightly written supernatural thrilled, I am grateful. The book was a breeze to read and constantly entertaining. And he stuck the landing!
I’m happy to report that The Outsider was, for me, a welcome return into the land of Stephen King.
4 out of 5 menacingly tattooed Stars.