Thursday September 20, 2001

"Black House"

(Random House)

Grade: B+

The king of horror, Stephen King, teams up again with Peter Straub after 17 years on the follow-up to their hit "Talisman."

"Black House" follows a copycat killer and the reappearance of homicide detective Jack Sawyer, who is now in retirement, into a world mixed between the lines of reality. There is a black house in the woods, which leads to The Territories, an area comparable to Purgatory that is filled with spells, evil spirits and strange people with telekinesis. Sawyer must follow the killer into the world beyond and solve the mystery of a missing boy.

The book turns out to be a unique blend of the two writers' styles. A few different times in the book it seems that the writers are battling one another to see who can write the most drawn-out sentences possible. The beginning is a thick stream of wordiness that is worth wading through. It is possibly a test to see who can really get through such a tough trial, but those who make it through are rewarded with a story that makes the imagination spin.

Any reader who does not follow either of these authors' other works may not understand some of the references that line the story. Like all of King's other books, there is a handful of references to his previous stories. In "Black House," each writer is keeping alive the world of stories they have written for a new generation.

There is no doubt this is not a King horror story or a Straub thriller. It is a murder mystery that has a personality all its own. If you liked "Talisman," the "Black House" will be an easy way to relive two writers coming together to make something magical.