Revival by Richard Bachman

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kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
I haven't read all posts pertaining to Revival, so I don't know if this idea has been brought up, but am I the only one who thinks Revival is a 'Bachman' book? It's pretty dark, with stark writing (no pun intended, but I'll take it anyway) and doesn't have the happiest of endings, like all of the 'Bachman' novels. Agreed?
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I haven't read all posts pertaining to Revival, so I don't know if this idea has been brought up, but am I the only one who thinks Revival is a 'Bachman' book? It's pretty dark, with stark writing (no pun intended, but I'll take it anyway) and doesn't have the happiest of endings, like all of the 'Bachman' novels. Agreed?
...it tastes to me just like the spare, dramatic style of his earlier work...
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
I guess I really have a different opinion of this book than most people on the board. As a Constant Reader from pretty much the start of SK's publishing career, I do not get any vibe of the old SK from Revival. The books it most reminds me of in its writing is Joyland and Full Dark, No Stars. It is definitely a SK book, but all this talk of it being like his earlier works, I just don't see it.
 

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
Nov 28, 2006
15,210
48,848
Alberta,Canada
I guess I really have a different opinion of this book than most people on the board. As a Constant Reader from pretty much the start of SK's publishing career, I do not get any vibe of the old SK from Revival. The books it most reminds me of in its writing is Joyland and Full Dark, No Stars. It is definitely a SK book, but all this talk of it being like his earlier works, I just don't see it.
It is not the ending or the darkness that I did not fancy. I found it did not flow.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I guess I really have a different opinion of this book than most people on the board. As a Constant Reader from pretty much the start of SK's publishing career, I do not get any vibe of the old SK from Revival. The books it most reminds me of in its writing is Joyland and Full Dark, No Stars. It is definitely a SK book, but all this talk of it being like his earlier works, I just don't see it.
...it's just a vibe I get, maybe because it visits some old haunts if you will...
 

shookme

Obscure Member
Mar 19, 2013
608
1,243
Michigan
I guess I really have a different opinion of this book than most people on the board. As a Constant Reader from pretty much the start of SK's publishing career, I do not get any vibe of the old SK from Revival. The books it most reminds me of in its writing is Joyland and Full Dark, No Stars. It is definitely a SK book, but all this talk of it being like his earlier works, I just don't see it.

Same with me. I've tried to open my mind several times, but it does not feel like old-King. I'm glad it's not just me.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Same with me. I've tried to open my mind several times, but it does not feel like old-King. I'm glad it's not just me.
...no-one will get the same synaptic bursts in the old brain box as everyone else...I feel it, you don't and that's all cool...be boring as hell if we all felt the same way, and I figure Unca Steve would agree...
 

RichardX

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2006
1,737
4,434
This book did have a strange feel to it. There were certain elements that reminded me of Joyland and Dr. Sleep. But it also felt rushed and contrived in places. Some of the Bachman books like Thinner are like that. Not one of King's best efforts, but still an entertaining read. An interesting comparison is Michel Faber's "The Book of Strange New Things." That's a much more paced novel involving faith and religion. Granted it took him ten years to finish it and he many never write another book.
 

Grillo

Active Member
Sep 18, 2012
28
99
I guess I really have a different opinion of this book than most people on the board. As a Constant Reader from pretty much the start of SK's publishing career, I do not get any vibe of the old SK from Revival. The books it most reminds me of in its writing is Joyland and Full Dark, No Stars. It is definitely a SK book, but all this talk of it being like his earlier works, I just don't see it.

I agree. The writing style is very much in line with King's recent works, and that was a good thing in this case. Revival is very much concerned with death and aging, and it seems King drew on his own experience from that. It's a different novel than it would have been had King written it in his twenties.
 

mstay

Older than most, not as old as some.
Oct 13, 2007
6,022
5,554
Utah
I agree. The writing style is very much in line with King's recent works, and that was a good thing in this case. Revival is very much concerned with death and aging, and it seems King drew on his own experience from that. It's a different novel than it would have been had King written it in his twenties.

I just finished it today and I agree that it does have the same feel as Joyland. Only not so "sweet". I guess? It would definitely have been a different book had he written it in his younger years.
I liked the book but it's not one of my favorites. It did have a very long build up to the scary part but I think that all of that story needed to be told.
Back on thread topic - It didn't feel like Bachman book to me but it has been a while since I read any of those. Except "Rage" which I re read last week and it's not like that one at all!
 

notebookgirl

Well-Known Member
Oct 8, 2013
858
4,940
Somewhere over the Rainbow
Not a Bachman book. Maybe Joyland in a way, I can see that now. In some respects, it didn't need the ending it did. I would have been fine with that. I just enjoyed hearing this character's life story. Of course there had to be some ending, but it didn't even have to be that dramatic in a way. I guess curiosity got in my way too. I had to see what happened.