The last of the Richard Bachman novels, recently recovered and published for the first time. Stephen King's "dark half" may have saved the best for last.

A fellow named Richard Bachman wrote Blaze in 1973 on an Olivetti typewriter, then turned the machine over to Stephen King, who used it to write Carrie. Bachman died in 1985 ("cancer of the pseudonym"), but in late 2006 King found the original typescript of Blaze among his papers at the University of Maine's Fogler Library ("How did this get here?!"), and decided that with a little revision it ought to be published.

Blaze is the story of Clayton Blaisdell, Jr. -- of the crimes committed against him and the crimes he commits, including his last, the kidnapping of a baby heir worth millions. Blaze has been a slow thinker since childhood, when his father threw him down the stairs -- and then threw him down again. After escaping an abusive institution for boys when he was a teenager, Blaze hooks up with George, a seasoned criminal who thinks he has all the answers. But then George is killed, and Blaze, though haunted by his partner, is on his own.

He becomes one of the most sympathetic criminals in all of literature. This is a crime story of surprising strength and sadness, with a suspenseful current sustained by the classic workings of fate and character -- as taut and riveting as Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Amazing Stephen King
Comment: Although not one of the Stephen King's finest books, manages to keep the reader focused on the pages till the very end. Combining the natural with the supernatural, it will amaze everyone. It refers to a criminal who manages to kidnap a millionaire's son. Then while entertaining the reader with the adventure part, Stephen King manages to get into the depths of the human soul, as he gives details about the psychological fluctuations of the characters.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: blaze
Comment: It was like reading early SK. I have read every book that he has written and was able to obtain. I enjoied the read. It followed the path of mice and men

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Worst experience i've ever had on-line
Comment: I was simply trying to buy an inexpensive copy of Blaze.
It was a very frustrating experience.

Amazon canceled my first order after a week, because the seller went out of stock. I got a refund and tried again. The 2nd seller claimed he shipped it, but the book never arrived. after 5 weeks, I got another refund (at least, I hope I got a refund) and tried a 3rd time. This time I was getting frustrated, so I ordered an expedited shipment, and finally got the Book about a week later.

I'd have to give Amazon an "F" for total failure on this order.

Happy New Year....Jim Wrench

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Customer Rating:
Summary: great read and highly recommended
Comment: A bit of confession first, Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors since I was a kid. I did stop reading his books when they started to become the size of phone books. About a month ago I saw this book at the local bookseller for $5.99 and said, "What the heck."

Stephen King explains in the foreword that this was a trunk book. Basically, he wrote it along time ago and put it away. He eventually "found" it again, rewrote some parts and put it out under his alter-ego Richard Bachman.

What I liked: The story is more along the lines of Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption versus Cujo, Christine, etc. Essentially this book follows the life and times of Clay Blaisdell, jr. aka Blaze. The chapters alternate between the Blaze's last caper and his earlier life. Stephen King allows the story to build nicely and by the end of the story you feel sympathy for the main character and wish things could have turned out differently for Blaze.

What I disliked: Some characters, such as George, were not fully developed.

Last word: Overall, this was a great read and it is highly recommended. It illustrates that we are not always masters of our own destiny as events out of your control can and will change the course of your life.

Reveiwed by Matt

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Trite, but so full of heart, I couldn't resist
Comment: I can't remember reading such a trite, manipulative novel. It almost felt as if it were being written for teens. This predictable story of a Blaze, a guy with a heart of gold who never caught a break in life and was pulled into a life of crime, was one that pulled me in in spite of my attempts to resist. If you're looking to find fault with this novel, you'll have lots of opportunities, but Blaze is such a lovable and sympathetic character, and George is a great sidekick, that I quickly gave up finding fault and just plain enjoyed this book. It's funny and crude, in a juvenile sense, and it made me smile. The book starts out in the present, as Blaze is planning his great kidnapping caper. The novel alternates between the present and the past, telling Blaze's life story. I liked both stories equally. This novel captured my heart like a 5 star book, but it felt too much like a cheap guilty pleasure for me to give it that top rating. It felt like a teenager's first attempt at writing a novel, with all the cliches. But the young writer was Stephen King, who can grab your heart with the best. If my review has not turned you off from this novel, I expect that you'll love it. I did.

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