by Stephen King & Peter Straub

Twelve year old Jack Sawyer learns he is special while running from his uncle with his mother. Jack's mother is sick and he must endure an epic adventure that will not only save her life, but also a queen's. He must accept his destiny and head west while surviving evils that do not want him to succeed.

This is quite a long book, so prepare for a lot of reading. When I first read this book many years ago, I couldn't get thru it. I had trouble focusing on the story and ended up putting it down. Recently I decided to pick it up again after a beach vacation renewed my interests in reading. If you like adventure and sci-fi tales, this is a good one for you.

There were some minor things I had problems with, but overall I like this book.

I've only read 2 other Straub books so I don't feel intelligent enough to say whether this is "classic Straub", but I do feel this is "classic other world adventure King". I wouldn't consider this to be a horror tale. If you're looking for something a bit scarier/stranger try it's sequel "Black House". (a review of that coming soon) :D

tho i dont really do reading, this sounds interesting.. like a proper exciting adventure

It is a neat adventure, SC! :D
Although I just want to warn you that there is some violence in it.

I've tried to read this twice without success but I refuse to give up.

Yes Juno, don't give up!

I had such a hard time trying to read this a few years ago. I'd read paragraph after paragraph and wouldn't remember a thing about them. I gave up a couple times too. I don't know why it stuck this time, but I was so involved with my last reading it was like a completely different book.

I loved this book... I read it about 20 years ago??? Is that possible?? I loved Wolfie.... His mom smoked cigaretts called Tarreytoons?? was the evil uncle called Morgan Sloat??

is The Talisman also a prequel to the Gunslinger series?In any case I read it years ago and Black House...loved them both.I think The Talisman is one of my favs of King/Straub in the sci fi genre.I remember vividly the agony one the characters felt trying to breathe the polluted air in our human dimension.I think I might read it again,I forgot most of it.Never forgot how much I loved it though.

I still haven't read The Talisman or it's sequel Black House. I have been meaning to for a long time and especially after I read the Dark Tower series. I just never got around to it.

This is definitely going to be the next book I read. In fact, I think I'll start it tonight so I won't forget to read it like I have before.

this was one of my faves
my daughter is reading it now

I'm reading a solo Peter Straub effort right now and it's pretty good. His is not the easiest prose to read, though. I got so far with another of his books a year or two ago that I will come back to some day.