5 comments about Blaze: A Novel.

1. The other evening I was meeting a friend for dinner when a huge beautiful mastiff walked by me in the streets of New York. Having just read Blaze, I thought "this would be a wonderful companion for him". Alas, Mr. King is too clever for me and has eliminated this happy possibility in his story. Blaze is "finished" when his pops throws him down the stairs as a young boy. At this point, I wanted to adopt him. However, Blaze makes a pal, who feeds him and offers him shelter while attempting to turn him into a ferocious pit terrier with limited success. Fast-forward here. Mr. King once again teaches me that while you can physically destroy a human being, it is very difficult to confiscate his soul. Now I doubt Mr. King has little time to surf the website for reviews from his readers, but I am taking this opportunity to thank him for being my finest American historian teacher for the last thirty years while providing me with an imaginitive story at the same time. He is able to do both. On another personal note, being a retired secretary, I have often wondered how his assistants are able to tackle his mail volume. They must be highly sophisticated individuals, who receive letters from vampires, ghouls, werewolves, etc. Sending Mr. King, congratulations and warmest appreciation for the beneficial impact he has had on my life. I never take an act of kindness for granted.



2. Clayton Blaisdell is "...soft in the head..." due to being thrown down the stairs three times by his father, and although they were partners in crime, Blaze has had George to look after him in many ways....just as the George in 'Of Mice And Men' looked out for Lennie. Therefore anyone who has read 'Of Mice...' can't fail to be reminded of it when reading this book.
   BUT - the George in this story is dead and only lives in Blaze's head which Blaze realises to some extent and which worries him at times. George is the 'bad voice' on Blaze's shoulder...telling him things which might save his skin but that Blaze doesn't always want to do...and Blaze is ultimately a criminal who endears himself to you. You can't help but feel sympathy for a boy who's had the life he has. He's been abused and misunderstood and every time there's a glimmer of something better, had his hopes dashed.
   
   The chapters move back and forth from the present day where Blaze is planning to kidnap a baby for a ransom, to his growing up in care and his friendship with John Cheltzman.
   
   I found the way Blaze cared for Joe quite touching and very believable for this gentle giant who after all is just yearning for something of his own to love and love him back. Whilst I knew it couldn't happen (could it?) I really was rooting for him all the way.
   
   Not a horror story in Kings normal style...instead he gives us sociological observations on society, encased in a good story. Unlike some reviewers I liked the ending...it was moving to know that when Joe cried "It was the wrong face..." that bent over and tried to comfort him.



3. I'm surprised at how many reviewers found Blaze to be a sympathetic antihero. I've experienced that feeling before when the part is written strongly, like in the original Jackel movie, but I did not experience that here.
   
   Blaze is a book about a thug. He has some of the usual, my upraising was bad and I got whipped a few times excuses, but it becomes quite evident that Blaze is a thug and likes being a thug. He gives no real thought or regret to anyone he harms who is in his way.
   
   I expected this story to take the next step and go beyond, holding out hope that it could rise to the level of later King novels, but it didn't. I won't say what i expected for the sake of not putting spoilers in this review.
   
   King can always keep me listening, he is an excellent storyteller, but I didn't find anything the character he picked, all that interesting.
   
   I was rooting for his demise.



4. Stephen King writes best as Richard Bachman. This story was a page-turner and I read it all in one weekend.



5. I really wasnt expecting to like this book too much but I was happily mistaken. The character, Blaze, although on the wrong path, elicited my sympathy and I liked him and wished he could have been raised differently. All in all it was a good book.