- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Old Ralph Roberts hasn't been sleeping well lately. Every night he wakes just a little bit earlier, and pretty soon, he thinks, he won't get any sleep at all. It wouldn't be so bad, except for the strange hallucinations he's been having. Or, at least, he hopes they are hallucinations--because here in Derry, one never can tell. Part of the "Books That Take You Anywhere You Want To Go" Summer Reading Promotion.
Dubbed the Master of the Macabre for his domination of the horror genre, King has also written bestselling thrillers, mysteries, fantasies, novellas, and short stories, many of which have been turned into blockbuster films and miniseries (A partial list includes Carrie, The Shining, The Stand,, Misery, It, The Shawshank Redemption, The Langoliers, Stand by Me, and The Green Mile). He also has two works of nonfiction to his credit: a gorgeously crafted memoir/scribbler's how-to (On Writing) and Faithful, a chronicle of the Boston Red Sox' stellar 2004 season, cowritten with Stewart O'Nan. In 2003, he received the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
In between books, the indefatigable King performs in the Rock Bottom Remainders, a rock band that includes among its rotating personnel fellow authors Dave Barry and Amy Tan; attends as many Boston Red Sox games as is humanly possible; and contributes with his wife, Tabitha, to many local and national charities.
King is probably one of the most easily recognizable authors alive, and it's not just because of his string of bestsellers. King has appeared in a number of films based on his work, including Pet Semetary, Thinner, and The Stand.
If you've ever wondered why Stephen King has written several books under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, there is actually a very simple explanation: King is so prolific that he felt it necessary to create an alter-ego so that he could publish more than one book a year. The name was a hastily hobbled together combination of writer Richard Stark (ironically, a pseudonym for Donald Westlake) and Randy Bachman of rock group Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
QUEENNOBLE
Posted August 27, 2011
STEPHEN JUST KEEPS THE HITS COMING- AGAIN HE HAS DUG INTO HIS WEIRD BRAIN AND COME UP WITH ANOTHER "CAN'T PUT IT DOWN" STORY. GREAT - GREAT - KEEP IT UP - I'LL KEEP READING. ANNIE
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KevinDee
Posted June 2, 2011
I would rate this novel 3.5 stars. Going by the title and description I was thinking this book was going to be more of a psychological thriller than the strange scifi category I would put it in. It started off great and the character development is outstanding (like all of King's novels) but there were points in this story where the plot just got flat out ridiculous. I mean fighting a dwarf underground with an elderly woman's pair of panties in order to get a magical ring? cmon... it seemed like King ran out of ideas towards the end of this one. Putting the strange parts aside, the rest of this was a great read. But It is not one I will be reading again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book like most of Kings books is better understood if you read ALL of his work. Insomnia is loosley linked to the Dark Tower series which I have not read but was lucky enough to know someone who did. You dont have to read this series to understand this book but from what I have heard it helps. Its still a wonderful story if you can follow it. I have actually read it twice now and enjoyed it equally well both times.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 5, 2011
Don't let the bad reviews fool you this is a great book. it was tedious for the first few chapters but after the beginning is over it starts to get really really good.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 19, 2006
What starts off as a creepy, intriguing story, quickly snowballs out of proportion and into a total mess. A convoluted mythology that makes little sense and a very questionable philosophical underpinning are the biggest failures, followed by the sheer amount of words King wastes on such a primitive story. He is at his best when at his most minimal and when the dangers stem from within (The Shining), not from something this abstract and baseless.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 10, 2012
Like all of Stephen Kings books this is another great one
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.DavesMuse
Posted February 6, 2012
I am not really a fan of Stephen King; I tried to get through several of his other books but could not.
SK is a magnificent, well-crafted writer, and I will have to reconsider reading his books after reading “Insomnia”.
It is great.
Anyone who writes as I do, would also like to read his short book On Writing ...
“Insomnia” was well worth the time spent in his world.
Anonymous
Posted February 5, 2012
This book may be one of stephen kings best. Me being 16 years old, i started reading king's books about a year ago and i figured that i would read one of his bigger books. When seeing that the book was 600 pages, i thought i would be reading it for a month. I was way wrong about that. Yea, the story does start out slow but after the first 100 pages you cant put the book down. Its one of the best books i ever read! I got the book done in a week where every day it kept me up at night thinking about what will happen next! This book will forever make you think twice about life and death, and old people too haha. This is a great read that i would recommend
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Jennifer24
Posted January 19, 2012
Extremely original story. Loved it!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.apename
Posted January 9, 2012
This is one of King's more inventive projects. In this novel, the main characters' perceptions are elevated by sleep deprivation, revealing a world just beyond normal human senses, in which the personifications of order are opposed by the agents of chaos. It ties well into the whole Tower mythology that perhaps began with The Stand and was central in the disappointing Gunslinger series (with apologies to the first three books, which were terrific).
King's formula of pitting ordinary people against extraordinary events works as well in this novel as ever.
If you are like me, you read King for the brisk development of the plot, the simple characters (they are), the foreshadowing, and the need to read just a little bit more late at night, even if just to confirm what you already know is going to happen. King is just simply a great master of telling a story. Most of the time. In this case, that holds true.
9527998
Posted August 26, 2011
.
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 21, 2011
Amazing writing. Love the fact that it refrences IT and Pet Semetary sometimes :D
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.10069063
Posted April 30, 2011
this book is great if u make it ,it depends on the person to judge.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.10684658
Posted February 23, 2011
All of the works by Stephen King are wonderful and worth every penny I have spent.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.6055476
Posted January 13, 2011
I'll admit I almost gave up on this book a few times. It was a little long and hard to follow at points, but overall it was a good and heartfelt read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I was a little apprehensive to read this brick of a book...but I am glad I did. By the time the end came, I didn't want it to be over. This is my second Stephen King novel and my favorite! - my first was Cell (also very good) -
Insomnia started off a little slow. I wasn't sure where it was going. But once it picked up (about page 200), it was a great ride. Looking back, I don't think it should have been written any other way. I like the detailed background at the beginning. It sets everything up nicely - and you find yourself immersed in this world of sleeplessness!
Also, I read in other reviews that King references a lot of his other characters from other books. I learned that this is true. his references inspired me to make a few more purchases (the Dark Tower series).
I love Stephen King, but I did not love this book. I thought it was pretty draggy and pointless. The story feels like something is missing. It is very anti-climactic. The ending goes on...and on...and on...
Note- The e-book has an insane amount of typos.
There is a reason Stephen King is a legend. Even though this book was written over a decade ago it is still up to date. The romance mixed with a crazy plot is a great read. Do not read in the Dark. I'm not use to reading books were the heroin is an elderly man, but believe me Ralph is not like any grandfather i've ever known. He fights, he loves, he sacrafices, he out wits. Warning the ending is bittersweet. This book is definitly meant for a mature audience; there are graphic murder scenes. A good book to read on a rainy day.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Jicky-Jack
Posted April 10, 2010
I enjoyed this book. I was one of many people who read Book 7 of the Dark Tower series and yelled, "What the #$%*&! was that all about?" Books like Insomnia provide little snippets of the missing pieces in which we may "feel" that we are missing from the Dark Tower.
If you're like me, and love the Dark Tower, but are frustrated with what you don't know...the book is great to help fill in some of the cracks. Obviously...and this is no secret...there are many Stephen King books that help clear the midst that surrounds the Dark Tower. If you're a frustrated fan of the Tower series pick this book up (and the Taliman). You won't be disappointed.
This book makes reference to The Dark Tower series. One of my favorites of King's! I love it some much, that I've read it twice!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
Ralph Roberts hasn't been sleeping well lately. Every morning he wakes just a little bit earlier until pretty soon, he isn't sleeping at all. It wouldn't be so bad if not for the strange hallucinations--and the nightmares that keep coming to life.Old Ralph Roberts hasn't been sleeping well lately. Every night he wakes just a little bit earlier, and pretty soon, he thinks, he won't get any sleep at all. It wouldn't be so bad, except for the strange hallucinations he's been having. Or, at least, he hopes they are hallucinations--because here in Derry, one never can tell. Part of the "Books That Take You Anywhere You Want To Go" Summer Reading Promotion.
...