Waiting for the right opoponax to come
“Because sometimes little boys get lost in the fog,” he says, looking out into the white yard.
Stephen King and Peter Straub, Black House
Those reading this book expecting a sequel to King and Straub’s previous collaboration, The Talisman, might be surprised at how much the book is deeply tied into King’s ongoing (and soon to be completed) Dark Tower series. From all accounts, so was King; it was Straub himself who suggested that Jack Sawyer’s next adventure link the Territories in with Roland’s All-World. Though some (including Straub) might argue that the Dark Tower elements are really only a small part of the book as a whole, I do wonder how much sense this made to someone only familiar with The Talisman – or even someone who comes to the book as a whole with no prior context.
With that said, I come to it having read everything King has written up to this point, so I carry with it an understanding of all the references (noted below) and the wider implications of the Crimson King, Breakers and All-World. Knowing this, it gives the book a wider sense of scale, like Insomnia and Hearts in Atlantis before. I suppose another reader unfamiliar with the Dark Tower books would look at all the extended references to a wider world as similar to the wider references in fantasy books in general. Not knowing what happened to the Entwives, who Tom Bombadil is or lacking a direct confrontation with Sauron does not affect our enjoyment of The Lord of the Rings. I hope a reader might enjoy this book on those terms.
With that all said, I enjoyed this book, far more than I enjoyed The Talisman. My problems with The Talisman mainly involve how meandering it felt, which reflects King and Straub having to cut their initial plan for the book short. By contrast, besides about hundred pages of waffle at the start that needed a more unkind editor to take a run at it, this feels a lot more focused. At times, the present tense writing, especially in those first hundred pages, can be annoying. It feels like a script, where every action is painfully described in real time, but also gives the book urgency later on. On balance, it works out, and I am sucker for horrible murderers and nastiness in general. The Fisherman’s rampage later in the book through the nursing home was a particular delight, and invoking real serial killer Albert Fish heightens the threat he poses.
The characters are rich and interesting. Jack Sawyer returns, and though most other characters reactions are fawning adoration of the man, he doesn’t really come off as dull. He has enough reluctance and makes enough mistakes that I am forgiving of the character, who in lesser hands could come off as sanctimonious. He may always be right, but that doesn’t make things easy for him. Similarly, Henry Leydon was a great character, and though his blindness does have some plot relevance, it doesn’t feel convenient to the plot. Beezer was an unexpected dark horse, a great combination of biker who brews beer, knows his Jung and grieving his daughter. Far more interesting than Dale, who Straub and King wisely ditch except when needed for plot reasons. Wendell Green was hateful character, who I cheered every time he got bopped in the head, which was frequent.
But these are all features of the book that I think has something more important to say that The Talisman. Jack Sawyer has been lumbered with responsibility since he was 12 years old, and by the beginning of this book is done with the whole idea. At age 31, he has already retired as a police officer (or coppiceman) and wants to retire to a quiet life in French Landing. Even when Dale begs for help, Jack refuses the call. This has features of the Hero’s Journey, but I think it speaks to the wider theme of the book about responsibility, as well as the flaw that dooms Jack from the beginning.
This puts Jack into the same category of characters like Spider-Man. Jack’s refusal of the call arguably leads to the death of children. He is pulled into circumstances, because though he does not want to admit it, he has a responsibility to others around him. He withdrew to French Landing, away from LA, in an attempt to hide away. But you cannot hide away from your responsibilities.
Jack is the most obvious example, but it’s interesting to think about other characters from this perspective. Wendell Green has responsibilities as a journalist that he utterly ignores, the same as Maxwell Chipper who has responsibilities to the elderly in his care. Both take advantage of their situation, and though Wendell Green does not have a final comeuppance, both are punished for their lack of responsibility. By contrast, Beezer fully accepts his responsibility throughout the book and comes through the other end happy and healthy. His friend Doc has avoided responsibility due to guilt, but redeems himself with Mouse and the end of the book.
It all comes to a head in the final pages of the book, where Jack realises that with great power there must also come great responsibility. Upon rescuing Tyler from the clutches of Mr Munshun, when it would be so easy to walk away from his responsibility as he did before, Jack forces Tyler to break out the Breakers trapped within the Big Combination. It would have been easy for them to walk away, but Jack recognises the responsibility he has with the power at his disposal. He becomes the hero everyone has seen him as throughout the book, and gets the reward befitting the man.
Then he gets shot multiple times in the chest.
Yes, Jack did ultimately do the right thing, but it is very much the case that though the first Fisherman murder was going to happen, Jack’s refusal of the call to help Dale led to other children’s deaths. As such, though he did redeem himself, he is both punished and rewarded with a life banished to the Territories. Yes, he has someone he loves, but he is away from the world of his mother and his friends. Could he find a way back? What will happen next for Jack Sawyer?
In 2021, Straub commented that though he and King wanted to write a third book, his ill health made it unlikely that a third book would happen. His death in 2022 made it very unlikely the two could collaborate. But for those who follow King’s current writing, he has hinted that there is a possibility of a third Jack Sawyer book. Whether that will happen is unknown, but after Black House I would welcome a third visit to see what Jack Sawyer has been up to, especially since he has been confined to All-World.
Observations and Connections
Despite being set far away from King’s Maine location, there are probably more references here than most books previous. God help you if you if you haven’t read any of the Dark Tower books before. As a sequel to The Talisman, noting specific references from that book aren’t really required – just take that as read.
The main thing is the return of one of King’s über villains, the Crimson King, who was first introduced in Insomnia. The King is mentioned throughout, as well as given the name Abbalah, bringing to mind Abaddon, which would be appropriate.
There is some speculation that the Black House itself is a form of the Dark Tower, but that doesn’t really gibe with what the book says. More likely similarities are with the Agincourt Hotel from The Talisman or the storyteller’s club from The Breathing Method (Different Seasons) and The Man Who would Not Shake Hands (Skeleton Crew). The Black House serves partly as a station that links to other worlds, which also put me into a mind of the Way Station from The Gunslinger – maybe if that were active, it would serve a similar purpose? In either case, it is mentioned that previous monos included Patricia and Blaine, who appeared in The Waste Lands.
The kidnapped children are used as Breakers, a concept first introduced in Hearts in Atlantis. Ted Brautigan is mentioned as being back leading the other breakers, that he and Tyler are the two most powerful Breakers to exist and would bring down the Beams holding up the Tower. This is the most comprehensive explanation we get for the Crimson King’s motivations. Breakers have been appearing for the last 200 years, which goes someway to explain the influx of characters like Carrie, Johnny Smith and Danny Torrence over that time.
When Jack flips over to the Territories, it’s all but stated that the Territories are somehow part of All-World, the world of the Gunslinger (and confirming my speculation from The Talisman). Roland and his ka-tet are specifically referenced, albeit briefly. Speedy is described as being a Gunslinger, though he denies it. Jack, Speedy and Sophie speak in Speaking Circle, much like the one from The Gunslinger. The tented hospital Jack flips into will crop up again in another book, so I won’t go into it, but know that it will come back. Speedy’s two headed parrot speaks, much like Gorg, like the birds of All-World tend to.
Being set in the Territories, therefore All-World, there is a lot of use of High Speech, notably ka and thankee-sai, but it’s used throughout. Jack’s actions are specifically said to be ka, so far as Sophie refers to Jack being a beam. Maybe she’s being metaphorical, but it would be a fun twist that Jack Sawyer was a Beam holding the Tower up.
There is an early bird reference to Rose Red, King’s next TV miniseries out the following year.
As a sort of meta-reference, Beezer and his crew make their first approach to the Black House in Chapter 19, that all-important number of the Dark Tower series.
Finally, as a bit of fun, it’s mentioned that Maxton Chipper’s retirement home has been receiving cheques for a long time to pay for Charles Burnside’s care. I never would have thought about it had Straub and King not brought it up, but it does raise the question of who has been paying for his care. As such, it amuses me endlessly to think that the Crimson King has a finance department.
UP NEXT: King tries another shade of red – Rose Red even.
Deeper Thoughts for the Horror Inclined 