- Hardcover
- Publisher: BCA (1990)
- Language: English
- ASIN: B0017RPECE
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Gerald's Game
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By RachelWalker
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Among Stephen King's large body of work, there are admittedly a few duds, but in far greater number are the really super pieces of work, the great books that will stand the test of time and, eventually, he will be deservedly remembered for. There are at least 5 which could vie for the "his best book" accolade, and Gerald's Game is one of them. It is, in a word, superb.
It is one of King's most eccentric books, in terms of the rest of his work. There is no horror here at all, at least not of the ghouly kind. Instead, we sink down into the mind of one character, trapped in a cabin for four hundred pages, and see the internal horrors that lie within it. It is a psychological novel more than anything, which would most probably appeal to fans of authors like Ruth Rendell or Ian McEwan - fans of writers whose normal subject is the human mind, its messinesses and ways of preservation, its internal conflicts and idiosyncrasies. Gerald's Game is a excellent book because King is able to keep us in the company of one single character, alone in a room, tied to a bed, for almost the entire book, and never do we experience a moment of boredom. It would be difficult to overstate the level of achievement this illustrates.
Obviously, not everyone's going to like it. There are people who will find this book boring, and will want more action, more obvious thrills and excitements. If you like subtlety, though, more focused and mental thrills which spring from a more psychological well, this book is for you. It's a marvellous exercise in form and structure, and an absolutely gripping psychological novel. I think King's best work is normally produced when he moves away from overt horror, and this is an example of that. It's a sharp, deeply engaging and gripping book that is no less terrifying than if there were vampires or ghosts involved. Read it. It's not only unique among King's work, but in almost everything else I've read as well.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Jessie Burlingame has become ever more tired of her husband Gerald's kinky sex games, but when he suddenly dies during a session, leaving her handcuffed to a bed in a remote house, the game becomes deadly. And now Jessie finds herself caught like a spider in a web, unable to move, afraid of the monster that may lie right outside the house (or inside for that matter!). However, listening to the voices in her own head, she begins to find that not all of the monsters are "out there," some are right inside her own mind!
This is an intense book, a book about horror, but not knife-wielding killers. Instead this is a deep and intense look at the horrors that people inflict on others and on themselves. I found this to be a challenging book - hard to keep reading, but impossible to put down. It's not a happy book, but it is a fascinating and horrifying read, one that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By M. Bowes
Format:Paperback
Jessie and Gerald, a couple with a few marital problems, decide to spend a night at their secluded house on the lake hoping to make amends. Things go wrong during one of Gerald's sex games. Jessie is now handcuffed to the bed, alone with her thoughts, and darkness is coming.
I am a big fan of the majority of Stephen King's books and this one is no different, however it is for a different reason as to why I like it. Whereas my other favourite King books (The Shining, IT) give you a scare with a big brash in your face horror fest, this book frightens you just as much if not more with what he has not written. He plants a seed with his words daring your mind to imagine what is going to happen to this poor woman. His descriptions (a door banging, a dog barking, the shimmering reflection of the lake on the bedroom ceiling etc.) made me feel like I was the one living this terror, and even now a few weeks after reading the book I can vividly recall the scene painted by Mr King.
Gerald's Game is a must read for fans of horror books, not only for a good, lasting scare but also to see how flexible this genre can be.
I am a big fan of the majority of Stephen King's books and this one is no different, however it is for a different reason as to why I like it. Whereas my other favourite King books (The Shining, IT) give you a scare with a big brash in your face horror fest, this book frightens you just as much if not more with what he has not written. He plants a seed with his words daring your mind to imagine what is going to happen to this poor woman. His descriptions (a door banging, a dog barking, the shimmering reflection of the lake on the bedroom ceiling etc.) made me feel like I was the one living this terror, and even now a few weeks after reading the book I can vividly recall the scene painted by Mr King.
Gerald's Game is a must read for fans of horror books, not only for a good, lasting scare but also to see how flexible this genre can be.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 299 reviews
3.5 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Could not put it down
Amazing reading, this is one in which Stephen king excelled. I could not put it down, his technique of making u feel part of the character is so good that when Jessie was... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Elaine Miller
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not his best!
Started this book on a long ferry journey and ended up resorting to my iPad to pass the time. I'm sure it's good once you get into it, but it doesn't grip you like most of Stephen... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Liam Tunney
5.0 out of 5 stars
The First Stephen King Book I Read!
Classic King novel, first read Gerald's Game in 1995 and have been a Constant Reader of his books ever since. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Gillian Forsyth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creepy!
One of Stephen Kings finest... This book creeps me out from start to finish. Not creepy in the traditional sense but truely horrifying
Published 5 months ago by Miss E L Webster
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Having read this book back in the 1980s, I wanted to purchase a book that essentially got me into the Stphen King genre, as my 1st Kindle experience. Read more
Published 6 months ago by John Robertson
4.0 out of 5 stars
GERALDS GAME
First read this book 5 years ago,gave it to a friend at work to read and never got it back,decided to buy it again simply because i enjoyed it so much and have just read it... Read more
Published 8 months ago by BENNY BOY
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth a read
A clever little book set from a bed in the middle no where. It kept me intrigued, anticipating what was next and questioning what was real and what was the main characters... Read more
Published 9 months ago by c
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping
I have just finished reading this and I loved it. It reminded me very much of Misery in the sense that the suspense builds right up until the end of the book and the last few... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Aaron Mortimer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another gem.
I loved this book. Unlike some of his other books , this one doesn't rely on fantastic leaps of the imagination to provide the thrills. Read more
Published 12 months ago by M. Ward
5.0 out of 5 stars
The kind of scary that creeps up on you and lingers...
I am what King may describe as a 'Constant Reader' of his work, and I have to say I would put 'Gerald's Game' as one of his best or one of my favourites. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Natalie
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
