11/22/63 (Thorndike Press Large Print Core Series) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Where does the time go? After finishing this book I checked the internet to find out when I first discovered, and fell in love with, the books of Stephen King. The first one I read was Salems Lot, a paperback I bought using a gift voucher I had been given for a present. I was shocked when I realised that this would have happened over thirty five years ago. I loved Salems Lot and I loved the books that followed it - The Shining, The Stand, The Dead Zone and a stunning short story collection called Night Shift. The publication of a new Stephen King book became a red letter day and I would always ensure that I would purchase my copy the same day that it hit the shelves. Over the years though, the standard of Stephen King's books dipped a little. Whilst they were nearly always good, and some were excellent, none ever seemed quite as good as his earlier masterpieces. I assumed that I would never read a Stephen King book that would better The Shining or The Stand. But then I read 11:22:63.

11:22:63 not only marks the return of Stephen King to his brilliant best, but it is also quite possibly his finest ever novel. Everything about it is spot on. The characters are excellent, but this is only as I expected, as I have always thought that characterisation was one of King's greatest strengths. In his latest book the main character is Jake Epping/George Amberson and he is the archetypal Stephen King "ordinary Joe", a man unwittingly carried along a path on which he has to take decisive actions for the ultimate good of the human race. The story, about travelling back in time to change the future, is superb. Only King at his best could make such an implausible plotline as this seem not only plausible, but utterly believable. Occasionally Stephen King has spoilt a very good book by providing us with a weak ending; this is certainly not the case with 11:22:63 because all the strands of the plot are tied up in an extremely satisfying manner. King even gives us an absolutely sublime final page, one which left me with a massive lump in my throat. 11:22:63 is a remarkable book.

Reading 11:22:63 gave me a buzz of excitement reminiscent of the buzz I used to feel when reading a Stephen King book a long time ago. It is almost like I had located a portal that had enabled me to travel thirty five years back in time...

I've been put off reading any Stephen King recently, because he seems to only be able to write books that are h-u-g-e. This one is no exception, weighing in at over 700 pages, but the concept intrigued me, and we all know that Stephen King can always spin a good yarn. He certainly starts with a bang, with the time travel section starting from the word go; and he writes 50's and early 60's America really well (as we've seen before in various other King works); but you're always getting the idea that meddling with Time Travel isn't good for your health. The sense of dread from the fact that time-doesn't-wan't-to-be-changed builds and builds and the ending is (obviously) on the 22nd November 1963 in Dallas but you genuinely have no idea which way the story is going to end up. Recommended.

In the last few years it almost seems to have become a tradition that we get a new Stephen King book just before Christmas and the much anticipated 11/22/63 is likely to keep many engaged during the festivities this year. It was certainly a book I found hard to put down and which took priority over such mundane activities as eating and sleeping!

Yet again the author has managed to come up with a completely different scenario to entertain his readers. A time portal is opened which comes out to a time slot in 1958. Once the other side of the portal there is an opportunity to change the course of events so that history is altered, either in a small way or on an international scale. The adventure becomes a mission to prevent the assassination of JFK in 1963 - hence the title of the book. This is somewhat complicated by Jake, the time traveler's, ambition to additionally change other aspects of the past. The question is can the past be changed in a major way like this, or it the tendency for it to fall back into its original shape.

This book works on many levels. Stephen King deals with the 53 year time regression extremely well and we are transported into a world where you could be in a different universe, such have been the social and technological changes subsequently. Then there is the consideration of the Oswald controversy - was he working alone or are the conspiracy theorists right? Most of all this works as a joined up story with believable people who the reader comes to care about and wants to keep reading about.

I am a self confessed Stephen King fan and have read all of his work, but I imagine this fascinating tale will appeal to and be enjoyed by most readers. Highly Recommended!