'Stephen King's two under-appreciated novels that left me in tears'
Stephen King has written hundreds of novels, but two of his most under-appreciated books have left one reader in tears - and they're not the ones you'd expect
Stephen King's plethora of spine-chilling novels, from The Shining to IT, and Cujo, have cemented his place in popular culture.
Yet, some of King's works remained under the radar, often overshadowed by his more famous titles or because King chose to write them under a pseudonym. His alter ego Richard Bachman was responsible for penning titles including Rage (1977), The Long Walk (1979), Roadwork (1981), The Running Man (1982), Thinner (1984), The Regulators (1995), and Blaze (2007).
There's a particular novel originally released under King's alias that ranks as one of my all-time favourite reads, a book so poignant it left me absolutely heartbroken, though now it typically appears bearing Stephen King's name.
Which books unexpectedly drew tears from me? It was Blaze and Elevation. I approached them with no inkling they'd stir such emotion, unlike The Green Mile, which I believe is bound to make any reader weep.
Blaze
The plot of Blaze, revolves around Clayton "Blaze" Blaisdell Jr, a mentally challenged petty criminal. Following the death of his partner in crime, George Rackley, Blaze is set on realising their ultimate scheme: kidnapping the child of an affluent family. Despite George being dead, Blaze perceives his voice directing him, as King unfolds the saddening backstory intertwined with the gripping narrative of the abduction and Blaze's attempts to outsmart the law.
All I can urge is please, please, please, disregard the 3.77/5 review score on Goodreads and give this a chance. If you're someone who only reads books that are four stars and above, I'm going to need you to trust me with this one, because it's worth it.
It's not my favourite Stephen King book of all time, but it pulled at my heartstrings in a way that I've never experienced before. The empathy I felt for Blaze was unparalleled.
His upbringing was tough, and as a result, he's had a difficult adulthood. You should detest him, loathe what he's done, but King's writing implores you to think a bit deeper about it.
Stop taking life at face value, and ponder more about why people behave the way they do.
Sometimes you don't have to see the world in black and white, and it is in the grey areas that we find the most empathy for our fellow humans. I really connected with that message!
Elevation
It bagged a Goodreads choice award in 2018 for being 'Readers' Favourite Horror,' which is a tad confusing, actually, as I found it more of a tale about humanity, rather than horror.
The story trails Scott Carey, a middle-aged man who is experiencing a mysterious and unexplained phenomenon: he is steadily losing weight, but his appearance does not alter. No matter how much he weighs on the scale, his body looks the same, and he can wear the same clothes.
Even more peculiarly, objects he carries or touches lose weight along with him.
The book, with its length, is more akin to a novella. Yet, it packs so much into its pages, and the ending, though unexpected, left me heartbroken.
It's bound to stir your emotions, particularly with the rapid character development within such a brief span of time.
The novel taught me never to take anything for granted. It may sound cliché, but we must live each day to its fullest.
Whether you're heading to the office or simply living your daily life, romanticise every aspect - because one day, we'll all be gone.
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