"Some things were better lost than found" -- Reflections on "The Dead Zone"

(Warning: Some spoilers for the book follow.)

Currently, I’m reading The Dead Zone.  This is a first read for me; somehow I never read it, despite owning a paperback when I was younger.  That copy is long gone, so I had to reacquire it.  (As the image above suggests, I opted for a decently-priced paperback, but I am sure I'll eventually track down a hardback.) 

I have about a third of the book to go, but already I suspect this will end up being among my all-time favorite King books.  Johnny Smith feels more real—and more affected by his circumstances—than a lot of King’s characters.  And somehow, King managed to solicit my emotional investment in him in very short order.  By the time he suffers his car accident, a mere two chapters in, I was already establishing some hopes and worries for Johnny.  Added to that is how quickly and tenderly King begins to build a connection between Johnny and Sarah.  King was drawing me in, getting me to root for them, and then, man, the last sentence of section one of chapter two—that hit me like a gut punch.  Again, surprising to think that I’d already become so invested in their budding romance.

This book is tinged with supernatural-ish elements, given Johnny's psychic abilities and experiences.  But at its core, this is a deeply human story, very realistic in tone and emotion.  It is grounded in the reality of pain and yearning and loss.

Johnny has an ability that might be seen as a gift -- certainly it brings him a level of fame, and it can be harnessed to help others -- but King approaches it as a kind of curse.  The story is consistently interested in what it costs Johnny, how it alienates him from others, how he is looked at either with doubt, disgust, or superficial fascination because of what he is able to do.  This is a tragic story.

In many instances, King's stories veer into very supernatural territory.  I don't regard this as a negative thing, as I think King weaves those kinds of elements into his stories about as well as anyone.  But I do mention it to stress that, if King's tendency to venture into those realms puts you off, you might still consider reading The Dead Zone.  In terms of its characters, relationships, and dialogue, the novel is fairly naturalistic--and about as affecting as anything I've read by King.  The book contains many individual scenes which are exceptionally vivid, and depicted with a definite sense of immediacy and power.  And the character arcs are convincing too.  There is real depth here.

I was especially moved by the way King writes Johnny's parents' relationship.  There is a felt sense of history to it; of how Vera's increasingly religious obsessions have changed Herb's view of her over time.  And King effectively conveys the essential conflict Herb faces in struggling to address his concerns and frustrations over the odd behavior of a woman he has never stopped loving, however big and strange the rift between them has become.  Throughout his work, King's insights with regard to marriage are very often excellent, and add intriguing texture to his stories.  The older I get (and the more I have come to understand the nature of long-term relationships), the more I appreciate his ability to write about that.

King is no less effective at writing about Johnny and Sarah's relationship, especially the notion of "unfinished business" that resurfaces down the line.  Upon waking from his coma, Johnny finds that "lost time" has robbed him of some very meaningful things, and King explores the emotional implications of that with striking results.

One additional note about religion: the subject is referenced often in this book, and it strikes me that touches of King's personal attitude toward religion may be reflected in places.  I have no real comment about that, except to say that I wonder if the notes of cynicism, disbelief, and anger do indeed reflect something of King's mindset about such matters at the time.  I've had a similar wondering when reading some of his other books too.  That might make for an interesting essay some day.  Whatever the case, it's an element which adds another layer of sharpness, weight, and resonance to a terrific novel.  This one's a gem!