Blaze: A Novel
by: Richard Bachman
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Product Description:
The last of the Richard Bachman novels, recently recovered and published for the first time. Stephen King's "dark half" may have saved the best for last.
A fellow named Richard Bachman wrote Blaze in 1973 on an Olivetti typewriter, then turned the machine over to Stephen King, who used it to write Carrie. Bachman died in 1985 ("cancer of the pseudonym"), but in late 2006 King found the original typescript of Blaze among his papers at the University of Maine's Fogler Library ("How did this get here?!"), and decided that with a little revision it ought to be published.
Blaze is the story of Clayton Blaisdell, Jr. -- of the crimes committed against him and the crimes he commits, including his last, the kidnapping of a baby heir worth millions. Blaze has been a slow thinker since childhood, when his father threw him down the stairs -- and then threw him down again. After escaping an abusive institution for boys when he was a teenager, Blaze hooks up with George, a seasoned criminal who thinks he has all the answers. But then George is killed, and Blaze, though haunted by his partner, is on his own.
He becomes one of the most sympathetic criminals in all of literature. This is a crime story of surprising strength and sadness, with a suspenseful current sustained by the classic workings of fate and character -- as taut and riveting as Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.
The last of the Richard Bachman novels, recently recovered and published for the first time. Stephen King's "dark half" may have saved the best for last.
A fellow named Richard Bachman wrote Blaze in 1973 on an Olivetti typewriter, then turned the machine over to Stephen King, who used it to write Carrie. Bachman died in 1985 ("cancer of the pseudonym"), but in late 2006 King found the original typescript of Blaze among his papers at the University of Maine's Fogler Library ("How did this get here?!"), and decided that with a little revision it ought to be published.
Blaze is the story of Clayton Blaisdell, Jr. -- of the crimes committed against him and the crimes he commits, including his last, the kidnapping of a baby heir worth millions. Blaze has been a slow thinker since childhood, when his father threw him down the stairs -- and then threw him down again. After escaping an abusive institution for boys when he was a teenager, Blaze hooks up with George, a seasoned criminal who thinks he has all the answers. But then George is killed, and Blaze, though haunted by his partner, is on his own.
He becomes one of the most sympathetic criminals in all of literature. This is a crime story of surprising strength and sadness, with a suspenseful current sustained by the classic workings of fate and character -- as taut and riveting as Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Richard Bachman lives again!
This was an enjoyable read from the first page.It was intriguing to see King developing his early style.I'm not sure how much he edited before he published this attic-box novel, but it reminded me a lot of some of the stories from Night Shift and his early novellas (Rage, Roadwork).
The story follows a slow witted character, Blaze, who successfully performs a kidnapping with the help of his dead companion who acts as a conscience or voice of reason the entire time.It's very reminiscent ... Read More
Rating: 
- "Trunk Novel" a delight, regardless
An early effort of Stephen King's pseudonym Richard Bachman, "Blaze" is a terse, hard-bitten novel reading like "Of Mice and Men" crossed with "Catcher in the Rye", dashed with liberal sprinkles of pulp/noir.Different from his usual fare, "Blaze" is a perfect example of King's story-telling range.
Ever since Clay Blaisdell's drunken father repeatedly threw him downstairs for eating Apple Jacks in the living room, he's been eternally falling.A once bright boy now soft in the head, Clay is three ... Read More
Rating: - Vintage Bachman
I'll keep this short and sweet.
I didn't realise how much I'd missed Richard Bachman, but I'm so glad Stephen King dug up this brilliant manuscript, blew off the cobwebs and shared his story from the grave.
For me, it has all the elements which has made me an avid reader of his novels since I was a kid. Only he can make you feel sorry for the poor sap that is Blaze, and make you root for the 'bad guy'.
Buy it, read it and enjoy it; it's great!
Rating: - Of Mice and Men meets Crime Noir
I am currently in my second read-through of Blaze, and it still strikes me that it takes a great novelist to get you to sympathize with a criminal. Blaze is both deplorable as well as instantly likeable in a sympathetic-leaning-towards-pity sort of way. You will end up wanting things to go well for him, down to the end. When he smiles, especially in the flashbacks, you end up smiling along.
I have nothing but praise for this book. It might be that it has been a good half-year since I last read it, ... Read More
Rating: 
- It Just Doesn't Work
I'm a big King fan since nearly day one.Part of it is because I've always thought we had alot in common.Same gender.He's a year older. Same college majors in New England universities-him Maine, me Vermont.But Blaze does little for me.
Oh, there are certainly many instances here of King's superb writing style. The style that has made him easily the best suspense writer around today.The problem is in the characterization.The plot is alright.Big goof, tough upbringing, nobody to help him through ... Read More
- Richard Bachman lives again!This was an enjoyable read from the first page.It was intriguing to see King developing his early style.I'm not sure how much he edited before he published this attic-box novel, but it reminded me a lot of some of the stories from Night Shift and his early novellas (Rage, Roadwork).
The story follows a slow witted character, Blaze, who successfully performs a kidnapping with the help of his dead companion who acts as a conscience or voice of reason the entire time.It's very reminiscent ... Read More
- "Trunk Novel" a delight, regardlessAn early effort of Stephen King's pseudonym Richard Bachman, "Blaze" is a terse, hard-bitten novel reading like "Of Mice and Men" crossed with "Catcher in the Rye", dashed with liberal sprinkles of pulp/noir.Different from his usual fare, "Blaze" is a perfect example of King's story-telling range.
Ever since Clay Blaisdell's drunken father repeatedly threw him downstairs for eating Apple Jacks in the living room, he's been eternally falling.A once bright boy now soft in the head, Clay is three ... Read More
- Vintage BachmanI'll keep this short and sweet.
I didn't realise how much I'd missed Richard Bachman, but I'm so glad Stephen King dug up this brilliant manuscript, blew off the cobwebs and shared his story from the grave.
For me, it has all the elements which has made me an avid reader of his novels since I was a kid. Only he can make you feel sorry for the poor sap that is Blaze, and make you root for the 'bad guy'.
Buy it, read it and enjoy it; it's great!
- Of Mice and Men meets Crime NoirI am currently in my second read-through of Blaze, and it still strikes me that it takes a great novelist to get you to sympathize with a criminal. Blaze is both deplorable as well as instantly likeable in a sympathetic-leaning-towards-pity sort of way. You will end up wanting things to go well for him, down to the end. When he smiles, especially in the flashbacks, you end up smiling along.
I have nothing but praise for this book. It might be that it has been a good half-year since I last read it, ... Read More
- It Just Doesn't WorkI'm a big King fan since nearly day one.Part of it is because I've always thought we had alot in common.Same gender.He's a year older. Same college majors in New England universities-him Maine, me Vermont.But Blaze does little for me.
Oh, there are certainly many instances here of King's superb writing style. The style that has made him easily the best suspense writer around today.The problem is in the characterization.The plot is alright.Big goof, tough upbringing, nobody to help him through ... Read More
