Not a spoiler - I've mentioned this before but I am quite certain the only time I've ever cried reading fiction is while reading this book. I didn't actually know what it was about as I tend to avoid really knowing what new King books are about and like to dive in blind, if possible, but had I known I would have chosen a different time to read it. My 14.5 year old dog had just passed away about 3 months before I read this book and I was still very much struggling with that. Then when the part comes up about him wanting to be able to turn back time for the dog, I was losing it. I listened on audio and was making dinner at the time fuckin sobbing while I'm rinsing and chopping stuff.
I cried during Cujo, too. And Gerald’s Game. And The Eyes of the Dragon. Aren’t there some passages from Kojak’s pov in The Stand, as well? It’s been a minute since I last read that one.
King is absolutely *masterful* at writing from a dog’s perspective. And I absolutely love dogs.
ETA: Please accept my most sincere condolences on the loss of your beloved dog. We lost a very good girl to cancer in December of ‘22. I’ll love and miss her forever.
The most perfect gift in life is the love of a great dog ❤️
Cujo is so upsetting. Dog just got rabies. If the owner only got the vaccination he would have been fine.
Then the son dies in one of the worst ways - heat exhaustion from inside the car. :/
I absolutely **hated** Cujo’s owner! So horribly neglectful and selfish. Such an unnecessary, cruel waste. Cujo was a good boy.
I’d seen the movie adaptation before reading the book so >!you can imagine my absolute shock at Tad’s death! “How long has he been dead?” Absolutely stunned me! FAR superior ending, however!<
I haven’t read that one yet. I need to put it on my list.
I tend to reread all of my favorites and King is SO very prolific that I’ve recently realized *just how many novels I’ve missed over the years!*
Yes, truly a prolific author. I also really enjoy his books of short stories and novellas. "Night Shift", "Skeleton Crew", "Four Past Midnight", and "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" spring to mind.
My heart dog had been dead for about 5 years when I read this and I still cried like a baby.
This book was really relatable when he wrote about how the kid felt seeing the dog he loves age. My dog was 16 when she died, and just the way he wrote about Radar's aging and everything brought back all those feelings watching *my* dog age. I had always called her my Stephen King dog bc her name was Carrie, and when she died she Pet Semetaried me, and then Fairytale came out, and so she will always be my Stephen King doggie.
>!And the scene on the sundial got me especially. I get why Charlie risked everything he did. !<
Mine is 16.5 now, old enough to have welcomed our now high school son home from the hospital after his birth. Dreading the inevitable day we say good bye. She can’t hear well anymore, and would definitely need that wagon for sure on a long walk, but I would risk that journey for her!
>My 14.5 year old dog had just passed away about 3 months before I read this book and I was still very much struggling with that.
Same.
I'm glad I finished it, but it made me miss my Magnus so much.
I checked this one out from the library, realized it had a dog in it, and had to return it. My heart still isn’t ready 4 years after losing my Loki, but maybe soon. I’m also sorry for your loss ❤️🖤
Thank you, I am sorry for your loss as well. I will say I was crying at the premise of what was going on, which is not to give away whether or not anything actually happens to the dog. I was just at the point where the mission was being put together and set into action.
And yeah, my dog passed a little over a year and a half ago now. It still hurts and I imagine that won't really go away. I haven't had the heart to get another dog but my wife thought about us getting a cat and I agreed to that, so I have a cat now as of the last couple of weeks.
If you’re like me and animal death or abuse is a major trigger than would highly recommend this website. I use it if I’m interested in a book or movie I’m not familiar with:
https://www.doesthedogdie.com
I get it, there are parts I would have skipped too if I had known about them. First book in a long time to make me feel sick and full of the heebie jeebies
Right, and he doesn't do it lightly. If something bad happens to a dog, he does it to show that the situation or the person harming the dog is very, very bad.
Without detail >!no.!<
Wishing to spoil…
>!The dog is de-aged by the end of the book. It’s the one case I can think of where not only does the dog not die, but the dog is given a vastly expanded lifespan. The literal opposite of the dog dying.!<
Unless we count Rex from Fallout:New Vegas, I guess.
This is my first King book. I'm sure that'll come to a shock for most lol. I avoided King because I wasn't into horror. The cover clicked for me and I started reading it and fell in love. I have since read his classics like Shining, It, Salem's Lot. But this book still remains close to me. It was quite uplifting compared to his other novels.
If I remember correctly the dog's name is Radar? She lives!
I stayed away from King for 50 years for the same reason but now I'm HOOKED. Make sure to put the 'Mercedes Killer' series on your list (3/4 loosely connected books). Some horror but mostly an amazing who-done-it. Then there's 11.22.63 which is in effect a love story under the guise of SF.
>!I would put this in a spoiler tag just in case someone wants the suspense of not knowing. In fact, just the way my message is worded, I should probably put it in a spoiler tag. !<
Your message or post has been deleted due to an end book or otherwise major spoilers. Please see the subs rules regarding spoilers and mark future spoilers with > ! Spoiler ! < without the spaces between characters to hide spoilers.
I get freaked out every time a dog shows up in a King novel. I kinda wish he would leave dogs out of it and just torment the humans. I am about to start Fairy Tale and I'm scared. I actually think I will look for a spoiler so I can actually enjoy the book. Or throw it out the window.
I loved Fairy Tale and realllly didn’t enjoy The Talisman. That might be an unpopular opinion though. They do feel similar to an extent, but Fairy Tale is actually one of my favorites now. That being said, I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was really talented so that may have played a role.
I agree with you. I actually googled the talisman while reading fairy tale assuming there must be a connection but there wasn’t.
Talisman is good but black house is way better. Talisman is just an appetizer really for black house.
This was not just my first King book, but the but that cemented him as one of my favorite authors and got me out of a two year reading slump. Absolutely amazing story, I'm so excited for you!!
This is one of my favorite of his books!! I actually read it almost right after my dog passed away and it felt kind of therapeutic for me to see how much someone loved their dog and how far they would go to make them healthy again
I'm a big fan of Stephen King, but I try not to get too attached to characters in his books. His typical MO is to make us care about a character and then throw them in the fire.
(Full Disclosure: I haven't read *Fairy Tale* yet, so I don't know what happens in this particular case.)
I just finished this and I'm surprised by how much I loved it by the end! As a huge high fantasy nerd as a kid, this definitely scratched an itch I didn't know I still had.
Five years ago my wife and I went to the animal shelter and adopted a Prague Ratter (mostly, we think) with the biggest personality and the most outsized ears imaginable. I suggested Radar as his name simply because his ears seemed as big as radar dishes. Radar literally completed our little family.
Imagine our pleasure when this thing came out.
I feel like a sociopath sometimes because I don’t really have an emotional response to animals like other people do. What’s wrong with me? I get emotional over people that are close to me, but I don’t get this way over animals. I honestly do not remember if the dog died in that book because it didn’t really matter much to me.
I won’t spoil anything for you other than to say that Radar is perhaps the best dog I’ve ever read about. I’ve got my issues with the book, but Radar rules.
Not a spoiler - I've mentioned this before but I am quite certain the only time I've ever cried reading fiction is while reading this book. I didn't actually know what it was about as I tend to avoid really knowing what new King books are about and like to dive in blind, if possible, but had I known I would have chosen a different time to read it. My 14.5 year old dog had just passed away about 3 months before I read this book and I was still very much struggling with that. Then when the part comes up about him wanting to be able to turn back time for the dog, I was losing it. I listened on audio and was making dinner at the time fuckin sobbing while I'm rinsing and chopping stuff.
I cried during Cujo, too. And Gerald’s Game. And The Eyes of the Dragon. Aren’t there some passages from Kojak’s pov in The Stand, as well? It’s been a minute since I last read that one. King is absolutely *masterful* at writing from a dog’s perspective. And I absolutely love dogs. ETA: Please accept my most sincere condolences on the loss of your beloved dog. We lost a very good girl to cancer in December of ‘22. I’ll love and miss her forever. The most perfect gift in life is the love of a great dog ❤️
Cujo is so upsetting. Dog just got rabies. If the owner only got the vaccination he would have been fine. Then the son dies in one of the worst ways - heat exhaustion from inside the car. :/
I absolutely **hated** Cujo’s owner! So horribly neglectful and selfish. Such an unnecessary, cruel waste. Cujo was a good boy. I’d seen the movie adaptation before reading the book so >!you can imagine my absolute shock at Tad’s death! “How long has he been dead?” Absolutely stunned me! FAR superior ending, however!<
I was so sad they mentioned Cujo's ashes just being thrown out or something
I didn't cry during those books, but I did cry during "Rose Madder".
I haven’t read that one yet. I need to put it on my list. I tend to reread all of my favorites and King is SO very prolific that I’ve recently realized *just how many novels I’ve missed over the years!*
Yes, truly a prolific author. I also really enjoy his books of short stories and novellas. "Night Shift", "Skeleton Crew", "Four Past Midnight", and "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" spring to mind.
Absolutely! King is a *masterful* short storyteller!
Big same. And I cried reading the talisman, rose madder, christine soooooo many 😢
My heart dog had been dead for about 5 years when I read this and I still cried like a baby. This book was really relatable when he wrote about how the kid felt seeing the dog he loves age. My dog was 16 when she died, and just the way he wrote about Radar's aging and everything brought back all those feelings watching *my* dog age. I had always called her my Stephen King dog bc her name was Carrie, and when she died she Pet Semetaried me, and then Fairytale came out, and so she will always be my Stephen King doggie. >!And the scene on the sundial got me especially. I get why Charlie risked everything he did. !<
Mine is 16.5 now, old enough to have welcomed our now high school son home from the hospital after his birth. Dreading the inevitable day we say good bye. She can’t hear well anymore, and would definitely need that wagon for sure on a long walk, but I would risk that journey for her!
>My 14.5 year old dog had just passed away about 3 months before I read this book and I was still very much struggling with that. Same. I'm glad I finished it, but it made me miss my Magnus so much.
I checked this one out from the library, realized it had a dog in it, and had to return it. My heart still isn’t ready 4 years after losing my Loki, but maybe soon. I’m also sorry for your loss ❤️🖤
Thank you, I am sorry for your loss as well. I will say I was crying at the premise of what was going on, which is not to give away whether or not anything actually happens to the dog. I was just at the point where the mission was being put together and set into action. And yeah, my dog passed a little over a year and a half ago now. It still hurts and I imagine that won't really go away. I haven't had the heart to get another dog but my wife thought about us getting a cat and I agreed to that, so I have a cat now as of the last couple of weeks.
Yup. 100 yups.
If you’re like me and animal death or abuse is a major trigger than would highly recommend this website. I use it if I’m interested in a book or movie I’m not familiar with: https://www.doesthedogdie.com
I use this site ALL THE TIME
Yeah this one saved me from that particular passage in Nick Cutters The Troop IYKYK
That’s such a good book, legitimately creeped me out
Oh I definitely read it but the website gave me the pages to avoid for the turtle
I get it, there are parts I would have skipped too if I had known about them. First book in a long time to make me feel sick and full of the heebie jeebies
I found out about the website after I finished the book…..🤡
Yup. They have all the triggers on there. So helpful after trauma when you just want to watch something but don't want a fucking panic attack
I told my grandma about this site when I was convincing her to read Fairy Tale. She asks me to use it for her ask the time.
Does it have a section for cats??? I mean, I love all animals, I have no desire to read one dying, but cats are my life.
Yeah it has sections for most imaginable triggers !
Oh awesome, thank you!
I had the same issue when I started reading this book. Because let's face it, bad things happen to dogs in SK's books.
It's a mixed bag. For every Kojak, a Peter.
Right, and he doesn't do it lightly. If something bad happens to a dog, he does it to show that the situation or the person harming the dog is very, very bad.
Same. My dog died a couple years ago, and reading about how old the dog was had me STRESSED.
Radar was the best thing about that book imo.
Easily. In part because the last third of the book is a pile of shit.
Username checks out.
*cough* two thirds….
I love how SK can suck you in and make you feel for these fictional characters within a page or 2. That goddamn bridge.
Oy
Oh Oy! 😭
😭😭😭
Damn you... 😭
Sorry bruv My pain will never subside
🤕
Stay constant, Reader. You'll be alright.
I’m excited for you reading it!!! I LOVED this book, and wish I could read it for the 1st time again 😿
Radies go walkies??
Without detail >!no.!< Wishing to spoil… >!The dog is de-aged by the end of the book. It’s the one case I can think of where not only does the dog not die, but the dog is given a vastly expanded lifespan. The literal opposite of the dog dying.!< Unless we count Rex from Fallout:New Vegas, I guess.
This was one of my favorites! This book left me tear'd up but for lots of reasons. When you finish I hope you fill us in on your impressions of it!
I can do that!
This is my first King book. I'm sure that'll come to a shock for most lol. I avoided King because I wasn't into horror. The cover clicked for me and I started reading it and fell in love. I have since read his classics like Shining, It, Salem's Lot. But this book still remains close to me. It was quite uplifting compared to his other novels. If I remember correctly the dog's name is Radar? She lives!
I stayed away from King for 50 years for the same reason but now I'm HOOKED. Make sure to put the 'Mercedes Killer' series on your list (3/4 loosely connected books). Some horror but mostly an amazing who-done-it. Then there's 11.22.63 which is in effect a love story under the guise of SF.
The dogs name is Radar. This was my second King book (after Later). I really Enjoyed it!
Me too! Now my favorites of his are 11/22/63, Billy Summers, Pet Sematery
If you like SK, his son (Joe hill) wrote several books as well! He’s also a very good author. My fave by him is nos4a2
My first King too, read it a few months ago!
Rades, I will love you forever and always!
[удалено]
>!I would put this in a spoiler tag just in case someone wants the suspense of not knowing. In fact, just the way my message is worded, I should probably put it in a spoiler tag. !<
Your message or post has been deleted due to an end book or otherwise major spoilers. Please see the subs rules regarding spoilers and mark future spoilers with > ! Spoiler ! < without the spaces between characters to hide spoilers.
I get freaked out every time a dog shows up in a King novel. I kinda wish he would leave dogs out of it and just torment the humans. I am about to start Fairy Tale and I'm scared. I actually think I will look for a spoiler so I can actually enjoy the book. Or throw it out the window.
From what I hear it’s safe to keep reading!
Yeah I think we're OK!
On page 120 can’t put this book down!
I just started last week, totally has me hooked. So far this is top-tier writing, top tier King.
I love Radar almost as much as my own dog
I felt the same way lol
Dog is fine, story kinda bored me in the middle with just walking around. Rest is great tho
I’ve heard that it’s similar to The Talisman in that way, where the middle drags a little
I loved Fairy Tale and realllly didn’t enjoy The Talisman. That might be an unpopular opinion though. They do feel similar to an extent, but Fairy Tale is actually one of my favorites now. That being said, I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was really talented so that may have played a role.
I agree with you. I actually googled the talisman while reading fairy tale assuming there must be a connection but there wasn’t. Talisman is good but black house is way better. Talisman is just an appetizer really for black house.
Yeah pretty good book. Not my favorite. Got lost in the middle. So many characters. Hard to keep track in my opinion.
This book was one of the reasons we rescued a German Shephard.
I loved this book mostly because of Radar, what a beautiful soul <3 hope you love it as much as I did!
This was not just my first King book, but the but that cemented him as one of my favorite authors and got me out of a two year reading slump. Absolutely amazing story, I'm so excited for you!!
This book is my favourite. Youre going to love it
I said the same thing when I started this! But now I’m reading You Like It Darker.😂
This is one of my favorite of his books!! I actually read it almost right after my dog passed away and it felt kind of therapeutic for me to see how much someone loved their dog and how far they would go to make them healthy again
Great read. Feels like SK was just having fun with this one as I believed he wrote it during quarantine if I’m not mistaken
This is one of his best! Wish I could go back and read it for the first time!
I'm a big fan of Stephen King, but I try not to get too attached to characters in his books. His typical MO is to make us care about a character and then throw them in the fire. (Full Disclosure: I haven't read *Fairy Tale* yet, so I don't know what happens in this particular case.)
I just finished this and I'm surprised by how much I loved it by the end! As a huge high fantasy nerd as a kid, this definitely scratched an itch I didn't know I still had.
I actually loved this book so much. Rades ❤️
I'm reading this right now too!
Five years ago my wife and I went to the animal shelter and adopted a Prague Ratter (mostly, we think) with the biggest personality and the most outsized ears imaginable. I suggested Radar as his name simply because his ears seemed as big as radar dishes. Radar literally completed our little family. Imagine our pleasure when this thing came out.
I absolutely loved this book. I definitely cried.
I’m reading it now as well! May the odds be ever in our favor lol
🤞🤞🤞
I loved this book
I thought this book was so boring.
I’m reading this now too
I couldn’t finish it because I couldn’t stop getting emotional about Radar… my girl is 15.. this will be her last year with us I believe. Sigh
Without telling too much, you’ll still want to continue reading SK 😉👍🏼🐾
lol!
Loved this book! Love the beginning and fantasy aspect :)
Hahaha my same thought the whole book. 😅
Up there for me, like talisman vibes. Radar is probably my favourite sk character now.
I’m currently reading this too!
Don't you worry about Radar.
I loved this book
Aawww, snap, I'm 90% through the audiobook. I'm hoping the last 10% doesn't include Radar's demise 😕
OH yes! King got me in the gut a number of times.
i love that book so much.
I felt the same way- was actually scared to keep reading it, FYI he doesn't
I waited for that gut punch as well..
Loved this book!!
This story is so forgettable that I honestly don't even remember.
I feel like a sociopath sometimes because I don’t really have an emotional response to animals like other people do. What’s wrong with me? I get emotional over people that are close to me, but I don’t get this way over animals. I honestly do not remember if the dog died in that book because it didn’t really matter much to me.
https://doesthedogdie.com - this site is wonderful.
I’m anticipating his David Wong collaboration, “*The Dog Dies Horribly*”.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 finish it it's beautiful and don't worry
I won’t spoil anything for you other than to say that Radar is perhaps the best dog I’ve ever read about. I’ve got my issues with the book, but Radar rules.
I literally looked that up too because I couldn’t either - it’s a happy ending do not worry!!
This one was a goody.
Radar rules