Raeden’s Reviews, July 2009

Cell, Stephen King, Published 2006

QUICKIE – A gore fest for the emotionally-full and death-hungry which lowers the impact of memorable scenes…

Coming in to reading Cell, as a first-or-second time reader of King’s works, the masterful horror and charisma of his writing has the reader awaiting page-turning reading, sharp cliffhangers and producing nightmares. Sadly, Cell does not deliver at a particularly high reach. As this is only the second of his works that this reviewer has read, I cannot say for certain that it is below par, or even above standard, which I quite defiantly hope it is not. The quotes which cover the blurb and opening pages generally reflect high admiration for the book, although I can assure any reader, no matter how often they do use their cell phone – or mobile, for us Australians – that you will use it again.

First impressions count with all novels, and our meeting with the main character is a good one, albeit the somewhat hectic action sequences which take place in a phone-riddled Boston. These sequences involved blood, blood and even more blood. King relies on the appeal of gore to keep readers in tune, an idea that my indeed work for first-time heavy book readers, who are in for thrills and cheap scares to keep them hooked, but will not for the rest of us, who want to really care about the characters given to us (in this situation it is Clayton Riddell, a comic-book writer, which is an admirable creation and device used well to add colour to what it really a dark plot). The main character is constantly under threat, being chased, hunted by crazed lunatics who were driven insane by the Pulse, a signal carried by all mobile phones. But the reader will often find a somewhat subdued reaction to the twists which are thrown their way. However, on a more positive note, this does all change as the story builds up and we feel a greater love for Clay. The reader will actually care if he is killed, or his son, or his wife. For those thinking of choosing Cell as a read, please do so, as the level of horror one takes out from the opening pages greatly depends on one’s experience with the genre and the ideas employed. A reaction will vary, and true, my own may be one of a fewer kind.

There are great scenes which will stay with the reader after the book has been put down, an aspect which does warrant some merits for King. There are numerous deaths of characters who we are greatly exposed to, who steal away the readers affection, with our care for them increasing with the page numbers. (I will not reveal any details for those awaiting a chance to read the novel, although do expect some sad ends and horrific deaths at the hands of the phone-crazies.) For many readers this will be enough to give the book a great label and this is a far enough fact.

King delves more into a science-fiction road with Cell. He employs ideas that are very up-to-date and can be interwoven with the creepy aspect of mobile phones as a killer in the twenty-first century. His background research seems plausible enough, although some stereotypes on characters are formed. King also pulls out other draw cards – drama, suicide – which make it a memorable read. 

But, because of the poor start and high expectations that I originally had for Cell, as a reader who is greatly interested by the post-apocalyptic genre, ratings for the book could have been better. King puts a much more violent, gory view on the end of the world, compared to more subtler, simpler ideas displayed in The Road (Cormac McCarthy). It can be understood though, as King is writing for a much wider community base, for readers of all intellects, whilst The Road is regarded much higher and understood better by only a select group.