Revival by Stephen King

In all art forms the next generation always plays homage to the previous.

In his memoir Keith Richards describes how The Rolling Stones came up their name when they were put on the spot by a reporter and an album by the legendary blues guitarist, Muddy Waters, was lying on the floor; “Muddy waters to the rescue! First track on The Best of Muddy Waters is ‘Rollin’ Stone.’ The cover is on the floor.” 

And today their legacy continues with many bands such as The White Stripes, Aerosmith and AC/DC counting them as an influence.

Keith Richards explains this rock n roll cycle on interview with the magazine of the same name; “What Muddy Waters did for us is what we should do for others. It's the old thing, what you want written on your tombstone as a musician: 'He passed it on.'

In the foreword to his 2014 novel Revival Stephen King bows down and plays tribute to the gods “who helped to built this house”. 

An impressive list reads like roll off from Horror Writer’s Hall of Fame, with Mary Shelley, Lovecraft and Bram Stoker hitting the top spots. 

In fact, the overall feel of Revival is like an reunion concert of a much-loved rock n’ roll band, where all the familiar acts - the macabre and tales of other worlds (Lovecraft) and the mad scientist (Shelley) - have reformed, still rocking and shocking, to produce something that is highly entertaining.

Stephen King still takes the lead however with his trademark riff: injecting a bit of freak into small town America.

Jamie Morton, the youngest of five, grows up in a New England town, picks up the guitar at 13, plays in teenage rock and roll band and falls in love.

But Jamie is haunted by the memory of his church minister Charlie Jacobs; a passionate man who experiments with electricity in his home workshop and is one day struck by tragedy.

If you are junkie for Stephen King’s character development Revival supplies that insatiable fix. Jamie crashes in adulthood, a drifter and loner accompanied by his only friend; his guitar, and wrestles with monsters dark and strange hiding behind the other side of the door…

Revival sucks you in like a lifelong fan. After finishing the final page you will felt like you have been taken through a horror memory lane. Both reliving the first time you ever read Stephen King and remembering no matter what they come out with nowadays that the oldies are still the best.