Blaze: A Novel

4.5 out of 5

5,525 global ratings

Master storyteller Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) presents this gripping and remarkable New York Times bestselling crime novel about a damaged young man who embarks on an ill-advised kidnapping plot—a work as taut and riveting as anything he has ever written.

Once upon a time, a fellow named Richard Bachman wrote Blaze 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 this last gripping Bachman novel resurfaced after being hidden away for decades—an unforgettable crime story tinged with sadness and suspense.

Clayton Blaisdell, Jr., was always a small-time delinquent. None too bright either, thanks to the beatings he got as a kid. Then Blaze met George Rackley, a seasoned pro with a hundred cons and one big idea. The kidnapping should go off without a hitch, with George as the brains behind their dangerous scheme. But there's only one problem: by the time the deal goes down, Blaze's partner in crime is dead. Or is he?

320 pages,

Kindle

Audiobook

Hardcover

Paperback

Audio CD

First published August 13, 2018

ISBN 9781501195914


About the authors

Stephen King

Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His first crime thriller featuring Bill Hodges, MR MERCEDES, won the Edgar Award for best novel and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Both MR MERCEDES and END OF WATCH received the Goodreads Choice Award for the Best Mystery and Thriller of 2014 and 2016 respectively.

King co-wrote the bestselling novel Sleeping Beauties with his son Owen King, and many of King's books have been turned into celebrated films and television series including The Shawshank Redemption, Gerald's Game and It.

King was the recipient of America's prestigious 2014 National Medal of Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters. In 2007 he also won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He lives with his wife Tabitha King in Maine.

Read more


Reviews

Kindle Customer

Kindle Customer

5

There went Saturday! I couldn’t put it down

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024

Verified Purchase

If there are any more in that box or , hopefully, those boxes, please let them be out. I loved Richard Bachman early on , not knowing he was also SK. This is an example of why. MORE, please! My clothes, floors and kitty litter can wait while I dry my tears and “Yalp” in admiration . Thank you!

D. Jones

D. Jones

5

Wow

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024

Verified Purchase

I picked this as a quick read. I am a solid Stephen King fan. It was a very life changing read in as much as the point of view was super interesting. I sobbed real tears when I finished it. Read it

6 people found this helpful

Mike 27

Mike 27

5

Not your typical Stephen King story...

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024

Verified Purchase

I have always thought that the Bachman books started out as regular Stephen King stories but either SK or his agent decided that certain books just didn't meet the SK standard and were put in the Bachman universe. This may or may not have been a marketing strategy as the Bachman books were quickly outed as really SK books and I imagine they sold quite well. Either way I find that I enjoy the Bachman stories just as I would any other authors books just not quite as rabidly as 'Salems Lot, The Stand, It, Sums Key, etc. Blaze is definitely an SK character and I'm sorry his story ends the way it ultimately had to...

Read more

Anne Dodd

Anne Dodd

5

Wow. This should be made into a movie!

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024

Verified Purchase

I've been reading Kings books for decades now but finally got to this one while I wait for his new novel to come out. Why did it take me so long to read this??? No idea....but it was excellent in every form. It's now on my top 5 King/Bachman books. It should be a movie!! Loved it.

2 people found this helpful

bob bryan

bob bryan

5

Finally arrived!

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024

Verified Purchase

Thanks to Lena at customer service I finally got my book and have began to enjoy reading it. Amazon may want to use more care in selecting it's off site carriers......Lena at customer service save tou a lot of embarrassment

Jose Jones

Jose Jones

5

Exceeds expectations.

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2008

Verified Purchase

It's hard to expect much from a book when it opens with the author telling you he felt so little for his own creation he didn't even keep the original typed copy.

But "Blaze," in my opinion, is a great read. It hooks you instantly with its sympathetically slow main character and rumbles along to its inevitable finale.

Stephen King always knows best what does and does not work in his novels, and he's correct that the flashbacks in this book are its highlight. Even though they occasionally veer into near Upton Sinclair-esque melodrama, they have a clean sentimentality that I loved. They may even be a little cliche, if we're being honest, but King has always been a master of the little details of spirit and humanity. That is on strong display here.

What King does brilliantly in this novel is take someone doing something absolutely horrible and make you love him. Blaze, a smart boy who had his brain scrambled by a drunk, abusive father, who now stands a massive 6'7", is the ultimate pulling-on-your-heartstrings "big dumb guy" -- he's the original John Coffey, really. Blaze is a small-time con artist whose partner dies right before their big final score can happen, and Blaze goes about it alone (along with the help of his partner's ghost). You almost have to shake your head in sympathy as Blaze imagines he's outsmarting everyone but is clearly laying down a trail that will easily lead right back to him. The unraveling of his crime is as obvious as how he will react to what he has taken.

Blaze's sad growing affection for the baby he kidnaps is so overly melodramatic it's almost comedic, but you can't stop it from affecting you. That's fully because of King's ability to take such a scenario and make you care.

"Blaze" is a straightforward, almost sappy, story from Stephen King -- and I definitely loved every sentimental moment of it.

Read more

19 people found this helpful

Milo

Milo

4

first time I cried reading one of his books

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023

Verified Purchase

This is one of King’s very early novels that he didn’t feel was good enough to publish for years. If you loved Of Mice and Men, you’ll love this.

2 people found this helpful

MamaBear

MamaBear

4

Wish I'd borrowed this one

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2024

Verified Purchase

I frequently re-read SK, including his Bachman books, but I don't see myself wanting to re-read this one. It's a fine novel; short, tense, and direct. But it's all surface, without anything much underneath to reflect on or return to. It simply is what it is - a story of broken people breaking other people in a world with too little kindness.

3 people found this helpful

Patty B

Patty B

4

A great story

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2024

Verified Purchase

I was spellbound waiting for the supernatural to pop off but it didn’t do so in Kings most intense way. This one was easy to figure out. A graceful explanation of what a troubled, abusive childhood can lead to in life and what a tragedy a mentally, chemically wasted soul can be to someone who could have very possibly had a good, if not even prosperous life.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Timber Falls

Timber Falls

3

Book advertised as new but what I received was not.

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2023

Verified Purchase

I’m an avid reader and always have a stack of books to read. I ordered this one and opened it up after having received it and didn’t think anything was wrong on initial inspection. Everything on the outside looked almost new, that was until I finally had the chance to get to read it. Within the first 20 pages, I found the binding coming loose at the bottom of the pages. As I ventured further, I noticed a page or two that had been dog earred. I was pretty upset considering this was a book I planned on keeping in my collection and paid a pretty penny for something that should have been sold as a used product. Wish I could exchange this for a different copy but my window has closed. 3 stars for the story. 0 for the quality of the book.

Read more

2 people found this helpful