The Outsider
Ratings426
Average rating3.9
The first 1/2 of the book was a 5 star read, but that last 1/2 was a 2 star. Pretty disappointing.
This isn't one of King's major-known books, but in my opinion, I think it compares. There's some graphic descriptions/scenes (esp involving the kid's murder), but the mystery and horror aspect is so RAW and DISTURBING and fucking CREEPY (pardon my language but I cannot adequately express how terrifying this novel is.) King consistently writes books that are weird and out there and unsettling, and this one stood to take the place next to his popular books like The Shining, It, Misery, and so on. I don't hear too many people talking about this one, but there's also a TV show mini-series on this I've yet to watch. Now I think I will. Truly a mind-boggling mystery and visceral horror I LOVED reading. The characters are also all well fleshed out - as usual King has a lot of them, yet each plays a part. And the “entity”/Outsider itself...nightmare stuff.
I'm not going to even try to review this book. It was amazing. It was SK at his best. I loved every word of it. I want to see the movie version (and a real movie, not some made for tv miniseries for a channel I don't get). Go read it.
I was absolutely hooked for the first 80% of the book. Amazing writing and tension building only to be really disappointed by the ending.
The story begins with the gruesome murder of an eleven-year-old boy in the small town of Flint City. All evidence, including eyewitness testimonies and forensic data, points to Terry Maitland, a beloved Little League coach. Detective Ralph Anderson arrests Terry in a highly public manner, convinced of his guilt. However, as the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that Terry has a solid alibi: he was out of town at a writers' conference during the time of the murder.
As the seemingly airtight case against Terry unravels, Detective Anderson and his team uncover a series of bizarre and inexplicable events. The evidence starts pointing towards a supernatural entity, an “outsider” capable of taking on the appearance of others and committing heinous crimes. This revelation forces Anderson to confront his own beliefs and understanding of reality.
Stephen King excels in creating deep, multi-dimensional characters. Ralph Anderson is a dedicated detective whose world is shaken by the case, challenging his rational mind. Terry Maitland is portrayed as a sympathetic character, a man whose life is shattered by false accusations. Holly Gibney, a recurring character from King's Bill Hodges Trilogy, plays a crucial role in the investigation with her unique insights and determination.
“The Outsider” explores several profound themes. It examines the nature of evil, suggesting that it can lurk in the most unexpected places. The novel also delves into the impact of false accusations on individuals and communities, highlighting the fragility of reputation and trust. Additionally, King touches on the conflict between rationality and the supernatural, challenging characters and readers alike to reconsider their beliefs.
King's writing in “The Outsider” is taut and gripping. His ability to build suspense is evident from the very first chapter, drawing readers into a complex web of mystery and fear. The dialogue is realistic, and the detailed descriptions create vivid images that enhance the overall sense of dread. King's characteristic wit and deep understanding of human nature shine through, making the characters' reactions and interactions believable and engaging.
I was let down with the ending. The Outsider was too easily overpowered. I expected it to be deadlier and more formidable than how King portrayed it. I deducted a star for that (maybe half a star if I could in Goodreads). The ending in the HBO series was much better.
The rest of the book was very well-written and fast-paced.
This tale is a great showcase of how great a storyteller Stephen King is, while he is often only recognized for his writing style and depth. The method in which he lays out the pieces, connects the dots, and structures the journey to the truth is entirely cinematic here. As would be expected, there are some dark, twisty, and horror elements to this, but different characters and plot devices are weaved in to keep things moving at a brisk pace across a wide-spanning investigation that keeps the reader curious and intrigued the whole way through. It certainly has a True Detective sort of feel to it and even offers a big surprise about halfway through that few will see coming.
La prima parte è intrigante e stimolante, mentre la seconda parte mi ha coinvolto meno, nonostante ci siano momenti di picco. Il finale finale purtroppo non mi ha convinto, mi è sembrato affrettato e un po' anticlimatico.
I was really into the first 1/3-1/2 of this book. It was all laid out super nicely. Guy gets accused of murder. All of the evidence points directly at him with absolutely no room for an alibi. However, the guy actually has an airtight alibi, so what's going on? This all leads to the oft-repeated line in the book: a man can't be in two places at once.
Let's backtrack a bit. The Mr Mercedes trilogy came and went. As the reader may or may not know, the first two books in the series are more straight up crime novels while the third dabbles in the supernatural. It's also no secret that Holly Gibney takes over the helm as King's go-to investigator. This was well advertised when The Outsider came out.
Holly is thrown into this novel around the halfway mark. I wouldn't exactly say it's necessary. In fact, it does feel a bit shoehorned in. As others have noted, her appearance is about the time book took a turn for the worse.
At this point, the reader still has about 250 pages left. Whereas the story of Terry Maitland is super interesting, the rest of the novel just sort of exists for no other reason than for Stephen King to drop every Kingsian trope he knows. The reveal of the killer and everything leading up to the ending has been done by King ad nauseum.
I'm giving this a 2.5, so I'm rounding up to 3. I'd honestly recommend skipping this one if you've never ready the Mr Mercedes trilogy or if you hated the third book. However, feel free to read it if you just want some mindless fun, I guess.
3,5 estrelas. Foi um livro com os seus altos e baixos, tanto me prendeu a atenção como me aborrecia. A parte menos feliz, na minha opinião, foi o começo da solução do crime.
Started off sooo strong. Slowed down some in the middle (as most of Kings work does for me) then once Holly was introduced into this one I was HOOKED. I love her character and can't wait to read his new novel based on her! It went a way different direction than I was expecting but overall such a great read, I enjoyed throughout!
Rating: 4.10 leaves out of 5-Characters: 3.75/5 -Cover: 5/5-Story: 4.75/5-Writing: 4/5Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Crime-Fantasy: 4/5-Horror: 3/5-Mystery: 4/5-Thriller: 3/5-Crime: 5/5 Type: BookWorth?: YesTW: Child SA, body horror Hated Disliked Meh It Was Okay Liked Loved FavoritedWell well well, something of King's that I didn't feel disappointed by. A rarity. I really loved this story and can't wait to sink my claws it the Bill Hodge trilogy (and the other books associated with this.) It kept me on edge and I really wanted to know more!I did hate the pigs in the beginning and I still dislike them a bit. I understand when emotions blind you but they really are crappy people. I do love love love HOLLY! And I can't wait to read her book coming out.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really like this book . It's a very enjoyable story, but just short of epic. Certain areas may not be as fulfilling as they could have been. I'm not quite as captivated or blown away, but still had a great experience. I'd recommend this book to others and continue reading from this author. I would probably re-read it.
Will Paton hits a home run with this one.
Loved listening to yet another King novel narrated beautifully.
Did feel like the story dragged on for a bit there. But the loose ends were tied at the end.
Recommend to any horror or King fans.
This is certainly an exciting story. I love Holly so it was great to see her again.
I did feel that this is all ground that King has covered before, specifically with Desperation, The Dark Half, and the Bill Hodges book.
With as many wonderful books as King has written, I can't expect it to be unique every single time, but it did distract me with this particular book, how much it reminded me of others.
I found myself sitting offshore on an oil rig in a storm running out of things to read whilst we waited for the weather to improve. Searching around a bit I found a copy of this book in the rec room and decided to give it a go - King is one of my partners favourite authors and I have only read a couple of his works. I wasn't sure what to expect of this one but was pleasantly surprised.
The book starts off as a police procedural, with the murder of a young child and a lot of evidence that the local little league baseball coach was to blame. After his arrest, his alibi proves stronger than expected and it becomes increasingly hard to explain the contradictory evidence in the case.
The Outsider effectively builds suspense through this procedural element before gradually moving into the more typical King supernatural horror realm. It was a really intriguing crossover between the genres that was executed with style and aplomb. Reading it was definitely a good way to wait out a storm offshore!
This book didn't work for me. It started strong and very promising but then the story started to lose my interest. Maybe if the book was shorter, I would have been more invested in the story. I think there were too many perspectives and way too many details. It might've worked better for me, if some things were just edited out because the narrative got a little repetitive. There were a few creepy moments, unfortunately it didn't scare me or made me lose sleep and that's saying a lot because I'm a chicken!
I had high expectations about this book, but I was more scared before reading it than I was while reading it. I'm bummed.
This review can also be found on my blog.This was a really great read, especially after I struggled so much with Mr. Mercedes. We run into just a couple of the same issues – namely, King's obsession with Holly taking Lexapro (yes, Holly makes an appearance!). It was kind of funny to see Holly saying she absolutely could NOT drink because of her Lexapro when just about everyone I know who is on it drinks to no ill effect. Regardless, I thought this was a pretty clever way of doing the shapeshifter trope. As I began it, I thought “wait, how is he going to do this in a creative way?” but he really pulled it off. This was quite the spooky read and I had to put it down a few times while reading it alone at night. My only real complaint is that things kind of fell apart in the finale and I felt dissatisfied at the ending. Regardless, I highly recommend this but do be forewarned that there are major spoilers for the Bill Hodges trilogy. While it is not necessary to read the trilogy before this, do NOT read this first if you do plan to read the trilogy.Blog Twitter Instagram Facebook
The first half is enthralling, masterfully crafted and just King as his best really. It sets up a case that had me dying to find out just how it would resolve and what confluence of events fit with the facts. Up to the courthouse steps it was one of the best things I have read in a long time.
Ok boy did it take a nose dive in the second half. I went from being unable to put it down to being almost unable to pick it up. I came very close to just stopping. It's certainly not as bad as End Of Watch but it have me the same sinking feeling of disappointment when I realized where he was taking the story.
I'd be lying if I didn't say I smiled at the finale but that was a bit of a chore to get there.