Doctor Sleep
>> Every Halloween, I reread Stephen King’s “The Stand” to get myself into a festive mood. However, after reading “Doctor Sleep,” I think that I may have a new tradition. In his latest book, King takes readers back to the life of Dan Torrance. A sequel to “The Shining,” this book continues to explore Dan’s psychic gift known as “the Shine.” Tormented by memories of his ax-wielding father, the first act follows Dan as he self-medicates with booze and loose women. Eventually, he hits rock bottom and finds salvation through honest work in a New Hampshire town. At that point, he meets Abra, a child with the powerful “Shine.” He must protect her from a mad cult bent on harvesting her energy to achieve immortality. Fans of King’s hundred-character-epics such as “IT” and “The Stand” will have trouble getting used to just hanging out with Dan, who is not a likeable guy until around page 100. That was my only problem with the book. Despite that, “Doctor Sleep” does not disappoint.
