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Desperation

Desperation

Dark FantasyHorror
Pages
690
Published
1996
Language
English

Synopsis

In the isolated town of Desperation, Nevada, the veil between worlds is dangerously thin. When miners disturb an ancient evil, a creature named Tak begins to possess the townsfolk. A group of unsuspecting travelers, led by a young boy with a divine connection, find themselves the only hope against this encroaching darkness.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

DarkTenseAtmosphericGritty
Chosen OneSurvivalForced ProximitySacrificeReluctant Hero

Genres

Dark Fantasy Horror Thriller Literary Fiction Psychological Horror Suspense

About the author

S
Stephen King

Stephen King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author whose work has defined popular horror fiction for more than half a century. Born in Portland, Maine, he grew up in poverty after his father abandoned the family, and credits his mother's resilience and a voracious reading habit as the foundations of his imagination. He began selling short stories to men's magazines while working as a high school English teacher, and published his first novel, Carrie, in 1974—his wife Tabitha retrieved...

Characters

TakAntagonist
All characters in Desperation

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the connection between Desperation and The Regulators?

    Desperation and The Regulators were published simultaneously on September 24, 1996—Desperation under King's name, The Regulators under the Richard Bachman pseudonym. They share several character names (the Carvers, Johnny Marinville, Steve Ames) but are set in completely different worlds and tell different stories. They are complementary novels, not sequels.

  • Who or what is Tak?

    Tak is an ancient being of enormous evil that was trapped in a Nevada mining shaft and released when the mine was reopened. It possesses living things—animals, people—burning through them and requiring new hosts. In the novel it has possessed the sheriff of Desperation, Nevada, using him to capture travelers on the highway.

  • What role does religious faith play in Desperation?

    A young boy named David Carver has a direct, unwavering faith in God that proves the key to defeating Tak. Desperation is one of King's most explicitly theological novels—the question of whether God is genuinely present in a world of such suffering is asked directly, and the answer King proposes is uncomfortable: yes, but that presence demands terrible sacrifice.

  • Was Desperation adapted?

    Yes. A television film aired on ABC in 2006, starring Tom Skerritt and Ron Perlman. It was produced by King himself and followed the novel closely. It received mixed reviews.

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