Revival: A Novel

Marc Notes: In a small New England town over half a century ago, a boy is playing with his new toy soldiers in the dirt in front of his house when a shadow falls over him. He looks up to see a striking man, the new minister, Jamie learns later, who with his beautiful wife, will transform the church and the town. The men and boys are a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs;the women and girls, with the Reverend Jacobs--including Jamie's sisters and mother. Then tragedy strikes, and this charismatic preacher curses God, and is banished from the shocked town. Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from age 13, he plays in bands across the country, running from his own family tragedies, losing one job after another when his addictions get the better of him. Decades later, sober and living a decent life, he and Reverend Charles Jacobs meet again in a pact beyond even the Devil's devising, and the many terrifying meanings of Revival are revealed. King imbues this spectacularly rich and dark novel with everything he knows about music, addiction, and religious fanaticism, and every nightmare we ever had about death. This is a masterpiece from King, in the great American tradition of Frank Norris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe--; Provided by publisher. Publisher Marketing: A dark and electrifying novel about addiction, fanaticism, and what might exist on the other side of life. In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs--including Jamie's mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town. Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family's horrific loss. In his mid-thirties--addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate--Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil's devising, and Jamie discovers that "revival" has many meanings. This rich and disturbing novel spans five decades on its way to the most terrifying conclusion Stephen King has ever written. It's a masterpiece from King, in the great American tradition of Frank Norris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe. Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 02/02/2015 (EAN 9781442372764, Compact Disc) Library Journal 04/01/2015 pg. 48 (EAN 9781442372764, Compact Disc) Booklist 09/15/2014 pg. 36 (EAN 9781476770406, Open Ebook) Library Journal Prepub Alert 06/15/2014 pg. 64 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) Publishers Weekly 09/15/2014 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) - *Starred Review Booklist 09/15/2014 pg. 36 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) Library Journal 10/15/2014 pg. 81 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) - *Starred Review Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2014 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) People Weekly 11/24/2014 pg. 42 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) New York Times Book Review 11/23/2014 pg. 30 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) Entertainment Weekly 12/05/2014 pg. 74 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) Shelf Awareness 12/09/2014 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) Christian Century 12/10/2014 pg. 24 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) BookPage 11/01/2014 (EAN 9781476770383, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  King, Stephen Stephen King has written more than forty books and two hundred short stories. He has won the World Fantasy Award, several Bram Stoker awards, and the O. Henry Award for his story "The Man in the Black Suit."