I’m adding a new category to my site. Books. I like to read. I read a lot of Stephen King. His Dark Tower Series is fantastic. I absolutely loved how he tied the Dark Tower into so many of this other books. So, in this category, I’m going to include content (content is king) about books I’ve read.
On a recent flight back from Bellevue, Washington, I saw that King had a new book out. I don’t remember if I’d heard about it prior to seeing it in the airport, but I picked up Stephen King’s Cell.
Like most of Stephen King’s books, I found that I start off slowly. It’s probably me. I go though phases where I just LOVE to read. But when I start a new book, I think I’m cautious because I know it’s going to take a good deal of my time and attention. And then, like with most of Stephen King’s books, about 20 pages into it, I’m hooked.
In Cell, the day starts out with great news for Clay. He can’t wait to share the news, but has to wait until he gets back to his Boston hotel (everything’s in New England with SK). On his way back, “the end of the world” hits. It seems to be caused by cell phones. People around him started going crazy. And those people, it seemed, were all on the cell phones when “it” happened.
Was it terrorism? A glitch in the matrix?
The whole time I’m reading this book, I keep thinking how formulaic this book is. There are VERY familiar themes to other Stephen King books. The main character, Clay, “feels” like other main characters. Some of the things that happen (”the end of the world” = The Stand) feel familiar. But, man, about 20 pages in… I’m hooked. I can’t put it down.
On the plane back, I read a few pages. Put the book down and hooked into my iPod and dozed. Woke up, watched a movie (Timeline… I liked it… LOVED the book). Talked to the very nice woman sitting next to me. Then read some more, not too much. I was only about 15 pages in.
All I wanted to do the next day was read the book. And the next day too. It’s not TOO long (350 or so pages), but I knocked it out in about two days of reading.
You really get into the characters. Clay, Tom and Alice are all very likable. It’s hard to say because, of the three main characters, I’m most like Clay in my place in life (though I don’t have kids and my wife is not estranged), but I could see a reader easily personalizing any of the three. But Clay, Tom and Alice happen upon each other because they, for whatever reason (that day?), didn’t have cell phones. You follow the Three Amigos through their experiences trying to cope with what’s going on.
King hits you hard because as you’re reading you realize that IF cell phones could be the catalyst for such a catastrophic event, how far reaching it would be. Consider that cell phone use is LOWER in the United States than in other countries.
As with much of Stephen King’s work, this book isn’t, to me, as much “Horror” as it is “Suspense”. I’m never scared (well, IT scared the living crap out of me), but I’m always on the edge of my seat. I think it’s because King’s characters are so real. And their situtations, while not always believable, are… well… believable. It’s like, “I’d feel that way if in that situation” or “I’d do that too”. And his descriptions of the settings are always vivid — like you’re actually there.
There’s nothing special about Cell but if you like Stephen King books, you’ll like this one too. I did. I couldn’t put it down.
And I’m considering giving up my cell phone. :)
So this was my first “review”. I left a LOT out because if you’re like me, you don’t want most (any) of the book spoiled for you.
By Becky
What did you think of the end? I don’t get the dates thing.
By mike
Becky,
I’ll have to go back and look. It’s been so long since I read the book, I don’t remember. I hope you’re not giving anything away. :)
-ME
By Margaret
I actually really liked the Cell; however, I did not like not knowing who created the pulse. The last line made me think that when he dialed the phone for his son, he received the pulse. There was also the earlier premonition that he would never see Tom and his friends again. In other words, I think Clay sacrificed his sanity for the chance to save his son.
By Denise
I neither didn’t get the end? I was ready to turn the page, in my usual page turning suspense of course, and that WAS the end. Anyone having ideas on the end of “Cell” Please share that info with me?! I’d appreciate it! Thanks!
By Margaret
I heard recently that the answer to the end is in the last 2 chapters. I lent my book out, so I haven’t gone back to re-read it. I’d be curious if anyone else had any ideas?
By Teck-E
I enjoyed the book. I have been in the computer industry the last 20+ years. I mention that only because I have a probable ending that Stephen King has left for us. It’s the ending dates Dec-30-2004 - Oct-17-2005.
Next time you boot up your PC press F8 (before it boots into Windows) you will see a selection screen where you can select Safe Mode but more importantly Last Known Good Configuration. This boot option is a date the PC booted with no issues or corruption in the operation system. So… at the end of the book the first date is prior to the “pulse†so his son boots back to his last know good configuration. Happy ending!
By David Anthony
The ending of the cell has me puzzled too. Then after thinking about it, I’ve come to one possibility in that Clay pressed the cell phone against his sons ear, then they both go the pulse. There was no ending or story to tell after that, as the pulse was still being broadcast on 911 and Clay got a dose of what Pixie Dark got, a half blast, but enough to put him out.
That or Stephen King got bored and coped out to meet his publishers date.
By Trevor
Excellent book but ending has baffled me. Tend to agree with Teck-E. Who did clay phone to get the dates.
By Marc
The dates stand for when King first started writing and when he finished the book. In most if not all of his books King always puts the Begin and End Dates of his creation.
Other than that, the dates have nothing to do with the story itself. It annoys me that we don’t get to see what happens with his son or more importantly (to me), where the Pulse originates from and who had sent it.
By Jennifer
I too, enjoyed The Cell, but the ending made me mad!! I cant stand not knowing what happened to Clay and his son. Also to Tom, Jordan, and the others and if Rafael (the cat) was ever harmed. I have come on here in search of help with the ending and the meaning of the dates at the end. I dont believe its the “safe mode” as mentioned by Tek-E because the book takes place in 24 days… the Pulse started Oct. 1 at 3:01pm. This book kept me in suspense the whole way through and I feel like I was cheated out of an ending… Happy reading to all :)
By Peggy Appler
Has anyone heard of about a follow up book to The Cell?
By Chris.B
I really loved this book :]
yet the ending was SO infuriatingly annoyign becasue you really want to know whats happened.
me, i think that the ending could go 1 of 2 ways, either clay’s plan worked and his son got restored to his normal self, or they both went mad together. unfortunatly i think the second idea was the one king expects us to belive but you never know eh :D
By Shawn
The date immediately confused me too; however, after thinking about the publish date I realized too that it is just the beginning and end date of King’s labor writing the book.
I beleive King just left the rest of the story up to us to decide what happened. I wanted a happy ending because of my mood at the time and that’s what I got. They found their buds too and started the world over with all the other normies who had balls to do something after all the phone crazies got the “worm”. Hows that?
By Love&Peace*Girl
I LOVED Cell!! As mentioned on this page, the characters were all very likable. Clay wasn’t the stereotypical “You’re the disease & I’m the cure” hero, but a down-to-earth average Joe. Denise may’ve been harsh, but she does make valid points.
My favorite was Tom! He seems like one of the nicest guys you’d be lucky enough to meet (he reminds of a few of my guy friends, too), and I like that King made him gay. So many people are homophobic & I had a crush on a gay guy, so I’m really sensitive to homophobia. King NEVER uses stereotypes in his characters. The only thing that I didn’t like about the book was that Rafael’s condition is never revealed (I wish he could’a come w/ them & survived). I haven’t enjoyed a Stephen King novel this much since I read “The Shining” & “Carrie.” (I want to read “It”)
By Brad
I was also let down by the ending of the book, but that is what good writers do. They let YOU THE READER decide how things turn out. Sometimes no closure is more intriguing than closure, as seen by this novel. As much as I would have like to known the ending and what happened as well, I appreciate how he did it nonetheless. What I don’t understand is how they made the call that blew up the bus and not get “The Pulse”?? Someone had to dial it right? Unless they put it down and moved away from it or somethin. I think King leads you to believe at the end that Johnny will be reset and that Clay will be alright because when the phone-crazies set up their tents at the Kashwak border, they did the exact same thing: held up phones to the ears of others, and they did NOT get another wave of pulse. I think they both turn out okay. As for finding their friends, who knows…..overall, another great thriller from King.
By Dani
Can someone please find out what happened in the end?
I know that some people enjoy imagining the ending but i need to know!! its really annoyed me after really enjoying the book.
By Julie
Loved the book, my curiosity leans more toward what is going on with the rest of the world. Are there survivors elsewhere out there that they will eventually find,and will if he “fixes” his son, will he be able to reboot others as he meets up with the surviving phoners?
By Jessie
hmm i thought jordan told clay something about reversing the puls since johnny only got half blast of it…i could be wrong, but i’m pretty sure jordan said something along those lines.
he’s a bright young boy and all.
By Paula
Not knowing King includes his writing cycle dates, I assumed the dates DID have something to do with the ending and thought I was guite savy for figuring it out until I read the posts!
I figured that since he held the phone up to his sons ear in snow fall (I believe it was December) December 2005 the first date.
The second date was - October 2006
I interpreted this almost like the dates on a tombstone. Life began with him holding the phone up to his sons ear (correcting his son) however, something went wrong/death ten months later (albeit by phonies, end of world, disease ??) in October which is left to our imagination??!!
The alternative is that this ending is much like Luis Lowry’s book The Giver which leaves the ending up to the imagination of the reader!
By George
This is another disappointing ending like the mist. For goodness sakes, he’s telling the story. It’s like going to my accountant to do my financials, and he gives me his tax return to complete for him.
By Larry
I have heard that there is possibly a follow up book to finish the story. Anyone else heard this rumor??
By Lisa D
i thought the book was fabulous! i wanted to know who had done it though and why! and also i wanted teh cat to be ok!!!! i was a bit perplexed with teh dates but having read other peoples take on it i can now make my own ending up and assume that the dates were just when SK started writing it and finished…….