Charles Jacobs was a young minister who liked to tinker with electricity—until lost his wife and child in a horrific car accident. One “terrible sermon” later he left town with his faith in tatters and his electrical hobby turned an obsession.

Jamie Morton was a young child assaulting a German stronghold with plastic army men when Charles first entered his life. Revival is the story that covers their intertwined lives.

This novel stands out from the pack in a couple ways. In the first place, King excels at characterization and pacing. In contrast to so many action-packed suspense novels, King seems almost leisurely. By the time the action hits, you are emotionally invested in his characters. Surprisingly, this slower pace makes the book no less interesting. King proves that you don’t need to end every chapter with a cliff-hanger to sustain the constant reader’s interest.

The second way this novel stands out is King’s use of Lovecraft’s cosmic horror theme. He offers an explicit nod to Lovecraft when Jamie’s research assistant compares a book called De Vermis Mysteriis to Lovecraft’s “fictional” Necronomicon (389). This theme also connects Revival to the Dark Tower’s idea of the space between the worlds. The theme is only accentuated when juxtaposed against Jacob’s loss of faith.

Once again, King has shown himself a master storyteller by applying legitimate literary skills and devices to pulp fiction themes.

King, Stephen. Revival. New York: Pocket Books, 2014.